There are Solutions to Most Problems!

The day before Christmas Eve I went with Alessandra, Silvia and Charlotte to Meroe and the pyramids to celebrate our christmas in the desert. I thought I would miss Sweden, but I didn't, at least not much, and we had a fantastic weekend exploring the pyramids, running barefoot in the sand dunes and riding camels. On the 24th Haidar and Annelise joined us with blinking santa hats and lime. Christmas eve was celebrated on the terasse overlooking the pyramids, with wine and crisps and dance. After having spoken to the whole family, and half of my relatives, my christmas was perfect, if not a bit unusual.

We also visited the town of Shendi (where we were recieved as queens), Musawwarat (ruins from the Kushit period), Naqa (more ruins) and the 6th cataract of the Nile (wonderful small place, but incredibly pain in the ass with assaulting locals from everywhere that wanted to help us with this or that and get money for it).

This is the country that has been called hell on earth. Here is todays worst humanitarian catasroph according to the UN. Thousands are dying every day of starvation, malaria, yellow fever, lack of fluid and dhiorrea. It's ugly and hot and dirty. I'm never clean, no matter how often I shower. My money are disappearing, so is my work contract. But I want to stay. I have wonderful friends here that take care of me when it's storming too much. I feel like a baby sister in the family and they want me to stay. Everything back in Sweden will still be there in a few months, so I feel that I'm in no hurry to get home just yet. My time here in Sudan is something that I have to take care of, for me and for my future. I know that it's not good to run away from your problems forever, but I feel that I've already come so far. I have learned things about myself that I didn't know before. I can take care of myself. I'm even pretty happy, after all.

But enough about feelings and boring stuff. Me, Charlotte and Alberto among others are going to a pool party in the Dutch Embassy. There are rumours saying that the police has gotten instructions of storming all parties on new year, even those with foreigners, so I believe it's best to stick to the diplomat parties (no matter how boring that sounds).

I've been a bit sick lately, with some mysterious infection in my blood. I'm on my second round of antibiotics now, and I feel a bit better now even though I'm still tired. I'm just happy that I haven't gotten malaria yet, which is some miracle considering that I'm bad at spraying myself and always comes home with 20 mosquito bites at night. Maybe it's just the kind mosquitoes that likes me?

Pssst. I braided my hair. So if the Sudanis didn't love me before, they definitely do now! Everyone want to touch it, points at my hair and my nose ring and call me "Sudani! Sudani!". And I smile and reply: "Aywa, khawajia sudani!" and then they laugh like crazy and loves me even more ; ) The man inte the internet café has told his whole family about me and is literally demanding a photo of me so that he can show his nieces. The alternative is to go with him home and say hi to his wife and kids. I don't know though... it feels like I have enough sudanese friends at the moment. My hands are full all the time, always something to do, someone to meet!

Quotation of the week: "Coffee machines are sexual objects." Silvia about the capuccino machine.

Latest purchase: Microphone to my MD. A yellow maxi skirt. A knife.

Annoyances: The lack of money, that my card reader to the camera is broken, boys and the future.

Newest aquintances: My collegue Khalid and his friend Hani (isn't that a cute name?!).

Soon: 1)I'll get a new sibling! 2)I will get my package from Sweden, whenever Mr. Björn decides to come back to wonderful Khartoum. 3)The chaos will be GONE! 4)I want to get out in the field. Rather Juba!

Funniest: When Alessandra's camel started to run and she was jumping up and down, new internal jokes from the desert, to whisper to Sudanese friends that "that woman" (pointing at a friend) "is not married!", that an aid worker in Somalia got eaten by a crocodile.


Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!