This document is the Fall 2014 issue of "The Ishi Bekka Chronicle", a Peace Corps volunteer newsletter. It includes sections on mail, announcements from the editor, postcards from Ethiopia, advice from "Simon Says", nature articles on geckos, recipes for tater tots and drinks, travel tips for Italy and Croatia, book/movie reviews, and features on water distribution and getting to know volunteers. The newsletter aims to inform and entertain volunteers with local news, announcements, and submissions from volunteers serving in Ethiopia.

1. The I s h i B e k k a Chronicle Fall$2014$
8$ 10$
6$
18$
9$
4$
15$

2. Departments*
Posta*Bet:*Mail*
From%the%Editor%%%%%3%
Alyssa!Shumaker!
Ishi%Bekka%Postcards%%%%%3%
Forrest!Copeland!
Simon%Says%%%%%4%
What!will!Simon!tell!us!to!do?!
Simon!Says!
*
Get*In!*PCV*Life*
The%Worm%Fly%Diaries:%Chapter%1%%%%5%
Boom!!You’re!welcome.!
Dara!Weiser!
Tigray%TrekBIt’s%Goin’%Down%%%%%6%
All!over!Eastern!Tigray!we!be!runnin!up!and!
down.!
Stephanie!Hernandez!and!Alonee!Gray!
DIY%Artist%Trading%Cards%%%%7%
Get!your!goal!2!and!3!on.!
Breanne!Lott!
!%
Go*Wild!*Nature*
Geeking%for%Geckos%%%%%8%
Learn!to!love!your!local!geckos.%
Evan!Craig!
%
Enibala!*Food*and*Drink*
Homade%Tater%Tots%%%%%9%
Give!me!some!of!your!tots!!
Lisa!Morrical!!
Market%Gourmeanderings:%Flax%%%%%10%
Talk!about!super!food!!!
Stephanie!Hernandez!!
DexterBween%Drinks%%%%%11%
Happy!Halloween!!
Mary!Gaul!
%
Where*Are*You*Go?*Travel*
Croatia%and%Italy%%%%%15%
Wow,!wow,!wow.%
Amanda!Bradica!
Contents
!!
Hard*Drive*Party:*Books,*Music,*Movies*
Summer%Sequels%%%%%%18%
Don’t!worry;!no!spoiler!alerts!neded.!
Renay!
Relax.%Recharge.%Refresh%%%%%19%
Perfect!PCV!Playlist!
Alonee!Gray!
*
Features*
Water%ATMs%%%%%12%
Quenching!the!thirst!of!thousands!in!rural!IndiaT
can!the!same!be!done!in!Ethiopia?!
Shanthi!Purushotham!
*
Extra*
GetBtoBKnowBaBPCV%Quiz%%%%%9%
All!you!didn’t!know!about!Adrienne!Hall!and!
Quinn!Lewis.!
Stephanie!Hernandez!
Ishi Staff
!!
!
Alyssa*Shumaker***************
Editor!in!Chief!!!!!!!!!!!
Erica*Lillquist*****************
Design!and!Layout!
Bethany*Shenise*
Column!Editor!
Forrest*Copeland*
Photo!Sourcing!
!
Get In!
Please!remember!that!Ishi,!as!a!scholastic!
publication,!welcomes!Letter!to!the!Editor!and!
other!submissions.!Please!correspond!with!us!
via!ishibekka@gmail.com.!
!
Feature!and!Department!submissions!are!
welcomed.!Please!also!consider!contributing!to:!
• Facts!You!Don’t!Care!About!
• Amaringlish!(photo!submissions)!
!
For!more!details,!please!contact!us.!
!
All!sweepstakes!are!void!where!prohibited!and!
by!prohibited,!we!mean!outside!of!the!48!
contiguous!US!States.!
! ! The!!Ishi Bekka!Chronicle!!•!Page 2!

3. Posta Bet
From%The%Editor%
!
Friends,!
!
I’ve!been!listening!to!some!folk!music!lately,!so!as!I’m!
in!a!reflective!mood,!let’s!begin!this!Ishi!Bekka!Fall!
2014!Edition!with!a!farewell!to!our!G7!volunteers.!
Thank!you!for!your!service!!And!let’s!not!forget!G8!is!
right!behind!them!(yeehaw!!).!Although!we!already!
recognized!our!writers!who!have!walked!through!
that!swinging!door!to!fame!and!Fritos!(the!actual!
ones,!not!peoples’!feet!on!minibuses),!with!people!
leaving!it!is!a!good!time!to!think!about!service!and!
how!to!take!advantage!of!the!time!we!have!here!in!
Ethiopia.!!
!
If!you’re!in!that!place!where!focusing!on!our!time!in!
Ethiopia!will!kill!you,!however,!read!guest!writer!
Amanda!Bradica’s!tips!on!traveling!to!Italy!and!
Croatia,!and!just!imagine!that!you!are!there!instead.!
Our!new!music!columnist!Alonee!Gray!also!offers!
some!suggestions!for!elevating!mood!in!her!music!
column,!and!debuting!nature!columnist!Evan!Craig!!
has!a!feature!on!geckos!–!what!can!be!more!awesome!!
!
Mail
!
than!geckos??!Especially!the!ones!that!live!around!my!
jerry!cans!and!occasionally!my!living!room.!!
!
Perhaps!this!fall!is!time!to!hit!Edna!Mall!to!check!out!
some!sequels,!as!reviewed!by!our!resident!“Reel!
Review”!columnist!Renay!(and!remember,!if!you!can!
figure!out!who!“Renay”!is,!you!get!a!prize!).!But!just!
in!case!you!need!to!hit!the!ATM!beforehand,!do!not!
confuse!Shanthi!Purushotham’s!column!on!“Water!
ATMS”!with!the!ones!dispensing!golden!(or!gray?)!
cash.!You!can!also!just!drink!the!pain!away!with!some!
of!this!issue’s!“Halloween!Ghoulish!Drink!Delights.”!I!
just!made!that!title!up,!but!still,!they!are!alcoholic.!
Keep!keepin’!on!PCVs.!Enjoy!our!new!columnists!and!
features,!and!make!sure!to!contact!us!at!
ishibekka@gmail.com!if!you!have!an!idea!of!your!
own.!!
!
XOXO,!!
alyssa%
Editor%in%Chief,%The!!Ishi Bekka!Chronicle
Ishi Bekka Postcards!Are!Now!Here!!
Forrest%Copeland%…Because,!well,!unless!you!live!in!Lalibela!or!Addis,!decent!postcards!
are!as!hard!to!find!as!tampons!or!American!coffee.!!%
!
Download!the!full!resolution!image!by!using!
the!link!below!and!then!take!the!file!to!your!
friendly!photo!bet!to!get!a!15x10cm!
print.!!Feel!free!to!send!these!off!to!!our!
friends!and!family!back!home!or!share!them!
with!your!neighbors!here.!!This!issue's!theme!
is!Ethiopian!animals.!!!
!!
Please!submit!suggestions!for!next!issue's!theme!to!Forrest.!!Stay!tuned!for!more,!
and!start!collecting!the!whole!series!today!!
!
Download!@:!www.ishibekka.wordpress.com/page/2!
! ! The!!Ishi Bekka!Chronicle!!•!Page 3!
!

4. Post Bet
!
Simon&Says&
Simon&Miller&
!
Welcome!to!the!inaugural!edition!of!“Simon!Says”,!a!chance!for!me!to!tell!you!what!I!think,!and!for!you!to!agree!
with!it.!!
!
Let’s!start!with!a!warm>up.!Simon!says,!“Stand!up!”!Simon!says,!“Sit!down!”!Simon!says,!“Stand!up!”!Sit!down!!!Ha,!
gotcha!!Thanks!for!playing!folks.!Let’s!move!on!to!the!advice!portion!of!the!column!now.!This!edition’s!topic:!baby!
wipes,!or!as!they!are!sometimes!called!in!Ethiopia,!wipers.!
!
Let!me!start!off!by!saying!that!back!in!the!states!I!was!NOT!a!proponent!of!utilizing!baby!wipes.!Let’s!be!honest,!
they!are!cumbersome!to!carry!around!and,!in!my!opinion,!a!little!embarrassing!if!anyone!catches!you!with!them.!
However,!now!that!I!call!the!land!of!“13!Months!of!Shint!Bets!and!No!Showers”!my!home,!I!have!embraced!wipers!
as!my!new!mode!of,!well,!wiping.!*This!is!where!YOU!laugh!out!loud.*!
!
For!those!readers!that!are!shaking!their!heads!and!doubting!the!supremacy!of!wipers!over!soft,!I!want!you!think!
about!a!few!things,!wipers!are!moist!(they!won’t!leave!your!bum!chafed),!they!come!in!a!stable!plastic!package!with!
a!cover,!they!can!be!used!in!lieu!of!a!bucket!bath,!and!they!leave!you!feeling!“so!fresh!and!so!clean,!clean.”!Are!you!
still!not!convinced?!!!
!
In!an!exclusive!interview!with!this!columnist,!G9!ITELE!PCV!and!PSN!Committee!Member,!Simon!Miller!said,!
“Wipers!kick!ass.!If!you!don’t!use!wipers!then!you’re!a!wimp.!I!wouldn’t!ever!be!friends!with!someone!who!didn’t!
use!wipers.!Wipers!are!the!greatest!things!ever!invented.!Did!I!mention!that!I!love!wipers?”!
!
If!you’re!considering!making!the!switch!from!plain,!boring,!and!drab!old!soft,!DO!IT!!I!guarantee!that!you!will!not!
regret!the!decision!I’ve!influenced!you!to!make.!Remember,!a!wiper!a!day!keeps!the!itchy!asshole!away.!
If&you&want&Simon&to&say&
something&about&an&issue&you&
are&having,&let&!
him&know!&
Email&Simon&at&&
ishibekka@gmail.com!&
! ! The!!Ishi Bekka!Chronicle!!•!Page 4!
!

5. Get In!
The$Worm$Fly$Diaries:$Chapter$1$
Dara$Weiser!!
!
My!first!time!seeing!the!foreign!insect!was!when!it!was!already!dead!on!my!kitchen!floor.!I!saw!it!from!a!
distance.!As!I!crept!closer,!a!look!of!disgust,!yet,!intrigue!washed!over!my!face.!A!little!bit!bigger!than!a!
wasp,!here!lay!a!winged!insect!with!the!body!of!a!worm.!I!placed!it!in!a!plastic!cup!and!analyzed!its!body!
for!almost!10!minutes.!I!just!kept!staring!at!it,!finding!it!hard!to!believe!how!big!it!was!!I!had!never!seen!
anything!like!it.!I!was!anxious!to!know!when!I!would!see!this!thing!alive,!fearing!the!day!when!it!would!be!
flying!around!my!house,!and!then....!it!happened...!
*****!
PCV Life
My!bedroom!light!was!already!off.!The!only!glow!was!the!white!of!my!laptop!screen.!I!excitedly!reclined!
on!my!pillow!to!start!watching!my!daily!one!episode!of!the!“Lost”!series.!(I!know,!I!KNOW,!it’s!“Lost,”!but!
after!months!of!my!boyfriend!telling!me!it!was!underrated,!that!I!HAD!to!watch!it,!I!caved.!Let!the!jokes!
begin).!A!little!while!later!as!I!was!about!to!doze!off!into!a!beautiful!sleep!under!a!soft!thin!cotton!duvet!
cover!my!friend!mailed!me!from!the!states,!there!it!was…!the!sound…!a!soft!swarming.!I!thought!it!was!
the!wind!at!first.!After!a!couple!of!minutes!of!the!sound!seeming!to!get!closer,!I!ran!to!my!light!switch.!
There!it!was,!buzzing!around!my!light,!circling!its!prey…ME!!EWWWWW!!Man,!was!it!big!!I!grabbed!the!
only!thing!I!could!find,!the!Peace!Corps!Corporation!magazine,!(sorry!PC!HQ).!For!minutes,!I!tried!to!swat!
at!it,!but!I!was!having!no!luck.!Then,!out!of!the!blue,!it!swarmed!down!real!low!and!flew!right!past!me.!My!
inherent!reaction!was!to!screech,!sending!my!landlord!from!his!house!running!into!my!cubicle!of!a!room.!
Right!before!he!entered!my!very!last!swat!did!it….%almost.!
!
It!landed!half!dead!on!the!bottom!right!corner!of!my!beautiful!paisley!like!print!duvet.!One!wing!was!
damaged,!so!it!was!doing!circles!trying!to!fly,!trying!to!get!its!REVENGE!!!!!Oh,!but,!no….!not!this!time.!My!
landlord!swooped!in!and!swiped!its!damaged!
and!defeated!body!onto!my!cheap!
linoleum!flooring.!Then,!with!a!swift!
pound!of!his!black!loafer!to!the!
floor,!the!war!was!over.!I!swept!the!
shattered!carcass!into!the!grass.!!
!
!
I$know,$I$KNOW,$it’s$“Lost,”$but$
after$months$of$my$boyfriend$
telling$me$it$was$!
underrated,$I$
HAD$to$watch$it,$I$caved.$Let$the$
jokes$begin.$
Tune$in$next$time$to$find$out$when$the$$
worm$fly$attacks!!!$
$
Note$the$Reader:$Have$you$had$any$incidents$$
with$the$infamous$worm$fly??$Send$in$your$$
story$to$ishibekka@gmail.com$so$$
Ishi$Bekka$can$share!!!!!$
!
! ! The!!Ishi Bekka!Chronicle!!•!Page 5!
!

6. Get In!
!
Tigray'Trek*It’s'Goin’'Down'
Stephanie'Hernandez'and'Alonee'Gray'
!
***To!the!beat!of!“It’s!Goin!Down”!by!Young!Joc***!
!
This!a!Steph!and!Alonee!production…!
(lalalalalalalala)!!
Here!we!go!again,!your!sweet!delights!of!joy,!!
Tutus!in!motion,!!
everybody!wore!it!once,!
This!is!the!Tigray!Trek!2014.!!
Ran!242k,!Ohhhh!boy!!!
!
Meet!me!on!
the!trek,!its!
goin!down,!!
Meet!me!in!
Atsbi,!it’s!goin!
down,!
Meet!me!in!
Wukro,!it’s!
goin!down,!!!
All!over!
Eastern!Tigray,!
we!be!runnin!
up!and!down.!!
!
Leg!number!1,!
do!the!damn!thang;!!
5!am,!should!still!be!in!my!bed;!
But!instead,!it’s!bout!time!to!hit!the!road,!!
Give!me!a!banana!and!some!bread!to!power!up!those!
legs!and!GO!!
1,!2,!3,!stretch!it!all!out,!so!we!wont!have!to!limp!it!
out.!
Gonna!BEAST!this!trek,!8!days!this!week,!
Number!one!goal,!getting!Ethiopia!to!zero.!
Helping!people!out,!letting!everyone!know,!
unprotected!sex!is!NOT!the!way!to!go!!
People!know!our!crew,!got!our!banner!on!
the!bus!drivin!right!next!to!us.!
Shout!out!to!Tupac!and!his!
brother!Teddy,!the!coolest!
drivers!we!know,!
He!loved!this!song…!I!think!
ya’ll!should!know,!played!it!
three!times!in!a!row.!
!
!
Meet!
me!in!
Mekele,!it’s!goin!
down,!!
Meet!me!in!Qwiha,!it’s!goin!down,!!
Meet!me!in!Hiwane,!it’s!goin!down,!!
All!over!Eastern!Tigray!we!be!runnin!up!and!down.!
!
Time!to!set!it!off,!let!everybody!know,!!!
Even!though!our!knees!bout!to!give!out,!we!still!be!
running!this!show.!
People!on!the!bus,!it’s!time!to!cheer,!that’s!what!
Lizzy!‘s!yellin!in!everyone’s!ear.!
Todd’s!takin!pictures;!empty!water!bottles!
rolling!on!the!floor.!!
Gonna!make!some!kids!happy!when!we!hand!
them!out!the!door.!!
What?!!It’s!break!time!!Better!get!your!sweet!
delights!of!joy!!
Trek’s!not!over,!don’t!give!up.!!Gotta!keep!the!
momentum!and!run!a!muck.!
Tupac!and!Teddy!time!to!tighten!up!the!bikes,!!
Jankie!is!a!problem,!but!we!wont!let!him!stop!us,!
We’ll!keep!ridin!til!we!reach!the!next!town.!!
Almost!there,!but!f**k!this!mountain!for!goin!so!up!
and!down.!!
!
Meet!me!in!Adishuho,!it’s!goin!down,!
Meet!me!in!Maichew,!it’s!goin!down,!!
Meet!me!in!Korem,!it’s!goin!down,!!
All!over!Eastern!Tigray!we!be!runnin!up!and!down.!
!
Now!gather!round,!permagarden!101,!4!sessions,!4!
towns.!
Rainbow!plate!meals,!grow!your!
own!veggies!in!a!tire,!!
Good!nutrition!is!possible;!a!
balanced!diet!is!really!dire.!
Back!on!the!trek,!makin!new!
friends,!G8’s!don’t!leave!us,!we!
only!just!met.!!
G9!you!did!great,!G10!way!to!
represent,!!!
! ! The!!Ishi Bekka!Chronicle!!•!Page 6!
!

7. Get In!
And!
ARTHUR!!
the!
Frenchie…!
you!are!
someone!
we!will!all!
NEVER!
FORGET!!
Nutella,!white!honey,!
and!“banana!jam”…!gave!us!the!
energy!to!go!HAM!!
Tej!in!Adishuho,!that!we!obviously!did!not!drink…!
Tastes!pretty!good…!word!is!on!the!street.!;)!
A!staged!running!entrance!with!the!cameraman!in!
Maichew,!!
Can!we!stop!now?!!We’ve!already!ran!over!120!
miles!!!
Finished!that!last!leg,!Cards!Against!Humanity,!time!
to!let!loose!and!regain!our!sanity.!!
Last!night!
out,!DJ!
Hannah!and!
the!crew,!
danced!the!
night!away;!
in!Mekele!
this!be!
how!we!
do!!
!
So!meet!
us!in!!Tigray,!
it’s!goin!down,!
Next!year,!it’s!goin!down,!!
Let’s!do!this!sh*t!again,!it’s!goin!down,!!
All!over!Eastern!Tigray!we!be!runnin!up!and!down.!
!
*This&song&is&dedicated&to&Forest,&his&calves&
(#BEAST,)&and&all&those&who&participated&in&
Tigray&Trek&2014!*!•
!
DIY!Artist!Trading!Cards!
Breanne!Lott!
!
This!fun!activity!promotes!Goals!2!and!3,!sharing!culture!!
With!Artist!Training!Card,!both!a!group!of!students!from!
Ethiopia!and!a!group!of!students!from!America!create!the!cards!
and!then!everyone!trades,!with!each!student!getting!one!card!
from!a!student!in!the!other!country.!This!is!perfect!for!World!
Wise!Schools,!camps!or!any!other!student!club.!Thanks!to!Danna!
Hering!for!doing!this!with!students!at!!
Camp!GLOW!Wondo!Genet!2013.!
!
How!to!make!Artist!Trading!Cards:!
Buy!one!regular!pack!of!playing!cards!or!“carta”!from!any!suk!for!less!than!10!birr.!Let!each!child!decorate!1]2!
cards!using!scraps!of!paper,!magazine!pics,!paint,!or!whatever!supplies!you!have!on!hand.!Write!each!student’s!
name!on!the!back!of!their!finished!card.!On!a!separate!sheet!of!paper,!have!kids!write!their!name,!age,!and!some!fun!
facts!about!themselves!like!something!they!enjoy!doing,!their!favorite!food!or!what!they!want!to!be!when!they!
grow!up.!Take!1!photo!of!each!child.!Then,!type!up!the!kids’!bios!and!insert!their!photos!with!the!bios!on!the!
computer.!You!want!the!photo!and!the!bio!to!take!up!the!same!area!as!the!back!of!a!card.!!Print!the!info,!with!
multiple!kids!per!page.!Cut!out!the!students’!info!and!glue!it!to!the!back!of!their!Artist!Trading!Card,!on!top!of!
where!you!previously!wrote!their!name.!Mail!‘em!off!and!wait!for!the!exchange.!
!
As!always,!check!out!
pcinterest.wordpress.com.for!more!
creative!inspiration!or!to!submit!!
All!the!way!
from…!PC!Fiij!!
Check!out!these!
soda!can!lanterns!
courtesy!of!!
! ! The!!Ishi Bekka!Chronicle!!•!Page 7!
!
Katy!Gray.!

8. Go Wild!
Geeking'for'Geckos'
Evan'Craig'
'
For!my!first!edition!as!the!nature!columnist!for!Ishi%Bekka,!I!chose!
geckos.!I!chose!geckos!because!they!are!magnificent!little!animals!
and!have!incredible!evolutionary!adaptations,!yet!reviled!by!most!
Ethiopians.!Geckos!can!be!found!in!almost!every!nook!and!cranny!
of!Ethiopia.!!
!
All!geckos!are!lizards,!but!not!all!lizards!are!geckos.!Besides!having!scales!and!claws,!and!being!a!homeotherm!
(coldBblooded)!like!all!lizards,!a!gecko!is!characterized!by!having!setae!(bristleB!or!hairBlike!structures)!on!their!feet!
and!no!eyelids!so!they!consequently!cannot!help!but!to!stare.!The!gecko’s!adaptation!of!setae!is!remarkable!in!that!
it!allows!geckos!to!travel!across!any!terrain,!from!wet!and!smooth,!to!dry!and!rough.!Geckos!can!even!walk!
completely!inverted!across!a!ceiling!using!their!setae’s!unique!ability!to!capitalize!on!van!der!Waals!forces!(the!
attractive!or!repellent!forces!between!molecules).!The!toes!of!a!gecko!are!covered!with!ridges!that!branch!out!into!
these!hairBlike!setae,!in!fact!just!a!50!gram!gecko!has!6.5!million!of!these!!Fun$Fact:!There!is!an!adhesive!product!
on!the!market!called!“geckel”!that!was!directly!inspired!by!the!setae!adhesion!properties!found!on!the!feet!of!
geckos!!!
!
Be!warned!that!geckos!also!practice!caudal!autotomy,!so!if!you!pick!up!a!gecko!by!the!tail,!it!disconnects!from!the!
body,!and!runs!away!don’t!say!I!didn’t!warn!you.!Caudal!autotomy,!or!the!trait!of!easily!disconnecting!ones!tail!
from!its!body,!is!an!adaptation!that!provides!an!efficient!escape!plan.!The!victim!is!usually!able!to!retreat!out!of!site!
before!the!predator!even!knows!they’ve!been!bested.!After!the!gecko!is!around!the!corner,!or!under!its!favorite!
rock,!it!will!start!work!on!growing!a!new!tail,!no!worries.!
%
Geckos!are!amazing!creatures!that!should!be!protected!and!loved!rather!than!feared.!By!having!an!insectivorous!
diet!(including!mosquitos),!geckos!help!to!their!part!to!keep!populations,!like!the!malarious!species!of!mosquito!in!
check.!If!a!conversation!about!lizards,!or!better!yet!geckos,!ever!arises!between!you!and!your!friend(s)!at!site,!
please!share!this!amazing!information!with!them.!Awareness!of!our!natural!resources!is!the!first!and!most!
important!step!towards!conservation.!!
!!
!!!!
Nature
Kristen'Craig'spotted'this'guy'in'a'cranny'
on'the'sidewalk'in'Quiha,'Tigray.'
From!right!to!left:!The!coloration!of!the!body!and!type!of!eyes!can!tell!when!the!gecko!active.!A!bland!colored!body!
and!vertical!pupils!(like!a!cat)!suggest!that!the!individual!is!nocturnal;!Setae!on!a!gecko’s!foot;!Brightly!colored!geckos!
with!round!pupils!suggest!that!the!individual!is!diurnal!(active!2!times!a!day,!at!dusk!and!dawn).!
! ! The!!Ishi Bekka!Chronicle!!•!Page 8!
!

9. Enibala!
!
!!
!!!
!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Food & Drink
!
Homemade!Tater!Tots!
From!the!Kitchen!of!Lisa!Morrical!
Tater!tots!are!
surprisingly!simple!to!
make!and!only!require!
locally!available!
ingredients.!Ketchup!is!a!
wonderful!addition,!so!
pick!some!up!in!your!hub!
town!if!you!don't!have!
any!available!locally.!
!
Ingredients:!
2!small!onions!
4!cloves!of!garlic!
5!medium!potatoes!
3!tablespoons!of!flour!
Oil!for!frying!
!
Start!by!finely!dicing!the!onions!and!garlic.!Set!them!aside,!then!peel,!wash,!
and!grate!the!potatoes.!After!the!potatoes!are!grated,!slice!them!a!little!bit!so!
that!you!have!very!small!potato!chunks.!Mix!the!grated!potatoes,!onions,!
and!garlic!together.!Mix!in!some!salt!and!pepper,!if!desired.!Shake!a!few!
tablespoons!of!flour!over!the!mixture!and!mix!it!all!together.!With!your!
hands,!squeeze!the!potato!mixture!into!tater!tot!sized!balls,!squeezing!out!
the!extra!liquid.!If!your!tots!aren't!sticking!together!very!well,!add!some!
more!flour.!
!
Next,!you!will!need!to!deepLfry!the!potato!balls.!Don't!skimp!on!the!oil.!This!
is!not!a!health!food.!If!you!just!use!a!little!bit,!the!tots!won't!cook!evenly!and!
will!fall!apart.!Then!you!would!just!have!hash!browns.!
!
Cook!the!tater!tots!for!about!5!minutes!in!mediumLhot!oil,!gently!stirring!
occasionally!so!that!they!cook!evenly.!When!they!are!golden!brown,!remove!
and!let!drain!on!a!towelLcovered!plate.!Watch!the!tots!carefully!for!the!last!
couple!minutes.!There's!a!small!window!between!nicely!done!tater!tots!and!
over!fried!and!very!crunchy!tater!tots.!
!
Serve!the!tots!immediately!with!ketchup!and!scrambled!eggs.!
!
! ! The!!Ishi Bekka!Chronicle!!•!Page 9!
!

10. Enibala!
!
Market'Gourmeanderings:'Flax'Facts'''
Stephanie'Hernandez'
!
No!matter!where!you!are!in!the!world,!a!huge!part!of!culture!is!food!!Lucky!for!us,!we!have!it!pretty!good!here!!
…PCT’s,!hang!in!there.!I’m!sure!your!host!mom’s!food!is!amazing.!So,!let!go!of!your!injera!fear!and!stop!skeptically!
giving!your!wats!the!evil!eye.!I!promise,!you’ll!soon!be!craving!them!!
!
While!this!country!boasts!a!wide!array!of!healthy!and!nutritious!ingredients,!preparation!techniques!can!often!turn!
good!things…!into!notHsoHgood!things.!!
!
Fortunately,!unless!you’re!being!gorsha’d!a!huge!bite!of!oily!sigaHwat,!we!get!to!choose!what!we!eat!(err…well,!most!
of!the!time…).!Whether!you’re!looking!to!lose!weight!or!just!want!to!maintain!a!healthy!diet!while!living!in!
Ethiopia,!it!is!possible.!!
!
Hidden!past!the!teff!and!maize;!amongst!the!brown!mustard!seeds,!black!cumin,!and!fenugreek;!in!just!about!any!
big!town!market!you!will!find!a!shiny,!little!seed!called!flax!(talba,!in!Amharic).!
!
You!may!or!may!not!be!familiar!with!this!glossy,!brown!seed.!But!its!nutritional!benefits!make!it!well!worth!your!
birr,!or!rather,!Peace!Corps’!birr!!
!!
First!off,!it’s!an!amazing!source!of!fiber.!2!tbsp.!of!ground!flax!provides!16!grams!of!fiber!(15%!of!the!DRI),!and!has!
only!75!calories.!In!case!you’re!interested!in!ditching!a!few!pounds,!the!high!fiber!content!will!keep!you!full!for!a!
longer!period!of!time,!thus!decreasing!your!overall!appetite.!!
!
Secondly,!flax!is!an!omega3!superHfood.!Omega3’s!are!essential!fatty!acids,!AKA!the!‘good!fats.’!In!particular,!they!
play!a!vital!role!in!the!maintenance!of!the!brain’s!cerebral!cortex,!support!the!antiHinflammatory!system,!and!allow!
for!proper!functioning!of!the!immune!system.!EFAs!are!also!responsible!for!regulating!the!body’s!hormones.!In!fact,!
many!cases!of!depression!are!often!linked!to!omega3!deficiencies.!So,!when!you’re!feeling!sad!and!lonely,!watching!
Season!1!of!your!favorite!show!for!the!14th!time,!fear!not!H!you!just!need!to!eat!some!flax!!!
!
Lastly,!this!tiny!seed!contains!one!of!the!highest!amounts!of!lignans!(active!antioxidants)!H!more!than!any!other!
food.!It!even!exceeds!that!of!blueberries!!Lingans!greatly!reduce!the!risk!of!breast!and!prostate!cancer.!They!also!
help!the!body!metabolize!estrogens!(for!female!PCVs!dealing!with!erratic!or!irregular!menstrual!cycles,!flax!can!be!
used!to!help!normalize!your!cycle!).!!
!
Yet!another!piece!of!good!news,!flax!is!cheap!!About!2H5!birr!per!sini.!See,!I!told!you!it!was!worth!it!!I!recommend!
using!a!coffee!grinder!to!process!it,!but!a!mortar!and!pestle!works!just!as!well.!Once!you!have!your!flax!meal,!try!
adding!a!couple!tablespoons!to!your!oatmeal,!yogurt,!or!on!top!of!fresh!fruit.!You!can!also!blend!it!into!a!smoothie!
or!bake!it!into!bread!and!cakes.!Habasha!preparation!involves!roasting!the!raw!flaxseeds!and!immediately!after!
pounding!them!into!a!paste.!The!natural!oil!from!the!seeds!will!give!your!paste!a!smooth!texture.!Slap!some!on!a!
piece!of!injera!or!some!dabo!topped!with!avocado,!and!you!have!yourself!a!delicious!and!nutritious!breakfast!or!
snack!!!
!
If!you’re!not!used!to!eating!fiberHrich!foods,!increase!your!water!intake!to!help!digestion!until!your!body!adjusts.!
Otherwise,!if!you!go!too!crazy!with!this!food…!since!I!know!you’re!all!eagerly!awaiting!your!next!market!day…!you!
might!experience!bloating.!Nobody!likes!that.!Until!next!timeH!happy,!healthy!eating!!!!
!
! ! The!!Ishi Bekka!Chronicle!!•!Page 10!
!

11. Enibala!
Dexter&ween)Drinks)
Mary)Gaul)
!
1.!Gin!and!Tourniquet7Shot!of!gin!in!sprite!or!Ambo!with!a!few!drops!of!vinto!sauce!
2.!Lumen!and!Lime7Shot!of!cognac!in!Sprite!with!a!slice!of!lime!
3.!Miami!Mojito7Shot!of!rum,!shot!of!supermint!in!Ambo!with!a!slice!of!lime!and!a!pinch!of!sugar!(add!real!crushed!
mint!leaves!if!available)!
4.!M997Shot!of!arake!(slip!it!in!to!someone's!drink!for!a!little!surprise!that!will!knock!them!out)!
5.!The!Trinity7!Shot!of!cognac,!shot!of!Johnny!Walker,!shot!of!arake77in!that!order;!repeat!if!necessary!
6.!Barrel!Beer7Draft!beer!
7.!The!Dark!Passenger7Shot!of!Johnny!Walker!Black!Label!in!Coke!
Get&to&Know&a&PCV)QUIZ
Stephanie)Hernandez)
!
1.!Would!you!rather…!a.!Backpack!!
South!America!for!a!year;!b.!
Conquer!the!Mt.!Everest!base!camp;!
c.!Eat!your!way!through!SE!Asia;!d.!
Move!to!Costa!Rica!and!spend!your!
days!on!the!beach?!A:'A;'Q:'C!
!
2.!Would!you!rather!eat!a!bacon!
cheeseburger!or!a!build!your!own!
burrito?!A:'Burrito,!Q:'A'build>your>
own'burrito'that'consists'of'all'the'
ingredients'in'a'bacon''
cheeseburger.''!
'
3.!The!little!girl!from!your!compound!
snuck!into!your!room!and!deleted!
everything!off!your!hard!drive!except!
for!one!TV!series.!If!you!only!had!one!
show!to!watch!for!the!rest!of!your!PC!
service,!which!would!it!be?!
A:'Parks'and'Recreation'
Q:'The'Simpsons.'36'seasons'may''
just'last'me'through'the'week.'
'
4.!If!you!had!to!be!locked!in!an!empty!
room!all!day!but!could!bring!one!of!!
the!following!items!with!you,!which!
would!you!bring?!a.!Legos;!b.!A!blank!
canvas!and!paints;!c.!Paper!and!a!pen;!!
d.!One!of!those!huge!exercise!balls!
A:'D,'Q:'A'
!
If!your!Halloween!party!needs!a!little!inspiration,!try!these!
Dexter7themed!drinks!!Because!let’s!be!honest,!PCV!life!involves!
a!lot!of…!TV.!
Name:!Adrienne'Hall,'G8'Health!
Site:!Wukro''
Hometown:!Long'Beach,'California'
5.!If!you!were!a!Super!!
Mario!Brothers!
character,!who!
would!you!be?!
A:'Toad,'Q:'Mario'
!
6.!Would!rather!
learn!how!to!fly!a!!
plane!or!drive!
racecars?!A:'Fly'a'plane,'Q:'Fly'a''
plane'
''
7.!Which!movie!world!would!you!!
most!like!to!live!in?!a.!Alice!in!
Wonderland;!b.!Pocahontas;!!
c.!Aladdin;!d.!Peter!Pan!A:'D,'Q:'A'
!
8.!What!were!you!doing!at!this!time!!
one!year!ago?!A:'MSC,!Q:'Gainfully'
unemployed,'growing'a'beard'and'
long'hair'while'cycling'down'the'
California'coast!
'
9.!!Would!you!rather!eat!nothing!but!
injera!firfir!for!the!rest!of!your!life!or!
lick!a!shint!bet!for!30!seconds?!
A:'Firfir!!,!Q:'Lick'a'shint'bet!
!
10.!Who!would!you!rather!go!out!to!
lunch!with?!a.!Aziz!Ansari;!b.!Michelle!
Obama;!c.!The!ghost!of!Michael!Jackson;!
d.!Beyoncé!A:'Aziz,!Q:'D,'but'only'if'it'
was'before'she'left'Destiny’s'Child.'
Otherwise,'B'
'!
!!
Name:!Quinn'Lewis,'G10'Enviro'
Site:!Fitche,!Oromiya'
Hometown:!San'Luis'Obispo,'
California''
!
!
11.!Ugh!ooohhh.!You!accidently!dropped!
your!IPOD!into!a!pot!of!shiro.!!It’ll!only!
play!one!album!now.!Which!one!are!you!
hoping!that!is?!A:'J.'Cole'–'Born'Sinner,'
Q:'Led'Zeppelin'IV'
'
12.!What!is!your!spirit!animal?!
A:'An'ostrich,'Q:'Tony'Danza'
'
13.!Congratulations!!You!won!a!free!
round!trip!ticket!from!Sheba!Miles!!
Where!are!you!go?!!A:'Accra,'Ghana,'
Q:'Thailand'
!
14.!Would!you!rather!have…!a.!A!jib!that!
helps!facilitate!perma7garden!trainings;!
b.!A!camel!that!takes!you!wherever!you!
want!to!go;!c.!A!chicken!that!lays!
hardboiled!eggs?!A:'B,!Q:'A!
!
15.!!In!a!care!package,!would!you!rather!
receive!a!blow!up!swimming!pool,!or!a!
pair!of!rollerblades?!A:'Swimming'pool,!
Q:'Blow>up'swimming'pool,'but'only'
during'rainy'season!
! ! The!!Ishi Bekka!Chronicle!!•!Page 11!
!

12. The!!!
Ishi Bekka!!
Chronicle
FEATURE!ARTICLE!
Water ATMs
Quenching the thirst of thousands in rural India
– can the same be done in Ethiopia?
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!
Shanthi!Purushotham!!!!!!

13. Water!is!scarce!in!rural!India.!Like!in!much!of!rural!
Ethiopia,!clean!water!is!only!available!once!a!week.!
Approximately!150!million!Indians!do!not!have!
access!to!clean!water!(1).!When!the!big!government!
tankers!come!to!dispense!water!in!remote!
communities,!people!run!to!them,!desperate!to!fill!
their!jerry!cans.!!Violence!during!these!water!
distributions!is!not!uncommon.!The!government!is!
responsible!for!bringing!most!of!the!clean!water!to!
these!rural!communities!since!most!private!
companies!do!not!want!to!put!in!the!resources!to!
make!the!long!trek!to!these!remote!areas.!This!
problem!is!not!limited!to!India.!Even!in!my!own!
compound,!Ethiopian!people!become!very!protective!
of!their!water!supply,!unwilling!to!share!too!much,!
and!constantly!watching!out!for!neighbors!that!may!
be!trying!to!steal!some!for!themselves.!!
!
A!few!years!ago,!an!organization!by!the!name!of!
Sarvajal!(“water!for!all”)!developed!an!interesting!
innovation!called!“water!ATMs”!to!address!this!
problem!of!water!scarcity!in!India.!The!idea!was!
successfully!piloted!and!implemented!and!within!the!
past!year!has!gained!popularity!throughout!rural!
India.!These!“water!ATMs”!are!tall!cylindrical!
structures!and!look!similar!to!normal!ATMs!except!
that!instead!of!dispensing!cash!they!dispense!water.!
The!source!is!ground!water,!purified!at!localized!
plants!before!being!made!available!through!the!ATM.!
While!government!tankers!only!permit!four!jerry!
cans!of!water!for!each!household!for!the!entire!week,!
water!ATMs!provide!villagers!access!to!as!much!
water!as!they!like!24/7!through!the!use!of!a!simple!
prepaid!rechargeable!smartcard.!For!one!cent,!a!
person!can!draw!up!four!liters!of!water,!which!is!
cheap!even!in!India.!!
!
Similar!to!Ethiopians,!however,!Indians!tend!to!be!
quite!frugal.!This!makes!trying!to!convince!some!that!
paying!for!clean!water!is!worth!the!monetary!
challenge.!Parallel!to!my!own!life!in!Lumame,!during!
the!heart!of!the!dry!season,!I!have!seen!my!own!
neighbors!unwilling!to!part!with!just!one!or!two!birr!
for!a!jerry!can!of!clean!water.!Instead,!they!prefer!to!
draw!dirty!water!from!the!well,!which!becomes!
dirtier!with!each!passing!week,!but!is!ultimately!free.!
In!order!to!overcome!this!barrier,!the!Sarvajal!team!
has!been!hosting!sessions!in!different!communities!to!
teach!locals!about!the!importance!of!using!clean!
water,!the!danger!of!waterTborne!illnesses,!and!why!
clean!water!is!worth!paying!for.!!!
!
People&stand&in&line&waiting&to&get&water&from&the&government&tanker.&
! ! The!!Ishi Bekka!Chronicle!!•!Page 13!
!

14. smart!cards,!men!are!eager!to!collect!water!at!the!
ATMs!to!show!their!earning!power!(2).!Additionally,!
because!the!technology!is!innovative!and!allows!
individuals!to!own!smart!cards,!people!no!longer!feel!
that!they!are!poor.!Instead,!they!enjoy!finally!having!
access!to!a!worldNclass!technology,!which!is!rare!in!
rural!communities!that!are!used!to!being!overlooked!
and!being!sent!secondNhand!charity!goods!(3).!It!is!
feasible!that!with!the!introduction!of!“water!ATMs”!in!
Ethiopia,!gender!dynamics!within!the!household!may!
similarly!change!for!the!better.!Ethiopian!men!
typically!spend!their!days!outside!the!home!while!
women!take!care!of!all!the!household!chores.!Such!a!
technology!may!help!to!blur!the!gender!divide!within!
the!home,!even!if!only!a!little.!!
!
Ultimately,!there!is!a!need!for!better!adoption!of!
innovative!technologies!in!Ethiopia!to!address!some!
of!the!country’s!most!pressing!problems.!Many!of!
these!technologies!are!in!existence!and!are!being!
used!by!countries!close!by.!India!has!been!at!the!
forefront!of!experimenting!and!piloting!other!simple!
technologies!that!assist!in!improving!health!and!
agriculture.!Nations!such!as!
Zambia!have!done!a!
phenomenal!job!in!
harnessing!solar!energy!to!
meet!their!daily!energy!
needs.!Ethiopia!would!do!
well!to!learn!from!the!
innovative!technology!in!
these!other!countries,!such!
as!the!"water!ATMs".!
Improving!water!quality!
would!alleviate!stress!within!households,!improve!
pubic!health,!enhance!the!productivity!of!Ethiopia’s!
workforce,!and!might!even!help!to!equalize!some!
longNstanding!gender!divides!that!are!also!hindering!
the!country’s!development.!•!
It!is!feasible!that!
with…!“water!
ATMs”!in!Ethiopia,!
gender!dynamics…!
may!change!for!
the!better.!
Works!Cited!
(1)!“Can!these!‘water!ATMs’!bring!relief!to!thirsty!India”!by!
Sumnima!Udas!
http://edition.cnn.com/2014/07/03/business/indiaN
waterNatm/!
(2)!“!SolarNPowered!ATMs!Bring!Clean!Water!to!India’s!
slums”!by!Jeremy!Hsu!http://spectrum.ieee.org/techN
talk/greenNtech/solar/solarpoweredNatmsNbringNcleanN
waterNtoNindiasNslums!
(3)!“How!High!Tech!is!helping!to!Bring!Clean!Water!to!
India”!by!Todd!Woody!
http://e360.yale.edu/feature/anand_shah_clean_water_in
dia/2688/!
!
Water&ATMs&provide&consistent&and&easy&access&to&
pure&water.&
!
Sarvajal!realizes!that!innovative!
adoption!often!must!be!
preceded!by!education!and!
awareness!raising!–!a!
concept!development!work!
in!Ethiopia!could!greatly!
benefit!from.!Most!of!the!
communities!in!which!we!
live!as!volunteers!cite!waterN
borne!illnesses!as!the!number!
“Water!ATMs”!are!
providing!more!
than!100,000!
Indians!with!clean!
one!cause!for!mortality,!but!many!
currently!
water.!
Ethiopian!families!themselves!are!not!aware!of!this.!
!
“Water!ATMs”!are!currently!providing!more!than!
100,000!Indians!with!clean!water.!More!importantly,!
the!service!is!cheap!with!the!average!family!spending!
only!three!USD!a!month!on!clean!drinking!water.!As!a!
result!of!the!ATMs,!communities!have!shown!a!
marked!decrease!in!the!number!of!people!suffering!
from!digestive!problems!and!intestinal!issues.!
Therefore,!if!successfully!implemented!and!adopted,!
water!ATMs!have!huge!potential!to!change!the!public!
health!of!Ethiopia.!In!order!to!ensure!adequate!
adoption!of!the!technology,!like!in!India,!health!
extension!workers!would!have!to!work!hard!to!create!
awareness!about!the!health!benefits!of!clean!water!
and!why!it!is!worth!sacrificing!a!couple!of!birr!to!pay!
for!it.!!
!
These!“water!ATMs”!have!led!to!some!interesting!and!
unexpected!social!changes!within!the!Indian!
communities.!Traditionally,!women!and!girls!have!
been!responsible!for!the!arduous!task!of!fetching!
water,!but!with!the!advent!of!these!new!prepaid!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
! ! The!!Ishi Bekka!Chronicle!!•!Page 14!
!

15. Where Are You Go?
!
Travel
!
Croatia!and!Italy!
Amanda!Bradica!
!
A!fellow!PCV!and!I!made!a!trip!to!Europe!this!summer.!We!started!in!Italy,!where!we!visited!Rome!and!Sorrento,!
then!made!our!way!over!to!Croatia,!specifically!to!Zadar.!Needless!to!say,!it!was!beautiful,!but!it!was!also!very!
expensive.!At!the!time,!1!EU!=!1.5!USD.!This!can!be!tricky!because!euro!prices!make!everything!look!affordable!
until!you!see!your!credit!card!bill!in!dollars!!Here!are!some!affordable!recommendations!for!logistics,!food,!and!
sites!to!see.!!!
! ! The!!Ishi Bekka!Chronicle!!•!Page 15!
!

16. Where Are You Go?
Rome%Logistics:"As!far!as!logistics!to!Rome!
from!the!airport!are!concerned,!I!recommend!
taking!!
the!bus!($6)!to!Termini!(bus/train!
station!in!the!heart!of!Rome),!as!opposed!to!
taking!the!train!($12!A!$21).!!For!a!place!to!stay,!
I!highly!recommend!Nakita"Hostel.!It!was!close!
to!Termini,!clean,!airAconditioned,!hot!shower,!
free!WiAFi,!friendly,!and!central!to!just!about!
everything!at!only!$45!a!night.!Make!sure!to!tell!
the!manager,!Marvin,!hello!from!Peace!Corps!
Ethiopia!!I!can’t!imagine!him!forgetting!us!
volunteers!readjusting!to!technology!and!
modernAday!conveniences.!"
!
!
Rome,%Italy%
Italian%Food:%Italy!was!the!most!delicious!choice!I!have!made!
thus!far!in!life.!Literally.!From!homemade!pasta!to!sweet!wine!to!
fresh!seafood!to!great!eye!candy…wait,!what?!But!seriously,!I!
have!never!had!such!amazing!food!in!my!life.!I’m!not!sure!if!it!is!
fair!to!speak!of!such!things!to!Peace!Corps!volunteers,!but!I!feel!it!
is!necessary!to!at!least!share!the!following!three:%
Seafood,Platter!($12!A!$15):!I!was!definitely!hesitant!to!try!the!
seafood!only!because!I!have!hated!seafood!up!to!this!point.!I’m!so!
glad!I!gave!it!a!try!though.!Freshly!caught!mussels,!clams,!
octopus,!squid,!and!prawn!are!what!typically!will!be!served!in!
this!platter.!I!promise,!even!if!you!aren’t!a!fan,!you!will!LOVE!the!
seafood!in!Italy.!
Prosciutto!($3!A!$5):!!I!ate!prosciutto!all!day,!e’ry!day!in!Italy.!For!
breakfast,!lunch,!and/or!dinner,!it!is!delicious.!It’s!amazing!
paired!with!melon,!mozzarella,!or!just!by!itself.!Watch!out,!
though,!because!I!definitely!gained!10!lbs!on!the!prosciutto!diet!!
Fruits!($!by!the!kilo):!Italy!bares!the!most!luscious!fruits.!
Apricots,!peaches,!plums,!figs,!strawberries,!tomatoes,!melons,!
cherries….it!was!all!so!fresh!!There!was!one!point!where!my!
fellow!PCV!purchased!a!carton!of!strawberries!and!proceeded!to!
skip!in!delight!through!the!alleyways!of!Rome!while!she!ate!each!
one.!I!highly!recommend!anyone!to!do!the!same.!
*Gelato,!cheese,!cold!cuts,!bread,!and!wine!are!also!
recommended*!
!
Roman%Sites%to%See:%While!most!of!the!trip!was!eating,!I!did!see!a!good!amount!of!historical!sites.!Rome!is!very!
easy!to!navigate!by!walking!or!taking!the!metro.!You!only!need!about!3!days!to!hit!the!major!places.!Here!are!the!
main!sites!I!recommend:%
Colloseum!($16.50):!You!have!to!do!it.!Granted,!it!is!a!little!boring,!but!you!have!to!get!that!picture.!If!you!choose!to!
go!inside!and!like!doing!guided!tours,!I!recommend!a!private!one,!not!a!group.!Usually,!the!tours!include!the!Roman!
Forum!and!the!Paletino.!Buying!a!normal!ticket!without!a!guide!will!also!allow!entrance!to!the!same!three!sites.!
Pantheon/Trivi,Fountain/Spanish,Steps!($0):!They!are!quick,!beautiful,!and!FREE!!I!list!the!three!together!because!
you!can!hit!all!in!less!than!half!a!day.!I!do!recommend!doing!some!Lonely,Planet!reading!or!Googling!beforehand!so!
you!know!what!you!are!looking!at.!
Via,del,Corso!($?):!SHOPPING!!This!is!my!favorite!place!in!Rome.!It’s!a!long!street!with!nothing!but!retail!stores.!
There’s!Zara,!H&M,!and!Tezenis!to!name!a!few.!If!you!follow!the!road!north,!you!end!up!in!Piazza!de!Popolo,!where!
the!Leonardo!DaVinci!museum!is.!There!are!also!some!great!street!performers!along!the!way.!
The,Vatican!($20):!Catholic!or!not,!I!highly!recommend!anyone!to!visit!Vatican!City.!It’s!peaceful!and!clean.!There!is!
the!Vatican!Museum,!the!Sistine!Chapel,!and!St.!Peter’s!Basilica.!If!you!are!lucky,!you!can!catch!Pope!Francis!as!well!!
This!is!definitely!a!place!where!I!would!suggest!hiring!a!private!tour!guide.!
Piazza,de,Navona!($?):!By!day,!it’s!fountains,!statues;!street!performers.!By!night,!it’s!drink,!drank;!drunk.!It!is!one!
of!Rome’s!best!concentrations!of!night!life.!You!can!go!classy!with!a!nice!wine!bar!or!fratAlike!with!the!popular!
sports!bars!within!only!a!15Aminute!walk.!There!are!plenty!of!places!to!experience!the!nightlife!in!Rome,!but!this!
piazza!is!worth!a!crawl.!!!
!
! ! The!!Ishi Bekka!Chronicle!!•!Page 16!
!

17. Where Are You Go?
!
!!
!
Zadar,&Croatia&
Zadar!Logistics:!All!of!the!main!cities!have!airports,!so!
flying!is!an!option,!but!the!three!coastline!cities!also!have!
seaports!if!you!want!to!ferry!from!Italy,!although!I!do!not!
recommend!taking!a!ferry.!I!flew!from!Rome!to!Split!for!
$150!then!took!a!4Ihour!bus!to!Zadar!for!$27.!A!ferry!
from!Italy!to!Zadar!was!almost!$300!(including!
transportation!from!Rome!to!an!Italian!seaport!city).!
Plus,!a!ferry!is!very!time!consuming.!!
!
As!far!as!accommodations!were!concerned,!I!was!lucky!
enough!to!stay!with!my!family,!but!the!hostel!prices!were!
generally!$25I45!per!night.!Zadar!has!a!fantastic,!
functional,!and!scheduled!public!bus!transportation!
system!with!tickets!costing!only!$2I4.!There!are!also!
private!taxis!for!a!base!cost!of!$8!($5!in!offIseason)!for!up!
to!5!km.!!
!
!
Croatia!is!a!beautiful!country!located!to!the!east!
of!Italy!on!the!Adriatic!Sea.!It!is!most!famous!for!
the!Dalmatian!coastline,!where!you!can!find!
tons!of!beautiful,!tiny!islands.!Major!cities!to!
visit!are!the!capital,!Zagreb,!and!the!coastline!
cities!of!Zadar,!Split,!and!Dubrovnik.!Croatia!is!
by!far!my!most!favorite!place!in!the!world.!It’s!
much!cheaper!than!Italy,!with!1!USD!=!5!Kunas.!
Prices!are!similar!to!the!US,!even!in!the!touristy!
towns.!!
!
Croatian!Food:!Fresh!tuna!steaks,!mussels,!clams,!shrimp,!octopus,!
squid!(and!then!some)!are!freshly!caught!on!the!daily!in!Zadar.!Also,!
the!pizza!is!a!must.!It’s!very!similar!to!NY!style!pizza,!and!it’s!cheap!at!
$2.50!for!a!giant,!quarterIpie!slice!!Zadar!is!full!of!grabInIgo!food,!like!
pizza,!ice!cream,!burgers,!and!sandwiches.!More!traditional!foods!
include!pasta,!goulash,!salami,!homemade!cheese,!sausage,!seafood,!
and!lamb.!Naturally,!they!have!amazing!prosciutto!as!well.!Be!sure!to!
try!some!homemade!wine,!grapa,!and!rakia!!
!
Zadar!Sites!to!See!:!Zadar!is!a!beautiful,!old!town!found!on!the!Dalmatian!coastline.!There!are!plenty!of!
things!to!do!in!and!around!the!city.!Mostly!known!for!its!Roman!ruins!and!the!great!St.!Doant!Church,!here!
are!a!few!other!options:!
Sea$Organ!($0):!The!sea!organ!is!a!set!of!pipes!carved!into!the!boardwalk!of!the!western!side!of!Zadar’s!
coastline.!As!the!waves!change,!the!pressure!creates!beautiful!music!through!the!pipes!for!all!to!enjoy.!This!is!
also!a!perfect!spot!for!swimming!and!grabbing!a!bottle!of!wine!to!enjoy!during!the!sunset.!
Local$Beaches!($0!I!$3):!Croatian!beaches!are!rocky,!so!be!prepared,!but!they!are!absolutely!gorgeous!!The!
water!is!usually!not!too!cold,!and!it’s!clear!to!the!bottom.!You!can!snorkel,!kayak!($30),!and!parasail!($15),!as!
well.!
Island$Hopping!($3!I!$15):!Depending!on!what!island(s)!you!visit,!ferries!from!the!Zadar!port!out!to!the!
Dalmatian!Islands!are!generally!cheap.!You!can!find!great!shopping,!seafood,!drinks,!and!beaches.!They!are!
also!well!known!for!their!donkeys!!
National$Parks!($23):!Close!to!Zadar!are!two!gorgeous!national!parks:!Krka!and!Plitvitce.!After!walking!
through!beautiful!landscapes,!you!can!swim!in!the!waterfalls.!These!aren’t!really!places!easy!to!describe,!but!
more!of!“you!have!to!see!it”!things!to!do.!It’s!totally!worth!it.!•!
!
! ! The!!Ishi Bekka!Chronicle!!•!Page 17!
!

18. Hard Drive Party
Summer&Sequels&
Books, Movies, Music
Keepin’&it& & &&&&&&:&Movie&Reviews&by&Renay&
!
After!watching!"Rise!of!the!Planet!of!the!Apes",!(you!know,!the!one!with!the!guy!who!played!in!that!movie!where!he!
saws!off!his!own!arm,!yeah!him)!everyone!should!have!arrived!at!the!same!thought:!What!happens!next?!!And!
thanks!to!my!telepathic!powers,!the!producers!received!the!message!because!this!summer!the!sequel,!"Dawn!of!the!
Planet!of!the!Apes,”!was!released!and!has!been!topping!the!box!office!ever!since.!So,!if!you're!interested!in!movies!
about!ape!domination,!keep!checking!the!show!times!at!Edna!Mall.!And!just!in!case!you!haven't!seen!the!first!one,!
here's!a!quick!scoop!(no!spoiler!alerts!needed):!
!
A!scientist,!in!an!effort!to!cure!his!father!of!a!disease,!uses!an!experimental!drug!on!an!ape.!Unbeknownst!to!
everyone,!the!ape!had!given!birth!and!goes!bananas!after!workers!approach!her!enclosure.!She!is!put!down,!and!
the!baby!is!discovered!by!the!mad!scientist!with!the!kind!heart!and!adopted.!Caesar,!the!ape,!grows!into!an!
intelligent!primate,!but,!like!all!primates,!he!becomes!curious!and!gets!into!trouble!that!lands!him!in!the!big!house.!
While!locked!up,!Caesar!encounters!a!big!bully,!but!he!elicits!the!help!of!an!even!bigger!bully!and!dominates!the!
joint!becoming!the!mastermind!behind!a!great!escape...and!the!rest!can!wait.!
!
I!highly!recommend!that!people!watch!"Rise!of!the!Planet!of!the!
Apes"!before!attempting!to!see!"Dawn!of!the!Planet!of!the!
Apes"!because!a!sequel!is!not!truly!a!sequel!to!a!person!
who!hasn't!seen!the!original!movie!(and,!technically,!it!
is!an!original).!However,!if!movies!like!that!don't!
suit!your!fancy,!take!a!gander!at!other!satisfying!
summer!sequels!that!I!think!you'll!find!deeQ
lightful:!
!
1.!"Transformers:!Age!of!Extinction"!(2014)!Q!
starring!Mark!Walberg/!directed!by!Michael!Bay!
2.!"The!Purge:!Anarchy"!(2014)!Q!starring!Frank!
Grillo/!directed!by!James!DeMonaco!
3.!"How!to!Train!Your!Dragon!2"!(2014)!Q!starring!
Jay!Baruchel/!directed!by!Dean!Deblois!
!
Remember,&there's&a&clue&in&this&
review&for&you&to&combine&with&the&
one&from&the&last&review&for&the&'Reel&
Review&Guess&Who'&!
contest.&Email&
your&guess&to&ishibekka@gmail.com,&
and&you'll&win&a&DVD&if&your&answer&is&
correct!&
!
! ! The!!Ishi Bekka!Chronicle!!•!Page 18!
!

19. Hard Drive Party
!
R ! ! ! !!elax.&
& & &&&echarge.&
& & & &efresh.&
!!&
Having!a!rough!day?!Need!some!inspiration?!Here!is!a!
list!of!songs!to!keep!things!upbeat,!dance!out!all!the!
frustrations,!or!just!vibe!to.!!
!
1. Leave!Me!Alone!K!Michael!Jackson!!
2. Stir!it!Up!–!Bob!Marley!
3. Chandelier!–!Sia!!!
4. SummerK!Calvin!Harris!
5. I!Got!U!–!Duke!Dumont!ft.!Jax!Jackson!!
6. Go!!Bang!!K!SBTRKT!!
7. Hideaway!–!Keisza!
Alonee&Gray&
&
“Leave!Me!Alone”!is!a!late!80s!classic!that!describes!Michael!!
Jackson’s!experience!being!hounded!by!the!media.!!
There!are!days!where!being!a!“ferenji”!begins!to!weigh!on!one’s!shoulders.!One!must!retreat!to!his!or!her!house!for!
sanctuary.!!Blast!this!song!really!loud!and!you!are!ready!to!conquer!another!day!of!being!in!a!strange!place!and!
sticking!out!in!the!crowd.!&
!
Written!for!his!wife,!Rita,!Bob!Marley!created!a!rockKsteady!reggae,!soulful!classic!with!his!musical!partners!in!
1972’s,!“Stir!it!Up.”!The!song!has!been!covered!by!various!bands!such!as!Dred!Zeppelin,!O.A.R.,!Dave!Matthews!
Band,!and!K’naan.!!It’s!hypnotic!rhythm!and!soothing!melody!are!comforting.!
!
“Chandelier”!is!Australian!artist!Sia’s!latest!contribution!to!the!music!world.!It!is!considered!an!electro!pop!ballad!
with!reggae,!hipKhop,!and!r&b!influences.!It!has!a!dark!theme!about!the!plight!of!a!party!girl.!But!the!critically!
acclaimed!vocals,!simple!hook,!and!fast!tempo!keep!it!fun.!!
!
“Summer”!and!“I!Got!U”!were!the!new!hits!of!the!summer.!However,!they!are!great!to!listen!to!all!year!round.!!As!
the!title!suggests,!in!“Summer,”!Calvin!Harris!talks!about!how!he!fell!in!love!with!a!girl!he!met!during!the!summer.!!
It!is!one!of!those!songs!that!are!catchy!and!haunting,!but!make!you!feel!warm!inside.!!!
!
Duke!Dumont!is!a!new!British!DJ/producer!influenced!by!Whitney!Houston,!who!was!the!inspiration!for!his!latest!
hit,!“I!Got!U.”!Dumont!uses!reggae,!soul,!and!techno!infusions!over!a!deep!house!beat!and!light!high!pitch!vocals!to!
compose!a!song!that!is!fun!to!sing!and!dance!to.!
!
SBTRKT!is!a!musical!project!led!by!DJ!and!producer!Aaron!Jerome.!!He!supports!the!concept!of!anonymity!and!
wants!the!music!to!speak!for!itself,!not!his!image.!So,!he!wears!different!Native!American!masks!designed!by!
Hideaway!while!performing!or!in!appearances.!His!style!contains!dub!step,!indie!pop,!electronic!and!soul.!“Go!
Bang”!is!an!example!of!a!mixture!of!these!genres.!It!has!a!nice!baseline,!an!airy!feeling,!and!relaxing!ambiance.!This!
mesmerizing!track!is!very!calming!and!serene.!
!
On!another!note,!“Hideaway”!is!Canadian!artist!Keisza’s!debut!single.!Hideaway!is!reminiscent!of!1990s!dance!club!
music.!With!a!thick!baseline,!upKtempo!beat,!and!high!pitch!voice,!Keisza!simply!produces!a!hit.!With!its!captivating!
beat!and!exuberant!vocals,!one!can’t!help!but!to!bounce!their!shoulders!or!bob!their!head.!!Great!song!for!a!dance!
break!!
!
Just!a!few!harmonious!vibes!to!help!alleviate!stress,!rejuvenate!the!mind,!or!dance!your!heart!out.!New!and!old!
these!tunes!nurture!the!soul.!!
!
Enjoy!!
! ! The!!Ishi Bekka!Chronicle!!•!Page 19!
!