We finally have our internet access back...

It's amazing what having your internet working can do for your mood...   We woke up and it was working...Knowing that we didn't have to trudge through the rain and muck was such a treat! We took full advantage, responding to belated e-mail work requests, sending queued blog posts (case and point) and reaching out to friends and family. Ryan read some articles about MFI's, John finalized our meeting agendas and I organized some of our beneficiary feedback and ideas. Then we headed out to meet and discuss how we were progressing on our objectives.   Sitting together for a short meeting turned into a longer meeting, but was incredibly productive as we discussed the structure of the project going forward as well as our next milestones. We were interrupted twice by cell phone calls, and since there is no voicemail here we had to pick up...It's an interesting world without voicemail. I may need to adopt this as a new way of life once I return to the states :)...JT couldn't join us because he got sick this morning, yikes. We do hope that he feels better soon!   Then we headed out in separate directions, John to meet with a Cherokee partner, and Ryan and I to continue prepping for more beneificiary conversations next week. Then at the end of the day we engaged in a long political discussion with Ato Guiermo the house guard about the upcoming US election and about Ethiopian politics. It was quite refreshing and enlightening to hear his thoughts. A downpour interrupted our conversation and then it was off for an early night. Tomorrow hopefully we'll reconnect with Brian and JT and talk further about ideas, the process as well as our strategy and approach going forward....   Light hearted story: So since it's been a bit rainy John got us started on a new fashion fad, we roll up our pants (actually "peg" them- how '80's) to save them from having to be washed every day. We look absolutely ridiculous with our exposed ankles, but in the name of efficiency have pushed vanity aside. The problem? Ethiopians have mastered the art of NOT looking ridiculous while keeping their pant hems PRISTINE. After a rain storm we look like a trio of drowned rats wearing floods and everyone else looks dry and as put together as ever. Their secret remains elusive. Ah well...I'm sure they are laughing the the other 100 strange things we do and probably don't even notice the pants.   More to follow....