Here Comes the Rain

Almost a month earlier than I expected the rainy season is here. Every day it POURS for a few hours accompanied by roaring thunder. It starts very suddenly and then stops as soon as it came like it does in the tropics. When the rains come is gets suddenly very, very cold and once it even hailed marble sized pellets. That day I was stuck in the post office for about an hour. The mud is ridiculously slippery and it takes careful planning of steps to avoid wiping out. As bad as the mud and unpredictable weather is, the worst part about the rainy season is the influx of bugs.

I mentioned a few entries ago the flesh eating ants. If you can recall they live in wet mud. You can imagine that now that the whole town is a mud puddle these ants are everywhere. The bee stings hurt less than these ants, once they latch on you need to pry them off...not an easy thing to do when they are in your pants.

Also there are the moths. I like to tell myself they are butterflies, but no, they aren't that pretty. Some days you can't walk outside without getting slapped across the face by wings. They all herd together and sit in clumps. I imagine this is what a plague looks like.

The most obnoxious, but amusing, swarm of the rainy season are these little bugs that look like flying ants. If you are unfortunate enough to walk through a group of them they follow you and stick to everything. By the time you reach your destination you are pulling them out of your hair, off your shirt and still batting at them by your ears. The funny part about these guys is that if you are no where near your destination there is a way to get rid of them. If you bump into another person the swam will leave you alone and start to bother the other person. It reminds me of the lightning cloud item on Mario Kart Wii.

The grossest insects are the flies in the shint bet (bathroom). After it rains the shint bet (a room with dirt floor and tin walls/roof gets very hot and humid. The flies are horrendous. I don't think I need to elaborate. It makes the whole bathroom experience even worse than it was to begin with.

And, finally, the bug infestation that hits closest to home is the spider attack. The spiders are looking for a place to keep dry, and it seems that my bedroom is perfect. I think about John and Andrew during these times when I can look in any corner and see a few making their homes. I could spray and kill them but I don't think its worth it. There are too many, and hey, I don't like being out in the rain either.

And on a totally different note, I've had a few people ask me what I need. Here's my current wishlist:

Food:

Pasta Sides

Suddenly Salad

Meals you can boil

Cheese

Hot Chocolate

Tea (green, white, flavored...)

Cake mix & frosting

Brown Sugar

Mac and Cheese

Parm. Cheese

Books:

The Hobbit

LOTR trilogy

The Silmarlion

John Lennon's Biography

books on meditation

non-fiction

historical fiction

classics that i should have read in high school

Other:

Magazines

New music

Envelopes

Crayola markers

March and April updates

03/20/10

Since my last blog post I have received more mail than ever before. I cannot express how touched I was by the immense amount of love, encouragement and support from home. I really and truly appreciate it. For a while I was contemplating coming home, but for two reasons that wasn't actually an option. 1. I'm really stubborn and prideful and 2. I haven't achieved what I set out to do yet. After a few more discouraging events and a few days of 12 hour naps I decided I needed to shape up. Once I more or less forced myself to get out of my funk and be happy, I had the most fantastic week.

On Monday I met with the mayor to discuss the findings of my community needs assessment. I then went on to say that I was very interested and passionate about starting up a youth recreation center. I explained that the community indicated that this was a priority for them, and that it would discourage kids from vices such as alcohol, drugs and unsafe sex as well as give them a better quality of life. It will also provide leadership opportunities as someone will have to take charge. The mayor was thrilled. He offered to support the project and call together a town meeting to get people interested in helping. In
Ethiopia there is a strict vertical power structure- having the mayor's approval is a huge deal. Even more exciting is that the town has already considered this project, but did not have the resources to
implement it. There is already land set aside for this purpose...one less thing to worry about. I am so excited that this may actually happen. After almost 6 months of training and research it feels GREAT
to actually be doing something and being productive. My motivation is restored and I am once again sure I am where I need to be. Life here is hard, but I've never had a job I love this much. I feel like I'm
actually doing something meaningful. I haven't had water or electricity for 2 weeks, but I've never been this happy here.

After that successful meeting I was inspired. I walked over to the primary school and offered to teach English classes. This is something I wasn't sure if I wanted to do, but I feel like if I want this youth
center to be a success I need more face time with the youth. Once the director made the announcement that I will be teaching the kids all suddenly became my best friend. I couldn't leave my house without someone yelling "teacher!!" at me. I decided to teach 5th grade, because that is when all classes are taught in English. The troubling thing is that I've never met a kid that can speak the language. Makes you wonder how these classes go. So on Tuesday I start teaching 139 children English. I'm terribly nervous...this is a huge group and something I've never done before. I've never been one to hide in my comfort zone though, so I look forward to this new experience.

I'm also trying to be more social these days and leave my house a minimum of twice a day. I know that sounds bad, but trust me, sometimes it's very difficult to get out. It really feels great to be happy again. 27 months doesn't seem so long anymore. I can do this. Also, I have internet in my house now. It's horribly slow and expensive so I will still only send letters, not emails, but now I can post on my blog and catch the news once in a while.

04/10/10

Honey

Last night was the coolest cultural experience I've had yet. I harvested honey!! I'm not sure if I've mentioned it, but if anyone at all knows about Masha, they know about the honey. It's kind of like
Putnam, most American's don't know it exists, but if you meet someone that does, chances are he or she will mention antiques. Bee keeping is an old, long standing tradition here. Two baskets are put up into a very tall tree (apparently species is important, the tree needs to be near water and there is some element of luck involved) and one basket eventually becomes inhabited and the other remains empty. The baskets are left in the tree for a whole year for bees to create the honey comb, it is then harvested. We went out at night because there are less bees (I still got stung 4 times...and I was just watching from a distance!), which is a treat for me-I can count on one hand the number of times I have been out after dark (I'm embarrassed by how lame I've become in the last 6 months). My counterpart's dad (the bee keeper) has honey baskets out in the jungle, so we had to walk a small distance into the wilderness. I haven't spent too much time in the jungle, I was surprised by how close to the town the monkeys hang out. They are like rabbits at home, they are pests and destroy crops...personally I think they are hilarious. So once we get out into the jungle I meet the three young men that have been hired to assist,
they are the most bad-ass people I have ever met. They are rural tribesmen, and as my counterpart explained "they don't care about tomorrow, they only worry about today". They are hunters, risk takers
and lead a dangerous lifestyle, they are also among the nicest people I've met here. To retrieve the baskets one of the guy climbs the giant tree, which, by the way, doesn't have branches until the last third of the tree. He does this with bare feet, a knife slung on his back, in the dark, with just a rope. And boy can he climb fast, it was amazing. Once at the top of the tree he cuts the ropes that secure the basket in the tree, ties the basket on the rope he used for climbing and creates a type of pulley system. He lowers the basket to the ground for the other two men to untie. The other men then hold the ends of
the rope and the climber lowers himself down to the ground, it was crazy! Then is the scary part, I was so embarrassed by how nervous I was and reluctant to get close (Andrea, I thought of you and the bees at memeres house. I will never make fun of you again). They take their large knives and whack at the basket to open it up, then the swarm comes. Again, it was dark out, so I couldn't see the bees but I could hear them around me and getting stuck in my hair. Inside the basket is a perfectly crafted comb, layers of oval shaped nest. The first comb was broken up and passed around. Before then I had never ate honey right off the comb, in just a small bit you have a mouthful of sticky, warm, sweet honey. It was delicious. Then they passed around comb without honey in it, but it had bee larva in it. Apparently if you eat it you become strong, so I took a bite. Not something I'd rush to do again, but pretty cool that I can say I did it. This part of the process takes a while, there is a loooot of honey comb. Each piece needs to be brushed off by hand for bees (again, how embarrassing that I didn't want to stand close when these guys were sticking their hands in bees) and then put in a sack. Every time I got stung they tried to convince me that it was like acupuncture. Today's welts beg to differ.
Once that was completed we moved on to the next tree. The process was absolutely fascinating, it made me think of the time we went to a bee farm with 4H club, what a difference! What made the night was the natural beauty of both the honey collecting and the atmosphere. We were the only people in sight, the wild sounds of the jungle filled the air and it was such a clear night you could see absolutely every star in the sky. On nights like that I wonder why I ever have bad days here. Then this morning somebody asked me what was wrong with my skin and then another person told me I was a bad christian because I wouldn't give him money. Then I remembered why.

On a different note, my Youth Center project is underway! I met with the stakeholders this past week and most of the people that were invited came...it was quite a surprise. Everyone really liked the idea
and was excited about it. Even though I can't pay them, they all seem motivated to work, it was wonderful. Then after the meeting one guy stayed back and said to me "I think we are entering a new phase in Masha. This is an important project. Thank you for your efforts". I know you are supposed to do service not expecting anything in return, but I tell you, it felt great to be thanked.

Live like me!

A few weeks ago I recieved a wonderful letter from my good friend Mike Lewis. Towards the end of the letter he relayed a comment that was made about how excessive casino glitz and glamor is and how, especially compared to my life, is completely unnecessary. I want to share with all of you a day without luxury. Here is the challenge:

Choose one day, a weekend will be better because most of you use electricity at your jobs.

You can use only up to 2 hours of electricity throughout the day.

You cannot use the internet, watch tv or use appliances. You may, however, use your laptop but only until the battery runs out. Again, no internet!

You cannot use running water. Fill up some buckets the night before. Not for a shower, not for brushing your teeth, not for cooking, washing clothes or doing dishes. No running water!

You can only drink water from a bottle or if you have boiled it for 3 minutes.

No refridgerator.

You can only use one burner on your stove, and you cannot use the oven.

You may only eat rice, pasta, tomatoes, red onions, garlic (fresh only), mangoes, bananas, potatoes, and carrots. Also, only basic spices. No iodized salt. I have to crush mine with a rock. It sucks.

You can only walk or take public transportation.

You cannot go to the grocery store, walmart or any store like that.

You can only answer your phone if it is someone you have met in the last 5 months or your mother. Or if it is your sibling at a very late hour.

I wish I could think of a way to replicate the harassment, but it's impossible. Just think twice abotu leaving your house.

Have fun and good luck.

The Waterfall/Schweitzer Challenge

The Waterfall

I've gone over a month without Internet, I am so impressed with myself! It has been a very trying first three months here in Masha, I am very happy to be going to in-service training this week. I desperately need the company of friends and a chance to relax a bit. Before I left I said that the first six months would suck, but then it would get better...I sure hope I was right about that. Of all the intense situations I have found myself in, the last one was particularly rough.

One Saturday night I get a text from my counterpart asking if I would like to go on a 3 hour trip to a waterfall with the youth association. Of course I agreed, I could use something to do on weekends and, to be honest, I could use more friends here. He told me to bring money for transportation so I assumed it would be a bus ride followed by a short walk. Fastforward to the next morning. It's pouring outside when I'm supposed to meet the group so I correctly assume that no one would leave their house until the rain stopped so I went back to bed. When I woke up again the rain had ceased and I grabbed a granola bar for the way and left my house. Finally, a group of about 50 people (mostly high school kids) left. After an hour of walking I decided I should probably ask for more details about this trip. I learn that it's actually a hike...and I only brought a liter of water, was wearing sandals, and had a 90 calorie breakfast. Great. After 5 and a half hous of very steep hiking, up and over two mountains, we reach the waterfall. I feel like I should mention that this hike was not on a path, but through the thickets, most slippery mud I've ever walked through. I had to hold on to two people's hands so as not to wipe out, and of course Ethiopians are super-fit and were basically at a running pace, barefoot, and laughing at the fat American who couldn't keep up (for the record I'm not putting myself down...they are just tiny people). For you nerds out there, picture Gimly in Two Towers falling behind as he, Legolas and Aragorn are tracking the army of orcs saying "just keep breathing". That was me. I didn't know what was worse, the exhaustion or dehydration. When we get to the waterfall I am stunned, it was absolutely beautiful. Of all the waterfalls I've seen I would rank it after the Niagra Horseshoe falls and the one in New Zealand where the Forbidden Pool was filmed (wow, Nikki...really? Two LOTR references?). All the boys stripped down and jumped in for a swim, I was quite annoyed that the girls didn't do the same, because I decided that I would only swim if other women did. After a few minutes we hear screaming, suddenly my thirst, hunger and exhaustion don't mean anything. One of the younger boys was sucked in by the current of the largest part of the waterfall. A few guys reached out to him to try to drag him back to the edge, but was unable to save him. There was nothing we could do, we watched him drown. Everyone was crying and screaming, we didn't know what to do next. An hour later when the body still hadn't surfaced the group started the long journey home. We stopped at a farm about an hour from the waterfall to call into town and the the police for an investigation. Everyone was told to wait for questioning. Some time later a guy comes and tells me to go with him and he'd give me a ride back into town because I wouldn't be much help in questioning. As we ride into town everyone is in the street. At this point I am the only person who had come back from the trip, and therefore the only person that knew what happened. The rest of the night is a bit hazy in my memory. People were at my house trying to ask me what happened, who it was and how many people died. I spent some time in silence crying with the kids in my compound because the boy that died was our neighbor and a friend. It was the worst think I have ever experienced. One of the saddest parts about the whole thing is that so many kids witnessed it. These kids rarely have anything exciting to do, and for the first time they were offered this trip. Even something that was supposed to be fun was plagued by tragedy. They can't get a break. All I can think of is how much these kids endure, whereas my childhood was filled with good times, laughter and everything that a kid could ever want. This experience made me decide that I would like to start up a youth recreation center for my major project. I want to give these kids back their childhood, let them play games and fool around. I want them to have options other than drinking and making them prone to risky behavior and growing up too quickly. I know I can't take away all the difficulties of life, but I hope I can make their lives a bit better.

Last night I went to the funeral. Here funerals last over a month and people filter in and out of the "lekso bet" continuously. When you go you are supposed to prepare something to eat/drink. I went with a bunch of neighborhood kids. The experience, for me, was so different from American funerals that instead of getting closure I left more upset. In the lekso bet tons of people were seated ont he floor of a tiny room. The entire time a man in the corner was starting at me, making me very uncomfortable. The kids were all pushing and laughing and nothing was said about the boy. It was like the wedding in Gonde. I was getting way more attention that i should have and it was very awkward. In addition to this, when I left my house wearing the traditional funeral scarf everyone laughed at me. Usually I'm relatively okay with this, I know I'm different than everyone else and, sure, I guess it's funny. But i was just trying to grieve, it was not the time to be laughing at me.

On another note. Today (Feb 24) is day 143. This is officially the longest I've ever been away from home. My Biggest Adventure Yet is nothing like I had anticipated and is much more difficult than I thought it would be. The big romanticized fantasy is not exactly what Ethiopia ended up being, but I'm happy with my decision. As long as I keep reminding myself that I didn't come here to have fun, be comfortable or fool around. This is a job, a sacrifice and my chance to do soemthing for a world that has been so good to me. If I keep this in mind I can see it through to the end. Also, things can only get better. IST is this week, I have a group training in May and then again in June. After that I can do some real work, take a vacation somewhere exciting and then visit home. After my visit I will be getting a fellow volunteer in my town and life will be less lonely. The hard part is over...I hope.

Oh, and just as a final kick in the ass before IST, yesterday I lost a toenail. I'm not really sure how or why, but it was gross.


Schweitzer Challenge

I have just finished re-reading Out of My Life and Thought by my boy Albert Schweitzer. In the epilogue he states "but however concerned I was with the suffering in the world, I never let myself become lost in the brooding over it. I always held firmly to the thought that each one of us can do a little to bring some portion of it to an end." I want to challenge you, my friends, family and random blog readers to, if you haven't already, realize the ethical affirmation of life in everything you do. I understand that life is busy and it is impractical to drop everything and sacrifice precious leisure time, but I ask you to just give some time, maybe even just once a month, to other life in the world, whether it be fellow humans, animals or the environment. "His life will become in every respect more difficult than if he lived for himself, but at the same time it will be richer, more beautiful, and happier. It will become, instead of mere living, a genuine experience of life." Everyone has the power to do good in this world, and even the smallest act of kindness is appreciated. So get out there and end some part of the suffering. I don't mean to sound like a hippie or a do-gooder, but I really believe in this. Write a comment to this entry with what you have done recently and share it with people.

A Trip to Addis

I'm here in Addis for a few days on medical leave so I have Internet for the first time since Christmas. Strangely, other than blogging, I haven't really missed it. Facebook makes me very upset, e-mails are overwhelming and there is just too much to do. Chatting is nice though.

So what has happened since then?

As I mentioned in my last blog entry a kid stole my candy, but they have since made up for it. Two of the kids in my compound organized an adventure with their friends and me (my best friends are children...it's like I have a chance to be 10 years old again!). They wanted to take me to see one of the waterfalls in the jungle. The first leg of the journey was through some of the rural villages outside of Masha. We went through some of the traditional sar bets (thatched roof houses) and I was able to get a glimpse of life in real rural Ethiopia. We then came upon a farm that has not yet been planted for the season, but generally produces corn. On the property there was a kojo bet, where they make the local staple food, enset (aka kojo) from the leaves of the trees. Here we took tons of photos, the kids got a real kick out of my digital camera (which is funny because it is an awful camera I bought in Czech Republic the summer mine was stolen in Berlin....why do I get robbed so much?!). They wanted to take photos with every possible combination of people, it was pretty amusing. We then sat down for our picnic that the kids put together for me as a peace offering for the candy: fresh mangoes, candies, gum and biscuits. It was so sweet, there's no way I could still be mad at them after that. Our adventure continued into the jungle. I'm pretty sure we got lost because the trek there was much longer than the way back, but it was a lot of fun. We had to cross 2 rivers, climb through the dense brush and dodge plants with 3" long prickers. When the waterfall was in sight I began to feel an awful pain all over my feet and legs....ants!!!!. We were knee deep in mud, which is apparently where these ants live (funny enough, I had read Schweitzer's account of these ants the night before and was thinking how lucky I was they weren't in Ethiopia). We ran as fast as we could through the mud and into the river right at the top of the waterfall for relief. I lifted my pant legs and had to pick them off one by one to relieve the pain. I was telling this story to the PCMO later and he told me that when he was living in my region he had a run in with them too....he woke up to find an army of them crawling towards his bed. He also told me that they lost a few chickens to these ants. Once relieved of the ants we had a great time splashing up by the waterfall and, of course, taking more photos. Now my PCMO says I need to be tested for Shisto....but I couldn't resist the water!

The second story worth mentioning is the trip to Addis. My plan was to leave Tuesday after lunch to go to Gore to meet up with another PCV who had an appointment in Addis, leave for Jimma early Wednesday morning and arrive in Addis on Thursday. But that was just a plan. Tuesday ended up being a really busy day at work. I went to a training of commercial sex workers on HIV/AIDS and starting IGAs first thing in the morning. Then I went to ETC to work on getting my phone line installed (I finally had some success after MUCH trial and error). I then discussed with my counterpart meetings and workshops I wanted to set up for when i get back from Addis, as well as create a survey about the people's knowledge about HIV/AIDS. When it was finally lunch time I hiked all the way to the bus station to find that there was no Gore bus that day. All the mad rushing around that morning was for no reason. The next morning at 4:45am I went back to the bus station to get on the early morning bus that leaves every day to Jimma. By 6:30 I realized that the bus was not coming. I took the soonest bus out of town that left around 8. When I got to Gore the Jimma bus had already left, so I went to the next town where there was also no bus leaving for Jimma. At this point I am very frustrated because I need to get to Addis the next day for my dentist appointment (con: my jaw hurts and sometimes it doesnt open. pro: i've lost 10 lbs this month). I wait for a few hours running to each bus as it pulls in only to learn it is not headed to Jimma. In the process many men take my picture on their camera phones, many more come up to me and try to start conversation...at this point I do not want to talk to anyone. What really made me mad was one guy asked me what was wrong with my face and if I had a skin infection. I flipped out, I couldn't hold it in any more. Then, to make things worse, a guy from my town started talking to me and mentioned he was from Masha. I was so embarassed to have made such a scene in front of people from my town!! I eventually give up waiting and go to a hotel/restaurant. Here my day turned around. I asked a person at the hotel if there was any chance that I could get to at least the next city that day so that I could make it to Addis on time. He said that it may be possible and that he would ask a car contracter. He then sat down to have a chat with me. It reminded me of my first month at Quinnipiac. I had gotten a test back and received a C- on it and was really, really devastated (the 18 year old Nikki does not much resemble the 23 year old version...). I was sitting in the hallway looking upset and a professor sat down and asked me what was wrong. I started to cry, there is something about a nice gesture after a bad day that makes me fall apart. Well that's what this guy at the hotel did for me. He was a Kenyan refugee in America and lived there for 20 years. He said that whenever he meets Americans he wants to go out of his way to help them out and repay the kindness Americans showed him while he was there. We talked about the things in Ethiopia that are different than home, and we also discussed which Wendy's meal we missed the most. What had begun as a horrible day ended up being great. He even had the kitchen make me the most American-esque dish they could for lunch. By 4pm I am feeling better, made a friend and even shared a few laughs. Then things got even better, they found me a ride!! I was expecting that I would be jumping in the back of a lorry and spending 6 hours in a flatbed, but that was okay, I was going to Jimma! Much to my surprise I found an actual bus pulled over on the side of the road waiting for me. I made it to Jimma, and then to Addis the next day for my appointment. The ride was actually the most comfortable public bus ride I've taken, too. Just one more example of how the worst day can end up being the best.

So once I got to Addis it was like I was on vacation. We went to the Peace Corps office and it was SO nice to see familiar faces. I chatted with a lot of the staff and recapped what the past few weeks have been like. We then went to the hotel and there was a shower, tv and....the most exciting....a mattress!!! I have been sleeping on foam for the last 3 1/2 months, I actually woke up refreshed and not sore. It was fantastic. The dentist appointment was a bit disappointing though. The advice I got was to chew gum and not to open my mouth very wide. And when my mouth doesn't open at all I'm supposed to massage my jaw. I have a feeling I will be back next month when that doesn't work. The next step will be to take muscle relaxants.

The best part about the weekend was lunch today. We ran into the PCMO at the grocery store and he offered to take us to lunch. First of all he has an awesome house, I am now seriously considering working for Peace Corps when I'm done. The Thai place he took us to for lunch was delicious. The most I've eaten in weeks! We talked about Ethiopia and shared some of our travel stories. He made a comment that he has lived abroad basically his whole life because he never really felt like he belonged in America. When I was telling him about my New Zealand adventures he said that I am one of those people that will be moving across the globe my entire life. I guess we'll see how I feel when I get home...

New Years

Happy New Years!!! Like Christmas, Ethiopians do not celebrate New Years on the same day, so I did not celebrate. In fact, I went to bed at 9pm...just like I do every other night of the week. There's not much to do when it's not advisable to be out past dark and there's no electricity to even read by. The lack of things to do at night just got a little more severe as my AC adapter blew out from the wacky voltage here. I have 4 hours left before my computer doesn't work any more. I was feeling pretty down about that yesterday, so I started re-reading Albert Schweitzer's "The Primeval Forest". I wanted to save my Schweitzer books for when I actually started working, but I needed some inspiration. The kids begging for money, the overly insistent guy asking me to marry him, the crazy lady that follows me absolutely everywhere and the yelling was starting to get to me yesterday, the AC adapter was the last straw. While I read i am copying down quotes that make me feel better about being here for so long. The three I have now are:

"I feel more and more convinced than ever that this land needs to help it men who will never let themselves be discouraged" (p 28)

"Yet what do all these disagreeables count for compared with the joy of being here, working and helping" (p 36)

"I should be sorry not to be able to look back on those wonderful minutes, uncomfortable though the experience seemed at the time" (p 56)

I went to sleep last night feeling much better and work up in a good mood. I spend all day walking through town and in the jungle to orient myself and meet more people, then read some Peace Corps material over tea. When I got home I found all my American candy and cookies stolen. My room was locked, so someone must have broke in. It's not the candy I care about (ok so maybe it is a little) but it's the fact that my room was locked and someone went in. I spoke to my landlady and she was receptive to my requests to reboard up my door, put in window screens and i spoke to the kids. I talked to one of the kids that helps me out and she was so sweet and offered to go buy me Ethiopian candy today. I, of course, said no, but the offer made me love Ethiopia again.

Other than those two instances, I've really enjoyed Masha. The weather is absolutely perfect, never too hot and never cold, the scenery is beautiful, the honey and tej delicious. I know where most things are now and can go shopping by myself (this is a bigger feat than it sounds) and I have even made a few frends. Work is progressing slowly but surely. I have had a few interviews and when information wasn't known or available someone offered to look it up for me. As long as I don't remind myself that I am here for two years, I am very happy here.

Becoming a Stranger/It's [Not] Beginning to Feel A Lot Like Christmas

Becoming a Stranger

12/12/09

I am getting weird. The longer I am here in Africa, the stranger I get. Between the immersion into this new culture, speaking a new language, having all new friends and infrequent communication with my friends at home I can tell that I am already different. I am worried that being in Masha, a very remote village, will magnify the Africa effect. Here are some examples I can think of. In Ethiopia, a way of saying "yes" is gasping (the first few weeks whenever someone "said" yes I asked "what happened"). At first this was weird to me, but now I do it too and I know it will drive you all crazy when I go home. Also, when speaking to Ethiopians I speak in broken English so that they may better understand me. I also do direct translations to help them out (instead of "How are you?" it is "Are you fine?" or "I can't" is "It is not possible"). Now, sometimes when speaking to other volunteers I use my Africa voice. Andy and Berny...if you are reading this I think you are cringing. I also have a few Amharic words that I use in everyday conversation that make perfect sense to everyone here, but will be just as foreign as the aussie slang I once was fluent in. I also have NO idea what is going on the the United States. I do not know what the economy is like, what the deal is with health care reform, pop culture (though I was never good at that before), fads or any current events. I do not know what is going on in the lives of my friends. I don't know what the inside jokes are, what YouTube video the Putnam kids are quoting, what movie Mike is obsessing over, if Mark and Kate have any new squatters in their home or how Ellie's doing in England. Facebook tells me more about my friends than they do...and in a week I will no longer have Internet on a weekly basis. I feel like I will be like Fry when he first gets sent to the 31st century, or like Tom Hank's character in Cast Away when he comes back from the island. I can already understand why Peace Corps warns us more about coming home than leaving.

Speaking of becoming a stranger, I will be leaving Gonde and starting all over again in Masha. I am finally comfortable here, I have friends (both American and Ethiopian), my family is wonderful, I know my way around, people don't try to rip me off as much and the kids know my name here. I am very excited, but also very scared about moving to Masha. I keep reminding myself that Gonde was crazy scary 2 months ago and now it is home. The culture shock from Gonde to Masha will be nothing compared to that of America to Gonde. Things that would make me very uncomfortable in America are now no problem. If my point of view can change that quickly, I can become comfortable in Masha. It's going to be difficult and lonely the first few months, so I hope to get a lot of letters and phone calls. Don't forget about me, I certainly haven't forgotten about any of you.

It's [Not] Beginning To Feel A Lot Like Christmas

12/13/09

It is less than two weeks from Christmas and I have barely thought about it. There is no snow, there are no Christmas lights or TV specials, Ethiopia doesn't even celebrate Christmas this month. I even miss the Christmas music (except that one song that has the children's choir during the chorus) and traffic jams on the way from Hamden to Putnam. I think it is better though that I do not feel like it is Christmas. When I do think about it I get very sad and homesick. Being here takes the Hallmark out of the holidays though. When I think of Christmas I do not miss the gifts, I do not miss the overabundance of food, I do not miss the cocktails, the mall, or the snow. I miss my family and friends. I miss having the first glass of Hood eggnog with dad and making dinner with mom. I miss baking cookies with Jess (or at least testing the cookies she bakes). I miss getting excited to play with the Rice kids the day after Christmas. I miss secret santa (my gift will be late...sorry!). I miss playing pitch with the family. I miss Mandy jumping on me. I miss how Danshults' family knows every single gift under the tree even before they unwrap them. I miss playing wii games with Spencer. When I start thinking of these things I am reminded that 2 years is a long time to be away. At that low point I need to get out and spend time with my Ethiopian family, vent with my PC friends or just take a walk. It does not take me long to remember why I joined the Peace Corps. This country still amazes me and there will always be something to make me smile here. Today it was seeing my favorite Gonde kid in a denim trench coat...I hadn't seen her in a few days and she was just as excited as I was to see her.