impressies uit Sudan

Tomorrow is my last day here in Khartoum. It has been a nice time, the change from Ethiopia is amazing. So near and yet so different. We drove down with my sisters car, from Gondar to Gedaref, after a long quest for petrol. We bought in the black market in the end. So we started later than planned. It was a beautiful trip, a descent of more than 1000 meter, a good road. Customs did not take to long, then we are suddenly in an Islamic country. The town we stayed the first night was nice, a very cozy atmosphere walking around there.
Next day a few hours more to Khartoum seeing the Nile river once in a while. Beautifull trip it gets more and more busy when we near Khartoum I see the first camels!!
What a luxury to stay in the Netherlands residence, with a swimming pool, although the temperature of the water is lukewarm. That same night we visit the sufy dancing on the tomb of Hamid al Nil. they go in trance, kind of hypnotic. Real impressive!
Next day we make a walk on Tuti island, where blue and white Nile come together. Reminds me very much of the walks in Luxor.
We visit Omdurman market, make a boat trip on the Nile, drink coffee in the Embassy, have lunch in a trendy restaurant on the Nile: Al Housh, try to see Mahdi,s tomb twice, twice closed, go to the camel market and eat roasted camel meat, visit the Omdurman maternity clinic, where they do around 100 deliveries a day!! In short we had a nice time here and got a good impression of the country. Also because we met a lot of interesting people here. 

first time the sight of the blue nile

sufi dancing

camel market

khartoum

Tonight I will visit a special upperclass wedding, where no pictures are allowed. Tomorrow I fly back to Holland.

It will be difficult to accustom to Utrecht life again!

walk on Tuti island

 

the end

 Already a few days in Sudan, and I still have to write about my last weeks in Bahirdar. The last week was very busy again. Daily one or two caesareans, and many deliveries. In the month of march we had almost 150 deliveries, while it was usually around 100-110! Then I realized again what a good team we have there: never complaining when it is busy like that. Always caring for the patients . It was good the Ethiopian board did agree with us we need more staff, both midwifes and cleaners. How it works in Ethiopia: you post this ad on several places in town on big  billboards and people can apply  .We got about15 letters for the midwifes and we choose 7 to talk to. They had to be rather good in English, and at least 4 years of experience. Three were chosen, as we heard meanwhile one of our midwifes was going to work in the Mary Stoopes clinic, where they earn much more. But patients have to pay a lot for delivering there, so a totally different way of working.
On Friday Iris arrived, who was going to take over from me and will be there the month of April. We had the weekend for the handover, and rather busy also. My family arrived from Khartoum on Saturday( sister and husband) A wonderful sight to see them coming in their Sudanese car! Late my husband Jan arrived by plane from Holland. I was busy at that time and it was good my sister good pick him up at the airport! even during evening meal I had not much time to see them. Next day Sunday I hand over officially to Iris and prepared for my departure. That afternoon we had a wonderful farewell party, with coffee ceremony speeches and presents. Then I realized again what a nice people I have worked with and what a pity to leave them. One shares many sad and happy moments together in these two months. For them it is also difficult to see all these doctors go again. I am not sure about my future plans yet, but maybe I will return. If only to see the new building and to see these colleagues again. I do hope the plans will work out and the building will start soon!
Monday we left for Gondar from where we drove back to Sudan. This trip I will describe later.
Goodbye Ethiopia, it has been wonderful to work there again.

the last bicycle ride to the clinic

the last caesarean section

the last morning handover

the last rounds

final party, ritual bread cutting

goodbye.....