go go go

The disco lobby of the Jacaranda Hotel is rocking – Michael Jackson and some Mortal Combat theme-song remix have me – and no-one else - bobbing my head over the somewhat tacky leopard print/bamboo carpet. I’m killing time before heading into the office to use a decent wireless connection one last time before leaving for Juba tomorrow morning. The Save the Children-USA (henceforth StC) – South Sudan country office (SSCO), based in Nairobi, is about to officially close and relocate their CO headquarters to Juba, the capital of South Sudan. Years of war and insecurity meant a base here in Nairobi for all of the US office's operations in South Sudan, though things are changing. Accordingly, the only people here now are finance officers – some lovely and kind folk, but folk that know relatively little about my upcoming work and locality. I did have the chance to meet with the StC-US regional education advisor who was able to tell me that I’ll be the only female at the Pagak office and likely the only Kawaja (white person in the Nuer language) in the region, before dumping about 30 project documents on my flash drive. Once I know what it is that I’ll be doing, I’ll be sure to get back to you, dear internet fan club.

Yesterday I received my hard-to come-by travel pass/visa to enter Sudan. This afternoon I’ll make a last minute stop to Uchumi to grab ‘snacks,’ a watergun, and some gum-boots for Teohna, before getting dinner with my former-CARE-UG intern/fellow NY grad-student/current-summer-intern-in-Kenya friend, Jocelyn, and before flying on a local flight to Sudan TOMORROW. Holy moly. Peace-out running water, tarmac, regular electricity, and modern medicine!