jeudi, avril 07, 2011

My World Factbook: Sudan

So it's like that ha!! Going to put a stamp on a country just by having spent 7 nights in the richest district of the city and silently avoiding 95% of the whole country... Well I really hope U guys wont see it like that, because it is the last thing I want you to think the next lines are going to be. In fact, I pride myself to not fall into preconceived ideas and always have the most candide mind when it comes into discovering people. I learnt that it usualy is the best way to make the most inexpected encounters. I would remember the day I spent 2 hours in the border of the ring in Caracas with 20kg of stuff and I had no notions of spanish, my english was never close to what it is now. Being in Caracas in 1999 meant some of the weirdest time of this country, minute kidnapping amongst other stuff (narcotrafficant wars in the city centre's street is another one). Then this taxi pulls over and invite me in. I do not hesitate and get in. I think I met with the kindest taxi driver of the whole face of South America that day. Unfortunately I did not enjoy it as much as I should have because I never recorded anything from him where I should have, except maybe for this sudden memory. But my jenuine mind did allow me to follow this man through the city till the airport as I needed to leave for France (my last day indeed). 48h later the worst draught in years touched the country and the airport was closed for weeks... my worldfact book of Venezuela. I think I am probably the one that will have the least preconceived idea while travelling. It does not mean I don't get into trouble but maybe one day I will make a full tribute to my lucky star by writing some of my stories and how I magically avoided troubles...
So there I was in Sudan for 7 days. I did arrive late night without luggages (German efficiency in demo in Frankfurt Airport) and a bit tired after 18h hours of flight. I guess I ain't that young and 3 continents in 2 days are not as easy as it was. Onces I went out of the airport, and after experiencing the first acts of small corruption (having a tendency of damaging a lot the local economy) I got my driver to bring me to the hotel. From then I start to do something evil and which nobody should do when travelling if they really want to meet the people: I did compare!!! with Angola and other west African countries. Comparing is bad in many ways and usually leads to racism (but I was tired, and I was comparing the local infrastructure, so it wasn't so bad after all). I still have the feeling Sudan has a better organisation than western African countries anyway, but now I cannot really explain rationally why.
First Sudan fact, it is full of Chinese: well it isn't too hard to understand as the oil is exploited mainly by them and China bought Africa in general. Good side is that I experienced the best Chinese food ever there.
Second Sudanese fact, sharia law is not like it appears to be, at first at least. I mean the country by itself is a religious controversy (till July at least), North is Muslim while the South is Christian making the Islam law variably applicable (so you could see woman fully covered and other with their hair out, like in "the West". I believe the lower layer of the Sudanese society is much more under the sword of the sharia than the rich centers of Khartoum.
Third Sudan fact, Khartoum is expensive like any African capital getting their revenue from the oil. It makes it characteristic from country with a non diversified economy, like the oil economy. There is nothing else so all needs to be imported. Schooling is not the priority so the quality of professionals is not high, apart from petroleum engineers (say) so it's complicated to find qualified man power and agriculture hence price rising.
Now for a lighter note, I never realized how it would be to live near a mosque, well I found out...they are really good alarm clock, precise to the second and it never fails to wake you up. So my days were starting early and finished early.


In my next post I'll show some fun stuff I saw (tutus, taxis and more...)

To Be Continued...