Day 20: Dairy Data

Hi guys!

After my hardy breakfast of toast with jam, strawberries, and banana muffin I was ready for the day! Mikhel and Dr. Kefana came to pick up Hannah and I around 9:15 this morning. Dr. Kefana told us that we would first stop at the National Dairy Database before heading to Debre Zeit to meet one his enumerators (data collector).

So, we travelled to Akaki which was right in between Addis and Debre Zeit. We stopped at another research institute (I didn't see the official name) and went to the building that housed the National Dairy Database. No one from the database was around but the leader of the National Artificial Insemination Center (NAIC) was able to meet us. NAIC has been working closely with the African Dairy Genetic Gains project since the beginning. He was able to sit down with us and go over exactly what the codes and the data meant. He also copied all the Debre Zeit (Bishoftu) dairy data and email it to me so I could access the farmer's data that I will be working with. He was very kind and said that I could ask any questions or get more data if need be.

Next, we went on our way to Debre Zeit. Debre Zeit was actually called Bishoftu. Debre Zeit was actually referring to the agriculture research facility but now Bishoftu is very commonly referred to Debre Zeit because of the popularity of the research center. We stopped at a cafe and met the Debre Zeit enumerator. Because there is not internet out in fields, he was using the cafe's internet to upload the data collected to the server for the National Dairy Database. The enumerator's name is Muhammed and seemed very kind and eager to have someone with him to collect data. We exchanged numbers and shared our work plan. So far, we plan to go to Debre Zeit on Monday and Tuesday, and then visit other farms on Wednesday.

When we returned, it was already passed our normal lunch times so Hannah and I went to the Zebu Club to get a piece of cake and cappuccino. While we were chatting, a scientist by the name of Dr. Azage came and sat down with us. He is the head director of the LIVES project here at ILRI as well as working administratively with Boni, the lady we met the other day. He was pleased to meet us and shared some tips with us. He encouraged us to go out and just talk with everyone and not be shy. He wants us to stay connected with everyone here at ILRI and just really have fun while doing our work. He was the one that recommended that we visit the 'bush' or the countryside with him on Wednesdays.

I am so glad to be getting to know so many people. They are all so welcoming to us and they are glad we are here. I cannot wait to visit farms and meet the farmers. Dr. Azage said they get excited when foreigners come and want to share what they have no matter how little. I think that is definitely something as Americans, we can learn from. No matter what these people have, they want to share and make sure everyone is welcome.

Cultural Knowledge
On our way to Debre Zeit, Dr. Kefana shared some cultural knowledge with us. He asked what we noticed. Right away; old cars, poor people, and poor roads. The reason why few people own new cars is due to the 300% tax. He said the cars are cheaper in Kenya but it is illegal to bring them in because security will catch you. He didn't say too much about the pot-holes every 5ish feet but he simply said that they had poor roads and he wished they were better. As for the people, jobs are not quite readily available and this lifestyle is all that these people know. He also mentioned that Ethiopia has one of the best securities. If there is a terrorist, they will be caught on the spot because they are quite good.

                                                                                             (Yes, that is plastic bottles...)

Guys, I just can't even describe Ethiopia. The pictures don't do it justice enough of its beauty and its turmoil. There are so many things I have seen throughout the city and the country and its not even comparable to the U.S. 

Please reach out to me if there are any questions. I have been here for almost 3 weeks now and I really want to share my experiences and the culture but some of it is hard to put into blog format. Do not be afraid to ask! Thanks so much!

Day 19: Thursday

Hello!

It rained just about all night last night. I woke up to the thunder and rain around 6:30 this morning. But I fell back asleep and woke up when I supposed to. Hannah and I met for breakfast and I had my normal strawberry jam and toast. We then headed to the genetics building to our desks.

At lunch, Hannah and I both had cananolli with spicy potatoes and green beans. All of it was very good. While we were eating you could feel the cold front coming in and the hear thunder rolling. It started to sprinkle a bit but we were able to get back to the genetics building just in time before it started to rain. I came back and started to read a book that Dr. Olivier gave me to read. "On the breeds of Cattle" was a students Ph.d thesis. It was extremely, extremely detailed. Also, to be honest I did not read the whole thing. But, otherwise the maps of cattle distribution and the different crosses that created the cattle I know today was very interesting.

 

As for this evening, I will probably continue to read that book and take in a movie on Netflix. I am still definitely looking forward to going out into the field tomorrow. I really just cannot wait to get fully immersed into my project. I already have my final research report started so I can't wait to start writing about my research and field findings. 

Have a great day everyone! Ciao! 

Day 18: Abstract Work

G'day folks!

I have to tell you about last night because I didn't know we were going out until we did! After the 'work day' Nardos said she wanted to take us out to city. I thought we might just walk to the coffee shop around the corner from ILRI but nope! We actually went across the street, across the train tracks, and to the other side of the road to get into a van taxi with 16 other people. When we got out of that taxi, we got into another one to go even further. There were so many people everywhere waiting to get into these van taxis and be driven where ever they needed. Eventually, we got out at our stop and started walking on the poor sidewalks and the wet and muddy street to get to a shop called Salem's. They had closed but the owner said we could come in and look. Everything was handmade. The baskets, bowls, scarves, jewelry. It was all super pretty too. After that we walked a bit further to see if Nardos' aunt was at her shop. Turns out her aunt, uncle, cousin, and other family works a photography studio. They all greeted us kindly with a handshake and shoulder bump (the traditional greeting). After some chatting Nardos' cousin recommended we go to a smoothie shop for dinner. It was about 3 shops down. We had chicken wraps and after Hannah and I had vanilla milkshakes. Those were really good but I could tell the difference in the milk compared to milk at home. We eventually had one of Nardos' relatives take us back to ILRI. It was a really fun evening and I'm glad we could experience some more of the culture.

                       (Our reactions to the crowded van)           (Hannah and I with Nardos)

            (Enjoying the rain from a cool coffee shop)

(Nardos' and her family)

This morning, Hannah and I went to breakfast where I had toast with apricot jam, strawberries, and pineapple juice. We then made our way to the genetics building. I sat down and got started on finishing my abstract right away so that I can send it in by Friday. I sent my first draft to Dr. Olivier and he proofread it and gave me more focused tips to make it all correct and proper for what I will being doing.

We eventually met with Nardos and went to lunch in the cafeteria. They were all out of fish by the time I had got there so I went with the beef koftu (it looked like meatballs). The meat was pretty alright but the vegetables and rice they put with it were not very good.

After lunch, we returned to the genetics building and I finalized my draft of my project abstract with the help of Dr. Olivier. Around 3:00, Hannah and I met with Nardos and Dr. Marmusha, one of Nardos' colleagues, for coffee. We chatted over Hannah and I's beloved cappuccinos. We eventually parted ways. Hannah and I went to the gym and had dinner after. I got a cheeseburger. For it being an American imitation, it was still really good!

I'm not sure what we will be up to tomorrow but on Friday, we will travel to Debre Zeit to see what it is for sure that I will be doing!

Day 16 & 17: Happy Fourth of July!

Hello everyone!

(Monday)
I apologize for not writing yesterday. It was a very long day for both Hannah and I. We left to visit Debre Zeit at 7 am and didn't get back to ILRI until 3:30. Some highlights of the day were posing in our lab coats and getting some pretty cool aesthetic pictures. I also tried injera yesterday, definitely not my favorite!

(Tuesday)
Today, though was a bit better of a day. Hannah and I went to breakfast as normal where I had my usual toast with strawberry jam and strawberries. Because it was Fourth of July, I decided to have another 'American' aspect too, pancakes!

After breakfast, Hannah and I made our way to the genetics building and took our spots at our desks. A few minutes later Olivier called me to his office. I sat down and he began to tell me that another scientist, Dr. Kefana, was going to stop by this afternoon to help me figure out my project. Olivier said that currently Kefana is working on African Dairy Genetic Gains. As for my project, I will go out to farmers in the Debre Zeit area and start collecting data on the milk productivity. There are several factors that affect milk production and it is up to me by the end of my project to figure out which breeds/crosses are producing the most. This is a just a small aspect of the African Dairy Genetic Gains. Olivier said eventually people will take blood samples that will be analyzed to see how the indigenous/exotic cross breeds are producing the best.

Hannah and I went to lunch and we both got chicken drumsticks and cubed potatoes. It was a more 'American' style dish that we both appreciated. We returned to our desks after lunch and I waited for Dr. Kefana to come and give me more detail about my project. It rained quite heavily in the meantime. It will probably get pretty cold tonight. Last night it was very, very cold. Like I could see my breath while outside because it was so cold.

After meeting with Dr. Kefana it looks like my project is finally settled out. I will be shadowing one of Dr. Kefana's data collectors one to hopefully two times a week in Debre Zeit. I will be doing what Dr. Olivier said I would, looking at the variations in milk productions for different breeds and different affecting factors. This makes me really excited because one, I'll be doing a cattle project and two, I'll get to see first hand smallholder dairy productions. We also planned to go to Debre Zeit this Friday so I can meet the data collector there and see exactly how things will be done.

As for the rest of the day, I will begin to work on my project abstract that is due to the World Food Prize Foundation by this Friday. I cannot wait to get started and I am really looking forward to having an understanding of the smallholder dairy production here in Ethiopia. I am also super, super excited that I finally have a project!

Day 15: Sunday

Happy Birthday to my father! (& Happy 4th of July Weekend!)

Today was a very good day! I woke up early this morning to get ready for church. Tigist came to pick Hannah and I up at 7:45. She wasn't sure what the traffic would be like so we left quite early. We got there with plenty of time to spare! The church was actually quite beautiful and set up in a square formation. It wasn't only an evangelical church but it was also a Theological College. The full name is "International Theological Church". The service was held in the main auditorium and the square had classrooms. There were many diverse people in attendance of the service. They hold two english services on Sunday as well as a French, Korean, and an Amharic service.

They began with a group of singers and instrumentalists singing 4 short songs to begin. They said some announcements and then the pastor took his spot on the stage. I believe he was from America but Tigist told us he had been there for a long time. He spoke dramatically and made you want to listen. This morning, he spoke about temptation. Especially how Jesus faced Satan and surpassed that temptation while he was fasting for 40 days and 40 nights in the wilderness. Jesus did not need to fall into that temptation because he was dependent on the lord. I loved that way the pastor spoke from the bible and then fully explained what it had meant. After his message, they began offering. Several people walked around with velvet bags collecting the offering. When the collectors went back up front, we sang the same song that my home church sings after offering. Next, we went into communion. There were bowls full of bread distributed to passed around and later there were bowls of juice passed around. The pastor talked about Jesus breaking the bread as the body of Christ and drinking the drink as the blood of Christ all in remembrance of him. When the service ended, the band sang another song and reminded us to leave and 'Shine for him'.

I actually cannot wait to go back next Sunday. It reminds me of a church service you would attend in the United States and I love having something like this to remind me of home. While there, we even met a lady who was originally from Alabama and her husband was working at one of the Ethiopian hospitals. Everyone was so nice and welcomed us both fully.

Once we got back to Tigist's car she insisted on coffee and breakfast. We went to a coffee shop called the Bole Mini. All three of us got Hot Chocolate and I chose the coconut bread. It was pretty good! We sat and just talked about our lives, the U.S. and Ethiopia comparisons, etc. When we went to leave, Tigist took us on a longer route back because she wanted us to see the other side of the city. It's very interesting to me how some of the buildings are so nice and some just look abandoned. When we got to the road back to ILRI it was actually blocked off. In Addis, there are many roundabouts but Tigist said the government was choosing to replace them with stoplights because the roundabouts were causing traffic jams. Which for their type of driving I can understand. There may only be for official lanes but the drivers are going to make four of their own! With the detour we ended up taking a pretty out of the way road but that was what was available. But, I'm glad we could see even more of the city.

After our morning out with Tigist, we spent the day relaxing. We went to the Sunday buffet which is always good and we topped off the day with a movie. While watching the movie, I heard this loud clunking on the roof of the hostel. It kept getting harder and harder. I looked out my window and to my disbelief it was nickel-sized hail! It hailed for about 15 minutes starting light and then getting really hard and then light again. I was honestly quite scared for the time being. It was so loud against the hostel. It was coming at an angle and I could hear it just pounding my door. When the hail finished, it started to rain like normal. Hannah and I just couldn't believe it.

Tomorrow we will go back to Debre Zeit (leaving at 7am!) so Hannah can begin to take her chicken data for her project. Dr. Olivier informed me today, when he stopped by at lunch, that he is in contact with another scientist working with cattle to get a project figured out. But as for tomorrow, I am going to help Hannah weigh the chicks and collect that data. That should be interesting! But, I'll be happy to be helping and doing something productive!

(The outside if the main auditorium, not a good pic  (These are government bins storing grains in

             but I will get one next Sunday!)                                      case of national emergency)

 

                       (One of the abandoned-looking   (Just a pretty statue in one of the roundabouts)

                                          buildings) 

Day 14: Nineteen 🎉

G'day everyone!

I had a great day turning another year older! Thanks for all the messages and snaps!

This morning when I woke up I had several messages from my family and very good friends wishing me a good birthday! That was awesome to wake up to. After getting ready, Hannah and I went to breakfast. I went out of my norm to get toast and strawberry jam, strawberries AND an omlette!

We went back to the rooms and I did my hair. For something to do, we went for a walk around campus on the trails. We also went to the supermarket just on the corner from ILRI to look and see if we needed anything. I picked out my FFA advisor's gift and then we headed back to watch a movie on Netflix. But, before we could get to the movie, Jerry the tortoise was making his rounds again! So of course we had to have another photography session with him! When we got back into the rooms, we went with 'Grown Ups 2'. Funny as always.

It was perfect timing as well because at 3 pm, Tigist (a former ILRI worker) took Hannah and I out to the city. She was such a sweet lady! She greeted us with hugs and flowers! She then took us the 'Edna Mall'. There were so many people there! We walked to the second floor and it turned out to be the movie theatre! We saw the new Pirates of Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. It may have been the second time I've seen it, but it was still as good as the first time! Afterwards she took us to a restaurant called the Chicken Hut and ordered pizza! Like who doesn't go to a chicken place and get pizza? We ordered a 1/2 chicken and a 1/2 pepperoni pizza. I normally don't care too much for pepperoni but this was thick cut pepperoni and it was super good! Tigist then said we had to have cake for my birthday! So we went to a coffee shop called Bilo's and had the best white cake! It was so moist and very delicious! Then we drove back to the campus where she gave each of us a big hug before she left. We also planned to go to church tomorrow with her!

I had a fantastic day and never in a million years would I have thought I'd be spending my birthday in Africa!

Personal Update

Hey guys,

I just wanted to clarify some things about my time here so far.

All the times I written about 'not doing anything' does not by any means reflect the Borlaug-Ruan International Internship program or World Food Prize Foundation. I am communicating with the internship director almost daily to see what we can get worked out for my remaining time here. There may be a possible switch in projects/supervisors to where I can be the most useful.

I simply want to be placed where I am most useful for ILRI and their projects. There has been some switching within the staff here at ILRI which may have set-back the preparedness of both Hannah and I.

I cannot deny the awesomeness of this opportunity. It is just taking some time to get fully organized here. While I wait to see what happens in the next weeks, I'd like to share some wise words of Norman Borlaug's that was recently shared with me:

(Dr. Borlaug's 5 Main Principals)

Give your best; Believe you can succeed; Face adversity squarely; Be confident you will find the answers when problems arise; and Then go out and win some bouts. 

I know that God has placed me here for a reason and I will fulfill that to the best of my ability. There is a reason I have a passion and drive for the improving the world. I cannot thank God, Dr. Borlaug, my parents, and siblings enough for seeing my potential to start reaching for my passion. While there will always be bumps in the road, it's life. Everything happens for a reason and this is just a little speed bump. I will continue to reach for my fullest potential to not only make my dreams come true, but others as well.

Thanks for following my blog. I love seeing your comments and I'm so thankful for my amazing support system back home! I am so blessed to have you all in my life.