As some of you know, I had a hard time getting home for the holidays this year. I left Addis Thursday the 17th on the KLM flight that travels to Amsterdam via Khartoum. In Khartoum there was some issue (it was 1ish in the morning so I’m not clear on what the problem actually was but there was a delay in loading passengers and then they had to take all of the luggage off and match it with the passenger list and then reload). This delayed our arrival into Amsterdam for 2+ hours. Normally, flying to Dulles this wouldn’t matter, but I had chosen to fly to Detroit and then into Baltimore—which is a much shorter connection—and which I missed. I then spent two nights in Amsterdam and one night in Copehagen while I was routed and re-routed to Dulles (as Baltimore was too difficult). Ugh. So while I left on Thursday night and should have arrived on Friday, I actually arrived on Monday afternoon. While I was roaming around the airport, freezing cold cities, sitting on stalled trains, and enjoying my hotel, I wrote down a few things that I would tweet, if I was on twitter. So to recount the tale of my journey, I bring you my tweets below.
I did finally get home and with my luggage (though it arrived 30 minutes later on a different plane) and have since spent a little under a week in Phily with my sister and her family and the holidays with my mom, dad, sisters and families and my younger half brother and sister (and two dogs and a cat). Now I’m back in Baltimore for a few days and then to DC before heading back to Addis. Good times.
Anyway—here are my tweets: (BTW—care of Veronica Mars I’ve learned the Battlestar Gallactica cuss word of frac which I now use liberally)
• Sleeping on the floor of the plane during KLM delay—better than the seat!
• Sweat! Booked on a new flight and bumped to biz class!
• Sorry my flight is when? Oh, frac.
• Could this line be any longer?
• Why yes it could!
• I’ve just met the most helpful man in all of schipol. Hotel, vouchers, care kit? Sweet.
• I guess my room’s not that bad.
• Dinner is that bad.
• Oh frac that storm on the east coast.
• I’m going where?
• Would this woman just SHUT UP?! That is NOT helpful and frankly, I don’t care. None of us do.
• Well, this is a nicer hotel than last night. And another "care kit". I think I'm starting to hoard.
• Train into Amsterdam success!!
• What a lovely canal boat ride!
• Frac it’s cold!
• All set for the cold with my new (very expensive) hat and gloves.
• Now too tired to explore anymore.
• Train back to Schipol successfully boarded!
• Um, why are we stopping?
• Crazy man on the train tracks in the tunnel up ahead.
• Now police are coming.
• Now police are calling in the special police.
• Seriously? A suicide? I’m totally transportationally cursed.
• No I don’t speak French (said in French) so they keep trying to talk to me.
• Shared a cab to airport with other strandees—so that makes plane, train and automobile.
• It’s like the Amazing Race---but not fun.
• Please let Sunday be my luck day…cuz Saturday sure wasn’t.
• Who’s heard of SAS??
• Biz class in a small plane = middle seat empty. Boo.
• If KLM pawns me off to SAS and that flight is delayed—who takes care of me?
• It’s fracing snowing in Amsterdam. You’re kidding right?
• Next year, Christmas on a beach please.
• How can people bike in this cold?
• We’re almost ready to take off. Copenhagen here I come!
• After Schipol, Cope feels like I’m in the Toledo Airport of EU but with good shopping.
• My flight is what?!?!?!
• Canceled in case you couldn’t guess.
• I think I might cry.
• How the heck do I get out of this airport?!?!
• Oh. Cute dress.
• Copenhagen is cool—just freezing.
• People are jogging? Total nutters.
• Ugh—that guy's breath is rank.
• Me and one other woman in the hotel bar? Not a good sign.
• Misery loves company.
• Brittany Murphy died?
• Ah---on to London. Long live the Queen.
• Oh, you’ve been stuck since yesterday? So what?! I’ve been wearing this outfit for 5 DAYS!!!
• Ah London, good to be back.
• What’s the I see? A departure time???
• Holy crap! The Virgin Atlantic lounge is sa-wheet!! Pool table, food, bar, barber, kids play area?? Crazy!
• Boarding a plane to Dulles---yippee!!!
• “Upper Class” on VA is SA-WHEET!!! There’s disco lighting and my seat turns into a bed. Yeah!!
• Through customs in a breeze.
• My luggage is where? No I don’t mind waiting another 30 minutes.
• Madeleine Albright just left Dulles---didn’t see her. Bummer. I love her!
• Reunited and it feels so good!
• Ah the DC beltway. What joy.
• Home at last!!!
Hope everyone had a great holiday and here's wishing you a Happy New Year!!!
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Some photos from South Omo
Hi everyone,
I went to South Omo Zone with a colleague to monitor some programs and so I could check out the situation.
Here are some photo highlights:
I went to South Omo Zone with a colleague to monitor some programs and so I could check out the situation.
Here are some photo highlights:
 |
| Trip to South Omo |
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Thanksgiving weekend—a lot to be thankful for, especially for one lioness.
As you may read already, when traveling to southern Ethiopia to monitor programs I learned of and saw a lioness cub and then worked with James at The Born Free Foundation in Ethiopia to bring her back to Addis in a safer, healthier environment. While James was able to quickly bring Safia back to Addis, the issue of where to keep her remained. Safia spent a few weeks at James’ house (eating lots of meat and a whole chicken!) while he worked to establish a new temporary home for her on the new BFF land.
The Born Free Foundation (BFF) has been able to get 73 hectares of land about 25 kilometers from Addis Ababa from the Government of Ethiopia to use as a new wildlife center. The perimeter has been staked out and BFF now has trained and uniformed guards patrolling the area while BFF works on installing the perimeter fencing.
This weekend, I got to help James and the vet move Safia to her new home. It’s a temporary enclosure where she’ll live for a few months while the perimeter fencing and a larger permanent enclosure is built.
I arrived at James’ house in the morning and while we waited for the wildlife veterinarian I said hello to his other animals. BFF currently cares for a number of lions in a zoon in Addis, several additional lions and a cheetah currently living at the President’s house, and some animals residing with James. They include a cheetah, an owl, and several tortoises of varying sizes. The cheetah, Menelink, has a few toys that she likes to bring over to you and likes to be pet through the fence. Amazing!!!
Once the vet arrived, she got down to business. First up was darting Safia with anesthesia so that we had better access to her and she could be moved. From upstairs we could hear her growling. I thought it was cute…others found it a bit more intimidating. Once Safia was asleep, we brought her outside, got her weight (27kg), took her temperature, listened to her heartbeat, checked her stool (she has worms), and looked at her front left paw which is at a bit of an angle—though useable. I was also given the honors of cutting off the chain which has been around her neck since she was at the village where I first saw her.
Once the health check was over, we loaded her into a dog crate and headed out to the new site and she was transferred into her new quarters. We waited a while and she slowly started to come out of the anesthesia. If she focused on us close to her (but on the other side of the fence) she would growl. She eventually was able to shuffle herself around a bit and got herself into the corner of the room (she seems to like corners!).
A bit later James put in her dinner and she seemed to perk up a bit. I mean, who wouldn’t get excited at 1.5 kg of raw meat (plus a deworming pill and some calcium powder) in close proximity? Kidding aside, the instinct for meat was really strong. So she shuffled herself over to the meat and ate a bit…but it was like watching a little kid who wants the food but is so tired they can’t stay awake. And she kept up the growling when we moved around so that we wouldn’t get too close to her meat!
After a bit of the meat, her curiosity got the best of her and she drunkenly made her way over to the gate outside. The set up is similar to that of a zoo in the states where there’s the indoor enclosure where she’ll be at night and then a gate that can be opened so she can be outside or inside as she chooses during the day. She needs to be inside at night because there are hyenas, baboons and other animals that might find her—say we say interesting?—and she’s still quite young and can’t really defend herself. Another perimeter fence will be built with barbed wire and that will help as well.
Watching Safia go outside was really cool. It was the first time she’d been in the sunlight or felt wind for months. She tentatively stepped off of the concrete to the dirt and then went back inside. She came back out, took a few more steps off of the concrete and again went back inside. After another 15 minutes or so she managed to walk down to the far corner of the enclosure. By the time we left, she’d walked about halfway back up and had settled in a semi-sunny area to bask.
Needless to say I think she’s quite happy. I’m going to go back out on Friday to say hello and see how she’s getting on in her new home. I’m glad I told James about her, but I’m really glad that BFF has been able to set her up so nicely and so quickly. She really is a bit free now and will have a much better life. I’m going to try to keep supporting BFF and Safia in particular while I’m in Ethiopia. Maybe I should start looking for work in the conservation field???
A big thanks from Safia, James and me to those of you who’ve helped out and supported the costs for keeping her. The ones I know of are Stephen F, Eyerusalem H, Jamie S in Ethiopia (or by way of a staff person in my office) and Michelle S, Johanna O, Stef H and Sarah G in the US. Your contributions are making a HUGE difference!!!
To view the photos, click here.
Abrazos to all,
Jane
To contribute for Safia:
http://bornfree.wildlifedirect.org/category/born-free-ethiopia/
http://www.bornfree.org.uk/campaigns/further-activities/born-free-ethiopia/
(Let me know of your contribution and I'll tell James...you might get a shout out like Michelle S!)
If the link doesn't work, this slideshow will show you the same:
The Born Free Foundation (BFF) has been able to get 73 hectares of land about 25 kilometers from Addis Ababa from the Government of Ethiopia to use as a new wildlife center. The perimeter has been staked out and BFF now has trained and uniformed guards patrolling the area while BFF works on installing the perimeter fencing.
This weekend, I got to help James and the vet move Safia to her new home. It’s a temporary enclosure where she’ll live for a few months while the perimeter fencing and a larger permanent enclosure is built.
I arrived at James’ house in the morning and while we waited for the wildlife veterinarian I said hello to his other animals. BFF currently cares for a number of lions in a zoon in Addis, several additional lions and a cheetah currently living at the President’s house, and some animals residing with James. They include a cheetah, an owl, and several tortoises of varying sizes. The cheetah, Menelink, has a few toys that she likes to bring over to you and likes to be pet through the fence. Amazing!!!
Once the vet arrived, she got down to business. First up was darting Safia with anesthesia so that we had better access to her and she could be moved. From upstairs we could hear her growling. I thought it was cute…others found it a bit more intimidating. Once Safia was asleep, we brought her outside, got her weight (27kg), took her temperature, listened to her heartbeat, checked her stool (she has worms), and looked at her front left paw which is at a bit of an angle—though useable. I was also given the honors of cutting off the chain which has been around her neck since she was at the village where I first saw her.
Once the health check was over, we loaded her into a dog crate and headed out to the new site and she was transferred into her new quarters. We waited a while and she slowly started to come out of the anesthesia. If she focused on us close to her (but on the other side of the fence) she would growl. She eventually was able to shuffle herself around a bit and got herself into the corner of the room (she seems to like corners!).
A bit later James put in her dinner and she seemed to perk up a bit. I mean, who wouldn’t get excited at 1.5 kg of raw meat (plus a deworming pill and some calcium powder) in close proximity? Kidding aside, the instinct for meat was really strong. So she shuffled herself over to the meat and ate a bit…but it was like watching a little kid who wants the food but is so tired they can’t stay awake. And she kept up the growling when we moved around so that we wouldn’t get too close to her meat!
After a bit of the meat, her curiosity got the best of her and she drunkenly made her way over to the gate outside. The set up is similar to that of a zoo in the states where there’s the indoor enclosure where she’ll be at night and then a gate that can be opened so she can be outside or inside as she chooses during the day. She needs to be inside at night because there are hyenas, baboons and other animals that might find her—say we say interesting?—and she’s still quite young and can’t really defend herself. Another perimeter fence will be built with barbed wire and that will help as well.
Watching Safia go outside was really cool. It was the first time she’d been in the sunlight or felt wind for months. She tentatively stepped off of the concrete to the dirt and then went back inside. She came back out, took a few more steps off of the concrete and again went back inside. After another 15 minutes or so she managed to walk down to the far corner of the enclosure. By the time we left, she’d walked about halfway back up and had settled in a semi-sunny area to bask.
Needless to say I think she’s quite happy. I’m going to go back out on Friday to say hello and see how she’s getting on in her new home. I’m glad I told James about her, but I’m really glad that BFF has been able to set her up so nicely and so quickly. She really is a bit free now and will have a much better life. I’m going to try to keep supporting BFF and Safia in particular while I’m in Ethiopia. Maybe I should start looking for work in the conservation field???
A big thanks from Safia, James and me to those of you who’ve helped out and supported the costs for keeping her. The ones I know of are Stephen F, Eyerusalem H, Jamie S in Ethiopia (or by way of a staff person in my office) and Michelle S, Johanna O, Stef H and Sarah G in the US. Your contributions are making a HUGE difference!!!
To view the photos, click here.
 |
| Born Free and Safia |
Abrazos to all,
Jane
To contribute for Safia:
http://bornfree.wildlifedirect.org/category/born-free-ethiopia/
http://www.bornfree.org.uk/campaigns/further-activities/born-free-ethiopia/
(Let me know of your contribution and I'll tell James...you might get a shout out like Michelle S!)
If the link doesn't work, this slideshow will show you the same:
Monday, November 30, 2009
Help me help a lioness
Hi all--
Most of you know or remember how much I LOVE animals. Here is Ethiopia it's particularly hard to see the goats/sheep on the side of the road for sale, the donkeys carrying ridiculously heavy loads back and forth, the sad and hungry street dogs. It can be overwhelming. But I've recently found a small way I can make a difference and I'm hoping you can help me.
When on a site visit with one of my NGO partners, I went to a town where there was a man with a lion cub in his back room. I asked to see it and took this quick photo while I urged them to give her to the "proper authorities" as she would grow so quickly. I didn't know who the proper authorities were, but when I got back to Addis after a few other trips, the deputy of my agency had just visited the new program manager of the Born Free Foundation in Ethiopia. I emailed him and he followed up with a phone call and he was heading out for the two day drive a few days later. I've never seen anyone move so fast.
He got the local authorities and the lion "owner" to give her up (as they'd realized they really couldn't afford to feed her) and has brought her back to Addis. She's in a temporary enclosure while BFF sets up the permanent animal sanctuary outside of Addis. I've offered to volunteer with James to both try to get work crews together for the new site, but also to help out in whatever way necessary. Needless to say we're happy that he was able to rescue her from the stick hut where she was chained up and being poked and teased by kids.
Right now Safia is eating about $10 of food per day and that will more than double as she grows. I've attached a picture of her from later September. I'm hoping to see her again this weekend and will send out a follow up to those who are interested. The enclosure she's being moved to here in Addis while they set up the permanent center will cost about $600. James is looking for people to sponsor Safia as right now BF is paying for all of the food and other costs (for Safia, the two cheetahs he's got, the owl and the tortoises!).
If you're interested in making a donation to something really worthwhile and which I can provide updates on, it would be much appreciated. If you're in Addis, see me. If you're elsewhere and want to help out, go to one of the sites below and you can either donate for Ethiopia or just in general as they're now paying all costs. Just put in a reference to me and Safia (the lioness--we've discovered) if you can so James knows who sent you.
Sites: http://bornfree.wildlifedirect.org/category/born-free-ethiopia/
http://www.bornfree.org.uk/campaigns/further-activities/born-free-ethiopia/
This would be a great Christmas present for someone who loves animals!!! It's also tax deductible :-) !!!
Please pass this on as you see appropriate.
Jane
Monday, October 12, 2009
Two more trips to the field....lovely!
Hi,
So our protection officer was out for a few weeks and we made two trips to two areas of Ethiopia where our partners are working but which I had not yet visited. Both trips proved to be fascinating....and a bit of a trip!
The first trip was to a town called Kersa Dula in the Somali Region of Ethiopia where people had been displaced due to fighting but had returned with assistance from a partner that we give funding to. So we chatted with community members for a bit and visited the water point that has been rehabilitated to alleviate some of the tension with the neighboring community. The next day we traveled to another displaced persons camp and talked with some of the women and children about the issues they face. The driving to this region takes one and a half days so on the way back we stopped in Awassa and enjoyed a soda by the lake (with monkeys and birds galore).
Link:
http://picasaweb.google.com/jane.e.strachan/EthioKersaDulaHudet928103?authkey=Gv1sRgCNjI34z3yoKXbg&feat=directlink
The second trip was to the Gambella region of Ethiopia which borders Sudan. There are Sudanese refugees but again, we were looking at Ethiopians who've been displaced within Ethiopia. The people in Gambella really don't "look" like other Ethiopians. They look much more Sudanese. So you'll see in the photos a difference there. The second village we went to is accessible by boat and we saw lots of cool birds (this country is really a bird watchers dream) and some crocodiles! The community isn't getting flooded out this year (thankfully) and we're funding our partner in the region to provide a clean water point in the coming months which should help with many of the basic health/hygiene issues as right now they're using river water (which they don't boil though they know they should).
Link:
http://picasaweb.google.com/jane.e.strachan/EthioGambella1009?authkey=Gv1sRgCLv7y9KNwtf7Sg&feat=directlink
Anyway--both trips were really interesting for me since I haven't been to these areas or seen the programs of these two partners.
Now I'm in Nairobi for a week and then heading to a training in Kigali Rwanda (where I hope to take the weekend to look for mountain gorillas!!!).
In the meantime I'm being treated for amoebas and feeling MUCH better. Thank goodness for access to quality medications! And things are going along with work well. I've had a few requests for photos of my house so when I get back (and now that it's not raining) I'll take some and post them in early November.
Thanks for all of your emails and notes and enjoy this latest batch of photos!!
Abrazos,
Jane
P.S. -I'm hoping the slide show and links will work, but if not, let me know and I'll try a different post option.
So our protection officer was out for a few weeks and we made two trips to two areas of Ethiopia where our partners are working but which I had not yet visited. Both trips proved to be fascinating....and a bit of a trip!
The first trip was to a town called Kersa Dula in the Somali Region of Ethiopia where people had been displaced due to fighting but had returned with assistance from a partner that we give funding to. So we chatted with community members for a bit and visited the water point that has been rehabilitated to alleviate some of the tension with the neighboring community. The next day we traveled to another displaced persons camp and talked with some of the women and children about the issues they face. The driving to this region takes one and a half days so on the way back we stopped in Awassa and enjoyed a soda by the lake (with monkeys and birds galore).
 |
| Ethio-Kersa Dula/Hudet 9/28-10/3 |
Link:
http://picasaweb.google.com/jane.e.strachan/EthioKersaDulaHudet928103?authkey=Gv1sRgCNjI34z3yoKXbg&feat=directlink
The second trip was to the Gambella region of Ethiopia which borders Sudan. There are Sudanese refugees but again, we were looking at Ethiopians who've been displaced within Ethiopia. The people in Gambella really don't "look" like other Ethiopians. They look much more Sudanese. So you'll see in the photos a difference there. The second village we went to is accessible by boat and we saw lots of cool birds (this country is really a bird watchers dream) and some crocodiles! The community isn't getting flooded out this year (thankfully) and we're funding our partner in the region to provide a clean water point in the coming months which should help with many of the basic health/hygiene issues as right now they're using river water (which they don't boil though they know they should).
 |
| Ethio-Gambella 10-09 |
Link:
http://picasaweb.google.com/jane.e.strachan/EthioGambella1009?authkey=Gv1sRgCLv7y9KNwtf7Sg&feat=directlink
Anyway--both trips were really interesting for me since I haven't been to these areas or seen the programs of these two partners.
Now I'm in Nairobi for a week and then heading to a training in Kigali Rwanda (where I hope to take the weekend to look for mountain gorillas!!!).
In the meantime I'm being treated for amoebas and feeling MUCH better. Thank goodness for access to quality medications! And things are going along with work well. I've had a few requests for photos of my house so when I get back (and now that it's not raining) I'll take some and post them in early November.
Thanks for all of your emails and notes and enjoy this latest batch of photos!!
Abrazos,
Jane
P.S. -I'm hoping the slide show and links will work, but if not, let me know and I'll try a different post option.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Take 2 on the photo links
Let's see if this works:
Photos from trip to Asebe Tefari and Blue Nile Falls:
or
http://picasaweb.google.com/jane.e.strachan/EthiopiaBlueNileFallsAndAsebeTefariSeptember2009?authkey=Gv1sRgCJK7penu0erq6AE&feat=directlink
Photos from Mom's trip to Lalibela
http://picasaweb.google.com/jane.e.strachan/EthioLalibelaWithMom72772902?authkey=Gv1sRgCLG1z4bbh_TaJQ&feat=directlink
or
Photos from trip to Asebe Tefari and Blue Nile Falls:
or
http://picasaweb.google.com/jane.e.strachan/EthiopiaBlueNileFallsAndAsebeTefariSeptember2009?authkey=Gv1sRgCJK7penu0erq6AE&feat=directlink
Photos from Mom's trip to Lalibela
http://picasaweb.google.com/jane.e.strachan/EthioLalibelaWithMom72772902?authkey=Gv1sRgCLG1z4bbh_TaJQ&feat=directlink
or
 |
| Ethio-Lalibela with Mom 7/27-7/29 |
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Long overdue update from Ethiopia
So it’s been ages since I’ve written. I’ve been on some trips for work within Ethiopia, had my mother visit for a week, and went to Nairobi for meetings followed by almost a week with my sister and her family in Tanzania. And I’ve passed the 6 month mark. I can’t believe I’ve been here for a half of a year already! Time sure does fly.
First, for work, we’re definitely being kept busy. The situation in the country overall is precarious with successive poor or failed rains, cholera outbreaks, and lack of food and financial resources for relief operations. Despite that, I’m enjoying being here.
In one of the locations I visited there is very little food and people are eating cactus as their main food source. In another area I saw a completed water program that, with our funding and the diligent work of the NGO, provides water to four villages and one town a 11 different locations which means that people have to go much shorter distances for clean water. I’ve been able to travel with some other donor representatives and have thus have made some great new friends.
My mom came to visit for about a week in July which was lovely. But the weather and Ethiopian transportation systems conspired against us. Despite my plan to visit two locations, our flight was canceled after a terrifying landing attempt at the destination airport and then we had a scary flat tire a few days later. But we did get to visit Lalibela so Mom could see the famous rock churches. Maybe when she comes back we’ll visit other places (thought I don’t think coming back is tops on her list right now!).
Here are some photos from her visit:
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=jane.e.strachan&target=ALBUM&id=5364527697822569809&authkey=Gv1sRgCLG1z4bbh_TaJQ&invite=CNbt2e4D&feat=email
In August we had some regional meetings so I was able to get out of Addis and the incessant rains for a few days. Let me clarify that the rainy season started in June with hail storms and the thunderstorms and rains that have followed have been significant and fairly constant. Of course, this is in Addis which is up in the hills. In many of the other areas of the country, the rains will not be long enough that planted crops reach maturation—so people will likely loose another harvest. The rainy season is starting to abate—which is good for me as I’ve been enjoying the sunshine, but not for the farmers. In Nairobi I was able to do some shopping, download updates for my computer, some shows from iTunes, etc. But as it turns out, I’m a mobile cloud gatherer. After about 5 hours of sun in Nairobi the clouds rolled in for the remainder of my stay. So after our meetings finished I headed to Tanzania to see my sister et al.
Tanzania is of course, still lovely. Just driving along next to crystal blue waters lowers your blood pressure. Again, after about 5 hours of sunshine, the clouds rolled in. And then it was partly sunny and windy for the remainder of my stay! My sister, friend Tracy and I went to a beach about 4 hours from Dar that was beautiful and relaxing. It was a great break and I got to sit in the hammock, watch the little monkeys roam by looking for fruit in the trees, and read my book. I did take a dip in the ocean (before the rain started), and then it was on to the bar! On Sunday we drove back to Dar and I spent the next few days with my nephews and brother in law while my sister went back to work. I returned to find Addis still rainy and cold. Not much changes in a week and a half I guess!!!
The remainder of August has passed in a blur and we’re now in September. I’m just back from another trip for the inauguration of the water program I saw in July. Then I traveled with some friends to Blue Nile Falls and Lake Tana for a little break.
Photos from Asebe Tefari and Blue Nile Falls
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=jane.e.strachan&target=ALBUM&id=5378984635112285425&authkey=Gv1sRgCJK7penu0erq6AE&invite=COiGwNUO&feat=email
This Friday is Ethiopian New Year (September 11) so we have the day off and I’m planning some shenanigans with friends. Then we’ve got someone coming from WDC for a few weeks and I’ll be traveling with her, and then it’s off to meetings in Nairobi Kenya and Kigali Rwanda. Yippee!! I’m planning in Rwanda to go with a friend to see the gorillas—something I’ve wanted to do for years! I’m so excited.
So besides all of the travel and who-ha with work, not much is new. I’m pretty settled in and enjoying expat life here. There will be more to come with all of these trips to new places so stay tuned!
Miss you all,
Abrazos,
Jane
First, for work, we’re definitely being kept busy. The situation in the country overall is precarious with successive poor or failed rains, cholera outbreaks, and lack of food and financial resources for relief operations. Despite that, I’m enjoying being here.
In one of the locations I visited there is very little food and people are eating cactus as their main food source. In another area I saw a completed water program that, with our funding and the diligent work of the NGO, provides water to four villages and one town a 11 different locations which means that people have to go much shorter distances for clean water. I’ve been able to travel with some other donor representatives and have thus have made some great new friends.
My mom came to visit for about a week in July which was lovely. But the weather and Ethiopian transportation systems conspired against us. Despite my plan to visit two locations, our flight was canceled after a terrifying landing attempt at the destination airport and then we had a scary flat tire a few days later. But we did get to visit Lalibela so Mom could see the famous rock churches. Maybe when she comes back we’ll visit other places (thought I don’t think coming back is tops on her list right now!).
Here are some photos from her visit:
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=jane.e.strachan&target=ALBUM&id=5364527697822569809&authkey=Gv1sRgCLG1z4bbh_TaJQ&invite=CNbt2e4D&feat=email
In August we had some regional meetings so I was able to get out of Addis and the incessant rains for a few days. Let me clarify that the rainy season started in June with hail storms and the thunderstorms and rains that have followed have been significant and fairly constant. Of course, this is in Addis which is up in the hills. In many of the other areas of the country, the rains will not be long enough that planted crops reach maturation—so people will likely loose another harvest. The rainy season is starting to abate—which is good for me as I’ve been enjoying the sunshine, but not for the farmers. In Nairobi I was able to do some shopping, download updates for my computer, some shows from iTunes, etc. But as it turns out, I’m a mobile cloud gatherer. After about 5 hours of sun in Nairobi the clouds rolled in for the remainder of my stay. So after our meetings finished I headed to Tanzania to see my sister et al.
Tanzania is of course, still lovely. Just driving along next to crystal blue waters lowers your blood pressure. Again, after about 5 hours of sunshine, the clouds rolled in. And then it was partly sunny and windy for the remainder of my stay! My sister, friend Tracy and I went to a beach about 4 hours from Dar that was beautiful and relaxing. It was a great break and I got to sit in the hammock, watch the little monkeys roam by looking for fruit in the trees, and read my book. I did take a dip in the ocean (before the rain started), and then it was on to the bar! On Sunday we drove back to Dar and I spent the next few days with my nephews and brother in law while my sister went back to work. I returned to find Addis still rainy and cold. Not much changes in a week and a half I guess!!!
The remainder of August has passed in a blur and we’re now in September. I’m just back from another trip for the inauguration of the water program I saw in July. Then I traveled with some friends to Blue Nile Falls and Lake Tana for a little break.
Photos from Asebe Tefari and Blue Nile Falls
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=jane.e.strachan&target=ALBUM&id=5378984635112285425&authkey=Gv1sRgCJK7penu0erq6AE&invite=COiGwNUO&feat=email
This Friday is Ethiopian New Year (September 11) so we have the day off and I’m planning some shenanigans with friends. Then we’ve got someone coming from WDC for a few weeks and I’ll be traveling with her, and then it’s off to meetings in Nairobi Kenya and Kigali Rwanda. Yippee!! I’m planning in Rwanda to go with a friend to see the gorillas—something I’ve wanted to do for years! I’m so excited.
So besides all of the travel and who-ha with work, not much is new. I’m pretty settled in and enjoying expat life here. There will be more to come with all of these trips to new places so stay tuned!
Miss you all,
Abrazos,
Jane
Saturday, May 30, 2009
This update's been a long time comin'....
Hi all,
It’s been ages since I’ve written. Mostly I’ve just been slammed and super tired. And not having an internet connection at home or a super slow one at the hotel I was staying at exacerbated that problem! I still don’t have it at home but will hopefully correct that next week. In the meantime, it’s when I’m working late or on weekends, and frankly I’ve just been exhausted. Well, let me back up a few weeks.
In early May I went to Lalibela with my friend Sophia. This was all arranged because we had a three-day weekend and a friend in from Washington wanted to go see the sites. But during that week the H1N1 situation started worsening and the friend in from the states works for that division of USAID so she had to go home. It was the fourth time she’s tried to go to Lalibela on visits to Ethiopia so I blame the entire outbreak on her. Anyway, my original plan was to go up on Friday and back on Sunday. But since she cancelled, I decided to return with Sophia on Saturday instead.
Lalibela is famous for the 11 Ethiopian orthodox churches that have been carved into or out of rock. It’s a popular destination for religious holiday’s like Easter and you can see lots of priests, monks, other devout, praying in each of the churches. They’re all kind of dark and smelly on the inside, but it is quite a site to see. Supposedly they were all done in a few years but one man and his angels. Anyway—Sophia and I had a great time except for the flights delays both out and back. I like Ethiopian airlines but their in-country service isn’t the best.
Here’s a link to the Lalibela pictures:
http://picasaweb.google.com/jane.e.strachan/EthioLali?authkey=Gv1sRgCIfn98uSmvOfdg&feat=directlink
After that quick break it was right back to work. Things are heating up here as the short rainy season wasn’t very good. In April it was all about predictions, in May it’s been getting an accurate picture. Ethiopia is sooo complicated. There’s highlands, midlands and lowlands. They all have different rainy seasons and seasons with different names. They grow different things. In some places they’re pastoralists and in some places their crop-growers. And then there’s the food programs in the country. There are literally something like 5 of them. I’ve had it explained to me by different people and I still don’t understand the intricacies of who’s targeted for what activities. Both of those might not be super important for me to understand if it didn’t ultimately result in malnutrition—which is one of our major sectors. Needless to say, things could be better here.
So I went on a trip a few weeks ago to see four partners we fund for nutrition activities. In some places the situation is pretty good and the trained staff are doing really well. In other areas it’s not as good. There are sensitivities around this issue so I can’t say much. But the interesting thing is that as you drive around you see different crops. The problem is they’re way to short/small. I remember being told when I was little that corn (somewhere in the US) should be knee high by the Fourth of July. So using that marker, it looks like July 4 but is actually late August. Not so good.
Anyway—our partners are doing a good job but they’ll have a lot of work ahead of them. Especially as there’s not emergency food expected in the country in June which is the start of the “hungry” season (when people generally don’t have much food because they’re waiting for the Sept/Oct harvests). Then on the 4-5 hour back to Addis we hit a dog. It was awful. Kind of slow motion. And being a dog person I was very upset. Now dogs aren’t of value here for the majority of people. Sheep, goats, donkeys, yes. Dogs, no. So we didn’t stop. I just felt awful and got upset. The two people in the car, presumably not knowing how to react to my being upset just kind of chuckled. Which set me off into “a strop” as the Brits would say. And I had to sit in the car for another 2 hours. So I jus started losing it. I called my sister Molly to see if she had time for a getaway. Turns out she does—yeah. But ticket prices are between $700-1000—boo. Ugh.
Here are some photos of my trip to SNNPR, a region south of Addis.
http://picasaweb.google.com/jane.e.strachan/TripToSNNPMay09?authkey=Gv1sRgCMbR85T2_qa_Rw&feat=directlink
So, the trip is over and I’ve got a million things to do and emails to catch up on. But my house is ready! So I’ve got to move in. Which means learning the security system, meeting the night guards provided by work, hiring day guards/gardener guys, finding a cook/cleaner, etc. And unpacking a ton of boxes. As my mother said, I have too much stuff. A friend came over and helped me unpack so now most things are out of boxes, but not away. My kitchen and living room (easy) are pretty much done. But the bedroom, etc. Not so much. So I’m living in a mess. Then at the same time they re-did our office set up. Now I’m very supportive of this because now I’ve got a proper cube instead of a space the size of a piece of toast. But it meant that I was stressed at work, everything was discombobulated, and the same at home. It’s been a bit too much. So I had a three day weekend but didn’t get everything done. Yesterday (Thursday) as a holiday here and I ended up working an 8 hour day so again nothing at home got done. Yikes.
Here are some pictures of my house before I moved my stuff in. After photos coming soon…..
http://picasaweb.google.com/jane.e.strachan/HouseInAA?authkey=Gv1sRgCKyn8LP595zLsgE&feat=directlink
On the plus side, work is definitely not boring and I think I’m really appreciated here which makes a difference. Slowly, slowly I’m making new friends and that’s also helping. Once I get my car in (it’s in Djibouti right now clearing through customs), that will make a big difference.
Also—for those of you who miss the sound of my voice, dripping with sarcasm, there are lots of phone cards you can buy that allow you to call my cell phone. Check out noblecom.com if you’re interested and I’ll pass you my cell digits!!
That’s about it for now. I miss you all and am giving you big hugs!!
Jane
It’s been ages since I’ve written. Mostly I’ve just been slammed and super tired. And not having an internet connection at home or a super slow one at the hotel I was staying at exacerbated that problem! I still don’t have it at home but will hopefully correct that next week. In the meantime, it’s when I’m working late or on weekends, and frankly I’ve just been exhausted. Well, let me back up a few weeks.
In early May I went to Lalibela with my friend Sophia. This was all arranged because we had a three-day weekend and a friend in from Washington wanted to go see the sites. But during that week the H1N1 situation started worsening and the friend in from the states works for that division of USAID so she had to go home. It was the fourth time she’s tried to go to Lalibela on visits to Ethiopia so I blame the entire outbreak on her. Anyway, my original plan was to go up on Friday and back on Sunday. But since she cancelled, I decided to return with Sophia on Saturday instead.
Lalibela is famous for the 11 Ethiopian orthodox churches that have been carved into or out of rock. It’s a popular destination for religious holiday’s like Easter and you can see lots of priests, monks, other devout, praying in each of the churches. They’re all kind of dark and smelly on the inside, but it is quite a site to see. Supposedly they were all done in a few years but one man and his angels. Anyway—Sophia and I had a great time except for the flights delays both out and back. I like Ethiopian airlines but their in-country service isn’t the best.
Here’s a link to the Lalibela pictures:
http://picasaweb.google.com/jane.e.strachan/EthioLali?authkey=Gv1sRgCIfn98uSmvOfdg&feat=directlink
After that quick break it was right back to work. Things are heating up here as the short rainy season wasn’t very good. In April it was all about predictions, in May it’s been getting an accurate picture. Ethiopia is sooo complicated. There’s highlands, midlands and lowlands. They all have different rainy seasons and seasons with different names. They grow different things. In some places they’re pastoralists and in some places their crop-growers. And then there’s the food programs in the country. There are literally something like 5 of them. I’ve had it explained to me by different people and I still don’t understand the intricacies of who’s targeted for what activities. Both of those might not be super important for me to understand if it didn’t ultimately result in malnutrition—which is one of our major sectors. Needless to say, things could be better here.
So I went on a trip a few weeks ago to see four partners we fund for nutrition activities. In some places the situation is pretty good and the trained staff are doing really well. In other areas it’s not as good. There are sensitivities around this issue so I can’t say much. But the interesting thing is that as you drive around you see different crops. The problem is they’re way to short/small. I remember being told when I was little that corn (somewhere in the US) should be knee high by the Fourth of July. So using that marker, it looks like July 4 but is actually late August. Not so good.
Anyway—our partners are doing a good job but they’ll have a lot of work ahead of them. Especially as there’s not emergency food expected in the country in June which is the start of the “hungry” season (when people generally don’t have much food because they’re waiting for the Sept/Oct harvests). Then on the 4-5 hour back to Addis we hit a dog. It was awful. Kind of slow motion. And being a dog person I was very upset. Now dogs aren’t of value here for the majority of people. Sheep, goats, donkeys, yes. Dogs, no. So we didn’t stop. I just felt awful and got upset. The two people in the car, presumably not knowing how to react to my being upset just kind of chuckled. Which set me off into “a strop” as the Brits would say. And I had to sit in the car for another 2 hours. So I jus started losing it. I called my sister Molly to see if she had time for a getaway. Turns out she does—yeah. But ticket prices are between $700-1000—boo. Ugh.
Here are some photos of my trip to SNNPR, a region south of Addis.
http://picasaweb.google.com/jane.e.strachan/TripToSNNPMay09?authkey=Gv1sRgCMbR85T2_qa_Rw&feat=directlink
So, the trip is over and I’ve got a million things to do and emails to catch up on. But my house is ready! So I’ve got to move in. Which means learning the security system, meeting the night guards provided by work, hiring day guards/gardener guys, finding a cook/cleaner, etc. And unpacking a ton of boxes. As my mother said, I have too much stuff. A friend came over and helped me unpack so now most things are out of boxes, but not away. My kitchen and living room (easy) are pretty much done. But the bedroom, etc. Not so much. So I’m living in a mess. Then at the same time they re-did our office set up. Now I’m very supportive of this because now I’ve got a proper cube instead of a space the size of a piece of toast. But it meant that I was stressed at work, everything was discombobulated, and the same at home. It’s been a bit too much. So I had a three day weekend but didn’t get everything done. Yesterday (Thursday) as a holiday here and I ended up working an 8 hour day so again nothing at home got done. Yikes.
Here are some pictures of my house before I moved my stuff in. After photos coming soon…..
http://picasaweb.google.com/jane.e.strachan/HouseInAA?authkey=Gv1sRgCKyn8LP595zLsgE&feat=directlink
On the plus side, work is definitely not boring and I think I’m really appreciated here which makes a difference. Slowly, slowly I’m making new friends and that’s also helping. Once I get my car in (it’s in Djibouti right now clearing through customs), that will make a big difference.
Also—for those of you who miss the sound of my voice, dripping with sarcasm, there are lots of phone cards you can buy that allow you to call my cell phone. Check out noblecom.com if you’re interested and I’ll pass you my cell digits!!
That’s about it for now. I miss you all and am giving you big hugs!!
Jane
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Update from the middle of nowhere
Hi all,
Sorry for the 1) long time in between notes and 2) the brevity of this one. I'm at an internet cafe in Wolayita which is in SNNP Ethiopia to monitor some of the partners who do nutrition for us. The situation is varied--in some places good and in others not so much. I can't say much in this forum, but if you want the 411, let me know and I'll email you.
Basically we've been looking at the great work the health extension workers are doing at the community health posts in treating severe acute malnutrition. It's definitely good to see such intelligent young woman making a difference in their community. I've got a few more projects to see in the coming days and then back to Addis.
The really exciting (personal) news is that it looks like I can move into my house this weekend!! YEAH!! No more Sheraton/Sidama...but my own home!! And it sounds as though my personal effects (sent from the US by my office) will be arriving soon as well. Double yeah!! And my car may soon get here after it clears customs of the port in DJibouti! Triple yeah. I'm hoping for the May trifecta!!
Other than that, not much new. Things have been really busy. I've been working on planning for an H1N1 outbreak here---where we anticipate the situation would be much worse than in the US due to crowding, health care availability and underlying illness and malnutrition rates. So I've been working long days and collapsing into bed (with the Twilight Saga series) for the last week or two.
Anyway--things are calmer now. More soon with pictures of this trip and my new house coming soon. I hope you're all well!!!
Love,
Jane
Sorry for the 1) long time in between notes and 2) the brevity of this one. I'm at an internet cafe in Wolayita which is in SNNP Ethiopia to monitor some of the partners who do nutrition for us. The situation is varied--in some places good and in others not so much. I can't say much in this forum, but if you want the 411, let me know and I'll email you.
Basically we've been looking at the great work the health extension workers are doing at the community health posts in treating severe acute malnutrition. It's definitely good to see such intelligent young woman making a difference in their community. I've got a few more projects to see in the coming days and then back to Addis.
The really exciting (personal) news is that it looks like I can move into my house this weekend!! YEAH!! No more Sheraton/Sidama...but my own home!! And it sounds as though my personal effects (sent from the US by my office) will be arriving soon as well. Double yeah!! And my car may soon get here after it clears customs of the port in DJibouti! Triple yeah. I'm hoping for the May trifecta!!
Other than that, not much new. Things have been really busy. I've been working on planning for an H1N1 outbreak here---where we anticipate the situation would be much worse than in the US due to crowding, health care availability and underlying illness and malnutrition rates. So I've been working long days and collapsing into bed (with the Twilight Saga series) for the last week or two.
Anyway--things are calmer now. More soon with pictures of this trip and my new house coming soon. I hope you're all well!!!
Love,
Jane
Monday, April 20, 2009
My soon to be new house
So a few weeks ago I was able to see what will be my house....someday.....
It's not far from work (10-15 min drive), but it's not really close to the Bole area (more like 20 min-30 depending on where I want to go) where the shops and restaurants are. My main issue with the house (since I'm not even in it yet) is that it's strangely laid out and is a weird combo of pink and brown mostly (the owner REALLY likes pink) plus a little stone on the front.
You pull in the gate and go down a hill to park. At the top of the hill there is a guard house (and what look to be two small metal cages for guard dogs). There are two little patches of lawn on the right side as you roll down (big enough to stretch out on, not for table/chairs). You walk up a few steps and there's a very small little porch (enough for a hammock though). When you walk in the living room/dining room is on the right and connects to the kitchen (brown tiles on the wall--eeww). Nice high ceilings and wood floors in the LR/DR. if you exit through the other kitchen door there's a bathroom on the right. That's at the end of the hallway from the front door (meaning if you walk in the front door and keep going straight you'll end up in the bathroom). Across from the LR/DR is the master bedroom--so it faces the front/driveway and there's a big closet, bathroom with a green sink, toilet and bathtub (I mean, really? Is white so bad?) and get this--a tiny sauna. :-) So back out on the main hall way--if you're facing the bathroom to the left are two small rooms. One is "the guest room" and the other is?? office? Exercise?? I can't quite figure it out. They're not really big enough for much. Bummer.
So that's what the housing office considers the liveable space. But there's this whole other downstairs section. Since it's built into a hill, there's stuff underneath. There's another "guest room" as the owner calls it--it has a big room, small but full bathroom and bedroom. Then there's a little very weird room with a slanted wall. Then there's another room that leads into a huge space--big enough for ping pong and a pool table. Each of these rooms has a separate entrance--and none are connected by stairs to the top. So you have to walk outside to get into any of these. And each of these has been painted pepto-bismal pink. Also outside there's a little patio. And another room that will be for laundry. And the another little room for storage maybe? or for the guard to change? I don't know.
I spend a lot of time trying to figure out how I'm going to arrange things, what the logical placement is, etc. I can't quite imagine it yet. But since I don't live there yet, I've got some time.....
Anyway--that's the news on the housing front.....
Jane
It's not far from work (10-15 min drive), but it's not really close to the Bole area (more like 20 min-30 depending on where I want to go) where the shops and restaurants are. My main issue with the house (since I'm not even in it yet) is that it's strangely laid out and is a weird combo of pink and brown mostly (the owner REALLY likes pink) plus a little stone on the front.
You pull in the gate and go down a hill to park. At the top of the hill there is a guard house (and what look to be two small metal cages for guard dogs). There are two little patches of lawn on the right side as you roll down (big enough to stretch out on, not for table/chairs). You walk up a few steps and there's a very small little porch (enough for a hammock though). When you walk in the living room/dining room is on the right and connects to the kitchen (brown tiles on the wall--eeww). Nice high ceilings and wood floors in the LR/DR. if you exit through the other kitchen door there's a bathroom on the right. That's at the end of the hallway from the front door (meaning if you walk in the front door and keep going straight you'll end up in the bathroom). Across from the LR/DR is the master bedroom--so it faces the front/driveway and there's a big closet, bathroom with a green sink, toilet and bathtub (I mean, really? Is white so bad?) and get this--a tiny sauna. :-) So back out on the main hall way--if you're facing the bathroom to the left are two small rooms. One is "the guest room" and the other is?? office? Exercise?? I can't quite figure it out. They're not really big enough for much. Bummer.
So that's what the housing office considers the liveable space. But there's this whole other downstairs section. Since it's built into a hill, there's stuff underneath. There's another "guest room" as the owner calls it--it has a big room, small but full bathroom and bedroom. Then there's a little very weird room with a slanted wall. Then there's another room that leads into a huge space--big enough for ping pong and a pool table. Each of these rooms has a separate entrance--and none are connected by stairs to the top. So you have to walk outside to get into any of these. And each of these has been painted pepto-bismal pink. Also outside there's a little patio. And another room that will be for laundry. And the another little room for storage maybe? or for the guard to change? I don't know.
I spend a lot of time trying to figure out how I'm going to arrange things, what the logical placement is, etc. I can't quite imagine it yet. But since I don't live there yet, I've got some time.....
Anyway--that's the news on the housing front.....
Jane
Easter weekend in Addis
So it’s been a while since I’ve blogged. Mostly I’m just settling in and there’s not too much to report. I haven’t been to the field for weeks—which is definitely the more exciting information to put up, and not much is new in Addis. But, nonetheless, here’s an update.
I’m not at the Shearton anymore, but am still at the guest house that’s kind of like an executive apartment. I’m not sure when my house will be ready, but I’m guessing maybe the middle of May if I’m lucky. We’ll see. So the place I’m staying “Sidama Lodge” is pretty centrally located and I can walk to shops, restaurants, etc. It’s not bad, but it does have its drawbacks. Needless to say, when I finally do get to move into my house, it will be a good thing. I’ll post my initial description of my house separately….
Yesterday was Ethiopian Easter…for the Orthodox church it’s a full week later than in the US. So we had Friday off. It was definitely nice—but since we only work a half day on Friday it wasn’t as nice as a Monday off! So on Friday I met a friend at a local café and then we walked down the main street here, Bole Road, to the fairgrounds where they were having a small fair. It was bizarre really. There were a few things like traditional Ethiopian stools that I found interesting, but then it was kind of like a random market. Some spices, things like pasta, then housewares and carpets, and kids DVDs. It was mostly a waste, though I did buy a stool—but it did help pass the time. And when you don’t have a car, walking down to the fairgrounds and walking around for a while does help pass the day.
Saturday I slept in, read my book, and enjoyed the fact that the guys downstairs had accidently changed the tv channels to three that I actually like. Normally there are three news channels (CNN, BBC and Al Jazeera English), one French channel, skysports, an Ethiopian channel and one other English channel. Through some finagling I managed to get them to change the other English channel from the “action” channel which seemed to be comprised mostly of bad/violent movies from the 80s, to the “series” channel—which actually shows some current shows like Grey’s Anatomy or American Idol. But skysports because National Geographic and the French channel because “2” which is, I later found out, mostly bad movies—though there was one good one on. So it was a nice respite.
Sunday I treated myself to a day at the Sheraton hotel pool. It’s like an oasis. It’s beautiful, quite (from the normal Addis noise) and you can almost trick yourself to thinking you’re in a nice tropical paradise. The downside is, that despite putting on sunscreen repetitively and even sitting in the shade and covering up a good bit of the time, I still managed to get sunburned. Boo.
The major news is that they got a new shipment in at the commissary and I could buy diet coke. Yeah!! I’m so happy. I didn’t even drink that much in the US, but here it’s definitely one of my main treats!!
And lastly, I heard that Kaddafi wants to start the “United States of Africa’ and name the combined currency “The Afro”. I love it. It makes me smile every time I hear it!!
Anyway—more about the minutia of my life later….Hope you’re doing well and saving up to come visit!!
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Lots of Questions!!!
So I got an email today (4/9/09) from my friend Stefanie with lots of questions about daily life here. And as I was typing these up, I thought it would be smart to post them here so the rest of my "interested readers" can share in the knowledge!!
Here we go……
What types of restaurants are there? So far I know about Indian, LOTS of Italian (because the Italians have some kind of history here--not colonization but something), Korean, Thai, Chinese, some texmex, lots of coffee shops (the local version of starbucks is called Kaldi's), some other random cafes with some weird stuff. There's a good place called Limetree that has an interesting selection of sandwiches, salads, pizzas, some wraps, etc. It's good. But the Indian places are my favorite. And of course, there's Ethiopian!!
What are you eating mostly? I eat a lot of Indian, Italian and a mix when I'm in Addis. I moved into a little executive apartment type place so I can cook for myself--though getting vegetables (without a car, adventurous spirit and minimal linguistic skills) is difficult. I eat only Ethiopian when I'm in the field. Lesson learned there. Every time I got something that wasn't Ethiopian it tasted really weird. And it's usually not as described. For example, I ordered risotto at a touristy type restaurant in a fairly big city and it was a huge plate of white rice with melted cheese.
So Ethiopian for me is a lot of the same things. Mostly for breakfast I have "foul" (It’s pronounced fool) or fatira with egg. Foul is made from fava beans. Fatira is like thin thin thin tortilla strips cooked with egg and served with a bit of honey. For lunch/dinner I usually eat shiro which is made out of chickpeas mashed up to power and reconstituted with a bit of tomato, garlic, onion, berberi, (a spice that’s in EVERYTHING here) and probably some other stuff I don’t know about. You can eat that with injeera or bread. And then, there’s the "mixed" plate where you get a bunch of piles of stuff including shiro, a few types of lentils, a few types of vegetables, etc all served on injeera and with injeera which acts as your utensil. I’m coming around to injeera...it’s weird on its own but takes the flavor of whatever you’re picking up with it. And there’s A LOT of oil in everything. One of our drivers eats ground goat intestine for breakfast every day. Apparently that’s very common. EEWWW. I’m lucky because all of the Ethiopian Orthodox are fasting right now for lent. That either means that they’re not eating meat, or they’re not eating meat, fish or dairy. So the veggie option is always available. When it’s not lent, it’s a little tougher (I’m told) and they eat the "mixed" plate but which a bunch of kinds of meat in it too. Fortunately, Wednesdays and Fridays are fasting days year round so I’m covered a few days a week!
Where do locals eat? Mostly they eat at home. But if they’re going out, there are lots of cafes and restaurants serving Ethiopian food. But some of those with cash eat at the same places I do. It’s relatively inexpensive even in Addis but in the field it’s even cheaper. My foul was 8 birr (right now it’s 11 to the dollar but it was 9 when I got here) and shiro and a soda would be around 12 birr. In AA it’s a little more. Today, at the popular restaurant by my office I had a falafel burger for lunch and it was 42 birr. (The owner lived in the US for a while….falafel burgers are not common.)
What do they drink? Coffee and tea. Incessantly. But there is coke, fanta (orange), mineral water, sprite, pepsi, etc available. It’s just more expensive. The tea is really good if you get it with the spices. I think it’s cardamom boiled into the water. Mmmmm.
What are the prices like (not just for food, but in general)? So I really only know about restaurant foods for prices. Or prices for things in the field.
--My hotels in the field ranged from $4 to $30. For $30 you get a nice room with some good tv and hot water (most of the time). For $4 you get a clean and basic room. Hopefully with hot water but maybe not.
--I got some little bamboo shelves for $10—it’s kind of wobbly but good for shoes or books or something. My current apartment room doesn’t have shelves—just a hanging wardrobe—so I had to find something in a pinch!
--A one hour massage at the nice spa costs $20
--A soda is usually around 8-9 birr..sometimes more.
--A movie is $3 I think…I haven’t been but I think that’s what my friend said. And you can buy illegal copies of movies for $3 too. Not that I do, I’m just sayin’…..
--Food in the grocery store is pretty cheap. Except for cheese. That’s expensive. But my view is skewed because I also have the commissary I can use. That’s lots of "normal" food and it’s not too expensive. Sometimes it’s Costco-sized though. Like if you want ice cream you have to buy a 3-gallon container of it. That’s a real commitment. And I just learned that the refrigerated containers that the food comes in are called reefers. Hehe.
Is Diet Coke prevalent? DC is not prevalent. There seem to be imports of DC and/or Coke Zero (do we have that in the US? And if so what is it?) from either Egypt or Saudi Arabia. Sometimes you see it in a shop but it’s pretty rare. Needless to say I just ordered a ton of it for my consumables shipment!
Is there fountain soda? Sadly, no. Mainly there are bottles of soda. Sometimes you can find draft of one of the local beers, but other than that, no taps of anykind!!
What is the grocery store like? Imagine a store the size of a CVS or 7-11 and that’s probably the size. CVS for expat types and 7-11 for more local types of grocery stores. And they’ll have a lot of one thing and it will take up half of the shelf. So they’ll fill the shelves even if they only have corn flakes to put on it. I haven’t really found any familiar brands yet. Definitely not American brands. It’s too far away. I’ll see if I can take a photo or two at some point.
Are there familiar brands, and do they have Starbucks and McDonald's? There are fake versions of brands you know, but no international brands at all. It’s interesting!! There’s a Stackbucks and a McD restaurant, but don’t get your hopes up. My favorite is that there was an "Obama Change 08 restaurant" in a town I went to!!
Do people go running in the city? There are tons of people running. Including the best runners in the country. It’s very intimidating!! The problem for me is that the pollution is absolutely awful and it’s hard to get away from. There aren’t really parks that you can go to. There are gyms though so that’s the best bet for no smog. There’s a hash group too…
Pools? There are three pools. One at the Sheraton, one at the Hilton and one at a gym called Bole Rock. The bole rock gym pool is full of a lot of swimmers who don’t necessarily swim our type of lap. And there’s a question of the clorine content. As in there’s a lot but the pool is still cloudy and kind of gross. So that’s out. Then there’s the Hilton, but it’s heated by a natural spring—so for lounging, great; laps—not so much. And there’s the Sheraton. That’s the winner. I haven’t actually gone swimming yet (and I stayed there for a month!) but I’m working up to it. I just need goggles!!
Where will you get your hair cut and colored? I’m not sure. There are two options. My "sponsor"—the poor woman who was assigned to show me around and now has me at her house doing laundry every weekend—goes to a shop with a woman who used to cut hair in Georgetown. But the "spa" where you can get a massage, facial, mani/pedi, etc also has hair services. Some people like them, some don’t. For now, I’m growing it a little longer since I got it cut short before I left. As to color—no way. I’m au natural now!!
Can you buy books in English? You can, and it’s much cheaper than in Dar where my sister lives, but there’s not a huge selection. Mostly I order online. Thank goodness for the pouch!!
Are there movie theaters, and if so, do they dub the movies, or use subtitles? There’s one movie theatre here that I know about (that expats go to anyway) and I think they’re in English. The vast majority of people in Addis or in cities speak English. But I’m sure there are some in Amharic or other languages with English subtitles.
So I think that’s about it for now. If any of you have questions, let me know!!! I’m happy to answer them and it probably provides a nice change of pace from my rantings!!
More soon,
Jane
Here we go……
What types of restaurants are there? So far I know about Indian, LOTS of Italian (because the Italians have some kind of history here--not colonization but something), Korean, Thai, Chinese, some texmex, lots of coffee shops (the local version of starbucks is called Kaldi's), some other random cafes with some weird stuff. There's a good place called Limetree that has an interesting selection of sandwiches, salads, pizzas, some wraps, etc. It's good. But the Indian places are my favorite. And of course, there's Ethiopian!!
What are you eating mostly? I eat a lot of Indian, Italian and a mix when I'm in Addis. I moved into a little executive apartment type place so I can cook for myself--though getting vegetables (without a car, adventurous spirit and minimal linguistic skills) is difficult. I eat only Ethiopian when I'm in the field. Lesson learned there. Every time I got something that wasn't Ethiopian it tasted really weird. And it's usually not as described. For example, I ordered risotto at a touristy type restaurant in a fairly big city and it was a huge plate of white rice with melted cheese.
So Ethiopian for me is a lot of the same things. Mostly for breakfast I have "foul" (It’s pronounced fool) or fatira with egg. Foul is made from fava beans. Fatira is like thin thin thin tortilla strips cooked with egg and served with a bit of honey. For lunch/dinner I usually eat shiro which is made out of chickpeas mashed up to power and reconstituted with a bit of tomato, garlic, onion, berberi, (a spice that’s in EVERYTHING here) and probably some other stuff I don’t know about. You can eat that with injeera or bread. And then, there’s the "mixed" plate where you get a bunch of piles of stuff including shiro, a few types of lentils, a few types of vegetables, etc all served on injeera and with injeera which acts as your utensil. I’m coming around to injeera...it’s weird on its own but takes the flavor of whatever you’re picking up with it. And there’s A LOT of oil in everything. One of our drivers eats ground goat intestine for breakfast every day. Apparently that’s very common. EEWWW. I’m lucky because all of the Ethiopian Orthodox are fasting right now for lent. That either means that they’re not eating meat, or they’re not eating meat, fish or dairy. So the veggie option is always available. When it’s not lent, it’s a little tougher (I’m told) and they eat the "mixed" plate but which a bunch of kinds of meat in it too. Fortunately, Wednesdays and Fridays are fasting days year round so I’m covered a few days a week!
Where do locals eat? Mostly they eat at home. But if they’re going out, there are lots of cafes and restaurants serving Ethiopian food. But some of those with cash eat at the same places I do. It’s relatively inexpensive even in Addis but in the field it’s even cheaper. My foul was 8 birr (right now it’s 11 to the dollar but it was 9 when I got here) and shiro and a soda would be around 12 birr. In AA it’s a little more. Today, at the popular restaurant by my office I had a falafel burger for lunch and it was 42 birr. (The owner lived in the US for a while….falafel burgers are not common.)
What do they drink? Coffee and tea. Incessantly. But there is coke, fanta (orange), mineral water, sprite, pepsi, etc available. It’s just more expensive. The tea is really good if you get it with the spices. I think it’s cardamom boiled into the water. Mmmmm.
What are the prices like (not just for food, but in general)? So I really only know about restaurant foods for prices. Or prices for things in the field.
--My hotels in the field ranged from $4 to $30. For $30 you get a nice room with some good tv and hot water (most of the time). For $4 you get a clean and basic room. Hopefully with hot water but maybe not.
--I got some little bamboo shelves for $10—it’s kind of wobbly but good for shoes or books or something. My current apartment room doesn’t have shelves—just a hanging wardrobe—so I had to find something in a pinch!
--A one hour massage at the nice spa costs $20
--A soda is usually around 8-9 birr..sometimes more.
--A movie is $3 I think…I haven’t been but I think that’s what my friend said. And you can buy illegal copies of movies for $3 too. Not that I do, I’m just sayin’…..
--Food in the grocery store is pretty cheap. Except for cheese. That’s expensive. But my view is skewed because I also have the commissary I can use. That’s lots of "normal" food and it’s not too expensive. Sometimes it’s Costco-sized though. Like if you want ice cream you have to buy a 3-gallon container of it. That’s a real commitment. And I just learned that the refrigerated containers that the food comes in are called reefers. Hehe.
Is Diet Coke prevalent? DC is not prevalent. There seem to be imports of DC and/or Coke Zero (do we have that in the US? And if so what is it?) from either Egypt or Saudi Arabia. Sometimes you see it in a shop but it’s pretty rare. Needless to say I just ordered a ton of it for my consumables shipment!
Is there fountain soda? Sadly, no. Mainly there are bottles of soda. Sometimes you can find draft of one of the local beers, but other than that, no taps of anykind!!
What is the grocery store like? Imagine a store the size of a CVS or 7-11 and that’s probably the size. CVS for expat types and 7-11 for more local types of grocery stores. And they’ll have a lot of one thing and it will take up half of the shelf. So they’ll fill the shelves even if they only have corn flakes to put on it. I haven’t really found any familiar brands yet. Definitely not American brands. It’s too far away. I’ll see if I can take a photo or two at some point.
Are there familiar brands, and do they have Starbucks and McDonald's? There are fake versions of brands you know, but no international brands at all. It’s interesting!! There’s a Stackbucks and a McD restaurant, but don’t get your hopes up. My favorite is that there was an "Obama Change 08 restaurant" in a town I went to!!
Do people go running in the city? There are tons of people running. Including the best runners in the country. It’s very intimidating!! The problem for me is that the pollution is absolutely awful and it’s hard to get away from. There aren’t really parks that you can go to. There are gyms though so that’s the best bet for no smog. There’s a hash group too…
Pools? There are three pools. One at the Sheraton, one at the Hilton and one at a gym called Bole Rock. The bole rock gym pool is full of a lot of swimmers who don’t necessarily swim our type of lap. And there’s a question of the clorine content. As in there’s a lot but the pool is still cloudy and kind of gross. So that’s out. Then there’s the Hilton, but it’s heated by a natural spring—so for lounging, great; laps—not so much. And there’s the Sheraton. That’s the winner. I haven’t actually gone swimming yet (and I stayed there for a month!) but I’m working up to it. I just need goggles!!
Where will you get your hair cut and colored? I’m not sure. There are two options. My "sponsor"—the poor woman who was assigned to show me around and now has me at her house doing laundry every weekend—goes to a shop with a woman who used to cut hair in Georgetown. But the "spa" where you can get a massage, facial, mani/pedi, etc also has hair services. Some people like them, some don’t. For now, I’m growing it a little longer since I got it cut short before I left. As to color—no way. I’m au natural now!!
Can you buy books in English? You can, and it’s much cheaper than in Dar where my sister lives, but there’s not a huge selection. Mostly I order online. Thank goodness for the pouch!!
Are there movie theaters, and if so, do they dub the movies, or use subtitles? There’s one movie theatre here that I know about (that expats go to anyway) and I think they’re in English. The vast majority of people in Addis or in cities speak English. But I’m sure there are some in Amharic or other languages with English subtitles.
So I think that’s about it for now. If any of you have questions, let me know!!! I’m happy to answer them and it probably provides a nice change of pace from my rantings!!
More soon,
Jane
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Well, that was difficult!!
So apparently there are some things like blogging that are not looked upon favorably by some people. So I was trying to write but I couldn't save or post. Hmm. Anyway, I've figured out how to get back on the site so for now anyway, I'm back in business. Yeah!!
So here's the update. I went to look at one house they had available (for someone of my rank and family size) but there had been an incident in the house and I wasn't sure. This is one of the rare times I had the option of saying "no". And I exercised that option because it I was totally skeeved out. As soon as I walked in I got this awful feeling. So the good news is I don't have to leave in a creepy house. The bad news is there is no other house for me. So they have to find me one and "fix it up" to our standards. That means I'm looking at another few months in temporary quarters. So yesterday I looked at a little temporary apartment place. It's nice! It's a living room/dining room, kitchen, bedroom and bath. So I'll get set up there in early April (when they have space) and will hang there until my house is ready.
It's close to the "main drag" where there are super markets, shops, restaurants, the spa--yes there's a spa here-- and more. And it's close to a few of my friends. So it's all good!! I'll send pictures if I can once I get set up.
Even more exciting is that my air freight (I was allowed to send 250 lbs of stuff) has arrived a cleared customs so once I"m in the apartment I can open up my boxes of clothes, sheets, a few books and movies, etc. Yeah!! It'll make it feel like I'm finally settling in.
This Sunday I'm heading out to the field again for a week...a different region. It's fantastic that I'm able to see so many of our programs so quickly. In the three years I worked on Darfur there were some programs I never got to see because of security. That will be true for some of our programs here, but at least there's a lot more accessibility.
So all in all, I'd say I'm doing ok. I'm settling in, learning the ropes, getting a feel for my job, etc.
If you have the time, drop me an email!! In the meantime...I'll keep sending these messages out into cyberspace!!
Love,
Jane
So here's the update. I went to look at one house they had available (for someone of my rank and family size) but there had been an incident in the house and I wasn't sure. This is one of the rare times I had the option of saying "no". And I exercised that option because it I was totally skeeved out. As soon as I walked in I got this awful feeling. So the good news is I don't have to leave in a creepy house. The bad news is there is no other house for me. So they have to find me one and "fix it up" to our standards. That means I'm looking at another few months in temporary quarters. So yesterday I looked at a little temporary apartment place. It's nice! It's a living room/dining room, kitchen, bedroom and bath. So I'll get set up there in early April (when they have space) and will hang there until my house is ready.
It's close to the "main drag" where there are super markets, shops, restaurants, the spa--yes there's a spa here-- and more. And it's close to a few of my friends. So it's all good!! I'll send pictures if I can once I get set up.
Even more exciting is that my air freight (I was allowed to send 250 lbs of stuff) has arrived a cleared customs so once I"m in the apartment I can open up my boxes of clothes, sheets, a few books and movies, etc. Yeah!! It'll make it feel like I'm finally settling in.
This Sunday I'm heading out to the field again for a week...a different region. It's fantastic that I'm able to see so many of our programs so quickly. In the three years I worked on Darfur there were some programs I never got to see because of security. That will be true for some of our programs here, but at least there's a lot more accessibility.
So all in all, I'd say I'm doing ok. I'm settling in, learning the ropes, getting a feel for my job, etc.
If you have the time, drop me an email!! In the meantime...I'll keep sending these messages out into cyberspace!!
Love,
Jane
field, meetings, no power, meetings
From Sunday 3/15/09 (due to technical difficulties I was unable to post this sooner)
Hi,
So since I last wrote I've been on another program intro and monitoring trip. I headed south of Addis to check out a slew of water, sanitation and hygiene promotion programs. The programs look good, especially since the conditions in the program areas are so, so dry! So a quick trip leaving early Monday morning and getting back Wednesday around 1. The traffic in the city was brutal! Especially since I'd had a lot of water to drink during the 5 hour drive. Ugh.
We got back and after a quick shower and change it was off to an afternoon of meetings. That was followed by another full day of meetings. Then another full day on Friday. Thursday night the power went out and the Sheraton said it's the first time in their history here that the generator hasn't worked (it was a power surge I guess). So there was no power or water from 10:30 pm Thursday until sometime after I'd headed to the office. So that was gross. A full day where I felt skanky. Boo. Normally on Friday we close around 12 noon but I was there until about 6 pm trying to finish up meetings and get caught up on emails. When you're not in the office for 1 1/2 weeks things tend to get away from you! Like turning in your timesheet. Oops.
So this weekend has been a bit about recovering, and a bit about getting to know Addis. And thanks to my friend Kimberly, a bit about doing laundry! yeah!!
Addis is a huge, huge city and because most of the streets aren't named it's kind of hard to learn your way around. But I guess I'm catching on slowly. I'm still at the hotel but hopefully not too much longer. I'm looking into a few other options this week. I can't stay here forever!! Plus it's super expensive.
I've been trying to get caught up on facebook, my personal emails and through this posting but I've been having some internet problems. Boo. So instead of loading my photos from my most recent trip to the field on this post, I've uploaded them to picasa. Hopefully this link will take you there. Enjoy!!
Jane
Hi,
So since I last wrote I've been on another program intro and monitoring trip. I headed south of Addis to check out a slew of water, sanitation and hygiene promotion programs. The programs look good, especially since the conditions in the program areas are so, so dry! So a quick trip leaving early Monday morning and getting back Wednesday around 1. The traffic in the city was brutal! Especially since I'd had a lot of water to drink during the 5 hour drive. Ugh.
We got back and after a quick shower and change it was off to an afternoon of meetings. That was followed by another full day of meetings. Then another full day on Friday. Thursday night the power went out and the Sheraton said it's the first time in their history here that the generator hasn't worked (it was a power surge I guess). So there was no power or water from 10:30 pm Thursday until sometime after I'd headed to the office. So that was gross. A full day where I felt skanky. Boo. Normally on Friday we close around 12 noon but I was there until about 6 pm trying to finish up meetings and get caught up on emails. When you're not in the office for 1 1/2 weeks things tend to get away from you! Like turning in your timesheet. Oops.
So this weekend has been a bit about recovering, and a bit about getting to know Addis. And thanks to my friend Kimberly, a bit about doing laundry! yeah!!
Addis is a huge, huge city and because most of the streets aren't named it's kind of hard to learn your way around. But I guess I'm catching on slowly. I'm still at the hotel but hopefully not too much longer. I'm looking into a few other options this week. I can't stay here forever!! Plus it's super expensive.
I've been trying to get caught up on facebook, my personal emails and through this posting but I've been having some internet problems. Boo. So instead of loading my photos from my most recent trip to the field on this post, I've uploaded them to picasa. Hopefully this link will take you there. Enjoy!!
 |
| Ethio-SNNP 3/9-3/11 |
Jane
Sunday, March 8, 2009
First trip to the field
Well hello again from the beautiful Sheraton in Addis. I'm here after a 5 day trip to eastern Ethiopia to check out some of the projects we fund. It was a great trip and I'm already learning a ton about Ethiopia and its people and about the projects that are going on to address identified needs. Here are a few shots from this trip....I forgot about the uploading order for blogspot so these are totally out order and the connection's not fast enough that I want to redo this...so bear with me....
As we drive on the road in the early morning, we pass a few men heading to their fields....
One of the projects brings spring water to a village through an enclosed (and there for cleaner) system. It's used for people.......
agriculture (here one of the men of the village show the large potatoes they've been able to harvest far from the spring becuase of the water overflow system that waters the field)
and for livestock. Even though the trough is just starting to fill up, a thirsty cow gets a drink.
While we were walking around the village, we had quite a following. Here are a few of the friendly faces.....
The view on the road as we drive to one of the projects.
More friendly faces....
Some roadside traffic slows us down. It could be these guys, or sheep, cows, etc.
Some terracing can be seen as people try to take advantage of every available inch of land for agriculture....
Some of the vehicular traffic seems more scary than the animals meandering along....
And the view was lovely. My colleague remembers when this small lake was actually quite large and could provide much of the water needs for several villages. Now it is being overused and with less than average rain for the past year or so, the lake isn't quite as plentiful....
As we get to the bottomor of the hill (from the road picture above) we come through a typical town....
Here are some of the first friendly faces we saw.
This little guy was a bit more suspicious...
but with the large crowd following us from the spring, to the animal trough, to the fields and then finaly the water source, it was a bit overwelming for me too!
These women, part of a savings and loan program, show us that the lock box has three locks and three keys held by three elected women of the group. Maybe we should have thought of that for some of America's financial systems??
Anyway--there's more to share that's not related to the trip but it's late on Sunday evening and I'm heading out on another trip tomorrow at 6 am so I'm off to bed. But these pictures should give you a bit of an idea of what I'm seeing....
More soon, love Jane
As we drive on the road in the early morning, we pass a few men heading to their fields....
One of the projects brings spring water to a village through an enclosed (and there for cleaner) system. It's used for people.......
agriculture (here one of the men of the village show the large potatoes they've been able to harvest far from the spring becuase of the water overflow system that waters the field)
and for livestock. Even though the trough is just starting to fill up, a thirsty cow gets a drink.
While we were walking around the village, we had quite a following. Here are a few of the friendly faces.....
The view on the road as we drive to one of the projects.
More friendly faces....
Some roadside traffic slows us down. It could be these guys, or sheep, cows, etc.
Some terracing can be seen as people try to take advantage of every available inch of land for agriculture....
Some of the vehicular traffic seems more scary than the animals meandering along....
Most of the road was pretty good.....
And the view was lovely. My colleague remembers when this small lake was actually quite large and could provide much of the water needs for several villages. Now it is being overused and with less than average rain for the past year or so, the lake isn't quite as plentiful....
As we get to the bottomor of the hill (from the road picture above) we come through a typical town....
Here are some of the first friendly faces we saw.
This little guy was a bit more suspicious...
but with the large crowd following us from the spring, to the animal trough, to the fields and then finaly the water source, it was a bit overwelming for me too!
These women, part of a savings and loan program, show us that the lock box has three locks and three keys held by three elected women of the group. Maybe we should have thought of that for some of America's financial systems??
Anyway--there's more to share that's not related to the trip but it's late on Sunday evening and I'm heading out on another trip tomorrow at 6 am so I'm off to bed. But these pictures should give you a bit of an idea of what I'm seeing....
More soon, love Jane
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Settling In And Getting To Know My Surroundings
So just as I was finishing this, I got moved to a new (and better room!) More on that tomorrow. For now, here's what I had written.....
The Sheraton...my new home for at least a few weeks.... is shaped like a U and at first I was at the base...so to my left I saw a long side....
....as well as the gardens/fountain and a bit of Addis in the background.
This weekend is a three day weekend. There was an organized trip for some those of my colleagues and their families who were interested to go to Debre Libanos--a historic site about 100 kilometers from Addis. Debre Libanos has a famous church and cave and is located in a beautiful gorge.
During the drive to Debre Libanos we passed a lot of haystacks (and teff-stacks) by the road. Harvest season is in full swing.
When a group of us stopped for a view, we were quickly surrounded by local kids selling basics and crosses made out of pink marble....
The view of the gorge was gorgeous---even if it was a little hazy.
At the chuch, a monk walks by our group.
The view from the church:
Inside the church, the stained glass was unexpected, and beautiful.
After the church and a hike to a cave--where the water is considered holy--we stopped for a picnic and another little hike to the "portuguese bridge".
The bridge--built by the Portuguese about 400 years ago out of limestone.
A family of baboons walk nearby as they graze.
The Sheraton...my new home for at least a few weeks.... is shaped like a U and at first I was at the base...so to my left I saw a long side....
....as well as the gardens/fountain and a bit of Addis in the background.
This weekend is a three day weekend. There was an organized trip for some those of my colleagues and their families who were interested to go to Debre Libanos--a historic site about 100 kilometers from Addis. Debre Libanos has a famous church and cave and is located in a beautiful gorge.
During the drive to Debre Libanos we passed a lot of haystacks (and teff-stacks) by the road. Harvest season is in full swing.
When a group of us stopped for a view, we were quickly surrounded by local kids selling basics and crosses made out of pink marble....
The view of the gorge was gorgeous---even if it was a little hazy.
At the chuch, a monk walks by our group.
The view from the church:
Inside the church, the stained glass was unexpected, and beautiful.
After the church and a hike to a cave--where the water is considered holy--we stopped for a picnic and another little hike to the "portuguese bridge".
The bridge--built by the Portuguese about 400 years ago out of limestone.
A family of baboons walk nearby as they graze.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Ethiopia At Last
Hi all,
It's Thursday here and I'm starting to settle in. I had a rough night last night with some of the worst jet lag I've had since I traveled to Asia. I was awake from 11-3...but I watched Breach on the movie channel to keep my mind off things. Like the fact that I live here now and I don't have any friends!! But back to basics.
I arrived on KLM via Amsterdam and it was all uneventful. My flight actually got in an hour early and both my bags arrived...hurrah! I'm staying at the Sheraton...which is like the nicest hotel in the country--probably one of the nicest in Africa. Holy cannoli!! It's like a palace! The first classic moment was when the check in guy asked if a room with two twins was ok. I asked if there was a room with a queen bed available. He said no. I said two twins was fine. :-) But I've unpacked my stuff mostly and am forcing myself to get up at 6:45 am so that I can get the 7:30 "shuttle" to the office.
Yesterday my sponsor took me around to meet everyone. This office is huge!! Especially compared to Sudan. My colleagues tell me there are over 200 staff people here!!! Needless to say I only remember about 5 people's names. Finding houseing for people is a problem...apparently the going rent here for an expat house is about $2,500 a month....plus we get it furnished, with appliances, etc. So it's a booming business! I don't think I'll get a house for about a month so for now the Sheraton is home.
My office is a bit of an annex to the main building. I'm on the roof. And in a cube that is so tiny I can't really move my chair around! I'm told that this will change in about a month (let's hope). But I did get one of two boxes of office stuff from DC and have put up pictures, etc. So far so good!! I'm not really "working" yet because of all of the check-in procedures I have to go through but I'm seeing a few emails and am being introduced around. I've actually got a field trip scheduled with my colleague next Wednesday so that should be really interesting.
I'll post some photos of the Sheraton and the office tomorrow or so. The Internet isn't too good here so I'll have to try to do it at an "off" time so I don't hog the bandwidth.
Sp, I guess I'm starting to settle in. It's going to be a process though. I can tell.
More soon,
Jane
It's Thursday here and I'm starting to settle in. I had a rough night last night with some of the worst jet lag I've had since I traveled to Asia. I was awake from 11-3...but I watched Breach on the movie channel to keep my mind off things. Like the fact that I live here now and I don't have any friends!! But back to basics.
I arrived on KLM via Amsterdam and it was all uneventful. My flight actually got in an hour early and both my bags arrived...hurrah! I'm staying at the Sheraton...which is like the nicest hotel in the country--probably one of the nicest in Africa. Holy cannoli!! It's like a palace! The first classic moment was when the check in guy asked if a room with two twins was ok. I asked if there was a room with a queen bed available. He said no. I said two twins was fine. :-) But I've unpacked my stuff mostly and am forcing myself to get up at 6:45 am so that I can get the 7:30 "shuttle" to the office.
Yesterday my sponsor took me around to meet everyone. This office is huge!! Especially compared to Sudan. My colleagues tell me there are over 200 staff people here!!! Needless to say I only remember about 5 people's names. Finding houseing for people is a problem...apparently the going rent here for an expat house is about $2,500 a month....plus we get it furnished, with appliances, etc. So it's a booming business! I don't think I'll get a house for about a month so for now the Sheraton is home.
My office is a bit of an annex to the main building. I'm on the roof. And in a cube that is so tiny I can't really move my chair around! I'm told that this will change in about a month (let's hope). But I did get one of two boxes of office stuff from DC and have put up pictures, etc. So far so good!! I'm not really "working" yet because of all of the check-in procedures I have to go through but I'm seeing a few emails and am being introduced around. I've actually got a field trip scheduled with my colleague next Wednesday so that should be really interesting.
I'll post some photos of the Sheraton and the office tomorrow or so. The Internet isn't too good here so I'll have to try to do it at an "off" time so I don't hog the bandwidth.
Sp, I guess I'm starting to settle in. It's going to be a process though. I can tell.
More soon,
Jane
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Pack Out Day 2....Take It Away Boys!
Hi--So yesterday was a frantic day. More like what I was expecting from day 1. The guys swooped in and started taking everything away. Before I knew it, I could see the far wall again!!
Here they are getting started and taking inventory.....
Things start to thin out as they get down to the furniture.....
I decided to check out how this works....This is my US storage crate. So they put everything in these crates and then these go into a government warehouse--which I imagine to look something like where the Ark of the Covenant goes at the end of the first Indiana Jones.....
And for the stuff coming with me....there are four--that's right people--I said four--of these smaller crates.
Off to clean it....more soon. It's all Bobby D and Shannon R's fault that I couldn't write this last night.
Here they are getting started and taking inventory.....
Things start to thin out as they get down to the furniture.....
I decided to check out how this works....This is my US storage crate. So they put everything in these crates and then these go into a government warehouse--which I imagine to look something like where the Ark of the Covenant goes at the end of the first Indiana Jones.....
And for the stuff coming with me....there are four--that's right people--I said four--of these smaller crates.
Off to clean it....more soon. It's all Bobby D and Shannon R's fault that I couldn't write this last night.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Survived Day One-TMS
So my mom said I suffer from TMS....too much stuff. And it may be true. The pack out started today when three women showed up with all of the boxes I could imagine. And then they got to work. They started packing at 10 am, took a 1 hour lunch break and finished at 5:45....Brutal. And for some reason I'm tired. Though I did have to make some last minute adjustments...like apparently they don't take anything down that's above eye level....so the high kitchen shelves, curtains, etc. Would have been nice to know that before my place was overrun with boxes!!
Anyway--I survived and am now comfortably ensconced in a hotel in Dupont Circle for the next few days. Here's what it looked like today....
Mom gets down to business.....
Janet, the crew chief, tackles the biggest pile.
Annie gets busy packing up my kitchen.
Shannon, taking notes for her own pack out next week, helps Anna in my bedroom.
Towards this end, this is what my living room looked like.....
Stay tuned for Day 2 tomorrow!!!
Anyway--I survived and am now comfortably ensconced in a hotel in Dupont Circle for the next few days. Here's what it looked like today....
Mom gets down to business.....
Janet, the crew chief, tackles the biggest pile.
Annie gets busy packing up my kitchen.
Shannon, taking notes for her own pack out next week, helps Anna in my bedroom.
Towards this end, this is what my living room looked like.....Stay tuned for Day 2 tomorrow!!!
Monday, February 16, 2009
True Panic Sets In
So my pack out is tomorrow. And I'm panicked. I don't mean I'm a little worried about things....I mean I just had a full on panic attack where I was crying and freaking out about crying. It's ridiculous. I'm much better now; I think I just had to get it out.
There are so many things to be done, and only so much time in the day. And to that minor complications that pop up and disrupt my carefully planned schedule and it's just rough going.
Add to that the onslaught of tearful or semi-tearful goodbyes to a multitude of friends, and some weird vaccination meds that make you feel yucky and it just doesn't add up to a fun time.
So I've been bringing stuff out of storage and where some was "resting" at my friends house. A huge thanks to Mark S, Dan F and Adrienne T for all of their help on Saturday and Sunday. The previously huge-seeming costco pile has now been dwarfed by, well, take a look:
I mean, who can relax in this mess??? But the fact that a bunch of guys are going to swoop in and have me packed up in no time doesn't really calm me if you know what I mean.
Anyway--I still have some sorting to do, and some forms to get organized. But the move excitement continues. I'm not worried about going at all, I'm just stressed about the next few days. Then all will be right in the world of Jane--well, at least I hope so!!
More soon,
Jane
There are so many things to be done, and only so much time in the day. And to that minor complications that pop up and disrupt my carefully planned schedule and it's just rough going.
Add to that the onslaught of tearful or semi-tearful goodbyes to a multitude of friends, and some weird vaccination meds that make you feel yucky and it just doesn't add up to a fun time.
So I've been bringing stuff out of storage and where some was "resting" at my friends house. A huge thanks to Mark S, Dan F and Adrienne T for all of their help on Saturday and Sunday. The previously huge-seeming costco pile has now been dwarfed by, well, take a look:
I mean, who can relax in this mess??? But the fact that a bunch of guys are going to swoop in and have me packed up in no time doesn't really calm me if you know what I mean.
Anyway--I still have some sorting to do, and some forms to get organized. But the move excitement continues. I'm not worried about going at all, I'm just stressed about the next few days. Then all will be right in the world of Jane--well, at least I hope so!!
More soon,
Jane
Saturday, February 14, 2009
I'm sure I could live without it, but....
Oh my goodness. I'm starting to panic!!
So my pack out (when the movers come and pack up everything I own) is on Tuesday. I've got to have everything sorted for what I'm taking and what is staying...and what I want to go air freight vs ocean freight...and what I want to take on the plane with me. Plus I'm arranging for my condo to be cleaned, the rugs to be steam cleaned, etc to get it ready for my tenants. I've got lists of lists of lists. I have to write down what errands I'm running becuase I'm forgetting. It's just ridiculous!
So I've been told that the internet's pretty slow in Addis and I shouldn't expect much...and to bring books and dvds with me. So I've been doing a little shopping--a wii, the wii fit, wii games, board games, dvds, some books, etc. You get the idea.
Then on top of that I've got my "consumables" or stuff that I'll use up and the government pays for me to ship over becuase it's such a hardship to live without your oreos! I mean stuff like babyfood and diapers I get, but I can take a ridiculous amount. I didn't go that nuts even but I still managed to spend $1,000 at costco yesterday. Seriously! 1G!
Maybe I should just go with a suitcase and nothing more--go all peace corps style. But then again, I do really like my bed, and my photos, and my stuff....hmmm.
Oh well, I think my buying spree is over. The costco trip took it out of me. Here's my pile....
It's impressive and sad at the same time isn't it.
Off to the "export" store to buy coverters for my electronics. Seriously?!?! It never ends.
More soon as pack out day nears....
So my pack out (when the movers come and pack up everything I own) is on Tuesday. I've got to have everything sorted for what I'm taking and what is staying...and what I want to go air freight vs ocean freight...and what I want to take on the plane with me. Plus I'm arranging for my condo to be cleaned, the rugs to be steam cleaned, etc to get it ready for my tenants. I've got lists of lists of lists. I have to write down what errands I'm running becuase I'm forgetting. It's just ridiculous!
So I've been told that the internet's pretty slow in Addis and I shouldn't expect much...and to bring books and dvds with me. So I've been doing a little shopping--a wii, the wii fit, wii games, board games, dvds, some books, etc. You get the idea.
Then on top of that I've got my "consumables" or stuff that I'll use up and the government pays for me to ship over becuase it's such a hardship to live without your oreos! I mean stuff like babyfood and diapers I get, but I can take a ridiculous amount. I didn't go that nuts even but I still managed to spend $1,000 at costco yesterday. Seriously! 1G!
Maybe I should just go with a suitcase and nothing more--go all peace corps style. But then again, I do really like my bed, and my photos, and my stuff....hmmm.
Oh well, I think my buying spree is over. The costco trip took it out of me. Here's my pile....
It's impressive and sad at the same time isn't it.
Off to the "export" store to buy coverters for my electronics. Seriously?!?! It never ends.
More soon as pack out day nears....
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Big news in 2009
Hi all,
It's been a while since I've posted anything, so first, Happy New Year! I hope you all had a great holiday season!!
So far, 2009 looks like it's going to be interesting for me! I've taken a job with my current employer in Ethiopia. I'll be the Program Officer and will be there for at least a year or two. The job entails monitoring programs (we fund NGOs to implement water/sanitation, health, food security, etc programs) and working with NGOs on proposal development as well as providing some technical support--so it will be great to use my MPH skills!
I'm hoping to eventually move to a similar job in Asia, but for now, this is great! I have a bunch of friends in the area as well as my sister in Tanzania so I'll have visitors and people to visit!! And I'm trying to talk people in the US into visiting me but so far that's been less successful!!
I'll be heading out in mid-February. It's kind of a domino system...so nothing can happen until I sign my actual contract (which starts on 2/2), then I get a invitation from the office in Ethiopia to live there, and THEN I can schedule my move date. It's such a process!! In the meantime, I'm trying to learn about taxes, find someone to rent my condo, organize my stuff, and buy fun things to take with me like a wii!
The sad thing is I've decided to give up my dog Lily. While I could take her with me, Ethiopians are in general petrified of dogs. And because of the housing shortage for US staff it looks like I'll be living in a hotel for a few months. So that's not a good combo. But then, even when I'm in my apartment or house, there wouldn't really be a place to walk her, or for her to play with other dogs, or swim (which is one of her most favorite things). So a doctor in my sister Sarah's practice is adopting her. She's super excited so that helps ease my worries. Lily will have a great Mom and Allison's son Evan, 12, is also really excited! So I'm taking her up there next weekend.....it's definitely sad, but for the best.
So I think this answers most of the questions I've been getting...but let me know if you have others!! Once I'm there I'll definitely be blogging more often so sign up for the feed!!
Later,
Jane
It's been a while since I've posted anything, so first, Happy New Year! I hope you all had a great holiday season!!
So far, 2009 looks like it's going to be interesting for me! I've taken a job with my current employer in Ethiopia. I'll be the Program Officer and will be there for at least a year or two. The job entails monitoring programs (we fund NGOs to implement water/sanitation, health, food security, etc programs) and working with NGOs on proposal development as well as providing some technical support--so it will be great to use my MPH skills!
I'm hoping to eventually move to a similar job in Asia, but for now, this is great! I have a bunch of friends in the area as well as my sister in Tanzania so I'll have visitors and people to visit!! And I'm trying to talk people in the US into visiting me but so far that's been less successful!!
I'll be heading out in mid-February. It's kind of a domino system...so nothing can happen until I sign my actual contract (which starts on 2/2), then I get a invitation from the office in Ethiopia to live there, and THEN I can schedule my move date. It's such a process!! In the meantime, I'm trying to learn about taxes, find someone to rent my condo, organize my stuff, and buy fun things to take with me like a wii!
The sad thing is I've decided to give up my dog Lily. While I could take her with me, Ethiopians are in general petrified of dogs. And because of the housing shortage for US staff it looks like I'll be living in a hotel for a few months. So that's not a good combo. But then, even when I'm in my apartment or house, there wouldn't really be a place to walk her, or for her to play with other dogs, or swim (which is one of her most favorite things). So a doctor in my sister Sarah's practice is adopting her. She's super excited so that helps ease my worries. Lily will have a great Mom and Allison's son Evan, 12, is also really excited! So I'm taking her up there next weekend.....it's definitely sad, but for the best.
So I think this answers most of the questions I've been getting...but let me know if you have others!! Once I'm there I'll definitely be blogging more often so sign up for the feed!!
Later,
Jane
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