Well, to summarize, I was evacuated from Juba on Wednesday. Kind of a miracle, really, how it all worked out. I was evacuated to Nairobi and have now just arrived in London. Lots to process, and completely exhausted. Between gunfire and weird flight times I haven't slept really in several days. Reeling a bit from being forced to leave my home for the second time in a year. But thankful to be safe and out. As I start to process in the next several days, and hopefully get some sleep, I'll update here with more details of the situation. Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers. The Lord answered! Keep praying for South Sudan!
Friday, December 20, 2013
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Unrest
If you have seen any of my Facebook posts, you know that there is serious unrest going n in Juba right now. The last two nights and into the day have been met with heavy gunfire and artillery. Fighting is going on in many parts of the city. Not where we are, but nearby. It is unsettling to say the least. The last two days have been spent quietly waiting it out, and trying to keep the girls happy and distracted. The airport is closed and not many people are venturing out. We have enough food and water for now, but we are hoping and praying the situation will calm down.
I am comforted to know that the arms of the everlasting are around. But, my nerves are pretty fried and it is stressful being responsible for little ones at a time like this. Please pray for peace, security, and wisdom. Once things settle down or I am able to get out, I will do a more in-depth recap of things.
Prayers appreciated.
I am comforted to know that the arms of the everlasting are around. But, my nerves are pretty fried and it is stressful being responsible for little ones at a time like this. Please pray for peace, security, and wisdom. Once things settle down or I am able to get out, I will do a more in-depth recap of things.
Prayers appreciated.
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Booking a Flight
I have a PI conference in January in Ethiopia. Decided to loop in a trip to the UK for New Years(!), because I've been wanting to go there soon anyway (may involve a certain British boy...) and it's cheaper to combine both trips into one. I tried to book online through the airline. Several times. They don't take credit cards online apparently. Womp womp.
So I tried to reserve online so I could pay at the office. But the website was having issues. So I went the next day with quite a bit of money (since, also, you can't really pay with a credit card anywhere in South Sudan.) In 24 hours the ticket had gone up $300! This was most disappointing.
But then I remembered to ask the price in South Sudanese pounds. They told me the price. I did a little math on my phone and was happy to see that if I paid in SSP instead of dollars, I'd save...about $300! So I called my boda (motorbike) guy. He exchanges my money for me.
He came to the office and I handed over the dollars and off he went to get the money exchanged. When I first got to South Sudan, a friend referred me to him. I don't use him exclusively, but it's good to have a boda guy I trust if I'm going somewhere new or, as I have found to be extremely convenient, to exchange money for me.
After about 10 minutes I started getting a little nervous. Usually I have him change $200-$300 at a time. I realized without a whole lot of thought I had just given him significantly more than that. He is a trustworthy fellow...but, also, I tend to believe the best about people and their intentions and some could argue that I too often trust that people tend to do the right thing.
I told myself I'd give him a reasonable 25 minutes and then I'd call. See if his phone was shut off, which would be a good sign that either he'd been robbed or was ducking and running with my money. I tapped my foot and watched each boda that passed impatiently. At 25 minutes I called. It said the line was busy. Immediately my mind started to racing. Did I just do something really stupid? What if he takes it? What if he gets robbed? How many more dollars did I have tucked away in my room? Enough to last me until I go out of South Sudan? (Because there is no way to withdraw money here, I have to bring in or have people bring in all of my money.) How would I explain to people that I'd stupidly handed over over $1,000 to my boda guy? A fellow that, really, I barely know.
Thankfully, I only had about 3 minutes of crazy-mind-racing and dread and he called me back. Said that there was traffic, and he had to go somewhere else other than the normal place he goes to change. BIG sigh of relief. If he was going to take all my money, he probably wouldn't call to reassure me. I impatiently waited another 35 minutes, praying that he'd make it back fine and silently berating myself a little, thinking I should have stopped being selfish and should have just paid the full amount in dollars.
FINALLY he pulled up in his shiny aviators and blue flip flops and I'm pretty sure I jumped up from the plastic chair I was sitting in, so very relieved. We stepped inside the building and he starts pulling wads of colorful notes from each of his pockets. I went back into the air-conditioned airline office, waited behind a group of loud, chatty ladies who were trying to book a flight but didn't know when they were supposed to come back. They got sorted, and with the feeling of accomplishment that comes with something actually working out right here, I paid for my ticket and strut out of the office.
2.5 hours later, ticket in hand, flight booked, mission accomplished.
So I tried to reserve online so I could pay at the office. But the website was having issues. So I went the next day with quite a bit of money (since, also, you can't really pay with a credit card anywhere in South Sudan.) In 24 hours the ticket had gone up $300! This was most disappointing.
But then I remembered to ask the price in South Sudanese pounds. They told me the price. I did a little math on my phone and was happy to see that if I paid in SSP instead of dollars, I'd save...about $300! So I called my boda (motorbike) guy. He exchanges my money for me.
He came to the office and I handed over the dollars and off he went to get the money exchanged. When I first got to South Sudan, a friend referred me to him. I don't use him exclusively, but it's good to have a boda guy I trust if I'm going somewhere new or, as I have found to be extremely convenient, to exchange money for me.
After about 10 minutes I started getting a little nervous. Usually I have him change $200-$300 at a time. I realized without a whole lot of thought I had just given him significantly more than that. He is a trustworthy fellow...but, also, I tend to believe the best about people and their intentions and some could argue that I too often trust that people tend to do the right thing.
I told myself I'd give him a reasonable 25 minutes and then I'd call. See if his phone was shut off, which would be a good sign that either he'd been robbed or was ducking and running with my money. I tapped my foot and watched each boda that passed impatiently. At 25 minutes I called. It said the line was busy. Immediately my mind started to racing. Did I just do something really stupid? What if he takes it? What if he gets robbed? How many more dollars did I have tucked away in my room? Enough to last me until I go out of South Sudan? (Because there is no way to withdraw money here, I have to bring in or have people bring in all of my money.) How would I explain to people that I'd stupidly handed over over $1,000 to my boda guy? A fellow that, really, I barely know.
Thankfully, I only had about 3 minutes of crazy-mind-racing and dread and he called me back. Said that there was traffic, and he had to go somewhere else other than the normal place he goes to change. BIG sigh of relief. If he was going to take all my money, he probably wouldn't call to reassure me. I impatiently waited another 35 minutes, praying that he'd make it back fine and silently berating myself a little, thinking I should have stopped being selfish and should have just paid the full amount in dollars.
FINALLY he pulled up in his shiny aviators and blue flip flops and I'm pretty sure I jumped up from the plastic chair I was sitting in, so very relieved. We stepped inside the building and he starts pulling wads of colorful notes from each of his pockets. I went back into the air-conditioned airline office, waited behind a group of loud, chatty ladies who were trying to book a flight but didn't know when they were supposed to come back. They got sorted, and with the feeling of accomplishment that comes with something actually working out right here, I paid for my ticket and strut out of the office.
2.5 hours later, ticket in hand, flight booked, mission accomplished.
Sunday, December 1, 2013
Thanksgiving
It was my third consecutive Thanksgiving away from home. My
last two in Ktown were unconventional. A normal workday and all that, but in
the evening a big potluck feast with other Americans and games. They were
great. Here my community is much smaller, and much less American. I do know
some Americans, though. They live on a lovely compound just outside of Juba.
Weeks ago I asked if I could come for Thanksgiving. And decided to take a long
weekend out at their compound. In need of a little break from the girls, but,
mostly, some quiet and serenity.
Thursday/Thanksgiving morning I had to do some things with the girls, but at 9:30 I hopped on a boda (motorcycle) and rode the 40 minutes just outside of town. I was very happy to be getting a break. But I was a little sad. Another holiday away from home.
Thursday/Thanksgiving morning I had to do some things with the girls, but at 9:30 I hopped on a boda (motorcycle) and rode the 40 minutes just outside of town. I was very happy to be getting a break. But I was a little sad. Another holiday away from home.
I got to thinking about homesickness. I would say that I don't get homesick very often. Yet, there are things I miss from home everyday. From the big: family, friends, autonomy. To the small: ice cream, new books, thrift stores. I don't classify that as homesickness, though. Homesickness is when I wish I wasn't here but wish I was there instead. So I was bopping along and thinking about this and my family and holiday things. And I had a moment.
Whatever circumstances or places you find yourself in, no matter how wacky, your mind has a way of redefining normal. My "normal" life here is much different than whatever my normal life was back in the US, and even much different than my normal life in Ktown. So even though my life has found some sort of normal here--even though life in Africa has become normal in some sense, I still have moments. Moments where it hits me all anew that I live in Africa. That I'm living the dream. I was riding on the boda on Thursday, bopping about on the uneven roads, and I looked to my side and saw various neatly stacked piles of things being sold along the road. People with dark skin in bright colors speaking a language that I actually understand, and tall sturdy mango trees behind. A blue sky with a sun that beats down hard and a mountain in the distance. And I smiled, and sighed. A contented sigh. Holy moly. I live in South Sudan. Life, man. It's crazy, but it's good.
On Saturday night we had a big Thanksgiving spread with friends. When you can't be with family, food helps it feel like the holidays. It was wonderful. I am thankful.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)