Dear Harriet,
It didn’t take long for my little metal house to become claustrophobic! Trying to decide where I would put my waterbed became a problem because of the weight, and the flooring upstairs didn’t seem too strong.
Waterbeds, with no heater, were ideal for the climate in southern Sudan. The cool water made sleeping possible in the very hot weather.
After only a few days, I decided that living in a nearby tukul (mud house with a grass roof) would be a better choice. Most tukuls are round huts with grass roofs, but this one was rectangular. The three rooms served as a living room, bedroom, and kitchen with a screened-in breezeway off the bedroom and kitchen. With a long-drop toilet and shower dug next door, my needs were met. The placement of a Shilluk-style grass fence around the yard defined the compound. I fell in love with the place and eagerly awaited its completion so that I could move in. But it took a couple of weeks before that happened. We moved my solar equipment and radio, but most importantly, a second toilet had to be dug. Long-drops are approximately ten feet deep in hard clay soil. The man who dug both holes just loved his work. He worked from early in the morning until late in the afternoon. After a short time, I couldn’t see him, only spades-full of dirt flying out of the deepening hole.
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