Got (Camel's) Milk?

So, camel's milk...

So Krishna, who is also leaving Ethiopia, has this brilliant idea of cleansing/detoxing via camel's milk, before we go. Because, you know, Ethiopia.

You see, camel's milk is said to treat constipation which means...

እኔ : ሴት : ነኝ :: I. Am. Woman. Je. Suis. Femme. Exhibit Opening (Photos)

Getting the Party Started! (I.Am.Womam 2015 Art Exhibit Ingress)

2nd year architecture students mount their sketches on frames provided by Alliance.

We'll be winging it. That's always been the idea.

The exhibit ingress, we announced to participating students, would be today, Saturday, the morning & afternoon before the exhibit is set to open at 6pm later. We agreed to an 8am assembly time.

So, this is actually happening.

After months of contemplation (yes, I've been trying to do a Baji -- like this, and this, and this, and this -- here...), weeks of consultations (read: side talks during lulls over beer) and discussions with anyone who might be interested, and then finally, getting some people interested, to the point where they're actually now the ones pursuing me about it (read: success! but to me, really: aneurysm) -- it's finally happening: a DDU-organized women's month arts exhibit here in Dire Dawa.

A Melkam Genna at Emebet's Home

Doro wat, always doro wat. My favorite. (Note to self: have to ask the recipe from someone.)

While last year, Gavin and I were invited for the Ethiopian Christmas Day at our landlord's place, the next-door neighbor really, for some sumptuous doro wat and coffee, this year, our dayguard, Emebet, (also our landlady's sister), invited me to celebrate Genna with her and daughter Seppora.

A Happy New Year

Strike sparks everywhere aka an attempt at light-painting.

So, I ended up hosting a New Year's Eve party. Thanks to everyone who came, it was a blast.

Meskel

Sharing a light for the Meskel celebration.

Before coming to Ethiopia, I've never heard of the story of the "true" cross being "found" before. That's how bad a Catholic I've. (Still am, I guess, but non-practicing and non-believing for nearly 10 years now.) 

Happy Ethiopian New Year!

Melkam addis amet! Ethiopian kids don their best clothes for Enkutatash where they sing carols to friends and family in exchange for gifts.

To the rest of the world, today is 9/11 aka the day Al-Qaeda terrorists attacked the U.S. But here in Ethiopia, September the 11th, is Meskerem 1 aka Enkutatash, New Year's Day in the Ethiopian Calender (Julian Calendar).

Melkam addis amet! (Happy new year!)

Today marks the beginning of year 2007 in the Ethiopian Calender (E.C.)

Becoming francophone (well...)

After finally connecting with Alliance Francaise and meeting some really cool people, learning French language, why not?

So, this evening was our first class for French Language Level 1 at Alliance Ethio-Francaise (aka Alliance Francaise aka Alliance) Dire Dawa. I was able to half-convince two of my Filipino colleagues, Lizel and Luzzette, to register as well, but I came alone this first day to scout the scenes...

Celebrating Fasika (Ethiopian Easter) with Student Interns

Happy Ethiopian Easter!

Yesterday marked the Ethiopian Easter, which means the breaking of the intense 56-day fasting over Lent, when no meat or any animal products, including milk and butter are eaten by all practicing Ethiopian Orthodox Christians.

I was on that student trip when this long-fasting season began, and had experienced about a week of fasting from meat with the habesha's (local Ethiopians) and with their very limited cuisine as it is, it could be tedious. There's always meat, of course. Ethiopia has a good number of Muslim population, and other Christian denominations, Roman Catholic, Protestants, and an ever-growing number of expatriates and tourists, so there can't be no meat. In Dire Dawa, particularly, the Muslim population (Somalis, mostly) is quite huge -- so you can be sure to still find macchiato (it has milk, no!) and shukla tibs even during fasting season. Most Christian meat shops (marked with red cross signs), though, are closed for the full 56-day period.

Timkat (Ethiopian Epiphany) in Dire Dawa (18 January 2014)

Timkat ala Dire Dawa

So, of course, I want to immerse myself in the local culture. So when the cultural calendar alert sounded -- let's go!

It's Timkat. People were talking about it. I asked my colleagues about it. Students, too. And my pal, Wikipedia, of course.

Timkat (Amharic: ጥምቀት which means "baptism") is the Ethiopian Orthodox celebration of Epiphany. It is celebrated on January 19 (or 20 on Leap Year), corresponding to the 10th day of Terr following the Ethiopian calendar. Timket celebrates the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River. This festival is best known for its ritual reenactment of baptism (similar to such reenactments performed by numerous Christian pilgrims to the Holy Land when they visit the Jordan); early European visitors confused the activities with the actual sacrament of baptism, and erroneously used this as one example of alleged religious error, since traditional Christians believe in "one baptism for the remission of sins" (Nicene Creed). (Wikipedia)

Media Noche in Ethiopia

Not quite lavish, but was most filling, nonetheless!

While we didn't celebrate Christmas with the tradition noche buena, Filipino colleagues at the university, Ma'am Luzzette, Ma'am Liezl, (with their housemate Ma'am Ana from TVET) and Doc Rommel, and I, bid goodbye to 2013 with a very meager media noche at the 3 ladies' flat.

Visiting Fiseha's Baby

We have a new baby in our department!

Fiseha, my line manager, the Architecture department head, just became a new dad a few days ago. And as per tradition, Snafiksh, the department secretary, collected contributions from everyone, to buy gift(s) for the new baby boy, Amen.

Goin' Ethiopian

We are Ethiopians! Trish and Consolata show off their new EthioTelecom sim card and WiFi dongle.

Today, was the joint orientation with the partners as with our programme managers from VSO-E. Most of them (called line managers, or our superiors at the placement) came. Both my programme manager and line manager didn't come. Bizuneh, my programme manager, was travelling in Dire Dawa to meet with his ward there, a volunteer at the same university. I am to interface with him and my line manager in Dire Dawa when I get there tomorrow.

Shopping/Walking Day

Scrumptious ferenji (Amharic, for foreigner) lunch with the newbies and the oldies.

Day 2 of the ICB. We met some of the volunteers. The volunteer committee, represented by Judy (Educ Policy, UK) , had a session with us.

It was shopping day for us as well. Judy and Francis (IT Advisor, Canada) took us shopping for supplies at the Shola (?) market, a good walk from the VSO-E country office. Shola (?) Market is not unlike some of our town markets back in the Philippines, with separate sections for the goods (this row for cutlery, that for textile, etc.), only way bigger.