Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Ohh… wind is dangerous. You eat.

Host mom is always trying to find new, inventive ways to get me to eat more. This week's most creative: insisting that the wind was going to blow me away if I didn't eat. It is windy season, you know. In the mornings it sounds like the roof is going to blow off and the power has even been knocked out a few times. I don't think I'm going anywhere though. Another interesting tactic: telling me I eat like a small boy. I don't even know how to take that.

Things here are still going well. When it got to the point that we felt like we absolutely could not take one more language class or technical session, we got a break! Last Saturday we went to Wonchi Lake for a day trip. It's set down in a crater with about a 4k hike to the water. There is an island in the middle with a monastery and we rode in canoes carved out of trees to it. We had the option to ride horses back up the mountain at the end of the afternoon, but for some reason I thought it would better to hike it. I always forget about altitude. It was like death, but peace corps had watermelon waiting for us at the top! Seed spitting wars abounded. I did not win and have a watermelon juice- covered shirt to prove it. It was a really fun day and felt great to be outside for once.

While at Wonchi, I had the opportunity to ask about property ownership in Ethiopia. I had been curious for a while and I know you are too, so I'll share. People don't own property in Ethiopia. In cities like Addis and Wolisso, people pay the government to lease the land and also pay taxes on it. Occasionally people get kicked out of homes because someone else wants it and is willing to pay more to lease it. In rural areas, like Wonchi, where families have lived on the land forever, they are usually exempt from leases and just have to pay taxes. This is good, because I doubt they could afford the lease anyway. Mr. DeSoto would advocate for reform. It's easier to turn assets into capital when property is fungible.

People have started receiving packages from home and with them have come the highly coveted DVDs. This weekend's feature presentation was Elf. We're now all ready for cold weather, Christmas trees, syrup, gingerbread houses, Christmas songs, family, and snow. It maybe was not a wise movie choice. We've decided for next weekend that Zoolander would be a better idea. "Francisco! That's fun to say! Francisco. Francisco. Francisco."

Sunday's great adventure was cooking an American dinner for the family. It was almost like a real family dinner!!! Except without the Wal-Mart run in the Mini, a stove, oven, refrigerated food, or the true family…. My friend Christen came over to help and we decided hamburgers and mashed potatoes were the American way to go. I realized that this dinner would never amount to anything that would make Sims or Wardo proud when we went to the butcher and watched him cut the meat off of a hanging slab of cow. This was quickly followed by the realization that we would have to turn this into ground beef on our own. We also forgot that we had never seen a grill here. In the end, they turned out great for hamburgers that were made in a skillet. Saving factors: Mrs. Dash and ketchup. I'll be honest, when my mom made me pack the Mrs. Dash I thought to myself, "In my four years of college I have never once used Mrs. Dash. Why the heck would I need it in Ethiopia?" A better question would be, "how do moms always know?" And I cannot over-emphasize this ketchup. We were dubious at first (sketchy packaging), but it was just like Heinz 51. I will now be putting it on everything. Everything. Lessons learned? Don't trust Ethiopian butter. It'll ruin your mashed potato experience. But a good dosing of ketchup will almost fix ruined mashed potatoes. My family now thinks all Americans eat potatoes with ketchup, but I'm ok with that. [edit: came home from school today and learned another valuable lesson- Don't leave ketchup with the family. They don't know how to use it responsibly. My spaghetti sauce was made of ketchup. I retract my statement about putting it on everything.]

We had Bible study again Sunday morning. It's been great getting close to this group of girls and God is really using us to support, encourage, and challenge one another. I really can't express what a blessing this is. And the group is expanding, so that's exciting. It's going to be weird leaving these people in a few weeks, when I feel like we are just getting to the point of being comfortable and open with each other.

This brings me to the fact that training is over halfway done. This week we do practicum in Wolisso (I'm doing one at a church that works with orphans and vulnerable children- I'm excited), next week we find out our site placements, on the 24 th we go to our sites for a week to see where we'll be living the next two years, then we only have two more weeks of training until swearing in and being sent out on our own. It has the potential to go really fast.

I have a midterm language test tomorrow. I am obviously procrastinating.

It's kinda weird sending these one-sided conversations out. Anytime anyone wants to send an e-mail detailing their current life, I wouldn't complain. In fact, I'd probably be really excited about it. No pressure though. Also, if you feel there are topics that should be discussed, please let me know. Often when I don't know what to talk about, I talk about food. This could get old soon.

I love you all and miss you a ton. Still reading the letters from the packet… you guys are incredible.

2 comments:

emily remington said...

i loved your post, and i love hearing more about your life. you are amazing. i'm thinking of you and praying for you and hope that all the transitions of the next few weeks go well. love, emily

Emma said...

Kristen I laughed so hard I cried reading your post! I miss you and hope all is going well.