Dispatch from the field for a friend

 I just wrote this email to a friend, giving him an update on Yambio and life in Sudan-- thought I'd post it here as well.

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...Definitely lots of adventure. My brain is busy every day. I go to bed at night thouroughly tired, and wake up early every morning ready to go and looking forward to my day (at least most days). Its a nice feeling. My consulting gigs were good training for this. They foced me to learn a lot of new things all the time, and that is what I am doing here as well. The living conditions are really pretty good. I mean, the food is terrible (but then I was spoiled and I do apprecaite a good meal) but the accomodations are fine. 

Termite season has started, and these termites are HUGE. At night, every night I wake up because there are people outside collecting the termites to eat them.-- reminds me of that time we went to the Insectraium.

Last week we killed a snake that was trying to get into the kitchen. You know how I feel about snakes, yuck!

We have lots of donors coming to visit this month- will be taking them around, as well as doing some  

At a market in Tambura, doing an assessment.

monitoring visits this month. To give you an idea of the variety, in March, I am designing frameworks for implementing projects on family planning, protection of girl-children, market access for farmers, and good governance training for county leaders. I'm monitoring a vaccination campaign and honey production of a local bee-keepers association. I am also doing an assessemnt next week in 2 refugee camps about health, water and education needs.  Every day its something new, and its all a challenge and its all fun.

Tomorrow, I've hired someone to come and dig a vegetable garden for me. (at 10 Sudanese pounds for a day of work, I couldn't complain... its about $3) I planted some seeds already and in just 2 days they've sprouted. I'll plant everything in the garden this weekend. Since I can't find vegetables in the market, I'm goind to grow my own!

 

rockin' and rollin' at the UN in Yambio.

I've made some good friends as well. I like the people that I work with. They're a good bunch. Also, there is an Italian NGO that has some fun people working for it. We go out sometimes. On Saturday nights, the UN military observers have a barbecue. Its a lot of fun, the food is yummy and the dancing is good-- Lots of Latins , awesome salsa dancers!

There is also a new "club" that opened in Yambio. (I know, shocking!) Its on the "lake"... really just a big pond where people wash their cars and bathe. But, the music is good, the beer is cold and the crowd is having a good time. Unfortunately, like every other public venue in Sudan, there are a lot of guns here. A lot. Its hard to get used to so many automatic weapons. Especially since they are so casually slung over the shoulders of teenage boys. But, I'm much less bothered by it now than I was when I first arrived, I suspect that in another few weeks, I won't even notice anymore.

I'll be home for Easter, and then for the first 2 weeks in May. Though I am having a blast here, I do miss my family and friends. It will be good to see them. I also miss sushi, salads, hot dogs and prosecco. :) It will be good to see those things too.

Jen