What to expect as a teacher in Sudan
Teaching in Sudan is a good choice for the adventurous teacher. Schools in Sudan can serve a local or expatriate population, but usually some of both. The capital city of Mogadishu is where most of the schools are, and it’s an exciting and lively city built on the confluence of two rivers. Teachers in Sudan find a very low cost of living which means that they can save at least half of their salary. Because it is a developing country, teachers working in Sudan must be comfortable with a less developed infrastructure, which is true of most of Africa. Yet like other parts of Africa, the rewards are many and varied.
Employment packages typically include flights yearly, furnished housing of a typical expatriate standard as well as medical insurance. Because of the lower cost of living, only a small portion of your salary is paid in local currency for your day to day living expenses, with a larger portion of your salary paid into your home or offshore bank account, and of which you can save all or most. Most teachers in Sudan at the schools with which we work are able to safe at least a third to three quarters of their annual salary yearly.
About Sudan
Captial: Khartoum
Language: Arabic
Population: 30 million
Sudan is located in Northern Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia, the Red Sea, Egypt, Chad and Libya.
For people visiting, or living in Sudan, it definitely is a slower pace of life. There are no world class restaurants, no designer shopping or big shopping malls and there are no bars or clubs. The Sudanese way of life is much more simple, but you will find that you will be able to immerse yourself in a culture that is world's away from your own, and that there is no need to draw comparisons on what you may be missing out on back home.
Sudan has had its fair share of corruption and conflicts, with some of it still occuring today in certain pockets throughout the country, mostly in the South. On 9 July 2011, the Sudanese voted for the nation to be divided in two, creating South Sudan.
Sudan is Africa's third largest country, but to this day remains fairly untouched. This can be because of the unrest in the country, but also because other areas which have been well marketed and as a result are more well known. Sudan also boasts stunning pyramids, but not many people would know that. Sudan has many surprising places waiting to be discovered, and what's better, is that you will not be surrounded by hoards of tourists while you are doing it.
Climate
Temperatures tend to stay in the high 30 degrees from April through to October/November. Between that time temperatures can reach 45C. The coldest temperatures aren't below 25C.
Activities
You can go swimming, snorkelling, diving, wildlife hunting in Dinder National Park for the likes of lion, giraffe, leopard and antelope, visit a camel market or Arab souk, go walking through the forests, pyramids, or visit some of the archaeological ruins.
Transport
The road quality in Sudan is improving but it still has a long way to go. However as the roads continually improve, buses are becoming the easiest and preferred way to travel.
There are great travel opportunities for people in Sudan due to its closeness to the Middle East, the rest of Africa and Europe.
Eating and Drinking
Alcohol is banned in Sudan, and there is no tolerance if anyone is found with alcohol. Sudanese cuisine has been influenced by its surrounding countries, so depending on which part of Sudan that you are in, you could find yourself with options of Egyptian, Indian or even Ethiopian dishes.
Currency
The currency in Sudan is the Sudanese dinar or SDD.