Ethiopia

The MK College has some industries to raise money and feed students. They have a poultry project, a small dairy, and gardens. They also fatten cattle for sale. So it is not uncommon to see cattle grazing around campus. Hmm. AMBS has a lot of land that isn't being used....

I just finished teaching my first class. It went well for me. I hope the students got something out of it as well. I had about 30 students.

Today's lunch. It's better than it looks. If you've never eaten Ethiopian food, you tear off a piece of injera--a spongy sourdough pancake--and scoop up a bit of wat--the stew (today was split pea I think. Yesterday was beef and potatoes--really good)--and pop that in your mouth.

A roadside coffee shop in Ethiopia. No wi-fi, but good coffee.

Making injera at Meserete Kristos College.

I made it safely to Ethiopia. It was a long trip, including the 12 hours I spent at O'Hare before boarding the plane. The 14-hour flight was good. I caught up on some movies I hadn't seen, ate well and caught a few hours of sleep. It was gray and rainy when I finally found my bag and left the airport to meet Bruce and Rose, who have been living in Addis Ababa for three years as country reps for Mennonite Central Committee. Bruce and I lived together my first year in Alaska. It's always good to see them. After injera and wat for lunch, the lack of sleep the past two nights was catching up to me and I had to take a nap. I only let myself sleep for an hour. But I did that three times in the afternoon! And still went to bed at 9 and slept until 7 (except from 3-4, when the local mosque started broadcasting). That night the power went off, so we played Ticket to Ride by lantern-light. The New Year's Steer This steer was tied up in the MCC compound when I arrived.