Quick update

Dear friends and family,

I have a quick update for you now... but I have been collecting some great adventures in the last week. I'll write a LONG post with all of my stories this weekend. In the meantime, I'm happy, healthy, loving my co-workers and really looking forward to the work. Right now, I'm in Juba, the capitol of Southern Sudan. We have our headquarters here.

I'll be leaving on Thursday for Yambio. I've been trying to do my research about the place that I am going to be living. Here's what I know so far:

1. I'll be living in a compound where the staff housing and office are.

2. There are about 150 staff members in this region, about 10 of us are international staff.

3. Western Equatoria is supposed to be the best region in the country in terms of weather and food. Its warm but not hot. They are supposed to have lots of fresh vegetables and fruits. I hear its the breadbasked of Sudan and agriculture is big. I also found out that its mango season, which I'm looking forward to. There is a rainy season that lasts about 8 months. Its supposed to rain everyday.

4. There are flying poisonous snakes. (I'm trying not to dwell on this and am hoping that its not really true...)

5. Western Equatoria is one of the poorest regions in the country. It has the highest maternal mortality rate in the world. And a literacy rate of only 10%. Most of the population lives on less than half a dollar a day. I just read an article that cites UN statistics. It says that, "(in Western Equatoria) a 15-year old girl has a greater chance of dying in child birth than of finishing school"

I'll be in Yambio by Thursday and then the real work and fun starts.


Here is a photo of Liu, in Western Equatoria from a blog called Skyscraper city.