India again?

Yes, indeed. This time I'm spending the summer in Lucknow studying Urdu. No promises about writing regularly or even at all, since such promises make me less inclined to actually do it. Instead, my plan is to live the experience rather than record it. And if I should be inspired to write, that I will do.

The jist is that things are swell. I'm learning a lot & generally enjoying having one focus (learning the language) rather than feeling scattered w a ton to do at once.

Love to my loved ones. Meh to weirdos reading this I don't know.

I started writing this one back in July, but never finished it. Here it is anyway..

27 July 2010

Yes, I know. It has been AGES since I’ve written here. But that just shows you that I’ve been out having a great time w my research & getting to know people here that writing hasn’t been a top priority. But the time has come for me to share with you readers a bit about what I’m up to in Ethiopia.

We’ll start w what’s happening on the research-front since that’s the top reason I’m here this summer (thanks to Chris & IWMI). I’ve met with countless farmers & bureaucrats and now have a fairly good understanding of the general consensus by different parties here on water contamination, treatment options, the role of industries, farmers, NGOs, and governing bodies, and varying perceptions on wastewater for food crop irrigation. I’m still working away at how best to frame the issue in my thesis, but one aspect is certain- I must consider the issue with hope rather than despair. I have some more specific opinions on the matter, but I’ll not spoil my thesis paper for you before it’s even written. You’ll just have to read it once it’s published. ;-)

In other news, I finally went around Addis on Sat to do some of the touristy things. The opportunity was perfect bc Golda (the woman I CouchSurfed with before I moved into my house) has another CouchSurfer here from France right now, and friend who came to town from Costa Rica to give out the UPeace diplomas to the Peace and Security Studies grads at AAU. Golda’s been here about 4 months & still hasn’t seen the main attractions either. So her friend/employee at Upeace, who happens to be from Addis & used to be a tour guide here, offered to take us all around in his car to show us some of the coolest parts of town.

We went to Lucy’s Restaurant (named for Lucy, the oldest homo sapien sapien skeleton to have been found on earth) for lunch, followed by a tour of the National Museum which houses a molding of Lucy (the real skeleton is apparently in New York) among other groovy fossils & cultural remnants.

After that we went to Piazza where there are loads of little stores and cafes all stack on top of one another on a hill above Churchill Ave. Apparently this building style was left by the Italians following their brief occupation during WWII. Be’alem showed us some of the best & least expensive leather stores in Addis. Leather is one of the main exports from Ethiopia (after coffee, of course). I feel a little guilty admitting that I ordered a leather jacket for myself, not just on the same principles making me vegetarian (though only when in the States. Hey, I don’t want to miss out on the Ethiopian food experience. Plus, the meat industry here isn’t nearly as disgusting as in the US. I see the cattle being herded around the countryside & the city, not caged up in a filthy feedlot being injected w growth hormones). The guilt comes more from knowing that the leather factories/tanneries are in large part responsible for a lot of the untreated pollution that’s dumped into the river. But it’s cold & rainy here, man.  And I definitely did not bring warm enough clothes (probably the reason I keep getting sick). Plus, I’m supporting a local business that makes high quality stuff.

Be’alem took us to Merkato next, allegedly the largest market in Africa. It is certainly the biggest market I’ve ever seen & I think the local saying, “You can find anything in Merkato but the human heart” must be right on par. Seriously, there are huge sections zoned by the types of goods they sell. There are sections for shoes, car parts, cosmetics, vegetables, chickens, sheep, kitchenwares, anything. You name it, it can be found in Merkato. And there is so much traffic it’s overwhelming. While Addis is generally a pretty safe place, the Merkato is also the worksite of thieves, so one has to be extremely careful there. We just drove through to take a look bc the place is so huge & overwhelming, it’s not worth getting out unless you’re prepared to spend the day there. But I know when I go back I’ll have to bring nothing but 200 Birr & my cell phone tucked safely away into my bosom- otherwise it WILL disappear. Hell. Maybe it will disappear from my bosom without my noticing anyway, since these thieves are apparently quite skilled. I’ve been warned.

Next we went up the mountain north of town to Entoto (Emperor Menelik II’s former capital)…

Moving and grooving…

So yesterday I finally met with some farmers (they were actually urban gardeners) & had a really great time. It was a fantastic preliminary meeting, but I think this group won’t be particularly useful to me since they are located at the source of the spring-fed stream they draw from to irrigate their garden. We had a nice informal chat, while the women went through an elaborate coffee-making ceremony. Essentially, they first heat the coffee beans in a clay tray they put on a jiko (at least that’s what it’s called in Tanzania- a steel pot that is raised so air can flow underneath, with a clay pot resting inside with hot coals in it for cooking). Then they take the pan of smoking beans around so everyone in the room can take a whiff of the wonderful aroma. Next, the beans go into a mortar & pestle where they are pounded down into a semi-fine powder. Meanwhile, water is being brought to a boil in a beautiful traditional clay coffee pot. There is some sort of ceremonious element involving putting water into the cups, but by that point I was distracted by a bunch of kids demanding that I take their picture & another of the women showing off the wonderful handmade erbos (woven basket) & bolsas (purse- yup bolsa isn’t just purse in Spanish, but also in Amharic) she makes.

Have to run. More to come!

Oh, Sunday…

Today drags on & I should be working. But every time I think about it I feel more and more muddled on what to do & how to get info. I took A’s advice & my field asst & I went to the Oromiya Ag Office on Friday to get them to hook us up with the peasant associations. But to our dismay they were not at all helpful. The man I spoke with made it clear that they had no information for me & suggested I go to the Addis office. Hence, the wild goose chase has begun. I get the impression that bureaucrats & even some of the NGOs are afraid to make any statements or give info because it may reflect poorly on them. One woman from the US who is working on a project here (which shall remain unnamed) even told me pointblank that her org and others do not want to be critiqued so would rather not work with visiting researchers. Naturally, I will & should be critical. But I was careful to ask very general non-controversial preliminary questions so as to keep those I’m seeking to get real interviews with at ease. Maybe they’ve had problems with people being critical of them in the past & are trying to avoid that again.

From what I hear, the government here is rather imposing & they are careful to hide anything that may make them look bad (seems to be the pervasive defense mechanism invoked here). And for the most part, it seems they are quite successful at it with government ownership of most media outlets & intimidation of those who step out of line. Just look at what happened with the federal election in May. In the 2005 election hundreds of members of opposition parties were killed in the streets when disputing the ‘win’ for the incumbent party & thousands were jailed. Five years later, the populace is supposed to believe that all those people who did not support the EPRDF in 2005 just changed their minds- with 99% of the vote going to the ruling party. Right. But there wasn’t much of a ruckus this time around. It seems those who were brave enough to stick it to the one-party system before have all been killed, jailed, or intimidated into keeping their mouths shut. And that’s what I’ve observed here in the capital city- people just don’t talk about politics. Life is what it is, and there’s not much anyone can do about it. Of course, I’m making a huge generalization of the sentiment here since I’ve not even been in the country for 2 weeks. Maybe there are protestors and a revamping opposition. But if there are, the government is doing a great job of keeping them out of the public eye…

Anyway, I have more meetings this week & am continuing to read everything I can get my hands on, so hopefully things get better with research. Internet is a big problem (it often doesn’t work at all, or does but is extremely slow), so tomorrow I’m going to the Ethiopian telecomm office to see about getting one of those USB internet things (what’s it called?).

In other news, I’ve had a terrible case of the shits all day & fear it’s from the Mexican dinner I hosted last night at my new place. About 12 people came over (interns from ILRI, couchsurfers, & some other random friends I’ve made) & indulged in my refried beans, tortillas, veggie fajitas, chips, & salsas- every single thing made from scratch bc, hey, you can’t buy salsa or chips here (other than pringles or potato chips). But I think it was the guacamole that made me sick since everything else, even the salsas, were cooked. I, of all people, should know better than to have uncooked veggies here considering my studies in the effects of untreated wastewater on crops & those who consume the produce. But Golda insisted her guacamole was the best in the world so I just couldn’t resist challenging her to a “guacamole-off”, since I know MINE is, in fact, the best in the universe. It probably would have been fine if I had used avocados from the tree in my yard, but the dog gets them as soon as they fall & there were no ripe ones way up in the tree. So we used fresh avocados, tomatoes, etc that we bought at the supermarket. We were sure to wash them well, but I still am suffering the explosive consequences & am really hoping my friends aren’t also sick…. =(

Anyway.. I can’t post this until tomorrow (and that’s IF the internet at the office is working) so I’m going back to one of my best finds here yet, in terms of literature- a book called “Class & Revolution in Ethiopia”. It gives a nice, concise history of Ethiopian politics from the Ancien Regime until the time it was published in 1978 (4 years after the military Dergue seized power from Emperor Haile Selassie). Fortunately, I found a 2006 edition so the one author who is still living (Nega Ayele, was killed by the military government in ‘77), John Merkakis, has provided some remarks on contemporary politics as well.

Ahhh… Comfy pjs, warm duvet, & good book. As long as the power doesn’t go out I’m set for the evening.

Loves to you all!

Btw, for some reason my texts to people in the States don’t seem to be going through. =( Something must be wrong with the country code. I’m not going to try calling anyone bc I’ve gone through $20 in 15 minutes with international calls. So, I’ll just see if I can figure out this texting business. Maybe if one of you sends me a text I can see how the # comes up in my phone.

Also, for those of you on Facebook- Kristi posted Tanzania pics since she’s back in the States, so take a look. I won’t be able to post pics on the blog for a while since it takes so long to upload them with this connection.

Addis- I love it!

Hi guys,

I don't have a phone right now bc it slipped out of my pocket in the shared taxi yesterday (didn't notice bc I was wearing my big yellow pancho since it was raining) & whoever found it was probably delighted to have a phone which $30 worth of minutes was just added to. Urgh!

But no worries. I'm going to the Piazza later today to get a replacement phone (fortunately, I never bought the first phone- it's just the one I was given by the UT in India program 2 summers ago) & then to the telecommunications office (phone & internet services here are govt owned) for a replacement sim card. I think they'll be able to cancel the old one so whoever has my phone can't use it & will set the new one so I still have the same #.

In other news, things are going well here. Yesterday I checked out a house that a friend of a friend of an acquaintance lives in. She & her roomie are both Irish & work for the UNHRC with Somalian & Eritrean refugees here. They had a 3rd roomie who just moved away, so I will find out tonight if I'll be taking the girl's room. The house is PERFECT so I really hope it works out. It's nicely decorated, spacious, and has an avocado tree (yay! I'll make guacamole everyday!). They have 3 guards at the gate (the UN requires their employees to have guards) & a big beautiful dog, plus, a cleaning lady who cleans, cooks, & does laundry (woohoo! no more washing my own by hand!). And the house is just next to Bole Road, so it will be easy to catch a shared taxi to the office everyday.

I feel so spoiled here. Food is ridiculously cheap & delicious. This morning I had a macchioto (yep, I've acquired a taste for coffee in Ethiopia. Who would have thought?), a cheese omelet, and a chocolate croissant at a French cafe all for less that 25 Birr (about $2).

I've spent my weekdays at the IWMI office reading, interviewing potential field assistants, and working out a plan for interviews. My weeknights are spent with couchsurfing hosts, Upeace employees, and interns at IWMI eating amazing food, dancing, and watching some world cup games. This weekend I even indulged in my first ever Moroccan bath. I had no idea what I was in for, but Golda (who is hosting me) was going for her weekly 100 Birr massage (less than $10) & invited me along. She suggested I have the Moroccan bath so that's what I got & it was AMAZING (but I was a bit confused at first by the absence of a bath tub). I never knew I had so much nastiness in my skin until it was cleaned like that & I watched all the icky stuff come off.

I still have a ton to share on the Tanzania trip (and photos + videos to upload), so stay tuned. Hope all is groovy for you guys!

<3 Tabby

Survived the village

So Kibanda was intense, and I must admit that I was not prepared for what I saw/experienced. I went to a couple villages when in Pakistan, but never stayed in one. We stayed in Kibanda for 3 days, and people were very hospitable & sweet, but so extremely poor. Most people just live in little deteriorating mud huts without electricity. Kristi & I were lucky bc her former host family has an extra room so we were able to share a bed in the extra room, but we also shared the room w rats & roaches. Ewww!

We went w Baba Salam (her host father) to see his farmer- 3ish acres where he & his wife/kids plant corn, oranges, casava, etc- all by hand, which is their sustenance for the year. We also watched Muhammed, their oldest climb a really tall coconut tree to get nazi (coconuts). And Mwamaima (Baba Salam & Mama's niece whose parents died of malaria) took us down to the water hole where we fetched water & learned to carry the buckets on our heads. I'lll post pics at some point when I'm at the right facilities to do so.

We're leaving Dar at the crack of dawn tomorrow to go to Mtwara, a beach town near Kristi's village, to relax a little. Not sure what kind of access we'll have there, but will post when I can.

Loves!

Habari za asubuhi (News of the morning)

Mambo!

Hallo, hallo. I made it to TZ yeterday afternoon & things are super groovy. It's so lush & beautiful. Birds chirping, butterflies, an open blue sky, and a nice coastline. Of course, there's also the uglier side- lots of mosquitos, pollution, and poverty. But people are extremely friendly, & don't miss a chance to say, 'Karibu!' (welcome!) when ever I walk by.

I'm so impressed by Kristi since she didn't know a word of Swahili last time I saw her but is now rapidly conversing with the locals without a problem. Makes me want to take off for a couple years to go to a village somewhere (ideally in South Asia) & get the full emersion experience.

Me, Kristi, and her friend Bill (another PeaceCorps Volunteer) stayed in a hostel here in Dar es Salaam last night, but we're catching a bus this afternoon to Kibanda (right outside of Muheza) to visit the family who hosted Kristi her first 2 months in TZ. It will be about a 5 hr bumpy ride, but I actually enjoyed riding the public bus around Dar yesterday & today. Seeing the cattle shoot to cram into the packed bus was quite the adventure in & of itself.

Oh! The clothes I brought weren't the best for here (hot, humid, conservative), though I did stick within the guidelines of what Kristi said to bring (cotton shirts, skirts/capris longer than knees, etc). But showing legs (even the lower half) isn't good in the village, so Krsiti let me borrow a sexy maroon moomoo of her's that is so comfy & cool. I wish I had thought to bring my Mexican moomoo, but that's ok- I'll acquire 1 or 2 here. We are at the Peace Corps office right now using the computer lab before heading off, & there is a box of clothes that PC volunteers left behind for anyone to take, so I scored a kanga (basically a big piece of cloth women wear) & local skirt/shirt set that fits perfectly. At some point I'll find a place to be able to post pics & videos I take.

I'll be out of commission for the next several days since we'll be in the village, but will text Caty from my phone once I get a sim card this afternoon so she can be in touch should it be necessary (calystaspence@gmail.com).

Hope everything is going well for everyone.

Love & all that peaceful goodness!


P.S. Thanks for the comments. =)

P.S.S. I did take a peak at your emails but don't have time to respond before catching that bus. thanks for the emails & will be in touch when I can.