I climbed a mountain on Saturday. Literally, not figuratively. This mountain is called Jebel. It was not a very large mountain, but a mountain nonetheless. Jebel means mountain in Arabic.
The morning could not have been more perfect for climbing. It was cloudy, cool and there was a lovely breeze to keep us from sweating excessively. I climbed with about 15 UN staff, all of which are in better shape than me, but I made it. It is not that intense of a climb.
You start the hike near Rock City, passing women crushing rocks, children playing and men sitting drinking tea. At the base of the mountain there are tukkels where I assume the people crushing rock live. All the children call out “Morning! Morning!” The grass gets taller and taller the higher up you climb. It was at least 6 feet tall in some areas. Certainly tall enough that you could get lost if you took the wrong path. Closer to the top it becomes very steep and very rocky. Not nice rocks that will give you a good foothold but smooth rocks that make you fear slipping. The last stretch of the climb is a nice break from the steep incline you previously climbed. Flat rock on the top of the mountain, which you eventually have to scale up to reach the very top. I was quite impressed with myself that I did not fall on the way up.
The view from the top was beautiful. On one side of the mountain you have Juba, with blue, red and brown roofs looking back at you. On the other side you have tukkels and more blue and red roofs looking back at you. An entirely different perspective of Juba and the surrounding area. The clouds overhead were numerous and lovely. There were dozens of hawks flying up and down and along the mountainside.
It was a wonderful Saturday morning in Juba.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Monday, October 24, 2011
Day One Hundred & Thirty Four - Sheer Bliss
I have had two excellent days in a row. Let me tell you why.
Yesterday I spent the day in a paradise. Maybe not paradise, but for Juba it really was. I was fortunate enough to be invited to spend the day at a friend of a friend’s villa. They have a beautiful new pool, with loungers and a swim up bar. The pool is deep enough that you can dive in it and it is tiled with 4 shades of blue giving it a really pretty color. The whole place is extremely elaborate and slightly excessive but I am not complaining or judging because living in a tent creates the feeling of having a place like this to go to necessary. It really did not feel like we were in Juba yesterday. It was excellent. Talk about an escape. Good company, sunshine (a little too much sunshine says my red skin), and good music. A perfect way to relax on a Sunday in Juba.
And today folks, I was given a job. Hired. That makes for another excellent day eh? I almost can’t believe it. I am no longer unemployed in Juba and my oh my it is a good feeling. AND the greatest thing about it, besides getting a paycheck and being able to stay here in Juba, is that as of November I will not be living in a tent anymore. Thank you unnamed company.
Yesterday I spent the day in a paradise. Maybe not paradise, but for Juba it really was. I was fortunate enough to be invited to spend the day at a friend of a friend’s villa. They have a beautiful new pool, with loungers and a swim up bar. The pool is deep enough that you can dive in it and it is tiled with 4 shades of blue giving it a really pretty color. The whole place is extremely elaborate and slightly excessive but I am not complaining or judging because living in a tent creates the feeling of having a place like this to go to necessary. It really did not feel like we were in Juba yesterday. It was excellent. Talk about an escape. Good company, sunshine (a little too much sunshine says my red skin), and good music. A perfect way to relax on a Sunday in Juba.
And today folks, I was given a job. Hired. That makes for another excellent day eh? I almost can’t believe it. I am no longer unemployed in Juba and my oh my it is a good feeling. AND the greatest thing about it, besides getting a paycheck and being able to stay here in Juba, is that as of November I will not be living in a tent anymore. Thank you unnamed company.
Friday, October 21, 2011
Day One Hundred & Thirty One - What's In A Name?
I have always had a fascination with the meaning of a name. A name says a lot about a person. A name has an effect on the development of a person’s mind and personality. I don’t think this effect is normally a conscious thing, but sometimes it can be noticeable.
I obviously have not ever had to name a child, but I have though about how hard it would be. A name is so important. I once had a friend tell me a story of when she was travelling in Southeast Asia and she inadvertently named a baby ‘Baby’. She felt horrible thinking about this child somewhere half way across the world growing up being called Baby because some white lady came and awed the community enough to have her mother ask this lady to name her baby. If my friend had understood what was going on she would have given the child a legitimate name, not Baby.
All over the world the birth of a child is an event of joy and significance. In Africa I think that there is more involved in naming a child and there is more attached to it. The hopes of the parents, when the child was born, current events of importance, celestial events that may have occurred when the child was born, many different things can determine the name of a child here. I think it is believed that the name chosen will influence for better or for worse the life of the child. Some of the name meanings I have come across here are: born on Tuesday, born after twins, born at night, or last born, or born under the moon, born in the rainy season. A friend just told me of a name that means, “gathering people together”. This story was told to me so I may have the details incorrect. A little girl was born in 2010 around the time of the referendum and her name means “gathering people together”. She was born in a time where people of South Sudan were coming together and uniting as one to bring freedom to their country. She is named after an incredible time in the worlds history. Meanings like this are so incredible.
Deng is a very common first or last name among the tribes here. Dinka, Nuer and Shilluk tribes all use this name. In Dinka it means “Rain” and it also refers to the heavens or God. The Dinka tribes believe that the most powerful God, god of all gods is ‘Deng’.
The Kikuyu (Gikuyu) are Kenya’s biggest ethnic group. The origin and history behind this ethnic group is very interesting. Their ancestors come from Northern Kenya, and the theory is that many of the other tribes in Kenya broke away from the main Kikuyu group. The Kikuyu themselves moved and ended up residing in the west. The story of when and how the Kikuyu became separate and independent people is stated in oral tradition, which says that the founder of the Kikuyu was a man named Gikuyu. One day, Ngai (God) gave him a wife called Mumbi, and commanded them to build a homestead at the valley with a unique bird species called "Nyagathanga". Some versions of the story say that Ngai first took Gikuyu to the top of Kirinyaga to behold the land that he was giving them. The location is still sacred. Mumbi bore nine daughters, who married and had families, and which eventually became clans. Ngai gave them the highly fertile lands to the southwest of the mountain to live in. These clans – the true ancestors of the Kikuyu – are actually called the ‘full nine’ or ‘nine fully’ (kenda muiyuru), for there also was a tenth daughter, who descended from an unmarried mother in one of the other nine clans (which suggests the later amalgamation of at least one other people into the Kikuyu). Until recently, it was a common taboo for anyone to give the exact number of their children; to violate taboo would portend a bad omen. The names of these nine daughters are commonly used to name women.
Now the point to this little history lesson, the Kikuyu tradition of naming children intrigues me to no end. The Kikuyu see every generation as a replacement of the previous one; therefore, names are passed down from generation to generation. There is a specific system for how this is done. I get slightly confused by which name goes to which person and whose name was who’s originally. So, the first son receives his father’s father’s name. The first daughter receives her father’s mother’s name. The second son receives his mother’s father’s name. The second daughter receives her mother’s mother’s name.
Subsequent children are named similarly after the brothers and sisters of the grandmother and grandfather; from eldest to youngest, alternating from father's to mother's. And from what I understand, a Christian name is given as a first name. A wee bit confusing but interesting to say the least.
My only concern about this naming system is instances where a husband and wife may only have girls, or only have boys. This to me means that names are lost. Kind of like how I have three sisters and no brothers, therefore, unless one of us girls keeps our last name, my father will be the last person in his line to bear the name Wheeler. Sad.
Now my parents did not name me after anyone. This does not mean they did not put any thought into it. I do not know if they looked up the meanings of the names that they gave me, but either way they did well. Caryn is Scandinavian in origin and means ‘Pure’. Danae is Greek in origin and means ‘She who judges’. In my opinion, solid names. Thanks Mom and Dad.
I obviously have not ever had to name a child, but I have though about how hard it would be. A name is so important. I once had a friend tell me a story of when she was travelling in Southeast Asia and she inadvertently named a baby ‘Baby’. She felt horrible thinking about this child somewhere half way across the world growing up being called Baby because some white lady came and awed the community enough to have her mother ask this lady to name her baby. If my friend had understood what was going on she would have given the child a legitimate name, not Baby.
All over the world the birth of a child is an event of joy and significance. In Africa I think that there is more involved in naming a child and there is more attached to it. The hopes of the parents, when the child was born, current events of importance, celestial events that may have occurred when the child was born, many different things can determine the name of a child here. I think it is believed that the name chosen will influence for better or for worse the life of the child. Some of the name meanings I have come across here are: born on Tuesday, born after twins, born at night, or last born, or born under the moon, born in the rainy season. A friend just told me of a name that means, “gathering people together”. This story was told to me so I may have the details incorrect. A little girl was born in 2010 around the time of the referendum and her name means “gathering people together”. She was born in a time where people of South Sudan were coming together and uniting as one to bring freedom to their country. She is named after an incredible time in the worlds history. Meanings like this are so incredible.
Deng is a very common first or last name among the tribes here. Dinka, Nuer and Shilluk tribes all use this name. In Dinka it means “Rain” and it also refers to the heavens or God. The Dinka tribes believe that the most powerful God, god of all gods is ‘Deng’.
The Kikuyu (Gikuyu) are Kenya’s biggest ethnic group. The origin and history behind this ethnic group is very interesting. Their ancestors come from Northern Kenya, and the theory is that many of the other tribes in Kenya broke away from the main Kikuyu group. The Kikuyu themselves moved and ended up residing in the west. The story of when and how the Kikuyu became separate and independent people is stated in oral tradition, which says that the founder of the Kikuyu was a man named Gikuyu. One day, Ngai (God) gave him a wife called Mumbi, and commanded them to build a homestead at the valley with a unique bird species called "Nyagathanga". Some versions of the story say that Ngai first took Gikuyu to the top of Kirinyaga to behold the land that he was giving them. The location is still sacred. Mumbi bore nine daughters, who married and had families, and which eventually became clans. Ngai gave them the highly fertile lands to the southwest of the mountain to live in. These clans – the true ancestors of the Kikuyu – are actually called the ‘full nine’ or ‘nine fully’ (kenda muiyuru), for there also was a tenth daughter, who descended from an unmarried mother in one of the other nine clans (which suggests the later amalgamation of at least one other people into the Kikuyu). Until recently, it was a common taboo for anyone to give the exact number of their children; to violate taboo would portend a bad omen. The names of these nine daughters are commonly used to name women.
Now the point to this little history lesson, the Kikuyu tradition of naming children intrigues me to no end. The Kikuyu see every generation as a replacement of the previous one; therefore, names are passed down from generation to generation. There is a specific system for how this is done. I get slightly confused by which name goes to which person and whose name was who’s originally. So, the first son receives his father’s father’s name. The first daughter receives her father’s mother’s name. The second son receives his mother’s father’s name. The second daughter receives her mother’s mother’s name.
Subsequent children are named similarly after the brothers and sisters of the grandmother and grandfather; from eldest to youngest, alternating from father's to mother's. And from what I understand, a Christian name is given as a first name. A wee bit confusing but interesting to say the least.
My only concern about this naming system is instances where a husband and wife may only have girls, or only have boys. This to me means that names are lost. Kind of like how I have three sisters and no brothers, therefore, unless one of us girls keeps our last name, my father will be the last person in his line to bear the name Wheeler. Sad.
Now my parents did not name me after anyone. This does not mean they did not put any thought into it. I do not know if they looked up the meanings of the names that they gave me, but either way they did well. Caryn is Scandinavian in origin and means ‘Pure’. Danae is Greek in origin and means ‘She who judges’. In my opinion, solid names. Thanks Mom and Dad.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Day One Hundred & Twenty Four - Stranger Company
"Hello. My name is Caryn and you are? I am from Canada. Alberta. I have been here 4 months and still love it. I am volunteering my time at the Juba Orphanage teaching English and searching for employment."
These are the typical first words I say when I meet someone new here. I make a point to not have these sort of questions in my conversation with someone I have just met. I get very tired of answering and asking those questions every single time you meet someone new, which is a very common daily occurrence. The “What’s your name? Where are you from? Why are you here? How long have you been here?” questions are necessary at one point, but it is much nicer to go about a conversation as though you are not a foreigner, living amongst many other foreigners in South Sudan.
However, now that I am here unemployed being asked what I am doing here is a good question because it is necessary for me to make connections in order to find a job. Some people think that I am insane for staying here without a job, others are totally in support of my decision.
On another aspect of how one interacts with people here, it is as though you actually haven’t just met this person. You act as though you have been friends with most people for a while. It is like you have already bonded solely based on the fact that you are both living in a foreign country, going through similar experiences. You talk more freely about things and have very different conversations compared to meeting someone back home. You talk more freely with certain people. It is strange but in the grander scheme of things it makes sense.
These are the typical first words I say when I meet someone new here. I make a point to not have these sort of questions in my conversation with someone I have just met. I get very tired of answering and asking those questions every single time you meet someone new, which is a very common daily occurrence. The “What’s your name? Where are you from? Why are you here? How long have you been here?” questions are necessary at one point, but it is much nicer to go about a conversation as though you are not a foreigner, living amongst many other foreigners in South Sudan.
However, now that I am here unemployed being asked what I am doing here is a good question because it is necessary for me to make connections in order to find a job. Some people think that I am insane for staying here without a job, others are totally in support of my decision.
On another aspect of how one interacts with people here, it is as though you actually haven’t just met this person. You act as though you have been friends with most people for a while. It is like you have already bonded solely based on the fact that you are both living in a foreign country, going through similar experiences. You talk more freely about things and have very different conversations compared to meeting someone back home. You talk more freely with certain people. It is strange but in the grander scheme of things it makes sense.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Day One Hundred & Twenty Three - Lessons of Patience
“Living in Africa has provided me with lessons of patience and free anger management. An hour for coffee. 20 minutes for sugar. Lesson one of the day.” A friend said this today and I could not to anything but agree with this statement.
One needs to learn to sit back and relax in a world where everything around them seems chaotic and disorganized. Your driver says he will be 2 minutes, in reality he will be at least 20 minutes. There is no fast food apart from the local restaurants, and even sometimes you wait there. The rain causes delays. You are faced with situations you would probably never have to deal with in North America. When it rains here, especially in the field, everything stops. People stop moving and you wait for the rain to finish. I love it. I don’t know if I have ever had a meeting that was right on time, or a driver pick me at the time that he was supposed to, or have been in a situation which did not cause some sort of stress.
Day-to-day, I would say that patience is usually found in abundance here. I feel like it would be accurate to compare local way of life here to what life was life back in Canada in the early 1990s. People cook their food over charcoal burners. This takes time. No fast food. You have to take time to prepare your meals. Many people just sit here. Sit in their shops. Sit in their homes. Sit by their boda’s. Sitting passing time. Avoiding /coping with the heat. There is currently no city power at all so wherever there is power it is coming from the compound/restaurant/shops own generator. This means that there is only power at certain times of the day and that the power will go off unexpectedly. Now even before the issue with city power, power is very unpredictable here and will shut off randomly without any warning, leaving you in the dark, maybe in the shower with no power, or in your dark tent and you are forced to search around blindly looking for your flashlight or maybe walking down the street, without a flashlight, and the power goes out leaving you to stumble around the streets back to wherever you were going. Good times I assure you.
Patience is supposed to be about dealing calmly with frustration (there is a lot of that here), accepting others, taking your time (very easy to do here unless you are on a schedule which requires you to be on time), maintaining one’s composure (easier for some), and showing self-control. Life is often about being in waiting mode. You are always waiting for someone or something.
One needs to learn to sit, chill and watch the world go by without feelings of frustration or irritation.
Patience. Patience. Patience.
One needs to learn to sit back and relax in a world where everything around them seems chaotic and disorganized. Your driver says he will be 2 minutes, in reality he will be at least 20 minutes. There is no fast food apart from the local restaurants, and even sometimes you wait there. The rain causes delays. You are faced with situations you would probably never have to deal with in North America. When it rains here, especially in the field, everything stops. People stop moving and you wait for the rain to finish. I love it. I don’t know if I have ever had a meeting that was right on time, or a driver pick me at the time that he was supposed to, or have been in a situation which did not cause some sort of stress.
Day-to-day, I would say that patience is usually found in abundance here. I feel like it would be accurate to compare local way of life here to what life was life back in Canada in the early 1990s. People cook their food over charcoal burners. This takes time. No fast food. You have to take time to prepare your meals. Many people just sit here. Sit in their shops. Sit in their homes. Sit by their boda’s. Sitting passing time. Avoiding /coping with the heat. There is currently no city power at all so wherever there is power it is coming from the compound/restaurant/shops own generator. This means that there is only power at certain times of the day and that the power will go off unexpectedly. Now even before the issue with city power, power is very unpredictable here and will shut off randomly without any warning, leaving you in the dark, maybe in the shower with no power, or in your dark tent and you are forced to search around blindly looking for your flashlight or maybe walking down the street, without a flashlight, and the power goes out leaving you to stumble around the streets back to wherever you were going. Good times I assure you.
Patience is supposed to be about dealing calmly with frustration (there is a lot of that here), accepting others, taking your time (very easy to do here unless you are on a schedule which requires you to be on time), maintaining one’s composure (easier for some), and showing self-control. Life is often about being in waiting mode. You are always waiting for someone or something.
One needs to learn to sit, chill and watch the world go by without feelings of frustration or irritation.
Patience. Patience. Patience.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Day One Hundred & Twenty Two - Baking
I walked in the hot hot sun today. I was so sweaty by the end of it. I realized however, that while I was in Cairo I walked everywhere in even hotter weather and wasn’t too phased by it. It may be the fact that it is rainy season so there are breaks from the intense heat. In Cairo there were no breaks whatsoever. Slowly, slowly it is getting hotter everyday and there is less rain. Rainy season only lasts until the end of October then the heat really sets in. Less rain equals no walking in mud or getting stranded somewhere to avoid the rain, but it also means sweating profusely and being slightly uncomfortable at all times. You get used to that feeling though which is good.
I made peanut butter cookies today in a friend’s kitchen. It was awesome. They were of course slightly different than the cookies I make back home, different kind ingredients you know, but still good. One taster told me that I needed to teach him how to make them so that he could teach his wife, then his wife could teach their daughter and his daughter could teach her husband. I think he liked them. It was very relaxing to be able to bake like I do at home.
I made peanut butter cookies today in a friend’s kitchen. It was awesome. They were of course slightly different than the cookies I make back home, different kind ingredients you know, but still good. One taster told me that I needed to teach him how to make them so that he could teach his wife, then his wife could teach their daughter and his daughter could teach her husband. I think he liked them. It was very relaxing to be able to bake like I do at home.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Day One Hundred & Twenty One - Food For Thought
Random thoughts of the day…
Food is a big issue in many places all over the world including South Sudan, despite its incredible fertile land in the southern region. Having enough food is a difficulty for many people. Through my observations I have concluded that there are not too many overweight African, especially in the rural areas, unless they have reached financial success of some kind and can afford the food that brings on extra pounds and inches. Hence why the bigger you are, the more money people think you have. Story: When I was in Torit, I was eating at a local restaurant with Lawrence. Our waiter was Kenyan and we had become regulars at this place so he was quite used to us coming around. The portion of rice any local restaurant gives you is massive and I can never finish it. I always try to ask for a small portion but even with this request, a very large bowl of rice comes with my beans. On this particular day I only ate half of my rice and our waiter made a comment. He told me I should eat all of my rice so I would become fat and beautiful. This comment took my by surprise and I did not quite know how to respond. Lawrence explained to me that Kenyan’s like their women big and it is a sign of wealth. Strange. People from the West are obsessed with weight loss and food, and people here think the exact opposite. Here, when you get fat, you are seen as being successful. This is obviously a generalization, not everyone thinks that fat is the best, but for the most part it is true. I have also had someone at a restaurant make a comment to me about asking for small portion of rice. They said to me “We don’t have that option. Of asking for less. We take what we can get.”
Food costs a lot of money and if you live in the city where you cant grow your own, you have to rely on purchasing all of your food. People living in rural areas, for the most part, can grow enough food to feed their families for a period of time. The length that the food grown will last depends on how good their harvest was and the number of people in their families. From the research I have done in the last 3 months, it was made apparent to me that in the rural areas most people can only grow enough food to support their family and even then they usually do not have enough food. People eat less here, leftovers are not a common occurrence and I think that one meal a day is possibly a common thing. Here in Juba this may not be the case, but outside of Juba this would be a normal thing.
Read this: http://www.sudantribune.com/South-Sudan-warns-food-crisis,40342
Farming was once the primary way of life in nearly every country. People cannot live without food, and nearly all their food comes from crops and animals raised on farms. I have been thinking about food and agriculture a lot lately. I had a friend tell me that I should become a farmer. Obviously I would not have much of a clue how to farm but I have had time on my hands so have been mulling it over in my mind. Growing up on an acreage and spending massive amounts of time on a farm I have always fancied the idea of being a farmer but I have never been convinced that it would become my way of life. I am still young anything could happen right? I met a woman in here who farms with her husband in Uganda. It sounds pretty amazing, however, they ship their vegetables out of the country to Israel and other places. I would want to be providing produce to the local community/region if I were to have a farm. I know from observing my Grampa, Gramma, Aunt and Uncle and all the other relatives and friends farm, that farming is exciting and a rewarding job. You are your own boss, you live and work in a rural environment, working the land, being close to nature, however, I know that it is also an incredibly demanding and unpredictable way of life. You have to be a risk-taker to be a farmer, no? There are so many factors that help determine whether or not your crop will be successful or a failure, and usually it is out of your control. Even so, the successes out weigh the failures and if it were for massive corporations creating these large-scale farms and putting small-scale farmers out of business, farming would be a much better life style to pursue.
Food is a big issue in many places all over the world including South Sudan, despite its incredible fertile land in the southern region. Having enough food is a difficulty for many people. Through my observations I have concluded that there are not too many overweight African, especially in the rural areas, unless they have reached financial success of some kind and can afford the food that brings on extra pounds and inches. Hence why the bigger you are, the more money people think you have. Story: When I was in Torit, I was eating at a local restaurant with Lawrence. Our waiter was Kenyan and we had become regulars at this place so he was quite used to us coming around. The portion of rice any local restaurant gives you is massive and I can never finish it. I always try to ask for a small portion but even with this request, a very large bowl of rice comes with my beans. On this particular day I only ate half of my rice and our waiter made a comment. He told me I should eat all of my rice so I would become fat and beautiful. This comment took my by surprise and I did not quite know how to respond. Lawrence explained to me that Kenyan’s like their women big and it is a sign of wealth. Strange. People from the West are obsessed with weight loss and food, and people here think the exact opposite. Here, when you get fat, you are seen as being successful. This is obviously a generalization, not everyone thinks that fat is the best, but for the most part it is true. I have also had someone at a restaurant make a comment to me about asking for small portion of rice. They said to me “We don’t have that option. Of asking for less. We take what we can get.”
Food costs a lot of money and if you live in the city where you cant grow your own, you have to rely on purchasing all of your food. People living in rural areas, for the most part, can grow enough food to feed their families for a period of time. The length that the food grown will last depends on how good their harvest was and the number of people in their families. From the research I have done in the last 3 months, it was made apparent to me that in the rural areas most people can only grow enough food to support their family and even then they usually do not have enough food. People eat less here, leftovers are not a common occurrence and I think that one meal a day is possibly a common thing. Here in Juba this may not be the case, but outside of Juba this would be a normal thing.
Read this: http://www.sudantribune.com/South-Sudan-warns-food-crisis,40342
Farming was once the primary way of life in nearly every country. People cannot live without food, and nearly all their food comes from crops and animals raised on farms. I have been thinking about food and agriculture a lot lately. I had a friend tell me that I should become a farmer. Obviously I would not have much of a clue how to farm but I have had time on my hands so have been mulling it over in my mind. Growing up on an acreage and spending massive amounts of time on a farm I have always fancied the idea of being a farmer but I have never been convinced that it would become my way of life. I am still young anything could happen right? I met a woman in here who farms with her husband in Uganda. It sounds pretty amazing, however, they ship their vegetables out of the country to Israel and other places. I would want to be providing produce to the local community/region if I were to have a farm. I know from observing my Grampa, Gramma, Aunt and Uncle and all the other relatives and friends farm, that farming is exciting and a rewarding job. You are your own boss, you live and work in a rural environment, working the land, being close to nature, however, I know that it is also an incredibly demanding and unpredictable way of life. You have to be a risk-taker to be a farmer, no? There are so many factors that help determine whether or not your crop will be successful or a failure, and usually it is out of your control. Even so, the successes out weigh the failures and if it were for massive corporations creating these large-scale farms and putting small-scale farmers out of business, farming would be a much better life style to pursue.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Day One Hundred & Twenty - Count Your Blessings
Being thankful opens us up to receiving all sorts of wonderful kinds of blessings. Thanksgiving is not the only time to count ones blessings and share what one is thankful for, but it is a great occasion to gather together with friends and family and really appreciate the good things in life.
What does it mean to be thankful? Feeling thankful for everything you have in your life, the big things and the littlest things. The true blessings in life that are most important to you, the things that make up who you are, where you have come from and where you are today. Of course our lives are never perfect, who wants perfection anyways, but we still strive for perfection and set our goals high. We all know how it is. You reach the top of one mountain only to find another mountain that you have to climb. The thing we have to constantly remind ourselves to be thankful for the experiences, good or bad, in our lives because without them we would not be where you are today.
I know I have thousands of things to be thankful for. The wonderful and incredible family and friends who are spread out all over the world. I would not be where I am today without any of these people. My education. My health. The opportunities I have had to travel to different places around the world and experience the wonders of different cultures. The fact that I have a roof over my head and running water to shower with is more than a lot of people have. The sunshine every morning. The gorgeous moon and stars at night. The delicious food at Florence’s restaurant. My work at the orphanage. And the list goes on and on…
It is easy to get discouraged, especially for me with the situation in am currently in, but I just have to remind myself to look back at all the other mountains I have climbed and obstacles I have hurdled over and acknowledge the growth and progress I have made.
Cherish any kind of lightheartedness in your life. Don’t be the person who takes life to seriously, who doesn’t have time to have fun. Soak in the simple things in life and really appreciate everything you have in your life. You never know when you might lose it.
What does it mean to be thankful? Feeling thankful for everything you have in your life, the big things and the littlest things. The true blessings in life that are most important to you, the things that make up who you are, where you have come from and where you are today. Of course our lives are never perfect, who wants perfection anyways, but we still strive for perfection and set our goals high. We all know how it is. You reach the top of one mountain only to find another mountain that you have to climb. The thing we have to constantly remind ourselves to be thankful for the experiences, good or bad, in our lives because without them we would not be where you are today.
I know I have thousands of things to be thankful for. The wonderful and incredible family and friends who are spread out all over the world. I would not be where I am today without any of these people. My education. My health. The opportunities I have had to travel to different places around the world and experience the wonders of different cultures. The fact that I have a roof over my head and running water to shower with is more than a lot of people have. The sunshine every morning. The gorgeous moon and stars at night. The delicious food at Florence’s restaurant. My work at the orphanage. And the list goes on and on…
It is easy to get discouraged, especially for me with the situation in am currently in, but I just have to remind myself to look back at all the other mountains I have climbed and obstacles I have hurdled over and acknowledge the growth and progress I have made.
Cherish any kind of lightheartedness in your life. Don’t be the person who takes life to seriously, who doesn’t have time to have fun. Soak in the simple things in life and really appreciate everything you have in your life. You never know when you might lose it.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Day One Hundred & Nineteen - Thanksgiving Sunday
My day began with brunch with a very mediocre brunch had at Central Pub with the girls. Due to the fact that we were so disappointed with brunch we decided to go and get ice cream. I kid you not, I did say ice cream. Thanks to Jessica’s friend it was brought to our attention that there is a shop, which sells ice cream in Malakia. We decided to treat ourselves to some soft serve ice cream. There are even two options to choose from, strawberry pineapple or vanilla and chocolate. We all had vanilla and chocolate swirl. It is not like soft serve ice cream back home but it was good enough to satisfy our sweet tooth. It melted so fast but it was a delicious treat. From here we proceeded to a friends house where we had a very relaxing afternoon, chatting and watching a movie. It was an excellent break from having to sit at a restaurant all day.
At 5 we went to Arkel for a turkey dinner. There was a whole bunch of other Canadians there. It was nice. Turkey, Juba style stuffing that was somehow made in a pan and cut up into squares, odd but not terrible tasting, mashed potatoes, turkey, gravy, vegetable, salad and even Juba style pumpkin pie! Obviously not as good as if I were at home but it was good enough and made the day complete and actually feel a little like Thanksgiving back home.
At 5 we went to Arkel for a turkey dinner. There was a whole bunch of other Canadians there. It was nice. Turkey, Juba style stuffing that was somehow made in a pan and cut up into squares, odd but not terrible tasting, mashed potatoes, turkey, gravy, vegetable, salad and even Juba style pumpkin pie! Obviously not as good as if I were at home but it was good enough and made the day complete and actually feel a little like Thanksgiving back home.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Day One Hundred & Seventeen - Language
Language is a very interesting thing. If only they were not so difficult to learn and remember. I have learned minimal Dinka, Nuer, and Arabic being here in South Sudan. Surprisingly I have learned more Swahili and Kikuyu.
*Disclaimer: spelling is definitely incorrect for some of the words*
Dinka
Apadape – Thank you
Anapol – How are you?
Nuer
Sho khan – I am married
Juba Arabic
Salam alaykum – Hello
Wa alaykum e-salam – Hello (response)
Ma’a salama – Goodbye
Sabah al kheir – Good morning
Masa al kheir – Good afternoon
Aywa – Yes
La – No
Min fadlik – Please
Shokran – Thank you
Afwan – You’re welcome
Meshi – Ok or Nothing
Mish kala – Problem
Mish mish kala – No Problem
Bi – with
Bidun – without
Kaf halak? – How are you?
Tamum – Everything is fine
Ismi taki monu – What is your name?
Ismi – My name is….
Yalah – Let’s go
Moya - Water
Swahili
Twende – Let’s go
Sawa sawa – Ok
Wapi – Where
Pale – There
Malu – What
Kitambo – A long time ago
Maji – Water
Nataka – I want…
Pole – Sorry
Pole pole - Slow
Gambo – Hi
Keribu – Your welcome
Asante (sana) – Thank you (very much)
Habari? – How are you?
Mambo? – How are you?
Habari yako? – What’s up?
Nini? – What is it?
Hakuna – Nothing
Hakuna Matata – No worries
Mzuri – Fine/good
Mzuri sana – Very well
Poa (slang) – Fine
Ndiyo – Yes
Hapana - No
Rafiki - Friend
Dakika – Wait one moment
Nataka pombe baridi – I want a cold beer
Kahawa - Coffee
Kikuyu
Niwanyita – to hold something “Do you understand me?”
Haiya – astonishment (expression)
Kikii? – What is it?
*Disclaimer: spelling is definitely incorrect for some of the words*
Dinka
Apadape – Thank you
Anapol – How are you?
Nuer
Sho khan – I am married
Juba Arabic
Salam alaykum – Hello
Wa alaykum e-salam – Hello (response)
Ma’a salama – Goodbye
Sabah al kheir – Good morning
Masa al kheir – Good afternoon
Aywa – Yes
La – No
Min fadlik – Please
Shokran – Thank you
Afwan – You’re welcome
Meshi – Ok or Nothing
Mish kala – Problem
Mish mish kala – No Problem
Bi – with
Bidun – without
Kaf halak? – How are you?
Tamum – Everything is fine
Ismi taki monu – What is your name?
Ismi – My name is….
Yalah – Let’s go
Moya - Water
Swahili
Twende – Let’s go
Sawa sawa – Ok
Wapi – Where
Pale – There
Malu – What
Kitambo – A long time ago
Maji – Water
Nataka – I want…
Pole – Sorry
Pole pole - Slow
Gambo – Hi
Keribu – Your welcome
Asante (sana) – Thank you (very much)
Habari? – How are you?
Mambo? – How are you?
Habari yako? – What’s up?
Nini? – What is it?
Hakuna – Nothing
Hakuna Matata – No worries
Mzuri – Fine/good
Mzuri sana – Very well
Poa (slang) – Fine
Ndiyo – Yes
Hapana - No
Rafiki - Friend
Dakika – Wait one moment
Nataka pombe baridi – I want a cold beer
Kahawa - Coffee
Kikuyu
Niwanyita – to hold something “Do you understand me?”
Haiya – astonishment (expression)
Kikii? – What is it?
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Day One Hundred & Sixteen - There's A Hole In Your Road Dear Juba...
Today I taught 16 kids, ages 8-16, English. On my way to the class I had no clue what age group I would be teaching so preparing for it was not possible. It was good but challenging to keep the kids focused when they are all at different levels of learning AND when they would rather be outside playing football. By the end of the lesson I was covered in multiple colors of chalk and sweaty as all get out. My boda boda ride home dried me out real nice though.
I arrived at Arkel to see Alexandra and Jessica walking down the road. So I call them to see where they are going and make them aware that I am walking right behind them. Alexandra informed me that she had got the HiLux rorally stuck and were on their way to get it out with some help. I walk up to the scene to find the HiLux with its front end in a hole. Seriously. The vehicle was sitting on 3 wheels, looking quite precarious in the mud puddle. With the help of another vehicle, the HiLux was freed from the massive crater in the road with no damage to be seen. Only the pride of the driver was hurt a little. The crazy thing is that we saw a Hiace (mini van taxi) stuck in the exact same place this morning. This hole is very deceiving. It looks just like a regular mud puddle but in reality that mud was keeping a massive hole hidden. After this crisis was over, we drove to dinner; only to find a truck stuck in the exact same hole the HiLux had just been pulled out of.
Juba your roads are unpredictable, changing day-by-day, muddy and treacherous to walk AND drive on.
That is all.
Peace.
*Featured in this post today are the lovely ladies, Alexandra and Jessica*
I arrived at Arkel to see Alexandra and Jessica walking down the road. So I call them to see where they are going and make them aware that I am walking right behind them. Alexandra informed me that she had got the HiLux rorally stuck and were on their way to get it out with some help. I walk up to the scene to find the HiLux with its front end in a hole. Seriously. The vehicle was sitting on 3 wheels, looking quite precarious in the mud puddle. With the help of another vehicle, the HiLux was freed from the massive crater in the road with no damage to be seen. Only the pride of the driver was hurt a little. The crazy thing is that we saw a Hiace (mini van taxi) stuck in the exact same place this morning. This hole is very deceiving. It looks just like a regular mud puddle but in reality that mud was keeping a massive hole hidden. After this crisis was over, we drove to dinner; only to find a truck stuck in the exact same hole the HiLux had just been pulled out of.
Juba your roads are unpredictable, changing day-by-day, muddy and treacherous to walk AND drive on.
That is all.
Peace.
*Featured in this post today are the lovely ladies, Alexandra and Jessica*
Monday, October 3, 2011
Day One Hundred & Thirteen - In The Dark
Imagine life without electricity, not just a brief power outage. We have all experienced power outages and all know how inconvenient life becomes when the electricity goes off, even if it is only for a few hours. The way I currently live my life makes me dependent on the fact that I will have electricity. When living in a place that has reliable electricity it is hard to imagine living without it, however, living in a place where city power is unpredictable and generators are a common source of power, imagining what life would be like without electricity becomes more of a reality.
Last night I went out to get water at 9pm. It was dark and the stars were shining high in the sky. On my way back from the store, I was walking past the compound, which is next to Trans and I heard women laughing. It was pitch dark wherever the women were sitting but I could tell that they were probably sitting together enjoying each other’s company. It made me want to join them. They sounded so happy. This got me thinking about how it is perfectly normal for locals here to live without electricity. It is normal for them to sit around in the dark, maybe around a fire and still function normally, compared to me who has never lived without power for a prolonged period of time. I have experienced power outages but they never lasted very long and I saw them as being a huge inconvenience. Power outages and not having electricity is normal for many people here. They live a way that no power is needed. They are not dependent on electric powered things to function in their day-to-day lives. Me on the other hand and the majority of other expats can barely function without power. With all of our electronics that need to be charged, the necessity of the Internet, needing light to get ready in the morning and the list goes on. Power cutting out is a regular occurrence here and we are rarely without power in the compound here so we are fortunate.
Entertainment. Back home it seems that the majority of things we use to entertain ourselves now require power. Televisions, computers, any kind of music player, games, etc, etc, etc. I know that there are things that do not require power but electricity is so important for our daily lives back home. If we lived without electricity what would we do to entertain ourselves? Perhaps we would have better relationships with our families, friends and neighbors. We would most likely be more active. We would read more. Probably play more musical instruments, and the list goes on.
AND I think people who live here are way more accustomed to the dark better than me. Walking at night without a flashlight is quite a feat in itself. Navigating Juba roads in the dark is a bit of a challenge considering the uneven terrain and multitude of puddles and piles of trash. People here walk as if they are walking in day light on even ground. Then there is me who stumbles around and has to walk cautiously so that I do not step right into a nasty puddle. I have noticed that my eyes have started to adjust at night. I have started to recognize different shadows so I can determine how big a dip in the road is or how deep a hole is.
I left my blow dryer and flat iron behind when I came here and there has not been a day I have missed them. For one thing, the thought of blowing hot air on my head when it is already hot in my tent does not sound appealing. Those are two things that require electricity that I can obviously live without. On the other hand, living with out my computer, phone and camera are a different story. I know that I am fully dependent on those 3 things and feel slightly lost without them. I know from experience in the field where power is usually limited that I can live without these things. When you have no other option, you cope. No electricity means you have to find ways to go about your business without it.
Living a life that is so dependent on power and with advances in technology, our lives are going to be continually changed and controlled by electricity. Living without electricity does not need to be difficult provided you chose to live your life in a way that does not require power 24/7.
Last night I went out to get water at 9pm. It was dark and the stars were shining high in the sky. On my way back from the store, I was walking past the compound, which is next to Trans and I heard women laughing. It was pitch dark wherever the women were sitting but I could tell that they were probably sitting together enjoying each other’s company. It made me want to join them. They sounded so happy. This got me thinking about how it is perfectly normal for locals here to live without electricity. It is normal for them to sit around in the dark, maybe around a fire and still function normally, compared to me who has never lived without power for a prolonged period of time. I have experienced power outages but they never lasted very long and I saw them as being a huge inconvenience. Power outages and not having electricity is normal for many people here. They live a way that no power is needed. They are not dependent on electric powered things to function in their day-to-day lives. Me on the other hand and the majority of other expats can barely function without power. With all of our electronics that need to be charged, the necessity of the Internet, needing light to get ready in the morning and the list goes on. Power cutting out is a regular occurrence here and we are rarely without power in the compound here so we are fortunate.
Entertainment. Back home it seems that the majority of things we use to entertain ourselves now require power. Televisions, computers, any kind of music player, games, etc, etc, etc. I know that there are things that do not require power but electricity is so important for our daily lives back home. If we lived without electricity what would we do to entertain ourselves? Perhaps we would have better relationships with our families, friends and neighbors. We would most likely be more active. We would read more. Probably play more musical instruments, and the list goes on.
AND I think people who live here are way more accustomed to the dark better than me. Walking at night without a flashlight is quite a feat in itself. Navigating Juba roads in the dark is a bit of a challenge considering the uneven terrain and multitude of puddles and piles of trash. People here walk as if they are walking in day light on even ground. Then there is me who stumbles around and has to walk cautiously so that I do not step right into a nasty puddle. I have noticed that my eyes have started to adjust at night. I have started to recognize different shadows so I can determine how big a dip in the road is or how deep a hole is.
I left my blow dryer and flat iron behind when I came here and there has not been a day I have missed them. For one thing, the thought of blowing hot air on my head when it is already hot in my tent does not sound appealing. Those are two things that require electricity that I can obviously live without. On the other hand, living with out my computer, phone and camera are a different story. I know that I am fully dependent on those 3 things and feel slightly lost without them. I know from experience in the field where power is usually limited that I can live without these things. When you have no other option, you cope. No electricity means you have to find ways to go about your business without it.
Living a life that is so dependent on power and with advances in technology, our lives are going to be continually changed and controlled by electricity. Living without electricity does not need to be difficult provided you chose to live your life in a way that does not require power 24/7.
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