Flashback: Harar, Ethiopia, March 2011

On March 16, 2011, I wrote Hyenas, Fresh Goat, and a Crispy Roach in Harar, Ethiopia, Day 6.

Damn, I loved that crazy place!

A repost below:

Ethiopia: Hyenas, Fresh Goat, and a Crispy Roach in Harar, Day 6, Wednesday

Credit: Marcus Baynes-Rock at Hyenas in Harar

Woke up still feeling a little queasy, but far better than yesterday. I popped another Cipro then went upstairs to see Irish Edith off for her return to Addis. The thought of coffee didn't send the right signals to my stomach, so I skipped that and had cold water with bread and "marmalade," the ubiquitous orange-transparent gelatin that passes nationwide in Ethiopia for something nothing like marmalade.

I had work to do online, so after a pleasant breakfast chat with Edith, I walked up to the internet cafe. By the time I finished there, it was time for lunch. This was a great day to check out that hotel/restaurant, more or less across the street from the Ras Hotel, that had caught my attention the first day I arrived in Harar.

It sat high behind a wall amidst flowering trees and shrubs. The adobe building looked immense, and was tropically pretty in its "fascist yellow" facade.

How odd, a military guardhouse at the gate. Came to find out it was a hotel owned by the Department of Defense. After checking out the bathroom, I selected a seat at one of the outside tables. No menu. I just ordered a coffee, which was very good. And for heaven's sake - only 2 birr (about 12 cents US)!

Decided to lunch instead at the reliable Fresh Touch down the street. Ordered the vegetarian pizza. When it arrived, I dressed it with their wonderfully spicy chili sauce. Oh. Wait. I did order the vegetarian pizza, right? So what's with the crispy-curled roach sitting so perkily atop a pepper? Waiter!

Just as I was waving down the waiter, in walked New York Ed and a pretty girl with an easy smile. She turned out to be Imti, from Germany via Sudan by birth.

I substituted an indifferent pasta-with-vegetables dish for the pizza. (Gonder is definitely the champion of an excellent "macaroni" with vegetables.)

After Ed, Imti, and I finished our lunches and enjoyed two delicious cups of coffee each, Ed pushed off to the internet cafe, and Imti and I continued our conversation. Interesting! She's an engineering student just finishing up an internship in Ethiopia, related to these cobblestone projects I've seen in Harar, Nazret, and Awassa. It's a German-Ethiopia partnership designed to provide jobs, training, and beautification of Ethiopian streets. Imti and her friend are in Harar doing some in-country tourist travel before she returns to Germany.

Tonight was hyena night for me, and unlike Atlanta Tom, who casually walked outside the wall over to check out the hyena man on his own, I knew I'd want a guide in the scary, hyena-riddled night. [A video about dogs and hyenas in Harar below]

I knew also that Aziz, who was to have escorted me last night (until I got sick), would probably be unavailable tonight, as his Spanish girlfriend was in town. My plan was to walk over to the cafe in the main Jugal square and locate a Plan B guide on the fly. At the same time, I had it in my mind to hire Abdellah, the guy I'd met the other day at said cafe, who is deaf. This turned out to be exactly what I did. Abdellah appeared happy as hell to be hired and we negotiated the price with the help of another local man.

Abdellah is one of those charismatic individuals who radiate good vibes and who attract goodwill in return. It was clear this local gentleman was fond of Abdellah; he made sure I really meant to hire Abdellah as my guide in the event Aziz didn't pan out.

Abdellah and I agreed to meet at the cafe at 6:30, and he dashed off while I hung out over a coffee and people-watched. A guide popped up, and joined me at my table. Did I need a guide? I explained that I was waiting for Aziz, but if he didn't show up, Abdellah was my back up guide. The guide said he doubted Aziz would be by, as his Spanish girlfriend was in town. (Harar is a typical small town - everybody knows everyone's business - heck, even the tourists know!)

Though late, Abdellah arrived, and off we went. I realized right quick that it wasn't going to work for Abdellah to get ahead of me, as he couldn't hear me if I called out to him. I tucked my arm into his so we stayed connected. It was nice. Just about everyone knew Abdellah - and liked him - as evidenced by the constant friendly, smiley greetings between him and other passersby. We emerged through a gate I hadn't visited before. It was already dark and the hyena man was already engaged with the hyenas.

Unbelievably, I fed the hyenas three times: I held out an 18" skinny stick with a strip of meat dangling on its end and handed it right to the hyenas' mouths. Yikes! At one point, I felt a nudge at the back of my knee. I whirled around, saw that it was Abdellah, and I slapped him hard in the chest in mock outrage. Everyone laughed.

Some idiot dad (an Ethiopian tourist) had this little toddler daughter feeding the hyenas. Put me in mind of idiot American counterparts who have their young'ns feed bears by dumpsters.

Credit: Hyenas in Harar

About the hyenas, it surprised me how beautiful they are! Their faces, heads, and ears! Lovely!

Credit: Hyenas in Harar

The beautiful illusion splintered as soon as I saw them move. Their walk evoked all of these negative anthropomorphic prejudices: "tail between its legs," "slinking around," "skulking," "craven."



I never saw the beauty for the presumed ugliness of the hyenas' posture.


Abdellah escorted me to my hotel, as agreed upon. We smilingly parted, and I saw him affectionately grab the head of a nearby youngster, and the two walked away with their arms around each other's shoulders.

I walked upstairs to the restaurant, where the waiter encouraged me to order the goat, as it was very fresh. I did, and it was.

While I thoughtfully chewed the tender meat, I wondered if it came from the pretty brown and white goat I saw from my balcony window earlier today, bleating sweetly at a woman retreating from the spot where he was newly tethered.

I thanked him for his sacrifice.


Marcus Baynes-Rock, a PhD candidate, studied hyenas for some time in Harar. You can check out his two interesting blogs on his research here (for 2009 through March 2010), then here for period til April 2011. 

On Mangoes

Mangoes. Credit: Will Salter/Getty Images/Lonely Planet Images via The Guardian

I'm in the process of backing up blog posts, and currently I'm deep into early 2011, when I was in Ethiopia.

When I wrote this post, I found two elegant essays on mangoes by a Kenyan man named Ngishili who lived for a time in Addis. He wrote a blog called Cock and Bull Stories. Every once in awhile, this blog disappears, then reappears, and because it hasn't been updated since late in 2012, I want to preserve the essays here. 

The Mango Season, by Ngishili 

March 10, 2011. The mango season has come to an end once again. Just a few weeks ago, you would be greeted by women with large yellow mounds of huge succulent mangoes in the market place, but now that the season is over, we have to wait until next year to see all that again.

The mango season starts at the beginning of the year, peaks in mid February and is over by mid March. The season corresponds to the hottest months of the year when temperatures are well over 30 degrees centigrade, and you can imagine how fulfilling it is to take a bite off a thick slice of mango, or to drink from a tall cold glass of thick juice when one is hot and thirsty or after a nice meal.

Back in the village, there would be hundreds of ripe mangoes scattered under the many mango trees that dot the farms. There would be nothing as refreshing as sitting under the shade of a mango tree on a February afternoon and eat one mango after another, until the stomach was so full that when one moved, it made a swashing liquid sound; similar to that made by water inside a metal container on the back of a woman as she laboriously climbed a hill as she came from the stream to fetch the family’s water supply for the evening.
And the chicken would have a field day too. In their quest to search for food, they would bore into the overripe mangoes with their beaks in order to search for worms. After a few days of such activity, they all would have weird shaped beaks. The reason is because the sticky mango juice on the beaks would form perfect glue for mud to cake along the length of the beak. So all the chickens ended up with filthy beaks that had bulbous brown extensions of all shapes and sizes. And as they walked in an awkward gait – perhaps with stomachs making liquid sounds – it all seemed funny and life was light hearted even when the weather was in its harshest.

In the city, I try to remember those moments each time I cut open a mango and its unmistakable aroma fills the room. And it often leaves me with a sense of wonder, at just what it takes to bring a single mango into being. And my mind goes back to the flowering of the mango trees in September, and I remember how vulnerable the little blooms are in the wind. And how in a single violent shake of the trees by an unexpected gust, most of the flowers will be blown off and half the mango crop will be lost in a single moment. But by December, the mangoes have formed and have fleshed out so much that every night, we would hear the sound of branches breaking off noisily from the trees under the unbearable weight of the mangoes. And in a few weeks, the first ripe mangoes would begin to fall from the trees. And in a few more, the mangoes would be so ripe, that one could make a small hole and suck the juice right off the fruit like a thirsty mango nectar vampire, and then disdainfully throw away the deflated lifeless shell for the cows and goats to eat.

During the mango season I think about God. I put myself in His place and I think about how it would please me to see the spectacle of the abundance of mango in the village. And how it would make me feel good inside each time a person enjoyed the taste of mango. It reminds me of a time I fell out with a friend, and then I met her years later and she was wearing a necklace I had given her as a present. It made me feel very good and I forgot about all the acrimony we previously had. Or imagine what it makes you feel when someone flaunts a present that you gave them? What if it was something that you made for them with your own hands?

And so I think that God enjoys it as much – or even more – when we enjoy the gifts that He has given us. And perhaps our enjoying the gifts that we have been given is a very high act of Glorification. So, let us enjoy all our gifts – our children, our health, our friends, our talents – and not forgetting mangoes and all other fruits.

Season of Ripe Mangoes, by Ngishili

January 28, 2007. Today is sunny and I am looking out into the greenness of the fields all around. It is a very beautiful day with the perfect blend for a Sunday mid morning: an azure blue sky with tufty white clouds, noisy birds and flirty butterflies, amplified fervent prayers from a gospel church at a distance competing with the harmonious choir singing from the Catholic Church in my neighborhood.

And I am just here breathing the sweet air. If this day’s oxygen were a drink, it would be served as a brightly colored tropical cocktail with two olives, a tiny umbrella and a fancy pair of drinking straws. It might as well be, considering that taking a deep breathe leaves one heady; at the brink of being intoxicated. But all I can think about is mangoes. I know that the mango trees are laden with fruit at this time of year. The mangoes are still green and will be ripening en mass in a few short weeks. At that time, every mango tree will litter the ground with yellow ready fruit, with such mischief that it would be impossible to walk past the tree without being dunked on the top of your head.

But already, curious boys are up the trees hunting for ripe mangoes with a monkey’s dexterity. They move deftly from branch to branch squeezing the fruits between their fingers for any sign of softness. The softness of the fruit under pressure indicates that the mango has eventually transformed from a green hard sour fleshy orb into a succulent tangle of fiber that holds together the sweet smelling juice of a ripe mango. However, the boys have to be careful so as not to come down with any of the branches. For the mango tree’s branches are not bendy at all. They snap as easily as a long, thin, fresh carrot. When put under unbearable weight, the branch will separate from the tree with a sharp unexpected crackle and noisily splash its burden on the ground. The noisy come-down results from thousands of claps of stiff leaves as they bounce against each other upon the unexpected jolt. For a moment, it is almost as if the branch applauds the downfall of another impatient boy who does not have the courtesy to wait for nature to take its full course.

But most likely, the mango tree’s branches are breaking due to the weight of the mango fruit. It is amazing how suddenly a branch can come tumbling down, spewing hundreds of green mangoes all over the ground. The bigger mangoes simply burst on impact before going into a lopsided spin while the smaller ones bounce and then roll smoothly for a while before coming to a stop. And in a very short while, all is quite, as if nothing ever happened.

The ripe mangoes are available for about 1 month. In that time all sorts of creatures that eat fruit will dig into the feast. It might be confusing to find non vegetarian creatures tearing the mangoes apart, but they would only be searching for insects that have bored themselves into the fruit. Apart from that, almost everyone’s hands are sticky from the mango juice and it takes an exceptionally tidy person not to have a yellow stain even on a Sunday best dress. But no one really minds since this season only comes once a year.

New Mexico: Shower Moon

Moon through a shower window, Cuba, New Mexico

Is there not something great about being able to shower while looking at the moon?

This is the case at the motel where I stayed in Cuba, New Mexico last night. (Well, in complete disclosure, it was too cloudy last night, but early this morning, the skies had cleared, leaving the new moon.)

It reminded me of another bathroom, this one in Harar, Ethiopia, where during the full moon, on a night after a long and adventurous day at a camel market, I turned off the electric light so I could shower by moonlight.

Ethiopia: Traditional Dance - Amhara

Friday - dance time!

Over a year ago, not too long after I'd returned from my solo trip to Ethiopia, I had a Friday dance series showcasing the traditional dances of Ethiopian ethnic groups.  

There was dance from the Oromo, and before that, dance from the Gurage.

In my "draft post" closet, I've had this post gathering dust, til now.

Today, traditional dance from another Ethiopian ethnic group, the Amhara.

In addition to the dancing in the above video, I enjoy the periodic appearances by a cow or a guy on a horse.  

When resurrecting this post, I had fun looking at the Oromo and Gurage dance videos again. I love all Ethiopian dance, but I think the Gurage's is my favorite.

Rootless Relocation, Part 1a: Where?

One spring day

One afternoon this past spring, sitting on a marshrutka traveling from Rustavi to Tbilisi, I thought:  

To Tbilisi from Rustavi via marshrutka

If I want, I can spend one year in a different place in the world for the rest of my life.

Really slow travel. 

Between Lalibela and Addis. Ethiopia

 
So where will I go?

You'd think the first question would be, where do I want to go?

But it's not. Here are some questions that come before:

What do I want?

Climate, geography, culture, vibe, demographics, recreation, access to local, regional, international transportation, access to family/friends, challenge ...

What do I need? 

Income opportunities, cost of living, standard of living, access to health care, access to internet, level of perceived safety ... 


Are there deal breakers?

Too hot/too cold, too big/too small, too homogenous, no nightlife, community's politics, human rights, crime rates, language, too remote/not remote enough ....


What destinations are on my general list of places to explore in the future?

For example, here are places that are on my current list. Some of I've been to before and others are new to me:

• New Mexico
• Mexico 
• Colombia
• Guatemala
• Ecuador
• Ethiopia
• Yemen
• Syria
• Iran
• Libya
• Rwanda

For me, at this time, the primary drivers telling me where to live next are:

Access to family. I feel the need to be within fairly easy access to/for family for the next one or two years. I define "fairly easy" to mean within a day or two's drive or a flight less than eight hours. The flight also needs to be reasonably economical.

Climate. Not too hot and not too cold.

Geography. I want to be close to mountains.

Cultural and language diversity. I want to be able to continue with EFL and also to enjoy intercultural experiences.

Money. The cost of living must be relatively low and there must be income opportunities.


The need for family access rules out all but:

• New Mexico
• Mexico

I could make a weak argument for Guatemala, if I were interested in living in Guatemala City, but I'm not. I'd want to live near Lake Atitlan, which knocks it out of the accessibility category, both in terms of flight costs and multiple-transport transfers. Quito, Ecuador, a beautiful city and perfect climate, wouldn't be too terrible for flight time, but the cost would be prohibitive.


So between New Mexico and Mexico, which? 

See Rootless Relocation, Part 1b: Where?
 

An Era Ends in Ethiopia

The hard and soft that is Ethiopia. Nazret, Ethiopia.

On August 21, Meles Zenawi, Ethiopia's prime minister, died. He'd been the guy in charge for more than 20 years.

When I visited Ethiopia for two months in 2011, I heard many comparisons between Meles Zenawi and the Derg (which was the oppressive regime preceding Meles Zenawi's 1995-2012 tenure):

From my March 7, 2011, post: My experience thus far in Ethiopia is that men of a certain age (e.g. those who were at least late teens at that time...) tend to believe that living conditions were better under the Derg than under Meles Zenawi. Men who are in their 20s and 30s tend to like Meles Zenawi. 

Even a man whose brother was killed during the Red Terror believed living conditions to be better under the Derg than under Meles Zenawi. (This sentiment is similar to what older Georgians say about things being better under Soviet rule than under the current administration of Mikheil Saakhashvili.) On the other hand, the younger men admire Zenawi, seeing hope with new roads (built by the Chinese), government works projects (such as cobblestone road building in the cities, financially supported by other countries), and the promise (though without the reality) of jobs after graduation from university.
 
Some of what I know about the Meles Zenawi era is what I've personally observed. So while our world leaders sing posthumous praises of Zenawi (and he has done some good things), I remember these facts: 

• Too many girls standing on the streets of Addis Ababa after dark, waiting for customers. 
• A former academic colleague, Taye Woldesmiate, imprisoned in Ethiopia for six years, convicted of treason.
• Another gentleman of my acquaintance, a husband and father of four children, imprisoned in Ethiopia for more than 10 years, similar charges. 
• Farm fields that used to grow food, now given over to grow tchat (qat), the narcotic cash crop

Meles Zenawi. Photo credit: The Telegraph

Ethiopia is rich in its illustrious and unique history, natural beauty, enduring traditions, Ethiopians' tolerance of each other's religions, languages, regional traditions; its humor, music ... so many attributes. I hope the transition between the Zenawi regime and the future is a fruitful one.

TLGers in Ethiopia

I am so excited that former TLG colleages, Jennifer and Martin, are in Ethiopia this very moment, volunteer teaching at the English Alive Academy.

Their new blog, The Beels in Ethiopia, is pretty hilarious. And I love reading about the cool stuff they're doing at the English Alive Academy in Nazret.

Reading their experiences and mine just shows again how everyone experiences a country differently. For example, where they had a fabulous time in Lalibela, I had a meltdown. I survived my mullet phase; they survived theirs.

Bates Hotel in Nazret, Ethiopia?

Turkey v. Georgia: Paper Instead of Plastic

Georgia wraps every take-away khachapuri and the like into those maddening little blue or pink plastic bags that flutter and get stuck to tree branches like toxic flowers. I always cringe, too, when items are microwaved in those bags.

(In Ethiopia, the same bags are the detritus of daily chat habits in what I call "blue bag towns.")

Istanbul, a city of 13 million, uses paper sleeves for its finger food. (Even its plastic bags, if you get one at a market, is of a texture that leads me to believe they may be biodegradable.)

I admire this and predict Georgia will glom on to the same in the near future.

Istanbul. Paper sleeves.

Travel Blasphemy #1: Turkish Coffee

Nescafe, this traveler's friend. Credit: Nestle.

A lot of international travelers rave about turkish coffee and sneer at instant coffee.

I like a good cup of coffee, myself. I drink it black, no sugar.

If I'm going to have an espresso drink, I'm going to have an espresso or an americano. Because there's no milk, sugar, or other flavorings in the coffee, I can taste the beans, the roast, and the preparation. I know the difference between a good cup of coffee and a bad cup of coffee.

Hell, I've even been to the birthplace of coffee. Twice.

Coffee roasted Ethiopian style

If an establishment doesn't make a good espresso, then I'll just have the house brew, thank you very much. Why spend the extra money for a product that's no better than the brewed?


So when I say I am just as happy with a cup of instant coffee, strong, as I am with a turkish coffee, I do so without embarrassment. In my experience, most turkish coffees are no more flavorful than ol' Nescafe, giving me insufficient reason to suffer the sludge at the bottom of my cup.

And when I'm traveling, instant coffee is a loyal friend always ready to give me a dose of energy without any fuss.


For the record, though, my favorite coffee is at Coffee Zone in Jefferson City or Columbia, Missouri. Their everyday brewed Rocket Fuel is so muscular, it'll walk your cup right off the table if you don't keep an eye on it. To get Taisir or Osama's espresso would be redundant. (But for those who like turkish coffee, you can get that, too.)

Taisir Yanis' Coffee Zone, Jefferson City, Missouri

Books, Books, Books

I hit the motherlode of children's books at the Jefferson City Salvation Army Thrift Store today. I'll add these to my more modest stash from Goodwill that I bought last week. They're for "my" public school in Rustavi, Kvemo Kartli, Georgia.

The school library, meager by any measure, has a tiny collection of English-language books. I'm hoping I'll be bringing enough so entire classes can have individual reading time or small-group reading time. My focus is on elementary-level English.

But speaking of books, and thinking also about English Alive Academy in Nazret, Ethiopia, it's possible to buy a gift certificate for the Ethiopian school at Better World Books. This company will email you the gift certificate, which you can then email to Stephanie and Dawit at English Alive Academy here. (Email address on right sidebar of the EAA blog.) They'll be able to select the books and related materials they need most ... and shipping is free!

Ethiopia: English Alive Academy

Practicing the "th" sound

Stephanie and Dawit have shared very exciting news - the English Alive Academy is receiving a grant to buy land on which to build a school! 

This is tremendous. They can now build a facility that is purpose-built for a school.

Of course, to actually build the school, they need "bricks." So they will soon launch a buy-a-brick campaign. If you don't want to wait til then, you can donate here.

I've talked about the English Alive Academy before. This is where I volunteer-taught for a couple of weeks in February-March 2011. I was (and continue to be) in awe that Stephanie and Dawit have been able to sustain the operation of a school for almost 200 kids, 20 Ethiopian staff (in a country with rampant unemployment), and the rearing of two young'ns of their own, largely out of their own pockets.

For nail-biting adventures of the school, read the blog here.

Ethiopia: The Simpsons

In a shout-out to a past trip, here's Little Ethiopia on The Simpsons:

Everything Except the Horn

Credit: Tamin-Lee at Everything Except the Horn

I was excited to come across Tamin-Lee Connolly's site, Everything Except the Horn.

Beginning in July, Tamin-Lee will travel for one year around Africa in a collaborative project with One Laptop Per Child.

As a teacher, she'll visit schools ... and hey, what better meet-up than between Everything Except the Horn and the English Alive Academy?

I sent an enthusiastic email to Tamin-Lee about her journey and about the English Alive Academy. Tamin-Lee responded quickly with a gracious intent to check in with Stephanie at the school.

One of the kids at English Alive Academy

Yay!

I've popped Tamin-Lee's into my blogroll over on the left sidebar. If you'd like to contribute to Tamin-Lee's great adventure, she'd love it!

Tamin-Lee's mission:

My mission is to circumnavigate Africa in one year, covering a crazy distance of about 50,000km and exploring 39 amazing countries that Big Mama Africa has to offer. But that’s not all, I plan on visiting war torn countries and hope to understand and experience the different African cultures along my journies.

But my goal? Well, being a teacher, my dream is to help improve education in developing countries where I can. I will achieve this by volunteering with “One Laptop Per Child” organization (OLPC), a private initiative in conjunction with sponsorships and donations privately organized for my wild expedition.

At the end of the day…. I just want to go out there, see as much as I can, help as much as I can, meet as many as I can, and the bottom line…have fun! I’ve got one year to live out my dream and I’m going to make the most of it, nothing is going to stop me…”one funky chic, one maxed out land cruiser, 12 months, 39 countries, 5000 laptops, and the experience of a lifetime.”

Ethiopia: Traditional Dance - Afar

Friday - dance time!

Last time, we had dance from the Oromo. Today, it's traditional dance from another ethnic group in Ethiopia, the Afar.

I like the video below because, in addition to Afar dance and music, it has cool swords and demonstrations of good dental hygiene. 

This video takes special care to spotlight Afar dance:

Big Things Happening at English Alive Academy

From Stephanie at the English Alive Academy ... 

BIG THINGS HAPPENING AT ENGLISH ALIVE ACADEMY

Big things are happening at the English Alive Academy:

• Campaign for 200 student sponsorships by July 1
• English Alive now a registered British charity
• A new website

 
200 student sponsorships by July 1
Did you know we have 200 students at the English Alive Academy!? And that, through the school, we employ 20 people in a country with an appallingly high unemployment rate?

We want to find sponsors for every single child by July 1. Are we crazy?! Maybe! But people thought we were crazy to open the school in the first place - and here we are, still going after five years! With 200 students!

As you know, all of the financial support for the students, the teachers, the staff and the school come from private donors and from me and Dawit. 

Dawit and I kept the school afloat for five years by donating half of my earnings to the school. But I don't have my teaching job anymore.  We need you.

A one-year student sponsorship costs:

140 pounds; or
230 U.S. dollars; or

• 152 euros

Dawit and I ask you to help:

• Donate a one year sponsorship - or give whatever you can afford, and we will apply it toward a sponsorship; and
• Share this email with your family, friends, and co-workers, and invite them to change children's lives with you.

Please click HERE to make a donation to us through The Big Give, a safe and secure website.  You make payment in pounds.


The student sponsorship covers it all: School and office supplies, uniforms, textbooks and other teaching materials, school bus maintenance, petrol for the bus, emergency and reserve funds, water, electricity, school building rent, cleaning, employee wages, taxes, and a building fund.    

 As of today, we have six student sponsorships --- 194 to go by July 1!

Dawit and I will keep you updated on the progress of this critical campaign.

English Alive Academy is now a registered British charity! 

It required lots of paperwork and patience and help from kind volunteers and it paid off - we're now officially a British charity. This means donors can take a gift deduction on their taxes and we can take a seat at the table of good organizations such as The Big Give, a reliable gateway for charitable donations.

A new website

We loved so many things about our old website, especially the warm look and feel created by our volunteer webmistress Johana.

We also love our new website, which continues to grow and develop, and we hope you like it, too. Please check it out by clicking HERE. No worries -- it's at the same address as our old one at www.englishaliveacademy.org.  We thank Gerry for his creative talents in building our new site. 

So help us sing! 

Please donate a student sponsorship today! And share this with your friends, family,and co-workers!

Thank you so much for all that you have done for us already!

Stephanie and Dawit

Ethiopia: Traditional Dance - Oromo

Friday - dance time!

Last Friday, we had dance from the Gurage. Today, it's traditional dance from another ethnic group in Ethiopia, the Oromo.


Girls see boys. Boys see girls. All farm work ceases. Dance ensues!




Men with long sticks and big swords invite women to dance with them!

This style of Oromo dance is kind of violent. I don't know what it's about; I wish I did.

Ethiopia: Traditional Dance - Gurage

It's Friday! Time to enjoy some dance! 

Here are examples of traditional dance from the Gurage, an ethnic group in Ethiopia. I love it: 

A professional music video version:



A "home movie" version:




And an animated, hiphop version:

Ethiopia Round-Up: What Did My Trip Cost?

Looks like the total cost = $3413 for two months, including air fare.

It also includes costs at the airports coming and going, such as beverages, a book, and internet access.

Air fare was about $1300, leaving $2113 for travel, or about $1000 each month.

Not included:

• Travel insurance @ $197 from World Nomads (cost of which depends on destination, duration of stay, one's age, and one's country of origin - U.S. residents pay more)
• Replacement of stolen camera
• Items purchased in advance of trip, such as clothing items, inflatable pillow, and the like

Budget calculator resources:

1.     Independent Traveler's Travel Budget Calculator
 
2.     Budget Your Trip

3.    How To Plan an Itinerary and Budget, from Seat 61

On Pencils

Volunteer teaching at the English Alive Academy in Nazret, Ethiopia, was very satisfying. Really, it's hard to have a bad day when greeted by dozens of smiling children shaking your hand and exclaiming, "Good morning!" Or being the recipient of serial kisses, hugs, and "I love you's!"

 

When it came to the actual teaching, though, I could not believe how much time was lost because one or two children did not have a usable pencil. Not because they didn't have one at all, but because the pencil quality was so poor, it took many futile attempts at sharpening (often with a big knife) to reveal the lead trapped within. Scrambling for one or two decent pencils held up the entire class' progress.

Evidently, there are either no good pencils to be found in Ethiopia or they are prohibitively expensive.

From Amazon

I've since learned that the decent-pencil problem exists in the U.S., too, even at private schools.

Maybe these Ticonderoga pencils would do the trick, seeing as they're "the world's best pencil."

I wonder if Ticonderoga ever donates pencils ....

At $13 USD per box of 96, yikes, that's a lot of money in Ethiopia.

If someone should be so moved to donate pencils to the English Alive Academy, (a registered charity in the UK) they may be shipped to:

Dawit Hailu

PO Box 170222

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Alerting the school in advance at stephanddawit at yahoo dot co dot uk would give them a heads-up to look for the package.

Ethiopia Round-up: Wheeled versus Not?

Here's what I wrote on luggage before I left for Ethiopia.  

I took this eBags Mother Lode TLS Mini 21" with me to Ethiopia:

Am I glad I took the wheeled bag instead of my soft-side, convertible tech Weekender, also from E-bags? 

At the end of the day, yes, I'm glad I took the wheeled bag, even though I don't love it the way I love the Weekender.

The wheels were very sturdy, the bag rarely tipped over, and with a lifetime warranty, I did not hesitate to roll it over any terrain. As a matter of fact, I had to get downright insistent about rolling it when bus or hotel staff felt the need to carry the bag rather than set it down and roll it, for fear of hurting the bag. And, I will say, it was more awkward to carry than a soft-sided, unwheeled bag. And yes, stairs necessitated carrying rather than rolling. But I didn't encounter stairs all that often. And, finally, I didn't feel the need to prove anything by hefting my own bag up the steps if there was someone at hand practically pulling it out of my hand to do it for me. That was an opportunity for me to help the local economy.

Having said all of the above, the Weekender would have done OK also.

When it came to air travel (and the lengthy treks to distant gates), it wasn't an issue, as I checked the bag. (Free because it was international travel.) If I hadn't checked the bag, the advantage of my wheeled bag over the soft-side carry would have been even clearer because of the ease in rolling it down those long gate ways.