Back in Juba: brief nails update

A gold version of the ‘Juba French,’ invented by Joseph, nail artist in Souk Libya, Juba, South Sudan.

Breaking (in) my replacement

So, Dan from RVI has arrived to replace me at the South Sudan National Archives for the next nine weeks.  And I’ve spent this week “handing over”.

Juba updates

• Ever since the very worrying announcement of Machar’s (constitutionally, legally) curtailed powers last week, there have been dozens of SPLA, heavily armed, stationed at each roundabout in the centre of Juba, and posted along the roads to the airport.  Ominous or precautionary?  Taxi drivers are advising staying in after 10pm, and I am.
• I am wrapping up my work with the Rift Valley Institute, and at the South Sudan National Archives, this coming Friday.  I panicked, at 2am last night, that I hadn’t arranged for the handover of the RVI office in Wau; then I remembered, RVI in South Sudan is just me at the moment, and I don’t have an office in Wau.

Aweil: photos

I watched three football matches in three days: the first games of the South Sudan national cup.  That’s officially more football than I’ve seen in months.

Starting research – Aweil

Aweil is very beautiful, in a completely different way.  I really like Central Equatoria, particularly now the rains have started in earnest and everything is bright, fluorescent green, but northern Bahr el Ghazal has something otherworldly about it.

Things I have been doing: photo blog part II

I thought I had typhoid!  But it was just three different types of un-fun bacteria.  Gone now.

Things I have been doing: photo blog

A lot of pool.  Sundays are sacred pool days.