Day 5 - Food & Shopping...and some work :)

Last night I got to eat dinner with Nicole, Mustofa, Dan, and Dr. Gebreyes. It was so much fun! We were laughing non-stop. It really was a great time. :) This morning Nicole finished up her communication class and we took a group picture on the steps of the academic building. It was such a fun class! I'm really sad it's over. 

Nicole's communication class. Such a fun group!!

After the class, Nicole, Dan, and I met up with Dr. Gebreyes and Dr. Wang for lunch at the Four Sisters. The food was just as delicious and the atmosphere still can't be beat. :) After lunch, Dr. Wang, Nicole, and I decided to do some shopping at the huts set up around the hotel. I actually bartered a little bit! The handmade scarves and baskets are just beautiful! We then walked around the city center and came across this awesomely huge tree. No idea what kind of tree it is.

As we were walking, I also saw the hotel on the hill we ate at the other day. The view from up there was amazing, but it was also cool to see it from below. The picture also shows the TukTuk (3-wheeled taxi) that we sometimes take from place to place. Ethiopian drivers are fearless and have the best reflexes lol. I haven't seen a single stop sign or traffic light. Driving over here is nuts! But oh so entertaining. :)

The hotel is the red-ish roof at the very top of the hill (kind of hard to see)

I just can't get enough of the coffee here! They serve it after every meal and I also drink some every afternoon. It's so delicious! If possible, I'm becoming even more addicted to coffee. :) 

Gondar is a beautiful city, but you can definitely tell it's in a 3rd world country. When I think about my apartment back home, I realize I live in a mansion compared to basically all of the living quarters here. Dan made some friends with boys playing soccer by the Four Sisters restaurant, and one of them pointed out his home to us by the soccer field. It was literally a square dug out of the dirt with a metal roof. Yet the Ethiopians in Gondar seem to be so happy all of the time! Seriously, the hospitality is like nothing I've ever seen. They are such a genuine people. Being here is making me so thankful for what I have and teaching me that if everyone I'm meeting here can be so happy with so little, I can certainly be happy with everything I'm fortunate enough to have. This experience has been so amazing thus far, and I still have over 2 weeks here! I can't wait to see what else this trip brings.  

Another view of Gondar :)

That's all for today! The focus groups for my project start tomorrow, so I'm super excited about that! We'll see how everything goes. :)

Much love,
Joslyn :)

P.S. The verse for today is, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." Matthew 11:28-29