First Impressions

J- I am about a week into this experience, and so far I love absolutely every part of it. The program and the people running it are the best I have ever worked with in any of my domestic and foreign adventures, bar none.  I feel like I am in incredibly well looked after and will be well looked after even when I leave Addis for Butajira in the next few weeks.  From what I have seen, the training we will receive is going to be top notch.  The program directors are all very personable, experienced, and informative.  I just went through my first meet and greet with the medical staff, and I am confident that the care I receive through them is better than anything I would be able to swing back home.  I already have my 1^st Aid kit, a large bag full of various antibiotics, and a 3 month supply of Malaria pills.

On the note that might surprise everyone the most, I LOVE THE FOOD HERE.  Normally I won’t net-yell at you on this site, but I really needed to emphasize that fact.  More surprising still, we seem to have finally encountered one world cuisine that I take to better than Donovan.

My fellow trainees are all very chill dudes and dudettes.  Out of the 70 of us, I can’t think of a single one who isn’t fun to talk to.  I’ve met so many people with awesome travel stories and backgrounds.  I have no doubt that I am going to make a lot of life-long friends in this group.  Some of the more interesting encounters include:

A)     A fellow German speaker who noticed my “Uni Tuebingen” shirt on the plane.

B)      2 girls who both spent part of their youth on an ostrich and/or emu farm.

C)      Many people who absolutely snow us in terms of international travel and work experience.

D)     A bunch of people who I would bet money are going to be officers in the foreign service at some point in the future.

This might all sound like rosy glasses or a honeymoon post, but I’m still pretty sure that I’m going to enjoy the next 27 months.