Day Sixteen - Two Words: Gong Show

Our trusty land cruiser and driver Sahdala

I was awake until 2:30am last night doing work, which ended up being a waste because things were still messed up once we drove the 2 hours to Gok Machar. We have no cell service there, unless you stand on a hill and even then it cuts out horribly, so that meant we had no way of fixing the data on the phones unless we drove back to Aweil. We made due with what we had, but I was very frustrated for the rest of the day. My first big mistake working for Forcier Consulting. Hopefully I will never make it again...I will just say I really dislike smart phones and technology...So all in all, work today was a gong show. AND at the end of the day one of the data collectors was late which put us in a huge rush to get to Aweil before 7, which is curfew and when they close the gates for the night. We made it so that crisis was averted but the drive seemed to take twice as long...

I met a man with two wives today...

The women here amaze me. It is a very common sight to see women of all ages carrying buckets of water, or logs, or bags full of something, on their heads. They make is look so easy. And often, the woman or girl will be carrying a small child with her. Incredible. So foreign to me. I am certain if I tried to do the same I would break something or myself. It is natural for them. There is also the skill of kneeling all day breaking up the soil for planting with just a hoe. Back breaking work. Men and women of all ages do it. The people have such a different way of life here, which is not a surprise. On the drive home I was trying to imagine what it would be like to live here...I can't quite do it. Dirt floors, mud walls, no power, no running water, nothing that I grew up with. It is an entirely different world...