Getting Along

When you don’t have much, everything counts: a fried power converter holds up a shelf; a zip-lock bag can be and reused; a used, disposable face wipe cleans your shoes.  Here, a metal bedframe stood on end becomes a closet to hang clothes and a drying rack     

I sent my laundry out to be washed, but I’d read somewhere to not send out underwear, so I handwashed them (Robin has hand washed all her clothes, which I could do but she’s the most resourceful human I’ve ever met and I just don’t want to spend my time doing that). Wash in a basin with hot water heated on the electric burner and laundry detergent Robin bought in Addis; rinse in the water bucket Robin uses for toilet water; rinse again in the water bucket Debbie uses for toilet water. I know that sounds gross, but the buckets are as clean as anything else around here and all we do is ladle the water (from outside) out of the bucket into the commode so … it’s not really “toilet” water.

            I sent out to the laundry: 7 tops; 2 sweaters; 3 pairs of pants; and 4 pairs of socks. I convinced Robin to throw in three pairs of pants as well. Total cost: 35 Birr ($1.99). Keep in mind that someone (we can’t figure out who) hand washed everything in a basin and rinsed pretty much the same way I did, and then hung everything on the line in the courtyard of the home to dry. I put on fresh-smelling jammies tonight and had flea bites across my belly within minutes. Sigh. J

Pizza!! When we go into town to work a the feeding center or spend the weekend, we go out to eat; I’m really not into eating the meat, I (unfortunately) don’t know how to order Ethiopian food if a native isn’t with me, so Italian has become a mainstay! This pizza, which Robin and I shared, cost 56.70 Birr ($3.22). I try to order for nutrition as we don't get many fruits or vegetables during the week.

This public toilet is typical: the toilet paper is in a common area between the men's and women's restrooms … grab it as you go in. Bucket to the left is for paper disposal. String on top of tank pulls to flush (flushing toilets in the city!). No seat, which doesn't matter to me as I have yet to sit down on a toilet in Africa.