Day 469 - We Want Peace

September 21^st was a day to remember here in Juba. As I describe it, Juba experienced its first legit concert. A group of my friends and I got together and made out way to Independence Hall, where we joined hundreds of South Sudanese and expats in the large hall, anticipating the moment when Darryl (D.M.C) McDaniels would step on stage and a great moment it was. Along with three local artists, Darryl was opening for the main attraction, Emmanuel Jal, a South Sudanese musician and former child soldier on a mission to bring peace to the world and his home country through music. It was amazing to have the opportunity to see D.M.C. perform, and even more so to see Emmanuel Jal, a South Sudanese performer. It was an incredible show, with so much energy, and a message that Emmaunel Jal is successfully spreading around the world.

Emmanuel’s campaign is called We Want Peace and it has a simple goal: to raise awareness on the fundamental principles of justice, equality, unification and conflict prevention, through the power of music, worldwide.  This campaign has high profile supporters like Alicia Keys, George Klooney, Kofi Annan, Jimmy Carter, and the list goes on. Emmanuel has a hit song, which was written in dedication to South Sudan’s historic referendum. It is a powerful song and you should all go and listen to it now.

It is inspiring that a former child soldier, is using his story, his experiences and using those to create a movement, encouraging people to take a stand all through his words and his voice.

“We want peace and we’re gonna get it!”

Day 464 - Home Is Where The Heart Is

Being home after being away for a while, or in this case, a long time always makes me think a lot about what a home means to me and how it differs from place to place.

There is that saying, "Home is where the heart is". Home is where you make it and as long as you are happy in your heart, no matter where you are you can call home. It may also depend on who you are with. You may not particularly love the location of where you are loving but you love a person or the people you are surrounded by. 

Up until my last trip home this is what I totally thought. Home was where the heart is. Home is where you make it. To an extent this is true however there is a line that "Home is where the heart is" cannot cross. I have lived Winnipeg. So cold in the winter that you never want to go outside, but beautiful and full of life in the spring and summer. I have lived in Cairo. Dirty and crazy busy, with millions of people, including men that can not keep their mouths closed or their eyes off you as you walk past. It is also full of history, with all the amenities and extracurricular activities anyone could ask for. Cairo has its own kind of lifestyle to offer. I am now currently living in Juba. Juba has a life of its own. With a few less than adequately clean pools and restaurants being the only place to hang out besides ones own or a friends accommodation, Juba does not have much to offer a person. Oh and there is a small mountain you can climb which is actually a very enjoyable activity. Even though it is lacking excitement and tourist attractions there is a strange beauty about Juba that you do not see until you have been here. In part it is the people, and the other part is...well I am not sure what that is...when I am away from Juba I eventually find myself missing being there. Juba is a mediocre place to live compared to the beautiful places on the coast in Africa that are just a flight away, but Juba has found a place in my heart even without any fancy, lovely, exciting things to lure me in. 

However, I think the only place I will ever feel truly at home is in the tree covered land, rolling hills covered in wheat, barley, canola and beautiful skies of Alberta. Alberta is my home and will always be my home. I have lived in quite a few places, and yes I have fallen in love with those places. The love I have for these places is so different from what I feel about Alberta. It is the memories a place evokes. Alberta reminds me of the first 18 years of my life. Time spent with family. It is home. Driving down the country roads that I used to drive down every day, seeing the familiar places brings a peace that no other place has given me. 

Maybe the day will come that I will be able to call another place my home and it will feel like my Alberta home. 

Only time will tell. 

~Where we love is home - home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts. - Olive Wendall Holmes~

Day 456 - August Lost

All of a sudden it is September 8th. August is gone and September is close to being half over.

Where did the month go and what have I done?

Olympics. I watched a lot of the Olympics. I watched very little of the summer Olympics and I had forgot how much I enjoy watching them.

Work is the same old, same old. We will be starting a new period in October, meaning courses will be starting over with new scheduling and course work.

The rainy season seems to be in full swing, however, I do not think we have had as much rain this year as we did last year. I did do a lot more walking last year. Rain is easily noticed when you have to walk through mud and puddles to go to the bathroom, walk to work, etc, etc.

I arrived home on August 22. Was able to be present for a good friends wedding and visit with a very good old friend. My time at home has been jam packed with driving to and fro, visiting friends and family. The greatest day was August 29 when my nephew William was born. He is a sweetheart and has succeeded at stealing my heart just as much as Medea has. One more reason to stay around in good ol' Alberta. 

I spent time in Saskatchewan, for a friends wedding and for a visit to a very good friend who I have not seen in almost two years. I spent half my time in Edmonton and the other half in Olds. I put a lot of miles in on the road and every minute of it was worth it. I was able to spend a great amount of time with all of my family, however, my mother would probably tell you differently :) I even got to see most of my aunts, uncles and cousins.

I am actually sitting in the airport as I write this (started writing this post on the 4th and never got it finished, opps).

The last sixteen days have been an absolute whirlwind but a wonderful whirlwind that could have lasted much longer. It felt like I was home for much longer than I really was. I could not have asked for a better trip.