CNA Months

My first three months at site have been dedicated to getting to know the community and working on a community needs assessment (CNA).  I have slowly but surely setting into my new home here and have slowly gotten to know the community.  What I have loved about these first few months is that I have been able to take the time to slowly get used to my surroundings and settle in.

Since arriving in country, I have learned a great deal about the language, culture, etc.  Not only have a learned about the country, but I have learned about myself as well.  I have learned how flexible and patient I must be.  There are moments that are very frustrating, but I have learned that I must be willing to let things go.  Dealing with all that comes with living in a different country as a minority, I have really began learning what my limits are and how far I can stretch myself. 

I have come to find how amazing it is how much living in a different country for an extended amount of time can have an impact on a person.  It is quite something to realize how much a person can adjust to their surroundings as necessary.  I remember how daunting everything was when I first arrived in Ethiopia from going to a store to purchase something to having to deal with transportation.  Now, such things don’t seem to be such a big deal.

Things that I still continue to struggle with are the language, harassment, and finding ways in which I can help to benefit the community.  From other volunteers, I have heard such things will become easier with time.  I am still in my first few months of service and have much to learn still about Ethiopia, the culture, and myself.  I hope that the next two years will be a time of major growth for me. 

For those who are great with reflective, deep questions, please feel free to ask them.  It gives me the opportunity to reflect and process.  It will allow me to see how I have and will continue to grow during my time of service in Ethiopia.  I also promise to write blog posts about my reflections if given good questions to reflect on!

Suffering Silently

A phrase that most of us Peace Corps Ethiopia volunteers have become familiar with is “Don’t suffer silently.”  It is a phrase that our country director has said time and time again.  I have realized, especially since moving to site, that it can be extremely easy at times to shut myself off from others.  This happens if I am feeling sick, lonely, etc.  This is why we are so often told not to suffer silently!  If we are feeling sick, call/text Peace Corps medical office!  Or if feeling lonely, call another volunteer.  I love having the option to call another volunteer if I am having an especially rough day for what can result from many different reasons.  Some days, even if there isn’t anything particularly negative happening, it can still be nice to hear a familiar voice.

            This past week, I have had a handful of ups and downs.  I got to a point where I needed to talk to people, so preceded to have phone conversations with a few people.  It is amazing what an actual conversation with someone on the phone can make a huge difference, even if they don’t know what’s going on and we don’t talk about it.  It is amazing the comfort one can get just from hearing another persons’ voice. 

            Considering that I am fairly introverted, I have always greatly valued having time to myself to reflect on things.  Since being in Ethiopia, I have valued having other people around so much more.  Being at site, I have a lot more time to myself (and much less time with other people that really understand me).  On one hand, it is good for me to have all this time to myself because I am and always be a bit of an introvert and need time to myself.  But I have realized how much I need others around as well and I have come to understand much more the importance of “not suffering silently.”

Vision

So today I finally got around to making my way to an NGO (Non governmental organization)  in town called Vision.  I first learned about Vision when I visited Ambo.  Vision has a bit bigger office in Ambo and there has been a health volunteer working with the staff there.  The office in my site is a bit smaller, but I think has just as much potential.  Apparently, the Vision office in Ambo relayed to the office here that there would be a health volunteer moving to Woliso.  I originally found out about the Woliso office during my trip to Ambo and got really excited.  I got really excited all over again today when I finally visited the office.

So let me now tell you a bit about what Vision is...

Vision is an awesome NGO that works with people who have various disabilities and provided various rehabilitative services.  Some services include helping to provide rehabilitative tools such as crutches, etc.  The Ambo office has a workshop to build such tools.  This is so great because such things would otherwise be extremely hard for people to get otherwise.  One of the only places people can go to in Ethiopia is Addis Ababa for such tools.  A great thing for me is that because Vision already has worked with another health volunteer, they a really looking forward to working with me and have ideas of how I can help.  So this makes me extremely excited and gives me an opportunity to work in an area in which I have had some interest for a while.

I am so excited about the potential projects and work that I see myself doing in the near future and it is extremely exciting when finding such organizations that I am able to work with!  I am starting to see what the next two years may begin to look like for me!