I'm like fine wine, I get better with age

In 8 days I will celebrate a birthday. I love birthdays. My birthday, your birthday, any day that we can celebrate life is a great day. Birthdays, particularly mine, is my favorite holiday. I love birthdays because it gives us an opportunity to reflect on the past year(s) of life. This past year has been full of transformations and transitions, and at times I could only wonder just what in the hell I'm doing and what is going on. But as I move forward to a new year, I look back on the last with a smile on my face. With the good came some bad, but mostly good. I have traveled quite a bit, made new friendships, tested myself in ways I didn't think possible. I have made some decisions that may not have always been in my best interest and I have done things that I may not look back on fondly, but that's life. In all of those experiences there was a lesson and I have learned some valueable lessons in this past year...

1. Think highly of yourself and do not let people tell you any different. I take pride in the person that I am and believe that I am a pretty good person. Sometimes people can't accept it and that's their problem to deal with.
2. Don't force a square peg into a circle. If something is not working, don't dwell on it. Life is too short to get caught up in something that may never fit together perfectly (or as perfect as you want it)
3. Don't be afraid to be passionate about something or someone.
4. Don't be afraid to be honest with people about how you feel and don't be afraid of the feelings you have.
5. Don't be ashamed that your own happiness is your priority.

I will spend the remainder of 25 reflecting, appreciating, and being happy.

Walking.

They walked. and walked. and walked. Without warning they had to walk. Some were lucky and could jump on a truck, many were not. So they walked. 1 day, 2 days, 3 days, 50 miles, 100 miles, 150 miles, no food, no shelter, no protection. Bombs dropped, guns shooting, mom here, child there, people everywhere. Nowhere to go, so they walk.

As much as we should be thinking about our own security, it difficult to hear the reports of those fleeing, leaving behind everything and then ending up somewhere that accepts them but doesn't have the resources to support them. There is no new news on the situation in Abyei, the south does not want to go to war and they have sent troops to keep the north from moving any further south. As I see troops head north, I see people flee south. Given the economic climate and budget shortfalls, the World Food Programme(WFP) has not been able to operate at the capacity it use to. Food rations are not enough. Materials that provide shelter are not enough. The lucky ones are able to seek refuge in a school at night or with someone in the community they are in, but many are not, and are sleeping under trees and make shift shelters...during the rainy season. The lack of fuel due to the north cutting off the road that fuel was brought in on causes delays in getting necessary supplies  to where they need to be. So people wait. 10,000 or so people waiting. What next, know one really knows. They may have to settle where they are but many may not. Home is where they walked from and home is where they want to be.

This past weekend, I traveled to Wau to drop a colleague off at the airport and pick up supplies for the compound. Wau is about an 1 1/2 drive from the compound and is the major city in this area because it is where the shipments from the north are received. Due to the ongoing conflict here, the infrastructure was never developed for the transportation of materials from the south. The south up until recently has been dependent on the north for it's goods. Since the CPA and referendum the south has been opening its borders to their neighbors in order to import needed materials from there. All though the southern region is benefiting from this, the northern part of the southern region is stuck between a rock and a hard place. The mechanisms that need to be put in place in order for materials to be transported from the southern part of the south to the northern part of the south just aren't there causing the northern part of the south to have a heavy reliance on their northern neighborhood. But then the north cuts off transport into the south. Nothing is coming down and things that are coming up are not coming up quick enough for the demand. Fuel is no longer being disbursed. The only fuel station in operation was given orders not to supply any vehicles with fuel unless those vehicles are given permission by the governor, and even after they are given permission by the governor, they still have to wait because first priority is given to military and government vehicles. The reduction in fuel, means a reduction in movement. NGOs that are responsible for delivering services to those that need it, now, more than ever, have to figure out what and who are the most important. But how do you do that? Suspend one project that people are benefiting from to ensure that another project continues. The markets are emptying out, airtime is in limited supply, and all we can do it wait and see. Folks are working on it. They're going to figure out a solution, but until then we wait. Luckily for us, we have connections to Juba so are solutions will come soon enough, but some don't, so they wait.

Learning and seeing this first hand, experiencing this, although not as severely as others, has reminded me that I need to count my blessings and appreciate all that I do have. I have shelter. Clean water. A relatively safe place to live. Food to sustain me. Bug spray to kill the bugs that invade my space. Access to a way out if things get too hard. I will always be able to look at what I have, even if I may think it's small or inadequate and know that there is someone out there with far less. I''ve seen it. I've heard it. I know it.
I don't think a person needs to come to South Sudan to recognize their blessings. Look around you, there are people who are "walking" in search of that safe place all around us. We (myself included) get caught up in so many trivial things that in retrospect just are not that serious and in retrospect it can be a whole lot worse. Ask the mother who can't find her child after an air raid has caused them to flee. Ask the child who can't find their family because they have perished during the conflict. Ask the family that has not been given enough rations for every member to eat one meal a day. Its real. They're here. They're there. And although I know I can't end the suffering of them all, I can at least be grateful for everything, even if it is small, that I have been blessed with.

And there you have it.

I'm here, i'm alive, i'm happy, healthy, and grateful.

See it through my eyes...

If you would like to see photos of my experience, check out my snapfish account:

http://www.snapfish.com/

logon: courtneycwright@gmail.com
password: malawi

Enjoy!

life on the compound

Life on the compound is…..um…..interesting. I would say relaxing but then again it is kind of hard to really be relaxed in this context. You never really know what to expect when someone tells you that you’re going to live on a compound. I remember a classmate of mine was telling me about how she grew up on a military compound in the Middle East somewhere and this compound had everything! It was like a small American town and because of this no one ever really felt the need to leave the compound. My compound is probably the exact opposite. The electricity for the compound comes from a generator which is timed. The generator is on from 6:30am-1pm, 2pm-5pm, 7:30/8pm-12:30/1am. Naturally, my schedule is going to be dictated by the availability of power. Given that there is no air conditioning here, it becomes quite difficult to sleep because of the heat. I try to fall asleep before the fan turns off in the evening so that I will already be fast asleep before the heat encompasses me. I wake up sometime between 7-7:30 depending on the day (MWF we having morning announcements/devotions at 8), take a shower, get dressed, and walk the 30 or so ft to where my office is. The offices on the compound were for security measures and because they hadn’t acquire another place where an actual office could be constructed (they are now constructing new offices in “town” that should be finished soon, I saw them and its really nice!) , so the office is made out of old freight carriers. It is essentially a bunch of ovens if you ask me because when the heat rises the temperature in these “offices” becomes almost unbearable. Thankfully we have a fan and sometime a nice breeze to bring the temp down a bit. I share my office with a couple other senior management level people and two cats I named Freckles and Cosmos. At 1 we break for lunch and since the power is no longer running, it gives everyone a good excuse to leave their ovens and sit somewhere cooler. Due to the food insecurity and the scarcity of food, our meals are not the most exciting but they are filling and conquer the hunger. I have lived on the compound since Wednesday and I have eaten 11 meals that consisted of rice and beans. I was lucky that 3 of these meals involved green vegetables in some sort of form. There is meat available for some of the meals but the meat is usually stored in one of the deep freezers that is also running on the scheduled power time and therefore may reach unhealthy temperatures (I have worked in restaurants long enough to know when meat’s temperature is at the point of bacteria growth) and this place is definitely not the place for the bubble guts. So I pass, enjoy my rice and beans and remind myself that I should be grateful seeing as there are starving people living all around me. Since the office is hot and the sun outside is hot and there are bugs on the ground, I go back to my room and lay sweating on bed and try to take a nap until 2pm. I have begun playing solitaire as a way to relax and have played over 50 games since I’ve been here. As soon as the fan kicks on in my room, I get up go back to my oven and do whatever tasks I have been assigned to do until 5 when the power goes out and I go back to my room to play solitaire and sleep. Usually around 6-6:30, myself and a few others will take a walk out of the compound in the surrounding area. There is not much to see, a few Tukuls and some land but getting off the compound even if not far, reminds me of my freedom. When I come back from the walk I sit in the dining room watching TV, yes the TV still works when the power is out because it is the only thing that is hooked up to solar power (we have cable-these luxuries are provided to keep folks from going crazy). We watch a lot of news and Big Brother Africa. I enjoy a meal replication from lunch (rice and beans) and usually will sit outside and chat with a few co-workers before I head back to my room and into the shower and eventually into bed. I sometimes watch movies and can say that I have watched more movies here than I have in the past year in the states (Fight Club, Glory, He’s Just Not That in to You, God Grew Tired of Us-(amazing documentary that tells the story of the lost boys of Sudan who walked from south Sudan to Ethiopia back through Sudan to Kenya in search of refuge during the civil and shows some of their journeys to the states as refugees- a must watch!), Finding Nemo, Godfather Pt.I, Precious, a season of One Tree Hill, and 3 episodes of Family Guy). We have staff that clean the rooms Monday-Friday and guys that wash clothes then too, so on the upside I get some pretty nice services. I have ample access to the internet and have several more movies to watch so I think I just might survive 3 months (give or take some time due to travel) on the compound.

The power is out!

Peace!

The real adventure begins.

I got trapped in the bathroom. My first night in Kuajok, my new and more permanent posting, I lock myself in the bathroom. The shower tends to spray water everywhere and seeing as there is no shower curtain, I figured by closing the door I could keep the water from getting onto the floor in the room. The door wouldn’t stay closed and so I locked it to keep it closed. The lock got stuck, leaving me locked in the bathroom. I stay in a room alone and my neighbor is now in the capitol for meetings. There are no people within 20ft of my room. So I tried and tried and couldn’t get the lock open. I kicked and pulled and banged and pulled and the door wouldn’t budge. Then I broke the door handle and now had a double whammy to deal with in terms of my escape. After the handle broke off I figured that I would probably be stuck in the bathroom for the night and thus need to figure out where I would be sleeping. After about 30min of trying, I was hot and sweating again so I took another shower, since I’m already there might as well right? Finally, I was able to free myself after 40 min of being stuck(I wrapped my hand in my towel and was able to apply more pressure to the lock and it opened). If being trapped in the bathroom is any indication of what my next couple months here where will be like, then I need to readjust my expectations and practice a lot of patience. Being trapped in the bathroom made me realize that I need to be patient, take a step back, think about the problem and then act. Only after I took the 2nd shower and thought about how I could free myself was I able to. There are going to be moments of frustration (not getting the door open) that I will need to not act out of frustration; that a calm, more level headed person will be able to solve whatever problems may come. I am hoping that I can continue to take this approach as I continue my work here.

Kuajok…I am really in a whole new world. The World Food Program through the support of various government funding (U.S included) operates humanitarian aid flights. These flights are so that humanitarian aid workers can make it to the various postings for work when other routes may be more difficult or dangerous. Wednesday morning I boarded a plane from Juba to Wau, the capitol of the state bordering Warrap (where Kuajok is located). They ask that you get to the airport 2 hours early, why I don’t know because the entire process took 30 min, leaving 1 1/2hours left to wait in an overcrowded, very hot sitting area. The sitting area was packed and so I had to stand in the back, I then realized that as flights leave seats become available and began to slowly, chair by chair, inch my way to the front where the comfy chairs were. Eventually we get on the baby plane and there are about 46 of us heading to different posts or trainings in this region. When we were landing I was surprised to see that the airport is not even tarmac, just red dirt, and at this point I realized that I have made it to rural South Sudan. I’m still trying to wrap my head around just where I am. It seems a bit surreal, this place although it does have some electricity, well only in places like WV or in the town, the rest is just one large, sparingly inhabited village. It took 1 ½ hours to drive from the airport to the WV compound. On the way we passed a few homes but mostly desolate land with burnt trees. I’m not exactly sure how impacted this area has been by the war, I do know that the war was present here because it is on the border of the north. I was told that in this area there are a lot of intertribal conflicts (not exactly where I am but near) and cattle raids (basically another group comes in and steals the cattle of another group causing destruction in the process).

Given the vicinity to the north, Arabic, next to the local language (Dinka is spoken by most) is spoken by the people here and English is rarely spoken unless a person has had the chance to learn it in a school that taught it. In the early 1990s the president shifted the language of instruction in schools to Arabic despite English being spoken in the south. Places that are closer to the border tend to have a stronger presence of Arabic then English. I have picked up a word in Arabic and a few in Dinka and hopeful that I will expand my vocabulary while I’m here.  I don’t feel uncomfortable (with the exception of the heat. It’s supposed to be winter yet the temperature during the day teeters somewhere between 95-110 degrees). The majority of the people in this area are Christian or other. There are Muslims but because of the Christian influence, putting up a mosque in this area is strongly discouraged. People have been quite friendly and I think most assume (after a few have told me) that I’m Ethiopian and that is why I do not know the language but look the way I do.

Kuajok is going to be an interesting and challenging context to work in. This state (Warrap; Kuajok is the capitol) is the most food insecure, has the highest rates of malnutrition, and has low human development indicators. This state borders Abyei, which is the oil rich portion of the country and what the focus is now in terms of it being a part of the north or south. The conflict that is present has influenced and decreased the amount of development here. The government of Warrap is now working on a law that states any organization working in Warrap must hire someone from the region unless there is no one available in the state that could do the job. WV is supporting this law and doing most of its hiring from within and because of this there is a need to train these staff in a way that is aligned with WV’s vision. This is where I come in. I briefed you before on my role here and now that I’m here I’m beginning to recognize some of the challenges that I will face.

Why?

Recently I was asked by a friend why am I the way that I am, why do I get up and move half a world away to live outside my comforts?

Immediately I thought of the saying "to whom much is given, much is required" or something like that. I decided to look it up to find out the origins of this.

"But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." Luke 12:48

I believe this wholeheartedly, I have been presented with several opportunities throughout my life and if it wasn't for those opportunities I would not have had the blessings and experiences that I have had. I feel as someone who has been given something by someone else, it is important to pass it forward, in whatever way I can. It's a sacrifice for me to give up my life in DC to come to South Sudan but the sacrifice is so pale in comparison to what people sacrifice here and all over the world everyday. Being able to see this and learn from this, I am able to grow confidence in myself, establish strong relationships with those that I surround myself with and most importantly appreciate and not take for granted the gifts that have been blessed upon me.

What keeps me going? Support from family and friends, the belief that what i'm doing is making a difference even if I can't see it, knowing that i'm growing, learning, and exposing myself to the realities that are outside the ones I'm familiar with.

I can't say  that I will be quick to jump up and move half way across the world forever, but if the opportunity presents itself, i'm in position to go, and my hearts tells me to then I will. Who know where the wind will blow me but I know wherever it is, is where i'm suppose to be.

Weekend in Juba

There’s not a lot to do here. I spent a great deal of time sleeping, reviewing reports, sleeping, chatting with my fellow colleagues, sleeping, lying in bed thinking of sleep, reading celebrity gossip…you get the point. Saturday we were lucky enough to get a guided tour of Juba and it has definitely been the highlight of my time here. We began our tour with a quick trip to the only store in Juba that meets all your needs under one roof-JIT (Just in Time). JIT literally has everything you could need but it probably no bigger than the 30x30 airport. It was a bit overwhelming seeing the plethora of choices but I settled on some pineapple juice and sour skittles. We hopped back in the land cruiser and began our tour of Juba. Juba is the new proposed capital of the south and although it is a strategic location for importing/exporting, the government (the one being ran by the current president-Bashir) has done little to develop the area. As we drove through the enlarged village/small city, you could still see traces of the civil war. Buildings that were bombed, burnt vehicles, places where landmines use to be, it was a lot to take in. Imagine being present at the civil war just a few short years after it has taken place, although it is done and hopefully over, you can still feel it. As we continued on our journey we passed through an IDP(Internally Displaced People) Camp which is currently being protected by the UN although the government is trying to move them out in order to use the land for development purposes. Their homes were made from leftover materials, and it seemed like any leftover material that they could find-plastic sheets, straw, what we would deem as garbage they used. They’re about the size of small outdoor toolshed. I’m not going to make assumptions about the amount of people that may inhabit one of these spaces but I hope only one or two. These small homes don’t seem like they can withstand the rains that occur here and it looked as if someone could come up and blow it right down. Definitely did not seem fit for living but then again, I guess something is better than nothing. As we passed the IDP camp we drove a couple hundred meters to a lodge that rests on the Nile River. This place-Oasis- is a popular hangout for international staff (when I refer to international staff, I do not just mean Westerners, I’m referring to all people that are not citizens of Sudan).  We decided to take a table right along the river and it was amazing to be sitting next to such a historical place. Up the river you can see people washing etc., and a barge that was used during the civil war now washed ashore. It was simply amazing.  After we finished our drinks, we left, drove past the Kyona Kyona market, the large outdoor flea market that a majority of the people who reside in Juba shop. It’s a no-go zone for us unless we’re accompanied by one of the Sudanese staff. Security is iffy, petty theft and getting ripped off but otherwise not a big deal. Sunday was a pretty lazy day for me. The housekeeping staff always come around 7:45 and I’m always late to leave because who wants to get up early on the weekend. I got up had breakfast with my fellow colleagues, went back to my room, read some news stories online and went to sleep. Later in the afternoon in order to break up the monotony of being at the hotel, Jacky, Mamohau and I went for a walk around Juba. It was nice walking and for the most part the starring was minimal. Because of the large international presence here, being a foreigner is not so unusual. After our walk we had dinner and went to our rooms. I was able to get a bunch of movies from Jacky and now have a large enough collection to keep me busy in downtime. Monday was a national holiday so no work again but I did have a meeting with the cluster coordinator for education in emergencies at UNICEF. This is a great place to network and there is a lot happening here to learn about so I plan on taking full advantage of it while I’m here. We discussed what is happening here in terms of education and looking at how other NGOs in conjunction with the ministry is trying to improve. An important point was made by the cluster coordinator that it’s difficult to make education or non-life saving actions a priority when the government is focusing on creating a strategy and constitution among other things. After the meeting I went back to the hotel watch a few episodes of One Tree Hill and then went on another tour of the city. It’s much larger than I thought, well Juba is not, but the “suburbs” of Juba make it seem larger. This tour ended at the Nile River again where we watched the moon begin to rise… and yes this time I got pictures J

Now I’m typing this and thinking of the week I have ahead. Hopefully I get on the plane for Warrap this week so I can begin working on my primary assignment. It’s seems like time is flying and with less than 3 months now, much time cannot be wasted. Every day something new is presented and everyday I’m learning, which to me is most important.

and............i'm here!

After successfully getting on the 8pm flight to Nairobi, I prepared myself once more for what feels like an eternity of a plane ride. I had 3 seats to myself after some maneuvering and it once again was nice. After getting settled in, the flight crew began to work their magic. I was extremely impressed with Kenya Airways, more so than British Airways, the crew was kind and courteous and definitely not stingy with the wine, nuts, or other items. They cracked jokes and were helpful and all in all it was a great flying experience. The movie selection was slightly better than that of British Airways but there tv show selection was definitely non-existent. I tried to get as much sleep as I can in but probably averaged a total of 4 ½ of the 8 ½ hour flight. Not too shabby. When I arrived at Jomo Kenyatta Airport I was blown away! It was nothing that I expected and it was definitely not Heathrow. Oh my god I felt like I walked into a meat packaging factory; too many bodies too little space, kind of like Time Square in New York. The heat was sweltering and I was suddenly and quickly reintroduces to the heat of Africa. Now the airport functions as it is supposed to but it is definitely an old airport. I had to walk down some interrogation staircase to the gate which was a room at the base on the airport and ground level; just a bunch of chairs and people. Kind of reminds me of the DMV but the lights are dimmer and there are no safe driving posters on the wall. After sitting on the floor, then eventually getting a chair, it was time for us to depart. We walked across the tarmac to a plane that looked like a paper airplane a 3^rd grader would make. I looked at all the people and assumed that there would be quite a lot of luggage following these people and looked at the plane and tried my best to figure out just how we were all going to fit. Surprisingly, as we got on to the crayon of a plane, there was space for all. Not a lot, but enough for a person to sit down and put their legs in front of them without touching the seat in front of them. The flight from Kenya to Juba is about 1 ½ hours, not long at all, but I couldn’t help but think just how this paper airplane was going to stay up in the air that long with all that it’s carrying. I’m not into physics or whatever study is focused around airplane dynamics, but something is too freaky about a plane being in the air…sorry went off on a tangent there. I made sure before I got on the plane that my bags were on the plane with me because I was not going to be in Juba with my bags somewhere hanging out in Kenya and you never know others sense of urgency and whether those bags would come back to you in a timely manner. I spent most of the flight sleeping but when I was awake I stared out the window. I’m not exactly sure where we were in relation to Juba or what country we were flying over but the landscape looked like something out of a national geographic magazine. Beautiful and rugged, maybe a rare place that has been untouched by man and modernization, definetly a lot of hills and places that look like a river once existed there. After the delicious breakfast of yogurt and a crossiant we had a few minutes to spare before landing in Juba. My fellow rowmate was not very talkative and seemed a little annoyed when my food box (the food had been eaten) hit him as it was making its way to the floor…oops! I’m sure he will get over it and avoid sitting next to me on any future flights. We landed in Juba and I was literally speechless (or speechless in my mind since I had no one to be speechless to). As we were landing I looked down to see a cluster of tukuls (mud huts) about 100 feet from where the runway began. When you get off the airplane you walk into the airport which is a room, about the size of hmm…lets say 30 ft by 30ft or something like that and you wait in a line to get your passport stamped. No real system and no questions, just get in where you fit in and get your stamp and move out the way. After you hit one side of the wall for the stamp you go to the opposite side to wait for your bags. No conveyor belts, pure man power moving the bags from the plane. Once you get your bags you take them to a table in the middle of the room and have “customs” check your bags which consists of you opening, they look, they mark with chalk and you go. I found it humourous then sad when the customs clerk, who was a woman, questioned what my tampons were and what they’re used for…no worries did not go into explicit detail. When you finish you walk outside and wait for your ride. World Vision was there to pick me up and take me to the office. I’m going to end my travel ordeals here but I will send an email update about the living conditions once I wrap my head around it all.

Little by little...

What an eventful trip it has been so far. After being dropped off at Dulles airport, I proceeded thru ticketing, security, and to the gate where I made last minute phone calls and relaxed before departing on a journey of a lifetime. I lucked out that when the ticketing agent found out I was heading to South Sudan, she was familiar enough with the situation there and moved me to a middle section aisle seat in a row by myself (I guess she felt sorry for me). I got on the plane and prepared for my departure. I was a bit nervous but more tired than anything, I was looking forward to getting to Nairobi where I could stay in a hotel for the evening and stretch out on a real bed. Although the food on the airplane was good (we had Indian for dinner and they were generous with the wine!); the movie, music and tv show selections were not. I spent a great deal of time sleeping, eating, or listening to the poor music selection. By the time I woke up again it was time for the morning muffin to be served and for us to prepare for an arrival at London’s Heathrow Airport. We arrived and had to walk down the plane, out on to the runway and into a shuttle bus. We arrived at 9:10am, the shuttle bus departed at 9:38am and I had until 10am to get through security and to my gate…on the other side of the terminal. I ran…I prayed…I ran some more, but I got to the ticketing gate to my next flight 5 minutes too late. At this point I saw my bed drift away. I was hot, sweaty, and on the verge of crying out of frustration. I walked to the ticketing counter in order to find out when the next flight was. I was informed that British Airways has only one flight that services Nairobi per day so I could get placed on the next flight out on Kenya Airways departing at 8pm. Now its 10am after an almost 8 hour flight and now I’m going to have to wait 10 more hours to depart for Nairobi hopefully arriving in time to catch my next connecting flight to Juba, South Sudan. The flight to Juba is at 7:30am Tuesday morning; my flight gets in from London at 6:30am. After what happened with my first connection, my hope that I would make it to my 2nd connection is pretty non-existent. I found out if there were other flights to Juba and there is at 2pm. Although I wouldn’t be all that thrilled about sitting around Jomo Kenyatta Airport in Nairobi, I wouldn’t be all the upset either seeing as I already had to wait longer than the flights I’ve been on.

If you’re not familiar with this beast of an airport (London Heathrow), well, to me it puts any American airport to shame (and I’ve been to a lot). I couldn’t even tell you where exactly I am in this airport or how I got here, but I’m here and after wandering aimlessly about thinking about what I’m going to do for 10 hours I came up with a plan. First, shower. Thank you Jesus they have free showers in this terminal unlike the other terminal where it is 10 or 15 pounds (I still can’t figure that out in dollars, I know it’s a lot though). I showered, changed clothes, made some purchases, used my voucher for a meal, walked aimlessly, chatted online, walked aimlessly, shopped, walked aimlessly, napped, walked aimlessly, and will finally board a plane in the next hour. It’s interesting to watch the plethora of people who are coming and going, I don’t think I have heard English all day and was asked at lunch if I wanted water that was still or sparkled. I have walked past and witnessed several airport staff speaking of their drinking endeavors or cussing, or both… interesting people to say the least and the diversity is astounding. I mean everyone opens their mouth and sounds British but you can look at them and know there is some other goodies in their genes. I must say the airport is a good place for some good people watching and if you’re like me then you create stories behind those people and where they’re going or where they came from.

I keep telling myself being confined to this airport is good practice for when I’m confined to a compound. Malawi gave me good practice of entertaining myself for hours on end so I’m guessing I’m as prepared as I’m going to be.

I already know I’m getting 3 seats to myself again, I asked for it to be that way and what Courtney wants she gets (although that is true, the plane is half full and I was asked where I wanted to be seated and I gave that preference-no demands on my part). Let’s hope that having 3 seats to myself isn’t any indication of me missing flights and if it is, I guess I’ll get to know Kenyatta airport as well…

Scooting along

What to write...hmmm...in about 8 1/2 hours I will be on plane with the final destination being Sudan. During the preparations this past week, my mind has been all over the place and there were so many things that I wanted to write to update this blog but for some reason it is all escaping me at the moment. I feel weird, like i'm in a movie or something. Am I really heading back to Africa? It feels surreal but that may stem from the anti-malaria medicine throwing my reality off a bit...hmmm..i'm going to Sudan! What the hell? Who spends their summer vacation in what we hope is being a post-conflict society?Am I crazy? probably just a little. Am I excited? hell yeah..opportunity of a lifetime. Am I scared? yes and no. I'm relatively at peace with the decision that I made and where i'm going, i'm scared because i'm walking into the unknown. Am I ready? As ready as I can get.

See as i'm suffering from a serious case of writer's block at the moment, i'm going to end here. I promise to do a better job in the future of capturing my thoughts before they escape me. Until next time..