søndag 23. mai 2010

Leaving Sudan

My stay in Sudan is now over. Tonight I will go back to Norway, with mixed feelings.

These past nine months have been both amazing and difficult, and I want to give the people I have met the credit they deserve without using too many cliches. It seems impossible, and I apologize for this in advance. I have met many incredible people, both volunteers and staff, in Port Sudan and other places is Sudan. I admire the work done in the local communities every day, and the strong men and women carrying it out. I am still surprised by their ability to focus on the positive things, to strive forwards and work for a better society even though their own lives might not be as easy or comfortable as our Norwegian lives. To work closely with these people has been a unique chance, and I am thankful to the people that have made these past months so memorable.

To sum things up, I have chosen some pictures for this last blog post from Sudan. When I came to Khartoum almost nine months ago, I remember there were quite a few things that stroke me as strange. Now they have become (almost) as familiar to me as my "Norwegian" habits..


That you do the dishes like this - in cold water without soap

That your local coffee place looks like this

That dinner is prepared like this

That you are a big fish in a small pond, and that you therefore get invited to events like the HIV and AIDS meeting with the health minister Tabitha Boutros(left) and the first lady Widad Babikr (right).

That you party like this

and that you meet friendly camels while your on the road :)

Buying a sheep

On Saturday, Ingvild and I had arranged a trip to the beach for all the volunteers in Port Sudan, with great help from many of them. Groups were formed, tasks were delegated and things were being prepared. In the end, Mahmoud, the volunteer Younis and we were responsible for buying the lunch, which included two very alive sheep.


Mahmoud making the first approach


Younis and Mahmoud checking out the sheep



After a good half hour of bargaining, we finally get the sheep into the car


And they are taken good care of at the office


Before they end up like this the next day

søndag 9. mai 2010

Leadership training!

This weekende, Ingvild and I finally got to have a long planned leadership training in Sinkat, a small town two hours from Port Sudan. 15 volunteers from Port Sudan and five from other towns in the state participated in the two day course. Here are some pictures:

Mahmoud in action: the volunteer structure of the Red Crescent is discussed once more


Gabbani presenting his group's ideas


...and has to defend them too


Cooperation games



Playing volleyball..

..and cards between the lectures..

.. and watching "Pretty Woman" in the evening