There had been rumors circulating around school about a field trip to a sugar factory two hours south of Khartoum. I didn't really pay too much attention to it, because the disorganization of things like this can be quite annoying. I helped plan the last trip to Meroe, so I felt I had contributed my part. During the second to last period on Wednesday, the trip was so called 'cancelled'. Then during the last period, it was magically back on! See what I mean?
Most of the 8th and 9th graders decided to boycott the trip for some reason, and I was convinced there would be a full day of classes for Thursday, at least for them. But I was so wrong. I got to school where there was a bus waiting and most kids from grades 5 through 7 lined up with packed lunches ready to go. I assume 8th and 9th graders were waiting for me in class, but again, I was so wrong. The classrooms were empty, they played hooky. In that moment, I could have went back home and finished the growing stack of copybooks (translation: composition books), took a nap, caught up on my favorite Sudanese soap operas, relaxed and stayed out of the ever increasingly HOT weather. Buttttttttt......I took my bookbag and jumped on the bus along with the kids instead! It's the traveller in me! I had no food, no water, no nicely packed snacks like the other teachers, but all of this would fall into place. Wouldn't it?
So what that it's only a sugar factory? Sugar is one of Sudan's biggest exports. Plus, I've never seen how sugar is made. What if I decided to buy a sugar manufactory one day? We're off and I'm just glad there was room for me on the bus as I adjust the A/C to blow directly into my face. The trip's scenery was amazing for me. I finally got to see the REAL straw and mud homes, that we had to make miniatures of in the 3rd or 4th grade. Cows.....desert......more cows.....goats.....more desert.....and sugar cane!!!!! That's when I knew we were close. Just so happens though, that we took a few wrong turns....another 30 minutes and we were there.
So, the French Ambassador decided to come for a visit on the same day huh? That's cool we'll wait. The kids started to get antsy, being that we were there but we couldn't get off the bus and start the tour. Just in time we're greeted by someone who works for the Kenana Sugar Factory. The weather wasn't too bad...probably around the 90's but inside it was no joke. Especially around the evaporator machines.....I feared that some of the kids would faint and I would have to use some of my life-saving skills (that I don't really have, I just know how to stay calm in the most crazy of times).
We all made it out alive! Here are some pics from the random adventure! Special thanks goes out to Marta, the 5th grader who had an extra sandwich to contribute to the "Feed Ms.Kala because she has nothing more than book reports in her bag and might pass out if not fed Fund."
No comments:
Post a Comment