Adventure, ahoy

There’s a big new project I’m working on. It takes place in the world of coffee. It’s an adventure story, and a foodie story, and a story of economics, politics and intrigue– at least it is in my head, where it currently exists.

To fill my head with coffee, adventure, economics, politics and intrigue, I’ve been doing a lot of research. I’ve been to Panama to find out how sustainable coffee farms work. I’ve been to glamorous Anaheim to the SCAA‘s big event. And in July, I’ll be going to Ethiopia, the cradle of coffee and humanity. (One of which would arguably not have the will to exist without the other.I know a lot of writers and programmers certainly depend on it! ;-D)

My mission in Ethiopia is twofold.

1. Yes, my own research
2. I’m going to help build housing with Habitat for Humanity Canada

As Habitat’s web site points out, “Ethiopia’s housing crisis is one of the world’s worst. 80% of the population in Addis Ababa, the nation’s capital, is homeless or lives in substandard housing.”

With a team of volunteers, I’ll be traveling to Dessie, to build sturdy mud houses with concrete foundations and corrugated metal roofs. Working alongside local people, who will no doubt show us what to do and then find our awkwardness hysterically funny, we’ll be working to replace houses like these:

Photo by mexikids: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gulicks/5858451/

With houses more like this:

Photo by Joska: http://www.flickr.com/photos/joska/1349181715/

I’m looking forward to getting very dirty, working with my hands (no, typing doesn’t count as working with my hands), getting to know the local people and their culture, and meeting my new teammates from across Canada.

I hope to blog about this both here and on my coffee blog. I’ll be taking lots of pictures, and updating as often as I can. (Although Internet access will probably be limited while I’m actually in Ethiopia, since i’ll be travelling through rural areas and covered in mud a lot of the time.)

Between now and July, I’ll also be working hard to fundraise to cover the cost of the trip.

If you’re into the project, there are two ways you can support me and habitat:

1. If your’re a Canadian taxpayer, you can donate through my CanadaHelps page, where any donation of $20 or more will earn you a charitable tax receipt.
2. Directly to me, through PayPal, if you don’t need a tax receipt.
   
   
   

I’ve set up a page to answer all your questions about donating, and also to serve as a central hub for the trip itself. I hope you’ll check back often– I’ll be posting all kinds of interesting information about Ethiopia and coffee, as I discover it all for myself.

If you have any questions, I hope you’ll ask them in the comments, or by sending me an email at mail@jillmurray.com. I’ll answer as quickly as I can, with blog posts and emails.