the UN-important date

Ok soooooo. The thing is, I attract weird-o’s. SERIOUSLY, I do. And I know they say you attract what you put out in the universe. I am not so sure. I think I am fun and nice and happy. What I get, obsessive, creepy and stalker-ish.

Exhibit A- Mulugate

So on Sunday Carolyn and I were out doing some stuff. The power was out for a few days and all our food went bad. We went to the Swiss Café for a croissant and hot cocoa. {A new favorite since being here. WHY had I never put these two together?}. We were chatting and stuff. Nothing big or exciting happened. I went home, she went home.

We are currently in guest houses next to each other and both alone. It just happened when we came back to Addis there were way more Faranji’s here and that is how it worked out. Since we were leaving in a few days it didn’t make sense to move all our stuff.

Ok back to the story, I am at home watching some crappy TV and writing some Blog posts. You know the ones that make you laugh all the time. Happy, the guard comes to the door. I yell come in. Happy speaks like -6 words of English. HE is trying to tell me something. I look confused as always so he grabs my hand and leads me to the gate.

<--- THIS is what he looked like at the time. HOW could ANYONE take him seriously?
There stands Mulugate. I am absolutely confused at this point. I think: Maybe he works for Paul…or is here to fix something. I stand at the gate. I say hello.

He introduces himself.

Then he says that he has seen me walking around Addis and has wanted to talk to me. So when he saw me at the Swiss café he wanted to try. But carolyn was there and he was to shy. So he FOLLOWED Me home, and talked to the guard... (I know this is where I should have SLAMMED the gate closed. I was intrigued, I wont lie. This was so BOLD).

I panicked…then we talked. Then Happy tried to leave, so I grabbed his hand so he would stay. Then I lied that I had an appointment. Then he got my number and I somehow agreed to have lunch. We said good bye. He kissed my cheek, I promptly went into the gate at Carolyn’s house. Ohhh Happy you are SUPPOSED to be the GUARD.

Then I really panicked…So Biya (Carolyn’s fiancé) said they would come to lunch, because he would know if Mugatu was a creepy guy or not. I felt better.

Monday rolls around. He called twice before 10am. We made plans to meet at a neutral location. Carolyn, Biya and I all showed up at The Swiss Café. Mugatu (which I will now refer to him as) was there talking to a friend. We said hi and then went inside and sat down. When Mugatu came in he suggested we go to a cultural restaurant. So we did.

He drove.
TERRIBLY
The entire way there, I thought we might die. I crossed myself and said a silent prayer…

We arrived at Habesha 2000. We ordered tibbs and started talking. He mostly talked to Biay in Amharic. Then he would say something to me, try to touch me and I would sit there like a stone statue. Biya and Mugatu got in several little arguments about: How to hold a wedding, Indians- the people as a whole and something else I can’t quite remember.

He once asked my religion:
Me: I am a Mormon
Mugatu-->Biya: in amarəñña
Biay-->Mugatu: More-Mannnnn

Celina, Biay Carolyn: hysteric laughing.

I was SOOOO Awkward through the entire thing. For several reason: 1. I hate people, 2. I didn’t really want to be there, 3. It was easier than trying to make conversation. ALL VALID REASONS to be an ice princess.

IT didn’t stop him from trying to touch me on my arm, grab my hand, touch my leg or feed me. Thanks for that one CAROLYN.

It was a good thing Carolyn and Biya where there or no one would have said a word. I talked very little. Answered only direct questions. Completely did not try to move the conversation along.

When we left carolyn even said: Relax a little you were so stone cold in there.

I thought I was getting my point across.

NOPE. He dropped us off. We got out of the car down the street. At Biya’s request we stopped at a fake gate and fake knocked until Mugatu was gone. That way he wouldn’t know where I lived AND worked. Thank you BIYA for that one.

Then we laughed.
And laughed.
And laughed.

That was until it was evident Mugatu wasn’t going away and I had a stalker on my hands

I have been told I need to be REALLY mean so that he will get the point. Fayisa says that won't even work... WHAT have I done?


♥ Single Girl

Dear Unknown Number,

I hate you. Mostly because in Ethiopia no one has a voicemail box. So I have to answer you, or if I don’t I will never know who attempted to call me. Most of the time you are a wrong number anyways.

Dear electricity,
I would love it if you wouldn’t shut off for the next day at least.
Thanks

Dear Festivis,
The way you yell at Carolyn makes me laugh. I can hear you saying “Caroleen, Caroleen, Caroleen” over and over and over again in my head. It makes me laugh every time.

Dear Doche,
I WANTED TO BUY that Gazelle. iM still mad

Dear office crush,
Its been really FUN to flirt. Too bad we are back in the Village and it could be weeks before I see you again. I hope you use that email address I gave you.

Dear Jumpies,
What are you all doing here? I mean seriously…

♥ Single Girl

I also tricked the government

into giving me an ETHIOPIAN Drivers license.

Muah ha ha ha... iM getting VERY tricky out here.

Watch out [goats/donkeys/suicide horses/small children/camels/Isuzu trucks] CELINA is on the road...well not yet. Driving here is pretty crazy.

Anyone who has been here can attest. You seriously have to dodge all manner of things on the road. I have seen more wrecked cars and buses here than ANYWHERE.

Note to self: get up the courage to DRIVE!

WHATS THIS? iM officially a resident...OH YOU BET.

What that means, iM not entirely sure. Except I can get any job I want now.

There are these guys that walk around the city with brooms and mops and dust pans. They yell "MOOOOOP" all day (in amharic of course). Then if the housekeepers or shopkeepers or hotelkeepers want a mop or broom they buy one.

I think thats the next big thing.

NOTE TO SELF: dont look like a murderer next time you take you one and only ID photo that will be used on ALL official documents.

♥ Single Girl

My {SERIOUSLY} borderline inappropriate crush

OK ok ok…so this blog used to be more about my adventures trying to keep busy while slyly (and not so slyly at times) looking for Mr. Right. TRUST me that pursuit has not ended just because I landed on Ethiopian soil. (I went on a seriously WEIRD date today. more on that later)

I mean HAVE YOU SEEN the Ethiopian people…they are gorgeous…no seriously, they are. So I have been keeping my eyes peeled in case the perfect Habesha husband happens to pop up.

So the search hasn’t exactly panned out the way it would if my life were a movie, but it HAS provided some entertainment. Meet Fetsum & me of course.

Yeah I know it LOOKS like this a crappy photo shop montage, but ITS NOT. Hee hee

I met Fetsum in Awassa. He is a member of the branch there and is SUCH a hottie. The reason my crush may or may not be borderline inappropriate is that Fetsum is 18…GULP. YEP, barely legal but ohhhh so attractive.

His name in Amharic means Perfect, and I think he happens to be {PRETTY FREAKING CLOSE}.

Not only is he a super cutie he is the sweetest kid in the world. I work with his mother Mabrat and he dotes on her. He cooks for her and the family, he helps out around the house, he compliments her all the time. He also is a pure little angle. He serves in his church callings, cares about the welfare of others and HAS NO IDEA HE IS SO GOOD LOOKING.

A real gem of a manboy.

One time he stopped by work to see his mom.

I said: you mom looks so pretty today! She is all dressed up for her big trip to Addis.
Fetsum: She looks beautiful everyday no matter what she is wearing.

And he means it.

Want to hear the best line ever? We were standing outside just talking-

Fetsum: Celina why don't I ever call you?

Me: I don't know why.

Fetsum: I think I should get your number

YEP I giggled like a school girl, then promptly rattled off my digits...

Another time we were visiting a different church house. He was hanging around while I talked to a boy I know. I teased him that he should go meet some of the young women in the branch.

Him: Which one, I don’t know how to talk to girls.

Me: anyone, they all want to talk to you.

Him: no the don’t

Me: TRUST ME they do. If you think of them is cute or seems nice just go talk to them

Him: I don't know...

Me: ALL girls want is a guy who is going to step up and be a man. Just go talk to them. They

are all dying for you to just say hi.

Him: Really?

Me: YES, really

Him: ok pick one

I proceeded to mention a girl in a green sweater. He took the challenge, went over and stuck up a conversation. He came back SHOCKED that it work. I laughed, oh how these young men need TRAINING.

Then I pointed at a little girl maybe 4, he walked over to strike up a conversation and she ran and cried.

He laughed and said "see I couldn’t even get the little one."

So maybe I flirt with him like CRAZY. Maybe we text when I am not in town. Im bored…what can I say!

I do have a secret hope that when my little sister Morgan comes this summer they will fall in love…iM just preparing the way.

♥ Single Girl

PS: see how cute he looks with one of my FAVORITE girls Guno here. I know they look much cuter together, don't tell...i already know...

being Mormon in Ethiopia part I

So a lot of you know that “I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint”
(to the primary tune if you know it). Yep iM a Mormon. Its pretty [great/challenging/hard/amazing]. As part of my faith I have the privilege (or curse depending on who you talk to) to attend church for 3 hours every Sunday.

YEP three whole hours, every Sunday. Then there are callings and responsibilities, activities, meetings, personal scripture study, attending the temple and so on. I really have to say its not a religion, it’s a lifestyle. Part of my lifestyle I wanted to preserve while I was living in Ethiopia.

So here is the low down on attending church here.

There are 4 branches (A branch is like a small congregation. They are typically in areas where the Church is new or has less members) in Ethiopia: Magenagna, Beklobet, Debri Ziet, Awassa

I have had the privilege of attending 3 out of 4- Watch out Beklobet, Here I come!

When we are in the Village {Kersa Illala} the closest branch is Awassa. I love Awassa the city and the branch. It’s a good place to be.

The Awassa branch meets in a small house in town that the Church rents. The living room/dining room has been converted to the Chapel. One of the two bedrooms is used for Primary and the other is President Ammanuel’s office.

The branch has about 20 active attending members. Most are younger people and there are several high school students who are recent converts. The Awassa branch has a homey feeling. Everyone sits and talks outside of church until the meeting begin. They all know each other. Currently there are 2 full time missionaries stationed in the area. They come down for a month probably 4 times a year to help with the work in the area, to train the branch members on their callings and to assist where they are needed.

Being in an area where the Church is small is really different. Since the Awassa Branch is so small there are only 2 hours of Church. Sacrament meeting and Sunday School.

You are asked to help out a lot and most of the time on the spot: Sister would you teach primary today? Sister would you speak today? Could you play the Piano.

It gives you a chance to serve even if you haven’t been extended a formal calling. The hard part is finding a balance between serving and allowing the other branch members to fulfill their responsibilities. As a lifelong member I have had lots of opportunities to serve in different capacities. While attending Brigham Young University (an LDS institution) I had the opportunity to serve in many leadership positions. These experiences have helped me to be prepared to support the local church leadership here in Ethiopia.

Church is in English and Amharic. The sacrament prayer no matter what branch you attend is in English. Most of the time there is a translator who will give the English speakers a mini version of the talk, or translate word for work into Amharic. In Awassa the branch president speaks pretty good English. So he will simply say everything twice. It gets exhausting to watch. The good thing Is there are only 2 speakers, since everything takes as long.

Since there is not enough leadership for a full branch at this point the entire congregation meets for sacrament meeting. After that there is one Sunday School class- Gospel Principles and Primary (Sunday school for young children). There are several young women in the Branch who are working on their Personal Progress program own their own. The missionaries help out where they can, and I spent some time last week talking with the young women about how the program works and its importance (BOY have things changed they added a new value).

It has been really faith promoting to be out here. To see members of the Church who have such faith. Faith to travel 4 hours to church each day. Faith to walk 15 kilometers to ride three taxis each Sunday. Faith to be the first members of a new Church. To go against the popular norm. To have faith, real FAITH. The kind of faith I have never really had. Or needed to have.

Being here has strengthened my testimony. My faith and has helped me want to be stronger and better.

♥ Single Girl

In the PURSUIT of honesty

There are some things out here that are much harder than I ever imagined. I have tried to show you all the great and glorious parts of living here, and feel like I’ve done an injustice to reality of living in Ethiopia.

Loneliness: I know it seems impossible to feel lonely when you are surrounded by people all day. Kids, coworkers, strangers who are just intrigues by your presence. But it’s true. It’s really lonely here. I thought that I would be ok since I lived alone for a year and a half in St. George. What I failed to realize was that I still had friends in St. George. The greatest of both worlds. I could go out or have people over, and when the night was over no one had moved my stuff or eaten my food.

It’s the exact opposite here. Due to challenges with licensing, government meetings and the works we haven’t really settled in yet. We have moved around a lot. So we stay in hotels or a guest house. You aren’t in one place long enough to make friends or feel like its home. AND since you are in a hotel or guest house, when you come home the house keeper has moved all your stuff.

I miss having friends. I miss being around people who know me. That I have a shared history with. It’s refreshing to just be with people who know you. That you don’t have explain yourself to all the time. What makes it harder is the girl I am out here with “suffered like this for 4 years” so she thinks it’s a rite of passage or something to hate your life. It makes things really difficult.

I literally open my email everyday wanting {SOMETHING} not related to work or an ad to show up. a 20 minute call witk Kristen literally makes my month.

The language barrier: So I speak English and enough Spanish to find a bathroom and something to drink. Here the official language is አማርኛ Amharic. The people we work with speak mainly Oromo. So I speak about 5 phrases of each. It’s hard. The language is so different from anything you have ever heard, it’s not written in Latin script so you can even pretend to know what is going on. The saving grace is that most educated people speak English. From high school on all school is taught in English. Still there is a major language barrier.

This only adds to the loneliness. A guy at work (the MAI Addis office) and I were talking. There seemed to be like 10 times he thought I was laughing at him, when really I was just laughing. You can only say: "I'm not laughing at you, that was funny" so many times before it sounds fake.

Remember how THAT boy turned into my husband????

Then he asked me what I did on the weekends and I about started to cry when I had to say i'M not in one place long enough to meet people. So mainly I read, or watch movies or go to dinner with the few faranji’s I know. (ITs pathetic I am aware. It is my reality)

Lack of control: I have never in my life felt so little control of my daily activities, my schedule or my purpose. I am a planner by nature (I usually have a plan, then a back up plan then a back up to the back up and so on) so this runs against the very core of by being. Seriously it does. Being a foreigner in a country where you know no one and you don’t speak the language leaves you at like a HUGE disadvantage. On top of that a recent scandal in the US has put a damper on our ability to work . So we spent almost 2 months working on a license we can’t really use. We are at the constant whim of the political climate. We have to rely on everyone around us to help us make good judgment calls.

All of that leaves you feeling a little but pushed around.
A little bit helpless

I hate it. It’s been forcing me to learn patience.
Most times I think it’s helping me tolerate inefficiency- which is not something I want to come home with.

People STARE at you: no seriously they do. All day long. No matter where you go. No matter what you are doing. They point, they touch, they laugh. If you are white you stick out. Try being fat on top of it. They always want to bring you a special chair, comment on why you are so fat- you drink too much water it makes your body expand, it’s because you don’t eat injera, is it because you sit at home eating burgers all day? NO…Its none of those. I promise.

Its obnoxious.

They aren’t even sly about it. The worst part is as a faranji you are a target for beggars. This is going to sound cold hearted, but I hate all the beggars in the world. They don’t even bother the habesha people. They don’t even talk to the Chinese people they see walking around. But if you are white, they jump up with a hand out READY to go!

I refuse to give to beggars- which SOME people try to make me FEEL bad about. I give in sustainable ways. I teach people to take care of themselves. I help destitute women have access to resources. That is the only way things will change. NOT by giving 1birr to a beggar.

So there you have it. Despite all the wonderful pictures and amazing experiences, being here is hard. Harder then I could have thought. Harder in ways I couldn’t imagine.

♥ Single Girl

Comments are off- I dont really CARE what you think on this one.

The night we LOST a tire

Once upon a time there were four girls living in Shashamane, Ethiopia. They were oh so sick of the food at the Lily of the Valley and Shalom. They had been cruising around town in the Kia which had a nice ride and gave us a sense of security. Paul came to town and decided that he wanted to trade them cars. He handed over the keys to the Prado: “it’s a nicer ride, and its bigger to fit all the kinds in it”. The girls MISTAKENLY traded.

About a minute later they realized it was a trick. The Prado smelled like diesel fluid and had a shake when it got over 80kph. That night after work the girls decided they wanted to head to Awassa for a change of scenery. There are some good restaurants, a lake and just some new people to see and things to do. After they finished their work at the compound (around 6pm), they headed to Awassa. They girls were about 15 kilometers outside of Shashamane when the PRADO blew a tire.

Being STRONG independent women, they pulled over to inspect the damage. As soon as the car was on the side of the road about 15 Ethiopians SWARMED the car. Carolyn and Carol had a hard time even looking for the jack because there were too many helping hands.

After the jack was located the helpers removed the tire and started to remove the spare. Once the spare tire was off the back of the Prado, everyone realized that the spare was shredded and probably only had a few miles left before it blew as well.

The spare eventually replaced the blown tire {AS THERE WAS NO OTHER OPTION}, the jack was put back and an hour and a half later (I know in real life it SHOULDN'T take the long to CHANGE a tire)the 4 girls were on their way BACK to Shashamane. Their hopes of a nice evening completely ruined. They were Mortified...or at least 2 of them were.

The next day one of the local drivers came over to take a look at the tire. Since NO ONE believed the girls that the ruined. Even with the drivers recommendation to buy a new tire, the girls were stuck with a shredded spare and the directive to not drive very fast.

Three days late when PAUL the culprit came back, he brought two new tires and the girls traded the Prado for an even crappier car now lovingly referred to as the train.

♥ Single Girl

i {LOVE} these kids

My FAVORITE Part of being here is still the kids.

I know, I should feel a loyalty to my widows, and I DO. Really I do. They are GREAT. We are having fun working together, I am getting to know them.

BUT NOW i love these kids. They were all here when I came in April. Emuti was here when I came three years ago. They are the [cutest/lovingest/funnest/happiest] kids in the world.



They are soooo fun to spend time with! Musefants English is next to perfect. Emuti is reading really well and will just sit with you and read book after book after book. Tigist is #2 in her class, we now call her smartie pants. Bolulu is so helpful and kind.

they are much better children then I ever was. And whenever you need a pick me up, they hug you. They tease you. They braid your hair. It's a great benefit of my current job.

♥ Single Girl

Hello Teddy

Meet Teddy.

He is one of the drivers here in Ethiopia. He is GREAT! Plays good music, drives really safely, sends his brother to get you when ever you need it.







On one of our trips to Addis we had to stop by Teddy's house to pick something up. His father and grandmother insisted we come in for a cold coke and to look at pictures. For him it was soooo embarrassing. Imagine first date and you mom busts out the naked baby pictures- yeah it felt like that. I ENJOYED every minute of it, at Teddy's expense.

We saw Teddy grow up, visit lake Langano several times and graduate with his mechanics certificate. IT was funny to see all his pictures, see his house and meet his family.

His grandmother raised him after his mother died. She was the sweetest little lady in the world. and MAN could she give one heck of a hug.

She was in tears when she met us. iM not sure why. But we LOVE Teddy, call him Baby and are lucky to have him as a friend.

♥ Single Girl

Getting our WORK on

So what I do here {Ethiopia} is farm. Not exactly, but essentially I am a farmer (just ask my work permit). Weird how growing up in a suburb, attending University, traveling, working and all my experience led me to be a farmer.

I work with a group of widows in the village. The program I run is called Hawwota Dinagdeen ofdanda'an. <-- say that five times fast...I can barely manage once, iM getting better at it! In English we refer to it as Self Reliant Mothers.

The women in the group are assisted in the following ways:

• Complete a 16 week training program on self sufficiency, parenting, budgeting/finance, health & hygiene


• They are trained on the care and maintenance of a home garden and provided seeds


• Are trained on Care and maintenance of fruit trees and provided with 2 year old trees


• Have unlimited access to fresh well water and a one way draining water bucket


• Have access to free medical care for one year


• Are provided no interest loans for seed and fertilizer. Currently micro finance charges close to a 100% pay back AND the loan is due in 6 months. So anyone taking a micro finance loan to get their seed/fertilizer has to sell their harvest immediately and when prices are low! The new interest loan will allow them to hold their harvest for 6 to 9 months and sell when prices are high. It makes me SOOOOO excited!


• Are employed between 12-24 hours a week (depending on the stage of the program)


• Have access to a community bank and savings program- allowing them to REALLY save


• Get to hang out with ME like all week long.

So for them its a win win, mostly the getting to hang out with me part! It really is so much fun. So far the women have already received training on home gardens, have planted their 80 liter gardens, have started planting potatoes to help them survive until the big harvest in October and started working.

IT is SUCH a joy to get to be around these women. They are all so kind and so happy. I feel like a rock star too. Every time I see one of them I get stopped for the full Ethiopian greeting, giant hugs, a few kisses and wishes for blessings. It really makes my day.

This week the women are helping Morell Agro Industries clean their wheat. They do it the old fashion way. Its amazing to watch. I found out I am terrible at it. I had all the women laughing as I attempted to shift wheat. I mean it looked simple enough. HOW HARD CAN IT BE...

you simply hold a basket of wheat over you head

move it in circles while shacking it a little

and let the wheat fall....

It is my friends, HARDER than it looks.

After the women worked all day cleaning wheat we loaded them up with Potatoes and Fertilizer to plant. Each sack of potatoes weighs over 200 kilos. I also attempted to help load these bags. Thank goodness Fayisa, Hussen and Kedir were around to help.

YES I made Fayisa and Hussen stop to take a picture. At the time I didn't realize each sack weighted over 400lbs....oops!

Its been amazing to be out here and working with such great people! It is [exciting/fun/nerve wracking] to see a program I created come to life. I never in a million years could have dreamed this up.

Next time you eat a potato be glad you just bought it at the store!

♥ Single Girl

Are you jealous of my job yet?

Spare time?

So when we spent almost 2 months working on getting a renewed NGO licenses we had a lot of time to explore the city of Addis. On past trips over here, time in addis was minimal.

Now that MAI has a full staff there are lot's of faranji's {Foreigner's} here. It good because when I get sick I had someone to call. It also means we spend a lot of our time in Addis with Americans.

And what do Americans do best....EAT! Boy did we eat. Someone was always finding a new restaurant to eat at, a new place to try. I think its why I got so sick. My stomach was prepared for months of PB&J and spaghetti. NOT fancy food!

If you ever make it to Addis I can tell you where to eat & where to get peed on by a lion!

♥ Single Girl

Hazard # FIVE of living in Ethiopia

5. Tripping and falling

for almost no apparent reason. Ok...well there was a reason...On Friday I was over at the big house watching movie with some friends {Heidi, Amy & Jason}. I stay about 1/2 mile away when I am in Addis.

After the movie got out I had to walk home. As previously mentioned, there are no street lights and the roads are a crowded mess here. So I took my shopping bag full of toilet paper, my water bottle and headed out.

Everyone was concerned that I should catch a taxi. The problem there is by the time you walk to where you can get a taxi, you are half way home. NOT WORTH the birr. '

So I started out. I made the right turn to take the back way through the houses to the over pass. There was a creepy dude out walking around. He was swerving back and forth across the street and I couldn't tell what he was up to. I got a little nervous. Not the bad kind, just the heighten awareness kind. Turns out he was trying to find his dogs that where in the bushes.

I made it to the over pass. Traffic was clear. I crossed easily. Made it to the other side when I got the distinct feeling I was being followed.

I panicked a little as there was some weird guy directly behind me.

"Sista, where are you going. Sista where are you from."

I have an over active imagination so instantly visions of being chopped to bits and hidden in a wall somewhere flooded my head.

I walked fast..the ground was uneven, I was passing a parked taxi, and my chaco slipped out from under me... It looked a little something like this:

I promptly picked myself up, gathered my toilet paper roll that had gotten lose and scurried along. Bad news my leg hurts. Good news about a million people came over to ask if I was ok, so the creeper left me alone.


I made it home and then spent 20 minutes trying to find the guard to let me in my gate. Today anyone that sees my leg asks me what happened. It's a good ice breaker.

♥ Single Girl

SOMETIMES i sneak out of the office

and go and visit the kids. BUT only when all my work is done. Since most of the kids are in school all day, its hard to get a chance to play with them.



And its not like on past trips where you have some freedom. I have a [job/meetings/appointments/schedule] this time. VASTLY different from my previous trips.


When I do get a chance to play with the kids we mostly listen to "Jesus Music" and take pictures. All their CD's are really a DVD with a sing along. Its not helping my language skills AT ALL, but it makes them laugh when i try to sing along.



The taking pictures is their favorite. Always a close up, then a full body shot. Maybe a group photo. Then its my turn.

Notice how the pictures of me are fuzzy...They are learning.

All the kids are doing well! I love those little buggers.

♥ Single Girl

This was SUPPOSED to be a nice picture

♥ Single Girl

Near Death take ONE & two

Living in Ethiopia presents several challenges.

1. The food is terrible...
2. You get sick and have no idea why
3. Death by mosquito
4. You risk your life whenever you get in the car, walk somewhere or leave the house/compound.

Please excuse the 3rd grade animations of the events. (I think they are pretty darn good considering I used word and paint to bring these stories to life)

Take ONE-involving night driving, 2 Isuzu trucks and a bus with no head lights.

Night [nahyt] –noun
1. the period of darkness between sunset and sunrise.
2. the beginning of this period; nightfall.
3. the darkness of night; the dark.

We {Carolyn, Kate, Carol & MEEEEE} headed to the Village one Night...

There were plans to get out sooner, but alas- despite our best efforts we left later than anyone wanted.

Carolyn was driving and doing a good job avoiding the trucks, cars, donkeys, people, horse carts, camels and so on.

It is especially hard to drive at night in Ethiopia. there are NO STREET LIGHTS and people don't like to turn on their head lights- this one we still aren't exactly sure why.

We were passing a SUPER slow Isuzu truck, got about half way past it when we heard LOUD honking and got flashed with ONE HEAD LIGHT from an on coming bus.

Why did it only have 1 head light: I have no idea
WHY WASN'T the one head light turned on: BEATS ME

Carolyn Slammed on her breaks, the Isuzu FLASHED HIS LIGHT & slammed on the breaks. We made a hard right hand turn to avoid being hit head on.

Then we Carolyn had to correct the when and hit the gas to avoid being hit from behind.

There were a few "OH SHIT"s from the car, we all grabbed our seat belts and stopped breathing for a few seconds.

we then promptly agreed to never drive at night...until we had to.

Take two- Involving day light, a GIANT bus, three cows and a screaming baby.

We were on our way back down to the Village. Alyssa, her mom & dad and baby Everett were all crammed in the back seat.

The TRAIN {Nickname for our POS car} left Addis around 1. We were barely topping 80 KPH since we were full of people and loaded with luggage. We got to Kersa around 5, decided we wanted to make a quick stop at the VOH compound and then head to home base for the night.

Carolyn was driving (I know makes you think I should just take over that job) and signaled to turn into the compound.

*For those of you who haven't been to the village AKA all of you: there is a curve in the road before you reach VOH. anything off the paved high way is dirt and rocks. There are usually small children, animals or a donkey cart blocking your way in.

She went to TURN and out of NOWHERE we hear honking.

She slammed on the breaks.

A GIANT BUS full of people (who was attempting to pass on a curve) swerves out of the way, off the road, down towards the compound, swerves again, misses three cows and comes to a screeching HALT about 50 yards down the side of the road in the dirt.

I know I got LAZY on the cows...what can i say. I DO actually have to get some work done while I am here.

It happened so FAST. you could hear the bus almost hit us. We all Just GASPED for breath, the baby started screaming and we can literally an inch away from being killed by a bus.

Do any of you watch Arrested Development: And that is why we always look before we turn.

We get seven Human Cat Lives, so we figure we are still ok.

♥ Single Girl

iM Official

Yep, I tricked the government into giving me a work permit!

do not be alarmed it says iM Married.
or a farm manager
or that i look like a serial killer
or that i work in a different state than, I actually do.

Just chalk it up being in Ethiopia.

This week I am supposed to get my residency card, so a little misunderstanding on the work permit will be no biggie...or so I am told.

♥ Single Girl

My computer {CRASHED}

It was a nightmare. All the program documents I spent months perfecting. The lesson plans. The curriculum. The analysis. GONE.

I don’t know what happened. I went to bed. Woke up. Went to check my email and….NOTHING. just a windows error+.


For the first 2o minutes I just kept trying to restart in safe mode so it could repair itself. After that didn’t work 307 times. I started FREAKING out. I don’t mean "OH NO" freak out. I mean BAWLING hysterically. Calling the US in the middle of the night. Crying to my dad FREAK OUT.

• He talked me off the edge.
• I decided life might still be worth living.
• He was going to email an old computer guy he had worked with for years in California.
• I went to breakfast. Defeated.

Carolyn said she knew a guy in Awassa. So we trekked out there to meet Mike {Pronounced Mickey}

Meet Mike and his son ---->

We might be facebook friends, I am still awaiting confirmation...

His shop was a little ghetto I won’t lie. I was skeptical.



We waited and waited and waited. We ran an errand came back. He said give me a few hours and Ill call.

A few hours rolled by.
NOTHING.
Total radio silence.

We braved a call- "I'll call you after 1:00pm."






So I waited some more. At this point I had already figures out 16 backup plans (I am a planner by nature. Even if I know the plan will NEVER work, I still like to have A plan in place).


Lunch time is over, we've eaten and then, a single text.

It’s done.

OK... but, did that mean its DONE aka It's dead pack your bags now? Or did that mean, its done and ready to use!


Done= fixed = back to almost normal. All my data saved. AND Anti Virus added all for the low cost of 250 ETB. About $19USD.

Look how Happy I am!

*Blogger only lets me upload pictures in JUMBO size or MINI...iM not sure why, so sorry

**Would you TRUST you computer to a place called M-link?

Totally worth every penny.

Moral of the story= BRING extremal hard drive to back up all data!


♥ Single Girl

Dirty Laundry (not the good kind)

I always knew I lived a very comfortable life. I mean, I have GREAT [parents/family/friends]. I have been unemployed for a total of probably 6 weeks in my adult life, the entire time I had an ulcer and tons of interviews lined up. I have transportation. Food. Entertainment. And a soft place to land at my parents in case things ever got too bad (right mom???).

Nothing like a few weeks of laundry days like this:

To make you salivate over technology the pioneers had. I recently spent the better part of the day chatting with Carolyn while we did wash. The entire time we day dreamed about these bad boys:

#1, #2, #3*

I mean seriously, how {DRASTICALLY} can your Wish list change in just over 6 weeks?
If you are interested in purchasing any of these PLEASE let me know… I take donations.

♥ Single Girl

*I was looking for a plastic version of this. My internet time was limited

Also carolyn used to have a "Third World Washing Machine" that was essentiall a bucket with a top, that a hand plunger fit through. It was mad in california. I couldn't find that either. BUT If you do, let me know. I'm in the market!

I spent two days

GLUED to my toilet
& vomiting into the shower {until I found Carolyn's laundry bucket}

Then i spent my time GLUED to the toilet
& vomiting into a bucket.

I don't know what got me.
Could have been the leafy green's i couldn't resist anymore.
Could have been the delicious chocolate cake i snarffed down
Could have been the juice
Could have been the hummus
Could have been the Peanut butter.

There really is no telling what did it to me. But It HIT- fast and hard.

thank goodness i could call my neighbor in the wee hours asking for cleaning supplies. Luckily Wally & Carol took pitty on me like a small dehydrated child and scrubbed out my bathroom.

beyond their great kindness came sprite, pepsi, bottled water, anti nausea meds & saltine crackers.

My DEAR friend Heidi dropped by much needed toilet paper.

2 days of sleep between bathroom runs, the kindness of friends & I am up and going again.

that is until i dare to put solid food back in my stomach...oh BU leave me alone.

♥ Single Girl