Friday, February 1, 2008

Lucky Little Heba

One week before I arrived in Chad, its government decided to bomb rebels hiding out in Sudan and everyone was awaiting a retaliation, either from Sudan (much bigger and stronger than Chad) or from the rebels.

Heba arrived. Nothing happened.

One week after I left, rebels stormed across the country and are now threatening to attack the capital!

Yet, while I was there, everything was calm and tranquil. Crazy! That's the thing about Chad, it can totally change in 5 minutes!

In other news, I cannot explain to you all how totally FREEZING it is in Egypt - not outside, but INSIDE. You have to wear at least 4 layers of clothing, a scarf and gloves to stay warm in these unheated homes. I can't believe it! I would seriously wager that I am colder here than you are in Canada. Add to all this that I gave my Dad all my sweaters when he came to visit me in Senegal because I thought what the hell am I going to need them for?

Ok, back to my writing. (It is extremely difficult to focus on writing articles when you have cousins you haven't seen in years offering you all kinds of fun things to do...) Take care!

p.s. Good news - I'm eating again. Yesterday, we managed to get some cheese through the system without problems (cheese, as you know, is essential in my diet). And today, vegetable soup. So I think I'm well on the road to recovery. Kinda like the Chadian rebels on the road to power.

7 comments:

Unknown said...

Hebs, I am enjoying this wry sense of humour you've developed...this is regarding the amazingly awful parallel drawn between your health and the Chadian rebels.

I called some media relations woman yesterday from TerraChoice (environmental marketing group) yesterday and she said she recognized my name from CBC. Then said the same thing had happened a while back with some woman who had called "from Rwanda or something" whose name she also recognized from her time as a traffic reporter at CBC...it was you!

Still Searching said...

Is it your luck or my baraka (saintly powers)? Maybe they jsut woudl not dare go in with you there ..

Assistant to Mr. Johnston said...

Boo to poorly insulated buildings. It's a big problem in northern California - no one knows how to insulate a building. They all crack jokes about how much better it must be to be in San Francisco than Canada in winter, but at least we know how to make a livable indoor environment.

Erin said...

hey hebs! just arrived in casablanca and am FREEZING also! first purchase in cairo is non-sandals.
i am extremely happy you aren't in chad still; i saw the news this morning -- this president is missing and or disappeared?? crazy.
see you soon

Salooly said...

heba...so glad you made it out safe before all the violence in chad! and yes, i hear egypt can be cold in the winter, given their unheated homes!

Still Searching said...

lucky little Heba.. foreigners are evacuated, bodies litter the streets, burned or hacked..(did you get that HACKED) The rebels (notice how they are not "insurgents".. does anyone know the difference.. rebels.. insurgents.. resistors.. freedom fighters..).. the rebels withdrew from the capital to give civilians a chance to get out before they go back in because they cannot guarantee their safety..

Indeed VERY LUCKY LITTLE HEBA!!

Asif said...

My goodness... it's good to hear that you are okay Heba. I remember you mentioning how exciting it was that my sister had some interest in working in Iraq, but it looks like some of the excitement almost found you :-0 I can't believe it is so cold in Egypt. Actually in Ottawa it is not as bone chillingly cold as normal so you are probably right about it being warmer over here right now. I hope you have some time to chill (well not literally) for a bit in Egypt before your next adventure. Where are you headed to now?