Juba occasionally has shortages. In most of the country, days without running water or electricity get pretty pedestrian names, like "Monday," or, "Tuesday." But in Juba, such days strike at random, depending on the whims of the northern government, the Kenyan government, the weather in the Indian Ocean, the weekly Government of South Sudan Inter-Ministerial Rock-Paper-Scissors championships, and a variety of other complexities. These shortages are not good for the country, but we're honestly not in a position to complain. Living in a managed compound and able to pay for restaurants with good supply chains, we're able to weather the storms.
Still, it's hard not to notice that since Independence in July, there have been shortages in Juba on:
- Diesel fuel (which also creates a shortage of town power and difficulties supplying generators)
- Electricity (for no discernible reason)
- Internet connectivity (due to the switchover from Sudan to South Sudan-based servers)
- Petrol
- Trucks to deliver borehole cleanish water (i.e. good for the plumbing system, but not for drinking)
- Flour (and thus bread)
- Sugar
- Garlic
- Eggplant
- Compressed gas
- Peanut butter (disaster!)
- Bottles for clean bottled water
From our fairly protected perch, the shortages can have funny consequences. For starters, whenever you ask for something that is not in stock, the invariable answer is, "Ah, [garlic]. That is finished." That is, of course, a perfectly reasonable way to get the point across, but it never fails to make me giggle just more than I should.
When we had the bottled water shortage, we were actually a bit worried. There was water to be found, but it tended to be in small units and expensive. When I finally found a reasonably priced whole pack, Stephanie looked at me like I was Superman :). I wonder if our courtship might have been shorter if I had just sidled up one evening and said, "I know how to find bottled water." Sadly, we'll never know.
Recently, a gas shortage has commenced. I don't know why it is happening, but those more in the know seem to believe that it will last a while. Our stove and oven run on gas, but there's a hot-pot for coffee, and one electric stove. Mornings are still civil and dinner still possible. But wait! What about dessert? Lacking access to good cookies, your intrepid couple last night made large quantities of eggless cookie dough and tried to eat it like ice cream. Mommy! My tummy hurts...
- John
Still, it's hard not to notice that since Independence in July, there have been shortages in Juba on:
- Diesel fuel (which also creates a shortage of town power and difficulties supplying generators)
- Electricity (for no discernible reason)
- Internet connectivity (due to the switchover from Sudan to South Sudan-based servers)
- Petrol
- Trucks to deliver borehole cleanish water (i.e. good for the plumbing system, but not for drinking)
- Flour (and thus bread)
- Sugar
- Garlic
- Eggplant
- Compressed gas
- Peanut butter (disaster!)
- Bottles for clean bottled water
From our fairly protected perch, the shortages can have funny consequences. For starters, whenever you ask for something that is not in stock, the invariable answer is, "Ah, [garlic]. That is finished." That is, of course, a perfectly reasonable way to get the point across, but it never fails to make me giggle just more than I should.
 |
| Ahh, the water shortage. That is finished. |
Recently, a gas shortage has commenced. I don't know why it is happening, but those more in the know seem to believe that it will last a while. Our stove and oven run on gas, but there's a hot-pot for coffee, and one electric stove. Mornings are still civil and dinner still possible. But wait! What about dessert? Lacking access to good cookies, your intrepid couple last night made large quantities of eggless cookie dough and tried to eat it like ice cream. Mommy! My tummy hurts...
- John
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