Sudanese hospitality

While I waited for my Arabic teacher to arrive at the language centre, I ordered a tea from the boy working in the tea shop next door. When the teacher arrives, I pull out my money to pay, but the tea boy hurries over to tell me that I paid too much last time I was there. I am impressed by his memory and honesty; last time I had a tea here was a month ago.

Earlier that day we were riding a minibus to the office, we had just visited our friend Abeer. One of the other passengers leans over and asks us where we’re from. “Norway! I have been to Scandinavia many, many times. Beautiful!” The friendly old man used to work on a ship, and has apparently been all over Europe. "In the summer, they only have one hour of darkness", he tells the other passengers "just imagine how I suffered in Ramadan!" He decides to pay the fare for us, since we now are visitors in his country.

Back home, Hassan, our landlord and friend, knocks on our door and brings in a plate with Sudanese sweets. His cousin's wife, who lives across the street, has seen us from her house and wanted to do something nice for us, and had therefore made these sweets as well as invited us to play volleyball with her and her friends on Friday.

These are some of the things I love about Sudan; people see and remember each other and they do not need a reason to help you or talk to you. Even though I do not have a lot of experience of traveling in Africa, I believe that the Sudanese's reputation of being the most welcoming and hospitable people on the continent is true.