Camel Meat
About 1 1/2 years ago I began contemplating working with Somalis. This idea came while in the Peace Corps when I knew absolutely nothing about Somalia other than it was a place everyone else seemed to avoid and Foreign Policy magazine ranked it as the #1 worst failed state in the world. During a visit back to the States and via email, I remember kicking the idea around in conversation with many of you just to see what kind of reaction I would get. Nobody discouraged the idea and I pursued it. Somalia was the topic of the large majority of my papers and research this past year in grad school, but I had still never interacted with a Somali or experienced their culture. Today, I am one step closer to seeing this crazy idea become reality. I ventured to a Somali district in Addis Ababa with some of the colleagues I have at our new office. One gentleman is fluent in Somali and friends with many in the area. He took me to a restaurant that serves camel meat, camel milk, spaghetti, and rice. The food is all eaten without utensils, so I have much to learn with technique, but I ate and drank everything put in front of me. Camel milk is delicious, camel meat is tender and salty, and the camel hump is pure fatty deliciousness.
Pickpocket
This past weekend Sara and I explored a new part of Addis Ababa called Piazza. After eating at a nice Italian restaurant, we were walking back to where the taxi-busses depart from. I was walking a bit behind Sara when I happened to notice a guy was walking very closely to her. At that point I looked closer and realized he was grasping her purse and trying to open it. I ran a few steps to catch up slammed one hand into his chest and pushed him away from her with the other. His face showed that he was completely shocked that someone had stopped him, and he immediately retreated into the shadows.
An Anxious Moment
I asked Sara to cut my hair the other day since I had brought my hair trimmer over here from the States. She agreed despite never having cut anyones hair before, and got off to a great start. Unfortunately, the voltage in Ethiopian electrical outlets is much higher than that in the US and my hair trimmer was not prepared for it. The dull pop next to my ear and the subsequent plume of smoke were clear signals of this. With half of my hair cut short and half much longer, I was momentarily flustered. Luckily my electric razor has been up to the challenge of the extra voltage thus far, and after much consideration I decided to use the trimmer feature to shave my head. My hair is now much shorter than it has ever been, but at least it is all the same length.
Camel Milk (tastes like vanilla milk)
Camel Meat (hump is the top center of the plate to the left), spaghetti, and rice.
Pickpocket
This past weekend Sara and I explored a new part of Addis Ababa called Piazza. After eating at a nice Italian restaurant, we were walking back to where the taxi-busses depart from. I was walking a bit behind Sara when I happened to notice a guy was walking very closely to her. At that point I looked closer and realized he was grasping her purse and trying to open it. I ran a few steps to catch up slammed one hand into his chest and pushed him away from her with the other. His face showed that he was completely shocked that someone had stopped him, and he immediately retreated into the shadows.
An Anxious Moment
I asked Sara to cut my hair the other day since I had brought my hair trimmer over here from the States. She agreed despite never having cut anyones hair before, and got off to a great start. Unfortunately, the voltage in Ethiopian electrical outlets is much higher than that in the US and my hair trimmer was not prepared for it. The dull pop next to my ear and the subsequent plume of smoke were clear signals of this. With half of my hair cut short and half much longer, I was momentarily flustered. Luckily my electric razor has been up to the challenge of the extra voltage thus far, and after much consideration I decided to use the trimmer feature to shave my head. My hair is now much shorter than it has ever been, but at least it is all the same length.
It was inevitable...
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! :)
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