My contract at the DCA is finished so now I'm unemployed again, but at least and at last I managed to bribe the right authority guy so now I'm legally in the country again.
A couple of days after the great New Year's party I was alone in the house while the rest were out on different missions in the field. And while I was asleep, somebody broke into the house and stole money and jewelries from the room next door (Björn and Alessandra's room). What made it even more complicated is that the thief "broke in" using a key and since me and the cleaning lady were the only ones in Khartoum with keys to the house, the cleaning lady was picked up by the police. She's a refugee from Eritrea and has no work permit, so even if she wasn't the one doing it, she's in no good situation right now. But she's not the only one in a bad situation (even though mine can't even remotely be compared to hers). Now one of the house hold members, my friend, think that I had something to do with it and don't trust me at all. She says I'm immature and bla bla bla, so now I decided to leave the house. I guess that's what can happen when you think you have a friend. What's more, because of all this, I think I lost my good friend Björn too. I will cincerely miss him.
The positive thing is that Björn came back from Sweden with two bags of goodies for me. Dad had bought me some veggie stuff, salty licorice and the whole family had written a little something for me in a notebook on christmas eve. Oskar drew me a picture, Sara wrote an adorable ketter and mum had printed some photos (and thanks for the condoms with tuti fruti flavour... do people actually use those??).
And guess what! On the 12th of January I got a(nother) baby brother. Good job mum! I vote for Anton.
A couple of days into the new year I gathered some friends and went cruising on the Nile and it was totally amazing! We went past small villages with mud cottages and children playing in the water. We ankered by a small green island where we had picnic and I had my very first swim in the mighty Nile. On our way bak we saw the famous African sun set behind Khartoum city skyline and you know what, it was beautiful! The only time during night or day that you can say that this city is beautiful is just then, when the birds lift and the sky turns orange.
I've never not liked it in Khartoum, but now I'm actually starting to like the city for real. I realized that as soon as you learn how to live like a local, you will start to like it so much better. That means to forget what stress and pressure is, not think of luxuries as having something to do at night instead of sitting and drinking sweet tea with mint and smoking sheesha.
Yesterday I went with a collegue to his aunt where half of his family and relatives were gathering. I've picked up enough arabic to understand that they thought of me and my collegue as engaged, that I had passed the test into the family by the aunt herself and that I was very beautiful. And not just that, the collegue also expressed to me that he actually did want to marry me. So for the first time in my life I've been proposed to. That was fun. But don't worry, I'm not planning to accept (unless they can offer me a HUGE bridal gift ; )
Nickname of the week: Meme, by KhalidA couple of days after the great New Year's party I was alone in the house while the rest were out on different missions in the field. And while I was asleep, somebody broke into the house and stole money and jewelries from the room next door (Björn and Alessandra's room). What made it even more complicated is that the thief "broke in" using a key and since me and the cleaning lady were the only ones in Khartoum with keys to the house, the cleaning lady was picked up by the police. She's a refugee from Eritrea and has no work permit, so even if she wasn't the one doing it, she's in no good situation right now. But she's not the only one in a bad situation (even though mine can't even remotely be compared to hers). Now one of the house hold members, my friend, think that I had something to do with it and don't trust me at all. She says I'm immature and bla bla bla, so now I decided to leave the house. I guess that's what can happen when you think you have a friend. What's more, because of all this, I think I lost my good friend Björn too. I will cincerely miss him.
The positive thing is that Björn came back from Sweden with two bags of goodies for me. Dad had bought me some veggie stuff, salty licorice and the whole family had written a little something for me in a notebook on christmas eve. Oskar drew me a picture, Sara wrote an adorable ketter and mum had printed some photos (and thanks for the condoms with tuti fruti flavour... do people actually use those??).
And guess what! On the 12th of January I got a(nother) baby brother. Good job mum! I vote for Anton.
A couple of days into the new year I gathered some friends and went cruising on the Nile and it was totally amazing! We went past small villages with mud cottages and children playing in the water. We ankered by a small green island where we had picnic and I had my very first swim in the mighty Nile. On our way bak we saw the famous African sun set behind Khartoum city skyline and you know what, it was beautiful! The only time during night or day that you can say that this city is beautiful is just then, when the birds lift and the sky turns orange.
I've never not liked it in Khartoum, but now I'm actually starting to like the city for real. I realized that as soon as you learn how to live like a local, you will start to like it so much better. That means to forget what stress and pressure is, not think of luxuries as having something to do at night instead of sitting and drinking sweet tea with mint and smoking sheesha.
Yesterday I went with a collegue to his aunt where half of his family and relatives were gathering. I've picked up enough arabic to understand that they thought of me and my collegue as engaged, that I had passed the test into the family by the aunt herself and that I was very beautiful. And not just that, the collegue also expressed to me that he actually did want to marry me. So for the first time in my life I've been proposed to. That was fun. But don't worry, I'm not planning to accept (unless they can offer me a HUGE bridal gift ; )
Song stuck in my head: Habibiiii, habibiiii, habibi ya nour el ayeeeeen! Very annoying.
The most common things people call me in the street: 1) khawajia (vit kvinna), 2) shadida (fin/vacker), 3)helooooo, 4) How arrrrr yooooooo?, 5) aj lavvv joooooo!, 6) what's your nationality?
A little sad because: Things never turn out the way you planned.
A little happy because: Things never turn out the way you planned.
Latest cliché: "Your face is like a moon", apparently meaning something great here. Like, you have a round face, and round faces in Sudan is good. And big butts.
1 comment:
"your face like a moon " a round face , shine face , too far away ..... ; )
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