OK,
downstairs.
OK,
123.
So before we're gonna um we start talking about
returning to Sudan
and um before we move on just tell me about where you work now,
how you like your job
and uh
is it
uh something that you envisioned yourself ever doing or?
Well,
I work for Bank of America
as a testing office
I processes some compliance work.
Um,
I've been there for 9 years.
Been into different apartments I've learned a lot of stuff.
Um,
but I'm always flexible with this change,
I want something else,
the back of my mind.
What's your dream job or your dream retirement?
Do you feel like you
own a farm or ever do anything like that?
It depends because sometimes when you get to your 60s or 70s,
the,
the reality of life starts to change.
You're like starting to have health and you get weaker.
But I told my wife before the way I wanna end it is to go back.
And get myself some cabbage,
go back to the phone just like how I
started it.
That's how I wanted.
So I would have a farm and just
just run up to my cab just like when I was a kid.
That would be nice that would be very nice.
So what that means is going back to the village.
So tell me,
did you,
you did go back to Sudan.
Tell me when you went back 2011,
right after.
I didn't miss,
but I did not go to the village,
so
it was,
it was the rainy season,
so it was kind of hard.
So I went to Cuba,
tour around,
I went to where my mom was in more town,
which is the youngest state when I stayed with her and you found her,
OK.
We stayed there and then I returned,
but that was when my son was born with my first son.
So the way I did it was I went there for one month.
It wasn't enough.
I had to come back from.
So
2016.
OK
I took my kids
with me.
All three and my wife,
I remember my wife when when
the bill was run out she was only 3 months,
so she didn't have any reflection of her whole life.
So I took all
my 3 kids,
my wife and me,
we went
all the way to the building
that I left 20 something years ago.
To the ground of our home.
I was standing there just
I could just hear the whisper of the bird.
Quiet time
How did you feel?
Did you?
I wouldn't.
I was just feeling it more just the excitement.
I didn't care whether the building was there or not,
but just the fact this is the ground that I was born.
It it was just like a moment of silence.
I was just laughing at the trees that was still there.
I just told them that you were waiting.
Like now I'm back.
So I was in the freeze.
So it was very exciting.
Did you bring any dirt with you or any?
I did.
I just felt like I'm I'm not done yet.
I'll be back.
Yeah.
Was your house still up or no,
just the ground the ground and built a little elementary school
right on
on our farm.
Just a school made of mud and
that.
I,
I don't even think it's still standing there.
But I made a commitment that
I would have be
arrested on the building.
Yeah,
maybe elementary school or something.
So that's something that I,
me and my wife we talk about we have to walk around.
however long it would take something will stand all over the house.
That'll be good but you'll make it happen.
Did you go to your wife's um village,
or?
Yeah,
yeah.
The unfortunately my wife grandfather was there.
He's about the same age as my dad.
My dad has been born for a while,
and
she got to see her grandmother for the first time.
And that was just
to,
to her for the homecoming and also the homecoming.
But I felt like I,
I had a a small like because I remember a little
bit of the village because I was there until I was about 10 or 11.
So I kinda
for her it was an eye opener.
She didn't remember any of it because she was 3 to see the cow grazing for me,
I knew that
see the cow grazing and how cows get milk.
People just sit under the tree having a good time.
She saw my grandmother,
grandfather,
her uncle
kids,
their hands.
How long were you there?
Yeah,
we were there for,
uh,
we,
we weren't there for like months,
but we weren't in the building for a short time,
for about 5 days,
yeah,
because the executed I had to take the kids back
they were getting sick and all that stuff we get back the night.
Was it hard to come back to the United States or was it bittersweet,
or how would you describe coming back?
I just I just felt re-energized to come back to the US.
Yeah
To to try to make other things happen.
Kind of,
you know,
set things up,
uh,
leaving the village for me would be fine,
but since I had little kids for me
that's not like I'm the first priority to satisfy her.
So you heard there's war there again.
How do you feel about that and what,
what thoughts do you have about?
You know,
it,
it's a heartbreaking to see that more because sometimes you have some but I was.
That's a question that nobody asked
because then you're fighting just because somebody
else is like on the other person.
And that's when,
when we say freedom here in America,
that being
you wanna,
you don't have to hurt somebody,
I mean
to enjoy the freedom you want.
You know,
we are an independent country.
There's no reason to go back to work.
You sit down on the big table of brotherhood and light things out,
you'll be all right,
you know.
So
it would take a long time for us.
Well thank you so um we're coming to the end of our um interview so I wanted to ask you,
I'd like to end the interview with,
um,
uh,
this is gonna be viewed for generations to come hopefully,
uh,
and also it can be viewed by people in Sudan because it'll be at the ASU library,
um,
the repository electronically.
Can you tell me how you wanna be remembered
and then maybe leave some words in your own native tongue for the interview?
Yes,
well,
I.
I mean some people have these big grand ideas they wanna
act the world and say though I have change the world.
Sometimes I call it and
and.
But you have to do the little you can
to make sure you effect changes for the little capacity you have.
You don't have to have a whole lot of money to
to make.
Even giving somebody cancel.
To affect some of his life
in a positive way.
You get any worse,
um,
I mean sometimes with the back of having this and that,
just having that simplistic view.
What about the complication of life is breaking down small pieces.
You go through fine
um.
If I ever want to be a member for anything
except you simple life and trying to raise a family and respect other people.
Trying to live life the right way,
or something like that.
You don't have to step on somebody's stoe and get what you want.
No
Now tell us something in your native tongue.
I.
And why they did not,
he didn't wanna get.
Uh
But look at that.
I
Uh,
I know I know I'm a lady.
Uh,
so
yeah they quite a you will uh be but look quite a big.
No.
I
OK.
Thank you very much,
Victoria.
So what did you say?
The same thing,
the simple life.
Yeah.
You ever wanna
wanna
God to favor your life.
Yes,
I agree with that.
Yeah,
well,
thank you very,
very much.
So I'm glad to find the other one and I'll put it on there so I have your address.
I come to church and see everybody,
you know,
I'd love to do that,
you know,
is it still 10 o'clock,
10 11ish?
Yeah,
we have.
About,
about 1010 I think one time I came a little bit early and I was like,
where is everybody?
I missed it and it was the time the a little bit later.
OK,
thank you so much.
Thank you so much.