Finally some pictures

Click to see a larger version of each photo.  I will have to caption them quickly as a thunder storm is moving in and the power will likely go out at some point.

 This is my room!  I use either the mosquito net or a fan every night to keep the mosquitoes away.  I've never figured out why the vast majority of mosquito nets are made in a circle when everyone's bed is a rectangle.

 I definitely need to find some shelves to make it seem less bare.  I brought some pictures from home but I'll also have to look around for other things to decorate the walls with.  If anyone has ideas, feel free to leave a comment.

 This is the street my office is on.  Most main streets in the town are paved, but the side streets are almost all dirt.

 Most afternoons bring rain which makes walking home from work difficult.

 Cows and goats always get the right of way on sidewalks.

 The fact that my garden is packed with fruit trees (banana, guava, coffee, etc) means it's also packed with birds trying to eat our fruit.  This guy was staring me down, daring me to make a move on his guava.

The view from my desk at home is fantastic.

 Food labels here can be hilarious.  This rice looks like it tastes horrendous.

This afternoon I was invited to an incredible Ethiopian coffee ceremony at the house of a friend of my roommate.  It involves freshly roasted coffee, incense popcorn and roasted barley.

Roasting coffee over charcoal is a specially acquired skill.  After the coffee is roasted, the smoke is ceremoniously blown in the face of those in attendance so that they can enjoy the delicious aroma.

Once roasted, the coffee is ground by hand and brewed in a jabena, a traditional Ethiopian coffee pot before being poured into isi, special coffee cups and served in three rounds.  It is thick and strong, sweet and delicious.