Head Above Water

We are starting to get into a routine. We wake up at sunrise, drink some tea, and head to the University to lecture. On the way we buy large bottles of water, and perhaps some fresh rolls to nourish us throughout the day. We inquire about the electricity situation, which has been dismal, and begin lecturing at 8 or 9. Check out the preliminary schedule we presented to the students:



We have since updated the schedule, adding tutorials and extra lectures. What a great bunch of students we have here. We have large amounts of material packed into each day, and the students crave more. If it were up to them, they say, we would lecture from 8am to 8pm. We, however, already have our hands full preparing lectures, labs, and tutorials. After giving lectures we start preparing for the next one, and from there, we head back home to eat dinner and relax a little before working throughout the night. Our work has been interrupted by lack of power, and the technology we have come to rely on is not always readily available. I have to admit, though, it is nice to sit in a candle lit room, sipping on tea, studying for the day to come.

The housing we have is great, but there will be very little electricity for the next 14 days or so. We have only been here a week, though it seems like a month. We spend most of our days working at the university and getting to know the students. We have also seen quite a bit of the city, venturing to the market or a small store to pick up supplies. Everyone is very friendly, and I don't feel out of place in Juba. Here is a picture of a street lined with shops after a small rain storm to give you an idea of what its like:



The storms can be fierce, often accompanied by harsh thunder. For now, I think we have our hands full with our lightning fast students, our new classes, and the new culture. Hopefully we can keep our heads above water.