"Fixer Uppers" has Nothing on Ethiopian Decorating

Sorry I was sick yesterday so no picture. Today I wanted to show you part of my friend's house. The typical way to decorate houses here is with the poster of the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus. T

he hand made grass woven thing is traditionally used to sort grains and things from impurities. I don't know why but all the furniture in the rural areas are painted in this weird mottled coloration. Finally, the fake flowers, I don't really even know what to say about them, but they all love them. Even in the coffee places they have them scattered around.

Squatty Potty

So you would be surprised at how many Americans ask me about my toilet situation.  Well this is my shint bet (pee house). It is actually pretty nice compared to a lot of other volunteers. No splash back happening here. Considering I have not had water in town for a year, it isn't as clean as it would normally be. But I think that is a little understandable. Regardless,

I have actually come to appreciate the squat toilet. Let's just say that the positioning works better that way.

Afaf - The Gorge

Afaf, or as we call it the gorge.  Today we sat by it and ate some sugar cane. But I've walked down it several times, walking up it will make you hate your life but people still do it every week to sell at the market here in town. The first time I did it, when I got home

I literally collapsed in my bed and didn't move for twelve hours. I didn't even have enough energy to get out of my nasty cloths.

What To Do With It All?

My house after two years.  I didn't know I could fit this much stuff in this tiny room and now I don't even know what I'm going to do with it all.

Enjera For Everyone!

Enjera is the staple food of Ethiopia. It is made from t'eff, a grain endemic to this country. It is high in a lot of important nutrients that otherwise would be absent the average Ethiopian diet. The slightly fermented mix is poured onto a heated clay stone, the fuel for the fire is often cow dung that has been hand made into patties and dried in the sun.

Typical Day Lately

Pretty much my typical day. Sitting at my desk watching leverage and being a comfortable lap to sleep on.  At this point I should probably name the kitten. Any ideas?

Thirty-Eight Days Left

With only thirty eight days left,it is easy to get caught up in the rush to leave. Volunteers have already been heading home. Those of us still in country are seeing the photos of them enjoying delicious food, having great parties, and being in weddings. It is hard to believe that we completed our service, made new friends, changed lives, and changed ourselves as well. Packing, selling our belongings, and having good by parties will be our lot in life for the next few weeks and months as we all say  our goodbyes to the friends and coworkers we have made over the last two years. Trust me, at this point almost no one can believe it has already been two years.
Looking back on our service and thinking of what we should have done differently is easy, after all hind site is 20/20 (which I am too still just coming from medical).  But I want to think back and figure out what I did right, so that is what this blog is about. Realizing that yes, I could have, should have, and wish I had, done some things better. But so does everyone else, but I did some things right and I want to focus on these to remain positive about my service.
Going back to the very beginning I would say I formed a really good relationship with my host family. While I don't call them enough and they do get upset about that, and to be fair I don't really call anyone, I have visited them a few times since leaving training and I still have a great time every visit. I am especially going to miss Andualem, my host brother, and I kind of wish I could just bring him back to America with me. While having a site mate has been great, I also was so correct in going to a site with no other volunteers. I am an introverted person and I don't easily accept new friends. If I had another Peace Corp volunteer in my site from the beginning I don't know if I could have made as many new friends. Friends which I will miss. I also made some great PCV friends, and yes, so did we all but my immediate neighbor was Allie and without her, I don't know if I would have survived training, and we continue to visit and be friends to this day. The amazing people of G10 will always have a special place in my heart.
From swearing in and going to site I would say I am very glad I decided I was going to make reading a priority. Having read more that eighty books since arriving in country I would say I am not doing too badly. It is a great way to stimulate your mind in a place where sometimes you feel like everything just makes your head fall off from boredom. Getting myself a project of beekeeping right away was a huge bonus. I was lucky how it worked out to be. And yes I did beekeeping the whole two years, though it was very off and on work. But having something to know was my thing to work on was nice. It gave me some focus and commitment.
While from an outside perspective this will probably sound odd. I have a coffee shop hangout.. I have sat in that one place more than any other place in my town, with the exception of my own house. There I have met new friends, been introduced to counterparts, had meetings, taught about sexual health, ate some great food, gotten drunk, made people laugh, shared my culture, learned Amharic, passed the day away, and yes I also drank a LOT of coffee.  As a creature of habit if I had chosen any other place to spend my time I doubt I know I would have had a very different service.
Getting clubs started at my site was a bureaucratic mess.  It took three months of wadding through red tape, getting through translational nightmares, and frustration that I thought might kill me. But the gender and English clubs allowed me to meet the kids of my town, something that has value only another PCV can truly understand such as issues of harassment. And I got to know some of the kids who can even inspire me so long after my own high school days.
In my service there have been amazing ups, and the lowest lows in my life. But I am glad I am able even now to look back and see the friends I have made, the people I call family, and some kids I know will go on to be leaders of this country. I hope I have helped make some lasting changes from my service, and I know I will always have my Peace Corps service as a mile stone in my life.
Starting thirty days before I leave I want to try and show you all in photos my town and Ethiopia through pictures. I don't know if it is going to work with the internet problems and power outages I am still to this day dealing with in my town. But I am going to try to upload a picture a day so you all can get a feel for my life. But be prepared for me to miss some, not to mention the very poor quality pictures my phone takes. I hope it works but check back and see.
Also just because I love this city here is a picture of the sun setting over lake Hawassa last night.