Welcome to Sudan

This is an appropriate title for my first entry from Sudan because I have heard that phrase from so many people. As I researched Sudan while I was considering accepting this job, I read many times that the people were incredibly friendly and hospitable and I have certainly found this to be true during my first week in the country. From the Sudanese teachers and staff at my school to the guys working at the market to my landlord to people in the street, everyone has been very kind. As many of you have probably experienced, this is not always the case in other countries and it has definitely eased the transition to this very different culture. So for this entry I want to give you an overview of my job and Khartoum in general.



I won't bore you with travel details but I will just say that it took forever to get here. It is not a great distance from Crete to Khartoum, but after overnight ferries, delays, and layovers, I was in transit for almost 36 hours from door to door. And let me just say that clearing customs in Sudan was an experience I will never forget. I know that is cryptic but I just don't feel like explaining that experience in detail. Anyways, Khartoum is about as different from Crete as you can get. A friend asked me my first impressions of Khartoum and my response was that it's flat, hot, and dusty. This is the "winter" time and it is probably 90 degrees in the middle of the day. They call this winter because apparently it gets to be 120 degrees in the summer. But it feels great in the evening and mornings and thank God for air-conditioning. It's also very dusty. The main roads are paved but all the roads within the neighborhoods are dirt, so yes, I live on a dirt road. And it is not the rainy season, hence the dust. And when I say flat, I mean literally no hills in sight. The main attraction in Khartoum, and it is quite the attraction, is the Nile River. In fact, Khartoum is the place where the Blue and White Niles converge before heading north through Egypt and into the Mediterranean. I must admit, seeing the Nile River for the first time gave me chills. There are many different boat and ferry trips one can take on the Nile so I look forward to doing that. Other than that, Khartoum is not the most beautiful place I have ever been, but it is still a fascinating place. In fact, I have already met two of the most interesting people I have ever met in my life, my roommate and my boss. They deserve their own post, but I will provide a basic introduction. My roommate is an American who left the States four years ago and has been teaching and travelling since. He became a Muslim in Cambodia and married a Cambodia woman and while I thought I had some interesting stories, he puts me to shame. We have already spent hours discussing life, travelling, religion, and many other things. My boss, also American, is the son of Eldridge Cleaver who was the Information Minister for the Black Panthers in Oakland in the 60s. After becoming Muslim, he left America in '99 and has been living and teaching across North Africa and the Middle East for the last ten years. I look forward to spending more time talking with him about his life.

As far as my job, I am working with young kids, which is a little different than I expected. I teach Math and Science to the 3rd grade class a couple times a week. Then my main job is to be a reading tutor to the kids who really struggle reading English. I meet with small groups of 4-6 for thirty minutes at a time and practice reading. Some can hardly read at all so I have to start with the basics and some can read fairly well so I can challenge them a bit more. English is a second language for these kids so they need lots of help. I think I can have a great impact on their education, which is an exciting opportunity.

This will be an incredible opportunity for me to learn about myself and a very different culture. Sudan is a Muslim country so one of my main goals is to learn about and study Islam. I never really had any Muslim friends growing up or in school. And while I took a class on Islam in college, that was before I became serious about academics and I really don't remember much. So my roommate gave me a copy of the Quran and I have been reading it every day. So as I continue my reading of the Quran and other books on Islam that my roommate and my boss have given me, I will try to write about my thoughts and experiences. I am also trying to learn Arabic and hopefully can learn enough to get around, we shall see.

Sudan is a Muslim country ruled by Sharia (Islamic Law), so that means no alcohol or pork products. I have been told their are places one can drink, specifically the British Embassy, but I haven't made it there as of yet. Although I was a little worried about this lack of access to booze at first, I think it will be a good thing. It will definitely be better for my health to avoid alcohol and I will spend more time reading and studying and doing other things rather than drinking. Since there is no alcohol, the nightlife is fairly limited. Most people spend that time with their family or friends just hanging out and talking. The only difference is they are drinking tea or juice instead of wine or beer. I have already spent many enjoyable nights discussing all sorts of things with Yusuf, my roommate, over a tasty guava juice.

Anyways, that is my introduction to my life here in Khartoum. I will try to write often but I do not have internet at my apartment so it will have to be on Saturdays. Here in Sudan, and in most Muslim countries, the work week is from Sunday to Thursday. Friday is the Muslim holiday and many shops and businesses are closed, including the school. Saturday is a planning day for the teachers so that is when I have time to use the internet. So I will try to stay in touch but please be patient with me. I also have to get a permit from the government to take pictures (I know, its pretty crazy) and I haven't had a chance to do that yet so hopefully I can get that soon and I will post some pictures. That's all for now. Alakum Salaam!