For a moment like this, some people wait a lifetime.

This week I experienced a glorious moment. It was as the sun was breaking out of the cloudy cage it had been imprisioned too , electricity was present, and the water was running. 

Now let me just say in my small town that is not an average day.

So I like to think that the stars were aligning for something great. And they did just that. As I was walking to my office that is a total of 5 minutes from my house it happened.

Are you sitting on the edge of your seat yet?

Wondering what could be so amazing that it has an epic build up like this? Well ladies and gentlemen I am here to tell you.  This week on the splendid day described above I Andrea Spake did not get called Ferenji once by a single child who passed by me. Instead I was called Andrea or nothing at all. Now to those of you back home this may not seem like a big deal. Youre like woah Andrea cool story. But seriously this is like me being the captain of a one woman army that has single handedly changed the mind of an army of 100’s. To lay down their weapons and become friends.  Being called ferenji everyday by the majority of the people you walk by starts to wear on you after awhile. But on this particular day during the 5 minute walk that usually has me feeling defeated before my day even begins I won. I was victorious.  I was Andrea. Not the random white girl who lives in their town. Not a source of money (even though I never give children here money). But a friend.

 

 

Sincere Apologies.

Last Sunday I showered for the second time in 6 weeks (baby wipes and bucket washing of hair is not counted in this).

I would like to make a public apology to the Peace Corps Gods. 

Since I showered we have not had water at site. 

I apologize oh wise and mighty ones for my wrong doing. 

Please forgive my sins and bring plentiful water back to the town of Chitu.

I promise to not waste your bounty on such silly things like good hygiene( can it be considered good hygiene at this point?).  

Your loyal and faithful servant,

Andrea  

This week in Paradise:

This week in Paradise:

-I got attacked by ants in the Shint bet.

-I pulled a rotting rat from my roof

-I got my hair done

 

 

-And I showered…. Hahahaha only joking about the shower we didn’t have water this week.

Hey hey hey goodbye...PST.

Three months,
countless hours of language training,
countless hours of cultural training,
countless rolls of injera,
countless moments spent laughing because you said urinefall instead of waterfall,
and countless conversations awkward conversations with our host families have come to an end.
PST is over.
Last week I swore in as an official Peace Corps Volunteer.
Now after a week of consolidation due to unforeseen issues I am finally going to site.
Living in a town of 2,500 people, where a fridge is not a thing, its a good day if the power is on, and I hope access to water is constant.
Never have I felt more ready to start this chapter of my experience.

My goals going into this:
-improve my language skills
-make true relationships with community members
-make a lasting impression in my community
-learn as much as possible from those around me
-teach one person something that will better their life
-help one person better others lives through shared knowledge

I understand that I am not here to change the world.
But if I can change one persons world, then I have change their world.

You want me to go where???.... And do what???

4- the number of cups of shay

(Tea) I drank.

14- the number of cups of buna (coffee) I drank.

33- the number of times I introduced myself formally. 

4- also the number of marriage people's I received.

6- the number of phone calls I received from people I don't know that I think stole my phone number from my bank records.

The number of times I was laughed at when I spoke oramifa?

Unquantifable.

These numbers represent a fraction of my two days at site for site visit. The town that I will be living in is called Chituu. Everytime I see the spelling it is different therefore everytime I write the name it will be different.

My new home is a small town about 20 minutes by bus from Woliso a larger town in Ormoia regin Ethiopia. I am the first volunteer that this town will have. It is also one if the smaller sites in Peace corps Ethiopia. So far I am extremely excited to move to Ciituu to begin working. All of the organizations and sectors of government at the woreda level seem to be extremely excited to work with me and have ideas of ways I can help the community. They all seem to understand that I am poor and in fact there to share knowledge and technical training which is fan-freaking tastic.

The woreda that I am living in is known to be one of the most beautiful places in all of Ethiopia. There is a crater lake near me that I will get the chance to visit when I return. I did however snap some photos of the views that I am forced to see everyday for the next two years:

My life sucks right?

God look at that terrible endless blue skies and land of trees. Rough.

If that isn't bad enough I have to play with baby trees. 

If you didn't pick up on the sarcasm of the previous statements this blog is not one you should be reading. 

Reality is I got extremely lucky and will be hugging my PCLV as soon as I see him. Not only is my site amazing but my counterpart is great and really excited to work with me. He spend a afternoon introducing me to his family and making sure I knew that they were now my family. He also has what is quite possibly the cutest 5 month old baby girl that I have ever seen. 

Moral of this story is that when you put good energy out you get good energy back. I cannot wait to begin working with the community on projects. 

In Amharic there is a saying " ichaloau" ... Which I most likely just butchared the spelling of... That means anything is possible. 

Ichaloau. It's the truth people.

Heres the mail it never fails it makes me want to wag my tail.

So I have gotten many questions about care packages and what I would like sent to me.
I would like to start this off by saying I am beyond grateful for anything that is send my way. Letters, packages, love, positive thoughts they are all appreciated.
As far as packages go please include a list of what you put in it. When filling out a customs form being general is not a bad thing. Also dont say that the package is worth a lot of money because it will get searched.

Things that would be great to get:
-cheese...if possible
-mexican food of every kind
-seeds
-spices (spice packages like ranch are also great)
-toms (size 11...ethiopia eats shoes)
-dried fruit
-veggies of anykind that can be send (freeze dried ect)( cough kale chips cough)
-protein powder
- lotions/soaps/shampoo/conditioner that smell good (for my weekly shower... and yes i mean i shower once a week these days)
-soccer balls
-chocolate chips
-Gatorade powder (dehydration happens. daily)
-mixed nuts
-mustard/bbq sauce things of that nature
-new music/ movies on flash drives
-holiday boxes that are themed are always fun


Please please please do not send the following. I can get them in country:
-toilet paper
-dish soap
-peanut butter


If you happen to send me anything even if it is a letter that just says hello I will be responding with a letter. Sending mail is not super expensive here but it will take a while to get to you. I will not have a post office in my town but it will only be 20 minutes away so I can easily receive and send things .

Home is where the heart is...or your backpack.

Are ya ready for this?
My site has been announced this past week. We were told the name of our town and given a little bit of information.
Whats in a name you ask?
Well not a whole lot.
The name of my town is Chitu. Go ahead try to google it.
You will not find a thing.
But thats okay let me tell you a little about it.
It is just over 2 hours west of Addis close to a town called Woliso.
With just around 2,500 people in the town it is one of the smaller sites.
The woreda that it is located in has a lake, hotsprings (can you say hot tub??), waterfalls, and trees.
That is pretty much all I know at this time but I will be visiting next week via our site visit.
Hopefully I will be able to post my new address shortly.

How is Ethiopia you ask?
Well Ethiopia is a roller coaster of greatness.
Even the days that seem down hill are not so bad after a beer or two....but never three...
Each day is full of  new acronyms and the words ferenji and china being yelled as you walk down the street.
When we arent sitting through 10 hour language days or peace corps powerpoints (PCP) we are often sitting around playing MASH, why yes we are 16 years old again, or making sport.

When learning another language your native language happens to greatly decrease within a week or two. I now speak about three paragraphs worth of Oromifa and broken english.

Hopefully while I am in Addis this weekend I will be able to do a post with the pictures I have been trying to upload for a month now.

PS: receiving letters is great... just sayin...