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I pack my lesson notes, dictionary and chalk, and go through the gateway in the adjoining wall onto the college campus. There's no sign of my Head of Department. In fact there's not much sign of anyone. It seems that most students have started their Eid break. The cafeteria is playing music, advertising that it's still open. Some of the gaily clad tea ladies are sitting around in their usual places (there are 26 on this campus alone) but business is obviously down. I leave my teaching stuff in the office and promise the tea lady with the key that I'll return for my lesson at 1pm - not at all confident that there'll be anyone to teach.At the Registrar's office I see the door is open so I take my chance to confirm which days we're officially on holiday and more importantly if I can use his computer over the holiday period. Ten days and "yes" I can. That's more than even the laziest of volunteers would dream of. I have a choice, we always have choices; life's like that. I can retreat to Khartoum, where there are friends, comforts and more things going on, or I can stick it out in El Obied. I'm welcome to stay at the guesthouse and there are already a few invitations. It will be a chance to try and write interesting pieces, to read books and most usefully a chance to get that Arabic into my daily consciousness. I start to use the aforementioned computer to type up the Computer Science lecture but within 10 minutes there's a power cut so I go for a wander.
On the edge of town I discover Abu Sera market. For reasons not immediately obvious this seems far more African than the main market in town. Maybe it is just poorer with many women merchants sitting on the ground under makeshift sacking awnings. I notice more bicycles too. Or maybe I'm imagining it as further on there are the usual tailors making jalabayas, young men smoking shishas and "seat al shai"s, the same as ever.Back at the office there is absolutely no one around except the tea lady and even she appears to be hanging around because I said I would return to collect my books (they appear to keep the keys around here). In fact I learnt later that these ladies are employed as janitors. They keep the key, clean the classroom and surrounding dustbowl playground, and they make tea on the side.
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