13 September 2006

Miracles of Miracles!!


It is OFFICIAL!! I am employed!! I have known for a bit, but to be honest was afraid to announce it for fear it wouldn't really come true. I can not believe what a GREAT job has landed in my lap. I am officially moving to Addis Abeba the capitol of Ethiopia. For those of you whose geography knowledge has slipped--I have prepared the following information for you: Tothe left is a map of the Eastern side of Africa. Ethiopia is at the top.

Ethiopia is a landlocked country slightly less then twice the size of Texas. It has high plateaus with a central mountain range divided by the Great Rift Valley. The lowest point is the Denakil Depression -125 m (410 feet) to the highest point, Ras Dejen 4,620 m (15,150 feet). The capitol, Addis Abeba, lies on the central plateau at an altitude of 2,400m (7,875 ft), 9 degrees north of the equator with an average temperature is 16 degrees Celsius (61F).

Ethiopia is a fascinating place—it is the oldest independent country in Africa, and one of the oldest countries in the world, at least 2000 years!! It was THE ONLY country to escape colonialism, and was only a colony of Italy for 11 years!! Coffee, Grain Sorghum, and the castor bean are all crops believed to have originated in Ethiopia. Ethiopia is home to the Ethiopian Orthodox church. The bulk of the population is Muslim 45%-50% or Ethiopian Orthodox 35%-40%. Ethiopia is also the birth place of Rastafarism and Bob Marley’s adopted homeland. Good music!!

And of course, as I am a health worker—the following information for you all:

--The Infant Mortality Rate in Ethiopia is 93.62/1,000 live births versus the US at 7/1,000 births.

-- Life expectancy at birth is 49.03 years in Ethiopia, versus the US at 78 years.

--HIV/Aids rate in Ethiopia is 4.4% versus the US at .6%

--Per Capita income in Ethiopia is $810/ year versus the US at %37,710/year

--Percent of people living on less then 2 dollars a day: Ethiopia 81% the US 0%


Anyway--I will be working for Goal Ireland. I need to run now, but I'll give you more details on my job when I can.

Jessica

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Congrats!

Anonymous said...

I don't know if this is true or not, but Ethiopian Jews identify themselves as being from the tribe of Dan. I hope Ethiopia realizes how lucky it is to have you. Watch out! Africa is about to be hit by Hurricane Jess!