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Who knew that my fanciest birthday cake ever would show up in Southern Sudan?!?! A huge round of applause to Chef Joseph for this fantastic creation!!

Tribute to Sam

Sam

Yesterday was kind of a sad day for the Palmtree compound. One of our fellow permanent residents decided that it is high time to return to civilization as he knows it*, so he packed his bags and is headed for home. Here's to a safe journey...we're gonna miss that happy chuckle, Sam!

*There are some lingering arguments as to whether Las Vegas can really be considered civilization ;)

Physiotherapy à la Rumbek

Tom's Workspace

Last Thursday, I spent several hours running around Rumbek trying to help my new Dinka tutor, Matur (bottom right), locate appropriate medical facilities. He has a traumatic cataract blinding his right eye, which we discovered can only be treated by way of surgery. Unfortunately, it is unlikely that Rumbek will be entertaining any eye specialists in the near future, so he will simply have to wait until the next team of surgeons comes through -- at least six months -- and hope that there will be someone with the proper expertise among them.
However, thanks to an NGO called Medical Care Development International (MCDI), we did get some good news about his fractured finger, which was apparently badly set at the time of the injury -- poor guy!! Tom (left), who is a Kenyan working as a physical therapist for MCDI, has assured us that the finger can be put back in order as long as Matur shows up for regular therapy.

So we have a deal now...I promise to make Matur proud by studying hard and he promises to work on getting his hand back in shape, so I can read his handwriting. I think that can be categorized as a "win/win" situation, don't you?

P.S. Also pictured: Zachary (top right) is VEGA's local Program Officer and he was kind enough to take the time to guide us through the maze of medical facilities. Besides that, he's just good company and deserves a little bit of recognition. Cheers, Zack!

Velvet Mite

Dinothrombium spp.

In keeping with the insect theme, I thought I'd add this little critter to the collection. I know it's already been posted on Kirk's blog, but I think it's cool enough to deserve a double viewing. Especially since it carries the added bonus of being 100% harmless to anything except winged termites!

Anyway, these little guys, commonly known as Velvet Mites, are categorized as arachnids and have the privelege of being known as the world's largest mites. They live underground most of the time, but come out after a good rain to check and make sure we surface dwellers aren't destroying everything beyond repair.

This Week's Public Enemy

Paederus Beetle

This little guy is my new favorite insect to hate. Apparently, it doesn't bite, but its "blood" is toxic, so when someone -- such as myself -- unwittingly crushes it as it crawls along the back of one's neck, it sprays a nice dose of acid onto the spot in question. The after effects are not terribly pleasant, so I'll spare you the details. Suffice it to say that, should you ever encounter one of these little gems, do be kind to it. Gently blowing it off yourself is far better than dealing with the consequences of a momentarily satisfying whack.

Windhoek Anyone???

Thievery at it's Best!

I realize I'm on a bit of a monkey kick lately, but who can resist when in the presence of the lovely and delightfully mischievous Nina?? This photo was taken last Sunday when our neighbors over at Safari Style kindly invited us to join in on their picnic in the bush. The flies were outrageous to say the least, but the food was excellent and the beer was at least luke-warm, so a good time was had by all. Especially the little imp who snatched up an open bottle of Windhoek beer and proceeded to obscond with it into her leafy haven. I only wish we'd managed to get a shot of her actually guzzling a good portion of the brew before losing interest and dropping it very unceremoniously to the ground.

King George

The King and I

Yesterday, my neighbor, George packed up two huge coolers with a generous selection of beer and sodas and trucked them out to Malau, where he and his colleagues have been overseeing the renovation of SPLA barracks. The compound is a good 30-minute drive from Rumbek, so you can imagine the thrill that went through the crowd -- consisting mostly of skilled laborers from Kenya -- when faced with the notion of an impromptu happy hour in the middle of the bush!

It is evident that George already enjoys the respect of these men, but yesterday's little show of generosity brought his popularity to a whole new level, and earned him the well-deserved title of 'King George'.

Back in Sudan...Literally!

Me & Nina

First, let me begin by apologizing for my lengthy absence. I spent the better part of the last month down in Kenya dealing with a shaky immune system, doing some work at the home office, and eventually finishing it all up with a much needed and very relaxing trip to the coast. Fortunately, all is well again and I'm happy to be back in Rumbek where, as you can see, I have been welcomed with open arms!

My Humble Abode

Welcome to the place I call home. It's hardly 5-Star, but as far as Rumbek accommodations go, you can't beat it. I've got my own shower, an internet connection, and a functioning air conditioner -- all hot commodities in Southern Sudan. And best of all, I get to share my trailer thin wall space with Kirk! We can converse quite happily without ever leaving our rooms. It just doesn't get any better than this!!

Just think...I could be stuck in a cubicle!

So let me introduce you to the infamous Southern Sudan Center for Census, Statistics, and Evaluation (aka: 'The Center'). It may not look like much in terms of size, but I can assure you this little building sees almost as much activity as the local cattle market. To date, one of the biggest challenges has been determining which people actually work for the Center vs. which ones are random drop-ins who stop by to finagle free internet time, to get a document typed up, or just to visit for the heck of it.
Currently, my main responsibility is to create an organization chart for this new institution. Imagine my surprise when I realized that 2/3 of the people I assumed would be filling the 40-odd positions we're creating, don't actually have anything to do with the Center... It's gonna be a fun year!!