My travel journal of my experience of both anthropology research and the visit of my family country in Eritrea

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

Semper Fi!


Back from the boot camp and i have grown an inch or two.... The first day of the festival was an outstanding and thrilling event, especially the time of a funny encounter with the President Isias Afwerki! It was amazing to see and sit only 2 rows away from him! I didn’t expect to see him upclose mainly him running into ME! Yes, its true! I wasn’t paying attention of his motion; my eyes were busy checking my snapshots of him on a diggy camera. When I look up, I was startled of his approach and my 2 hands were occupied with camera equipments! I felt wedged at the moment. Finally, the soldier, (walking w/ Prez) w/ a huge machine gun, effortlessly flung me out of the crowd surrounding him! I didn’t feel a thing cuz my body turned numb. Moreover, a cabin-mate succeeded taking a photo of me next to the Prez! Yay. I just learned that it is typical of the Prez to walk around with low protection! He trusts his country entirely for his safety! It’s utterly Impossible if Prez Bush can do the same.
The most fascinating and remarkable sights of this festival were the marching band of soldiers and the militants in the audience!! The number of them overwhelmed me! In same time I was intimidated and in awe of the great number of the soldier participating this event or watching the march.
What floored me chiefly was seeing hundreds of male soldiers holding hands!!!!! It was like seeing a genuine oxymoron: 2 ideal warriors showing affection and warmth toward one other. Seeing this brotherly-love is a stirring and astonishing experience for me.
The activity I enjoyed immensely was tree-planting. I wish I could do more than just one. I hope to participate more similar events that will contribute to the nature someday soon. To my understanding, this country is suffering of low supply of wood, since a large amount of trees had been chopped down for fuel.
I Requested to Leave a day earlier from Sawa camp, wishing I knew I could’ve left on the second day instead on the third. For me, this festival would have been sufficient if it was just for ONE day. I felt it wasn’t truly contributing to my travel experience or research if I remained for the full 5-day stay. I did NOT want to miss the Eri-Sign Lang research mtg on Saturday mornings. I was so glad to make this decision or else id be stuck on the bus for 11-hour trip! In addition, the transportation mode they provided was the far most interesting I ever rode on—they told me id fly on a plane. Since it was a small group of us who signed/paid for the trip back to Asmara, I assumed itd be a small passenger plane. To my surprise, it was an Army Helicopter (the one which they’d drop off supplies in the air or soldiers jump out) flew us for only 45 minutes!!


FYI, ill be gone on the tour program for 6 days.

Monday, July 17, 2006

Amazing creatures!!!

People stare at me while i am dumbfounded looking at those amazing 4-legged humongous creatures!! DID U KNOW PEOPLE DRINK CAMEL-MILK?!?!

Interesting. Women here keep asking me "U arent afraid traveling?", "You arent afraid to stay in hotel alone?" or "You arent afraid of visiting towns alone?" I replied each question--why should i be afraid of my sweet country?? I need to go out and see it myself in-order-to have the firsthand experience. If something happens, well... i'll always be glad to have this chance to travel outside America, esp. my family country.

Good news!
i just visited Keren and met the Director of KSD (Keren School for the Deaf). I was able to videotape his interview. It was all arranged within a day!! wow! Im so grateful for those people helping and offering their time investing to my research. Plus, they are awestrucken at how much i know ESL!! I can speak/sign to a Deaf Eritrean w/o any ASL signs!! YIPPEEEEE!!!!! Yes i am still spoiled by their English vocabulary/lip-readings. I promise you, Im gonna learn Tigrinya to return my respect for my home country's native language. Im already working on my fidel (alphabets of Tigrinya)!

Currently, im all packed and ready to go off to Sawa camp (eri-youth festival). I was very lucky to find a sleeping bag at a shop here. After 23rd tiny shops, I really thought it was no way for me to buy one here in Asmara until the last one which saved my neck! Now it'd be a great addition to my sleeping bags collection! ;)

Thursday, July 13, 2006

So much to see!

My vocabulary of ESL (Eritrean Sign Language) is growing indefinetely! It's virtually rousing at each time i learn a new sign. Those deaf Eritreans are fabulous teachers--they love to feed me new signs/words in Tigrinya. I feel like a sponge, absorbing the beautiful language of this country!

This weekend I will, at last, travel with a guide to Keren to visit the deaf community there. I hope i will build a good relationship with the people of the Deaf office there. Unfortunately, i won't be meeting any faculty of Keren School for the Deaf since the school is out. Although, this guide will lead me to people whom she thinks will assist my research.

From July 18-22, I'll be gone visiting SAWA, the renowned city of Eritrea where the youth are sent for the mandatory Soldier-Training camp to serve the country, to protect its Nation and build their values. Im goin there for the Eri-Youth Festival, where about 20,000(plus) youths (local and international) will celebrate for 4 days together. It will be a honor to attend and view the most dangerous site where the war memories are.

At my return, i will participate Eritrean Festival and see all the ethnic groups' dancing, which will be Fascinating!! THEN, i will travel on a tour program arranged by the NUEYS (Nat. Union Eri Youth & Students) titled as "Know Your Country," goin to 15 different locations for 6 days!! Certainly, it is gonna be a revitalizing expedition!! It is not exactly part of my research but... only to explore outside the city life! This photograph was taken by Eden, a deaf teacher, at point of Bet Giorgish, by the zoo. It overlooks the road to Massawa. This is merely a minuscule part of sightseeings in anticipation of so much more to see on the tour!!

Sunday, July 09, 2006

Gettin' Tricky...


People here ask me "what you think of Asmara?" I'd respond--its Fabulous seeing everything in details with my bare eyes, smell each scents and feel each temperature during the day. The weather here just as Walta (my childhood friend) warned me "its a lil Tricky." Id say it run 3-season daily! Although, it resembles as any typical So_Californian weather! Its chilly in the morning, warm most of the day, hot during noon, windy which is bothersome with dust; then it drizzles at late evening, and lastly, it becomes cold in the nighttime. It *is* awestruckening to see EVERYONE as Eritreans walking or hanging out around the city. I feel somewhat an outsider since they keep staring at me--especially at my old beaten-up sneakers. I know... thats unlady-like of me. The women here tend to wear feminine sandals or loafers and i learned they are absolutely useful and rain-friendly in contrast w/ my wet sneakers. My Eritrean friends would find my parka/raincoat stunning, despite i still get wet. ;/

Generally, people aroundthe city have such a sturdy look and i barely recieve a smile when i walk by them or enter in their shops/hotels. Normally, at each encounter among strangers, Id bow my head slightly saying "Selam" or offer to shake hands then they'd greet humbliy or modest. I still got a lot to learn about this culture and understand wholly of hardships what have my own country has suffered through.

Moreever, people quickly assume that I am a non-Eritrean or doubt my nationality, Id correct them, tell them my full name, or show them my Nationality Eritrean ID (Men-net) and declare "I'M AN ERITREAN!" All of their reactions are uniform with a cheer and joy.

Friday, July 07, 2006

Full of Buckets...




Here's the most busy street, Adi Harnet of Asmara. There are repetitive convienence shops everywhere and i am not sure how do they keep standing financially if they got everything what next door got! Bars, food shop, Kidane-Habisha (clothing) shops, jewerlry shops, electronic shops, internet cafes, and restaurants are normally business available for the public consumeration. Otherwise there are factories, junkyard, municipal courts, schools, government services and countless Embassies!



I am staying in Melles' place still and they havent kicked me out just yet. I adore his family; his wife is so intelligent and helpful; their kids are darling and my super fans!

I am being spoiled by their spotless house and their bathroom is unlike any common bathroom in Eritrea. It is truly a privileage staying in this gorgeous house. Id like to show the interesting procedures in the bathrooms, its always come with BUCKETS. The Large, black water storage is almost in every house, then the medium-size buckets to pour water into toilet and finally small pitcher to use to rinse hands in sink or body in showers.

It's endless usage of buckets daily!!


Another thing id like to add for today: It is stupefying to see a wide variation of transportation in this city alone. This picture signifys two contrastive kinds of transportation that's FAR CRY distinct in each economic level--runs by a horse parked near a Range Rover!

Tuesday, July 04, 2006

This just in....

My research is goin very well. I will explain why.

I had 2 Letter of Recommendations from the General Consulate of Eritrean in California addressed to the people of Ministry of Education and another one to National Union of Eritreans Youth Service.

I had the privilege of meeting the Director General of Ministry of Education (MoE), Ato. Petros Hailemariam, then he referred me to another one and i am meeting him later this afternoon, his name is Hailu Asafihu, Director Research of MoE who tends to the minority issues of education. I may get chance to meet more employees of that agency for the "Special Needs." I am in the process of making appointments with the Director Research of Ministry of Labour and Human Welfare. I will ask them few interviewing questions and hopefully, they will be okay to be videotaped. Wish me luck on that.

I am well-covered, and i am grateful to the person who helped to arrange my meetings and an assistant for me, is the Director of Central Labortary, Dr. Melles Seyoum. His wife is Tsigie, she works for the president Afwerki. Yes, i am very honored to be among these groups.

Best of all, I finally met the Deaf Eritreans, at the Eri-NAD. Weldezghi, Office Mananger of the Eri-NAD, gave me a great referrence list to contact to help to get the headstart with my research. Even better, he understands my research plan very well since he graduated with a degree in Linguistics and Literature! Fantastic group. He welcomes me to show up at their own research group of 15 professionals working on the dictionary on every Saturday! It is really looking well.

My next plan is to meet the professor and the Dean of Anthropology from the University of Asmara. I am indeed looking forward to meet my peers. ;) The best thing out of doing this exhilarating research is looking at their face finding out that i am DEAF University student from America showing a great interest in the Deaf Eritrean Community. Of course, they are my blood.

Peace with you all.

I apologize, i do not have a photo to upload today. Next time.