Uncomfortable bus rides, even more uncomfortable bus rides & horse carts

After a week of traveling and spending a few days at my future site (near Bale Mountains National Park), I'm coming back to training with a new perspective. Inchini feels like home now. Things that used to feel difficult or stressful here are now easy and no big deal. It was so nice to be welcomed back to town, I was really happy to see my host family and return to the comforts of 'home'. I know my site will eventually feel like this too, it will just take time. 

Traveling to and from site is no small feat. From Addis it's an 8 hour bus ride to the main town (including a 1/2 hour stop for lunch & bathroom break) and then an hour long bus ride to my rural village. The first bus ride is not that bad except it's 8 hours, with your bag on your lap, you're touching your neighbor and it's hot - in general, people are only willing to open the windows briefly so there is very little air circulation. The second bus ride leaves more to be desired. It's a very bumpy dirt road, the bus is jam packed so you have to push and squeeze yourself onto the bus, this time you are up close and personal with multiple neighbors while holding your bags. It turns out a person doesn't really need that much personal space. 

I ended up drinking so much buna during my site visit. In Inchini I had an established routine of one little cup everyday after lunch. But sharing buna together is an important part of building relationships so it's actually something I *have* to do. My second night of site visit I had just locked my door to go to bed when the landlady knocks on the door with a cup of buna with milk for me. No more than 2 minutes later here come the neighbor kids, their mother had sent them over with a cup of buna and some snacks! Of course I had to drink that cup too. While I would rather not drink any coffee before bed I had resigned to the fact that I would be drinking two cups, oh well. And this is on top of two cups earlier in the day - it would have been three but thank goodness I declined the first one offered after lunch. Then the landlady returns with the kettle of buna and milk and while I thought I was declining another cup it turns out the language barrier was in full effect because I ended up with a third cup of coffee. It was delicious but I don't want to make it a habit! Ethiopians are extremely generous. 

When it was time to return to Addis, I of course had to take the bus from my village to the neighboring main town where I would stay overnight and catch the 8 hr bus ride the next day. My counterpart and a nurse from the health center were also traveling to the neighboring town (to visit their families for the weekend) so we were going to catch the bus together. I was anxious to get going because I would be meeting some fellow trainees in the neighboring town and just wanted to get going on my journey. There was supposed to be a bus but if there aren't enough people then the bus won't go. So, there's no bus. Luckily my counterpart has a plan B. We can take a horse cart (garii) to the next closest village (5 km away) and maybe catch a bus from there. Maybe? 50-50 chance, he says. So we summon a horse cart. Horse carts are common in rural areas for transporting people and goods. It's literally a horse pulling a cart. So the three of us climb aboard with our belongings. There is room for 3 people to sit, the 'driver' has to sort of walk/jog alongside until the horse picks up speed and then he can sit on the edge of the cart/wheel well. I felt bad for the horse - it seemed like we were a heavy load. The horses and donkeys work very hard here. That garii ride is one I think I will not forget. It's the end of the day, at the end of a stressful week, we're riding across the Ethiopian countryside, mountains in the distance, and I'm sitting in the middle of a very spirited discussion between my future colleagues about the respective economies of Ethiopia and America. Is this real? How did I end up here? Sometimes I have to pinch myself. Shortly after we arrived in the next village there was a bus to take us to town, thankfully. But it was the fullest bus and most uncomfortable ride yet. I was just happy to be going where I needed to be. 

My first garii ride - from my new house to the health center. He just happened to be outside as we were leaving our compound and offered us a ride. This is my little town!

And here I am on a mule the day after I returned to Inchini. It was my host mother's idea and she would not take no for an answer. My favorite part of this picture is her laughing hysterically!

I am not able to access much online for now, the best way to reach me for the time being is WhatsApp.

Love from Ethiopia!