Sudan & South Sudan

It's hard to believe that this is Day 9 of our visit to Sudan. Tomorrow afternoon we fly back to Nairobi. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around everything I've seen and heard during these past days.

So here's another understatement of the week... I seriously have so much to learn about South Sudan.

1. Slept in a tukal.
2. Got to plant a tree at the bank opening ceremony.
3. Charged the video camera in a tukal.

It's 6:28 p.m. here in Juba, and I've spent this afternoon going through video I took while in Lietnhom just four and five days ago. While listening to the voices of entrepreneurs who have small shops in the market, local government leaders, a local leader of the Mothers' Union, the chairlady of the village bank and others I come away with two recurring themes: reconciliation and stability.

I'm not gonna lie. Southern Sudan is hot. What is so entertaining to me that those who live here will very plainly state, "It's hot." My thought ... "That is the understatement of the year."

So much has happened during the past two days... And, what is most exciting, is that yesterday, Lietnhom became home to the first village bank in South Sudan. What a celebration! Schools were closed, a bull and two goats were butchered so that everyone could eat, Sunday school classes performed a song and dance, local and county officials as well as the Bishop, trees were planted and a ribbon was cut!

Jambo!

Greetings from Kenya and specifically from ... you guessed it ... The Hotel California in Lokichoggio (also known as Loki), Kenya. Who would have thought?!

We have had a very busy two days in London. Yesterday was filled with various meetings. Suzanne spent a majority of her afternoon meeting with the Mothers' Union representatives while I met with Vanessa Anderson from the Five Talents UK office to discuss communications strategies as well as how to better share information between our offices.

At this moment, I am working on three computers. Typing this blog on my desktop PC, listening to Pandora and updating Five Talents golf materials on my desktop Mac, and loading software onto the laptop Mac that I'll be taking into the field. In the midst of this I'm fielding questions from co-workers, responding to emails and updating our Web site. I have also just created a "Do Not Disturb" sign for my desk in hopes of increasing my ability to multi-task.

Six Days. A little more than 144 hours. That's how much time I have before boarding a plane and heading east.