Finshed With Induction Training

Finally.... the last week has felt like a month. I think if I hear one more person say... "Sudan is the largest country in Africa"... I am going to whip a goat... harshly! I knew that months ago, tell me something new.

We have had about thirty lectures in the last week to fullfill our induction mission training. This is on top of the two weeks we had in Ottawa that covered everything that was covered here in the last week. And in the last week we have had some sessions two and three times( I stopped counting after three anyways). Well the bright side is that I am well educated about the goings in the mission.... yeah that's it, that's it. Or is that I am well rested?

Anyways we are finished with training and waiting to be posted. Like I said previously I am goinng to Abyei. It is on the border between Northern Sudan and Southern Sudan, and I mean right on the border. So it is considered an area of "special " interest as far as UNMIS goes. There was a lot of heavy fighting here as recently as last summer. The area is inhabitied by peolpe that identify with both parts of Sudan, ie the north mostly muslim part and the south mostly african tribes. This is a very basic description but gives one a slight idea about the tensions in the region. Add to this that most of the oil in Sudan and it sounds like there is a lot of it, is located near this region.

Abyei is actually going to have its own referendum whether it wants to be Northern or Southern. Interesting times lay ahead and it is cause for some great challenges in this mission. Very excited to get into it.