Over the coming weeks, Sara hopes to paint a picture of what life in Sudan used to be—say 50-60 years ago—before any of us were born, and long before the oil wars began. She also spoke about staying home from work on the day that we were chatting—a Sunday—which was bizarre for her, and the fact that her university classes would be closed for the week, which in turn sparked a discussion about her education.
When Sara was a little girl, her family emigrated to Saudia Arabia—to a place where, at the expense of gaining political and economic stability and a sound education for their children, Sara's parents would lose their religious autonomy. But knowing that Sara would not be able to pursue any type of higher learning in Saudia Arabia (as an immigrant, Sara would not be allowed to attend university there), her family made the decision to return to Sudan in 2010. This was during a time of relative but fragile peace between the northern and southern regions.
In 2013, Sara began college. Now, five years later, Sara is in her second year of medical school. In order to pay for her degree, Sara works as an anesthesia specialist at a local hospital. Somehow, she finds time to volunteer as a mentor for the Green Space English Club, and she has taken the lead on participating in this virtual exchange with us—not only for our benefit, but for all of the Green Space members as well. Yet there’s more! Sara also works with a local NGO, called the Yalla Nbader Initiative, which fosters sustainable youth development in Sudan.
Though she always wears a smile and has never directly said it, I can’t help but imagine what a tremendous amount of pressure Sara must be under.
