Mini Q & A Sunday, February 8, 2015

       I’ve recently received word via a little bird across the World Wide Web, that people have questions about some my life. So, to make it easier for that little birdy to properly answer, I thought I would answer them here. That way, not only will she know the answers, but others may also gain an understanding.

Question #1: How you're doing?

         Although I do not agree with Disney’s interpretation of Pocahontas (and agree with my mom that the music isn’t the absolute best) her metaphor of life being like a river is applicable to me here. Some days are absolutely perfect: calm, collected, peaceful, together. Other days are wild: rapids, splashes, mess, spray, speed. There are times when I just want to dock the canoe to get out of the river, but you can’t pause your life. Instead you keep learning, adapting, growing and realizing more about yourself than you thought was possible. I am doing well. I’ve learned what I need to do to keep myself on course, to laugh instead of complain, and to enjoy the new. I am doing all right.

Question #2: What you're doing?

         This week I have been relaxing and doing very little that would be considered “productive” while being with friends in Adwa, a city about an hour northeast of Selekleka. I’m looking forward to getting back to my small haven of hospitality and being productive. I am teaching 9^th grade English 2-3 hours a day, learning Tigrigna, and planning future projects. Some of these projects at my school include: English Club, school garden, STOMP Out Malaria Club and creative writing club. I am also looking into doing more routine projects with a kindergarten class, even though there are little resources and their English skills are really low. My vision for this is lots of music and games that gradually build their ABCs, 123s, and the like. I am also constantly on the look out to build relationships, integrate into the culture through various events, and twirl kids around. In my “free time” (this has to be scheduled in or it’s missed) I am reading The Lord of the Rings and Stiff, embroidering ABC squares, writing, and trying to understand Tigrignian music. My traditional instrument is finally ready for me to pick up from the maker so I will be learning from a teacher how to play that in the near future. 

Question #3: Daily routine?

         Non-existent.

         Here’s the deal: I rotate from morning to afternoon shift every week. People call me in for coffee ceremonies and meals whenever. No matter what I plan, it rarely goes that way.

         Rough sketch: Before my shift, I go 30 minutes early and stay till the end. This is either from 7:30 a.m to noon-thirty or 11:30am to 6:15pm. As the school is 2.5/3 kilometers (1.55/1.86 miles) from home this means that I have to leave 30 minutes before I want to arrive there. I make a majority of my meals at my house, but do occasionally eat at the school. (This is always on Fridays as I am there all day for English Day.) In the half of the day I am not working I do the necessary house chores, plan lessons, create teaching aids, read Bible, drink lots of tea, write letters/blogs/poems, study Tigrigna, shop, and run other errands. In the evenings I usually go for a walk or two, play with children, talk with teachers, go to tea houses with friends to catch up, and journal. My goal is to go to bed around 9:30 and wake up from 6:30-7:30 a.m.depending on what shift I am in that week.

Question #4: Foods?

         See previous blog. Just kidding. Here is some more information.

         At market: tomatoes, potatoes, lettuce, cabbage, kale, bananas, guavas, garlic, onions, carrots, lemons, papaya (sometimes), peanuts, various beans, various grains, spices and oil.

         Typically I eat some sort of scrambled egg mixture for breakfast. Salad for lunch. And shiro or tagamino for dinner. Popcorn with shiro is extremely messy but delicious! I sometimes go to the bakery for fresh rolls or get them from kids selling them on the side of the road. AH! At night kids (usually boys) carry around large bowls of yummy goods to sell. This includes two types of baked chick peas, hard boiled eggs, and sambusas. 

        

Question #5: What's Selekleka like? (how 'civilized'?)(aka - running water?)

While Selekleka claims to have 8,000 people I believe that number includes many of the outlaying areas and isn’t what the town is like. It is larger than a village, but much smaller than a city. It’s a town that happens to be the center of the woreda (like “county” in American context) and between two larger cities of Aksum (or Axum) and Shire. It’s nestled on one side by a big hill (some refer to it as a mountain) and on the other by fields.

As to being ‘civilized,’ Selekleka does have water in the forms of pumps throughout town. Some compounds have running water, but that is not the norm. I am blessed that mine does (though it is currently shut off). There is one paved road through the center of town while streets connecting to that are dirt. There are no cobblestone roads like in Shire, Axum and Adwa. Electricity is pretty common with poles up all over the place. Both water and power go out, but I don’t think that constitutes as being ‘uncivilized.’ There are various businesses around town:  carpenters, stores, hotels, bank, mill houses, post office and cafes. There is an internet house where three computers are sometimes hooked up to internet.

Weather is varies. In the mornings it is cold, but by noon it is very warm. I don’t know how hot it gets here (my phone doesn’t have an app for that), but I would guess high 70’s or so. We are cooler than Adwa and Shire, but about the same as Aksum (if any one wants to google that information). Soon we will be getting into the hot season, where I’ve been told that there is no cold even in the morning and it gets really hot. I’ve also been told water shortages are more common so I will be going to market soon to get a large barrel to hold water. Nights are clear and cool so many people walk around to get a breath of fresh air and catch up with others.

Question #6: What are the people like?

         I read this question and hundreds of faces pop up in my mind’s eye. The people here are like family. There are the goofy, loud, energetic, talkative, demanding attention, laughing, crying, with screaming children that give you a head ache sometimes, but always make you smile. There are the old, respected, gray individuals that use canes, but whose eyes sparkle most when they hear you speaking Tigrigna. There are the moms who carry kids on their backs, keep track of others’ kids and laugh when you play with their children. There are the fathers who carry their kids on their shoulders, have calloused hands from working and enjoy a good cup of sewa after work. Shaking hands is the common greeting, but letting go isn’t. If people feel comfortable with you they will pull you in for a shoulder bump or three alternating kisses on the cheeks. Hospitality is key. They invite you to sit with them no matter what they are eating or drinking. Rinsing the right hand is important before and after eating every meal. They are patient and kind, open and welcoming, inquisitive and knowledgeable. There are some that rub you the wrong way and those you always want to hang out with. Many know English to some extent, but most are relieved when I speak in Tigrigna (or at least attempt it).

Question #7: Stuff like that.

            Not sure what else y’all would like to know about so message me for more details. This upcoming week I am starting to teach Unit 7 themed around “Cities of the Future” with lessons on comparing, points of view, linking sentences, descriptive writing, formal letter, talking about future, predictions, passive voice, comparatives and superlatives, and various vocabulary. That’s two weeks of learning. I have about 6 weeks till Mid-Exams at which time students will be tested on 3 units, so I have to get them ready by finding common links between lessons. The Mid Exam accounts for 25% of their semester grade. I am also going to start typing up all my lesson plans, complete evaluations on the units I have taught, design action plans for various clubs and projects and complete my Volunteer Reflection Form (VRF) that summarizes everything I have done in the previous three months. February 18^th is a holiday to celebrate the Tigray People Liberation Front (TPLF) as they stood against the Derg, so that’s pretty important around here.

Sorry if this blog isn’t as up and spunky and random as my previous ones. One of my favorite professor at University constantly reminded us that, “If one person asks a question, at least three people have it, but are too shy to ask.” Well, here are the answers to one person for all of you – in case you were shy.  Now, I’m going to enjoy a candy cane (big shout out to Heather for her awesome Christmas/Birthday package that finally arrived) and read before this busy week. Prayers for all of you.