Wow,
I can’t believe it’s been almost a month since I last posted a blog post. I
have been so busy with everything in Adwa and getting settled in more that I
just haven’t thought about writing one. I also send out weekly emails, so most
everyone is updated on my day to day life over here.
Not
much has been going on. School is going ok. I have my very good days and my
very bad days. Each of my classes has their own personalities with their own
listeners and disturbers. I have come to figure out which kids will yell at
others for me, and which I have to kick out. It’s becoming more routine which
is good. I have been trying to spend more time in the teachers lounge, but it
can be difficult when they are all speaking in Tigrinia and I have no idea what
they are saying.
I
had to give a skills assessment that Peace Corps had everyone give their students
a a baseline to compare students, sites, and where students are English wise,
because this is the first year they are directly in English classrooms. It was
difficult to give because it was long and more advanced than almost all of my
students. However, I know that this is a learning curve for Peace Corps and the
schools, so I’m glad this information can be used to help future volunteers.
I
have been trying to make myself go out more and make new friends, or at least
hang out with the ones Lauren has introduced me to. There are a couple of
younger people with very good English that she hung out with, and so I have
their phone numbers and are going to continue to hang out with them. I spent
most of the last month with Lauren, because she left Adwa today to COS. She
goes to Addis and spends 5 days there and then is going back to America. I
don’t think it has hit me yet that I’m now “the Peace Corps volunteer” in Adwa.
I was always with her, and when she went to go say goodbye to people I
generally was there too, so it will be interesting to me whether people realize
that I am staying for 2 more years.
I
have gotten back into reading again, so I have gone through a couple more
books. I just love being able to delve into other worlds and lives, especially
when sometimes mine just seems like a mess. I do still love this experience and
place, but having to say bye to Lauren was really difficult and it will be hard
on me for awhile to not have that person at site to talk to.
I
climbed Mt. Soloda with Todd, Lauren, and Ace on Saturday. It was definitely an
adventure. I already knew I was not an outdoorsy or sporty person, but that
just confirmed it for me. My legs are still killing me. As much as I complained
on the way up and we got dehydrated on the way down, the view at the top was
breathtaking and incredible. Pictures don’t do it justice at all.
My
posts and emails are getting shorter because to me life is becoming normal and
a little redundant, which is good. I’m finally getting into a routine and so
that’s making things seems more like home. That also means that even though
things are interesting to you all back home, I don’t really think twice about
them.
With
the holidays coming up a lot of volunteers are going home and my friends and
family at home are starting to post things about the holidays. I think that
Thanksgiving and Christmas will be the hardest times for me to be away from
home. IST is in Addis in less than a month, so I will get to see my fellow
G11ers and spend some much needed time with them, so I’m looking forward to
that.
Remember:
I absolutely LOVE to get mail. I do love packages, but if that’s not possible
than a letter is fine. Especially with the holidays coming up, it would make me
feel great if I could go to the post office and have some love there.
My
address again is:
Kelsey
Hill
PO
Box 39
Adwa
Tigray
region
Ethiopia
Sending
lots of love from Ethiopia.
Until
next time!
