Maintaining Sanity

I’ve endeavored to provide you with something of a glimpse into the frustration, complexities and hardships I face in living and working here – as well as a taste of the adventure and excitement. It is fun, and I do enjoy it, but simply put, it’s darn difficult, and I work myself ragged most days. There are days I can physically sense the stress (and certainly the weariness) in my body. To offset this, we have R&R: a chance to escape every 8 weeks and fully relax, recover & rest. But one does need a little R&R in each day and week to refresh the spirit, and maintain one’s sanity.

So…how does one have a little fun in Juba? Well, it takes a bit of effort, requiring 2 steps: Step 1) Pulling oneself away from the office and one’s computer (my problem), and Step 2) Finding something fun to do (Juba’s problem).

Here, are a few solutions we have found:

Solution # 1: Community potlucks. For maximal creativity and enjoyment, these should be theme dinners to inspire the cooks and tantalize the palate.

Mmm...Indian food potluck, in honour of my place of birth on my b-day
(an occasion at which I made an appearance, and did my best to not
appear to be deathly ill, or having spent the former part of the day under
3 blankets shivering with a thermometer in my mouth despite it being
30C outside!)

Cooking in our teeny tiny new kitchen for our family of 16.

Solution # 2: Movie night. The old stand-by which never fails to please. Don’t forget to bring the office projector home and locate a white sheet. Choosing the film to please all is no simple task with a multi-ethnic crowd. Best bets are comedies and action.

Yes, that would be me with a blazing pan of fire.
I'm making flambed bananas for an "in-house" movie
night with my old roommates in our old house. Mmm.

Solution # 3: Drinks by the Nile. This is a historical favourite, started by the early pioneers of Juba at a time when there was nothing. Come at sunset to enjoy the views on the river, let the beverage be very cold, let the breeze play with the leaves of the mango trees, and let the conversation be stimulating.

Solution #4: Nile Cruise. For an exorbitant, but somehow justifiable fee, one can rent a boat for an hour or two for a cruise down the Nile. On my latest of such outings, I spotted some crocodiles – shall we rename this activity “Nile Safaris”? – though not the 3-meter long crocodiles who allegedly reside in the area. The latest development in Nile cruises is that one of the camp hotels has set up on an island nearby, with comfy chairs and cold drinks for a break along the cruise. (One can hardly justify R&R’s when you have this sort of luxury now available in Juba! – for a price)

Solution #5: Art Afternoons. This one is a new invention, and has proved to be entirely successful and greatly satisfying. My left brain can shut up about work and data processing and cargo calculations for a while my right brain roams freely, playing with colours and slowly slowly creating something new and – hopefully – beautiful on a blank piece of paper. Very therapeutic.




To be continued....