September 22, 2013
I’m not usually one to complain but I feel like writing
about some of the challenges I face working as a Peace Corps Volunteer. But first
it is important to remember that one of the goals of Peace Corps is basic
cultural exchange (I had to refrain from using the word “simple” because
cultural exchange is not simple). Partially by default I am spending more of my
time in this area. Yesterday is a nice example. In the morning I went with
fellow PCV Devin and a well-known local man who he is working with to a woman’s
home here in Goba that had a bee colony located in the gap between the window
and shutter of her home. It was perfect to view an active hive through the
window without disturbing the bees at all. The woman was very nice and insisted
that we stay for buna, which turned into eating a meal of injera and ciga wat
(spicy meat in a red sauce). A common, classic example of the kindness
Ethiopians show to strangers here. As we were leaving the told me to come back
at any time, which I think I will, partially just to see the progress of the
bees.
The afternoon was also filled cultural integration meaning
drinking buna, eating kolo (roasted barley), and baso (a barley powder). My
friend Tigist took me over to her sister’s house, and then later to her
neighbors house where there was a gathering of 10 women socializing. I enjoyed
mostly listening and watching. I was able to understand that a young female
teacher had just died and they all donated some money to help the family. At
end of the gathering the hostess brought out a tray of huge slices of bread and
everyone took one to bring home. I did too and made a delicious grilled cheese
sandwich for dinner, and lunch today. (Again thank you Erik for your package of
cheese!!!)
So on the social exchange part I feel like I’m doing a good
job, and truly enjoying it, especially as my language skills get a little
better. On the “work” level things continue to be an up- hill climb. I really
am seeing how crucial it is to find and work with another motivated person,
like Devin has done in finding a guy to work with bees. Ato Gossa has several
bee hives living inside his house and has become the “Bee King” of Robe. Devin
is now helping him to purchase some transitional bee hives and start a training
center for teaching people how to raise bees with a transitional hive. The
transitional hive is a simpler version of the “modern” hive that most people
use.
On the other side of the spectrum last week I went out into
field 10km with some guys from the Agricultural Office to “help” them give
training on using modern hives. It was a beautiful area, full of native trees
and flowers and a small cluster of Gojo bet homes, classic mud and thatch roof.
The sad part was how these very rural, very poor, people invested a lot of
money for this fancy new hive, brought it in by horse back, and won’t be able
to use it to its full potential due to additional expensive equipment and
technical expertise that is required. The Ag office gave a 2 hour training
talking about the hives but did not address the topic of how to get bees to use
the hive, and how to process the honey at the end. Now the hives are sitting
waiting for an expensive wax mold and sheets to be made so that the hive is
functional. I am tempted to play the rich ferengi role and just purchase the
wax to see if I can help save this project…
Sigh. I will keep following the process and see how it turns
out but sadly I am highly skeptical…
Another example of disappointment and frustration in
potential good projects is the tree planting along the main road in Goba. I had
actually attended a training on “Project Design Management” and worked with
Gobezie to strategize how to do this project. Once we got back to Goba we
talked to the city municipality to present the idea and they essentially said
that since I did not have any money to provide that they did not need my help.
The university in Robe had plans to do a community development project and
ended up providing lots of trees. It is interesting to simply observe how this
project evolves, with fences of every shape and form being erected before the
trees are planted… In a way it is humorous to see what happens (a funny example
is the toilet seat cover being painted to advertise a hotel- this is especially
funny because it is rare to find toilet seats on actual toilets but I guess
they work better as decoration…). On the other hand it is sad to see a project
that I feel like I could have helped with, teaching how to plan and carry out a
project, unfold so haphazardly. Certainly it is a lesson for me in the value of
recognizing when to be assertive, forceful and maybe obnoxious in promoting
myself vs. sitting back and letting things be done the Ethiopian way. (And a
personal lesson in confidence and arrogance. Judgment of a culture that is so different
from what I am used to.) At least in Goba the trees will survive, in Robe they
planted a ton of trees, without fences and within a few days all the trees had
been eaten by the ever abundant roaming goats, sheep and cows.
One more disappointment to report: I met with the default
leader of the Bale Beauty Nature Club today to discuss its fate only to hear
him say that the club members don’t care anymore, as shown by the fact that he
was partially high and spacy from chewing a local drug Khat. Last week I went
up the property of the club and talked with the guard, a very nice, hard-
working guy, a retired soldier (with nasty battle scars to prove it). He was
discouraged because he had not been paid for the past month and therefore had
no money to buy food for his family to celebrate the New Year holiday. So
sad.
So these are a few of my frustrations. Luckily today I got a
package from my Dad that had a “Life is Good” t-shirt that said “Powered by
Optimism”. Hopefully when I wear it I can walk the talk. On a positive note
walking through town today I met a student who invited me to come back to the
Youth Environment Club and help lead a discussion on environment. Perfect
lesson in following the energy and going with the flow. And so the wheel turns
in the life of a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ethiopia.
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| Bee Training in rural village |
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| Gojo Bet, traditional home |
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| Bee habitat in the Bale Mountains |
