6 months in country & Vlog #14

Things you get used to after living 6 months in Ethiopia

#1
Being a celebrity

everywhere you go, you’re being watched. The townspeople know what you did last summer, yesterday, and this morning.

Kids on the school campus  hang outside of windows & stand outside your classroom door just to get glimpses of you. You get used to kids staring at you. In fact you learn how to classify the stares

The wait... are you speaking English?! But aren't you Ethiopian stare

The quick glances, side eye & I'm tryna be lowkey and not have you know I'm staring stare

The stare / winks / gestures that say "hey hot stuff, come over here" but their mouths actually say" ANCHI! you ANCHI! you ANCHI! you,  Where are you go?

The you don't speak Amharic.. but you're black so what part of Africa are you from kinda stare 

The I'm looking at you dead in the eye and not blinking cuz i have no shame staring kinda stare

The let me watch you walk down the block, turn the corner and look back to see me still staring at you stare

#2
You get used to living amongst livestock and seeing, smelling and avoiding stepping on poop everywhere. You also know that you must carry your own soap & toilet paper wherever you go, because restaurants, schools, offices and just every single place in Ethiopia refuses to provide you with these thngs.

Yeah we have a bathroom.
oh but you thought we'd provide the toilet paper for you.. awww, how cute

#3
Seeing men in women's clothing and shoes. A 40 year old man wearing ruby red Jellies will no longer leave you confused.

Nor will you be confused when that ruby red jellies man starts walking hand in hand down the street with another man. Or even when he places his hand on another mans thigh as they sit down. Yup male affection is a thing here.

Two male friends showing the world that they are besties

#4
You begin to slowly realize that you're feet will never look the same again. A lack of hot water, mani-pedis, and the fact that your town mainly has dirt roads has changed your feet for the worse.

#5
You embrace being known as the crazy foreigner.
Yup I'm 25, childless & not married
Yup Im a woman sitting alone in a restaurant, eating & paying for my own meal.
Yup I wear ALOT of pants. I walk my dog on a lease & sometimes I wear knee high socks - keep staring, maybe you’ll learn how not to give a crap one day too.

You learn a lot about yourself living in a new country and culture for 6 months…

 #6
 I’ve realized, for one that I am not that friendly

Sure I smile, I am polite, but while you’re sitting there mistaking my kindness for interest and babbling on and on about your life, im sitting here like...

I’ve always known that I needed my ME time, I need a lot of personal space. And this little fact about me has been highlighted in Ethiopia. Ethiopians are never really alone. These people are incredibly hospitable, friendly and sociable. And it wasn't until their culture of “lets always be together sunshine and rainbows” started to clash with my “loner mode” did I realize how inhospitable, unfriendly, and unwelcoming I could truly be.

Just leave me in my solitude

#7
I’ve realized that I am low-key brave

Family back home sometimes throw this word around like “Oh Ashley is so adventurous & brave for traveling solo, or for going to Africa, etc… And I never saw what they were talking about. I still don't when it comes to the traveling aspect of it all… But I’ve seen bravery in myself when I’m walking through town and that crazy guy down the street starts following me or bothering my friend. I’ll quickly push his hand away, or stand taller in any guys presence who seems threatening here…its probably because most Ethiopian men here are so small though lol

#8
I’ve realized that I am dirty

I sometimes go several weeks without a shower and Im ok with it. I’ll just baby wipe this area.. and that area..put on a clean pair of underwear and Ill call it a day. I kiss my dog, I sleep with him somedays, and oh.. wait is that a flea? It is… hmm, what Tv show should I watch next?

#9
I’ve realized how much I love my family and Church
Sometimes you don't realize the support system you have until its gone.

#10
And finally,

I’ve realized that I can totally do the remainder of my ~1.5 years left in Ethiopia

6 months down. 21 more to go.

Vlog #14 in Honor of reaching 6 months in country.

“Happiness is a warm puppy.”

The Hes so cute I could eat his little face off photo

Christmas puppy

He was given to me by another PC friend and although my run with animals hasn't been very good in Ethiopia...

Baby chick.... dead
Kitten... probably dead
lol

I promise this puppy will be different! Peace Corps Ethiopia volunteers aren't officially allowed to have animals as pets because rabies is so prevalent here.

BUT as a good mother, I've already found a vet in Addis and I'm just waiting for Mojojojo here to get old enough to take the rabies shot.

Oh yeah... Im awesome ;)

 

What wasn't very awesome was how Mojo ended up peeing on the woman who sat next to me on the bus as he rode to Wolisso for the first time.

 

Yeah that was very awkward... Mojo is from the town of Aleta Wondo in the South of Ethiopia. Hes Ethiopian born and bred. I've had several dogs in the past, so I didnt worry too much about bringing Mojo into my home and making him the newest member of my family.

But then I remembered that I live in Ethiopia...where do you buy dog food? flea collars? chew toys? and dog shampoo? It turns out that you dont. Not even in Addis.

I talked to Mojos new Vet, and he confirmed that all my pups food had to be homemade, and that if I wanted toys and flea collars and leashes and things of that sort then I would have to have them mailed to me.
 After a quick Google search the food problem quickly dissipated. Currently Mojo is eating boiled powdered milk with oats, scrambled, or boiled eggs. Corn flour with hot water and milk, injera, rice, CousCous, and some fruits, veggies and meat when I can afford to give it to him or mix it in his meal.

I know that culturally many Ethiopians, especially those living in rural towns, do not keep dogs as pets and my experience with Mojo thus far has shown me exactly how true this is. Dogs are used solely for protecting the house. They are commonly mistreated, chained up 24/7 and not given much affection. This makes them into very aggressive, yet very affective guard dogs. 

But it also means that I have now given the people of my town another reason to stare at me and think of me as the crazy foreigner.

I play with Mojo, I kiss him, and hold him, and pet him and even let him sleep in my house, sometimes on my bed.

This is exactly how my landlady, the kids in my compound and EVERYONE in town looks at me when Im interacting with my new pup.

Its quite hilarious actually. Im so accustomed to the stares and townspeople talking about me that it does not faze me in the slightest. In fact I've decided that maybe the people of Wolisso can learn a little something about dogs and how they can be more than just vicious biting machines.

Im teaching Mojo how to sit and follow other commands in both English and Amharic. So this way when I say "Sit" in Amharic the townspeople will understand the command and be that much more impressed when they see that the dog listens.

Im trying to show the kids in my compound how to play with him. Because currently they are either afraid to go near him, or they only kick & throw rocks at him because that's what they see other people doing to dogs in town.

 

I walk Mojo on a self made leashe all around Wolisso. People laugh and point at me, they jeer, and smile and shake their heads at "the crazy foreigner" with her dog on a rope.

Grown men and children see me walking with the dog, and now even without the dog and they yell out 

"Woosha!" dog

"Woosha!"  dog

"Woosha!" dog

 I prefer it to "YOU, YOU, YOU" or "Ferenji" haha But in addition to getting a kick out of laughing at me, these people are also seeing Mojo follow me happily with his talk wagging. They see him eager to greet and play with others who come near and they see him not growling or barking. Im going to make my pup into the worlds most friendliest and well behaved dog, in an effort to dispel the myths about dogs that people have here.

When I brought Mojo home, the first thing my landlady said to me was "I do not like dogs", and I was worried that she would make me get rid of him. But she didnt.. well not yet anyway.. so that makes me even more eager to properly train him.

My next door neighbor also approached me and said "Why did you get this dog? He is ugly. He is Ethiopian dog. You should have got American dog. Ethiopian dogs are not nice.  He will give you problem. I am afraid he will eat you."

I tried telling the man that all dogs can be trained and tamed and be great pets. But he just smiled at me, probably thinking "This ridiculous foreigner is gonna die when this pup gets bigger" 

Mojo playing with a new friend... who eventually gave him fleas and so now I've forbidden him from every seeing her again.

Update: Its been about a month since I brought Mojo home and THIS HAPPENED! :D

Kas by kas Seeing the kids play with mojo like this makes me so happy. A few weeks ago they would only throw things at him, and touch him with the soles of their shoes for fear of him biting them. When I brought mojo home I was told by my landlady and neighbors that he was ugly, that he would eat me, and that they didnt like dogs. I knew id have to change their perception and that it would take time.. but little by little I feel it happening :)

A video posted by Ashley Nicole (@ashleysayque) on Jan 15, 2015 at 3:36am PST

Ethiopian Christmas

I have officially survived the holiday season. 70 volunteers came into Ethiopia with my group (G11) in June and now 59 remain. About 4-5 of the people who’ve left Ethiopia, left during the holiday season.

It can be challenging being away from family & friends during this time of year, I’ve found it challenging myself.

Christmas for me usually means family, fond childhood memories, togetherness, spirituality, laughs and love. As a Christian Peace Corps Volunteer, it is fascinating to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ in a country and culture that regards religion as everything.

Whether Muslim or Christian, religion is so intertwined within Ethiopian culture it is difficult to tell where one ends and the other begins. Waking up to the calls of prayer everyday becomes synonymous with Ethiopian culture, but it finds its roots in religion. Seeing “Fasting foods” written on the pages of every menu in every restaurant you go to becomes normal, as does eating goat and lamb because people do not eat the “unclean” pig here. Religion dictates the way people dress, the foods they cook, the way they dance, sing and live.

 Lunch at a friends for Genna Christmas

There aren't many frills with celebrating the birth of Christ here in Ethiopia. No ostentatious red & green Christmas lights & decorations covering the outside of homes, no tales of Santa Claus, his reindeer or anything that can diminish the true meaning of this Holy day. Celebrating Christmas in Ethiopia means a time of prayer, family and church. Many Ethiopians fast for 40 days and break their fast on Christmas day to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior. The scent of sweet spices, the gathering of family, and sounds of laughter fill the room. Simple decorations are put up, and small gifts are sometimes given to little children. But all gives praise and glory to God for the gift of life His Son gave us. January 7th is when Ethiopians celebrate the day that the Son of God also became the Son of man. When he would physically be "God with us", Emmanuel.

There is something pure and completely uplifting about the simplicity of Christmas in Ethiopia. I admire how true they stay to the root of Christmas. It is looked at only as the birth of Jesus, and only celebrated by those who rejoice & recognize the significance of that moment in time. My Christmas in Ethiopia was very intimate. With my family and my closest friends an ocean away, I spent most of my time in solitude. Lonely at first, and missing the festivities back home, and then just alone with Him. I try to meditate on His goodness, His grace, and His love. We talk, I pray and reflect on life, a higher purpose, & forgiveness.

I need to learn how to have more moments like this. I need to work on just dwelling in His presence.

Melkam Genna Merry Christmas

"If we could condense all the truths of Christmas into only three words, these would be the words: 'God with us.' We tend to focus our attention at Christmas on the infancy of Christ. The greater truth of the holiday is His deity.  More astonishing than a baby in the manger is the truth that this promised baby is the omnipotent Creator of the heavens and the earth!"

-  John MacArthur