Out with the Old and in with the Bureaucracy

Well, if you're one of the dedicated few who follow this blog (insert only Jeff's family), you will scoff when you learn that I have indeed moved from Isohe to the famed capital city of Juba (see blog entitled "Miss Stacey Goes to Juba" to understand the hypocrisy I speak of) to take up a new post with UNICEF. Yes, I may have "crossed over to the dark side" as some have said, but I must admit, I really love my new job! For the next few months, this Gina in Sudan will be going at it alone...cataloging my new life as an employee of the bureaucracy that is the United Nations.

It has been exactly one month since I parted from Jeff and the girls in Boston (terribly tough to do) to become the newest Technical Adviser seconded to the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology (could someone please tell me which part of this ministry actually deals with the Science and Technology? because I don't think they are really there) for the Government of South Sudan. Most of my days are spent running back and forth between UNICEF and the Ministry, thus I end up losing a lot of stuff in the process, but sitting right in the Undersecretary's office has already been an incredibly eye opening experience.

The week I arrived here, the current (now former) Undersecretary (this is the most senior technical position in the Ministry - basically the guy who actually gets things done, as the Minister himself is a political appointee who doesn't always have a technical background in whatever he or she is the minister of) was suddenly sent to the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources. Additionally, the Chief of Education in UNICEF left just last week to take up her new post in Ethiopia. So things in the Ministry and at UNICEF are a bit in flux for the moment. But we are continuing down the path they have set and I am learning a ton in the process.

My new immediate boss is a wonderful gentleman from Zimbabwe, Bernard. He is patient and kind and has quite a sense of humor. He has walked me through the personalities and politics at the Ministry, and talks foreign policy and family with me on our drives to and from each day. I think he is going to be a wonderful friend and mentor in these next months, which is more than refreshing for me.

As for the rest of UNICEF, the jury is still out. Hopefully I will find my niche. It sorta stinks to be the new kid at school again, but I guess it's also a good chance to start afresh, unencumbered by the past, marching forward with a new perspective, an air conditioned room, and green vegetables on the table at every meal! Things are different, but they are definitely moving in a positive direction (save the fact that I miss my dear family).

Right now, I am sitting in a room with four solid walls and an attached bathroom with a flush toilet and an exceptionally hot shower. I have a ceiling fan, air conditioning, 24 hour internet and access to DSTV. But I must say, I do miss my cozy tent and the sound of the bush outside, my cats at my feet and Jeff reading in the chair beside me. I do not, however, miss the 3am trips to the bathroom or the soggy feeling of a tent at night or sweating myself to sleep. I guess there is always a trade off, but it does seem like, at least materially, my life is improving! At least my parents seem to be more at ease...

In any case, I hope this is the beginning of what proves to be an awesome opportunity worth the sacrifices. For now, I am still going strong, still optimistic, and still determined as ever to do something meaningful in the short time I have left in this (almost) country.

Hopefully I will have time to write every now and again, so stay tuned...there is so much more to write (though I may have to censor myself). Until then, I hope all is well on the other side of the planet where temperatures actually dip below 90 degrees!

Here's to "movin' on up!"