Tips For Future [Ethiopia] Peace Corps Volunteers: Packing List

I would like to begin this post by saying that this will be another mini series that I will be writing in order to give tips for future Peace Corps Volunteers.  Please note that some tips I will be giving will be applicable to all future Peace Corps volunteers, but some tips might be very specific for those who are coming to Ethiopia.

This post will focus on what I think would be important things to pack when preparing to leave for your Peace Corps service.  The list will include, clothes, toiletries, electronics, etc.

Clothing

For the clothing list, it can get a little tricky because the clothes you need will vary from country to country and even vary between areas within a single country.  Here is a list of clothing that I would recommend bringing initially (and keep in mind that you can have more clothing mailed to you from the states).

• ·      A few nicer tops (ones that can pass for casual or professional)
• ·      You can pack some tops that are used just for professional use, but that’s totally up to you
• ·      Pack a top or two with longer sleeves in the case of cold weather
• ·      Quick dry tops and bottoms!  (These are really great, especially is you have to hand wash and air dry your clothes)
• ·      Jacket/sweater shirt (In Ethiopia, a rain jacket is needed for the rainy season; for other countries, you’ll need to do some research)
• ·      A couple of shorts/yoga pants (great for exercise, sleep wear, etc.; do keep in mind what would be culturally appropriate… In Ethiopia, it might not be as culturally appropriate for women to wear shorts outside of their compounds/homes.  But totally okay in the home for exercise, etc.)
• ·      Skirts for women (keep in mind what is culturally okay for length, etc.)
• ·      Of course underwear, socks, etc!
• ·      Bring a swim suite (even if you are in a country where you can’t swim, you will be so glad that you brought it if you travel internationally)
• ·      Shoes of course are a must ~ I recommend good walking shoes at the very least.  Bring some professional shoes as well. 

o   Girls, when I say professional, high heels may not be the way to go… flats would probably be better (but that’s coming from my own personal experience in Ethiopia, so do some research if you’re going to another country). 

o   Sandals and/or chocos are always good.  Many Ethiopia volunteers have chocos and they are very durable (and you can also get a volunteer discount on these… keep an eye out for other discounts as well).

o   It doesn’t hurt to have a handful of pairs.  I would recommend that they are durable, but whichever type of shoes is really up to you.

Ultimately for clothing, I brought clothes that I knew that I would be comfortable in as well as ones that I knew would be culturally appropriate.  Most of my clothes I am okay with wearing out easily and I would be okay with getting rid of at the end of my service.  Please keep this in mind!  If there are clothes that you cannot live without and/or would be heartbroken if you had to part with at the end of your service, take that into consideration.

Toiletries

• ·      Toothbrushes/toothpaste/dental floss
• ·      Deodorant
• ·      Shampoo/conditioner
• ·      Face wash
• ·      Soap
• ·      Hand sanitizer (You can’t get this in Ethiopia, and definitely comes in handy)
• ·      Sunscreen
• ·      Chapstick
• ·      Hairbrush/comb
• ·      Pads/tampons/diva cup for female volunteers (you can only find pads in Ethiopia and usually only in bigger towns)
• ·      Any medications that you take regularly (and please note that melatonin is not available, at least in Ethiopia, so it may be worth bringing)
• ·      And towels!  (You can also find quick dry towels, depending on where you are, these can be great)

Most of these items you can find in country (other than the ones I have noted otherwise above).  Keep in mind that it may be easy or difficult to find certain supplies depending on the country that you are in.  If there are specific brands that you like, it may be worth bringing a small supply with you initially.  Also, most medications such as ibruprophen, Benadryl, pseuodophed, etc. will be provided by the Peace Corps medical office in country and you should be able to get refills at any time.  This may or may not be applicable for prescribed medications depending on the country that you are in and the availability.

Electronics

• ·      Laptop (In Ethiopia, there are many towns/villages in which volunteers are placed where there is minimal to no network at all and internet is very limited, but having a laptop is still worth it. 

o   When I can’t use my laptop for Internet, I commonly use it to watch movies and TV shows as well as typing up blog posts, typing up responses to emails, etc.

• ·      External Harddrive

o   This is completely worth having and one of the things that I am most happy about bringing.  I would recommend getting an external harddrive with a memory of at least one terabyte (you really don’t need more than two terabyte)

o   Put all of your favorite movies and TV shows on it (especially if there are any that you absolutely cannot live without).

o   And don’t worry if you feel like you don’t have quite enough on it, many other volunteers will bring harddrives with movies and TV shows.  I highly recommend doing swaps to get stuff from other volunteers.

o   And side not for MacBook users:  your harddrives tent to automatically format a certain way so that it is difficult for non-MacBook users to transfer movies and TV shows from your harddrive to theirs.  When first registering your harddrive, you may want to consider trying to format it to make it all-computer user friendly if you are able.  If it’s not possible, you can always use the small thumb drive transfer as well.

• ·      Kindle is great for traveling if you are big on reading!
• ·      Ipod/Iphone – totally worth having for the music (especially when traveling).

o   If you have an Iphone, consider if you would want to use it for your mobile in country.  If it has a slot on the side for sim card, then it’s possible.  If you want to do that, then make sure that your phone is unlocked prior to leaving the states (this will make your life so much easier).

o   Also, the Iphone is great even if you don’t actually use it as your primary phone in country because you can have apps like whatsapp and viber to keep in touch with people back in the states.

Miscellaneous

• ·      Solar shower (this may be something worth having sent over at a later time in a care package)
• ·      Journals (if you are a journaler)
• ·      Swiss army knife (I absolutely love mine)
• ·      Pens/pencils/erasers/colored pens and pencils
• ·      Card Games (UNO and a plain deck of cards are two that I would definitely recommend bringing)

So that’s my big long list for all of you future, potential volunteers out there.  I know it seems like a lot and might be overwhelming, but take it step by step and know that these are just recommendations.  Some things you may not need at all.  Do your research to get country specific information on weather, etc.  I would also like to note that Ethiopia itself varies a lot in climate, altitude, etc.  This may mean that during any given time throughout the year, certain volunteer sites may always be much colder than other volunteer sites.  So I would recommend packing what you know you absolutely need and cannot live without.  Also for clothing, keep in mind that you can layer your clothing.  Also, put aside other clothes, etc. that you may want sent in packages later on.  What you can do is make a pile of clothes for warmer weather and a pile of clothes for colder weather.  Once you know what the weather will be like at your future site, have whichever clothes are more appropriate sent to you. 

I know this is a lot.  So take it one step at a time.  And start packing early.  If you have any questions about what you should pack, specifics, whatever, feel free to send them my ways.  Good luck! 

MSC

May 11 through 15^th of this past month marked the mid-service conference (MSC) of my group in Ethiopia.  This conference essentially marked the one-year mark (or half way point) of our two-year service.  It was exciting, yet overwhelming to see so many people because it had been about nine months since the last time my whole group was together.  It was exciting because I was able to see so many friends whom I had not seen in a very long time yet overwhelming because I was not used to seeing and being apart of such a huge group of “ferenji,” or foreigners (or white people, however you want to describe it), in such a long time.

The conference was four days filled with sessions.  Some sessions were technical, some experience sharing, and others focusing more on logistical information.  Technical trainings focused on giving us information that would be helpful when creating and implementing programs, activities, etc.  During our experience sharing sessions, we talked a lot about current projects that we are all working on and talked about other things such as what and what does not work when it comes to the creation and implementation of projects.

The logistical info sessions touched on a bunch of things including review of how we as volunteers report all of our work.  I think one session that was at the top of everyone’s favorite sessions list was the session on close of service.  There was a lot of information about what we all will be doing a year from now, including how to go about researching for jobs and graduate schools as well as other Peace Corps related options.  For anyone not familiar with these options, here is a quick summary of the different options:

1)   Extension of Service by one year

a.     Extend one more year at your site

b.     Extend as a Peace Corps Volunteer Leader (PCVL)

                                               i.     PCVL for Health Program

                                              ii.     PCVL for Ag/Environment Program

                                            iii.     PCVL for Education Program

                                            iv.     PCVL for Training

                                              v.     PCVL at Regional Offices (Jimma, Bahir Dar, Mekele, Hawassa)

c.      Extend through a Non-governmental Organization

2)   Another option is a short term response program

a.     As a returned Peace Corps volunteer, you can serve in different countries for usually 6-9 months

b.     These assignments generally are very specific

So that’s a quick look at some options for volunteers after their 27 months in country.  If you want more information about close of service specifics, feel free to send your questions my way.

Overall, MSC went really well.  It was great to see people and have a break from site.  Work can be a bit stressful at times, so it was nice to get away for a little while.  MSC was a really good way to motivate us (at least me to some degree) to continue to do work in site, think of new ideas, and get creative.  Not to mention that I got to eat lots of great food and was able to stock up on some supplies to take back with me to site.  Also, thinking about how I have less than a year of service now is also a good motivator.  Honestly, it is a strange thought that I have been in Ethiopia for over a year now and that I have less than one year left to go.  At times, this thought is a little bittersweet.  Other times, I’m just become more and more excited as the date draws closer and closer.  But I am realizing that when it comes down to it, all I can and need to do is make the most of every moment that I have left in this country.

G10 crossing over to our second year of service

Had to include this one... one of a few surprise photos I found on my phone that was taken during MSC.  One of my favorite surprise photos!

Some Days Require a Little Silliness and Other Things #1

Over the past couple years, I have learned how important it can be to let myself be silly at times and even be a little mischievous.  Being silly can take many different forms and when I talk about being mischievous, this usually takes the form harmless pranks.  One of the fist actual pranks that I helped with was covering the floor of a professors office with cups filled with water and having a few containing real fish.  With pranks themselves, I have learned that sometimes it is best to prank someone who you know will appreciate it.  This professor in particular definitely enjoys a good prank.  At times of high stress such as during finals week at the end of your last semester of university, it can be really fun and a good stress reliever to be a little silly and a little bit mischievous and play a harmless prank.

I have found that over the past year living in Ethiopia, sometimes the absolute best thing for me to do is be silly.  Being a Peace Corps volunteer (PCV) can be very stressful and tedious at times, and having something to take my mind off things and lessen the stress is sometimes needed.  Also, there are some times in which that does include being a bit mischievous and might take the form of a prank.  But in a place like Ethiopia, the only times I can be silly are either in my house by myself or when around other PCVs (particularly with those whom I am closest with).

Recently, a good friend of mine and I have made a couple videos in which we have been fairly silly and have messed with each other just a little bit.  I guess these videos could loosely fall under the category of being pranks.  With things like this, you have to have a certain relationship with each other where you can be silly like this, yet knowing your limits.  But I've found how important it is to have relationships with people where you can mess with each other and be a little silly without taking each other too seriously.

I am extremely lucky to have friends in Ethiopia that I am close with and can at like a complete idiot sometimes and know that it's okay.  With this experience in Ethiopia, I have realized how important it is to have friends like this.  Friends who I can rely on, be silly around, and even pull pranks on sometimes.  People like this help make the experience much easier and will ultimately help me in completing the full twenty seven months of service.

And here are the two videos I mentioned above (who knows, there may be more videos in the future)...

Video #1: My original video

Video #2: Payback

Shybunna Break Reminder

Hey all.

First, I would like to thank you all for continually reading my blog and supporting me throughout my twenty seven month Peace Corps experience.

I wanted to post a reminder to all of you to please send me questions, topics, etc. that you would like me to talk about for my shybunna break mini series posts.  I have recently posted my first post in this series.  This is the only question I have received and would love to get more requests from people.  I need these requests for this mini series to continue.  So please start sending questions and comments my way!  You can send via commenting on this post, emailing me, or sending me a message on Facebook.

Thank you!!

Taking Risks & Trying New Things

Over the past year in Ethiopia, I have grown a lot and am much more willing to take risks and try new things.  I do have to give some credit to the friends that I have made here.  They have definitely helped in pushing my limits and helping me grow.  I have been able to push the limits of my comfort zone.

Looking back at where I was at ten years, five years, and even one or two years ago, I would have never thought that I would have been able to do or handle things that are now no problem for me at all.  Such things include being able to handle traveling around a country that is not my own by myself and be fine, dying my hair, and even being willing to make myself look absolutely ridiculous sometimes.  Even a few years ago, I wouldn't necessarily be willing to do something if there was a chance of me looking ridiculous.

These are things that I have gained throughout my experience thus far and know (at least hope) that I will take back with me when I move back to the states and ultimately are making me a better person.  Despite how difficult this experience has been and how badly I do wish sometimes that I could finish my service early and come back to America, I am extremely grateful for how this experience has changed me in good ways.

Side note for any future potential volunteers:  To be frank, Peace Corps is not for everyone.  But if Peace Corps is something you are serious in trying, it is worth trying.  For some people, it might be clear if Peace Corps is the right choice.  But for many people, it is not clear until you start your service.  If you are seriously thinking about trying Peace Corps, try it.  In my personal experience, it has been an overall good experience for me.  Some people only have a negative experience, but there was no way for them until they tried.  So go for it, take the risk in at least trying the experience.

Shybunna Break #1

The first question for my Shybunna break series:  Can you tell us a story about one of your shybunna breaks?  My shybunna breaks began first day of pre-service training (which also was my first day in Ethiopia).  My first shybunna break experiences took place twice a day every day during pre-service training; once in the morning and once in the afternoon.  These would often be half hour breaks in between sessions.  Depending on the sessions and where we were, sometimes Peace Corps would have shybunna provided for us and sometimes we were on our own to decide how to use that break time. 

Since moving to site, my shybunna breaks look a little different.  My schedule is much more flexible then it was during pre-service training and so shybunna breaks fall into my day usually when I feel like I need it the most.  When I attend a program or training, shybunna break is usually built into the schedule of said program/training.

One of my favorite shybunna breaks was when my parents came to visit me last January.  I have been teaching an English class for field workers at a local non-governmental organization twice a week.  My parents came with me to class on Tuesday and the women in the class decided that they wanted to do a full coffee ceremony for us during class the following Thursday. 

It was nice for me to experience the full coffee ceremony because I rarely get to see the full process.  It was also a very cool experience witnessing my parents experiencing an Ethiopian coffee ceremony for the first time.  The ceremony began with washing the coffee beans.  We watched as the girls roasted the beans, crushed them, and eventually made the coffee itself.  My mom and I even took turns roasting and crushing the coffee beans as well.

The women in my class were also nice enough to buy fandisha (popcorn) and pop it.  They also brought homemade bread.  Having both at coffee ceremonies are very common.  They even brought Gouder wine and soda to share.

Up to this point in my service, I think this is my favorite and most memorable shybunna break because not only was I able to experience and help with the full bunna ceremony, I was able to share the experience with my parents.  I got so much out of being able to share yet another part of my experience and culture with my parents during their visit.

*Please send more thoughts, questions, and ideas for future shybunna breaks (they are needed for this mini-series to continue)!!  Please and thank you!!

Cleaning the bunna beans

Roasting (more commonly done on a charcoal stove)

  

Making fandisha

Cutting bread

Fasika ~ Take 2

Fasika is the Amharic name for Easter.  This year, Ethiopian Easter (and Orthodox Easter) occurred one week after Easter celebrated throughout the rest of the world.  Fasika preparations began weeks (even months) before the actual holiday.  Many people (primarily Orthodox Christians) fasted for a couple of months prior to Fasika.  This also meant that many meat shops were not selling meat, leading to less protein for me and less energy.  Luckily, many people were not buying eggs, so those were never in short supply (supplementing the loss of protein from lack of meat)!  Also, cooking preparations began a week or two before the actual day of celebration.

There was also a long church service the Friday (Good Friday) prior to the Sunday of Fasika.  Services and way of celebrating varied a bit among Christians though based upon religious affiliation (Orthodox, Protestant, and Catholic).  The main difference was in how many services took place throughout the weekend, length of services, etc.  On the day of Fasika, many people went to church again in the morning.  Following church, the rest of the day was spent being with family and friends, eating cultural food (primarily duro wat; aka chicken with a thicker sauce), and drinking local drinks such as Tej and bunna (buna generally brought out with fandisha).  The celebrations continued the following day (Monday).  Similar to Sunday, there was lots of food.  Many people did not go to work that day and many students skipped school.  People slowly trickled back into work and school throughout the rest of the week.

Duro wat, iyb (Ethiopian Cheese), hard boiled egg, and injera

*Side note:

Duro ~ Amharic for chicken

Bunna ~ Amharic for coffee

Fandisha ~ Amharic for popcorn

Bunna!!

Fandisha & Bunna

I think that what really stuck out to me about Fasika is that this is the first major holiday in Ethiopia that I have now celebrated twice.  Fasika was the first holiday that I really celebrated in Ethiopia and was celebrated with my host family in Butajira during my first three months in country during pre-service training.  This thought really solidified the fact that I have now been living in Ethiopia for just over a year now and have one more year to go.  I was also realizing that this may or may not also be the last time I celebrate Fasika (at least Ethiopian Easter in Ethiopia).  I think that it is safe to say that in some ways, this was a very bittersweet day or two for me.

What I really enjoyed about Fasika, like so many other holidays in Ethiopia, was that many people invited me over to their homes and wanted to celebrate with me.  And again, like many other Ethiopian holidays, was fed a lot of food and buna… and I mean A LOT!!!  I knew that I ate a lot because I did not sleep at all that night and could not eat for a good day or two after the celebrations were concluded.  I really like Fasika because it is essentially a universal religious holiday (except a difference in date) that holds the same meaning for people all over the world.  In a country that is so different than the one I identify the most with, it can be so refreshing sometimes to be able to celebrate a holiday that is the same basically the same in both places.  Some things can be so good for me on a personal level when they bring a sense of normalcy to my life.  Some of my favorite experiences in Ethiopia have been ones like Fasika when I am able to experience something so unique to Ethiopia yet brings that sense of normalcy to my life.  Moments like these will be some of the moments that I remember and treasure the most of this overall experience in Ethiopia.

*Next Post Preview:  Shynunna Break #1 ~ The question asked was:  Can you tell us a story about one of your shybunna breaks?