Beating the heat but digging the warmth.

I have been lucky so far to avoid moving outside too much in the heat but that will change once we begin making trips to the rural areas of North and South Darfur. There is a constant breeze and last night at around sundown I saw my first clouds in nearly two months. Everyday is a cloudless day. I know that sounds ideal in western terms where we are obsessed with warm sunny days, but here a warm sunny day is overrated and people clamor for shade and the relief and promise that a cloudy sky brings.

I have not done enough to describe my physical surroundings so I will try to do more here now and in the future.

First, it is sandy but not void of water. I am constantly amazed by the relative ease with which people will pour what seems like endless quantities of water on neighborhood trees. Trees usually have small moats around them made of cement or dirt and it is customary to fill them up two or three times a week. Most houses also have a grey-water (used water) trough that leads to the trees adorning the front of their houses. I am not saying that trees abound in Darfur. I am referring to the neighborhoods of Nyala and El Fasher where each street has at least one set of trees planted all around the same time. Ficus trees seem to be a favorite. And they are spoiled rotten.

The roads in town and to many rural centers are paved but are usually covered on either side by the encroaching sand. So in the end, a two lane road becomes a single-laned, narrow path or completely covered in sand. The maintenance required to keep a paved road clear is so high that it is a wonder why the roads are paved at all. Still, it is easier to cross a sandy path with an asphalt foundation than a open wilderness sandy path.

My own residence is located in a quiet neighborhood. The only noises are the kids belting out the national anthem - more of a screaming session than actual melodies but that is normal for early primary school kids, I suppose. We get the periodic calls for prayer now that the nearest mosque has repaired their giant speakers. I mentioned the boys selling water from donkey-drawn carts who tap a slow rhythmic beat to wake up anyone thinking about sleeping in. And then there are my friends the very noisy and nosy birds. Loud chirping and very insistent about inspecting every inch of your personal space.


My cousin Vanessa will have a special appreciation for these birds because they are expert spider hunters. If you have a spider in your room, open your door and they will swoop in eat the spider, take down all your cobwebs or spiderwebs, and be off in a flash. Cant explain it. Just saw it with my own eyes on several occasions. I happen to like spiders, so I guess they had better find a better hiding place than my bedroom if they wish to survive. I dont leave my door open too long, for fear of what else these birds may make off with. I guess I could call them sparrows, for the sake of giving you an image of how they look. They just have boom boxes for vocal chords.

None of my streets are paved but everyone has a beautifully decorated brick wall with a cement finishing. Everyone is very cordial. And children run the streets in pack of ten, playing football, heading sheep, or just out and about looking for things to do.

My house is composed of a 10x10 room that stands alone. I have to go outside (shut the door to keep out the birds) and make my way 40 feet to get the toilet and shower units. I have about the same distance to get to the kitchen and I have no sitting room as yet. I do have plans to build a sitting room outside to enjoy the warm starry nights and hold dinner parties with friends. We have a sundown curfew so I do not move around at night, but I do have two guest beds for those wanting to stay later and crash for the night.

The routine so far consists of the weekly meetings with international nongovernmental organizations on various themes. We usually use these opportunities to update one another on developments in the field, populations in need, and security incidents on the road. We have about two or so a week now and I will likely add a few more as we increase our activities and reach.

I also meet with Sudanese organizations to get an idea of the needs in the areas outside Nyala adn Fasher. It is rather tedious so far, and I look forward to visiting some of the discussed communities to get a better sense of the actual needs. Hope that gives you some sense of my physical surroundings and my routine. I will go more into depth on the actual work on my next message.

For now, I just try to stay cool during the day, and soak up the warmth of Sudanese hospitality, which seems to have no bounds.