So, it’s been a year. That’s 366 days. Or 8784 hours. Or 527,040 minu – oh, you get the point. I’ve been in Ethiopia for a long time.
To be sure, there were times when I thought I wouldn’t make it a month, let alone a full calendar year. But here I am, eating shiro and walking the streets of Bahir Dar.
To celebrate the anniversary, here are a couple of lists — I like lists — best moments and moments to forget. Enjoy.
Best moments
July 4th at Gary’s (on July 3rd) – Burgers. Beer. Readings of the Declaration of Independence. Renditions of patriotic songs. Lots of gin. Great company. Amazing day.
Sneak attack holiday – Just one of those PC moments.
Swearing-in weekend – Lots of great eating, drinking, and socializing before saying goodbye to friends and heading off to site.
Last night with my host brothers. Played some Uno. Lost.
Last night with host family – It was relaxing. A few games of Uno with the family and a great last dinner of my brother’s fantastic missir wat. I still crave it.
Huruta hike with Sofi – Beautiful
Birthday at Kuriftu – Turning 31 wasn’t easy, but doing it at the Kuriftu made it less difficult. The massage and the company helped.
The Good Doctor’s 32nd birthday – A nice time with friends in the small town where Doc lives. Lots of food, drinking and talking.
Djibouti – Not exactly an Ethiopia moment but – Djibouti!
Thanksgiving – Again, eating played a big role. So. Much. Food. And Dottie D.!
My brother’s famous missir wat.
First packages from home (at site) – Three boxes from my mother came and I wept like a baby. Jeans! Mac & cheese! My Chucks! Chocolate!
The night the lights went out in Huruta – I forget exactly what the occasion was, but we were having a gathering at my host family’s house when the lights went out (not uncommon). My host siblings and I didn’t mind, and we continued our game of “name the quote’s country of origin” by candlelight. It was one of most entertaining evenings I’ve had in this country.
Mmmmmm.
Cheese sandwiches at Sodere – First taste of actual cheese in Ethiopia. Enough said.
Tej Afternoon – Tej Night didn’t turn out as well, but Tej Afternoon started off auspiciously enough. Calzones + four liters of honey wine between five of us = good times.
Stops at The Spot – Moments of solitude before class during PST. I miss it.
A Very Hammy Easter – Again, food related, but ham and scalloped potatoes! With The Good Doctor!
Ghion bonfire after my little incident – Notable for two reasons: Starfish Chronicles is born, and Kate Boyd passes into legend. (How’d she do that?!)
The time my host mother fell off the chair laughing – Enough said.
Moments to forget
My little incident – Not much to say about this.
Yeah, it hurt.
The broken nose – Or this.
Trip to site – A really long, depressing day. Had to stay overnight in the grossest hotel in Injibara.
Trip to CBT site (and night before) – Tainted pizza leads to illness leads to diarrhea leads to longest, most painful bus trip ever. I wanted to die.
Bobby off the leash – Bobby, the guard dog at The Good Doctor’s compound, is no joke. His world consists of a doghouse and wherever his two-foot long leash will allow him to roam. I’d be pissed too. As I stood outside Doc’s door one evening, Bobby got off the leash somehow and made a beeline for me. I was terrified, a sitting duck, frozen to the spot. Thankfully, Doc’s landlord was there and grabbed him before he got to me.
Crotch grab #1 – Yeah, that sucked.
Boob grab #43 – Mostly annoying at this point.
February 21 – Just… not a good day.
I hope you’ve enjoyed the blog Year One. Thank you to everyone for the letters, packages and support. They’ve meant more than you know.
Again if there is a topic you’d like me to blog about, let me know. On tap for Year Two: posts on my house and Ethiopian fashion.
Cheers.
Ouch ! Hope you recovered.
Anyway when you come back, hopefully Tom Barrett will be the Gov.