Tawazawazi

The past few days have been somewhat of a blur so I will try to sum up what we have been up to and hopefully by the end of this post you'll know what I mean when I say blur. 

Not too long ago we had the pleasure of a fellow volunteer/friends company in our lovely city. Scott and I had not seen our friend since we moved to Mek'elle on August 25th so it was very cathartic to see this particular person seeing as we have so much in common and we had developed what I consider to be an initial sturdy bond since training began in June. A bond, that I thought would be perfectly ripe for developing into a very close friendship. Our visit was then interrupted by the news that this person would be returning to the States to pursue her true happiness in life. I am not revealing much about this person so as to protect their privacy and their decisions that Scott and I, although are saddened by, support wholeheartedly. We were very shaken at first but my respect for this person told me that I had to be happy because this is only way for them to move on in life. 

For their last time in Tigray, this person chose to spend it with us and we couldn't have been happier to host and see this person off. We made dinner (stir-fry, something I have been getting better at cooking since our arrival to site) and played hearts at a nearby restaurant that hosts a spectacular plasma screen TV. We talked about the good and weird times during PST and touched on the fact that this person would be missed greatly. We ended the night with full bellies and a good time. In the morning it was time to say final goodbyes and they were off. 

Having a friend leave from this experience makes me have an appreciation for the sacrifice we have made. This is a life altering experience, one that will inevitably change who you are and what you care about. Leaving, in some aspects, is not a sign of weakness but a sign of acknowledgment in what you, as a person, are willing to sacrifice or not sacrifice. The decision to stay or leave is one that has to be dealt with on a daily basis. Scott and I are very lucky because we have each other to support and confide in. We alone know what we have and will go through and that is a priceless commodity. In the end every volunteer has to ask themselves what will they gain or lose from serving for two years of their lives?

The revelation of our friend leaving us was a surprise but also another part of us being involved with Peace Corps. Friends will leave either of their own accord or for other reasons outside of their control. The only thing we can do is process the information and move on with our lives with hope that we will see our friends on the other side of the Atlantic. 

It is funny how truthful the life cycle here is in Peace Corps. As a rule, I have never taken for granted the information our training in Peace Corps has given us. A crucial part of our training, apart from all the medical and security training, was understanding the emotional difficulties that we would be subject to during service. According to Peace Corps (volunteers and staff the world over), and I am in full agreement, there will be very high high's and very low low's. We have not been in country for very long but the life cycle is starting to have a very real role in our lives. As one thing ends another begins. 

The beginning of 2005 in Mek'elle, Ethiopia (the capital city of the Tigray region) fell on Meskerem (September) 1 or September 11, 2012 for us Ferengi. The day was filled with food (injera, lamb, and lots of burbary), honey wine, and spending time with friends. We experienced the uncomfortable feeling of being full much like we would be subject to on Thanksgiving back in the states. Most of the day passed with catching up with our new friends here in Ethiopia. We spent lunch with our former LCF Biniam at his parents house where his mother served us injera with lamb and potatoes. We drank a honey and, what I assume, to be a barley drink that is unique to Tigray. We had a very relaxed time watching a Millennium concert that featured the Black-Eyed Peas along with some other well known Ethiopian singers on the television. We then left to meet a fellow volunteer, Keith, at his home of 9 months which also happens to be up the street from our house. 

Once there we were served cheddar cheese thanks to Keith's generosity. I will now make a side note: Cheddar cheese is like gold to us here. We can't buy it at the stores and Keith's daughter is kind enough to mail it to him. (Ideas for anyone wishing to send us a package.) We had a great time getting to know Keith and his compound family. We talked about Ethiopia and what it means to work here. We know that he will be an invaluable resource to us as we make our way through this journey. 

From Keith's we walked to my counterpart, Igziharia's, house. At this point we were so uncomfortably full that we had to make a pit stop at our house for a proverbial "break". When we finally arrived at Igziharia's we were instantly greeted with Tejj, a delicious honey wine and a true delicacy here in Ethiopia. We watched Ethiopian news that was translated by her well-informed and very charming husband. Then it was time to suck up our misgivings and dig in to our fourth meal in a six hour period. Normally it is considered rude not to finish your plate but I think they make an exception on holidays because once I began putting food in my mouth and I knew that I was most likely going to be sick. I quit eating and was asked if I was satisfied. Then my plate was taken and we were offered more Tejj. 

The walk home was excruciating. We had Igziharia and her husband as companions which we were grateful for seeing as we are new to the community and they had expressed general concern for our well being after dark. Once home instant exhaustion took over and we were almost instantly asleep after hitting the pillow. 

Throughout the day, as we were being bombarded with new customs, food, and a different calendar altogether, the one thought streaming through my mind was the fact that September 11 is a day of mourning for every American. As Ethiopians are celebrating and we are treated as guests among this celebration I was distracted and removed from the holiday. It felt strange to celebrate while remembering that day so clearly and what it meant for the future of our country. Thankfully, Igziharia and her family understood our distraction and offered to turn her television to BBC News or CNN so we could feel connected to our part of world even if it was for just a moment. 

This is what it has been like for the past couple of days and what it will continue to be like for the next two years. There is a certain disconnect that has developed between us and our home country, family,  and culture. We are grateful to become a part of this very unique community in this part of the world that is so different from our own but this part of lives involves a sacrifice unknown to anything I have experienced. Nothing can change our relationships with our friends and family (at least not while Facebook is involved and we have internet) but we will be living different lives for now and we will have to fill that gap once we return home.  Ups and downs. Sacrifice and opportunity.