Do I really know where I am going?

Following the excitement of accepting my Peace Corps invitation to go to Ethiopia in February, I found that I was asking myself, "What do I really know about Ethiopia?"  The answer to that question was not a whole lot.  Realizing how little I really know about where I will be in a few months, I found myself beginning to do some research.  First, I found exactly where Ethiopia is located.  Ethiopia is located on the eastern side of Africa and is surrounded by Eritrea, Sudan, Kenya, and Somalia.  And on a side-note (which I am excited about because I have been there), I am much closer to Uganda than I had originally realized!

And in case you were wondering about what the national flag looks like...

So a little about Ethiopia's history...

There are more than 80 various ethnic and linguistic communities that live throughout Ethiopia and Ethiopia is one of a handful of African countries that has never been colonized.  Since1855 (Ethiopia's modern period) Ethiopia has gone through a process of recreating a cohesive state.  The primary conflict Ethiopia has faced during this period of time is with neighboring Eritrea, which was a providence of Ethiopia until it broke away from Ethiopia and became its own country in 1991.  

The Ethiopian government is set up in the form of a democracy in which their parliament consists of the House of Federation (upper chamber) and the House of People's Representatives (lower chamber).  All positions in either chamber last for periods of five years.  In way of the economy, the most important agricultural exports of Ethiopia include coffee, various types of hides, sugar, and gold.

Religion is extremely important in Ethiopian society.  Almost half of the people are Ethiopian Orthodox and about another 35 percent of the population is accounted for as Muslim.  There is a small minority of people who are Catholics or Protestants.  There is also a smaller fraction of the population that practice traditional religious beliefs.  The official language at the federal level is Amharic (which I will have the opportunity to begin learning during my first few months in Ethiopia), but each of 80 plus ethnic groups across Ethiopia also have their own distinct languages.

The terrain of Ethiopia is vast and varies a lot.  There is a wide range of altitudes, which leads to extremely varied climatic conditions, including colds mountains, temperate highlands, and hot deserts.  The rainy season of Ethiopia is generally from mid-June to mid-September.  It is usually fairly dry the remainder of the year.  It will be a challenge for me to pack because I have no idea which area of Ethiopia I will end up spending a majority of my time and I won't know until during my training (the first three months I will be in the country)!  Looks like I am in for a major change and may get a head start on learning a new language...

The Invitation

Last January I had the opportunity to spend two weeks in Jinja, Uganda.  It was one of the most profound and life changing experiences I have ever had.  It was eye opening to have the opportunity to see firsthand what life was like for many who live in one of the many third world countries in the world.  It not only broke my heart to see the poor living conditions, but to also learn how few opportunities there were for many.

I was lucky enough to make this trip with an amazing group of people through a organization called Children of Grace.  Prior to this trip, my family was sponsoring two children through Children of Grace and I was fortunate enough to meet them.  It was such a gift to be able to meet these two kids.  Now that I know them, they are now a real part of my life and have changed me forever.  

Joseph and Sylvia

 I experienced so much and could go on for many more hours about my time in Uganda.  Within about a month or two of my time back in the states, I found myself trying to process all that I had gone through and where I would go with all that I had gained at that point.  I had shared my story with many people and there was a common thing that continued to come up.  This thing that continually was brought up was Peace Corps.  I had never considered it before, but after three or four people had asked me about it after hearing about my time in Uganda, I just had to look into it.

Fast forwarding nine months, and I am finding myself sitting here writing this blog.  In the midst of a hectic and and crazy schedule, I received an email about a week and a half ago from the Peace Corps department in Washington D.C. inviting me to go to Ethiopia in February.  I am have accepted the invitation and will be serving as a volunteer helping to promote HIV/AIDS prevention and community health.  The feeling I have is actually very similar to the feeling I had in May as I was nearing the date of my college graduation.  There is a mixture of excitement, anxiety, and nervousness (and the list goes on and on). 

I have always wanted to start a blog, but I never felt as though I had anything worthwhile or profound enough to actually make any effort try.  Following a suggestion made to use a blog to share my experiences in Ethiopia, I am finding myself attempting to write my very first blog post.  I love sharing my experiences with those who want to hear about them and I hope this will be the perfect way for me to share on a regular basis with all those who want to hear my stories.  

Between now and the time I leave for Ethiopia, I will be using all my free time to either soak up as much of my own culture that I can or learning as much as I can about what I am getting myself into.  Wish me luck as I head as I prepare for this new chapter of my life!