This morning, Hannah and I met for breakfast at a little bit later time so we could sleep in a bit. I had a piece of banana bread, strawberries, and an omelette. Afterwards, we headed to the genetics building. On our way over we here this tapping on the glass coming from one of the forage offices. It was Dr. Hanson. She was waving profusely and smiling. We went to her office and talked about our experiences yesterday while at the farms. She challenged us with more questions and gave us some more food for thought on our topics.
She sent us over to our desks that she has given us to work at on the first floor (the forages and gene bank floor). We entered in the answers and data from our surveys to our excel sheets and started to analyze the data. By the time we finished with that, it was lunch time already.
Dr. Hanson told us that the almost the whole forage office was going to a 'baby shower'. One of their colleagues wife had just had a baby boy about two weeks ago. This was their second child. We all walked over to their house on campus, together. In Ethiopia they have a celebration and get together after the baby the baby is born. Dr. Hanson and we were thinking it was due to the possibilities of problems that could happen especially back in the day with a lack of doctors or help. Dr. Hanson also shared that normally the women spend 1-2 months at home with the new baby. At the celebration, they had food, a traditional coffee ceremony, and a blessing for the mother. The food was very traditional and being that the colleague is from southern Ethiopia, the food choices were from that region as well. We had bread and false banana (a rubbery, flat piece of root from a banana tree that does not produce bananas) that were the 'scoops' for the kitfo or minced meat with spice, cottage cheese and cottage cheese with spinach or herbs (it is not like the cottage cheese that we know!). There was also a food made of barely flour with butter and hot pepper in the center called genfo. This dish is only served after a baby is a born. The guests eat it but after everyone eats, the women have a blessing of a single dish of genfo then for however many more children the mother wants, the women serve her a scoop of the genfo. Then a few people say some words of wisdom for the family and the father opens the gifts.
It was very cool to see a traditional get together and try some more traditional food. Although it may not be my favorite, I can at least say that I tried! The parents were also so kind in welcoming us all into their home to celebrate the birth of their new child. I enjoy being able to experience all these new things and meet these people.
Right now, Hannah and I back at our desks continuing on our data and questions. Once we are finished up here around 4 o'clock or so we go back to our hostel's and relax and get some dinner later on. Currently, we are unsure of what we are doing for tomorrow. Dr. Tadelle is supposed to return sometime today and hopefully give us some insight as to what we should be doing tomorrow. We will have to see, tomorrow!
Ciao!
That's so cool!
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