Halloween in Khartoum

Well this past week was filled with fun. For many of the students at KAS Halloween is a holiday they don't know much about. Now like many other holidays religious or non we recognize them at our school and sometimes celebrate them at our school.

So this week I talked to my kids about Halloween and the history of its celebration in North American and Europe. It was like I was re-living my own childhood as I explained different traditions and shared a few with them too.

I went to the souk and bought a large gourd/pumpkin. It was more green than orange but the shape was nice and round.

Then at school my kids planned what they wanted the face too look like and we cut it and roasted the seeds. Then we crammed into my supply closet (the only area with out windows streaming in sunlight) and I told them a scary/funny story while the pumpkin was lit. They were pretty excited and later I had the other elementary classes come in the closet to view the glowing Jack 'O Lantern.
The kids also had a costume parade which had some very creative costumes. There aren't many places in Khartoum where you can buy a ready made costume so we talked with the kids all week about what kinds of things they could use from around the house. One of my students was:
"Super Dish-washing Lady." She had on a cape of an old sheet and rubber gloves. It was great.

Wedding pt.1

Well today I got to go to a Sudanese wedding. I was invited by a Sudanese co-worker to his cousins wedding. It was only part of the wedding. There are multiple events that are included in a wedding and I went to the second part which was the signing of the papers by the bride. Apparently the signing of the papers for the groom is a different event.
When I arrived the men in our group were immediately taken to a different area. The women went into the house and we sat there to talk and eventually eat. Later we went to the roof to sit and after another hour or so heard drums and music start to play. The other women on the roof responded by yelping and cheering because the music was the sign that the papers had been signed. Actually there were supposed to be guns shot off in the air..but because of safety the band was hired instead. All of this was occurring outside the house in a large tent that was set up. But only the men were present. We could hear the music playing because we were on the roof. Also, once the music started playing we were given sweets and soda as a symbol that the ceremony was complete.

Tomorrow is another part of the wedding. I am told that this part will include dancing and music and no segregation of the sexes. At this part of the wedding we will see the bride and groom together dressed in their finest! I didn't see the bride or groom today.

I'm looking forward to tomorrows festivities.


(pictures of the band and the ground view of the roof i was on)

More pics from Art night out in Khartoum

Dancing, music and hennna

On Saturday I went to an event sponsored by the British Council that featured many local artists. There was dancing, music, paintings, photography, henna and over all a great festive atmosphere celebrating art.
Families were there with their kids and the crowd was buzzing with excitement. It was also an event mostly done in English so I was able to understand most of what was going on and being presented. Some of the muisc groups and rap gropus that performed I had seen last spring at another event sponsored by the French and German Cultural Center. It made me feel like I live in a small town because I recognized some of the performers.

It was also interesting listening to the different rap performs. They would often rhyme in the style or cadence of a popular rap artist from the states. So I heard Jay-Z, Beastie Boys, Tupac, Biggie, Lil Kim, 50 cent and others. A lot of the beats they used were also throwbacks and I felt like I was at a house part in 1996! It was great!
I also loved watching the dance group open with, none other than, a dance number to Michael Jackson's Thriller. (see attached video) There were also some phenomenal break-dancers as well.
I actually had met a few of the dancers in the group a few weeks ago and might get to practice with them in the future. I have been longing to dance and might have found a group do that with!

I also had fun and got some local art..on my hand/arm..in the fashion of Henna.

It was an event that is supposed to occur once a month featuring different local artist and talent. Venues for showcasing art are not very popular here Khartoum so I'm looking forward to next months showcase. It reminds me of the festive atmosphere of Philadelphia's First Friday events.

what more can i say...

So I haven't blogged the last few weeks because I have been sick.

2 weeks ago I got food poisoning. It was quite a harrowing experience. Thank goodness our school nurse used to work at one of the local hospitals. I was able to get amazing and immediate care. It was better and faster service than any emergency room in the states and in a few hours I was re-hydrated, injected with antibiotics and had prescriptions for bacteria fighting drugs.

So the next week I was recovering and feeling the after affects of Flagyl and Cipro. The side effects of these drugs was like being constantly unsober. Not Fun! But it did kill the bacteria even though I spent the week at school in a dizzying haze.
Then just as the drugs wore off I got a head cold. I realize after the food poisoning my immune system is weaker but dag! So I'm just taking it easy.

The great news is that the weather is cooling off. Cooling off= days under 100 degrees..97,98. Yeah... relativity is something else. But that means the evenings and mornings are in the low 80's and that is just bliss. I think its cooler than last year...could be affects of global warming or maybe I'm just used to the heat now.

I am going to an art show this weekend and so I hope to have some good stories and pics to post soon.