Great Friends

Our Bible Study group














Great friends make grueling bus rides a little more tolerable (from L to R: Liz, Becca, Megan, Me, and Nicole)

I have been so blessed with great Peace Corps friends. I remember prior to leaving praying for at least 1 Christian friend….I was given almost a dozen instead. During training we met most Sunday mornings at "the Lodge" for Bible study. Who would have thought! Just prior to leaving for site we had our own pre-Christmas party/gift exchange knowing that the actual Christmas day would be quite a low-key and potentially lonely day (i.e. we will be at site; Ethiopians celebrate their Christmas another day). It is going to be so hard leaving this group behind when we begin our separate Ethiopian adventure, but I'm so thankful for their support, encouragement, and hugs on this part of the journey.

Merry Christmas!

I just want to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas! I love ALL THINGS CHRISTMAS, but this year Christmas was NOT:

Mom's totally yummy pecan cinnamon rolls…a crackling fire…candlelit Christmas Eve service…decorating a freshly cut Frazier fir from the Farm…racing up and down Westenedge looking for the perfect gift…baking Christmas cookies…snow/ice…the smell of mulled cider…peanut brittle….wrapping gifts…

Instead, Christmas WAS:

Observed in the brilliance of an enormous full moon…lying in bed and pretending that it was cold and snowy outside…spending 2 hours creating a scrumptious supersized "American breakfast" complete with fried potatoes, scrambled eggs, and French toast seasoned with tea spice because, well, it SMELLS like cinnamon…opening mail that we've managed to save for days so there were "presents" to be opened on Christmas morning (thank you Mom, Spiechs, and Zollars!)… receiving text after text from PCV friends all over Ethiopia sending their Christmas greetings and making sure that everyone is doing OK… celebrating that water came on this morning!...eagerly awaiting the promised phone call from family… reflecting on the true meaning of Christmas.

Christmas is all about being thankful…counting your blessings…and celebrating the one GIFT that isn't dependent upon the U.S. and Ethiopian postal system!

Have a fabulous day celebrating with your friends and family! I miss you all!!!

"The Long Road to Home"

Megan and Steph…loving that exhaust!






The Human Lift




What have we gotten ourselves into!
(Kristen S., Christen S., and Me)






All Aboard





Are we there yet?












I know that this is a little bit behind the times, but I thought you might enjoy the account of my first experience at the Addis Ababa bus yard. Peace Corps made arrangements for us to meet our counterparts in Addis on Friday November 24 and then have them escort us, and most of our worldly possessions to site on the following day for a 1-week visit. Here is my moment by moment accounting of the events at the bus yard as taken directly from my journal. Trust me when I say there is no exaggeration here!



4:00: Alarm sounds. No…it can't be time to rise yet!

4:05: The lure of 1 last hot shower pulls me out of bed.

4:55: Enter the lobby of the hotel and try to locate my counterpart. I hope he recognizes me first as my eyes aren't working too well at this hour.

5:00: Spot counterpart and immediately apologize for the excessive weight of my luggage. I don't think he understands my morning greeting until he attempts to heft my metal box up off the floor. Counterpart leaves seeking strong reinforcements.

5:10: Leave hotel bound for the Addis bus station.

5:30: Arrive at bus station. Mass chaos ensues as guard won't let the luggage vehicle into the compound. Car, buses, people, and the occasional donkey are moving in all directions. Christen S's counterpart parks us out of harms way, tells us to "stay put", then dashes off to procure bus tickets.

5:45: Still standing in same spot and without luggage. Her counterpart returns without tickets---indicates that they are all gone, but doesn't seem overly concerned.

6:00: I am finally in possession of my luggage (far more than the 80 pounds I brought to country as I now have a PC issued metal box that I've managed to fill). Now discover that all luggage must be transported over a distance as long as 2 football fields. Note to self…luggage wheels don't roll over softball sized gravel. I opt to drag.

6:15: We finally arrive in the bus yard. The air is thick with exhaust and dust. Thousands of Ethiopians watch while the "pretty princesses" drag their ridiculous amount of luggage the final few feet. I want to shout, "we're not here for just a vacation!" Through the carcinogenic fog (I can feel the cancer cells multiplying within my lungs) I spot fellow PC friends Megan and Steph---I haven't seen them since the chaos began at 5am. They look how I feel---overwhelmed, cranky, and ticked that PC didn't think this through a bit better.

6:20: A fellow friend, Kristen S., emerges from the haze with her counterpart, Jeff (PC training director) and Yohannis (our favorite PC driver). They have yet to find her metal box, but at least she has found us.

6:25: All of a sudden an angry mob forms in front of us---people wanting tickets and 1 lone man selling the tickets. PC instructed us to always move in the opposite direction of a mob, but we received no instruction as to what to do when you find yourself in the center of the fray. You can feel the tension in the air. Ticket man flees on a dead run…mob follows close on his heels…I barely clear out of the way. As they pass, I can see Christen S.'s counterpart in the middle of the mob. I sure hope that he is victorious and returns with tickets!

6:40: Success….we have tickets for all 6 of us. What a relief!

7:15: After some fierce bargaining our luggage (including 3 heavy metal boxes) is transported to the top of the bus by a man with phenomenal strength and balance. He manages to balance the luggage on his upper back and neck. I can't look! Despite the constant roar of the bus yard, I hear his cervical spine crying out in pain or maybe that is my spine with sympathy pains.

7:30: We board the bus and find that our counterparts have saved us seats. I quickly discover that I'm not meant to live in Ethiopia—my legs are way too long. This is not going to be fun.

7:31: Man boards bus selling "soft" (toilet paper) and gum. I'm thinking deodorant and a sedative would be more appropriate.

7:35: The crowd is getting restless. It appears as if the ticket man was running a side business and has "overcharged" everyone. The ticket reflects a cost of 35birr, but he charged 50birr. People begin to chant "mels" (change) while angrily waving their ticket in the air. The ticketman begins yelling back and once again tensions rise. In the midst of this wave of chaos, man again boards bus selling "soft" and gum…he is oblivious and merely weaves his way through the uprising that is in process. Ticket man finally realizes that he is greatly outnumbered and acquiesces. Now we begin the painstaking process of refunding 15birr to all 62 passengers. I'm already thinking "are we there yet?" but we've yet to pull out of the station!

7:55: Bus fires up and we begin to pull out of the station. I want to stand and cheer, but I can't get my knees unwedged.

7:56: Bus stops—my celebration has begun too quickly. People have yet to purchase their morning newspaper. Crisis!! Crisis averted as man boards bus selling the morning paper.

7:58: Bus moves as the door shuts. Woops…wait…one last business transaction takes place as birr is passed through the window in exchange for breadsticks. Good grief..are we ever going to get there??? Oh…the breadsticks are for us. Our counterparts have been so good to us. I need to shut-up and eat.

Ahun Habesha Negn (I'm Ethiopian now!)

Peace Corps asked us to take a family photo, which we will then give our host families at the end of training. So, I arranged a photo shoot over lunch today. What I didn't realize was how intent my host mom was on me wearing traditional Ethiopian garb. I returned home to find a pile of gauzy white material, which in fact was my little Momma's traditional clothing. I need to emphasize the word "little" as it is an important distinction for the remainder of the story. Needless to say, I'm a good sport and took the clothing to my room to confirm what I already knew to be true…pigs would fly before her clothing would fit me!

I returned to the living room, shrugged my shoulders, and in broken Amharic indicated that I would just wear the shawl. Well, she wasn't satisfied with that idea and in the middle of the living room proceeded to try to stuff me into the dress. It was quite a battle (her vs. the dress—I was just an innocent pawn) and I thought she had finally acquiesced when she got this glint in her eye, gave one final tug (mostly on the dress) and gave a victory cry as the seam ripped. Yes…I'm wearing a traditional Ethiopian dress for the picture, but what you can't see is the gaping hole in the back or my own "very American" clothing underneath! It made her very happy and I received a "Conju…Habesh nesh ahun" (translation…Beautiful… You are Ethiopian now!).

The other picture is of me in the "gabby" that my host-mother made for me. Nobody has heavy coats here, so when it is chilly (as is true in the early morning and evenings) one bundles up in a gabby. I have yet to figure out, though, how to wear it without looking like a mummy!

BIRTHPLACE OF BUNNA

Picking








Drying











For all you coffee lovers out there…eat your heart out. I am in the kingdom of COFFEE….the birthplace of BUNNA! I no longer have to drive out of my way to reach the neighborhood BEANERS for my morning caramel marvel latte. I now can just fall out of bed, open my back door, and pick myself a handful of coffee beans from our tree. Granted, there is a bit of work involved from bean to cup, but everything tastes better when you have to work for it. I had no idea, however, that the trays of red berries I've seen in our yard were actually coffee beans. I'll admit I was a bit stumped trying to figure out where the cranberry bog was located! J I've also become hooked on "watet beh bunna." You are brought a steaming cup of fresh whole milk (almost straight from the cow…just has to be brought to a boil first) and a little pitcher of espresso, which when mixed together with just a touch of sugar is FABULOUS! If you decide to come and visit, I can't promise a lot of amenities, but I can guarantee a great cup of coffee!

ThanksMAS…Ex-Patriate Style

Me, Christie, Megan







Our Fabulous Feast







Savoring the Moment







Recovering






Holidays, especially Thanksgiving and Christmas, are my most favorite time of the year. I'm all about TRADITION…to the point that it drives my family crazy. I also have never missed a holiday with my family. Even though there aren't brilliantly colored fall leaves, gaudy storefront displays, the ringing of the Salvation Army bells, or the aromas of pumpkin pie, fresh cut pine, or cinnamon one innately knows we are "missing out" on the best time of the year. Fortunately, Peter (our Country Director) realized this and undertook the task of bringing Thanksgiving and Christmas to us. For practical reasons, we had to roll it into one event and subsequently called it "ThanksMAS". It was a fabulous evening complete with a Thanksgiving style feast, White Elephant exchange, and a viewing of the outrageously funny Christmas movie "ELF". It was a night that we won't soon forget and neither will our stomachs. Peter hosted the event at his home in Addis and several representatives of the ex-pat community (a big thank you to the folks from USAID and State Department) helped contribute fabulous Thanksgiving style dishes. After weeks of eating INJERA 2-3 times per day, this meal tasted like a slice of Heaven. The picture that Megan captured of me is not staged. I seriously was in my own little world savoring every morsel!

Creativity at its finest

Before leaving the states, I fretted about what to bring and what to leave behind. Eighty pounds is not a lot of luggage for a 2-year adventure and so great care was taken to select items that would be practical and useful in a variety of situations. In went the duct-tape, pack-towels, Swiss army knife, and a host of other multi-purpose items. For the most part, I think I did quite well. One item that I added last minute was a head-lamp (thank-you Doudts and Zollars!). It was a suggested item on the PC packing list and although I've never used one before, I'm not one to go against good advice. I never thought, though, that it would prove useful and necessary for eyebrow plucking!

My OASIS

We have found a fabulous oasis here in our training town, which we commonly refer to as the "LODGE". It has become our haven--a place where we can enjoy "farenji" food, find refuge from the ever-present dust and dirt, and find a little peace and quiet. It is also a place that feels truly African to me. Within minutes of settling into the "tree house" all sorts of critters surround us. I am absolutely mesmerized by the antics of the monkeys and baboons! They are quite bold and will swipe food or other tempting items if you're not on guard. It is also endearing to watch the mama monkeys with their babies. In addition to the antics of the primates, there are also these chinchilla-like creatures, which we have started calling RUS (rodents of unusual size…think "Princess Bride"). They look like a gigantic guinea pig, but are quite skilled with climbing as they can walk right up the trunk of a tree. The "LODGE" is also the place that we go to for an amazing hot shower. For 5 birr (roughly 50 cents), one is given a bar of soap and unlimited hot water. It's worth every santeem (cent) to have water stream over you rather than via bucket and cup!

The top picture is our tree house....the bottom picture is Megan and I enjoying "farenji food". It's not PAPA JOHN'S, but it's a close second.

Gone ETHIOPIAN

I'm one of the last holdouts, but I've finally succumbed to peer pressure and have had my curly locks braided. My friend Blin (the Ethiopian sister of my PC friend Jolene) graciously volunteered to do my hair. She is quite the artist! Can you believe that she did this in less than an hour and after working a 12-hour shift at the hospital?? I'm not sure that I do this type of hairstyle as much justice as my Ethiopian friends, but it should buy me at least 3 to 4 days before I have to wash my hair and that in its own right is a blessing. When I returned home, my family was quite pleased with my new "do" and gave me the highest of compliments...."ahun habesha nesh!" (translation= You are Ethiopian now). Personally, when I look at the top of my head it looks like a brain or a rat maze! What do you think?

My Ethiopian Family

Just thought you might like to see a picture of me and my Ethiopian family. In case you're having a hard time picking me out, I'm the one with the braided hair! Tonight I staged a photo shoot just for all of you. There is always a lot of excitement when my camera appears. They love the instant gratification that digital technology provides and everyone must have a look. It's cute to hear their expressions as we scroll through the various images…."Conju….ahh, betam conju" (translation: beautiful…ahhh, very beautiful!" They must be talking about me, right?!

Wonchii/Crater Lake Excursion

I have finally traveled outside of the place that I've been calling home! My world has become so small that I have ventured no farther than my feet can carry me for over 4 weeks. Isn't that crazy! The destination, Wonchii/Crater Lake, is approx 35km from our town and we finally reached it after traveling for 1.5 hours by bus. The road condition was rough, but tolerable. The dust, however, was horrendous. I rode in the back seat and when you peered out the back window there was ZERO visibility. I ended up wearing a bandana "bandit style" to help reduce the amount of dust that I was consuming. Yes, I looked ridiculous!!

Our journey took us to the top of the crater (at 10,000 feet) where we proceeded to hike 4km down to the water's edge (a relatively steep descent of over 1100 feet). Along the way we passed terraced fields of geb (wheat), wildflowers, charming thatched roof huts, all with a magnificent view of a deep, midnight blue lake. It is an absolutely stunning place! Once at the water's edge, we rested for a bit and then took tankua's (i.e. it would be generous to call it a canoe…more like a dug out tree) to an island complete with a monastery and a few very plump and happy cows. I don't think my tankua guide was too pleased with me as I almost capsized our craft while trying to snap a "postcard perfect" shot. One would think that I had never been in a "dug out tree" before!

My ascent out of the crater was on horseback. I had intended on walking out, but my lungs and friends convinced me otherwise....a wise choice considering it took us 1.5 hours to descend the slippery slope. The highlight of the ascent was riding up through the middle of a cattle and sheep drive. I was surrounded by no fewer than 100 sheep and cattle (they looked like Brahmas to me…big hump, bigger horns). The air was so thick with dust that you could have sliced it. At one point, curiosity got the best of me and I reached out to touch the hump of one the cows to determine if it was "fatty" or "bony" (I know you're dying to know the answer....it's fatty feeling). Now that I think about it, it probably wasn't one of my smartest moves as the cow could have easily swung its head and nailed me with a horn. I suspect, though, that it was just as weary from the climb as my poor horse!!

In addition to the natural beauty, we also had the opportunity to interact with the children of Wonchii/Crater Lake. Wouldn't it be amazing to call this place home?! When walking around town, we are generally greeted by children chanting in unison their favorite English phrase: "give me money." This was not the case today. As we hiked down to the lake, children would come racing out of their homes only to halt at the gate and shyly wave or call out "selam" (which means "Peace"). One little girl along the way, no older than 6 or 7, had already been given the responsibility of touting around her infant brother on her back! I also met one young boy who hiked alongside of me for the better part of 20 minutes eager to have the opportunity to practice his English. At my journey's end he gifted me with a rose and parted with a wave. These are the moments that make me eager to arrive at site and have the opportunity to build relationships and friendships that go beyond a shy wave or a 20-minute chat

Hey Mr. Bale Gari

Today I feel on top of the world. Well at least on top of this small part of the world in which I am now residing. I've had an Amharic language breakthrough! Success at last. I was actually capable of stringing a miniature conversation together and not sounding like a 2 year old.

In language class today we practiced a dialogue related to transportation. We learned a few key phrases that in theory would enable us to ask for, barter with, and secure a ride on either a "feras gari" ( i.e. horse cart) or bejaj (i.e. motorized 3 wheeler with a bench seat). It's one thing to practice in a controlled environment with a teacher who is following a set dialogue and yet another to converse with a random "bale gari" (horse cart owner) who doesn't have the script.

So my friend Megan and I decided to pull out all the stops and secure ourselves a "feras gari". Here's how it went down (sans crib sheet):

Me: Bale Gari, Bale Gari!
(translation…hey cart owner, cart owner)

BG: Abet?
(yes?)

Me: Wode Technical college mehed ifeligalow. Wagow sint nouw?
(literal translation: to technical college to go I want. Price what is?)

BG: Arat birr
(4 birr)

Me: Arat birr?! Firenji wagow. Kenis. And birr wusedegn.
( 4 birr?! Foreigner price. Reduce it. Take me for 1 birr.)

BG: Ishee. Gibee. Betam turu amarigne astamarie nouw.
(Ok. Get in. Your Amharic teacher is very good.)

Like I said…on top of the world! It is an amazing feeling to be able to ask for something in this language and actually receive what you thought you were asking for! Although feras garis are as common and mundane as a New York City taxi, this is one ride that Megan and I won't soon forget. Learning Amharic can be very frustrating as it is so different and complex, which is why it is so nice to have moments such as this one that give us a glimpse that there is light at the end of the tunnel. We can learn this language!!

Naming the "dimit lij"

My family can attest to the fact that I love to name things…especially pets. In fact, I have my next 10 pet names already lined up. I'll admit that I even have a list of my favorite boy and girl names. At the rate I'm going, however, that is probably a waste of time.

Anyways....my host family has a cat (dimet) and a kitten (dimet lij), neither of which have names. In my very broken Amharic I managed to ask if I could perhaps name them and the answer was "yes". Permission was granted several days ago, but up until last night I was struggling to come up with a suitable moniker for either the cat or kitten. Last night, I had an epiphany. The kitten should be called "George". It just seems to fit especially since it is a very American sounding name and every time I see the little guy he's into trouble and reminds me of "Curious George". Exited that I had finally reached a decision, I shared the kitten's new name with my mom and brother. My Mom was so thrilled with my choice. Her response, "George? Georgie Bush?!?" Considering that I don't have the Amharic vocabulary to explain that that really wasn't my line of thinking, I've just decided to run with it. The momma cat's name: BARBARA.

Staying Healthy...or at least trying.

Peace Corps has been really good about doing everything within their power to keep each of us healthy. In reality this means immunizations, immunizations, and more immunizations! The shots began in Washington D.C and haven't stopped. I have received or will receive: rabies #1,#2,#3, yellow fever, MMR, polio, influenza, Hep A, Hep B series, Meningitis, Tetanus & Diptheria. WOW! They have this down to a science and often hit you from both sides.

I am also in a region of the world with a high incidence of malaria. I've learned that there are 4 types of plasmodium parasites that can be transferred by the Anopheles mosquito. Ethiopia has a high incidence of plasmodium falciparum, which can be the most dangerous of the four. Because of the risk, all volunteers have been placed on malarial prophylaxis. I happen to be taking a drug called Mefloquine and fortunately have not experienced any of the potential side effects. I'm hoping this continues to work for me as it only needs to be taken one time per week!

In addition to the medication, I take a variety of other precautions to help reduce my risk of malaria. I sleep under a promethrin treated net, wear long sleeves/long pants after 6pm, and use a repellent called "buzz off". I'm also always on the lookout for stray "beembeez" (Amharic for mosquito) in the house. My host family also has a heightened awareness of the malarial risk and generally gives me a "once-over" each morning to see if I've survived the night unscathed. One morning my mom was very concerned to find a "mosquito bite" on my cheek. It took quite a bit of effort to assure her that this was no mosquito bite, just a zit!

Home Sweet Home.....

I thought you might enjoy a glimpse of my new home away from home. I consider myself very fortunate to have an indoor shower and toilet and can only hope that my good fortune continues when I'm living somewhere on my own in the Amhara region.

Where's the Maytag man when you need him?

Oh how I miss my washer and dryer!

Last Sunday, my afternoon was spent doing laundry. Fortunately, I've already adopted the Ethiopian dress code - one outfit per week (unless my shirt and pants can stand on their own). It really is a simple process, but just takes a while. We have a stack of 3 old tires which serve as our table. On top of this we place the washing pan. On the ground are 3 to 4 rinse pans. I must not have had quite the "right" technique as my host Mom felt the need to take over half-way through my pile of laundry. I'm sure practice will make perfect!

In terms of drying...the wind quickly takes care of that. The only glitch is that we have to be careful that flies don't lay eggs in the drying clothes as these little eggs love to hatch into your skin and create problems. We've been told to either iron all clothing or let it sit for 4 days as the eggs will die in this period of time. Just to be safe.....I've let my clothing cure for 7 days! I'm not taking any chances!!

Water, water everywhere.....

.....and nary a drop to drink. Does anyone recall the "Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner"? Each week when I "make" water this phrase comes to mind. The town in which I live has plenty of water, however, none of it is safe for us to drink. Our medical officer, Burdett, loves to inform us about all of the wonderful things that we can acquire through the water - typhoid, cholera, giardia, schistosomiasis, etc. Trust me, I'm doing everything in my power to ensure that the water I consume is clean! Unfortunately, Ethiopians aren't' immune to these diseases either. We learned this week that contaminated water is one of the leading causes of childhood mortality in Ethiopia.

How do I purify water?? We have been given packets of PUR, which is an additive that disinfects as well as binds to the large particles. My routine consists of filling a 20-liter container from my family's well, adding PUR, stirring vigorously for 5 minutes, and letting it then sit for 20 minutes. When I return, there is a brown sludge in the bottom of the container, which I strain out using a cheesecloth type material. It then must sit for another 20 minutes before it is safe to consume. Fortunately, the water tastes fine despite the chemical process it must first undergo. Generally, one 20-liter container will last me 4-5 days. This water serves as my drinking water, teeth-brushing water, and food preparation water. For showering and hand washing the local water is fine to use.

So...each time you turn on the tap and take a drink consider how blessed you really are!

Igzeeabheir Yimesgen. Tines Talign.

Greetings from Ethiopia!

As Kristin is having difficulty posting to her blog from Ethiopia, I will be posting for her....so blame any typos on me! She is trying to figure out how to attach pictures but until then we'll have to use our imaginations! -Kim

I have arrived safe and sound and as you can see by the title of my post I am already learning the language. Amharic (the national language of Ethiopia) does not use the Roman alphabet, which has made language training very difficult. Instead of learning all 231 characters, they are choosing to teach us the language phonetically. This was very frustrating until we realized it didn't really matter how we spelled a word or phrase, just as long as we knew how to pronounce it. Each morning, 4 of my fellow PCVs and I gather in my front yard where we hold class from 8:30 am to Noon each day. Our teacher, Esey, has been extremely patient with us as we try to grasp the complexities of this language. Despite our limited resources (i.e. no textbook or English/Amharic dictionary) we seem to be learning something. After class, I often practice my new words with my neighborhood children as they are very forgiving of my many mispronunciations!

My host family has been fabulous. Although they don't speak any English, we are getting along just fine. I do a lot of pointing and shrugging of the shoulders when I haven't a clue what they are talking about, but somehow it seems to work. When all else fails, I simply smile. My enat(Mom) is 55 and widowed, my uhut (sister) is 23 and a college student, and my wondim (brother) is 13. He absolutely loves to play the role of astemaree (teacher)! The bet (house) in which I live is actually quite modern. My fellow PCVs are envious of my flush toilet and shower (most of them have pit latrines)! I fear, though, that I will not have such luxuries when I am on my own.

I will share more as I am able. Training is exhausting and what little time we have to ourselves is spent studying. Internet access in this town is fairly limited and slow, so my posts may be few and far between. I suspect that pictures may be impossible to upload, but I will do my best.

Bye, Bye U.S.A

Well today is the day! We have completed our 3 whirlwind days of training and are set to depart this evening. Our group is comprised of 43 people from all over the country with ages ranging from 22-65. It's amazing how quickly bonds form when a group of strangers are thrown together.

Because we are the first re-entry team to Ethiopia (a 10 year hiatus) we are receiving considerable attention. We've met with the Dean of GWU medical school who wants to set up a partnership between us and his international emergency medicine fellows, med. students, and public health students; we've met with a group of returned Ethiopian Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs); we've had the honor of meeting with the Director of Peace Corps and Congressmen Mike Honda (both RPCVs) and last evening we had the priveledge of meeting with the Ethiopian Ambassador at their embassy. WoW!

I'm so fortunate to have had pre-service training in D.C. as I have been able to spend some quality time with my sis. I'm actually writing this from her home! She's done Target runs for us, provided a few of us with a place to do 1 last load of laundry, and treated me to a very yummy American style breakfast. I'm really enjoying this role reversal :)

Although being in D.C. has been fun, it is safe to say that all of us are eager to step foot on Ethiopian soil and truly begin our journey. Stay tuned!

Final Preparation

What a whirlwind these past few weeks have been! I grossly underestimated the time required to make this transition and have been running like a chicken with my head cut off for the past 4 weeks. My house has yet to sell, but after 8 intense days all of my wordly possessions have been organized, sorted, and stored between my parents house, barn and cottage. A big THANK YOU to Mom and Dad and a couple of great guy friends with muscle :) Although not a very attractive picture, the first picture is how my Mom and I looked on the 8th and final day of moving! We're still trying to recover.

In addition to packing up the house, I've also managed to squeeze in a trip to Asheville to hone my "auntie" skills. I have quite the "yummy" little niece and will greatly miss her. My sis-in-law, Kim, has tried every tactic to sway me into staying in the States and has even offered to provide me with a safe harbor and stage occasional photo shoots so that it will look like I'm in Ethiopia. I give her an "A" for effort and creativity!

Last Friday, I parted with my favorite feline---Dexter. My absolutely wonderful and extremely generous friend, Amanda, will be serving as his foster mom for the next few years. I have to admit that neither Dexter nor I handled the transition well, but at least I didn't vomit! (sorry about that Amanda!)

Now...I find myself with 2 final days and a to-do list that is still a mile long. So...I best get started.

And the journey begins....

Hi friends and family and welcome to my blog. My new adventure is about to begin and I'm glad that you are along for the ride. My hope is to use this as a venue to keep everyone up to date, but I've no idea how often I will be able to post to it. My recommendation....add this site to your "favorites" and check in on me once in awhile.

As I write this post, I'm sitting at Panera in Kzoo, enjoying the aromas of fresh bread and great coffee and wondering what sights/smells await me in a few short weeks. I'm soaking up anything and everything "American"....and not counting the calories! I'm busy with final days at work (3 to go), planning a trip to Nova Scotia and Maine, trying to get organized, and praying all the while that my house will sell. Anyone in the market for a very cute Cape Cod?













For those of you who are interested in the nitty gritty of what I will be doing for the next 27 months, here is what I know now:

1) I will be serving with 40 other Health volunteers

2) We are the first re-entry team to Ethiopia in many years (that to me equals "guinea pig")

3) My job title is "Community HIV/AIDS Advisor"

4) I will be in training and living with a host family for the first 10 weeks

5) I will be expected to learn 2 languages

Short of the fact that I will likely have no running water or electricity....that is ALL I know! Stay tuned!

Needless to say I'm excited to see what God has in store for me and can't wait to share this experience with all of you. Thank you for your support, encouragement, and prayers. All are needed!