One Step at a Time: A Peace Corps Story: My Living Conditions

I’ve been back in Butajira for about three weeks now and I am in a much better place mentally than I was when I first got back from the States. These last two weeks I was kept busy with G11’s (new group of education volunteers) practicum. I acted as a sort of advisor. I helped a group of trainees assigned to the school that I work at on making lesson plans and creating assessments and I observed their teaching and gave them feedback. Other G9 (my group) volunteers were in town doing the same thing I was so I was able to work with them and catch up. Most of them I hadn’t seen since March, so it was nice getting to see some familiar faces. I soon gathered that I wasn’t the only one in a slump. When you reach your one year mark it’s normal to feel a bit depressed. So hearing how my fellow G9ers were also feeling down, talking through it with them I realized that I’m not alone, we’re all in very similar places and in that way I got out of my slump.

After looking at this upcoming school year, all the things I have planned, and marking when important conferences and meetings are, I realized that this year is going to fly by. I feel as though almost overnight my mood dramatically changed. I’m happy to be in Ethiopia. I feel like this is where I’m supposed to be for now. I’m so excited for this next year. I’ve realized that there is so much of this country I have yet to see. So I’ve started listing all the places I want to go and have tried to figure out when I’ll be able to do it. I’m ready to start this next year and make it amazing!

In the meantime, as I have no work going on right now I thought I’d put together some pictures of my house and my school. When I was in America I got a lot of questions about my living conditions, my house, and how I go about getting my basic needs. Hope these answer most of your questions.

I came home to freshly painted walls which I was beyond excited about. I had wanted my red room painted ever since I moved in a year ago. My landlord started doing renovations on my compound before I left and had asked me if I wanted my house painted. I jumped on the opportunity not to have to do the painting myself or have to find someone to do it for me and did not hesitate to say yes, please!!

I’ve also posted some photos below of the ride to Lake Langano that I got to go to a couple of weeks ago. Some G9s and I were able to tag along on G11’s day trip to the lake.