On Tuesday we all met up in scary Addis Ababa for the counterpart workshop. For those of you who don't know, my counterpart is my #1contact in my host town and my coworker. He will be doing most of my projects with me, and just as importantly, translating meetings while I'm still learning Amharic. We met yesterday and I am very excited about working with him. He is about my age (which is awesome, same as in the US, the young people here are yearning for changes). He is the HIV coordinator at the town health office which oversees the clinic.I'm not actually working in the clinic which is perfect because this way I get to be more on the business side of things.
My town is in the Southern Nations and Nationalities Peoples Region in the western highlands. I'm the farthest west of all the volunteers and in one of the more rural posts. The town has a population of about 7,000 and is supposedly beautiful! Lush forests, temperate climate,high elevation, few mosquitoes and lots of tea/bunna/tej production. I get to visit next week which I am way excited about. And the 2 day journey on public transportation will be an adventure! Luckily my counterpart will be with me and able to guide me through the rougher cities. I will also get to stay at my house!! It has two rooms, and an outside latrine (no luxury toilet like at my host family's house). I have to sleep there all week with no bed...thank you greg and Melissa the sleeping bag.

Mom wrote me a letter asking if this is a hugging culture. It's a bit hard to explain. They do not hug and are often surprised when I try to hug them (I'm a Putnam kid...I love hugs...especially dancing hugs).When people greet each other they shake hands and, if they are good friends, do a shoulder bump. However, they are very touchy feely people. It is not uncommon for two men to hold hands (or pinkies)while walking in town, and they also always have their arms around each other. A hand resting on someone elses thigh is ok too. Not ok with me yet though. I still like my space.

I'm running out of internet time here in Addis, but I will end by thanking everyone for the letters! I get more than anyone else at training and it really makes me happy. So thank you Mom (and Dad for signing the card, too haha), Danshults, Beth, Rosie/Brad, Ellie, Kevin and Jess. You all have letters in the mail. But it takes much longer to get from ethiopia to america than america to ethiopia.

Also, happy birthday greg and jess!!! wish i could be there to celebrate. you should all call me during the parties and pass the phone around.

Love you all and miss you. Come visit, Africa is wonderful!
Cheers,
Nikki