Eritrean Culture

So its been almost one month since I've been here in Eritrea, and I feel that I am becoming quite familiar with Eritrean culture and ways of doing things. For instance, I have become accustomed to the heaps of tea and coffee- coffee mainly at people’s houses for coffee ceremonies(usually every weekend I am invited for coffee at someone's house) and tea in the office- at work. In Eritrea most offices,ours included, have on staff a tea lady, of which their sole job is to provide and serve tea to the office employees throughout the day. Our tea lady, Leticia, is a very kind woman and is determined to teach me Tigrinya as she speaks very little English.

Also in my short time here I am also getting used to the fuel and water shortages. Since I have arrived there have been major fuel shortages, so much so that fuel has become rationed by the govt. Really its only UN agencies, large NGOs,embassy staff, and government departments that have access to the country’s limited supply of fuel. This fuel shortage seems quite ironic given Eritrea's geographical position so close to the world’s supply of fuel, just across the sea from Saudi Arabia.

As for water, our water supply has been constantly “touch and go” where sometimes you have it and sometimes you don’t, and really most of the time I have expected not to have it. So we usually have to haul water in with buckets from out back in order to bathe and flush the toilets.

Apart from this, I have also become used to Asmara’s public transportation system. I generally have been taking the bus to work every morning, as otherwise it’s a 45 minute walk, and besides this the bus is quite economical, only 1 nakfa (10 cents Canadian) each way, however, the bus also tends to be quite full due to the fuel shortages, as many Eritreans who own cars are unable to drive them as they do not have access to fuel. In order to deal with this situation(over-packed buses where we are packed in like sardines) I have developed a strategy in taking the bus, I go out early and wait until a bus comes by that isn’t totally full and then hop on.

I have become quite used being told I am a little over-weight, it seems to be very Eritrean to tell it like it is, so interestingly I have been told that I am fat, on several occasions. In Canada, I seem to fit right in, however, over here most people are under-weight, rather than the opposite, so apart from also being white I really tend to stick out. Anyways, I decided I'd take action on this front and I have started an aerobics class, at a fitness centre near my home. The classes are great, and the instructor is super fun, and apart from the exercise it seems to be a good place to make some Eritrean friends.

Finally, I am learning how to make friends in Eritrean Culture, I have already made some friends at work, where everyone at work has been wonderful. I can already see how it will be hard to leave them after my 6 months are over. Likewise, the international community here is also great. The last two weekends have been a lot of fun, been hanging out mostly with my fellow Canadian room-mate, Lindsey, and the Dutch girls. Last weekend was Lindsey's 25th b-day, so we celebrated all weekend long and even went out dancing!