Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Wednesday (April 15, 2015).

I am in a much bigger city now and I am so very grateful for that.  Malakal was quite small.  I have heard that the weather in Malakal was more pleasant than Juba so I know that I am in for some real heat.

The walk that I have to the bus stop to go into the college, and then back to the apartment when I return from the college is long enough that I feel I have had some serious exercise.  I did have a woman tell me today as we got off the bus (this word is used loosely) at Juba (the name of the bus stop) that there was another bus I could take up to Hai Cinema where I live.  I chose to hoof it. 

The buses are small and densely packed.  On the way to the college I am trying to sit in the front of the buses so that I can see where I need to get off.  This morning that meant getting into an empty bus and waiting for it to fill up.  Getting in is like getting into a truck.  I realize that I need to work on my arm muscles. 

Getting out of the buses is another matter.  In the front it isn't as bad, somewhere I slide off of the side of the bus.  Getting out of the side is a nightmare.  I told the young man who was opening the door as I got back to bus stop Juba today that the buses aren't made for older people.  I usually find someone willing to literally lend me a hand.  Actually jumping brings to mind the thoughts of broken bones....

I am able to do my "grocery shopping" on the way home.  I'm having trouble getting onions this week as I keep missing the vendors that sell them when I get off the bus at the home stretch.  When traffic is errratic and I am dodging motorcycles, cars and buses of different sizes as well as the motorized rickshaws, I can't always get to where I would like.  Although the skill of dodging traffic as I cross streets is coming back to me!  At any rate, I am learning where the stores are that have the yogurt (yes!  there is yogurt, albeit probably whole milk based v nonfat), where there is Halva, margarine, jam, etc.  I stopped at a particular store today for yogurt and asked the male clerk if he could tell if they lady across the street was selling bread.  I told him I like to support her....and then I explained that I think it is nice to give my business to different stores and not put all of it in one place.  He may have caught what I was saying....

She gave me my three rolls for two South Sudanese pounds....in South Sudan people still scoop food with their hands, I am working on "training" the young girls (as are some of the other Mission Co-Workers), the grown ups are a little more difficult. 

Further on the dirt road there were three young girls dancing....they were very cute....if my camera had been handy I would have tried to get a picture.

Speaking of pictures...I am going to try and get a phone here in Juba that has a camera.  I have come to feel the need to take pictures without people seeing that this is what I am doing.  There are so many pictures that I see everyday and feel unable to snap because this is not the safest place in the world.  The garbage piles in the middle of the streets is one of those pictures.

More later....


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