I survived TimKat

I had the opportunity to participate in the TimKat (Epiphany) celebrations on January 19 and I think once per lifetime is sufficient! I am not one for large crowds and then couple that with intense heat and it makes for one overwhelming experience. Anyways…we joined my landlady, her family, and throngs of other people in procession to the local Orthodox Church. Many Ethiopians were wearing their "habesha camis" (traditional white dress with colorful, patterned trim) and sporting ornate umbrellas. When we finally arrived at the church it was a sea of people who would randomly break into song, dance, clapping, and even running. They also make this amazing high-pitched sound that is borderline yell and "battle-cry" that I would love for you to hear, but it is one that I won't and can't replicate!

One of the drawbacks to being there (other than claustrophobia and dehydration) was that we drew a lot of attention. So much so that it felt like at times the focus shifted from that of celebrating Epiphany to celebrating the American girls. When the crush of the crowd around us got to be overwhelming, I would wiggle my way out in an attempt to find some breathing room only to discover that the crowd had followed. I lasted about 45 minutes and called it a day. Now I can say,"been there…done that…don't need to do it again!"

The Who's Who of KB's "gibbee"

I thought you might like to meet the people that share the "gibbee" (compound) with me. Now that I've been living here for 3 weeks, I think I can say that I've finally met everyone who actually lives here. The compound isn't that big, but like I said previously…there seems to be a surplus of cubbyholes.

My landlords are Ato Getachew and Waizero Aselef. Getachew is ALWAYS working at one of his many businesses. He is a quiet, unassuming man who is frugal with his words. Consequently, I know him the least. Aselef, on the other hand is ALWAYS around! She is the mother of 3 grown children and is constantly busy working around the home and family lumbar yard. She is not quite as frugal with her words as her husband, but unfortunately when she does speak with me it is so rapid that I catch a quarter of what she says. She is always willing to lend me a helping hand, but more often than not this results in her "doing" and me "watching". Today I asked if she had any spare containers to use as planters for the zinnia seeds that I had received in a package. She dropped everything and set out to help me with this project. It quickly became apparent that I again was to be relegated to the role of "watcher"---not my intention at all. So, I plopped down on the ground, stuck my hands in the mud/dirt and said in Amharic "I'm a farm-girl." She acquiesced with a nod and a look that I think was one of approval.

Souwnet is our househelper. I've yet to determine if she has any other relationship to my landlords, but I suspect not. She is extremely hardworking…always on the go. Invariably, when I sit on the porch to sort lentils and rice…she pops a squat and joins in.

Abi is Souwnet's son and my saving grace. He and I are about on the same level with regard to language, which doesn't say much for my language skills…he's 2! He is busy, busy, busy and is always into something he shouldn't be. The up side to this is that it gives me ample opportunity to practice the commands I've been learning (sit, drop it, stop, come, leave it)! I also love his sense of style--tattered t-shirt that barely reaches mid-thigh and black plastic cowboy boots. He loves to laugh and it doesn't take much to get him started. I love it when he presses his face against my window and then disappears in a burst of giggles as soon as we make eye contact. What a goof!

Hapti is the 20 year-old preparatory (i.e. grade 12) school student who lives at the front of the compound. His parents are rural farmers who live about 2 hours by foot from town. Hapti has been rooming here while going to school. He is able to speak and understand a fair amount of English, which has been so helpful to me. He's an easy-going guy and a good student. Today he asked me for help with his math. I took one look at his CALCULUS book and said, "you're more GOBEZ (clever/smart) than I!" He also seems to have stepped into the roll of my protector. If I open the front door at night to dispose of or deal with some creature that has invaded the house, he is right there to make sure all is well. I also can't wander from the compound after 5:30pm without him voicing a concern for my safety and then trailing me at a distance.

Azena is the 20-something university student who lives at the back of the compound. He is enrolled in the evening program, so I don't see him often. He is a student of geography. He comes and goes through the backdoor so I often don't even know when he is here and when he is not. This is also why I haven't been able to get a photo of him!

So, there you have it….the "who's who" of my gibbee. Needless to say, there is always a swarm of activity here and I should never have cause to be bored or lonely!



Getachew



Aselef



Souwet and Abi




Abi



Hapti

Meet Binni and Betti

Just thought you might like to meet two of the people who help to make this blog possible. Bineum and Betlihem run our favorite local internet shop. Needless to say I've gotten to know them very well--so much so that we are on a nickname basis. I'm "KB" and they are "Binni" and "Betti". So while I'm "patiently" waiting for the pics to upload, I'm spending time laughing and being silly with these two. Never a dull moment when I'm at the internet shop!

PLWHA Poultry Farm

The other day, Smith and I had the opportunity to visit the local PLWHA (People Living with HIV/AIDS) association's poultry "farm". This project serves as an income generating activity for this group. The association received a grant from UNAIDS and has used some of those funds to construct the building and buy 106 hens. From a financial standpoint, they've yet to see any return on their investment as the hens are not yet producing eggs, nor are they plump enough to sell. But…they are reaping other benefits. This group of people has a renewed sense of purpose. They have become contributing members of the community and are playing an active role in improving their own quality of life. How exciting!

Farenji Fever and the Fishbowl Effect

I draw an exorbitant amount of attention everywhere I go. Fortunately 99% of it is positive. When I approach a suk (shop) to purchase items I invariably run into people when I turn around, because unbeknownst to me a crowd has gathered (sometimes as large as 15-20 people) to see what the "farenji" is buying. As I walk down the very long, rocky, and steep hill to my home, I feel like a fish swimming upstream--the neighborhood kids are running at full-steam, toward me, with hands outstretched. They LOVE to shake hands and it's really cute when a little tyke walks up with right arm outstretched and left hand grasping his forearm to show his respect. I've also learned to budget an extra 10-15 minutes for my walk to town to account for the delay I experience as I am stopped repeatedly for enthusiastic greetings and well-wishes.

Coupled with "farenji fever" is the fishbowl phenomenon. People are not only interested in everything that I do, but they KNOW everything I do, they KNOW where to find me and they apparently KNOW me! On our second day in town, we were approached by a gentleman who said…"my friend told me that you bought bananas at the blue shop last night. Were they good?" Smith and I looked at each other and said…WOW! Last week I was again in the process of buying bananas (one of the few fruits that I can routinely get) in my new neighborhood when an older gentleman approached me and said in fairly good English…"are you Qwisten from the peace corPs? Do you know A. Anderson from Illinois? He sent me a letter and said you were coming." Needless to say, I do not know this A.Anderson, but word in the PC community does circulate quickly. Turns out that A.Anderson is a former PCV to Ethiopia and the gentleman standing in front of me was his student 40 some years ago. That a man in Somewhere, Illinois knows that I am here (my specific name was not mentioned in the letter), and that the man on the receiving end of this news can so easily find me and call me by name is such a weird feeling.

Today, I was at one of the schools that I will be working with. I had met the principal and assistant principal twice before, but I really hadn't had an opportunity to interact with the teaching staff. Anyways, I was sitting in the staff room and conversation was swirling around me. Since it was all in rapid Amharic I was tuned out. By the time I tuned back in I realized that I was the topic of conversation. They wanted to know why I didn't attend church with them on Genna because "we've been told you are Protestant." I was too stunned to respond, but thought to myself… "Really? And you are who?"

Fortunately some of the "farenji fever" is dying down as people get to know us and realize that we will be here for 2 years. It's also helpful that we can now respond in Amharic to the occasional cries of " you, you, you…give me money" with, "I'm not farenji, I'm Ethiopian." I suspect, however, that I should get used to the "fishbowl lifestyle" as that is not likely to die down. I have found a positive side to the fishbowl effect, though. When I'm behind on my journaling (as I generally am) I can say, "thank you, I had forgotten I'd gone to market on Thursday… eaten Ox tibs on Friday at the Paradise… picked up 3 letters and 2 packages at the posta beyt on Monday just before closing… had to stop and rest while walking the miserable hill out of the neighborhood on my way to meet Zeleke at the internet beyt on Wednesday…














My neighborhood fan club. Aren't they just the cutest?!?!

Welcome to My Home

Well, it is official…I AM NO LONGER HOMELESS! My home is beautiful…much more luxurious than I ever expected. The salon-beyt (living room) has 12-foot ceilings by my approximation and cheery yellow walls. I have a large bedroom, a spare room for when YOU come to visit, another room that serves as my "kitchen," and a bathroom INSIDE the home. The most amazing feature of my new home…RUNNING water! We have learned that water is an issue in our town, but primarily for those homes that are situated "up-hill". Fortunately, I am "down-hill" and consequently have dependable running water. Unfortunately, I must hike up a very steep and rocky dirt rode to get out of my neighborhood. Right now, my lungs are not too happy about this, but they will learn to DEAL.

I share a compound with my landlords, their house helper and her son, and one young guy who is attending preparatory school in town. Each day, however, I discover yet another person who shares our compound. I was here for about 4 days when I noticed an elevated bed that stands just inside our gate. Turns out that we have nighttime "guard" who uses that space. Today (my 8th day in the compound), while doing laundry, I realized that I was being watched by yet another new face. I asked him if he was a friend of the young guy that has a room out front. His response was "no, I live here." Sure enough, he does, in another of the many cubbyholes that we seem to have a surplus of.

NEWSFLASH…WHILE TYPING THIS POST IN MY SALON BEYT A VERY LARGE TOAD (THE SIZE OF A BASEBALL) JUST HOPPED BY ME! WHERE HE CAME FROM, I DO NOT KNOW. BUT…HE MUST GO. DO I PICK HIM UP? ARE THERE POISONOUS TOADS IN ETHIOPIA? I THINK I SHALL SCOOT HIM TO THE DOOR JUST IN CASE.

NEWSFLASH UPDATE…TOAD WAS MOST UNCOOPERATIVE. I WENT TO SCOOT HIM AND HE LEPT. I WAS EVENTUALLY ABLE TO SCOOP HIM INTO A BAG. I OPENED THE DOOR TO LET HIM GO WHEN A VOICE SPEAKS TO ME OUT OF THE DARKNESS. I FREAK…SCREAM…FLING THE TOAD…AND THEN DISCOVER IT IS THE MAN IN THE ELEVATED BED. GOOD THING THAT I AT LEAST LEARNED OF HIS EXISTENCE OR THIS MAY HAVE BEEN TRAUMATIC!

Ok…back to my house. It is indeed fabulous and I feel spoiled. My landlords are nice, but it sure will be helpful when I can communicate with them. In the meantime, I try my best by using "2-year old" Amharic and pantomime. And if they still don't understand me, I shrug my shoulders and add yet another thing to the growing list of words, phrases, expressions that I need to learn from my language tutor.

Hank…the Genna Chicken

I would like to introduce you to Hank…our Genna (Christmas) chicken. Hank has made himself quite a home over the past few weeks. He can often be found investigating Zebanay's kitchen or entering through Smith's backdoor, cruising through the living room and if nothing peeks his interest he will eventually exit out the front door. Initially we tried to keep him out of the house, but it proved to be more work than it was worth. Hank's days are numbered so we've decided to be lenient with him and how is a chicken any different than a cat, or a dog, or a mouse?

Fast forward a few days….Hank did indeed become Genna dinner and I must say he was the best tasting chicken we've had since being in Ethiopia. Perhaps it was because we treated him so well! He made a fantastic doro wat (spicy chicken stew), but we were a bit perplexed when we scooped an egg out of the wat as well. Now how does that work????



Meet Hank our Genna Chicken





Hank makes himself at home




Hank cruises through the living room



Hank as dinner