The ABC’s of Maban

Since I’m old now, I frequently find myself asking, “what is time?” 2021 has been no exception; I cannot believe how fast it’s gone! I’ve been in the field for about nine months, and time has truly flown by. It’s always difficult to describe everything going on in the field — things are busy and there’s so much to explain — so I decided it would be fun to cover the ABCs of Maban, where I’ll talk about some of my favorite (and not so favorite) things.

A – Acrobats

One of our most exciting programs is the youth acrobats program. We work with several teams (girls and boys) in two locations, and watching them perform is such a delight. They are practically famous in Maban — they are always asked to perform at special events, like when there are delegations in town.

B – Beans

Since I don’t eat meat, and I don’t love the carbs available in Maban, my diet is probably about 80% beans. Luckily our cooking staff is full of pros who can keep things interesting by making a few different types.

C – Cards

Cards are VERY popular here, especially among the staff. The main game they play, Pick 2, is a sort of UNO variation played with a regular deck of cards, so I picked it up pretty quickly. It gets very competitive, and the trash talk can get intense; it’s a good thing I was raised in a card-playing, trash-talking family!

D – Dust

Dust is everywhere, all the time. It’s not so bad during the rainy season but the rest of the year everything is constantly covered in a layer of dust. We are pretty close to the desert, so it’s to be expected.

E – Ethiopian coffee

One of the perks of being so close to the border of Ethiopia is that some Ethiopians here in Maban have set up trade routes. Ethiopian coffee is a delight. It’s super strong and made in a fun clay pot – 10/10 would recommend!

F – Floods

Rainy season in Maban can be a challenge. The entire area is essentially a riverbed, with too much rain leading easily to floods and mud. Water flows down into Maban from the mountains in Ethiopia and the Blue Nile region of Sudan. Because the soil here is very sandy and silty, it takes a long time to absorb even minimal amounts of rain.

G – Generators

Our area of Maban has no formal power grid, so we rely on solar panels and generators. As you get to know the area, you also learn the generator schedules in the community – when they will be turning on, when the drinks will be cold, etc…

H – Huge Trees

One of my favorite things about this area is the big, old Baobab trees and the stories that go with them. As I’ve traveled around Africa, I’ve collected all sorts of stories about sacred Baobab trees, and Maban is no exception. To some degree, life here is organized around trees — it’s oh-so-important to be appreciative of the shade.

I – Insects

Bugs. Lots of them. Right now it’s grasshopper season, which is really gross. There are tons of grasshoppers flying around everywhere. Last week, a grasshopper got stuck between the corner of my glasses and my face — disgusting. There are also tons of mosquitos, crickets and even cockroaches…but at least there are no camel spiders.

J – Jump rope

Jump rope is a very popular pastime here amongst primary school kids. They have a pattern that they jump in – two people switching places inside the rope. It all brings back so many “Jump Rope For Heart” memories, and I feel like I’m back in 5^th grade.

K – Kuwaja

Basically my name around here. “Kuwaja” is the Arabic word for white person or foreigner, so children and adults shout it at me all day long. Anytime I leave the compound (at any time of day) I hear “good morning kuwaja” and “kuwaja bye bye,” which is about all the children can say consistently in English.

L – Latrine life

Though we are lucky enough to have running water in our compound we still have latrines (squat toilets). You get used to it.

M – Mango Tree

The best bar in Bunj! I’ve mentioned this before, but you can get cold beer, Ethiopian coffee, and popcorn – what else could a girl want?

N – Never-ending horizon

Maban is very flat (remember the riverbed?) so the horizon seems to go on forever, leading to some very beautiful sunsets. The wilderness seems to go on forever — when it’s clear, you can see all the way to the mountains across the border in Blue Nile.

O – Open-air market

The butchery is not always my favorite sight, but in general I love the open-air market. It’s such an adventure in organized chaos. Depending on when you go, it can be super busy, but everyone knows where to find everything and has their routines.

P – Pringles

One of the only junk foods available in Bunj — it’s not a sure thing, but it’s relatively consistent. The flavors vary, but lately they’ve had sour cream & onion, so I’m happy. Pringles cost 2000 SSP which, at the current rate, translates to about $5 USD…one of my major splurges.

Q – Quiet — just kidding; that doesn’t exist

Even in the middle of the night, the crickets and other sounds of nature can be unbelievably loud. In the compound, there is always some sort of project going on, animals running around, or neighbors having a loud musical party. Never a dull moment.

R – Roads — none of them paved (not even the airstrip)

There isn’t a paved road in Bunj, including the airstrip. The main roads are built up with a material called “marram” which doesn’t really have a translation. It’s a sort of local dirt gravel, and it’s a very cliché red color. It’s excavated locally and can be difficult to come by, since demand is high (especially with those aforementioned floods). The rest of the roads are dirt and sometimes just devolve into mud puddles. Coming North to Maban by car from Juba (the capital of South Sudan) is nearly impossible. Travelers can drive from Juba to Bor, where they can board a barge and take the river to Malakal or Renk, where they can then drive to Maban by road. I’ve been told this can take a month! More often, goods and people come to Maban by plane or from the North, on the road from Sudan or Ethiopia.

S – Satellite Internet

There are technically cellular networks in Maban, but they are extremely unreliable and have almost no internet functionality. The only way to access the internet from Maban (and most of the rest of South Sudan) is through satellite internet. It’s expensive, and can still be unreliable, especially when it rains!

T – Tin roofs

Rain on a tin roof will always be one of my favorite things. There’s just something about the sound — it always reminds me of my time in Burkina Faso, and makes me want to just lay around and watch The Sound of Music.

U – Ugali

Ugali is a local dish; it’s usually made from sorghum, but can also be made from corn (maize), cassava, or millet. It’s a gelatinous, white, pasty carb, and is a staple of the diet here (and in Burkina Faso).

V – Volleyball

Volleyball is super popular here! Kids and adults all love to play. We support several teams with equipment and coaches, and occasionally we’ll organize a staff and student game for fun!

W – Waiting

When I lived in West Africa, people had a running joke that we were in the West African International Time (WAIT) zone. There’s not a fun acronym for East Africa, but the waiting remains. Everything takes time, so my recommendation is to always bring a book.

X – X-Ray?

Bunj is home to Maban County Hospital – the only hospital in the county. They do their best with limited resources, and just added a new maternity ward. They have also helped with the recent COVID-19 vaccination campaign; I got my second dose there!

Y – Yabus

Bunj’s main (only?) tourist attraction – the river Yabus. A great place for a beautiful sunset, it’s always filled with fishing nets.

Z – Zoo…more like a petting zoo

Farm animals are everywhere. Pigs (the kings of the road), precious baby piglets, goats, cows, ducks, chickens, and roosters crowing at all hours. If you name it, we’ve got it!

So there they are, the ABCs of Maban! In some ways it all feels familiar, but in others it’s all so new. I learn something new every day, and feel super appreciative to have such a dedicated, supportive team. If you’re curious about the kind of work my team is doing, you can check out this recent article about our Computer Classes.

As always feel free to reach out to me with any questions. I’ll be back soon with more about South Sudan, humanitarian work, and the complicated challenges faced by refugees and migrants.

A bientot and stay safe!

Bethany