Wo bin ich, eigentlich?

Back in Addis again, and by now the rainy season is here in full force. Some days I wake up to torrential downpours and wait for the blue skies to arrive after lunch, other mornings are beautiful and clear, while the clouds build throughout the day and drench the city in the afternoon. I wish I could say I enjoy it, but getting around is a bit of a drag when everything is such a muddy mess.

I had a good trip to Moyale last week. It wasn’t as productive as it could have been, but I did manage to interview two local government officials about the handover of our programs at the end of our grant period. I also spent three very enjoyable and colorful days in Yabello, at a gender workshop for pastoralist women from several different regions of the country: Somali, Borana, South Omo, and Afar. I loved these women. It felt like it took two days for everyone to get over the novelty of my very white presence, but by the end there was plenty of openness to ask and answer all matter of questions about being a woman in our respective cultures. When one Somali woman asked me if I wanted to marry a man, my affirmative response sent a look of shock and surprise across her face. I asked her if she had wanted to be married at the time that it happened, and she answered with an emphatic No. But she was 14 at the time. Many such stories reminded me not to take my position as a woman in my own culture for granted, despite the existing gender disparities. They also reassured for me that I would never ever want to accept the marriage proposals I’ve received from pastoralist men (surely I would be the fourth or fifth wife in the arrangement), not even for the 300 promised camels.

From Yabello I went back to Moyale for one day, then traveled on Saturday to Shashemene and Sunday on to Addis. Another fun-filled trip with Italians. They dropped me off at my new temporary home in the city, after a bit of a logistical run-around, and we met up again later Sunday night for a delicious dinner party. Since then, the week’s evenings have been full full full of various social engagements, and I can’t believe how fortunate I am to have met so many interesting people in such a short time here. Last night I had dinner with a Dutch friend and three of her IFPRI colleagues at “The German Restaurant.” The place was a riot, from the “Bierzelt” outdoors, to the Bavarian kitsch and aged calendar photos of Neuschwanstein and the Hofbrauhaus decorating the walls, and the German-speaking waiter and Dirndl-wearing waitresses. I loved it.

Right now I’m still in limbo, waiting for the plans for next week’s potential assessment in Somali region to come to full development. Will I be in Addis for 3 more days or 3 more weeks? Fortunately I never take the time to unpack my suitcase, so the possibility always exists to pick up and run off to a new destination, whether that be a distant city, or the guestroom of another generous coworker’s home. I’m up for anything...