Counterpart Conference

Wabe Shebelle Hotel, Addis


Leaving Bui for the conference.  I'll finish training in Tigray with a different host family.

So, I’ve been though a lot of training in the past 6+ weeks and I’m over the half way point. My primary agriculture project will be increasing the productivity of: kitchen gardens, bee hives/honey, and poultry. These three things, either directly or by income generation are intended to support improved nutrition – particularly for child bearing women and children in the first 1,000 days from conception to two years.

So far I’ve double dug a garden and built a bee hive using local materials and mud. We helped transfer a hive of bees from a traditional colony (used because it is easier to capture the swarm) to a Kenyan flat top (used to improve the collection of honey and wax). In the coming weeks we will be building a chicken coop and caring for chickens.

Putting the finishing touches on the hive.

We cut bars that go across the top for the bees can make the combs from the top down.

Visiting a model farm and checking out the stream used for irrigation

Coffee is more grown in the south and I'm in the north - but coffee can grow near Bui

Peace Corps trainees around the world also take a number of core training in medical, security, and such. Those are all going well as this is my third time. The trainers have worked hard on the topics and I know the importance of the topics so I’m not at all bored.

I’m also not bored in my language class – Tigrigna. I am working hard to pick things up, but it is the most challenging part of this training. I need to learn enough to get a decent grade on a language assessment test so I can swear in as a volunteer and have basic communication in my village. If I don’t pass then they will work on helping me get up to speed. Even then, I expect that I will be using a tutor and studying the language for the first year so I can have basic communication with the farmers. 

 Peace Corps understands this and provides the support and encouragement – but still it can be frustrating.

Conference


I’m back in Addis at a hotel with wifi and so I’m able to give an update. The primary purpose of this training is to find out what community I’ll be serving and to meet the people, counterparts, I’ll be working with in my service.

I’ll be in a small village near Axum (Aksum) in the Tigray region and working at a Farmer Training Center (FTC).  Axum is a tourist area so people are invited to visit once I get established in my community.

 My counterpart is a nice woman who does not speak English and so my language skills will need to improve. I will also be working with a supervisor at the next level up in the department of agriculture who can speak English.

The problem with language is one that Peace Corps understands and it should all work out.

Phone


I’m having some phone issues. I bought what I thought was a good phone for Ethiopia. However, the Blu phone does not work for 3G networks and higher. I need the faster speed so I can talk with my family over the internet and to update this blog once I start service. Right now I can only get 2G which doesn't support voice calls.  My family has been understanding with the weekly text messages. I couldn’t do this Peace Corps thing without their support.

So, I need to find a new phone because I don’t want to go through two years without decent data and hearing their voices. Technology issues as so much fun. This will hopefully work out soon.

Ethiopia


On a walk around Bui I came across a herd coming up from the river back to grazing areas in Bui - dry season

Ethiopia and the people are great. I’m looking forward to successfully completing training and working with the people in my community. There are a lot of things going in this part of Africa including the completion and filling of a large dam. Ethiopia is a mountainous country and is the source of much of the Nile river. Ethiopia wants to use their water for hydroelectricity and other economic benefits for their citizens and the downstream countries want the water to keep flowing as much as possible.

I just mention this is let people know about it. I don’t think it will cause problems, but that and the locust swarms seems to be the two things that people hear about. I’ve not seen much locust, but with the rains the swarms might reform.


Well, I hope everyone is doing well. There is a lot of things going on in the US. My lack of data on my phone means that I’m not able to keep up a much.


Love always,
John

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