Masalama, Sudan!

Our most characteristic photo of Sudan

After a period of almost a year we are now leaving Sudan. It has been a very special and memorable time with a lot of new impressions and perceptions on Sudan and the Sudanese people. Thank you all for reading this blog and following us on our Sudanese 'journey'. In case you want to write a letter back to us, please use the following email address: lettersfromsudan@gmail.com. Warm greetings from us! :)

Presents

The differences in cultural habits find their roots in even (or should I say, especially) the smallest events. Giving or receiving presents for example. I have always learned that it is rude not to open a present immediately after someone has kindly offered it to you. It would somehow indicate that you are not interested in the content of the present and that you simply don't really care. Here in Sudan, on the contrary, lots of people consider it inappropriate to open a present in front of the person who has just offered it to them. The other day, I gave a small Dutch gift to one of Frank's colleagues and without hesitation she thanked me and put the (still wrapped!) present in the drawer of her desk. Only after some time, she rang me up to say that she had opened the present and that she really liked it! When I asked her why Sudanese generally wait with opening the presents until the benefactor has left, she said: "Just imagine if you really don't like the present; then it's is not nice for the other person to see your disappointed face!". When I think about it in that light, I guess many of us have simply learned to be very good actors sometimes..

Sugar-free!

The banks of the Nile in Khartoum

"Nothing beats a nice, fresh cup of tea while sitting on the banks of the Nile", said one of our friends, while we enjoyed our cinnamon tea, overlooking the tranquil Nile water. The tea and coffee ladies with their simple stalls and colourful plastic chairs give the area a cosy feel, without it being really fancy. Just at the moment that we thought nothing could ever take away our relaxed feeling, we heard a funny noise. One man approached us, carrying some kind of machine that came across as a hover. It was quite big, so the man had to carry it over his shoulder in order to hold it. The funny noise clearly came from a small shiny, lightening thing that was attached to this machine. He shouted something in Arabic, which I couldn't understand. When we looked closer we saw that the machine that the man was holding were weighing scales. At first I was amazed, because I thought this man wanted to sell  it. But it turned out that this man actually wanted to lend it to people so they can weigh themselves on the spot. "He says these scales are really special",said one of our friends, "if you stand on them, and they think you are too heavy, it will make a funny noise!" We could hardly hide our smiles because of his unexpected offer. I wonder who would ever stand on these scales in front of all  friends and family while relaxing on the banks of the river. And especially with that funny noise in case of overweight! ;) But thinking about the amounts of sugar that people here take in their tea and coffee, I guess it is not such a bad idea to make the people a bit more aware of their weight. We anyway drank our next tea sugar free!

Exotic sandwich

Since this is our final week in Khartoum, I invited two of the girls from the office for a nice farewell lunch/dinner. We left at 4.30 in the afternoon, which meant it was Sudanese lunchtime for them and (almost) dinner time for me. I took them to a special place with a nice, cosy green garden and an interesting tasty menu. It indeed turned out to be an interesting menu for my two accompanies, because the menu was only in English and not in Arabic. "This is strange, we are in Sudan! And there is no menu in Arabic!" There is no real dining culture in Sudan and the fact that everything was written in English clearly showed that the majority of the customers probably come from outside of Sudan. The two girls at my table didn't let that stand in their way and when the (English-speaking!) waitress came around, they both confidently ordered the chicken sandwich. "Then at least we know what we are getting", they giggled after I had tried to explain the international dishes on the menu. In the back of my mind I knew that the Sudanese bread with large fried pieces of chicken they had in mind was probably not the type of sandwich they were going to be served. And when the waitress approached us with a large tray with 'the' sandwiches, I realized I was right. "Hmm.., this is not a chicken sandwich", one of them commented while examining the toasted piece of chicken-filled bread which was lying on her plate. Fortunately they liked the taste and were clearly amused. "An English menu and an exotic looking chicken sandwich" they laughed, "Haha,..now it really feels like we are on our an international holiday in our own country!"

Stuck

Insects are not the most welcomed guests here in Khartoum. Their ability to transfer diseases like Malaria is one of the reasons why people rather see them go than come. The local government seems to take their fight against insects very seriously. Once every few months a team of 'sprayers' go around the area to kill all unwanted creatures. I had seen them before, when they sprayed the garden of the former office. Last week though, was the first time for me to see them working indoors; the special team sprayed the whole office on the ground floor of our building. But we soon found out, that the 'smoke' that they were producing, didn't just stay in the office. A thick cloud went up in the hall way and seemed to stay there, with the result that from our small apartment, it was impossible to move anywhere. For quite a while we were stuck on the top floor, with no intention to get lost in the large chemical cloud.  After some time the mist of the spray had vanished and the coast finally seemed to be clear to leave the house. And believe it or not,..while we went out, covering our nose and mouth, we saw something unexpected: one fierce mosquito came flying out of the office like nothing had ever happened! I am not sure if I just imagined it, but he even seemed to be smiling...

Perceptions

I always find it interesting to discover the different perceptions of people on the same topic or theme. 'Life in Khartoum' is one of the topics that tends to produce extremely diverse views and perceptions from people who have lived here a while. Yesterday I visited the gym and spoke to some women who all had different ideas about the Sudanese capital: "Khartoum is sooo depressing!", said one. While another one commented: "It is such a safe city with a nice atmosphere. I don't want to live anywhere else!". One of the women argued the opposite and said she has never felt so unsafe in her life. Others said that their week is too short to fill it with all the activities they want to and can do in Khartoum. "Really?", others commented surprisingly, "I am so bored of sitting at home all the time, because I can't find any nice activities here!" I guess it shows that perceptions on Khartoum are simply as variable as the weather. At least, as the Dutch weather, because the weather here in Khartoum is always hot. Although....some people have a different opinion on that...

Wish come true

sunset in Khartoum

Last weekend I was invited by Frank's colleagues to attend one of the women's evenings as preparation for her niece's wedding. It was a nice relaxing evening with lovely Sudanese food and, naturally when women get together, lots and lots of chatting and gossiping. At some point, Frank's colleague and I were talking about people that used to work in the old office. My friend said that she hadn't seen one of the women for a long time. This particular young woman used to be part of the team of guards, which is quite an unusual profession for women. We kept talking about her and we wondered where she had been placed after the old office was closed. We could have never thought that this very morning the same woman we had talked about, suddenly walked into the new office! "I just felt like dropping by", she said, "and I asked some people the directions to your new place. So, here I am!". You can imagine the face of my friend, when she saw her walking in. "That's a coincidence!" she said, "I was thinking about you a few days ago and now you just walk in after all these months!" After she had greeted her she turned to me and said "In my culture we believe that God sometimes gives you what you want, if you just think about it." I answered that I found it quite a nice and soothing idea. But while a big frown appeared on her forehead, her voice turned sceptically: "I wish I had thought of a lot of money or a new house, instead of this thinking about this woman. Then maybe I would have got that instead!"

Digestion

I was asked an interesting question the other day: "What would you still like to do before you go back to The Netherlands?". Among some places I would still like to visit, I told him that I would like to try some fresh Sudanese camel milk. I have never tasted it and I am quite curious about the taste. He looked at me and started giggling mysteriously. At first I thought he was laughing because of my 'wish', but he said that he had some funny associations when talking about camel milk. "You know, one day some members of our Sudanese government went to an important meeting in one of the neighbouring countries. They were offered camel milk as a welcoming gesture, but instead of drinking a few sips, they drank too much. They didn't realize that camel milk is really good for your digestion, but you should never drink too much. Hahaha, the next day none of the members showed up for the meeting. They had something else to do in the bathroom!". While he was telling me the story, I was really amused by his giggles and outbursts of laughter. "So, take it easy with the camel milk!", he advised me educationally, "but do try it, because it is very nice!". I will definitely keep my eyes open for some camels today. And I will make sure I plan a day off afterwards, just to be on the safe side ;)

Cure or prevention?

"Put your rubbish in the bin!", is something I can still hear my parents and teachers telling me. Therefore, it wouldn't even cross my mind to throw plastic or other kinds of rubbish on the floor. Through my travels in different countries of the world I have noticed that this 'motto' doesn't have the same strength or effect everywhere. Sudan, unfortunately, is one of them. Yesterday I went to the Jebel Aulia Dam, a lovely place where lots of Khartoum residents tend to spend their free weekends. It struck me straight away that the majority of the trees were decorated with differently coloured plastic bags. I first hoped it would be some kind of art-project, but I had to conclude that the whole natural area was covered with plastic. It was difficult for me to hide my feeling of disbelief and amazement. My fellow-passengers agreed that the place would even look so much nicer if the great amounts of plastic bags wouldn't be there. I couldn't agree more, since I really liked the setting of the recreational grounds."The problem is", the driver said while he thoughtlessly threw his empty bottle out of his car window,"that they don't hire cleaners to clean this place every evening". I guess, he apparently believes more in the concept of 'cure', than of  'prevention'.

One billion rising

Yesterday, the students of the Ahfad University for Women took part in the global campaign 'One billion rising' to raise awareness on violence against women all over the world. The amazing and very striking focus of the event was a particular dance, that was being danced by women all over the world. Besides the students from the University, the Dutch community in Khartoum has also initiated special 'One billion rising' dance workshops, which will be conducted tonight at the Khartoum International Community School in Khartoum. Among all different global examples of shocking violence against women, there are unfortunately also still numerous stories from the women here in Sudan. So, enough reason to strike, dance and rise!

Floating on the Nile

"You are all invited to a boat trip on the Nile!" a colleague from the Ahfad University announced a few days ago. That was indeed an offer we couldn't refuse, so before we knew it we were standing on the shores of the Nile at the Blue Nile Sailing Club in Khartoum. There was a spacious 'party boat' waiting eagerly for us to come on board. When all of us, including the BBQ-set and fresh meet had found a comfortable place to sit on the deck, we headed off for a nice tour on Sudan's biggest river. It was an interesting idea to know that we were actually floating on a couple of empty barrels that had been attached underneath the boat. Simple, but inventive! Fortunately, it turned out be an extremely relaxing, steady float trip with even some musical entertainment by a friendly local musician. The sunset had truly never looked as beautiful!

Big hair

In many western societies, a woman's hairstyle or hair type is often seen as part of her identity.  People tend to describe each other according to their hair, for example: "That blond girl over there", or "the lady with long curly hair". Here in Sudan, there is a different perception on women's hair. Most of the female Sudanese wear a headscarf that clearly covers most of the coup. They are not supposed to show their hair to other men, besides their own husband and close family members. The beautiful coloured scarves always make me really curious about the hair styles underneath. And I can tell you, it sometimes is a big surprise! Talking about 'hair' is often a topic among my Sudanese female friends. When I first met them, they liked to feel my hair and ask me what products I use to keep it soft. "I wash it daily with normal shampoo and then I just let it dry in about 30 minutes", I told them. After a short pause they looked at each other, laughed loudly and said that they couldn't imagine that. After I'd asked them why they couldn't, they one by one lifted up their scarves and revealed their hairstyle. I was speechless! The majority of them had very long, very thick beautiful hair which had been tied at the back to keep it in shape. "You should see me in the morning; you would not recognise me!", one said, while putting her hands next to her head to show who wide her hair is when she wakes up. The others nodded as they recognised their own hair experiences."Actually, I am sometimes really happy that I can wear a scarf", one of them concluded. "When I have a bad hair day, nobody will know!"

Gifted morning

Sometimes people can really surprise you with their gift. Today, on my way to Omdurman I received a nice necklace from the friendly taxi driver. Happy and honoured with my new jewellery, I saw one of Frank's colleagues standing at the door when I reached back home. The smile on her face revealed something, but I couldn't have imagined that she also had a gift ready for me! "This is for you!", she said. While I unwrapped her present she couldn't stop smiling of excitement. The present turned out to be a coffee (or tea) mug with my face printed on! I think my coffee will never taste the same again from now on ;) This has indeed been a special, gifted morning; let's see what the rest of the day might bring!

Desert wonders

Sudan doesn't welcome as many tourist as other surrounding countries, but that doesn't mean that there is nothing to see or to discover.  Before I came to Sudan, I never realized that the number of pyramids for example, is much higher in Sudan than in Egypt. Even recently, a couple of 'new' pyramids in the North of Sudan were discovered by a group of archaeologists (see: link). We realized that visiting a few of the Sudanese pyramids was a 'must' during our stay in Sudan, so last weekend we visited the special Meroe pyramids in the North. And,..what is the most suitable and reliable means of transport in the desert surrounding these pyramids? Exactly, a camel! It was indeed such a nice experience to see the sun rise over the tops of the pyramids while shaking and bouncing on the back of this true ship of the desert. Instead of it being a commercial tourist site, the whole place was deserted and the only things surrounding us in the midst of these ancient buildings, were a few camels and a lot of sand. After having enjoyed the nice views, we bounced our way back while seated on our friendly animals. It was truly  a mystical experience to always remember. And thanks to our muscle ache, we will at least for the coming days!

Neighbours

Our closest neighbour

We moved to the outskirts of Khartoum a few weeks ago, and since then I have been discovering the area bit by bit. It is interesting to see that no house in this neighbourhood is the same; the colours, shapes and sizes of the various houses are just really different. And the financial status of the house owners clearly comes forward, both inside and outside. Alongside the sandy road close to our office, stands a small tent made of plastic bags and pieces of wood. It is hard to believe that this actually serves as a home for a family with three children. Their modest house (which is by far water- or dust proof, I'm afraid) is oddly situated in the back garden of a huge house, which could easily be called a 'palace' compared to this small neighbouring tent home. I guess, the only thing they have in common is that fact that they are each other's neighbours. It does  show that the individual differences here in Khartoum can be really extreme. In that sense, our neighbourhood might be a good reflection of the Sudanese society in general.

Coffee chats

While waiting outside one of the office buildings in town, Mohamed (one of he drivers) and I sat down for a nice glass of traditional coffee. We chose two small colourful seats next to the coffee lady, who instantly burned some nice smelling incense for us to chase away the mosquito's. While we sat there in the cool shade of the tree, a young Sudanese man walked up to me and asked: "Do you know Daniel?". I told him that I didn't know anyone named Daniel here in Sudan. "Oh, I thought you might know him because he is also a khawaga", he continued. I said I was very sorry but that I really don't know him. "He is American and he is teaching English here in Sudan! I have been to America too, but now I am studying here". I asked the friendly young man where and what he was studying. While he smoothly ordered some coffee for himself he answered: "I study English". He pointed at the house on the other side of the street. "Whenever I look outside my window and see a foreigner on the street, I come outside to practice English and drink some nice coffee". It surely sounds like an effective and tasteful way of learning a new language!

Pens and swords

"Ahh, you are going to Kassala?", asked one of the drivers when I told him I might be travelling to the eastern side of Sudan  next week. 'In Kassala the men dress differently!", he said while his hands showed how the men there tend to fold their head scarf. "And, he added while smiled mysteriously, "the men there wear swords!". I must have looked amazed, because he started laughing loudly. But he told me not to worry. "The men don't use these swords, but they just like to carry it around", he said. I can imagine that these men look quite impressive with their accessories, but the thought of men carrying a fighting tool around for fun, is not something that eases my mind instantly. Fortunately, the driver assured me straight away: "To them it is something like carrying a pen in their chest pocket and that's also very normal, so no problem".

Sudanese globalism

Sudan is one of Africa's biggest countries and with a population of approximately 26.000.000 people it could be called a well represented nation. I have realized though that a relatively high number of Sudanese people are actually not living in Sudan any more, but elsewhere in the world. A few days ago, we were invited for lunch by our friend's family, and their family story confirmed this global phenomenon. "My brother lives in the The Netherlands", the man of the house started. We answered that it was such a coincidence, since we are also from The Netherlands. "And my other brother lives in England", he added. Before we could even react to that, he continued with his enumeration: "And I have one brother in the United States, and another one in Germany. And me and my other brother have lived in France". After he had explained that his younger brother was married to a Chinese woman, and that his children were attending the international French School in Khartoum, we almost lost track of all the international family influences. Talking about Sudanese globalism!

Three times asking

Discovering the 'unwritten rules' of the Sudanese society can be very interesting, but confusing at the same time. The other day I asked one of the substitute office drivers if I could 'book' him for the evening. Most of these drivers have their own 'amjad' (a local taxi) and if I need transport, I always try to call one of them. The income of an amjad driver is generally not very high, so I am happy to support them a little bit by booking their taxi for my trips to the city centre. At least, that's always my intention! But as soon as I reach my destination, the drivers don't want to expect my money. "You are my friend and Frank is also my friend. No money asking from friends!" is a general reaction when I want to hand over their deserved money. They would look the other way and put their hand on the money as to say that they really don't want it. This is sometimes confusing, since we arranged a clear price in advance. Fortunately, a friend of mine explained the magic rule of 'three times asking'. It is Sudanese politeness to refuse money twice. Only after the third time it is considered polite to accept something. True Sudanese politeness and modesty in all its glory, I say! I will definitely try it out next time: One time, two times, three times,..there you go!

Different connections

Sudan is not the only country where family members are allowed to marry each other. But this is the first country for me to see it happening so often. It actually seems to be the rule, rather than the exception in some parts of the country. The reasons for this 'tradition' have not been been very clear to me. Some people say it has to do with religion, others say it is just a way for people to survive as families; marrying your cousin means that the money stays in the family instead of disappearing into the hands of another family. I guess it also makes the wedding planning slightly easier; you only have deal with the wishes of one family. Although, I am getting more used to the concept here, it is still strikes me to know that  practices in one country, can be strictly forbidden by law in another country. I guess it is all about different conceptions and connections..