after many hours on an airplane and more trips through airport security than i can count on one hand, we finally arrived at the guest house where we will be staying for the next week or so. ("we" is three other women volunteers, two American GHNI representatives, and an Ethiopian GHNI representative.) the guest house, called African Village, is home for the next several days. it is incredible! the people are all so warm and hospitable. the bed is nice and soft, the bathroom is spotless, the food is incredible, and the village is very clean, quiet, and safe. this is sort of like base camp...we will venture out to the villages for day visits.
we had some relaxation time today to adjust and transition to the time change. it was a beautiful day! sunny, bright, clear skies and about 80 degrees. after a short nap this afternoon, we headed out for an authentic, traditional Ethiopian dinner.
meals are served with injera...a big, flat, round tortilla-like bread, but a little "sponge-y". after tearing off a small piece of injera, you pinch a bite of meat, beans, and vegetables from the plate with the injera...and down the hatch. simple as that. no utensils. everyone sits around the table to "eat" from one plate. the flavors were different, but amazing. some things were more spicy than others, but I understand spicy food is definitely the norm in Ethiopia...i guess i won't be shedding any pounds!
today we reviewed the schedule of events for the week and discussed the plans, ideas, and projects ahead of us. the 3 villages we will be visiting throughout the week are Garmaam, Hurso, and Magaladi. these villages are all at different stages in their journeys through the TCD (Transformational Community Development) program. this process includes 5 areas of development: water, food, wellness, income, and education. GHNI has been working with Hurso for 3 years and Garmaam for about a year. tomorrow we will begin to meet the villagers, see the progress of their recent projects, and hear about their ideas and hopes for the future.
off to bed now. can't wait to see what tomorrow brings...
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| African Village Guest House and our trusty vehicle |
we had some relaxation time today to adjust and transition to the time change. it was a beautiful day! sunny, bright, clear skies and about 80 degrees. after a short nap this afternoon, we headed out for an authentic, traditional Ethiopian dinner.
 |
| the floppy stuff around the edges is injera...YUM! |
meals are served with injera...a big, flat, round tortilla-like bread, but a little "sponge-y". after tearing off a small piece of injera, you pinch a bite of meat, beans, and vegetables from the plate with the injera...and down the hatch. simple as that. no utensils. everyone sits around the table to "eat" from one plate. the flavors were different, but amazing. some things were more spicy than others, but I understand spicy food is definitely the norm in Ethiopia...i guess i won't be shedding any pounds!
today we reviewed the schedule of events for the week and discussed the plans, ideas, and projects ahead of us. the 3 villages we will be visiting throughout the week are Garmaam, Hurso, and Magaladi. these villages are all at different stages in their journeys through the TCD (Transformational Community Development) program. this process includes 5 areas of development: water, food, wellness, income, and education. GHNI has been working with Hurso for 3 years and Garmaam for about a year. tomorrow we will begin to meet the villagers, see the progress of their recent projects, and hear about their ideas and hopes for the future.
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| a peek at Dire Dawa |
off to bed now. can't wait to see what tomorrow brings...
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