Politics of the Sun

So I haven't had access to the internet for the past week because DSL nation wide has been down. The only places that use fiber optics are hotels and relief agencies designed for western relief workers or tourists. I have been spending these past few days getting approval from the federal ministry of health.Why is it that no one told me that I had to get approval for the federal and state ministry to do any type of health project? Since the project is looking at coinfection with malaria and schistosomiasis I have to talk to both peoples. Snubbing anyone is dangerous, research and disease is pretty personal here. Everything is someone's turf.
I went out to dinner and ice cream two nights ago with my cousin, and a friend from the states doing work on sufism in Sudan. He wanted to go to this new Malaysian restaurant. When we got there, my cousin and my friend were creeped out. Apparently it was exclusively for the Malaysian and east Asian workers in Sudan who were all men it seemed. I mean I liked it fine, but no sooner did we seat down my friend ushered us out. They said they didn't like the stares they were getting. So we ended up going to the Syrian restaurant a couple paces away. Then we went for ice cream. It was thursday night, which is the equivalent of friday night back in the states, places are crowded, there is a nighlife, liquor and probably dancing for those who can afford it. Thus its a very foreign and the 1% upper class Sudanese scene.
I have become really lazy. Ok maybe I was lazy before but now I'm really lazy. It has something to do with the hot pounding merciless sun. I'm supposed to be at the institute everyday at 9am, I usually slink in around 11am. I mean I use public transport and I like to take my time. Yesterday I didn't even go into work. Lucky for me the professors nation wide are on strike. I forgot about the strike so I came in today and no one except some students were at the institute. So not much work was done anyway. I only have one day off, friday.
In a week and a half God willing I leave to Rahad. I'm a little nervous, but the team is great. There's a clinician, a technician, and several enumerators including myself, and interviewers. There is actually a very attractive colleague of mine on the team, I admit I'm excited about that.
I can't think of what else to share, except that I went to a theme park yesterday. It was my idea of Hell. I along with a 20 year old cousin were in charge of 10 little youngsters ranging in age from 5 to 11. Between pacifying their excitement for the rides, and their upset cotton candy filled stomach I got to ride the Train of Death, which I have to admit was pretty exciting.All in all I'm having a blast lets hope not literally since apparently there's some terrorist threat because the UN is sending in peacekeeping troops to Darfur.