Don’t know what to call this post

I had my first class at the Midwifery College today.  (Refresher: the Fistula Hospital has just opened this small college to train midwives.  There are currently less than 1200 midwives in all of Ethiopia, so it is imperative to add more to their ranks in order to curb the problem of fistula here in Ethiopia.  Another [...]

Read Full Post »

Mail

Ok, I’m sure you are all as sick of hearing about this as I am with having to deal with it.  My mail situation here is dumb.  The PO box that I can use belongs to the brother of my boss (Trevor’s) Ethiopian wife.  So, it just super removed, inefficient and it is hit or miss when [...]

Read Full Post »

The Great Run!

27,000+ runners descended on downtown Addis today to run the Great Ethiopian Run.  It was awesome.  I spent the night with my friends Sarah, Maren, Bethany and Josh last night in order to ensure that I could find them this morning! (They are working at a school here in Addis called Hope Enterprises…Sarah and I met a [...]

Read Full Post »

People to be Thankful for

I knew I was blessed with great friends and family before I came to Addis, but since being here, that point has been reiterated time and time again.  Case in point: I received three packages today.  Now, I’m not saying that sending me a package is what makes someone great.  (I have dozens of people [...]

Read Full Post »

Normal

My two month anniversary in Addis was this past Sunday.  I thought I’d share some of the things that I now find normal after being here for more than sixty days.
1. Public urination.  I see at least 4 dozen people (mostly men, though occasionally women, too) urinating on the side of the road daily.  They have a decent [...]

Read Full Post »

Random, even for me

So, this morning I went into Kaldi’s (Ethiopia’s version of Starbucks) to try and use their wireless Internet.  Emphasis on try.  In any case, a few minutes after I got there, an Ethiopian man and a white guy joined a woman who was sitting a table right across from me.  The Ethiopian man was wearing [...]

Read Full Post »

Getting out

This past weekend, our friends Miki and Brook took Carlotta and I on an overnight trip to a place called Sodere.  It is a little resort about 100km south of Addis.  It was wonderful.  Honestly, sometimes you just NEED a change of scenery.  Addis is great, but at times, the fumes, crowds, pollution, etc. just [...]

Read Full Post »

Well, shoot

So, you know how I was so excited about finally going for a run?  Well, my running shoes were stolen earlier this week.  I had put them by my front door (since they were muddy) and someone must have gotten into our compound somehow and taken them.  Great…..The biggest bummer is that I am entered in [...]

Read Full Post »

Check this out!

I know many of you saw the creative Christmas card of my roommate and I from last Christmas.  Well, the people who made the card, Lisa’s sister and brother-in-law (Renee and Jon), have just put together a website of their little business.  If you are ever in need of Save the Date cards, invites, Christmas cards, [...]

Read Full Post »

Run!!!

So, this past week my co-worker Kevin said something I found quite accurate.  We were complaining how even though we are mostly enjoying things here in Addis, it still doesn’t feel completely comfortable.  He said, “You know.  I think it is just hard for people to find their outlet here.”  For him, his outlet is [...]

Read Full Post »