The Gimbie Chronicles

 So I have just under 8 months left here.  It is hard to believe that I
 am here sometimes though even though I have been here for a month and
 a half.  I wake up and I forget where I am but I figure it out pretty
 fast.  I like it here.  It is a good break from school.  I have had
 some time to observe the culture.  In general the people seem to be
 happy with less.  I wouldn’t say that they are happier than people in
 America but I have learned that happiness is an outlook.  It seems
 like they have a strong sense of community.  Sometimes I can just
 watch people in the Outpatient Department.  People gladly give up
 seats to others, not just me.  People watch me and I usually have a
 group of people around me telling the patient what they need to do.
 For example, when I tell them roll up their sleeve so I can take their
 blood pressure I just make the motion but I usually have people around
 me telling them to do that in Oromifa (the local language).  I still
 get a lot of attention walking though the city.  I think people are
 starting to learn our names.  It doesn’t seem that hard when there are
 less than 15 white people in a town of tens of thousands of
 Ethiopians.

 Last night we were in the city for 5 hours.  It was crazy.  Tsgaye
 told us that they were have a big parade and celebration at the
 stadium for Meskel so Nick, Jay, and I went.  Meskel is an Ethiopian
 Orthodox holiday.  It celebrates “the finding of the cross of Christ”.
 According to the story, Saint Helen was told to burn some incense and
 where ever the smoke landed the cross would be.  The smoke landed by
 this cave where she found 3 crosses.  She got a woman that was old and
 close to dying to touch the three crosses.  She touched the first two
 crosses and nothing happened but when she touched the third cross she
 was healed.  This holiday celebrates the finding of the cross.  We got
 to the stadium and people were starting to show up.  There were
 probably about 100 people when we got there.  There were the stadium
 seats and then across the stadium was ceremonial “pile of sticks” to
 burn.  We walked across the stadium and as we did about 50 kids
 followed us.  We tried to take pictures of just the pile but the kids
 kept getting in the way so we would point the cameras in the other
 direction, the kids would go in front of the camera, then we would
 point our cameras back at the pile really fast and take the picture
 before the kids could get in front.  There was also this old man that
 wanted us to take pictures of him.  We did and then he wanted to
 charge for the pictures.  As the sun went down the crowd grew to more
 than 600 people.  Out of the more than six hundred there were 3 white
 people so it was hard not to draw attention to ourselves.  As the
 program started people paid less attention to us.  In the middle of
 the service one of the priests found us and told us to stand in a
 certain place.  He thought it would be better for pictures.  It turned
 out that it was right in front of the stage where the where having the
 prayers and sermons.  Everyone was in a huge circle around the pile
 and people kept telling us to go in the middle of the circle to take
 pictures.  I told Nick that that was how pictures for National
 Geographic were took, people that really got in the middle of things.
 I went in the middle of the circle with 6 hundred people around me and
 took some pictures or the ceremony, nerve racking.   There were also a
 few Ethiopian photographers and an Ethiopian cameraman.  At times the
 photographers took pictures of specifically us and the cameraman
 filmed us.  Nick did get a picture of an Ethiopian and I side by side
 taking a picture of the same thing.  So much of the time it feels like
 Ethiopians and the “Forangies” are mutually fascinated with each other
 but in this picture it shows a mutual interest.  I really liked that.
 After the sermon and prayers that we couldn’t understand at all the
 lit the fire.  It took a few minutes to fully go up in flames but once
 it did people just when crazy.  There was fire everywhere and people
 were running around it in huge crowds.  I figured that I should be a
 part of the culture to a certain extent and not merely an observer so
 I joined in.  The circle had a lot of energy.  The collective energy
 of the crowd propelled whoever that chose to join around the fire.  I
 took a picture of Nick, Jay, and a bunch of Ethiopians.  The fire is
 behind them and the picture I believe captures the intensity of the
 night.  After we went on our weekly hunt for Sambusas.  Sambusas are
 like Samosas I guess.  I have never had them.  Sambusas are made from
 a flour and water outside with a lentil, onion, garlic inside.  The
 outside is fried in oil.  It is my favorite Ethiopian food.  We ran
 into someone that worked in the hospital and told us that the Sambusas
 weren’t good at night because they were made in the morning and thus
 weren’t fresh.  We had always gotten them at night before and really
 liked them so we went on the hunt anyway.  We found some that sells
 them on only Saturday nights I guess.  During the rest of the week
 they sell exclusively Chat.  Chat is a narcotic that has effects
 similar to Marijuana but is less addictive I guess.  It is like a
 grass that people chew on.  So the Sambusas weren’t good there so we
 went to another place where we were satisfied with the taste.  Overall
 last night was very memorable.

 Everyday here is an adventure and one day in never like the one
 before.  I am getting some more long term things lined up.  On
 Wednesday I started teaching.  I taught 7th and 8th graders.  It was
 laid back because it was the first day.  I just had them describe
 themselves in 5 sentences and I took some pictures for my book also.
 There are 53 students.  I am still trying to figure out ways to teach
 them though.  They all seem to be at different levels.  There is not
 teacher’s book, just a student book that was given to me.  Also I
 don’t know enough of the local language to communicate with them in
 their own language.  I think a lot of gestures and acting things out
 would be good.  If you have any suggestions please let me know.  I am
 continuing to do triage in the Outpatient Department and doing health
 education presentations in the morning in the same place.  We are
 going to try to do presentations at the clinics too when the Outer
 Clinics Director goes.  I am going to start to teach the 3rd year
 nursing students nursing math in October.  Also I am sure I will most
 likely be an assistant to the Business Office, Volunteer Coordinator,
 Outer Clinics Director, and Operations Officer.  I routinely help them
 with projects ranging from helping the Operations Officer move some
 supplies to mailing letters for the Volunteer Coordinator.  Most of
 the time I enjoy not having an official title.  That way I feel like I
 can truly help where I am needed.

 Well I hope you found that interesting.  I am having a lot of fun.  I
 miss everyone back home of course.  Thank you for reading my blog.
 Until next time

 Jeremy

 So I have been at the hospital for 4 weeks.  Since I have gotten hear,
 not counting the night I got in, we have had 19 days of power and 9
 without it.  It has rained every day since I got here.  I have done 5
 health lectures, cleaned out a room, taken countless vital signs,
 weeded part of the soccer field, had up to 3 glasses or fruit juices
 at Jimi Juice, tried meat three times, thrown up once (not related to
 the meat), no diarrhea, held more babies than I have the rest of my
 life combined, eaten bread with almost every meal, shared a house with
 up to 8 other people with at least 3 other people living with me, fed
 orphans, taken over 600 pictures, came within 5 feet of monkeys, paid
 money to have my shoes cleaned once, and overall have had an awesome
 time.

 Last night there was lightning and thunder.  It was very close.  I
 decided to go outside for some reason.  I got out there and I could
 see the lightning around me and above me.  Then I saw one extremely
 close.  I ran for the door.  The noise that followed was the single
 scariest weather experience I have ever had.  I opened the door
 literally screaming.  It was so intense. When I went back James, the
 med student thought I had been struck.  I explained and we decided to
 go back out.

 I thought as I stayed here for longer lest people would ask for money
 because I haven’t given any money but people still ask me a lot.  I am
 learning to give more definite answers.  Just saying “no” rather than
 saying I don’t think so or I will check.  Most of the others don’t get
 as many people asking them for money.  Maybe they see weakness in me.
 Maybe they feel like they can wear me down or maybe they see my
 kindness and figure that eventually I will give.

 I am going to meet the principal at the school I am going to teach
 English at tomorrow.  Later in October I am going to teach math to
 nurses also.  Today I went with The Gamechises (my translators for the
 health presentations) into town to get an Oromiffa to English
 dictionary.  I got one with over 88,000 words for just under 5
 dollars.  It took them out to Jimi Juice to show my gratitude to them.
 I really like it here.  I feel like I am really making a difference
 even if it is only in small ways at a time.  I feel like whatever I do
 I am making a difference.  I have lots of ideas for my book.  I really
 think if I go about it in the right way it could eventually be
 published but now I at least have some directions to go in.  If anyone
 has any ideas for things to put in my book please let me know.  I like
 how there is something always to do, and never a dull moment.
 After being in school at this time of the year (September) for 15
 years straight it feels sort of odd to not be in school but I think it
 is good for me.  I have a lot of time to plan, and reflect on what I
 really want to do with my life.  I have a lot of time to just think
 even though I have a lot of time to work also.

 People come and go.  Today 2 meds students are suppose to come.  In
 the last 2 weeks 3 med students have left out of the four that have
 been here since about the time arrived.  Mark, Trudy, and Jonah are
 leaving for a few months to go to the United States. They should be
 back in January.  Ansley, the head nurse took a few month break as
 well.  Things seem to change a lot here but throughout it all Gimbie
 Adventist Hospital has stayed standing.

 Sometimes I just miss random things.  The other day I missed going to
 the movie theater with my friends and I missed going to the bookstore.
 Sometimes I miss the structure of the United States.  The other day
 we went to a restaurant with someone that spoke the local language.
 Even though he was there we still waited for 40 minutes for our food
 and at the end of those 40 minutes the waiter informed us that they
 didn’t have what we were ordering that day.  In the US the vast
 majority of the time, if it is on the menu, it is available.

 Well thus far I have learned a lot about Ethiopian culture, language,
 lifestyle, and customs.  I have learned a lot about myself and what I
 want in life.  It has been a positive experience for me, something I
 would recommend to any student.  If you want to mail me anything you
 are more than welcome to do that.  Of course I would love to get some
 letters or packages from my family and friends and would appreciate
 cookies, snacks, pictures of people, things from home, such like that.
 If you do send me a package do not include anything electronic or
 valuable on the description of package contents.  Here is my mailing
 address:

 Jeremy Marinos
 Gimbie Adventist Hospital
 PO Box 228
 Gimbie
 West Wallega
 Ethiopia

 Well I miss all you my family, church family, and friends.  Thank you
 for reading my blog and I hope to hear your comments and continued
 messages on my email.

 Hey Everyone.  I am having an amazing time here.  I am meeting a long
 of awesome people.  The people here were saying that by the time the
 process of getting ready for Gimbie is complete all the “bad apples”
 are weeded out.  What is left is the adaptable, caring, tough,
 persistent, not lazy people.  I think it is true.  Vacationing here is
 a once in a great while thing.

 I have been talking to some of the locals too.  Some know English,
 which I hear helps out a lot when you are trying to go to college and
 get a good job.  I got into a conversation with two guys.  They asked
 me what I thought of Obama.  I told them I wasn’t that big of a fan of
 his.  I told them that about half of the country likes him and the
 other half doesn’t.  He is very popular here though.  In Addis I saw
 at least two Obama Cafes and in Gimbie there is one as well.  There is
 shirts that say “Yes we Can” in English and the Ethiopian languages
 with Obama’s face on there as well.  The guys liked what George Bush
 did with terrorism but not Gitmo.  People were also asking me about
 America, what it is like.  They asked me about air conditioning.  I
 told them that we usually like to keep our doors closed to keep the
 cold air in.  Over here they open doors a lot of ventilation but the
 hot air gets in.  It was hard to explain to people that Washington
 State and Washington DC weren’t the same place.  I am also learning
 how to say things differently.  I have always said “I go to college”
 but they always say “I am going to university.”  A little different.
 I am having the “Drugist”, Tsgaye, teach me Oromifa.  It is going well
 and even though I can’t really communicate that well with the locals I
 feel more connected to them because I can say quite a few words now.
 I want to put up a sign above the guys’ room that says “Nama Mana”,
 which means Man House or Man Room.  I was going to check to see if
 that was the correct way to say it though.  It might be “Mana Nama”.
 I will check. From what I gathered this language doesn’t have articles
 (the, a, an).  That would make things easier.

 The last few days have been really good.  I am being seen as an all
 purpose guy.  I took some pictures for an AHI presentation, I have
 almost set up the weather station (that is so exciting.  This might be
 the first time people have recorded the temperature, humidity, and
 rainfall in Gimbie ever), I took pictures of a guy that wants to send
 back to his family in America.  I joked that I was taking his senior
 pictures, right down my ally.  I have also been asked to teach English
 at a church/school and math in the nursing school in October and any
 amount of teaching I would be willing to do.  I am continuing to do
 Triage in the Out Patient Department.  The other day we got a ton of
 charts.  It was several hours of just vital signs.

 I just got back from going out with some other missionaries and a
 hospital Employee, named Henock.  He is a great guy.  He goes out to
 eat and such.  He knows the language so he orders for us in just a few
 seconds.  We ate Chiro with butter and Injeras (Dabo, *bread* for me).
 After we went to the juice bar (it is called Jimi Juice).  I had a
 Guava, Pineapple, Avocado drink.  They usually cost under 50 cents in
 American dollars.  On the way home the local kids did there thing.
 They said, “you, you, you” as usually.  We said “si, si, si” back to
 them (si is you in their language).  After you have been here for a
 while you just play along with it and have a good time.  I thing there
 is a mutual fascination between the foreigners and the Ethiopians,
 just shown in different ways.

 I have had three kids write me letters asking me for me to pay for
 their schooling.  I wish I could but there are a few reasons why I
 can’t.  If I gave to one there would be a flock of kids trying to get
 me to pay for them too.  Another reason is that if I gave to everyone
 that asked me then I would go broke within a few months.  Also
 everyone helps out in different ways.  I don’t think it is my purpose
 to give monetarily.  Although I am rich by Ethiopian standards, I am
 not rich.  I am here not to give money but to give myself, my skills,
 my passions, my talents, and my time to this hospital and the
 surrounding community.

 I have another story.  This one is really cute.  The Chief Operations
 Officer, Mark, has a three year old son, Jonah.  He is the smartest
 three year old that I have met.  He had this little computer, I don’t
 think it even worked but he was pretending to be on it.  I asked him
 if he had gotten any work done.  He said that he didn’t.  I asked him
 why not.  He responded, “I have been having a hard time with Adobe
 lately”.  The next day I was in the room and his mom asked him if he
 had gotten all the viruses off his computer.  He responded, “yeah, I
 got them all off”.  He said it in a way that mad him sound like he had
 really been working hard at getting the viruses off the computer.
 Very funny.  There are so many stories to tell here.  I have been
 keeping up a journal with all the stories.

 Keep sending me e-mails:
 jeremy.marinos@gmail.com

 I love hearing from all of you.  It makes me
 feel closer to home and it is interesting to see what everyone is
 doing.  Well thank you for reading my blog.  I hope you find it
 interesting.  Keep up the questions and the communication.