Generator VS Solar

It's about time I started talking about electricity here which is basically what regulates our day. I found myself dividing my day in NO electricity part and YES electricity part.

When NO electricity part is on NOTHING is going on; there is no internet, no lights.. nothing. we light some candles, start using torches but after a while give up and just go to sleep; time: 10 pm (generator).

ok this is confusing so I should start from the beginning of the day so that i can explain how the whole generator/solar system works like (it took me a while to figure it out but now I am positive that this is how it's done).
Before I start the day description though I have to explain about this dual system.

Basically every house, compound, building or whatever here has both a generator and a solar system. During the day, because it's so hot and sunny everything runs on solar (you know how it works right? the solar panels transform the solar power in electricity and so the system is on that). Obviously the solar power is not that strong (unless you have very good batteries, WHICH WE DON'T) and therefore sometimes Internet connection does not really work (as well as other things connected to electricity but anyways!). When the solar system cannot work anymore then we switch to generator which is a bit stronger but very expensive. generator works with fuel and that costs a lot of money. So that's briefly how the dual system works: generator and solar alternate during the day.

Ok so that's what a normal day looks like (I won't even tell you what happens when the solar panels don't work properly or we run out of fuel):

7:30 am. We turn on the generator cause it's still too early for the solar to work
11:00 am. We switch to solar; by 11 it's already sunny and hot and the system can work (SORT OF);
usually if the day is really hot and sunny (so basically south sudanese) the solar can go on up to 4pm ish. Then electricity starts to go off and disappear and come back again and go again.. we know generator time is about to come.
7 pm. Generator is on again (we tend to switch it on later so not to use too much fuel)
10 pm. generator goes off: NO Electricity part is about to start (that means, bedtime!).

Obviously after 10 pm there's nothing left to do: maybe you can hope that your laptop is fully charged so that you can watch a movie. otherwise there are no really other options. I usually forget to do the bathroom ritual before 10 pm so I always find myself brushing my teeth, changing and peeing in complete and total darkness trying to hold a torch with one hand and to do the rest with the other: not advisable ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE TO TAKE OUT YOUR CONTACTS (kids, dont try this at home).

So a lot of challenges at night but it's quite funny really. I also love the fact that I have some parts of the day where I need to be super productive cause Internet is working great because generator is on so I can send emails and maybe even try to Skype. On the contrary when power is a bit low I need to make sure I have enough battery to do whatever but using the Internet... see? YES electricity and NO electricity part system.
 

What I'm trying to say is if you really wanna skype with me try early in the morning or right after 7 pm.. generator is at its best, performances might be surprising!!!


uh oh.. almost 10 pm! Better post this before it's too late...

PARTY!!

South Sudanese people take parties very seriously which is why it's important to remember all the "formalities and procedures" that are involved with them.

Attending a party here doesn't mean going clubbing or crashing someone's house or compound: it's not that easy. A party here is a group of rules, a ritual which has to be followed.

Sadly we had two goodbye parties last week (Debbie and Camille you will be GREATLY missed) so I had the chance to polish some rules and remember how to party here!

First: THE SPEECH.

No party can begin without a speech and I mean a proper one where the head of the NGO/organisation/whatever formally addresses the public and the person that is being celebrated (lets call him John).

I'll give you the start: "Ladies and Gentleman we are all here today to say goodbye to John who has been working here for tot time and who has been doing this and that... Now I ask someone else to come and say a few words about John.... And now I wish to call another person to say another few words about John.. And now I want to call John to say a few words (he will be the last one to talk)..."....!!!

ok you got the point: the speeches go on FOREVER and this happens in a spiritual silence where no one can disturb or do anything or say anything or for example.... EAT!

yes because that part still has to come! ok yeah one thing at a time.

right so we have the 3 hour long speeches and after that what happens? 

Second: THE FOOD

so you're almost falling asleep during the 10th speech of the night, your stomach is making weird sounds, you're starving and finally the speech part is over. you can finally run to the table!!

oh, if only..

well in order to eat at these parties you have to wait for John to eat. in fact, John will be the one to "open the ceremony" of the food and be the first and only one to go to the table and get served. Once he is done all the others can go and do the same, not before. So the endless line starts forming: from the table to the farthest ends of the compound. Bottom line is: if you aren't anywhere close to John it'll take forever to get your food after he has taken his.

Third: THE DANCING

I won't make it long, the dancing works exactly like the food. John has to open the dances: he chooses a partner (CANNOT do it on his own) and start dancing on the dance floor. Just the two of them, for an awkward while, dancing whatever music the dj will play. It's kind of like the first dance of a married couple except that John and the partner are not married and will most probably have never danced together. So it's funny, and embarrassing.. but mostly funny! After a while some kind, generous soul will join them and little by little the dance floor will get crowded until it's just a mass of bodies jumping around.

So these are the three main steps to go through if you want to party like a rock star here! 

And no kidding these people are really serious about this party ritual...

So let me just say again good bye to the awesome Debbie and Camille and remember..

if you're invited to a party in South Sudan.. GET YOUR SPEECH READY!!!!!

R&R

R&R stands for rest and recuperation and it's a period of time which may vary from 5 to 8 days (depending on your organization/ngo policies) on which you are on holiday to... well rest and recuperate!

The holiday has obviously to be taken outside the country as you will have to relax in a safe place. We have to take one every ten weeks and this was my first one since I went to Italy in April.

My R&R was very much needed and in order to make sure I was gonna get the best out of it I went to Mauritius! Finding the destination was not easy AT ALL! First of all there are not that many flights from Juba so it is vital to find the right connections in order not to waste days and nights in East Africa airports. Mine was very lucky and in less than 6 hours I went from grey chaos to pure exotic paradise in the middle of the Indian Ocean.

So let me tell you about Mauritius and not because I want to brag but just because I want to describe a very cool degree that separates us from this hidden little treasure.

First of all: the people of Mauritius. There is no stereotype or special description for them: they are a mixed race, made of different colors, provenience and cultures. They have one thing in common though: they are VERY warm, welcoming and friendly. You feel home after one minute, also because they literally take you to their place after 5 minutes of conversation: they want to introduce you to their family, cook for you, give you the best deals of the island (well of course in the end they all run their businesses) and make sure that you will go back there soon. I have to say mission accomplished: discovering the island through the eyes of the locals made it all so much better. Mauritians are really nice, they value education a lot and they adore their families: needless to say it is a pleasure to help them if they need something.

Second of all: the island. Well the island is simply BEAUTIFUL. The coast is just amazing and some beaches are breathtaking but also the inland is just unreal (it reminded me A LOT of Ireland, that's why I liked it so much!). The inland is very green with beautiful landscapes. The southern part is the best one: you can find rum factories (DELICIOUS), safari parks, waterfalls and national parks and reserves. Plus the roads are surrounded by sugar cane fields which are really cool. In the south there is also the highest point of the island: it's called gran bassin and it's a sacred lake for the Hindus. Every year there is a cool pilgrimage to this place: all the island inhabitants just walk from their homes to this lake to pray and meditate. Very nice.

I could go on and on and on but i just wanted to give you an idea of this beautiful European island; yes it is populated by Germans, Italians, French, Spaniards and Dutch people. Apparently it is quite a popular destination in Europe and even if the currency is the Mauritius rupee they just accept and circulate Euro everywhere so changing money is not that important.

Oh and if you ever find yourself in the beautiful village of Flic en Flac on the western coast ask for Charlie Brown (no kidding, that's his real name!!): HE'S YOUR LOCAL MAN!!!!

Laundry Service

After five months here it has been clearly established that it's impossible for us to indulge in any kind of normal luxuries such as make up, fashion or good food/drink.
Fair enough, I can live without those (for a while...!) but if there is one thing I am obsessed about is personal hygiene.
It doesn't matter if I sweat liters and liters of body fluid a day, at the end of the day I need to be/feel clean.
So rusty shower around 7 pm (it's funny cause you can really feel the iron on your skin) and I am ready to go!

And here comes the problem.. what do I wear? I open the wardrobe and there they are, my clothes.. well actually if someone had showed me a picture of that wardrobe one year ago telling me those were my clothes I would have obviously laughed and stated the contrary. Those are NOT my clothes! they are full of wrinkles, holes and they changed colors...
but then again without a washing machine that's what you get.
Now I'm gonna tell you the story of one of my shirts so you get an idea of what they have to go through in order to be "washed"

A yellow t-shirt is thrown into a bucket with a million other clothes (of other colors) and a bit of washing powder. It stays there for a while and then the stirring begins. It sort of is like a washing machine effect except that it's done manually and with cold water. Then the t-shirt and all its friend are thrown on a stone and hit with another stone in order to be cleaned. After this they get rinsed with rusty water and hung out in the sun. Voila', laundry service!
{NOTE: In some countries (thank god, not this one!) it's quite dangerous to leave clothes out in the sun if you don't iron them. This is because in Africa there's a type of fly called mango fly which basically lays eggs in the clothes which are drying out in the sun. If you don't iron the clothes before wearing them, it's a problem. Those eggs will enter your skin and you'll be affected by a weird disease where you have the little animals crawling under your skin.. not nice!
You know the scene from "The mummy"? Where all those bugs in the pyramid enter the guy's skin and kill him? yep, pretty much the same here except that here the insects would be baby flies.. awwwww!!}

So basically my wardrobe is poor, I look like an hobo most of the times and I end up wearing always the same stuff which is still decent looking and not completely ruined (yes I am aware of the fact that they will end up just like the other clothes).

Bottom line is: next time you meet me,TAKE ME SHOPPING!!
I AM IN DESPERATE NEED OF THAT!
Thanks