Wednesday, September 25, 2013

The Alligator

About a year ago I had this brain child. I wanted to start an online magazine that gave my friends a chance to get their writing out to people and me a chance to work on my editing. Like, actually work on it, not just do a few favors for my friends when it came to essay writing time.

I had to give up this brain child to a friend while I gallivanted off to Ethiopia for 3rd world adventure time.

I must say, what she has done is stellar.

Friday, September 20, 2013

Swear In

So, I don't have any pictures because all my stuff is packed and awaiting shipment to my site, which means that my camera cord is not within reach. But, the point of this post is to inform you that I am an official Peace Corps Volunteer.

I spent this afternoon in America (US embassy) swearing in, talking to the ambassador and other important people.

Right now, however, it is 3 in the morning on my birthday. I'm a little intoxicated after a night of celebrating and clubbing. Yes, clubbing exists in this country. I had to ask myself several times today if I was still in Ethiopia. Which is not a bad thing, but the club we were at just seemed like so much a part of home. It was nice after two months of being away.   I am currently talking to my mother while typing this up. Where I am, it is my birthday but where she is it is still the 20th.

So anyway, not to digress too much. Today I swore in. This is something I've been waiting for since the first day I could formulate sentences and contemplate complex ideas like plans for the future.

I am really excited, and eventually show you pictures. For right now, know how excited I am, know how anxious I am and wish me luck on my sight that I will be traveling to in exactly 5 hours.

Monday, September 16, 2013

Making Buna

Buna is Amharic for coffee. There are many steps to making it.

First you have the roasting.


Hey, look! I'm roasting!



But my mom (Etagu) was there to make sure I didn't burn anything.



Next, you have to grind the beans.



It is a killer on the arms. Walela had to help me. (Kalkidan is holding the flashlight.)



Then, you spoon the ground coffee into the jebona with a little bit of preheated water.



Swish it around.



If the fire gets low, fan it.



Then, you have to let the grinds settle. Remember to tip the jebona slightly -- that is very important.



Now pour it. Make sure to pour in a stream; it cools the buna off as well as lets the grinds sink to the bottom.



Did you see the stream? They told me I was gobez (clever).
The last step is the distribution of the buna. First cup goes to the father. (That's my dad, Tadese)



Then the mother.


And then, like the little red hen in Mother Goose, you can drink after you did all the work. (I didn't do all the work but shh, don't tell my teacher.)

Thankfully, I had people hovering over my shoulder making sure that I couldn't mess it up. And then, like an idiot, I offered to do the buna ceremony for a whole group of people. . . But again, I had people hovering over me and it went off without me burning the bejeesus out of the coffee beans.

There is a difference between making buna at home and having a full blown buna ceremony. Much of this difference has to do with incense. Alas, you will have to wait for a later post to learn more about the buna ceremony.











Monday, September 2, 2013

Update: Hello, my name is . . .

I've accumulated a few more names over the weeks.
My official bank records list me as "Julia Kincaid." This also means that, on official Ethiopian records, my father's name is understood to be "Kincaid."
My official mailing address lists me as "Juliak Morrison."
And people at my site, including a police officer that has told me I'm his daughter, think my name is Juliane.

Hello, my name is Julia Bruce Paul