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Global Urban Trek 2008
Better Than Alone TimeJuly 19, 2008
If I try to sit in our bedroom to journal, it is inevitable that my host brother or sister will open the door to ask if I am sleeping.
Having time alone is not a familiar concept in Sudanese culture – one is only in a room alone if sleeping. Another unfamiliar concept to the Sudanese people is that of promptness – no one is ever in a hurry. While our school officially starts at 8 a.m., the children don't arrive until 8:30 or 8:45, if not 10:30. This is not a result of apathy, but because relationships are valued above tasks, punctuality or alone time.
The Sudanese are the most hospitable people I have ever met. Whenever we meet, whether at church or the learning center, we are given a bottle of soda. They often walk us back to the metro and buy our tickets for us. They welcome everyone who knocks at their door and will try to feed them as well.
Sudanese friendships start at a simple hello and take off quickly from there. We have a friend who, since our first night at the learning center, has accompanied us home. He stays and chats for an hour and a half afterwards. So now every Tuesday and Thursday night, we assume he will be coming home with us.
The pace of Sudanese culture is refreshing and necessary for probably everyone in the U.S. The Sudanese do not rush from item to item on their schedules, but devote practically all of their time to being with each other. Living with our Sudanese family, I have come to understand the true joy and contentment offered through community. Our family spends the entire evening together – jokes are translated into English or Arabic until the whole room is laughing.
At our host brother's 18th birthday party, we found that the celebration was not clouded or distracted by material things. The party thrived on our laughter. There were no presents; the greatest extravagance was the awful chocolate cake we bought (it was incredibly dry and not very sweet) which was cut with great care. The fun lay instead in goofing around together. It was one of the best parties I've attended – our friend who visits every Tuesday and Thursday commented that the party was the most he has laughed in a long time.
While I find myself frustrated by restricted alone time (only while showering or sleeping), and by the absence of students at “official” school start time, the emphasis on relationships and people is incredibly rewarding and more than outweighs any previous frustration.
The Sudanese culture puts American culture to shame, making our relationships look like they are of second importance to our jobs and hobbies. The Sudanese's strong emphasis on people has challenged my understanding of community and has made my picture of a relational God much more beautiful.
- Karin
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