It is hard to believe that it has been two months (to the day) since Andy and I left San Francisco. So much has happened (much of which we couldn’t blog about). We’ll send out a version with the more juicy details via email when we get home.
So, we are now back in Addis Ababa resting after a very rewarding trip to Gambella. I think we last left you wondering about how the workshop was going. Let me just say, “It went great!”
The students really took to Premiere and finally understood what they were actually doing once they started working in the software. We had waited so long for the computers to arrive that we were afraid the students might start losing interest. But, when life is about taking things slowly and enjoying every moment, people tend to worry less and just accept their situation. I know I have slowed WAY down on this trip and am happy to report that my stress-induced eczema, my furrowed brow, and my constant need to be moving have abated to the point of near non-existence.
Continuing…Akway came in the next morning and I filmed her dragging herself across the ground to her chair in the classroom. She smiled the entire time. When I showed her the footage back, she was laughing hysterically. Honestly, she couldn’t stop. She had never seen what she looked like as she attempted to maneuver about. Her reaction was confusing, but SOOO Akway! When she finished her film, I helped her with the sub-title translations. As we went on and on, I started to get goose-bumps. Just WAIT until you see her movie. I’ve asked Ben to post it at the top of this blog entry. Hope you can see it!
Now I have to digress for just a second (speaking of Ben). Yesterday, we had a big ole ceremony in Gambella with the President of Gambella Region and several others. It was quite something. He is a very powerful man. He said some amazing things (like the fact that he thinks all NGOs in the area should follow the Pearson Foundation’s lead if they really want to help the region…wow). One gentleman asked the students to stand and clap for all of the people they couldn’t see, but who have been tirelessly helping Andy and Erik to bring this wonderful program to them. I loved that. So, they gave a big shout out to Wendy who has been there for Andy and me at every turn. She has responded immediately to all of our needs and we love you! The kids in Gambella love you, too.
Mark, the kids would not have been able to learn as much as they did if were not for your tireless efforts to keep me and Andy awash in funds when the system worked against us. Thanks.
Finally, we could not have been as technically successful had we not had Ben. Ben is Andy’s brother. He works for us at the Foundation. He is a wonderful human being, and also about as technically savvy as one can get. He has saved our butts a thousand times on this trip. Ben, I hope you know that I feel like you were actually with us on this trip the entire time. Words simply can’t express how much we love you. Also, the kids in Gambella asked about you, and Andy was quick to tell them what you’ve been up to.
Back to our departure. We had a lovely afternoon sitting at Opara’s house chewing chat and talking about politics, hut-building, stupid-white-men, etc. We sat under the eave of the house on the ground and chewed, ate peanuts, got merkana (slightly buzzed), and drank Coka. Our friend and student Ojud was there with us. Andy and I gave him a ton of clothing and all of our medical supplies. I gave him my fingernail clippers and then we started on a riff about a new business in Gambella called, “Ojud Cut”…he will cut five fingernails (in his hut) for 500 Birr ($50…an exorbitant and ludicrous idea) or ten fingers for a 1,000. For 2,000 Birr you also get a chicken from the hen-hut not four feet from his bed. We laughed and laughed. Every so often I would look at him and say, “Ojud Cut!” He would reply, “5 for 500, 10 for 1,000. Chicken for 2,000”. Andy and I are going to really miss Ojud. We gave him enough money to pay for three more semesters of school. He so loves his education.
We finished with the kids on Thursday morning, then the President of the region Omud Obang came in and gave a wonderful speech. I spoke, Andy spoke, (a few other spoke), and then the President handed out the certificates to the kids. I can’t tell you how important this was for them. It would be like having a major U.S. Senator show up in the most rural town in America. The kids were thrilled. Also, these certificates that I designed in Microsoft Word are like gold to the kids. They will use them to try and get into schools and get jobs.
We said goodbye, handed out the stipends for their lunch, then packed up the computers to send to Openo TVET. This is the technical vocational training college that is setting up a Pearson Foundation media lab. They have 1,000 students who will now have access to computers…many for the first time. Our students from the past two weeks will be the mentors who will now train others. Talk about legacy and building capacity!
Yesterday afternoon we had our last chat chewing party at Opara’s. It was wonderful. I’m really going to miss that yard with the chickens, the playing children, the maize drying on the ground, and the most intelligent conversation with the most calm and wise men I’ve ever met.
I took my friend Muluken back to town to help him get an injection for malaria and then to visit his Grandmother, Welkenis Bedi. She is about 100 years old. She loves seeing me when I show up in her compound. She praises Allah (she is Muslim, Muluken is Christian) and hugs me hard! She can barely get up off of her chair, but makes a point to greet me, her favorite ferrengie (white dude). We told her that my name is Ojullu (second born) Agwa (father died when I was young) Jur Mar Qwar (spelling wrong, but means white man with red tinge). She loved it. I took her some mango juice and some chocolate cookies and she acted like I’d given her a million bucks. I told her that Muluken’s movie was very good and very moving. It really is. He talked about how hard it is to stay in school when you have to work carrying sacks for $2/day. He used the Flip camera to videotape himself carrying the most massive bag of onions. His movie really is good, and very moving. He passionately pleads for people to come help kids in Gambella continue their education. Ojud’s movie is also really good. We will post all of them on the Pearson Foundation site so that you can watch them. Anyway, Welkenis Bedi told me that Muluken had already begun building his shop in her yard, right on the street. She thanked me and Andy for the $60 we gave him to start up. I was so happy to see that it was already under way!
About four men then showed up, all with the Yellow Eye disease. Welkenis is known for her herbal remedies and people come from 300 miles to be treated. As I sat on the dirt with Muluken, he explained what Welkenis was doing. First, the patient brings a branch and 5 Birr (fifty cents) to Welkenis. She blesses him with the branch, then goes into her hut. I followed. She had some clay pots with the FOULEST smelling broth. Apparently, she has a friend take her by donkey cart into the woods where she digs up the root from a specific tree. She brews it then adds God knows what else. She pours a small amount out, then does a detailed and lengthy ceremony with the patient, all the while lightly spitting on the man. Finally, she gives instructions, and the man goes away. He is to drink the mixture, then lie down for five hours. In five hours he will throw up violently. Then, he is to drink two cups of water and throw up again. Then, two cups of coffee, and throw up. Finally, he is to wash his body, eat food, and lie down. When he wakes up, he will be fine. I asked around, and I heard that it actually works. The local clinic sends people with many maladies to Welkenis. I felt honored to be sitting with her. I said goodbye and she begged me to promise to come back.
Andy and I went to bed early last night and got up to sit for four hours waiting for a ride to the airstrip. We said some very sad goodbyes to our great friends, and now we sit in Addis reflecting on a life-changing trip. From the orphans in Botswana, to the girls in Joburg, to the chimpanzees in Gombe, to the trafficked children in Ghana, to our amazing students in Gambella, we have been blessed to have met them all. As glib as it sounds, Andy and I have gotten so much more from this trip than we could have ever given. As I sit here writing that sentence, I am starting to tear up (oh, now I’m starting to cry) just thinking about how much they’ve given us and how much I’m going to miss them. I think I’ll sign off and go sit quietly and just let the tears come…they are joyful, mind you, with just a hint of sadness. We’re going to miss Africa.
Erik
Friday, November 9, 2007
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Gambella Computer Training
Andy and I have never seen faces light up as brightly as those of our Gambella students when they walked in the room and saw the laptops sitting on their desks ready to be used. We had a fair amount of mouse-training to accomplish first, but they quickly understood and were practicing in Premiere in no time. Everyone at the hotel (and many people from town) came in to see the miracle of 30 students from Gambella working on laptops that will be available to them for many years to come. So cool.
We’ve given the students cameras to take home so that they can include personal images to illustrate their stories. We finally had to explain that music videos of their friends singing hip-hop songs do not fit into this category. We’re hoping they come back this morning with more relevant offerings.
So, the students are training, Andy and I are exhausted, and the sun is unrelenting. I love the heat, but the ½ walk to town (I make it a few times a day) on the dusty streets makes for an interesting and kind of disgusting shower the next morning. All manner of bugs, dirt, and who knows what else falls off of my body. Hard to believe I sleep with this detritus on me. But, I have it easy compared to my new friends like Muluken.
He was asleep one night and forgot to wash a piece of meat juice off of his right hand. He woke up in his hut to find a rat attached to his hand. He has a nasty scar. I am so glad I was an avid boy scout because living here is a lot like camping. You smell like smoke from the campfire, you are constantly dirty and hot, and you have to find natural remedies to all kinds of daily problems from laundry to hanging a sheet with twine to use as a screen for teaching movie making.
I think my favorite new friend is Ojud. He is the hardest worker you’ll ever meet. He is about 6’3”, 20 years old, and still trying to finish school. He has really taken to the computer and Premiere. He wants to be a teacher. He lives simply in the round hut he made for himself last year, and does everything for himself, from washing his clothes (and his body) in the river to finding ways to make a few Birr here and there. Andy and I spend a lot of time with him and will leave him most of our clothes and extra Birr when we leave.
Finally, we come to Akway. She is the young woman who is paralyzed. It is quite something to see her drag herself across the concrete and stones. At first, you think, “How can she do that (she doesn’t wear shoes) without ripping a layer of skin off?” She then saunters up to you with a big smile and shakes your hand vigorously. She has the best outlook on life. Yesterday, I was sitting with her and her movie partner Cham. Cham works at Pact. We were discussing the images they could use to illustrate the points they are making in their films. All of the films follow the same story-arch. Basically, the problems you had trying to get an education (my mother died in the fighting time, my father made me fish instead of go to school, etc.), how you overcame this barrier, and your hopes for the future. Akway was wondering how she could show here disability without people pitying her. So, I suggested we film her dragging herself across the ground, up the stairs, and through the door to the computer lab. People will be thinking, “Oh, how sad…look at that poor girl.” Then, we’ll show her pulling herself up into the chair and then pan to her using the computer to make her movie. “YES!” screamed Akway. “This is perfect! I am a strong woman who uses computers now so don’t think you know everything from just watching me try to get from here to there!” I was so happy I could have cried. She left the building in high-spirits ready to tackle another night and then get up to make her important movie. Doesn’t get better than this.
More (when we can),
E
We’ve given the students cameras to take home so that they can include personal images to illustrate their stories. We finally had to explain that music videos of their friends singing hip-hop songs do not fit into this category. We’re hoping they come back this morning with more relevant offerings.
So, the students are training, Andy and I are exhausted, and the sun is unrelenting. I love the heat, but the ½ walk to town (I make it a few times a day) on the dusty streets makes for an interesting and kind of disgusting shower the next morning. All manner of bugs, dirt, and who knows what else falls off of my body. Hard to believe I sleep with this detritus on me. But, I have it easy compared to my new friends like Muluken.
He was asleep one night and forgot to wash a piece of meat juice off of his right hand. He woke up in his hut to find a rat attached to his hand. He has a nasty scar. I am so glad I was an avid boy scout because living here is a lot like camping. You smell like smoke from the campfire, you are constantly dirty and hot, and you have to find natural remedies to all kinds of daily problems from laundry to hanging a sheet with twine to use as a screen for teaching movie making.
I think my favorite new friend is Ojud. He is the hardest worker you’ll ever meet. He is about 6’3”, 20 years old, and still trying to finish school. He has really taken to the computer and Premiere. He wants to be a teacher. He lives simply in the round hut he made for himself last year, and does everything for himself, from washing his clothes (and his body) in the river to finding ways to make a few Birr here and there. Andy and I spend a lot of time with him and will leave him most of our clothes and extra Birr when we leave.
Finally, we come to Akway. She is the young woman who is paralyzed. It is quite something to see her drag herself across the concrete and stones. At first, you think, “How can she do that (she doesn’t wear shoes) without ripping a layer of skin off?” She then saunters up to you with a big smile and shakes your hand vigorously. She has the best outlook on life. Yesterday, I was sitting with her and her movie partner Cham. Cham works at Pact. We were discussing the images they could use to illustrate the points they are making in their films. All of the films follow the same story-arch. Basically, the problems you had trying to get an education (my mother died in the fighting time, my father made me fish instead of go to school, etc.), how you overcame this barrier, and your hopes for the future. Akway was wondering how she could show here disability without people pitying her. So, I suggested we film her dragging herself across the ground, up the stairs, and through the door to the computer lab. People will be thinking, “Oh, how sad…look at that poor girl.” Then, we’ll show her pulling herself up into the chair and then pan to her using the computer to make her movie. “YES!” screamed Akway. “This is perfect! I am a strong woman who uses computers now so don’t think you know everything from just watching me try to get from here to there!” I was so happy I could have cried. She left the building in high-spirits ready to tackle another night and then get up to make her important movie. Doesn’t get better than this.
More (when we can),
E
Monday, November 5, 2007
Real Need
Andy and I can pretty much predict the exact moment when one of our students will quietly pull us aside to ask if we “have moment”. It usually happens about three days into a program. That is the point that the students become comfortable with us and feel compelled to take the opportunity to help an aunt, brother, or grandparent in need. Because the need is so great in Africa, we’ve become accustomed to telling them that they should write down what they need so that we can try our best to get their request into the hands of an organization or person-of-means who might be able to help.
Two days ago, Muluken pulled me aside to ask if we could help his sister. She has malaria and needs an injection. He is a bright, funny, and diligent 19-year-old student. He changed it up, however, when he said that he would do any work we needed him to do in order to get this money for his sister. He needed 100 Birr ($12) for the injection. I told him that he could come in ½ early every day to help us set up so that we could sleep in a bit. He agreed.
Yesterday, we finished the paintings the students have been working on for their films and then walked over to the Pact offices to check email (if possible) and have a Coka (one doesn’t say Coka Cola here because Cola sounds just a bit too much like the slang word for the part of a male that makes him a male). We had just heard that our computers were actually out of customs and in the hands of our contact in Addis. I know I should be more excited here, but until those computers make the 16-hour trip down the dusty and bandit-ridden road from Addis to Gambella, I’m holding my breath. They are supposed to be here Saturday so that we can clean the old files off and have them ready for the students on Monday. (Most of our students are out of school, by the way, because of hardships at home that keep them working and out of the education system.) So, Andy and I walked into a small café and ordered a Coka. I turned around to see Muluken walking by. I yelled Salam to him and he lit up. “You are in my village area! I am so happy to see you! Come meet my Grandmother!” He put his arm around me and proudly showed me off (his professor) as we walked down the dusty road. We came upon a bamboo fence that housed a long wood-and-mud structure and a small, round mud hut. There were two goats, about 25 chickens, three old women, five young women, and two babies. The kitchen was a small dugout in the ground with a pan for making injera and a few broken clay pots scattered about.
Muluken introduced me to his family and showed me around. I had a digital camera on me, so he had great fun taking pictures of everyone and showing them the results. I don’t think any of them had ever seen themselves in a picture before. His grandmother laughed and laughed. He told me she was about 110, but because people don’t often know when they were born, that was as good a guess as any. She is probably around 90 and is a true matriarch. She sits in one spot all day, smoking a gourd pipe and earning about 10 Birr a day ($1) touching people where they ache. She eats bread soaked in water and directs her offspring in everything from child rearing to boiling potatoes.
Muluken shares a small, dark hut with six other people. He has two pairs of clothing. He earns a living by carrying heavy sacks of rice and maize on and off of trucks. His brother will come running and tell him that a truck is going to Obobo. They need help. They run to the truck to fight their way through the other young men who jump onto the truck and push others off. Once they get on, they drive to another city then they make 2 Birr (25 cents) per bag. On a good day, Muluken can carry six bags to make 12 Birr. He brings the money to his grandmother who then decides how to spend the money. Some days they eat, others they buy home necessities. She uses Muluken’s money to keep about 15 people alive.
Muluken wants to go to school. He is a great runner and has tried to get a scholarship. The problem is that he doesn’t eat enough to take in the required calories for running. He is basically stuck. He is doing our program in hopes that he will learn enough computer skills to get into school on that alone. For reasons like Muluken’s dilema, we are quite anxious for the computers to arrive. We have 30 students, all with similar stories, who have come to learn how to use the software. We have five days left. We now spend every day in silent contemplation, willing the computers to get here on time.
Muluken took some amazing video footage of his family this morning. He also took some pictures…if the Internet cooperates with me today, I will post his pictures. One sequence shows his grandmother praying by her bed. He then pans to his young cousins playing in the yard, then to his sister roasting coffee beans on an open fire. Finally, his brother shows up with a huge piece of fish (I think they used some of the money Andy and I gave his grandmother yesterday) to cook for breakfast. It is a beautiful morning ritual.
The students are filming their narratives today. They all cheered when we told them the computers were on the way. I just hope that they actually get here.
Andy and I will take the weekend off to fish with our friend Agwa on the Openo (Baro) River. We’re really hoping that we spend Sunday getting the computers ready for the kids to use on Monday. I know you all will be hoping for the same.
More tomorrow.
Erik
Two days ago, Muluken pulled me aside to ask if we could help his sister. She has malaria and needs an injection. He is a bright, funny, and diligent 19-year-old student. He changed it up, however, when he said that he would do any work we needed him to do in order to get this money for his sister. He needed 100 Birr ($12) for the injection. I told him that he could come in ½ early every day to help us set up so that we could sleep in a bit. He agreed.
Yesterday, we finished the paintings the students have been working on for their films and then walked over to the Pact offices to check email (if possible) and have a Coka (one doesn’t say Coka Cola here because Cola sounds just a bit too much like the slang word for the part of a male that makes him a male). We had just heard that our computers were actually out of customs and in the hands of our contact in Addis. I know I should be more excited here, but until those computers make the 16-hour trip down the dusty and bandit-ridden road from Addis to Gambella, I’m holding my breath. They are supposed to be here Saturday so that we can clean the old files off and have them ready for the students on Monday. (Most of our students are out of school, by the way, because of hardships at home that keep them working and out of the education system.) So, Andy and I walked into a small café and ordered a Coka. I turned around to see Muluken walking by. I yelled Salam to him and he lit up. “You are in my village area! I am so happy to see you! Come meet my Grandmother!” He put his arm around me and proudly showed me off (his professor) as we walked down the dusty road. We came upon a bamboo fence that housed a long wood-and-mud structure and a small, round mud hut. There were two goats, about 25 chickens, three old women, five young women, and two babies. The kitchen was a small dugout in the ground with a pan for making injera and a few broken clay pots scattered about.
Muluken introduced me to his family and showed me around. I had a digital camera on me, so he had great fun taking pictures of everyone and showing them the results. I don’t think any of them had ever seen themselves in a picture before. His grandmother laughed and laughed. He told me she was about 110, but because people don’t often know when they were born, that was as good a guess as any. She is probably around 90 and is a true matriarch. She sits in one spot all day, smoking a gourd pipe and earning about 10 Birr a day ($1) touching people where they ache. She eats bread soaked in water and directs her offspring in everything from child rearing to boiling potatoes.
Muluken shares a small, dark hut with six other people. He has two pairs of clothing. He earns a living by carrying heavy sacks of rice and maize on and off of trucks. His brother will come running and tell him that a truck is going to Obobo. They need help. They run to the truck to fight their way through the other young men who jump onto the truck and push others off. Once they get on, they drive to another city then they make 2 Birr (25 cents) per bag. On a good day, Muluken can carry six bags to make 12 Birr. He brings the money to his grandmother who then decides how to spend the money. Some days they eat, others they buy home necessities. She uses Muluken’s money to keep about 15 people alive.
Muluken wants to go to school. He is a great runner and has tried to get a scholarship. The problem is that he doesn’t eat enough to take in the required calories for running. He is basically stuck. He is doing our program in hopes that he will learn enough computer skills to get into school on that alone. For reasons like Muluken’s dilema, we are quite anxious for the computers to arrive. We have 30 students, all with similar stories, who have come to learn how to use the software. We have five days left. We now spend every day in silent contemplation, willing the computers to get here on time.
Muluken took some amazing video footage of his family this morning. He also took some pictures…if the Internet cooperates with me today, I will post his pictures. One sequence shows his grandmother praying by her bed. He then pans to his young cousins playing in the yard, then to his sister roasting coffee beans on an open fire. Finally, his brother shows up with a huge piece of fish (I think they used some of the money Andy and I gave his grandmother yesterday) to cook for breakfast. It is a beautiful morning ritual.
The students are filming their narratives today. They all cheered when we told them the computers were on the way. I just hope that they actually get here.
Andy and I will take the weekend off to fish with our friend Agwa on the Openo (Baro) River. We’re really hoping that we spend Sunday getting the computers ready for the kids to use on Monday. I know you all will be hoping for the same.
More tomorrow.
Erik
Gambella Chillin’
The drumming and singing today (Saturday) is so cool. As I sit here typing, I can hear about 10 men creating a booty-bumpin’ beat as the villagers sing their hearts out. It made for a motivating soundtrack to my afternoon of clothes washing. I have worked through all of my clothing, so Saturday became wash day. I grabbed all of my soiled belongings and used the new bar of Popular Soap to scrub, scrub, scrub. I turned on the shower and dumped everything out, then, for two hours, I worked hard to get rid of all of the dirt, sweat, and bugs from the fabric. Then I spent ½ hour rinsing. I took the roll of first-aid tape I brought along and made a linen line in my room. I took great pride in hanging everything out and adjusting everything just-so in order to assure the fastest drying and the fewest wrinkles. I sat for 20 minutes just looking and admiring my handywork. Very satisfying afternoon.
Yesterday, after our program with the kids, Andy and I headed over to our favorite hang-out in town to chew chat with friends and talk about what needs to be done in Gambella to assure the abatement of conflict. My new good friend (and one of Andy’s best friends from his time here last year), Sinai (spelling wrong) talked about the need to build community and offer education to everyone. We came up with some good ideas for how to best assist this beautiful place. Sinai is about 30 and is a lawyer for the government. He wants to go to school to further his education, but can’t afford the $800 it would take to go on. Two of our students, Ojud and Omod were with us. Ojud has year to go until he finishes secondary school, but he doesn’t have the money. Same story…tons of potential, but no money. The only barrier to education both of these extremely bright people is money.
After our chill afternoon, we headed to Pact to meet Marc and his team of male and female dancers. He is a musician. His band has a CD already (home) made, but they wanted a music video to go with it. So, of course, Andy and Jody hatched a plan to help him out. We showed up at 5pm and got to work. I helped choreograph as Andy filmed. The dancers were amazing. We had a boom-box out so that Marc could sing along and the dancers could move to the beat. We came up with some great shots. I think this video is going to be bitchin’.
We went out to a bar for a beer after our filming. I took the opportunity to continue my Anuak language lesson. When you’re sitting and not participating, someone will say, “Kwagi” (spelling wrong). This means, “play”…or “come on you wet-noodle, participate in the conversation!” I love that saying.
We went to bed early and I lay awake thinking about this life-changing trip and how hard it is going to be to acclimate myself to the abundance of life at home. Ojud (about 20) took me to his house yesterday. Again, he is one of our students. He is so incredibly smart, but can’t finish school. He built himself a small (10 X 10) round hut last year. It is beautiful. I sat on his mat on the floor and he showed me his treasures. He has a book about economics, a book that Andy gave him last year, and also a Time magazine from last year that Andy also left. The hut has no water or electricity. The ceiling is low and the floor is earth that has been planed flat and hard. I told him that Andy and I would stay with him in his hut when we came back. He was SOOO proud after hearing this. Talk about distilling everything down to the very basics. All you need is a roof, a bowl, a spoon, one set of clothing, and a great attitude. I love, love, love hanging out with Ojud. He is so calm. He loves to learn English and laughs out loud every minute or so. I love his lifestyle. If only he could further his education…
We awoke to a thundering rain this morning. As we walked with Ojud to Pact after the rain had stopped, we became covered in red mud. The NGO trucks speed past and splash you with mud from head to foot. We tried again, at Pact, to use the Internet, but it wasn’t cooperating (hence the three new Blog entries today). We were hoping to see our computers, but the rain has slowed down the progress from Addis. Maybe tomorrow (Sunday)! We bought some Coka, water, and clothes washing soap and headed back to the hotel.
My friend from the blog entry below, Muluken, showed up to show me the footage he had taken of his father’s village last night (using a Flip). Muluken has become one of my best friends here, and I am going to miss him terribly when we go. He has a good plan for his life. We gave him $60 the other day to help his grandmother feed the family. She refused the money because she wanted him to save it for school. Last night, he went to his father’s village to film for his movie and ran in to his brother. He told his brother about the $60 we had given him. His brother told him that this was a good sign. He said that Muluken should not be carrying heavy sacks on his back because he would ruin his health. He gave Muluken enough Birr to add to my $60 so that he could buy a shop to sell potatoes, tomatoes, onions, and chili peppers.
So, Muluken and I sat watching the footage of his father’s village (great stuff) and then he told me about the shop. He said that he had just gone to the ministry to register for a small hut on an alleyway and that his brother had ordered him enough inventory to start. He will open his shop next weekend after Andy and I leave. He is so excited. He told me that he knew he was going to succeed because he is “not lazy like so many other people. I work hard and will go to school in the morning before the shop opens. My sister (the sister he saved from malaria the other day with our $12 worth of Birr) will stay in the shop when I am at school. I will save money, save my back, and maybe get to run the 100 meter dash in Addis some day.” He walked off smiling and waving and I then sat on the bed and cried. I was so happy that he was going to make such a profound life change…all from $60…but I knew that the odds were stacked against him. That said, if anyone can make it happen, he can.
Andy and I are going to finally go fishing with Agwa on the Openo (Baro) River tomorrow. We also have to edit the students’ narratives and place them on the (we hope!) computers. Then, I am going to go to Muluken’s house to meet his sister and have a meal with the entire family. They want to thank me for helping Muluken open a business. It seems so odd that you can change the outlook for an entire clan with just a small amount of money, but it can be done. Muluken promised to make movies about his experiences and post them for us to view after we leave.
More later,
Erik
Yesterday, after our program with the kids, Andy and I headed over to our favorite hang-out in town to chew chat with friends and talk about what needs to be done in Gambella to assure the abatement of conflict. My new good friend (and one of Andy’s best friends from his time here last year), Sinai (spelling wrong) talked about the need to build community and offer education to everyone. We came up with some good ideas for how to best assist this beautiful place. Sinai is about 30 and is a lawyer for the government. He wants to go to school to further his education, but can’t afford the $800 it would take to go on. Two of our students, Ojud and Omod were with us. Ojud has year to go until he finishes secondary school, but he doesn’t have the money. Same story…tons of potential, but no money. The only barrier to education both of these extremely bright people is money.
After our chill afternoon, we headed to Pact to meet Marc and his team of male and female dancers. He is a musician. His band has a CD already (home) made, but they wanted a music video to go with it. So, of course, Andy and Jody hatched a plan to help him out. We showed up at 5pm and got to work. I helped choreograph as Andy filmed. The dancers were amazing. We had a boom-box out so that Marc could sing along and the dancers could move to the beat. We came up with some great shots. I think this video is going to be bitchin’.
We went out to a bar for a beer after our filming. I took the opportunity to continue my Anuak language lesson. When you’re sitting and not participating, someone will say, “Kwagi” (spelling wrong). This means, “play”…or “come on you wet-noodle, participate in the conversation!” I love that saying.
We went to bed early and I lay awake thinking about this life-changing trip and how hard it is going to be to acclimate myself to the abundance of life at home. Ojud (about 20) took me to his house yesterday. Again, he is one of our students. He is so incredibly smart, but can’t finish school. He built himself a small (10 X 10) round hut last year. It is beautiful. I sat on his mat on the floor and he showed me his treasures. He has a book about economics, a book that Andy gave him last year, and also a Time magazine from last year that Andy also left. The hut has no water or electricity. The ceiling is low and the floor is earth that has been planed flat and hard. I told him that Andy and I would stay with him in his hut when we came back. He was SOOO proud after hearing this. Talk about distilling everything down to the very basics. All you need is a roof, a bowl, a spoon, one set of clothing, and a great attitude. I love, love, love hanging out with Ojud. He is so calm. He loves to learn English and laughs out loud every minute or so. I love his lifestyle. If only he could further his education…
We awoke to a thundering rain this morning. As we walked with Ojud to Pact after the rain had stopped, we became covered in red mud. The NGO trucks speed past and splash you with mud from head to foot. We tried again, at Pact, to use the Internet, but it wasn’t cooperating (hence the three new Blog entries today). We were hoping to see our computers, but the rain has slowed down the progress from Addis. Maybe tomorrow (Sunday)! We bought some Coka, water, and clothes washing soap and headed back to the hotel.
My friend from the blog entry below, Muluken, showed up to show me the footage he had taken of his father’s village last night (using a Flip). Muluken has become one of my best friends here, and I am going to miss him terribly when we go. He has a good plan for his life. We gave him $60 the other day to help his grandmother feed the family. She refused the money because she wanted him to save it for school. Last night, he went to his father’s village to film for his movie and ran in to his brother. He told his brother about the $60 we had given him. His brother told him that this was a good sign. He said that Muluken should not be carrying heavy sacks on his back because he would ruin his health. He gave Muluken enough Birr to add to my $60 so that he could buy a shop to sell potatoes, tomatoes, onions, and chili peppers.
So, Muluken and I sat watching the footage of his father’s village (great stuff) and then he told me about the shop. He said that he had just gone to the ministry to register for a small hut on an alleyway and that his brother had ordered him enough inventory to start. He will open his shop next weekend after Andy and I leave. He is so excited. He told me that he knew he was going to succeed because he is “not lazy like so many other people. I work hard and will go to school in the morning before the shop opens. My sister (the sister he saved from malaria the other day with our $12 worth of Birr) will stay in the shop when I am at school. I will save money, save my back, and maybe get to run the 100 meter dash in Addis some day.” He walked off smiling and waving and I then sat on the bed and cried. I was so happy that he was going to make such a profound life change…all from $60…but I knew that the odds were stacked against him. That said, if anyone can make it happen, he can.
Andy and I are going to finally go fishing with Agwa on the Openo (Baro) River tomorrow. We also have to edit the students’ narratives and place them on the (we hope!) computers. Then, I am going to go to Muluken’s house to meet his sister and have a meal with the entire family. They want to thank me for helping Muluken open a business. It seems so odd that you can change the outlook for an entire clan with just a small amount of money, but it can be done. Muluken promised to make movies about his experiences and post them for us to view after we leave.
More later,
Erik
This is Andy
We have good news for you. The computers were released from customs yesterday (Thursday), and are now supposed to be on their way to Gambella. Two weeks and thirteen trees worth of paperwork later… Once again, disaster has almost been avoided. We will let you know when we see the computers in front of the kids. That will be a great day!
Erik has been telling you about our experiences in Gambella. It’s amazing how much I missed being here. The smells, the mix of people, the river and the heat are all so great. I might consider taking a job with the tourism bureau here. I missed sitting in the afternoons with my friends, drinking coffee and chewing chat (mira). The program has been going well. Zerihun is a brilliant teacher, and the students have made some incredible art as a result. I know we have raved about every program, but since Gambella is my second home, I think these will be some of the best videos yet. The kids we are working with are from a wide variety of backgrounds, so it will provide for a very diverse mix of stories.
Yesterday, Erik went to visit one student’s house. He met the entire family, including the 110 year old grandmother. She is still eating and praying every day, even at 110. I couldn’t believe it. This student has an incredible story about his work, his dreams, and his reality. He wants to become a runner for Ethiopia, but he has to work carrying maize to earn enough money for the family’s food. By the time he finishes work, he hasn’t eaten enough calories to be able to practice running. He said that he tried running on an empty stomach for a while, but he became too weak. He is in this training with hopes that he will get a new skill for a new job.
Before we arrived in Gambella, both Erik and I were wiped out. We had been traveling so fast, that we hadn’t had time to catch up with ourselves. This trip to Gambella has been great because it is a good mix of brilliant work, and some rest. I love it. Some of you may remember the orphanage that I worked at this year for 8 months. It was the orphanage that Erik visited last year in November when we both came to Gambella for the first time. I have gone to visit the kids a couple times. They are growing very tall! I miss working with them… a lot.
Jody is leaving Gambella today for work. It will be a sad day. It has been really great to have Erik meet all the people that I have talked about for the last year. I talked about Jody a lot when I went back to the States. I’m sure he was getting tired of the subject, but now that he has met her, I’m sure all of you will hear about her for the next year from both of us. I wish you could all experience the intense beauty that Gambella has. It is sure hot, but it’s my type of weather, so I’m happy.
Until next time,
A.
Erik has been telling you about our experiences in Gambella. It’s amazing how much I missed being here. The smells, the mix of people, the river and the heat are all so great. I might consider taking a job with the tourism bureau here. I missed sitting in the afternoons with my friends, drinking coffee and chewing chat (mira). The program has been going well. Zerihun is a brilliant teacher, and the students have made some incredible art as a result. I know we have raved about every program, but since Gambella is my second home, I think these will be some of the best videos yet. The kids we are working with are from a wide variety of backgrounds, so it will provide for a very diverse mix of stories.
Yesterday, Erik went to visit one student’s house. He met the entire family, including the 110 year old grandmother. She is still eating and praying every day, even at 110. I couldn’t believe it. This student has an incredible story about his work, his dreams, and his reality. He wants to become a runner for Ethiopia, but he has to work carrying maize to earn enough money for the family’s food. By the time he finishes work, he hasn’t eaten enough calories to be able to practice running. He said that he tried running on an empty stomach for a while, but he became too weak. He is in this training with hopes that he will get a new skill for a new job.
Before we arrived in Gambella, both Erik and I were wiped out. We had been traveling so fast, that we hadn’t had time to catch up with ourselves. This trip to Gambella has been great because it is a good mix of brilliant work, and some rest. I love it. Some of you may remember the orphanage that I worked at this year for 8 months. It was the orphanage that Erik visited last year in November when we both came to Gambella for the first time. I have gone to visit the kids a couple times. They are growing very tall! I miss working with them… a lot.
Jody is leaving Gambella today for work. It will be a sad day. It has been really great to have Erik meet all the people that I have talked about for the last year. I talked about Jody a lot when I went back to the States. I’m sure he was getting tired of the subject, but now that he has met her, I’m sure all of you will hear about her for the next year from both of us. I wish you could all experience the intense beauty that Gambella has. It is sure hot, but it’s my type of weather, so I’m happy.
Until next time,
A.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Gambella Leafy Greens
One of my favorite shows is called “Going Tribal”. This intrepid Aussie guy travels the globe in search of people who have not yet encountered much of Western civilization. He spends a fair amount of time just lying low, taking in his surroundings, and understanding the culture. Eventually (and inevitably) he is accepted into the community. He does some pretty out-there things in his attempts to become integrated. He drinks coagulated cow blood stew, joins the hunters on 20-day treks for meat, and participates in all of their rituals, including the use of hallucinogens to search for his spirit animal.
Andy and I have our version of this show going on in Gambella. Granted, our adventures pale in comparison to the Aussie guy’s experiences, but we’re having a grand time.
When I was here last year, dropping Andy off for his eight-month stay, we were in a very protective and isolated setting. We were warned repeatedly not to travel into town due to the conflict. In my five days in Gambella last year, we made one trip into town, in a big group. We also crossed the Openo River once to visit with a widow who had the grave of her husband in her yard. After I left, Andy ventured out more and more, eventually becoming one of the most loved and famous white dudes in the area.
So, here I am in Gambella getting the insider’s tour of the town. Everyone knows Andy and has fond memories of him. We walk from our hotel, in the humid and very hot weather, down the dusty streets into town a few times a day. There is a big road-paving project going on, but the streets are still just dirt and ruts. Every so often, an NGO truck (UN, WFP, IOM, etc.) zooms by to put a big pile of red dust in your mouth. There are goats, donkeys, and people carrying heavy loads everywhere. The buildings range from well-built professional building to ramshackle huts with corrugated tin huts selling slabs of meat, maize, and onions.
Andy has taken me to a few local haunts at night to grab a few beers. We eat fried fish at the hotel, and injera and stewed chicken at local cafes. Little children follow us yelling, “Hey Ferrengie (spelling wrong, but a term for a white person…originated with the French who first came here…Frenchy turned into Ferrengie) how are you?” We walk to the Pact offices down a crowded street in the market pungent with roasting coffee beans, cow dung, burning trash, and tons of people smells. I love it! There is loud music coming out of every other shack. You wander down the alleyways past compounds of round mud huts teaming with chickens, goats, and laughing children clad only in ill-fitting underpants. They so love to follow us around.
Not exactly Going Tribal, but our hotel loses power about every other hour. When you shower, you have to time the cold trickle correctly. Just about the time you get some shampoo on your head, the water stops. So, you crouch down on the VERY human smelling floor and wait for the water to get a little more pressure. Shaving can take 20 minutes. I washed my pants in the shower with me yesterday and hung them up with dental floss in the doorway. My pants made good company with the myriad cawing birds, huge lizards, and the most beautiful black and white monkeys. They’re about two-feet tall and have long white tails that bush out in a vibrant plume of fir at the end. They make a terrifying baritone grunting sequence. Their favorite time seems to be between 1am and 3am when they swing through the trees behind my room on their way to the chickens in the mud-hut compound not 15 feet from my back door. You first hear the dogs barking, and then the monkey grunts get louder and louder. Then the chickens start screaming. Finally, the men frantically emerge from their slumber to whack the monkeys away. This goes on every night.
I wake up and have a deep, rich coffee with toast (if power) and runny marmalade. We meet the kids at 8am. We still don’t have computers (maybe tomorrow…) so our resident artist, Zerihun has been working on art with them. We’ve also had them write their narratives and practice filming with the Flip cameras. They’ve all been through so much and it is coming through loud and clear in their narratives. Many of them have faced challenges the rest of us would never have even thought existed. Can't wait to show you their films, as well as the rest of the kids from this trip. Oh, Zerihun is fantastic. He is an amazing artist (check out www.zerihun.com) and so great with the students. They are going to create some kick-butt pieces of art. Zerihun is also one of the coolest people you'll ever meet...he's one of those guys you wish you were more like. Oh, and Jody continues to amaze and become a better friend every day. She manages some very noteworthy and worthwhile projects for Pact. I'm going to have her blog tomorrow so that you can find out more. I know you'll love her as much as Andy and I do.
So, we’re dirty, smelly, and filled with carbohydrates. There are no fresh vegetables in the diet here (except during “fasting” season), so I’ve been eating fried fish, roasted potatoes, bread, maize, and injera (sour flat bread made with tef). I’ve gone from no carbs to all carbs in five days! Before yesterday, I was in dire need of some “greens”.
So, because I needed some chlorophyll, Andy decided that it was time for me to see the real Gambella. We made our way through the maze of winding alleyways past hundreds of mud hut compounds. Finally, we ended up at one of his friend’s compounds. There were about 10 men from Gambella and us (Andy, Erik, Keith, Zerihun). On the way, we’d stopped to purchase our own offering of chat. Chat stems are covered with what look like cocoa leaves. They have a caffeine-like effect when chewed.
We sat down on the ground and I got a primer course in chat chewing. You pull the leaves off (the younger, red, softer leaves are the best) and pack them into your back teeth on one side. You then grab a couple of peanuts (the leaves are really sour) and start masticating…and masticating…and masticating. Ojud is about 21 and is the go-get-it guy for an afternoon of chat chewing. He went to get Cokes, more chat, and more peanuts about five times during our afternoon. As I chewed, and chewed, and chewed, I started to feel cooler (it was the hottest day yet, yesterday). I got used to the sour taste quickly. Then, I started to feel really focused and the conversation really began. The longer you chew, the more coffee-buzz you feel, but you don’t feel anxious or jittery. It’s more like a hyper-focus coupled with a sense of well-being. I had a four-hour Anuyak language lesson and learned a TON. We talked politics, and learned about the tribal elder system of justice that still exists in Gambella. Andy and I agreed that it was a much better system than our non community-based system at home. I think I chewed through about 10 pounds of leaves (“elephant food” one of Andy’s friends poo-poos when he sees chat). As I sat there with these amazing people, I totally understood how Andy could live here for so long. There was a beautiful glow from the vermilion sunset, I was feeling slightly buzzed but calm at the same time, and I was having great conversation at the most leisurely pace. It made me feel like my life is just way too harried and complex. I wanted to sit there for two more weeks.
Finally, a driver showed up to pick us up…Jody was waiting for us at the hotel and was only too familiar with how a bunch of men could get caught up in chat-versation, so she sent a car. We went back to the hotel, still feeling the chat and still feeling Ya Met (“I feel good from the core of my liver…”). We sauntered down town and had a beer with some of Andy’s friends (well, my friends now, too). I slept really well and felt refreshed and relaxed today with the kids. I love this place.
The kids are drawing pictures for their movies and I’m sitting here typing. Andy just got back from yet another call with customs about our books and computers. They have been “released” and a car is supposed to pick them up today and take them to the town where one of our drivers will meet them tomorrow. The kids are so anxious to get on those machines! It will happen!
The Internet connection here is so slow that I can’t upload photos to Shutterfly. Also, I am lucky to get one email off to Ben (I have to try for about 20 minutes) with these updates. Andy and I will be in Addis for two days at the end of the trip and I’ll upload some photos of our amazing students then.
So, a relaxed, patient (can you believe it?), and un-hurried Erik signs off. Andy has promised to blog tomorrow.
E
Andy and I have our version of this show going on in Gambella. Granted, our adventures pale in comparison to the Aussie guy’s experiences, but we’re having a grand time.
When I was here last year, dropping Andy off for his eight-month stay, we were in a very protective and isolated setting. We were warned repeatedly not to travel into town due to the conflict. In my five days in Gambella last year, we made one trip into town, in a big group. We also crossed the Openo River once to visit with a widow who had the grave of her husband in her yard. After I left, Andy ventured out more and more, eventually becoming one of the most loved and famous white dudes in the area.
So, here I am in Gambella getting the insider’s tour of the town. Everyone knows Andy and has fond memories of him. We walk from our hotel, in the humid and very hot weather, down the dusty streets into town a few times a day. There is a big road-paving project going on, but the streets are still just dirt and ruts. Every so often, an NGO truck (UN, WFP, IOM, etc.) zooms by to put a big pile of red dust in your mouth. There are goats, donkeys, and people carrying heavy loads everywhere. The buildings range from well-built professional building to ramshackle huts with corrugated tin huts selling slabs of meat, maize, and onions.
Andy has taken me to a few local haunts at night to grab a few beers. We eat fried fish at the hotel, and injera and stewed chicken at local cafes. Little children follow us yelling, “Hey Ferrengie (spelling wrong, but a term for a white person…originated with the French who first came here…Frenchy turned into Ferrengie) how are you?” We walk to the Pact offices down a crowded street in the market pungent with roasting coffee beans, cow dung, burning trash, and tons of people smells. I love it! There is loud music coming out of every other shack. You wander down the alleyways past compounds of round mud huts teaming with chickens, goats, and laughing children clad only in ill-fitting underpants. They so love to follow us around.
Not exactly Going Tribal, but our hotel loses power about every other hour. When you shower, you have to time the cold trickle correctly. Just about the time you get some shampoo on your head, the water stops. So, you crouch down on the VERY human smelling floor and wait for the water to get a little more pressure. Shaving can take 20 minutes. I washed my pants in the shower with me yesterday and hung them up with dental floss in the doorway. My pants made good company with the myriad cawing birds, huge lizards, and the most beautiful black and white monkeys. They’re about two-feet tall and have long white tails that bush out in a vibrant plume of fir at the end. They make a terrifying baritone grunting sequence. Their favorite time seems to be between 1am and 3am when they swing through the trees behind my room on their way to the chickens in the mud-hut compound not 15 feet from my back door. You first hear the dogs barking, and then the monkey grunts get louder and louder. Then the chickens start screaming. Finally, the men frantically emerge from their slumber to whack the monkeys away. This goes on every night.
I wake up and have a deep, rich coffee with toast (if power) and runny marmalade. We meet the kids at 8am. We still don’t have computers (maybe tomorrow…) so our resident artist, Zerihun has been working on art with them. We’ve also had them write their narratives and practice filming with the Flip cameras. They’ve all been through so much and it is coming through loud and clear in their narratives. Many of them have faced challenges the rest of us would never have even thought existed. Can't wait to show you their films, as well as the rest of the kids from this trip. Oh, Zerihun is fantastic. He is an amazing artist (check out www.zerihun.com) and so great with the students. They are going to create some kick-butt pieces of art. Zerihun is also one of the coolest people you'll ever meet...he's one of those guys you wish you were more like. Oh, and Jody continues to amaze and become a better friend every day. She manages some very noteworthy and worthwhile projects for Pact. I'm going to have her blog tomorrow so that you can find out more. I know you'll love her as much as Andy and I do.
So, we’re dirty, smelly, and filled with carbohydrates. There are no fresh vegetables in the diet here (except during “fasting” season), so I’ve been eating fried fish, roasted potatoes, bread, maize, and injera (sour flat bread made with tef). I’ve gone from no carbs to all carbs in five days! Before yesterday, I was in dire need of some “greens”.
So, because I needed some chlorophyll, Andy decided that it was time for me to see the real Gambella. We made our way through the maze of winding alleyways past hundreds of mud hut compounds. Finally, we ended up at one of his friend’s compounds. There were about 10 men from Gambella and us (Andy, Erik, Keith, Zerihun). On the way, we’d stopped to purchase our own offering of chat. Chat stems are covered with what look like cocoa leaves. They have a caffeine-like effect when chewed.
We sat down on the ground and I got a primer course in chat chewing. You pull the leaves off (the younger, red, softer leaves are the best) and pack them into your back teeth on one side. You then grab a couple of peanuts (the leaves are really sour) and start masticating…and masticating…and masticating. Ojud is about 21 and is the go-get-it guy for an afternoon of chat chewing. He went to get Cokes, more chat, and more peanuts about five times during our afternoon. As I chewed, and chewed, and chewed, I started to feel cooler (it was the hottest day yet, yesterday). I got used to the sour taste quickly. Then, I started to feel really focused and the conversation really began. The longer you chew, the more coffee-buzz you feel, but you don’t feel anxious or jittery. It’s more like a hyper-focus coupled with a sense of well-being. I had a four-hour Anuyak language lesson and learned a TON. We talked politics, and learned about the tribal elder system of justice that still exists in Gambella. Andy and I agreed that it was a much better system than our non community-based system at home. I think I chewed through about 10 pounds of leaves (“elephant food” one of Andy’s friends poo-poos when he sees chat). As I sat there with these amazing people, I totally understood how Andy could live here for so long. There was a beautiful glow from the vermilion sunset, I was feeling slightly buzzed but calm at the same time, and I was having great conversation at the most leisurely pace. It made me feel like my life is just way too harried and complex. I wanted to sit there for two more weeks.
Finally, a driver showed up to pick us up…Jody was waiting for us at the hotel and was only too familiar with how a bunch of men could get caught up in chat-versation, so she sent a car. We went back to the hotel, still feeling the chat and still feeling Ya Met (“I feel good from the core of my liver…”). We sauntered down town and had a beer with some of Andy’s friends (well, my friends now, too). I slept really well and felt refreshed and relaxed today with the kids. I love this place.
The kids are drawing pictures for their movies and I’m sitting here typing. Andy just got back from yet another call with customs about our books and computers. They have been “released” and a car is supposed to pick them up today and take them to the town where one of our drivers will meet them tomorrow. The kids are so anxious to get on those machines! It will happen!
The Internet connection here is so slow that I can’t upload photos to Shutterfly. Also, I am lucky to get one email off to Ben (I have to try for about 20 minutes) with these updates. Andy and I will be in Addis for two days at the end of the trip and I’ll upload some photos of our amazing students then.
So, a relaxed, patient (can you believe it?), and un-hurried Erik signs off. Andy has promised to blog tomorrow.
E
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