As you probably know, the hardest part for me in being here is missing friends and family. I knew this going into it and I continually remind myself that even though I am far from home and all the people I love, that this is just part of the deal. It was no wonder that as the high holidays began I thought of home and all the people I love so much. I originally was planning on making something special here, veggie soup and cabbage salad. Unfortunately I had a miscommunication with the kids from the orphanage (they go each week to the market and buy our food) about what to get. Every Wednesday we have a cooking class at the clinic for the parent's of our malnutrition patients, which we also have the kids buy at the Sunday market. Seeing as my Amharic is all but inexistent and their English is a little spotty, the kids must not have understood as they came back with only enough food for the cooking class. So I found myself in a bit of a bind as far as Rosh Hashana goes with no food options and not a single other Jew hour at least 10 hours away. Other then the weekly market, there are not many options for buying food here. With no Trader Joes, Whole Foods or Kroger to run out to I thought that I would just have to make due with what ever we had around...which isn't a ton. I figured that it was fine, one Rosh Hashana without a special meal wouldn't kill me.
Luckily though on my way home from a run Tuesday evening Richard (the other doc from New Zealand) and I ran into the pharmacist's wife. She was handing someone a basket of food and at Richard's suggestion I looked to see what was inside. Truthfully I thought he was trying to trick me and that there were be something pretty unappetizing like intestines or a lamb's head inside....but no, to my enjoyment there were delicious looking samosas. "Oh yeah, did anyone tell you that she is a cook and will prepare food for you if you need?" Richard asked. This was perfect timing as RH was a day away and I had all but given up hope of doing anything to mark the holiday. I put in an order with her right away; food for two nights, a mixture of traditional Ethiopian food (injerga with assorted veggies) and samosas. What really amazed me was the cost, at three burr per person our meal would total less then $1 for everything. I can only imagine what the cost of a good brisket is......probably more then our pharmacist makes in an entire month!
The first night I extremely exhausted from that day's outreach to the village of Gundra Shala. As the food arrived I was so grateful to have it as I was in no shape to cook after work. I ordered enough to eat with the other ex-pats, Richard the Kiwi, Faith, Andrew and their kids Alaya and Emry. It was a pretty low key night and as we ate I couldn't help but think about the upcoming year. I really hope that this is a meaningful experience for us and that our decision to come here proves to have been a wise one. Right now I am just beginning my work and it seems like there are immense possibilities to create positive changes in the overall health in our target areas. I know that effective public health work is a slow process, taking much patience and hard work. Seeing that I am not the best at any of those, I am quite aware of the challenges that lay ahead of me. Professionally I hope that this year, and my time here at the Chiri Health Clinic, allows me to continue Erin's great work and begin a new program (safe water systems) in the public health program for Lalmba. Personally, I hope that I learn to have more patience, be more positive and live more in the moment-- all of which I think may be the byproducts of living and working in this environment. Nothing gets done quickly or easily, but I do believe that this allows for one to take pride and enjoy the smaller accomplishments made. Mostly though, this will be a work in progress.....
Shana tova!
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