Acclimatizing

Having grown up in the Maritimes all I have ever known is that humidity accompanies heat. My experience in Ghana further supported this notion and I ignorantly anticipated the climate of Ethiopia to be the same and as a result something I would have to adjust to. Boy was I wrong! As I stepped off the plane in Addis the concept of humidity as inevitable was crushed and let me tell you DRY HEAT is amazing! Yet, this was the first of many things that made my arrival in Ethiopia run very smoothly. I proceeded to easily get through customs, although the women was hardly friendly and looked at me like I had horns on my head when I didn't understand her hand wave meant I was supposed to stare into a webcam like device which I presume took my photo? Nonetheless my bags arrived, as well as Tasha and Caroline's ( two other Coady interns working with NGOs in Addis, SEDA and IDE respectively). Once we waited in one more incredibly long line, where they checked that our ticket stubs matched out luggage tags, we were greeted by individuals waiting to take us to our temporary accommodations.

But back to the topic of weather, as Nova Scotians do love to talk about the weather, it is interesting to note that our western system of seasons does not apply here (or in most African countries to the best of my knowledge), there is rather ‘Rainy Season’ and ‘Dry Season’. Rainy season runs from approximately June to the end of August/beginning of September. This is said to be the beginning of one of the coolest times of the year with temperatures averaging around 15 degrees, peaking mid-day and dropping at night. This is wonderful, as it will ease me into the warmer weather to come! I am also curious to see what the climate will be like in the rest of the country as it is said to vary depending on the altitude. Addis is aprx 2700m above sea level, and yes I have been using this reduced amount of oxygen as an excuse to why I am out of breath when I finishing climbing three steep flights of stairs to arrive at my office…

While the climate seems to be something I will not have to adapt to, there are plenty of other things I will, but to be honest not as many as I anticipated. There is a large variety of Western food available, particularly pizza. At this time it is my understanding that the availability of pizza and the prevalence of coffee/pastry shops is largely the result of the Italians brief stint in the country (not to be confused with full blown colonization). Regardless, those who know me well know I have a particular fondness for pizza, and am going to have to make an effort to keep my pizza consumption to a minimum/something I eat as a treat rather than a meal I consume on a regular basis. One of my co-workers has already offered to teach me how to prepare traditional food, which is amazing!

In terms of my placement at OXFAM itself, I could not be happier and more excited about the work that I am going to be part of. Monday I was given a brief overview of the four broad projects that OXFAM Canada – Ethiopia, is working on. Two of those, the Asset Based Community Development programs and a gender and agriculture program are the ones I will be working on. My role will primarily be around documentation (case studies and things of that nature), this will allow me to travel around the country a bit on some field visit. The people at OXFAM could not be more welcoming if they tried. I would guess that there are around ten to fifteen staff here, but it is hard to say for certain as people are constantly coming and going. People keep telling me to feel at home or “feel free”, which I have a hunch is a common phase in the local language based on the prevalence by which it is used; nonetheless it is catchy and easing some of my nerves about being in a new place. 

One of the only real challenges since my arrival has been trying to find long-term accommodations. Tasha and I are on the hunt for a home with great assistance and dependency on OXFAM staff. It seems the frustrations of trying to find a home are present everywhere! It does however heighten the level of difficulty when you are not able to speak a language, unaware of which neighborhoods are safest, not sure how public transport works and what is a good price. Thus, we sincerely appreciate their help, as we would be completely lost without them! I am however hopeful that we will have a home by the end of the week..!