Sudan

• Tailor-made Business & ESP courses to Companies & government ministries in Khartoum

• Summer camp to teens

(Apr. 2008 – Aug. 2008)

Working Abroad Henry Badenhorst

Journey 6:Sudan(2008)

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Sudan• The Republic of Sudan (Arabic: جمهورية

Jumhūrīyat al Sūdān), is a ,السودانcountry in north-eastern Africa.

• It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, Kenya and Uganda to the southeast, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Central African Republic to the southwest, Chad to the west and Libya to the northwest.

• The world's longest river, the Nile, divides the country between east and west sides.

Khartoum• Khartoum (Arabic: Al Kharṭūm) is الخرطومthe capital of Sudan.

• Divided by the Niles, Khartoum is a tripartite metropolis with an estimated overall population of over five million people consisting of Khartoum proper, and linked by bridges to Khartoum North called (al-Khartūm Bahrī) & Omdurman (Umm Durmān) to the west.

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Khartoum

A brick maker on the banks of the Nile river,

only a stone’s throw away from my school

Spices sold on a souq (market) in Burri, Khartoum.

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Khartoum Sandra negotiating with a

Raksha driver for a price to take us to town. This was my very first day in Khartoum.

A Schwarma stand in BURRI

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Winner Language Institute

Mr. Mohammed Rahma, Director of the School with the

General manager Yasir right front

At the reception area of the school. Mornings were spent

marketing the school by meeting with companies & ministries to

add to our client base.

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The Winner Language Institute, taken from Nile street. About 100 meters

behind me is the Nile river. I lived on the top floor.

Some of my Sudanese students posing for a picture in

front of the school

Winner Language Institute

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Winner Language InstituteWith Ali, our guard and the WLI company mini-van which took me and the other teachers to

where we needed to be.

Above: In the city centre busy marketing WLI with companies

and ministries.Henry Badenhorst 11

Yasser, the General Manger of WLI

One of the classrooms

The reception area from the second floor

The reception area: English club film

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Winner Language Institute

Left: Ali our guard at the front entrance to the WLI property.

Above : The roof of the school during a ‘haboub’ (windstorm).

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China Petroleum Engineering & Construction Corporation (CPECC), with more than 50 years history and starting overseas operations in 1980, is a large-scale state-owned enterprise specialized in contracting international petroleum and petrochemical projects, and has been the largest and leading subsidiary of China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) in the field of international oil/gas engineering and construction. I was responsible to teach tailor made Business English and ESP courses to staff .

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ESP@CPECC in Sudan

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Right: the street the school is situated in. I took many walks to

explore. I also took many runs alongside the Nile for exercise.

Above : Karen du Bois, a colleague sitting in my TV room

in my apartment.

Winner Language Institute

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Sami

Sami, my driver, showing a Sudanese dance

The WLI mini-van

Sami behind the Receptionist desk

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The Nile RiverThe Nile in flood. The picture was

taken from my roof. Every year the Nile floods, erasing temporary

agricultural practices & temporary brick making practices on the banks.

The Burri bridge over the Nile connecting Khartoum

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The Nile River

Above: Across the river where the super rich live,

boats galore. Left: This side of the Nile, those not so

fortunate, working the fields and selling goods just to survive….yet content &

happy.

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Plane over the Nile coming in to land

Fishermen’s jetty

Railway bridge over Nile at sunset

Nile cruises at sunset

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In the dry season, the banks of the blue Nile near my home are used for agriculture and

petrol pumps, like the one on the right, are used to pump

water out of the Nile into these irrigation ditches to water the

produce. 23

“The Beach”A wide stretch of “beach” on the banks of the Nile in Burri made this an ideal spot for picnicking among families. People could swim in this section of the Nile and there is even a restaurant on the water. Rules such as ‘no littering’ and ‘no pets’, however, did not apply…..

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The Nile River

Railway bridge to Bahri (Khartoum-North) crossing the

white Nile, carrying cars, pedestrians and trains and it’s

the oldest bridge across

“The beach” – gave many residents and ex-pats a beach feel and many swam. There is also this restaurant on the water. I usually jogged this

stretch of sand to get a good work-out.

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The Nile River

Opportune fisherman fishing a flooded section of

the Nile where just days ago, someone was farming

his land

Just before the floods every year, these muddy sections dry into

these bee-hive like patterns

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OmdurmanOmdurman (Arabic Umm Durmān درمان is ( (أمthe largest city in Sudan and Khartoum State, lying on the western banks of the River Nile, opposite the capital, Khartoum. Omdurman has a population of 2 and a half million (2008) and is the national centre of commerce. With Khartoum and Khartoum North or Bahri, it forms the cultural and industrial heart of the nation.

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Omdurman souqHenry Badenhorst 30

Khartoum street scenes

Almost everything in Khartoum is imported and expensive. Here

is another delivery.

A Khartoum taxi. All yellow taxi’s date back to the 70’s .

The dusty air is due to an approaching haboub

(sandstorm). Picture was taken in central Khartoum.

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Colourful sign boards, litter Khartoum streets

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Another MTN, A South African mobile company advertisement

MTN FIFA World Cup advertisement

ATM advertisement

Who knows what he’s advertising?

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Burri - Khartoum

When I walked into central Khartoum, I usually took this road. These are typically the

shops you find.

I took photography walking tours through hot Khartoum up to 5 hours at a

time. Photography must be done very sensitively. I was arrested once for

accidentally taking pictures of government buildings or strategic

infrastructure like bridges.

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Khartoum Street scenesA side-walk bicycle repair

shop

Street salesman selling small packets of peanuts

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Khartoum street scenes

Sudanese bookstore, but you’ll be able to get mobile recharge

cards here as well

The ministerial section of the city with the Al-Fatih Hotel (5 Star) in the background,

designed by the same architect who designed the Burj al Arab hotel in Dubai

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“I’m not sure” store

Bathroom supply store

Computer store

Furniture store

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Khartoum-South SouqHenry Badenhorst 39

Khartoum TransportationThere are a number of taxis or amjad

that charge SD 10 to most destinations in Khartoum. These taxis come in the

form of 30-year-old yellow Toyota saloons or Daewoo micro-buses, that can be hailed from street corners. The

raksha (TUK-TUK), however is the cheapest at SD 5, but not necessarily

the safest.

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These Toyota Corollas of the late 70’s and early 80’s reminds me of Cuba where the

cars are stuck in time. Ironically, Khartoum residents drive the newest

cars in the world market, yet these taxi’s remain and as dilapidated as they are, over charge the expats. I took one only

once and it was 10 SDG. Amjads, Raksha’s or friends with NGO vehicles

remain the cheaper options.

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Khartoum Donkey cars

I was asked to drive this donkey car by a bunch of rural teenagers who came into central Khartoum

to have some fun.

A typical donkey car in Khartoum, still a very popular mode of transportation for the

less fortunate.

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Inside a Raksha or Tuk-Tuk as it is known in Thailand, might be indeed your cheapest choice of taxi in Khartoum, but not the safest. Driven by youngsters who pimp up their

rides, these Raksha’s disobey all traffic laws, making it an adrenalin rush experience second to none to skydiving. Yet I always had great conversations with the drivers and I

always got where I needed to be.

Khartoum Raksha’s

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Khartoum Street scenes

The goat market on the sidewalk of one of the main

streets

A water point where any thirsty traveller can drink

from the clay jars

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Drinking TeaDrinking tea is not reserved for the English alone. Sweet tea, is sold at

thousands of these little tea ‘shops’ or shāy ladies, litter the sidewalks

Waiting for rush hour traffic to quench their thirst for tea, or shall

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Open air tea bar. Alcohol is forbidden as it is an Islamic country.

So if you cant drink beer, what do you drink? Lots of Sweet tea with

friends work just as well.

The Sudanese women wear these colourful dresses. The sidewalks are very dirty, yet no-one gets ill. I guess they have Deli bellies. No one is sure where the water comes from either.

Drinking Tea

Outdoor Tea “bar”

Side walk Coffee shop

Southern Sudanese boys playing

Lonesome fruit and veggie vendor

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Khartoum street Scenes

Khartoum International airport is smack down in the middle of

Khartoum. Great if you are a plane enthusiast, less great if you hate

noise pollution

A typical small little shop in the suburbs for the locals to come

and satisfy their sugar addiction in the form of sweets, sodas,

biscuits and sweet bread.

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Haboub is the Arabic name for a sandstorm. During my 6 months in Khartoum I experienced 3. The sky

turns into dark orange and it worsens to the point where it

becomes totally dark. If the wind is blowing every bit of your home

and your body gets dusty.

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Coffee shops & RestaurantsA famous landmark in Khartoum

for the ex-pats and the more fortunate Sudanese, the Beatles coffee shop during a Haboub.

Schwarma’s are the local delight in Sudan and a big favourite

among the expats. Many Turkish restaurants specialises in it

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An ice cream shop, very popular, especially the Italian ones.

A coffee shop with a windstorm (Haboub) in the background

The inside of a small grocery shop

A Steers and Debonairs franchise, a welcome sight to any South-African’s stomach.

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Rural & Poor KhartoumGoats are many. This old Peugeot

wreckage adds to the scenery.

This was taken not far from where I lived on the

outskirts of Khartoum where the pace is a lot

more laidback.Henry Badenhorst

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Spending some time exploring the farm and watching how they are

milked.

Camels galore! What would the desert be without camels. Not far from where I lived, I

stumbled upon this camel farm on the outskirts of Khartoum. This is truly where no other

foreigner has ventured before.

CAMELS

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Tuti islandTuti Island (also spelled Tutti Island) is an island in Sudan where the White Nile and Blue Nile merge to form the main Nile. It is surrounded by the "Three Towns": Khartoum (the capital of Sudan), Omdurman (the largest city in Sudan), and Khartoum North (also known as Bahri, a large industrial center).

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Visiting Tuti island

From Tuti island towards Khartoum across the Nile river

Exploring the island. I took a raksha with a guide who could

speak English.

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Doing the crossing. Tuti bridge in the background.

The “ferry” that took us across

Fishing boat and Sudanese boy

My guides and the Raksha

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Khartoum Shopping

Shopping at Marwa with Karen du Bois, one of my colleagues. Marwa

supermarket stocked most of the Western amenities that you are used to at

home, and which of course is a safer option than buying Schwarma's from the

local street vendor.

Buying fresh fruit juice at the Khartoum-South Souq with

Justine. Freshly squeezed out fresh juices are great for the

summer heat

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Relaxing at Al Salama Rotana Hotel in Khartoum with students

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At a coffee shop with Sudanese colleagues of mine. There are really

fancy Western coffee shops like Starbucks run by Phillipino’s.

At a Turkish restaurant, called the Syrian, with colleagues

saying farewell to Karen

Khartoum Restaurants

Sandra, one of my colleagues at the Syrian

Turkish man making schwarma’s

The menu

Baklava-Arabic pastries at the Syrian restaurant

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Having high tea with Jim, a doctor and his wife, who worked for

a charity in Khartoum.

Friends

Khartoum downtown scenery

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The Sudanese people

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After nearly 6 months in Khartoum, the security situation in Khartoum and in wider Sudan became dangerous due to the indictment of President Omar Al-Bashir for war crimes in Darfur. I accepted a Teaching position in the Sultanate of Oman and flew 31 August 2008 to assume my post at the Ibri College of Applied Sciences in Oman with the Council for British Teachers.

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