Take-Aways/Sahfari*

So it’s July. I’ve made it. In 20 short days I’ll be leaving the place I’ve called home for the last 10 months. In the last month or so I’ve thought about what I’m going to “take-away” from this experience. Its even more refreshing now that some new volunteers have arrived and asked me these questions and what to expect. I’ve thought a lot about how I want to “talk about Sudan” with friends, potential employers, and strangers. I’m definitely searching for a balance.

A farm on Tuti Island overlooking Khartoum

I’ve really been thinking about the way I view and define violence, development, and freedom while I’ve been here. I hope to continue to challenge my and other’s definitions with different cultural interpretations.

Rachel and I have spent countless nights here debating lots of etymology used in International relations and development. The one we could never quite get over was “Developing vs developed country.” Although far better than the other category option of “Third-World,” I think our community of practice owes it to work out better language than this.  It’s problematic. I’m sure there have been far more articulate arguments made about this issue and I urge you to post them in the comments section below.

Some pretty terrible things happened to some people while I’ve been here. For security I’ve not shared those stories on this blog. I’m not going to whitewash those truths when I come home, but at the same time I don’t want my experience to become throwaway anecdotes which minimize some truly horrible  problems in Sudan or make it about “how rough I had it” (EYEROLL) or something that perpetuates or plays into the stereotypes of Sudan which Americans have.

Nile Street at Sunset

I think it’s very hard to simply say any statement saying “Oh well Sudan is like this…” “Sudanese people are like this” The same way when my students ask me about America and I tell them I can’t generalize about all Americans. I’m going to try to take that lesson to heart. 

Ok here are some more pics of what I've been up to this month!

Nas with notepads - a monthly spoken word event

Hanging with some fun ladies for mougrib tea

Henna- a beautiful Sudanese tradition for women before they get married

One of two Mexican restaurants in Khartoum "Amigos" describes itself as Tex-mex

Goodbye dinner at GAD!

*Sahfari (Sah-FA-ri) is the arabic word that is used to get food "to-go" it means take away. Easy to remember because its like  going on a safari