The Census is Back and So am I

After torturing my coordinator last week, whose name is also Megan (hers is missing the "h"), we all flew to Torit and had a nice, refreshing weekend. I was able to see some people from the last retreat and new ones as well. At the retreat we broke down our vision statement for South Sudan and discussed how we can be living it and acting it out in our daily life. Might I add that the food, cooked by Ginny Hildebrandt from Loki, was excellent! My body went into shock by eating vegetables and fruit.
Once again, many of us slept out in tents. This time I set up a small mosquito mesh tent and staked a tarp over it to protect it from the rain. This set up was in hopes of getting lots of fresh air instead of the stifling air of a tent in the heat. I enjoy sleeping out under the stars in Torit and this was my last time to do so. Everyone is leaving one-by-one from Torit and then Ikotos-- not everybody, but many.
Kelly left for Kampala yesterday and flew of to the U.S. of A. this morning. I hope that she enjoys sharing all of her stories with family and friends. We will miss her here though. The Bylers are flying back to the U.S. for the marriage of their oldest daughter and for home assignment. The Scotlands leave April 30th, the day after the Canadian Culture Shock Team. So, who we have left are Matt and the Nobles in Torit, and Lydia and I in Ikotos, and 2 others in various parts of upper Southern Sudan. My main crew though is about to be gone. Lydia and I don't leave until May 22nd. She will fly to Entebbe and I, to Loki.
For the next month I will not sit on my thumbs, but rather try to organize that rape workshop I spoke of in the last entry. Last night was census night and therefore today I will be counted as a member of Ikotos. Weird. Well, West Virginia Univ. is giving me trouble with convincing them that I'm a resident, so why not be a member here right? heh.
Not much else to report here. I think that the next couple of weeks or so of blog entries will be devoted to explaining the culture and the layout of Ikotos. I realize that I have not yet explained much of that and you readers need to have the full flavor of my experience. I will talk about the people, the landscape, alcoholism and religion.
Here are some pictures from the Torit Retreat: My tarp tent; Kathrine & I; Kelly, Megan, Lydia, me, & Tara; me with the Bylers; the Congolese ladies in the market; and some South Sudaners relaxing after lunch.
Until then...