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Orientation for travels
to Illubabor, Ethiopia
This is the outline of an orientation used to help orient new travelers to Ethiopia in 1998 & 2000. It is offered here simply as a draft and may be useful as a starting place to design an orientation for future travelers to Ethiopia.
Early steps:
review mission and objectives of project;
introductions - get to know the team members,
decide on schedules, responsibilities of each member,
confirm dates of orientation and trip,
about project (three phases)
I. Preparation for the trip
II. Making the trip
III. Respond to the trip
Overview of Ethiopia, the country
Mekane Yesus (our host) Theology, history and Culture ( Illubabor Bethel Synod)
Third world issues
Language
How’s your Oromifa? Study of basic,
200 or so word working vocabulary in
Oromifa, the language of our host (Oromifa Language
info and dictionary )
Logistics
Info on luggage, packing (see clothing web sites
below)
24 hours of air travel...each way
security at airports, someone can research and find out the latest
clothing, concept of traveling light. The web has a lot on these subjects.
I like
www.altavista.com, and
www.yahoo.com. Go to the travel section
off the home
page and you find hours of interesting reading. Some of my
favorites are listed
below:
Traveling with one carry on - www.onebag.com
Universal packing list - http://www.henricson.se/mats/upl/
Betty's Kiosk - http://www.afn.org/~afn11300/
Sundry travel tips (and gear) - http://www.walkabouttravelgear.com/
passports
visas
checklists
cash/money
philanthropy
insurance
PCUSA
Private medical and Travel (one possible vendor)
http://www.etravelprotection.com/servlet/WASCPure
Health
Respectful, responsible guest
Recommended reading - the Resource Center
now has a number of books about Ethiopia and the Oromo People
Post trip debriefing - we would like to do this approximately 30 days after return. See pictures, discuss insights, lessons learned, struggles;
Telling the story
What will you do when you return. Agree on a plan