Boy meets chicks

Source: www.youplusdallas.com

As Valentine’s Day approaches spare a thought for Sudanese girls, who can’t be seen in public alone with any male except her father, grandfather, uncle or brother, or date. Well, here are 10 steps to how Sudanese people date.

Step 1, the guy sees the girl at University, asks his friends “Al chicks al shadeeda di minu” (who’s this hot girl)? Step 2, the guy gets the girl’s phone number and gives her 3 missed calls. Step 3, he follows her home in his car, Amjaad or rigshaw. It takes two weeks for Step 4 to materialize, and that’s when the girl starts answering her phone. It takes two weeks because all Sudanese girls like to play hard to get. In the meantime, the guy may have gotten to know another girl, which would take us back to Step 1. Step 5 is the phone phase; this is the time when the boy and girl spend hours talking on the phone. During this phase their meeting spots are limited to the university campus and the tea lady just outside the campus. During this time, the guy buys the girl mobile phone top-up cards so that she returns his missed calls.

The guy then asks the girl out on a date in Step 6. Not alone of course, but a group date with the rest of their friends. The date is usually on a Thursday night in either Ice Cream 41, Ozone, Solitaire or Babylon, depending on their financial status at the time. This is an important step because if the girl thinks they’re going out on a date alone, the guy might regard her as not bit halal (pure of sin). In Step 7 the guy makes some enquiries about her family. More often than not they would be related somehow; it might turn out that his maternal grandfather is related to her paternal uncle’s second wife’s cousin twice removed. If all goes well they move on to Step 8, if not, the guy goes back to Step 4 and marries his first cousin without telling the girl.

In Step 8 is where things get interesting. Now the guy wants to know the girl better, so they meet alone. The most popular venue these days is Nile Street, and if the guy has a car, they can just go cruising – a popular pastime among young Sudanese. If he doesn’t have a car, he can often borrow one from a male relative, or friend. Khartoum Traffic Police are open to bribery should he be stopped for any reason. Step 9 is the establishment of the Thursday night meeting spot – usually Nile street at their chosen tea lady, who by then they know on a first name basis. If a haboob decides to strike, they can always continue cruising.

Step 10 is the time when the guy thinks the girl is the Mullah to his Kissrah, and the Shamar to his Fool, and starts calling her wifey or Maratee. At this point the guy starts saving money for their wedding, in 5 years, after they graduate. Just in case, the guy formally “reserves” the girl by asking her father for her hand in marriage.