Monday, December 6, 2010

Kuwait takes crown from Kingdom

It took extra time to decide the newest Gulf Cup champion but when the dust settled (and there's a lot of dust in Yemen), Kuwait was victorious 1-0 over Saudi Arabia. This is the tenth time Kuwait has won the tournament out of 20 tournaments played. (I finally learned where the 20 in Gulf 20 came from). That's utter dominance considering the first tournament was held in 1970! Who knew, right?

Highlights from the game include the only goal scored and the yellow card the goal scorer received for taking off his shirt while celebrating. Oh the scandal. The card might have been for excessive celebration but it's funnier this way.

Most Yemenis I talked with wanted Kuwait to win. Saudi Arabia was not in the good graces of their hosts after the 4-0 drubbing they gave to the Yemen squad. In the true style of two countries with deep pockets, I heard both countries tried paying Yemen fans to wave their flags at the match. I wish I had known. I'm a fully qualified and trained flag waver. Sign me up.

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Trouble in Paradise

An article on Yemen has surfaced among the many articles coming out of the recent US diplomatic cable disclosure. The link to the Times article here

The article focuses on the role of the Yemen president in shaping US and western policy toward the country.

“Referencing the high poverty rate and illicit arms flows into both Yemen and Somalia, Saleh concluded by saying, ‘If you don’t help, this country will become worse than Somalia,’ ” said a September 2009 cable from the American ambassador, Stephen A. Seche, describing Mr. Saleh as being in “vintage form.”


The article goes on to describe how the president uses the potential threat of terrorist strikes on western targets by Al-Qaeda to attract military and development aid. He seems to be playing the role of ally but what else could explain that behavior?

1. Saleh is a survivor. You don't stay in power of the poorest Arab country for 26 years by following the rules and certainly not by practicing democracy. The patronage system that permits him to stay in power is likely fragile and would fracture, causing instability, if the president could no longer supply it.

2. Al Qaeda is more a threat to Yemen than it is to the US. I have not read their mission statement but Al Qaeda in Yemen is more angry at Saudi Arabia and the Yemen government than they are at the US. Attacks on Yemen targets do not receive the same spotlight though thus that element is easily lost. By making AQAP the US's problem, Yemen receives fancy war toys that it can use on whom ever it wants.

3. Of the domestic insurrections facing the president, AQAP is not the most threatening. He has been fighting the Houti rebels along the Saudi Arabian border for the past couple summers and is also dealing with an increasingly rebellious south that threatens succession. Shrewdly, Saleh lumps AQAP and the southern movement into one threat justifying a hard hand in the south. While there is no denying that terrorism is a threat from Yemen and to Yemen, the Yemeni government inflates the threat of terrorism and gives little attention to the more serious threats of water depletion in the capital and the country's addiction to qat. With some probability will terrorism bring down Yemen but with a higher probability will lack of water and economic stagnation bring about trouble.

In terms of attracting foreign aid, it seems the Yemeni government is playing the tune the donors want to hear: terrorism. We must ask though if 'fighting' terrorism in Yemen is the right treatment. I see it as giving aspirin to a patient with a broken arm. You may relive the pain temporarily but the pain will return. Eventually, if the break, the source of the pain, is not addressed, the bone begins to set and even more drastic action is needed to set things right. Now, that example is not perfect. Western governments should not think of themselves as diplomatic doctors with the power to solve developing country issues but to the extent that terrorism is more a symptom of underlying imbalances and grievances than it is the broken bone itself, then the US and others have a responsibility to not continue offering pain killers if that distracts from the necessary course of action.

Friday, December 3, 2010

Wait, we lost?

Fifa just announced it selection for the nations to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. Russia will host in 2018 and Qatar will host in 2022. Qatar and neighboring Arab nations are understandably extremely excited. Qatar will be the first Arab nation to host the World Cup and the first country in the Middle East. Russia, on its part, will be the first eastern European nation to host the event.

Al-Jazeera is currently running lead articles with the titles to the effect of "Britain jealous of Qatar" and "America cries over loss in World Cup bid."

Question: Is anyone in the US even aware that we are bidding to host the World Cup? No? Hm. I didn't think so.

The photos on the Al-Jazeera website showed joyous crowds in Qatar celebrating the announcement. I agree, it is an exciting time for Qatar and I'm sure they will be ready come 2022. Twelve years is a long time though. Teachers with classes of six to ten year olds should start taking names. They're instructing the age group that will get a free pass to the biggest football stage.

Monday, November 22, 2010

Saudi Arabia: 4 Good ol' Yemen: 0

The game last night did not go has hoped for the Yemen faithful. Saudi Arabia struck early and then poured it on in the second half winning the match 4 goals to none. Saudi Arabia's first goal, I was told, came in the opening minutes off a free kick near the Yemen goal. The ball was crossed and headed in by the taller Saudi Arabian players over the undersized Yemeni squad. That set the tone for the rest of the evening.

I was getting a hair cut during the game. As the updated score came into the barber shop and it became clear the ol' fightin' Yemenis were going to lose, the barbers conversation turned from how the game was going to noting how the entire Yemen team was from the north and that there's only one player from Aden. If there were more southerns, why, we all know the outcome would have been different.

Football Fever

has come to Aden. Tonight is the opening match of the Gulf 20 football tournament pitting the host country Yemen against Saudi Arabia. Aden is typically fairly quiet but excitement for the match has people out honking their horns and basically making noise with anything they can find. The past couple days I have been hearing what sounds like wailing camel noises (not that I know what wailing camels sound like) from the streets around my building. It turns out those large plastic horns (a la World Cup South Africa) made it to Yemen. Fresh Yemen flag adorn dashboards or trail behind cars like capes. One kid hanging out the window of a bus waving a flag tried to hit me with it. Not cool.

If the atmosphere in the city is not crazy enough, get this: The game is free. While it is hard not to go to a free soccer match, I think the same bet for me is to avoid the crowds and pandemonium at the stadium and watch on TV. The organizers must be nuts. Free? I guess they really want a big crowd. I heard that this is the only free match of the tournament.

For more check out www.yemengulfcup20.com

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Dinner with the Yemeni Space Program

I can't remember if I've written about this or not. Apologies if I have.

Do you all remember that scene from Apollo 13 near the end of the movie when the astronauts re-enter the earth's atmosphere? The world watches with bated breath as the space capsule breaches the atmosphere and seemingly bursts into flames. The fate of three heroic astronauts hung in the balance that day. A similar instance happened over dinner tonight. In the balance? My beans.

Yemeni chefs love, read LOVE, to crank up the gas when cooking. From my seat I could see the roaring foot high flame curl around the poor pan in which my dinner to be either cooked or incinerated. I remember asking my parents at some point why we baked cookies at 350 degrees for 11 minutes and not 450 for 6 minutes. More heat, faster cooking time, cookies in my belly sooner. It's a win win. Yemeni chefs totally embrace that logic. To their credit, no meal arrives cold.

I hope I'm not ruining a good movie (or history story) for some of you but the astronauts survive. Fortunately, my beans did as well. And they were tasty too.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Face lifts

Don't worry, I haven't done anything drastic. Aden, however, is getting a drastic makeover in anticipation of the Gulf 20 Soccer Tournament that will be held here November 22 to December 5th.

The Gulf 20 is a regional tournament for gulf states. The participating countries this year are: Yemen, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Iraq, and the Emirates. For those counters out there, you're right, that's only eight countries. I checked the schedule and there are only 16 games in the tournament. I'm not sure where the 20 in the title comes from.

The government allocated 120 million Yemeni riyals, almost half a million dollars, to build, repair and refurbish stadiums, roads, and public spaces. It seems almost anything that can be painted is getting a fresh coat of paint. Aden will look nice! Not that it looks that bad now but it will looker nicer. While the new appearance is a welcome change, it sense that it will be a veneer that will fade when the tournament and tourists leave. I'm interested to see what the hangover from the tournament is like.

And then there's the 30,000 army troops sent to the Aden and Abayan area to protect teams and citizens. A British friend of mine was joking that Yemen would have real security problems if the British national team and its fans were coming. Ha.

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Dear America...

The latest news out of Yemen is would be attackers using the postal service to send explosives to the US.

Read more at the BBC here

This raises some questions in my mind about how good these attackers are. In my experience, it is exorbitantly expensive to ship packages from Yemen. I can't imagine that was an cheap package to send. Also, the postal service in Yemen just doesn't work all that well. Expensive and unreliable is not a good combination. I confess I'm trying to make light of a serious situation in case that was not clear.

I will take this as a suggestion to fly economy, not freight, when coming home.

Here is a good summary of the current issues facing Yemen courtesy of the NY times

Sunday, October 3, 2010

A Change of Seasons

It's that time of year in Aden when the hot summer days fade into the hot autumn days. Ah. If there were leaves on the trees, I'm sure they would be changing into fiery reds and golds and oranges. Typically, the time of seasonal transitions back home bring runny noses and sore throats - and, depending on your opinion, yucky or yummy cold medicine - but Adenese and those in the Gulf face a greater challenge with the common cold, one that is not confined to the change of seasons.

Cold medicines in the Gulf are advertised not for the change of seasons but for people who work in buildings with powerful AC systems. In TV commercials, you see a man come out of the hot sun to sit at his desk right in front of an AC unit and come down with a terrible cold. (The terrible cold is a saw blade spinning in his throat. Bad news)

It's true. Some buildings are kept COLD while the outside is affirmatively HOT. If only I could remember the name of the cold medicine...

Sunday, September 26, 2010

31 minutes to Two Suns

My friend Nathan (!) visited me in Aden this past week and we climbed the highest peak on the Aden peninsula, Shamsan. Shamsan means 'Two suns' in Arabic. It was a fun climb and a beautiful view from the top. We learned from one of our climbing buddies, a British fellow who has lived in Aden for the better part of the last 20 years that the record time to the top of the peak is 31 minutes. One side of the peak has a path that leads from the quarry at the bottom all the way to the top that, according to the story, a Yemeni serving with the British soldiers in Aden, ran up to set the record.

It's not an easy goal or a short peak but I have two years here and I think I can beat that. I'll keep you updated.

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Clinical Trials

NY Times article on the ethics of clinical trials here

The article raises the issue of randomized assignment to treatment and control to prove a drug's efficacy when the drug seems to be working and people's lives are at stake. Doctors, however, need to know which treatments are truly effective and this is only possible through a rigorous randomized trial. Also, drug companies need to prove to the FDA their drug works. This sadly pits millions of dollars in patent rights against the cost of the lives of those in the control group.

Another issue in this trial is its 'no-blind' design. It was obvious to the doctors and patients who was receiving the treatment and who was not due to the different delivery methods, confronting the doctors and patients with the ethical reality of the trial. As a patient I don't think I could handle knowing I was receiving what appeared to be an inferior treatment.

To argue the other side, randomized trials are necessary because they have the power to confirm what you suspect (the drug is working), dispel what you hope for (you think the drug is working when it's actually not) or save you from worse consequences (you think the treatment is helpful but it actually harms the patients).

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Chicken and the Egg Part II

A Times article on security in Afghanistan here

And another article on political institution building, security and corruption here

A couple notes:
1. Instability and Elections - as the articles discuss, if NATO forces can not provide sufficient security, the Afghan election committee will have close some rural polling stations for next Saturday's Parliamentary election. With a large portion of Afghanistan's population living in those rural areas, this exposes the election to claims of fraud and coercion. The investment-security argument may be complex but there is a direct cost politically for contested state rule in Afghanistan. Legitimate elections could improve the government's image among it citizens but that is currently in jeopardy.

2. The cost of corruption -Again, a goal on par with providing security in Afghanistan is creating a government that Afghans actually want. The current one is plagued by corruption which either makes citizens indifferent between the state and the Taliban or drives them to the Taliban.

3. Winning and Losing - What does winning look like for NATO forces? The eradication of the Taliban and delivering a secure and stable Afghan state. What does winning look like for the Taliban? Not losing. To accomplish its goals (whatever they may be), the Taliban simply has to survive. It does not have to build a comprehensive infrastructure or eject NATO forces from the country, it just has to stay around long enough to erode NATO's will to be in Afghanistan. This is true of almost insurgencies that pressure of military victory only falls on the state. Time is on the side of the Taliban.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Paper and Plastic

Yemen has been a welcome change from Egypt where sometimes it seemed impossible to find, well, change. During my time in Egypt, almost every monetary exchange turned into a battle of wills, pitting me against the cab driver or shop owner to see who would surrender their small bills in the transaction. While it created opportunities to talk, it also made life a wee bit stressful.

But Yemen. Oh Yemen. Such ills as the total absence of change are not to be found in this exchange paradise. Pay for a 50 Yr (Yemen riyal or less than 25 cents) bus ride with 1000 YR? No problem. The only misgiving I have so far is that 1000 YR is the largest bill in circulation meaning when it comes time to pay the rent, I feel like I stepped into a mobster movie where Uncle Donnie and Cousin Lou carry around the briefcase full of bills.

Turning to plastic, everything in Yemen is given to you in a plastic bag. If you buy eggs, you get two (for reinforcement). These bags cause a huge mess. Rogue plastic bags get hooked on tree branches, litter street curbs or can be seen taking a scenic flight on the breeze. A couple years ago, Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, placed a ban on plastic bags in an effort to clean up the city. Its citizens complained but the ban is still in place and Kigali is considered one of the cleanest African capitals. It has also paid dividends for the Rwandan environment.

Somehow, I don't think plastic bag use or the environment is on the top of any Adenese or Yemeni politician's list (or on the list for that matter) but at least on a superficial level, addressing plastic bag use would make the city prettier. I am interested to see if steps will be taken to clean the city in advance of Aden hosting the Gulf 20 Soccer Tournament in November.

Sunday, September 5, 2010

The Chicken and the Egg of Stability

Check out these articles, one from the WSJ here:

And the other from the NYT here:


The WSJ article reports on new US aid to the Yemen military in an effort to combat Al-Qaeda's presence and influence in the Arabian Peninsula. It highlights a critical imbalance between military action and civilian development in Yemen and asks what must come first to prevent terrorism, investment or security. In Yemen, the US chooses to fund the Yemeni military although every military is historically a blunt public policy tool. Unfortunately, civilian development projects in Yemen have also been largely ineffective. Policy makers seem to be making the choice between guns and goods and are choosing guns. What if it is this policy choice of guns that makes Al-Qaeda attractive?

On a related note, the NYT article discusses waning faith and support among Afghan citizens for the Afghan government due to the blatant and rampant corruption. NATO, US and Afghan forces are struggling to establish security on behalf of a government that more and more people do not want. Foreign military forces may succeed in establishing security stability but the government will remain unappealing and the Taliban an attractive alternative. Security without an incentive does not create stability. Half of the equation is missing.

It is not clear what has to come first, development or security. The case of Afghanistan demonstrates, however, that it can be costly to try to find out.

Monday, August 30, 2010

Ticket Counters

I'm sure many you have had the unfortunate experience of being pulled over and ticketed for some traffic violation. I believe part of what makes that entire process effective in addition to whatever fine, paperwork and court time you have to endure, is the discomfort of seeing people drive by rubbernecking and ogling at your unenviable situation.

Yemenis are spared that fate. Traffic officers here do not pull over offenders. Instead, from their traffic perch, they record the offender's license plate and the offense and submit it to the central office at the end of the day. Drivers periodically go by the traffic office to receive a print out of their offenses and pay their fines.

I see a couple issues with this system. First, it misses the emotional impact of being pulled over (which may wear off the more time s you're pulled over but initially has some traction). It also seems vulnerable to arbitrary tickets and lazy law enforcement. Not to point any fingers but I'm learning that if you're looking for the police, the shade is a good place to start your search.

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Aden Speedway

Fasting during Ramadan ends with the Magrib call to prayer. At the beginning of the month that call was around 6:30 and it has slowly moved earlier as the month as progressed. Life in Aden slows down noticeably as that time approaches. People, tired from a day of work and fasting, make their way home early leaving the streets empty and quiet. Too quiet.

Empty and quiet except for the few employees and bus drivers that worked later and are itching to get home. The mixture of an open road and an empty stomach produces some wicked fast driving. I had the trill of traveling to a friend's home around that time a few days ago and needless to say, it was the fastest trip to his house I had made.

I arrived safely but now may be an appropriate moment to mention the absence of a seat belt culture in Yemen. I am laughed at when I instinctively reach for the seat belt and usually there is not one to be found as it has been stuffed underneath the seat. This prevailing attitude predictably and sadly correlates with shocking numbers of fatal car accidents in Yemen. Roads in disrepair, high speeds, and not wearing a seat belt claim too many Yemeni lives.

I wonder if the interest or infrastructure exists to conduct a shock advertisement campaign to motivate drivers and passengers into wearing their seat belts. I don't think 'click it' and 'ticket' rhyme in Arabic so that slogan won't work unfortunately. What about ticketing drivers that don't wear their belts? It's likely that won't work with Yemen's strange ticket system. More on that later.

Monday, August 16, 2010

Unhitched

A western friend of mind here in Aden told me about her experience attending a wedding in Yemen. Here are the highlights. I relate this to you second hand as I will never ever ever be allowed to see the female side of a Yemeni wedding so please, if anyone has any corrections or comments, I welcome them.

My friend told me about the private gathering for women that occurs while everyone waits for the bride and groom to arrive. I presume men have their own separate gathering but I'm not sure. At the women's gathering, since there are no men around, all the women take off their vails and abayyas and apparently it is quite normal for them to wear shockingly inappropriate dresses. These dresses even shocked my friend who grew up in the West where we are comparatively loose with our sexuality, dress and appearance in public. I have seen these dresses in shop stores and I have asked myself, 'who on earth buys those here?' and 'where do they wear them?' because public life in Aden is conservative and reserved. Now I know. Loud music is played and women dance or sit and try to talk over the tunes.

Then, when word comes that the bride and groom are coming, all the women put their vails and abayyas back on, hiding again what their dresses tried in vain to hide. The couple arrives, makes the rounds, and the party pauses until the groom leaves signaling again for the vails and abayyas to come off.

I am so curious how this celebration developed. Specifically, why the revealing dresses? Is it rebellion? It can't be for comfort.

Saturday, August 14, 2010

It's a Party!

I got a hair cut today. My hair was pretty long. It was time. I was a little nervous going into it as it was my first time getting a haircut in the Arab world. I was also timid because the teenagers here have the CRAZIEST hair styles you have ever seen. I asked the barber about that and he couldn't understand their styles either. As for my hair, I asked the barber to take it slow and not to make any bold moves. I think things turned out okay.

While I was getting my haircut, a friend of the barber's came into the little shop. We started chatting and he asked me if I spoke any other languages. I said Spanish and he started speaking Spanish. My brain was not ready for that. My Spanish is buried under years of other courses and languages. After overcoming than the shock of trying to excavate my Spanish, I wondered how did this man come to speak Spanish?

He learned in Cuba. Aden, following the end of the British rule here in 1966 (?), became part of the Communist bloc and many Yemenis had the chance to study in other communist countries such Russia, East Germany and Cuba. I am often first asked if I am Russian. The student exchange and study opportunity aspect of Communism is definitely overlooked. It's like Club Med but on a country scale. Well, not really but we can imagine it like that. When Communism didn't pan out in Russia, the Yemenis were sent home trained, unfortunately, in useless field such as railroad maintenance (Yemen doesn't have any rail lines.)

Too bad you can't ask for your money back.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

From Kuwait with Love

Ramadan is here. People were out until early hours (around when the power went out) and the streets were quiet and buses hard to find this morning. Things will be even quieter at the time ofthe Magrib prayer that ends the fast for the day as everyone is home break-fasting.

A sign of the season here, and I'm sure other Arab cities, is the return of workers from Gulf states and their inappropriately large cars on the streets of Aden. It is typical for workers returning home for the holiday season to make the long haul from Emirates or Kuwait home to Yemen. In case your geography is so-so, here's a map:


Kuwait is nestled between Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia and Aden is in the far southwestern tip of the Peninsula. Long way. Something tells me too that there's not a friendly string of Motel 8s to make the drive easier.

Many Arab states rely on remittances from native sons and daughters that move to the rich gulf states for work to keep societies with high employment rates afloat. Yemen impressively and surprisingly survived such blows when Saudi Arabia expelled large numbers of Yemeni workers in the Kingdom, the most recent expulsion coming this past December. Those are double shocks - not only did they lose the remittances but they had to absorb those workers into the domestic work force. The regime might not have done so smoothly but they're still around.




Saturday, August 7, 2010

Lending a Hand

I saw a Muslim funeral procession through my neighborhood today. According to Islamic traditions, if you see a funeral pass, you should join the procession for at least a couple steps and if you're able, you should take a turn carrying the casket. The tradition goes that you do that for others so when your funeral comes, others do it for you. I like that idea.

Ramadan starts this coming Tuesday or Wednesday depending on the moon. Ramadan is a time of fasting, reflection and prayer for Muslims worldwide. They abstain from food, water, and intercourse from sunrise to sun down. The entire Qur'an is read in mosques during the month and the end of the month is marked by a large celebration. I was in Egypt during Ramadan two years ago but apparently the rhythm of life in Yemen during Ramadan is much different. People sleep later and after breaking their fasts, stay out until the wee morning hours. It should be fun.

Matt's cooking corner: So, I thought I knew the word for lentils. I was wrong because the other night I tried to make lentils but things went horribly horribly wrong. The result was crunchy and bland. Oh, did I mention that I was cooking peas, not lentils? This guy got duped. I must have run into the world's most savvy pea salesman and he got me. I have since done my homework and I am happy to report having successfully fixed a lentil meal.


Thursday, July 29, 2010

Say Hello Norman! Hello!

I just attended two days of lifestock training for TUP beneficiares in Aden. I am now trained to recognize healthy and sick sheep and goats, trim their nails, administer medicine, deal with intestinal problems, castrate them, and a couple more things I forgot.

Thus, all you owner of livestock readers out there, I am ready to field all your livestock related inquires. You're in capable hooves.

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Where's the Point?

I think this will be the final installment in our transportation related post series.

You can indicate to drivers where you want to go just by pointing a certain way in Aden. Pointing to the ground means you want to go within that district. Pointing down the road means you want to go to the next district or further. Pointing across the street means you want to go to an adjacent district, but not the one down the road. The bus going your way will pull to the side depending on where you point.

The Catch: It all varies depending on where you are in the city. In Mansoora, across the road means Crater and down the road means Ma'alla. In Crater, down the road (depending on the direction) can mean Ma'alla or Khor Maksar, and across the road means Kalouah. The list goes on.

Now that I know the point, I need to learn where to point.

After the Random

Beneficiaries have been selected so the project is moving into the training and asset transfer stage. The selected beneficiaries will receive training on a productive assest such as livestock or sewing, receive that asset, and then have regular check ups with field staff to address any problems with working with the asset (uncooperative goats and the sort). That's Targeting the Ultra Poor in a nutshell.

This is an exciting stage. The heart of the project is the relationships the field staff build with the beneficiaries as they work with their asset. I have been in meetings the past couple days listening to BRAC and CGAP representatives train the field staff on how manage those relationships.

My time in Sana'a was good. It's quite a different city from Aden. It was strange to get on the plane and go home to Aden. It was nice though. I have an apartment in Aden now. Send me an email for the address.

I have not really met my neighbors other than yesterday, my neighbors kids locked me IN my apartment. There is a sliding bar lock on the outside of my door which they playful slid into place. Kids, so cute. Fortunately my landlord was home and came and set me free. I think my landlord must have scolded them or something because now they run away when I come up the stairs. So, all in all, still working on meeting the neighbors.

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Soggy Bottom Boy

I traveled to Sana'a, the capital of Yemen, this weekend to process my residence visa and meet with our project implementing partners. At my first meeting with our partners, I sat down to talk with a co-worker about the project. Unfortunately, the chair I selected was soaking wet and before I could avert disaster, my entire bottom was wet. I went the rest of the day with my pants completely soaked. It's a unique challenge trying to be serious and professional while your pants are wet. Other than not having my swimming trunks, I felt prepared and the meetings went well. More to come on my time in Sana'a.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

A Complete Knock Off

Continuing transportation themed posts, there is a swarm of big and small buses on the streets of Aden offering cheap transportation. From what I have observed so far, the big buses run local routes stopping frequently and moving people back and forth down long streets. The smaller buses serve that purpose as well but they also shuttle passengers between districts and between the mainland and the peninsula. See below:


The Aden system for telling the bus driver you want to get off is a sharp knock on the metal bus frame. They respond to verbal commands but the knock seems to do the trick. Unless you're me and are a complete failure at knocking on the side of the bus. So far I have: missed the bus and hit the window, not knocked hard enough, or hit the rubber padding that insulates the windows. It's only been a month though. Give me one more and I'll have it down.

Thanks Google for the pretty map!

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Fuming

Aden is in the middle of a diesel shortage that has lasted almost a week. There are long queues outside each gas station that block traffic and generally get everyone hot under the collar. Shortages are not that uncommon in Aden and Sana'a but they often are not this long. The government says it will end shortly, for what that is worth.

The problem seems to be this: The government recently loosened price controls on diesel and other oil products allowing the price to rise based on a World Bank report in May that oil prices in Yemen were less han 60% the world price average. The World Bank hoped to combine a reduction in government oil subsides with loans and reforms to allow the government to save on subsides and generate income with higher oil prices. The reforms, however, did not work as they were insufficient or absorbed by corrupt officials leaving the poorest in Yemen the burden of the higher fuel costs. As for the shortage, the truckers that keep Aden and other cities supplied have been denied corresponding wage hikes and thus are on strike. Thus, there is not enough diesel reaching Aden.


Further complicating matters is the occasional checkpoint set up by disgruntled members of the army who have not received their salaries for several months. They have also been responsible for waylaying trucks causing acute shortages. Note to self: If I train people in military tactics, pay them well.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Exploding the Question

I am currently staying in a hotel that is popular for wedding parties. What this means is around 11 PM, a long train of cars rolls past the hotel blaring their horns as loud as possible. Kids in the car caravan are playing drums, those not drumming are throwing firecrackers and those not throwing firecrackers are lighting them for the kids with better arms. It's quite a festival.

Car decoration is a must for your Yemen wedding. I wish I had a picture but I don't so I'll try to describe it. Cars are bedazzled with window frosting and ribbon. A standard look is a small bow on top of the car with ribbons splaying out from it reaching various edges of the hood like a fan. The windows are frosted with white and pink paint and unfortunate stencils are responsible for floods of anatomically incorrect hearts spilling over from window to window. Often only a half the windshield is left clear for the driver to see.

Apparently, the month before Ramadan is the big wedding season as the fast during Ramadan calls Muslims to abstain from food, drink, and intercourse. I wonder if that means there's a month lull for births in Yemeni hospitals.

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Randomizing or Dnrnaizigm

Today I am visiting a public randomization for the Yemen TUP program. What is a randomization you ask? Why randomizations you further inquire? Well, allow me to explain.

Randomization is the process used to assign the potential TUP beneficiaries to one of two groups: the group receiving the program or the group that does not receive the program. The development terminology for these groups is treatment and control. Randomization can be done on the computer using Excel to generate random number assignment or it can be done through a public lottery.

Why randomizations? Assigning beneficiaries to treatment and control accomplishes several goals. First, it creates two statistically identical groups. Since choosing randomly is inherently uncorrelated with any characteristic in the sample, each characteristic has the same probably of appearing in the treatment group and the control group. Second, having statistically identical treatment and control groups allows intrepid researchers to answer the question "What would have happened in the absence of the intervention?" This question is called the counterfactual. Once again employing the powers of Microsoft paint, the graph below visually demonstrates this concept:

The red line left of the vertical line is the entire sample prior to the intervention. The gray line is the start of the intervention and the division of the sample into treatment and control groups. Since randomization created identical treatment and control groups, the only difference between the groups is one receives the intervention and the other does not. Thus, any difference in outcome between the groups can be attributed to the program. This is essentially the concept used in medical research applied to answering social science questions.

Looking the graph, we see in this case that the treatment group income increased at a higher rate than the control group income after the intervention. Again, because the randomization created identical treatment and control groups, we can say with confidence that this change is attributable to the intervention. The green control group has served to answer the counterfactual.

"But this is not fair!" you cry. "Some people get the program while others don't!"

Not so. Randomization is actually the most fair method to decide who receives the intervention. It gives each beneficiary an equal chance of getting the intervention. Further, as is the case with most development programs, there is often not enough resources to serve everyone so randomization allows for meaningful impact evaluation and fair assignment to treatment. Finally, what if the program actually doesn't help incomes but hurts them? While programs hopefully do not have that outcome, randomization again has given each participant an equal chance at receiving or not receiving the treatment of ambiguous impact.

Randomized Control Trials, or RCTs, is the methodology of choice for researchers and aid agencies wanting to maximize the use of resources.

Read more at:

www.poverty-action.org
www.povertyactionlab.org

Or watch:
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/esther_duflo_social_experiments_to_fight_poverty.html

Friday, July 9, 2010

Cruisin' Y.A.R

I drove today! A man I met at church asked me to help move a car to an office nearby. I was a little nervous but it turned out okay. It was a standard transmission as well, which I only recently learned to drive.

What made the experience really rewarding was I got to use the car horn. Liberally. Car horns in Yemen (and many developing countries) are used not when you're angry but to announce your presense. Being true to my cultural context, I let everyone know I was there. Maybe I'll give up the whole development work thing and drive a cab in Aden. Who wants the first ride?

Monday, July 5, 2010

Don't Look

Somaliland, an internationally unrecognized state in Somalia, recently completed its democratic presidental election and a peace transition of power. The country is now seeking international recognition. What an impressive accomplishment for a state in an unstable neighborhood! Any one want to visit with me?

Read more here: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/04/world/africa/04somaliland.html?ref=africa

Curious to learn more, I searched for a map of Somaliland but my attempts to load the maps were blocked by the Yemen Net pornography filter. Unbelievable.

Sunday, July 4, 2010

The Good Ol' Days


Five riyals just doesn't get you what it used to. This informative wall graffiti bemoans the decreasing value of Yemen's currency. The brother just wants to buy a coke, that's all. The drawing for 2015 is labeled "cap."

Yemen faces bigger problems than the increasing cost of a soda fix. Sana'a, Yemen's capital, is forcasted to run out of water in the next 15 years. Much of Yemen's current water supply is directed toward the cultivation of qat, a midly narcotic leaf chewed by a majority of Yemeni men. In addition, Yemen's oil production has peaked and the state's dependence on declining oil revenues has crippled the state's ability to co-opt regional and tribal leaders. The state must now compete with other forces, notably international terrorist organizations, interested in using the tribes for their benefit.

What can be done? In all honestly, while the West faces the consequences of state deterioration in Yemen (the possiblity that failed state border both sides of the entrance to the Red Sea and Suez Canal shipping?), it is not positioned to enforce solutions. Neighboring nations, such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt, that are also threated by Yemeni state instability but seen as at least relatively more legitimate must assume a larger role in promoting a more sustainable political and economic practices in Yemen. It matters.
All this thinkin' has worked up a thirst. Oh wait.
99 bottles of water on the wall, 99 bottles of water, take one down.....

Taller Tales

An interesting piece on perceptions and use of American power in combating terrorism. Perhaps less is more.

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/29/the-myth-of-modern-jihad/?scp=11&sq=yemen&st=cse

Friday, July 2, 2010

Reading

The dangers of Google Translate and internet tutorials for Photoshop:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/02/world/02qaeda.html?ref=middleeast

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Instant Exposure

Yesterday I returned to Aden from Taiz, a city two hours away and home to another survey site. The weather in Taiz was a welcome change from the constant heat of Aden. The days there are cooler and it rains (!) in the afternoon giving the landscape some green.

Taiz is also home to some of Yemen's largest food processing plants. One of these plants produces Noody Instant Noodles. The Noody slogan is "Get it before it’s gone!" The runner up slogan was "Noody: Enjoy in the privacy of your own home"

Taiz was completed plastered with pro-government propaganda. It was overwhelming. Every light post on the main road had a banner or poster with a picture of the president or a unity slogan or both. Yemen was two separate states until unification in 1990. Civil war broke out in 1994 and although Southern Yemen lost the war, it has not given up the fight. Southern separatists still harass government forces and there are real concerns of renewed conflict.

I recently finished a book on Yemen called Yemen: Dancing on the Heads of Snakes by Victoria Clark. The imaginative title refers to the president Ali Abdullah Salih's balancing act of northern rebels, southern separatists and al-Qaeda. It is a good read for those interested in learning more about Yemen.

The enumeration teams have completed work in Aden and Taiz and are now working around Lahj, the last governate in our study. Then, we randomize. In public.

Shades of gray, shades of pink, and I need to do laundry

Friday, June 25, 2010

You scream. I scream.

For those worried this post is about other attacks, do not fear. This is about the other end of the terror spectrum. (see below)
How does Aden battle the heat? Ice cream. How can the world battle terror? Ice cream. It is so good! Why would you want anything else in your hands? I can understand being angry if you finish your cone but that is easily solved.

The most popular chain ice cream stores in Aden are Snow Cream (a funny joke for those Arabic speakers out there) and Baskin Robbins. They are everywhere. I think Aden and I will get along well.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

1/16

Thank goodness for extra time. US: 1 Algeria: 0

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/24/sports/soccer/24usgame.html?ref=sports

Landon Timothy Donovan

3 Good Reasons

why the US National Team needs to pull it together and beat Algeria tonight:

1. National Pride - I think we all know the team is better than they've shown. Going down 0-2 to Slovenia? C'mon.
2. We can advance to the knockout round and hopefully earn some respect from countries that look down on American soccer. We turned some heads beating up Spain and going up 2-0 against Brazil in the finals of the Confederations Cup. Not advancing to the second round would make that seem like a fluke.
3. I told the Aden survey team that if Algeria beats the US, I will buy them all dinner. Oh boy.

U-S-A!

Monday, June 21, 2010

Call me chicken but I'm from Turkey

I spent the past two days with the enumeration team working in districts of Aden. They are well trained and work hard. I am very impressed.

My presence in the less developed areas of Aden is a bit of a shock for the people that live there. Not many outsiders, much less foreigners, visit their neighborhoods. Kids will stand outside the enumeration team's bus and stare.

The team has been telling people who ask (almost everyone) that I am from Turkey. People here love Turkey. First, Turkey has great soap operas and television shows. Second, it was a Turkish boat that challenged the Israeli blockade of Gaza. Israeli is now considering easing its blockade due to intense international scrutiny. No one speaks Turkish so I can get away with it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/21/world/middleeast/21mideast.html?scp=2&sq=gaza&st=cse

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/18/world/middleeast/18mideast.html?scp=4&sq=gaza&st=cse

Back pain, Bananas, and a monkey on a leash

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Incident in Aden

I figure you would rather know than not know. I'm fine and taking precautions with where and how I travel.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/middle_east/10356975.stm

Texas Toast

It's hot in Aden. Walking off the plane was like having my entire body wrapped in a warm, damp blanket. Ew. And that was 4:15 AM. However, for arriving at that time you're treated to this:


I am told that Aden, like other coastal cities, has a more relaxed culture and lifestyle. I am looking forward to experiencing it. Tomorrow I will join one of the enumeration teams working around Aden. It will be nice meeting members of the team.

Feeling and not feeling the Reems, Get Riyal, and cuds

Friday, June 18, 2010

On My Way

I am sitting in the Amman airport waiting for my flight to Aden. I am moving to Aden to work for Innovations for Poverty Action (www.poverty-action.org) on an evaluation of a social assistance program called Targeting the Ultra Poor.

I envision this blog being a way for you all to follow along and to hear and see about my life in Yemen.

I hope you enjoy!

Airlines, heart strings, and waiting (in line)