South Sudan: independence with style

Today, a country is born.

After decades of war, the southern region of Sudan officially became its own sovereign nation. Their independence comes after a January 2011 referendum where a whopping 99% of the population voted to separate from the north due to long-standing ethnic violence and political oppression.

Congratulations to South Sudan and its president, Salva Kiir Mayardit (pictured), the coolest-looking African President with a particularly Texan swagger.

They say it's crucial to make a fashionable entrance.

Move over, Gaddafi.

Gma on Gchat

My grandmother surprised me today by messaging me on gchat. Until this moment our internet relationship had been limited to years of her sending me wildly neo-conservative email forwards and me responding to her, and sometimes everyone on her email chain, with appropriate links from Snopes.com. And she also surprised me by being so candid.

me: hello?

you don't know how to use this!

marlenechilds: well there you are what r u up to

I don't know how to use what

me: I'm in Ohio staying with my friend before heading to Canada

(Imarlenechilds: Ohio !!!! I didn't even know. U don't ever communicate anymore

r u ok? u seem so different

me: I seem different?

marlenechilds: is it because ure back in the states?

me: I don't know. I've felt different sometimes I guess ... I'm not sure what you see from your perspective though

marlenechilds: it's difficult to explain you seem like you don't really want to be back and I know it's hard to reacclimatize ?
to being home after your experiences?

marlenechilds: I used to feel like that after we would come from a trip to a foreign country

marlenechilds: and knowing no matter what lengthy stories I would share with my friends about the country or the people or how beautiful experiences that I would portray to them, they would never, ever feel the experience nor would they ever understand the sadness that I felt