Home Sweet Home

I have now been home for a week. I've caught you all up on my time in Ethiopia, so I will quickly catch you up on my journey home. It took over 26 hours for me to get home, but 16 of those hours were in 1st class, so I certainly can't complain too much.
I finally arrive in Wichita. I'm exhausted. I figure I will see O, my Mom, and my Step-Dad. We will quickly get my luggage and then I will go take my first hot shower that actually has water pressure. Instead, I had a welcome home party at the airport! Complete with signs, balloons, & flowers. Because that's not embarrassing :). Thank you so much to everyone who came! I really appreciated it!


I've pretty much been catching up on sleep this past week. Oh and I was also reunited with Boo Radley & Triscuit :).
Last weekend my Mom and Step-Dad threw me a big welcome home barbecue. It was so nice to show everyone pictures and tell many of my stories! The best part, however, was that I had surprise guests! Remember how I recently wrote about Ethiopia Reads and the Shola Children's Library? I noticed a shipping container that mentioned Kansas. Well my Step-Dad went ahead and found the couple who support Ethiopia Reads! Even better, they live within a couple miles of my parents' ranch! It was amazing to talk with people who had been to Ethiopia and who have been such a huge part of a great organization! It was so nice meeting you Mr. and Mrs. Clark!!!
I think that pretty much ends this blog. Thank you so much for reading about my experiences! It meant so much to receive all of your emails and support through out the summer!

Fistula Hospital

It was extremely important to me that I visit the Fistula Hospital before I left Addis. I had heard of this hospital before, but I never knew what they did, or even what fistula was, until I saw the documentary, A Walk to Beautiful.

Fistula is basically a hole that causes women to constantly leak urine and/or feces. There are a few different ways that fistula is caused, but it often occurs when a woman is in labor. Fistula is pretty much unheard of in the U.S. because of our access to healthcare. Not everyone is as lucky as us, however. According to the World Health Organization, approximately 2 million women around the world have untreated fistula.

That's the most frustrating part. In most cases, a simple and inexpensive (to us) operation can repair this damage. The Fistula Hospital's website states that for U.S. $450 they can perform one surgery, provide post op care, and give the woman a new dress as well as bus fare home. Most women in Sub-Saharan Africa can't afford this, however. Many women live in rural areas and have no access to health care. So these women, who are often kicked out of their homes, are forced to live with this embarrassing problem, even though it is so easy to fix.

That's where the Fistula Hospital comes in. They provide free care to these women. Not only that, they also provide counseling and training. They even teach the women who can not be cured a trade. Their handicrafts are then sold in a shop on the hospital grounds. Inspeaking of the grounds, I could not get over how beautiful they were! It was like walking around the Botanical Garden. Incredibly peaceful and serene.

I have provided the link to the documentary below. Please, please, please watch it. It is incredibly moving.
Here is the link to the foundation's website as well: http://www.fistulafoundation.org/index.html

Watch the movie here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3w-fOmovijc

Is That a Starbucks or a Stackbucks?

For those of you who don't know, coffee was first discovered in Ethiopia by a goat herder named Kaldi, around the year 850, when he noticed that his goats were very jittery after eating the beans off of the plant.

Coffee is a really big deal in Ethiopia. I don't normally drink coffee, but I definitely had my share of macchiatos this summer. It's hard to avoid them, as there are coffee places on every block.

One of my favorite coffee places is Kaldis. Kaldis is very unusual because there are 9 of them around Addis. Here, you can order drinks like a caramel frapuchino (not my spelling) and other drinks that sound strangely familiar. It is also unusual because they look like this...














We also stumbled across this little gem while in Harar...

Harar

The weekend of July 10th-12th, I was finally able to travel to the city of Harar. This time, Tiffany & I decided to drive, in case Ethiopian Airlines cancelled the flight again. I am SO glad we drove! It took about 12 hours to get there, but the scenery was beautiful!
Our first stop was to Awash National Park. This is a really pretty area with a lake and lots of exotic birds. We also had time for some game viewing! We saw a lot of Oryx (an animal kind of like an antelope). We also saw a pretty waterfall.
When we were maybe halfway through our drive, and in the middle of nowhere, we saw a lone Gelada babboon! Gelada babboons are endemic to Ethiopia. Our guide said it was very strange that we saw one because they are normally not found in that area and they are always in groups.
The scenery on the way to Harar was absolutely breathtaking. I was so tired, but I could only sleep for 30 min because I kept staring out my window.
Harar is a really great city! The people were very friendly, as well as proud to be from Harar. We saw lots of colorful markets, women carrying very heavy loads on their heads (I later practiced this and failed miserably), and the hyena man.
The Hyena man feeds the hyenas just outside of the gates every night. Sometimes he even feeds them by mouth. I had the option of feeding them...and I took it, although I used a stick rather than my mouth...I didn't think my travel insurance would be willing to cover any medical expenses that may cause.
While in Ethiopia, I had a list of foods that I wanted to try. When we stopped for lunch on Saturday, I noticed that kitfo, an Ethiopian dish, was on the menu. I had been told to order it yebesellum (cooked), because most Ethiopians eat their meat raw. My guide ordered for me and specifically told the server that this meal was for a foreigner so it really needed to be cooked. This is what it looked like. We asked if it was cooked and the server claimed it was. When I showed this picture to AHOPE's social worker later that week, he laughed so hard and showed the other staff member this picture. It was definitely raw. I can't believe I didn't get sick.

Here are some more pics!

Hot Springs!

Before leaving for Ethiopia, I set aside a certain amount of money that I personally wanted to give to AHOPE. I wanted to see exactly what it went towards, and what would be better (and more fun!) than a field trip?! I talked with A., AHOPE's Social Worker, and with my budget, we decided we could take a trip to the hot springs in Sodere, a few hours outside of Addis.

We had a GREAT time! About 45 kids from Big Ahope were able to go to Sodere. On the bus ride there, we finger knitted and played Bingo (I can now count to 75 in Amharic, thank you very much). Once we got there, most of the kids jumped right in! I was a little surprised that there is actually a pool there. It looked as if we were in the U.S., with one exception. There were monkeys EVERYWHERE!!! They were so much fun to watch! One monkey was missing his front right leg...just like Triscuit (my cat)! The kids had a great time swimming and splashing around in the water. They constantly wanted to show me different tricks they could do. The kids who decided not to swim had a great time watching the monkeys or taking pictures with my cameras. We also had really great Ethiopian food and ice cream (Thanks for the ice cream, Carly!) :). On the bus ride home, we did some more finger knitting, and once it was dark enough, we played with those glowing, neon-colored bracelets that you can get at festivals. The kids (and adults) had lots of fun!

A Lesson Learned

I haven't talked too much about my schedule here at Ahope, so allow
me to fill you in a little bit. I spend a great deal of time at both
Big and Little Ahope. I teach some English and we do lots of arts and
crafts. Every Thursday, however, I take 3 minibuses and spend an hour
traveling to Ahope's Community Development Center (CDC). Every
adoption agency in Ethiopia is required to have some sort of program
that helps children stay in their own country. Ahope's program is the
CDC. There are over 70 kids there who come every day for meals,
activities, and overall care. Because it is a little out of the way,
not many volunteers go to the CDC.
Originally, I thought that I would be more involved in helping the
community while working at the CDC. Actually, I am doing the exact
same thing that I do at Big and Little Ahope...play with the kids. To
be honest, I generally do not enjoy my Thursday commute. The staff is
amazing, but it is 2 hours round trip (which is nothing compared to
what many Chicagoans do), and there are quite honestly, a lot of kids,
and since they don't get many volunteers, any that do come are VERY
popular. I typically have many children fighting for every second of
my attention.
Last Thursday, I was not looking forward to going to the CDC. It
was raining and I was very tired and really would have preferred to
relax. I made a commitment though, so I arrived at my scheduled time.
The previous week, we taught the kids the song, "You are my
Sunshine". Thursday's activity was to make suns, clouds, and happy
faces out of construction paper. Then when we would sing the song,
they could wave their pictures. They had such a great time! They
were so much more appreciative of us than the kids at Big and Little
Ahope since they rarely have a volunteer's attention. I immediately
fed off of their energy and was running around hugging, kissing, and
high fiving all of the kids. At the end, the nurse pulled me aside
and thanked me for my enthusiasm and told me I was doing a great job
with the kids and that he was so glad I was regularly coming to the
CDC. WOW. I left the CDC that day feeling so incredibly happy and
humbled.
It was such a good lesson for me that sometimes the things we really
don't want to do are the most rewarding. I can not wait to go back
this Thursday.

Gladney Part 3

Are you all tired of my Gladney posts? I hope not! Last Wed. I
once again had the opportunity to tag along with Gladney's in country
rep, Travis. This time we toured Gladney's foster care centers. I
realize I am very biased, but these were the best centers for children
that I have seen in this country so far!!! The caregiver to child
ratio was unbelievable, and it was so clear that these children are
very loved.
We were able to meet a few of the families currently picking up
there children. They were all so nice! I have been reading one
family's blog for a long time and did not realize they had passed
court since I left home. I was SO happy to see them and meet their
sweet sweet children :).
First, we toured 3 of the 4 Gladney houses. We were able to hold
some ADORABLE babies :). They have pictures of their families above
their beds, which was so sweet to see. We also had a very nice coffee
ceremony. Honestly, I felt a little intrusive during this time
because it was so difficult for the caregivers to say goodbye to these
children. I just tried to stay out of the families' way as much as
possible. It was so emotional for everyone involved. It really is
nice to see how much these children are cared for. Nice and sad at
the same time, if that makes any sense.
Next, we went to a restaurant that I have been wanting to try for a
while now, Top View. Top View is on a mountain and has a gorgeous
view of the city. Unfortunately, big tall buildings are going up and
obstructing the view. Travis says the restaurant will soon be called
Top, haha.
Later that evening, I was able to have dinner with Travis and his
family. They were so sweet to allow me to see their work here in
Addis. It was so great getting to know them and Gladney better during
my time here in Ethiopia.
Do you think I should start doing Gladney's advertising yet? haha.

4th of July

Hey everyone!!! I hope you all had a fantastic 4th of July! Mine
was pretty good, here in Ethiopia.
I started off the morning with a visit to the Shola Children's
Library. This is the Ethiopia Reads library. It is the only free
library for children in all of Ethiopia! Maybe you have heard of
them? Their founder is one of CNN's Heroes, and has been highlighted
on CNN before. This was my 2nd trip to Shola, and as always, it was
fun to talk with the kids! On their property, Ethiopia Reads has a
huge container the size of one of those Pods storage containers. This
is interesting because it is all painted and says "With love from
Kansas". It also mentions that books are donated from the Kansas
Reading Association. Does anyone know anything about this?
After the library, Tiffany and I met up with Ahope's Social Worker to
have a few macchiatos. We had a great time and he was nice enough to
show us a few important shops around the city (including a great place
to buy coffee!). We ended up spending a few hours with him and
stopping at 2 different cafes for drinks. He also invited us to his
house later that evening for a coffee ceremony.
Next, we headed over to Big Ahope where we played Uno with the kids
for about an hour. Then we walked the couple of blocks to the Social
Worker's house. We brought cookies from a pastry shop and had a great
time drinking coffee, eating cookies and popcorn, and chatting with
him and a few of his friends. We were able to talk about various
social issues in the U.S. and in Ethiopia. It was a really great
experience!
For dinner that night, I decided to have some American food as a way
of celebrating the 4th of July. The only person to wish us a happy
4th all day was the Social Worker. He was so cute, he said, "It is
the 4th of July! Do I say Congratulations?". There is a really great
restaurant by our house that has different types of food like Mexican,
American, and Asian. I had a great cheeseburger. I tried to have
apple pie for dessert but it was yellum (they didn't have any).
Instead I had one of the best hot fudge sundaes that I've ever had. I
love food in Ethiopia!

Marley

Hi everyone! Thank you so much for your emails and for sending Marley
positive thoughts! Unfortunately, Marley did not make it. It is
still strange walking home and not having him greet us at the gate.
Bob is pretty sad too, but I am trying to give him extra attention!

This is Africa

One thing that I have used a lot of, here in Ethiopia, is my
patience. I am a pretty positive person, but at times, even I have
been impressed with how flexible I can be. A few people that I know
use the phrase, "This is Africa" to explain such situations.
Originally, I was supposed to fly to Dire Dawa Friday morning and then
drive one hour to Harar. Late Thursday night, I received a phone call
from Ethiopian Air saying that there was bad weather in Dire Dawa and
the flight was cancelled. At least they called! I immediately tried
to contact the tour company, but I could not get through to them.
The next morning I arrived at the Hilton by 7:15 to inform the tour
company that I would not be going on the tour. The nice lady in the
office said she did not know what to do and that we should come back
later to talk with the boss. To make a very long story short, it took
6 hours to straighten everything out between 2 tour companies and
Ethiopian Airlines. After all of that, I needed a nap!
The new plan is to drive to Harar this Friday with a new tour
company. We are also stopping at a National Park for some game
viewing along the way! It should be fun!
Even when things don't work out at first, they always have a way of
turning out for the best. This is Africa!

This is Africa

One thing that I have used quite a bit in Ethiopia is my patience.
I am pretty impressed with how flexible I have been and how I have
managed to stay pretty positive. I know a few people that use the
phrase, "This is Africa" to describe the funny situations that they
encounter. This past weekend, the plan was to fly to Dire Dawa,
Ethiopia and then drive one hour to visit Harar. Late Thursday night,
I received a phone call from Ethiopian Airlines saying that there was
bad weather in Dire Dawa and that our flight was cancelled for the
next morning. I tried to call our tour company right away, but I
could not get through. I was at the Hilton by 7:30 the next morning
to let the tour company know that we would not be going to Harar and
needed to reschedule. This was hilarious because Ethiopian Airlines
changed put us on a flight on Sunday that left one hour before our
return flight left Dire Dawa. It ended up taking 6 hours to
straighten everything out with 2 tour companies and Ethiopian
Airlines. After all of that I needed a nap!
The new plan is to drive to Harar with a new tour company this
coming Friday. On the way there, we will get to see a National Park
that has game viewing! We will be back on Sunday.
Also, I wanted to thank everyone for their emails and positive
thoughts for Marley. Unfortunately, Marley did not make it. It is
very strange to walk home and not have him greet us. Bob is pretty
sad too.

Zenab

I don't think that I have talked much about the weather in Addis.
I'm sure that when you think of Addis Ababa, you think of a very hot
and dry African city. That is certainly not the case here! Addis is
high up in the mountains, so the weather is actually cooler. We
probably have a good amount of days in the 80's, but it sure can get
chilly at night! Most days are probably in the 70's. Right now, we
just entered the rainy season. It rains (Zenab) every day. When it
rains, the temperature drops quite a bit. I actually spend most of
the day walking around in a sweatshirt!
Tomorrow, I am heading out of the city for the weekend. I will be
in Harar, which is an old Muslim city that has a wall all the way
around it. If you have seen the Ethiopian episode of Bizarre Foods,
they spent a good amount of time in Harar. Harar is also famous for
the hyena man. Basically, this guy feeds the hyenas outside of the
gate every night. He often feeds them by mouth (ewwwww!!!). It
should be interesting to see.
I have been spending some time this week arranging something pretty
exciting. Hopefully I will be ready to share it with you all next
week!!!

Have a great weekend!!!!

The Stuff You've Been Waiting For!!!

I've spent a lot of time posting about various things, but it seems
like I haven't really had a post on the kids!!! They are all so sweet
and amazing, I wish you could all meet them!

- Ahope is not considered a religious organization, but religion is a
very important part of Ethiopian culture. The kids always pray before
kurs, mekses, mesa, mekses, and erat (breakfast, snack, lunch, snack,
and dinner). When the younger ones pray, instead of holding their
hands together, they cover their eyes. It is the most precious thing
ever.
- One little boy, A., is extremely intelligent. He is maybe 7 or 8
and is picking up English so fast! He is always very concerned that
Tiffany and I do not know enough Amharic. Every time we see him, he
is teaching us new words! He is so well behaved and such a sweet kid!
When we lead group activities, he helps us keep the other kids on
task.
- There is a 2 1/2 year old girl here, S., who I am completely in love
with. She is one of the prettiest little girls that I have ever seen
and she has an amazing personality as well. She always runs up to me
and loves for me to hold her. She really is very very special.
- Another little girl, B., is someone who truly fills my day with
happiness. She loves it when I chase her and tickle her! Her laugh
is so contagious and her eyes are simply stunning.
- There is another boy, T., at Little Ahope that loves to play soccer.
Whenever he sees me, he runs up to me and tells me the score of our
last game (although these numbers are always changing. He insists he
won 22-6). He always cracks me up.
- D., my Mia Hamm, is one of the sweetest 9 year olds I have ever met.
As soon as she sees me, her eyes light up and she races over to give
me a big kiss! She is always happy when we play soccer or when we are
just sitting together. She also loves to copy whatever craft I am
doing. She is also such a big help with the younger kids.
- We also have 4 year old twins, T. and S., at Little Ahope. They are
extremely cute and such sweet girls! They are always wanting to be
near us.
- Every time I leave Little Ahope, most of the kids come running to
give me a hug/kiss/high five. They always ask if I will be coming
back tomorrow. Sometimes when I say "Ciao", they look worried and
say, "America?". They are always relieved when I assure them I am
returning the next day. I haven't even let myself start thinking
about really saying goodbye to them.

The kids at Big Ahope are just as adorable as the younger children.
- One boy, S., insists that his name is Jen and that I am S. I walk
around all day saying, "Hi Jen, how are you Jen?" and he always
responds, "Hi S., I am good S". It's really funny. He is such a
clown.
- All of the girls at Big Ahope love to braid my hair! I certainly
don't mind the scalp massage!!! They do an amazing job, and I've been
tempted a few times to run over there in the morning so they can style
my hair for the day!
- Another boy, E., always wants to play that game where you try to
slap the other persons hands before they move them away. He is
incredibly fast! He is so fast, that I always joke with him that I
won't play with him anymore!
- The girls at Ahope play this amazing games with small rocks. You
have to throw one in the air and pick up a certain number of rocks
before you catch it. Then you have to throw them all up in the air
and catch them on the back of your hand. They are AMAZING! I've
tried and I can't even throw one in the air and pick up 2 rocks. I am
really wanting to get this on video, so you can all see!
- Yesterday, one girl, R., wanted to play some games on my cell phone.
I brought a friend's phone with me to Ethiopia and I do not know how
to find the games on it. I tried, but couldn't find any for her. She
gave me this look like I was crazy, took the phone, and found the
games within 2 minutes. I now feel very old.

That's all for now, but I'm sure I will have plenty more stories soon!!!

Marley

In an earlier post I mentioned that we have 2 dogs living outside our gate.  Unfortunately, the puppy, Marley, was attacked by something a few days ago.  Yesterday, his head was swollen on one side and he couldn't hold it up straight.  Today, both sides of his face are all puffy.  He is still walking up to us and wagging his tail, but it doesn't look good.  If you are the praying type, I would really appreciate it if you could send up a prayer for him.  Otherwise, if you could just send him good vibes that would be great.  I'm very heartbroken over this.  I realize it's a little silly to be this concerned over a street dog in a country where so many people are dying, but Marley is part of my Ethiopian family here.  I will keep you all updated.

Arts and Crafts

  I have started a new volunteer schedule at Little Ahope, and one thing we are doing lots of is Arts and Crafts!  I am not very experienced in this area (it's been a loooong time since I was 5), but thankfully I am working with a school social worker, plus we have an arts and crafts book.

  On Friday, I came up with the idea of making paper crowns.  We had so much fun!  I cut the crowns out of construction paper ahead of time and then we let the kids color whatever they wanted on them.  They all loved it and looked super cute!  We took some great pictures that I can't wait to show you at home :).

  One song that the kids love to sing here is the itsy bitsy spider.  They can sing it in both English and Amharic (the Amharic version has a different tune).  Tiffany came up with the great idea of making spiders out of construction paper (we have A LOT of this here).  This was another project that the kids loved! 

  We already have a few ideas planned for the next couple of weeks that will hopefully turn out great!

Bazaar!

  It is hard to believe, but up until last Saturday I had not gone shopping since being in Ethiopia.  I certainly made up for it though!!!  On Saturday, a bazaar held by numerous NGO's was held here in Addis.  They all had booths set up in the courtyard of a church and were displaying numerous handicrafts such as quilts, woven bags, table cloths, jewellry, coffee pots, and many other things.  I was able to get some great gifts as well as souvenirs for myself. 

  Some of the NGO's helped with leprosey, helping women escape poverty, and helping orphans.  It was so nice to be able to shop for a cause!!!

Gladney Part 2

  This post is not well written, but these are my honest thoughts...

  Last Friday, I was fortunate enough to spend the day with Gladney's In-country rep.  He offered to show me around the 3 Government orphanages here in Addis.  These orphanages are not run by Gladney, but they show them to their adoptive families.

  The first orphanage we visited was Kolfe.  This is where the older boys live.  They can stay until they are 21 as long as they are in school.  I had heard a great deal about Kolfe before I left home, so I was very excited to have the chance to see this place myself.  We were unable to spend a great amount of time with the boys, but they all were very polite.  Of the 3 places we went to, Kolfe was probably the most depressing.  Their cafeteria has no table or chairs.  The kitchen was extremely small and simple.  We were told that a couple of boys will share each twin size bunk bed.  I barely fit on one by myself.  I can't imagine living in a place like this.  Yet living on the street would be so much worse.  Gladney is the only adoption agency to show adoptive parents this orphanage.  I wish Kolfe could get more exposure. 

  Next up was Kebebtsehay orphanage.  This is where the younger boys and girls live.  All of the children were so excited to see us.  Every visitor had at least one child holding their hand.  Whenever we entered a bedroom (that would have at least 18 bunk beds per room), all of the children would swarm around us shouting, "You! You! Photo! Photo!"  They know that visitors take their pictures back home and this gives them a higher chance of being adopted.  I took pictures mainly to please the kids, but I was uncomfortable with the situation.  It is so tricky.  By taking pictures of the kids, they do have more exposure and yes, some kids will find homes.  On the other hand, when they start hamming it up for the camera, I begin to feel like they are a tourist attraction, when in reality they are children, no different from your kids at home.  We also saw the baby room at Kebebtsehay.  The good news is that most of these children (with the exception of those with special needs) will be adopted.  There were at least 25 cribs packed in a small room. 

  The final orphanage was Kechene, which is for older girls.  I thought this seemed like the nicest of the 3 we saw.  There is quite a bit of space and the surrounding land is very pretty.  The girls that we spoke with seemed very nice.

  This day really opened my eyes to how many children around the world are living.  I did not even realize how nice Ahope truly is until seeing the Government orphanages.  Ahope truly looks like a palace compared to them.  I am so thankful to Gladney for letting me tag along with their adoptive families on Friday.  This experience has given me a lot to think about.

Ethiopian Kiddieland

  Do all of you  Chicagoans remember Kiddieland?  Ethiopia has a smaller version of this little amusement park, Veeras, here in Addis.  Last Sunday, we took the Little Ahope kids to Veeras.  It was so much fun!  There is a ferris wheel, a huge slide, a couple of small rides, bumper cars, and a swing set.  It was really great to get the kids out of their daily routine for a little while.  They had a blast!
  This past year Tiffany's school raised money for an Ahope field trip, so we went back to Veeras on Wednesday with the Big Ahope kids.  They also had a great time!  They were all obsessed with my camera.  I let them walk around and take pictures, which they loved.  I ended up with some great shots :).  5 of the girls decided to do a photoshoot.  They are all so pretty!  For most of the day I just relaxed and watched the kids have fun, but I did get to drive a bumper car with E., a stunning girl.  When it was time to eat, Tiffany and I were shocked as each kid ate an entire pizza themselves!  That is one thing I have noticed here...Ethiopians sure can eat!  I haven't spent a whole lot of time with the older kids, so spending the day with them at an amusement park was a great icebreaker.
  Veeras was such a big success, that I am planning a couple of field trips myself.  I can't wait to tell you about them!

 
 

Home Sweet Home

Before coming to Ethiopia, I was nervous about my accommodation.
Ahope has a guest house for its volunteers, but I had no idea what to
expect. Honestly, I pictured really tiny rooms and a squat toilet.
Thankfully, the guest house is really nice! There are 2 bedrooms
with Queen beds, a small kitchen, a dining room, a living room, 2
western toilets, and a washing machine! We even have a satellite dish
and receive about 10 English channels on tv (by the way, MTV Arabia is
hilarious). The whole compound is gated and we have 3 guards that
keep an eye on things.
Behind the actual house are a few individual rooms. Last week the
3rd volunteer arrived, so I moved out of the house and in to one of
these rooms. My little room is actually pretty nice! It is maybe 8
ft. by 10 ft. and has a twin bed and a night stand. The only
negatives are that there really isn't any storage space (I live out of
my suitcase) and my window doesn't latch shut. We don't have window
screens and one time I saw a feral cat jump into an empty room. I now
duct tape my window shut each night.
Like I said, there are 3 volunteers living in the guest house.
Besides me, there is a social worker from Chicago and a teacher from
D.C. who spent 7 months volunteering here last year! Everyone gets
along really well! We also have 2 dogs that always sleep against our
gate. The older dog is very shaggy and has dreadlocks. We call him
Bob after Bob Marley. The second dog is a very hyper puppy that looks
similar to a yellow lab. We named him Marley to go along with Bob and
also after the movie Marley and Me.
Our housekeeper, Selam, comes every day to make us breakfast. She
makes amazing things like french toast, crepes, oats, and pizza (yes,
homemade pizza for breakfast). She also insists on doing our laundry,
scrubbing our shoes clean, and making our beds. She is very sweet. I
always try to speak a little Amharic with her. Selam also makes life
easier by filling buckets with water when we run out of it in the
house.
In speaking of which, we do not always have water and electricity.
We typically have electricity every other day. Whether or not we have
water depends on a few variables like electricity and how full our
water tank is. The longest we have gone without water so far is 3
days I think.
I didn't know what to expect, but I have been positively surprised
with my living arrangements. Ethiopia is beginning to feel like home
sweet home.

Amharic Mixup

Most people have a funny story or two about trying to learn a new
language. There are over 70 different languages spoken in Ethiopia,
but the most common language is Amharic. Right now I know and use
about 60 words.
Our housekeeper, Selam, is a really great cook. Anything she makes
for breakfast is amazing, but my favorite is her french toast. Selam
does not have an extensive English vocabulary, so each time she makes
french toast, I say "Gobez!" (excellent) or have her read, "Hats off
to the chef!" in my Amharic phrase book. I do this as a gentle way of
encouraging her to make it as often as possible. She often hugs me
and repeatedly says, "awadeshalo". I thought she was teaching me to
say "I love it."
Awadeshalo has been a word that I often use to describe various
things. The male social worker at Ahope often asks me if I like
Ethiopia or the food. I always reply, "Ow. Gobez. Awadeshalo" (Yes.
Excellent. I love it). He often looks at me funny, but I just ignore
that.
This past week I was talking with another volunteer when the subject
of amharic words entered the conversation. She has volunteered before
and knows a lot more Amharic than I do. She told me that Awadeshalo
means I love you when speaking to a female. So basically I have been
telling the male social worker, "I love you, girl".
Oops. I will be apologizing to him this week.

Getting Out of Town

  Last Saturday, Tiffany and I hired a driver to take us outside of Addis.  The plan was to visit a cave church and a couple of ancient sites.
  We left very early, so we actually had time to kill on our way to the 1st stop.  We left the car a few times to snap scenic pictures of the mountains.  Have I mentioned that Addis is in the mountains?  It's very pretty here.
  We also visited the big Saturday market in a small town called Awash Melka.  We were the main attraction there.  As soon as we left the car, a group of children attached themselves to us.  They would say hello very shyly, and when I replied, "Selam"(hello), the whole group broke into a fit of giggles.  The market was packed with people.  Donkeys and cows stood in large groups waiting to be sold.  Teff, the grain used to make injera, was piled high on dirty old tarps.  It was a bit strange not seeing it in a container.  Everything seemed to be available here, from various spices to Obama shirts (Obama is HUGE here).
  The 3 sites we visited are not really worth writing home about.  The 1st one, Melka Kunture, is an old site where lots of fossils and stone age tools wee found.  It could be a really cool place, but the archaeologists abandoned it before it was fully excavated.  Adadi Mariam, a 12th Century cave church was the next destination.  This was the best site that we saw.  The church was not all that pretty, but it is very old and was carved out of rock.  The last place, Tiya, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  It is eerily similar to Stone Henge in England.
  While the main attractions of the day were less than thrilling, seeing the country side was certainly the day's highlight.  There are 5 roads leading away from Addis.  Ours was a paved 2 land street that stretched over picturesque rolling hills.  The land is yellow and dry right now, but as the rainy season is beginning, soon everything will be a vibrant green.  Just a few minutes outside of the city, beautiful straw huts begin to appear outside our windows.  Children spot our car and wave to us, shouting "Fereng! Fereng!" (foreigner).  When we wave to them, big smiles beam back at us.  As we near a small town, we pass a slow moving donkey taxi.  Donkeys seem to be the national form of transportation. Some people ride them along the road, while others use them to pull carts full of straw or wood.  The most common thing we see is donkeys with big yellow buckets strapped to their backs.  "They are carrying water", our guide tells us.  Water is not widely available in rural Ethiopia, so people must travel long distances in order to find this scarce resource.  At one point, I see a girl collecting dirty water from a pothole.  Not everyone uses a donkey for transportation, however.  We pass many people simply walking along this road that appears to lead to nowhere.  Many older women struggle with heavy bundles of wood that are strapped to their backs.  Their burden is so heavy that their bodies are bent at a 90 degree angle.  Sometimes, the piles look bigger than the woman carrying them.  As we pass them in our comfortable vehicle, I glance back at them.  Their tired eyes stare straight ahead, while dirt and dust cakes their weathered faces.  These women are much stronger than I will ever be.  Both physically and mentally. 
  After briefly seeing life outside of the city, I have an even greater appreciation for the people of Ethiopia.  I hope to gain even a tiny bit of their strength before I return home.

Craft Time!

   I have officially been in Addis for a little over 2 weeks now.  During this time there has been a bit of miscommunication due to cultural differences (another post for another time).  While it is nothing to stress over, at times I have been slightly confused as to waht I should be doing with my time.  When I am simply hanging out with the kids, spinning them or tickling them, I have a blast.  I also feel that I can offer something a little more structured though.  Sometimes when I plan something structured, the schedule changes and even the little kids have school all day.  Tiffany and I finally got our chance to do something really fun last Friday, June 19th.

   Tiffany came up with the great idea of making name signs for the kids' beds.  We found a ton of construction paper and crayons in the supply closet, so we simply set everything up at the dining room table and let the kids at Little Ahope loose!  They had an AMAZING time!  At first, things were a little chaotic as the youngest ones can't spell their names, and we couldn't even guess the correct spelling.  Luckily, the kindergarten teacher was kind enough to write everyone's name down for us.

   These kids are so creative!  Pretty flowers, hearts, soccer balls, and various animals were vibrantly colored on each sign.  Almost every sign proudly displayed at least one Ethiopian flag.  One girl, H., wrote "Happy" all over her sign.  Each word was spelled incorrectly, but I think her sign was the most beautiful of them all.  Another girl, D. (who I lovingly call Mia Hamm), took the sign I made and copied everything on to her sign.

   Every kid was so excited that they raced over to show me their finished product.  Everytime, I smiled and told them how Gobez (excellent) or Konjo (beautiful) their sign was.  They all wanted pictures with their creations, it was so cute.  Tiffany helped each child tape their sign to the wall beside their bed.  These kids have very little that they can call their own, something they don't have to share with 30 other children.  Something like a name sign may be an insignificant possession to many of us, but not to them.  The looks on their faces were so joyful.  It is something I will never forget.

 

Teacher!!! Teacher!!!

On Wednesday (or "Robe" in Amharic), Tiffany & I taught our first
English lessons at Big Ahope. We teach two, 30 min. classes. First
we teach the 3rd graders & then we teach the 4th graders. Mom &
Ralph's sponsored girl, K., is in my 3rd grade class.
The classroom is small. We have a tiny dry erase board up front,
and the rest of the room is stuffed with 2 rows of four old school
bench style desks. Each class has around 8-10 students, but we could
maybe stuff 16 kids in our cheery room if we tried. The bright blue
walls liven up the room, and the 2 windows in the back emit lots of
sunlight, which playfully dances on the beautiful ocean mural that the
students recently made. On the other wall is a big world map. The
kids love looking for Chicago & Wichita. They all stand on top of the
desks, pushing their way closer to the map, attempting to find these
faraway places. We give them hints, "Chicago is by a lake" and
"Wichita is in the middle". As they find them, many brown fingers
fight to touch each city.
Our students are currently in the middle of finals at their regular
schools (yes, even 3rd & 4th graders have finals here), so we try to
make our first day easy & lighthearted. We start off by making name
signs with construction paper & scented markers. My grape scented
marker takes me back to my childhood. K., is a perfectionist & spends
most of class time coloring her name. A sweet girl named A., sees the
hearts on my sign & adds a few to her own. When she sees that I
notice, she giggles. Two very active boys, S. & A., copy the
squiggles on Tiffany's sign. They add so many that I can hardly read
their names.
Next we move on to introducing ourselves & naming something we like.
Each student has to memorize all of the names & likes of the students
before them. The last student must remember them all. These sweet
kids like things such as pizza, hamburgers, soccer, swimming, &
praying. They don't understand what Tiffany means when she says she
likes peanut butter. We can't wait to bring some in for them!
Like all kids, ours seat themselves with boys on one side of the
room & girls on the other side. The 3rd grade boys are quite rowdy,
while the girls pay attention as they draw flowers on their name
signs. We don't expect the boys to remember what the girls like,
especially the last boy, M., who is possibly the loudest. Without
hesitation, he speeds through everyone. He is smart.
Our time with the 4th graders is the same. It goes a little faster
as they have a better grasp of English. As soon as we dismiss class,
the kids race back to their friends & pickup football (soccer)
matches. Feeling happy & purposeful, I begin the 20 min. walk back to
my room. For the first time in awhile, it really hits me. I am in
Ethiopia. And I love it.

Teacher!!! Teacher!!!

On Wednesday (or "Robe" in Amharic), Tiffany & I taught our first
English lessons at Big Ahope. We teach two, 30 min. classes. First
we teach the 3rd graders & then we teach the 4th graders. Mom &
Ralph's sponsored girl, K., is in my 3rd grade class.
The classroom is small. We have a tiny dry erase board up front,
and the rest of the room is stuffed with 2 rows of four old school
bench style desks. Each class has around 8-10 students, but we could
maybe stuff 16 kids in our cheery room if we tried. The bright blue
walls liven up the room, and the 2 windows in the back emit lots of
sunlight, which playfully dances on the beautiful ocean mural that the
students recently made. On the other wall is a big world map. The
kids love looking for Chicago & Wichita. They all stand on top of the
desks, pushing their way closer to the map, attempting to find these
faraway places. We give them hints, "Chicago is by a lake" and
"Wichita is in the middle". As they find them, many brown fingers
fight to touch each city.
Our students are currently in the middle of finals at their regular
schools (yes, even 3rd & 4th graders have finals here), so we try to
make our first day easy & lighthearted. We start off by making name
signs with construction paper & scented markers. My grape scented
marker takes me back to my childhood. K., is a perfectionist & spends
most of class time coloring her name. A sweet girl named A., sees the
hearts on my sign & adds a few to her own. When she sees that I
notice, she giggles. Two very active boys, S. & A., copy the
squiggles on Tiffany's sign. They add so many that I can hardly read
their names.
Next we move on to introducing ourselves & naming something we like.
Each student has to memorize all of the names & likes of the students
before them. The last student must remember them all. These sweet
kids like things such as pizza, hamburgers, soccer, swimming, &
praying. They don't understand what Tiffany means when she says she
likes peanut butter. We can't wait to bring some in for them!
Like all kids, ours seat themselves with boys on one side of the
room & girls on the other side. The 3rd grade boys are quite rowdy,
while the girls pay attention as they draw flowers on their name
signs. We don't expect the boys to remember what the girls like,
especially the last boy, M., who is possibly the loudest. Without
hesitation, he speeds through everyone. He is smart.
Our time with the 4th graders is the same. It goes a little faster
as they have a better grasp of English. As soon as we dismiss class,
the kids race back to their friends & pickup football (soccer)
matches. Feeling happy & purposeful, I begin the 20 min. walk back to
my room. For the first time in awhile, it really hits me. I am in
Ethiopia. And I love it.

Similarities between the Gelada Baboon & Americans

On Sunday (6 days ago), Tiffany & I took a cab into the city
centre. We visited the National Museum, which is famous for being
home to the 2 oldest hominid skeletons, Lucy (3.2 million years old &
40% complete) & Selam (3.4 million years old & 60% complete). Lucy is
currently touring the U.S., & Selam is still being studied, but we saw
tons of cool things like a pair of dice from 500 A.D.
Next, we visited the Lion Zoo, which houses the Absynnian Lions &
endemic Gelada Baboons. We knew this zoo would be depressing, but
honestly, nothing could have prepared me for what I saw. The visitors
took great pleasure in taunting the animals, who were clearly
frightened. When their harassment caused a lion to roar or a baboon
to bare its teeth, the crowd would cheer. I don't think i could
recommend this zoo to anyone.
While walking around downtown, I couldn't help feeling like a
Gelada baboon in the zoo. Obviously, ferengis (foreigners) are quite
an attraction here in Addis. Many people approach us asking for money
or food. Others approach us hoping to practice their English.
Sometimes, however, people approach us with the intention of treating
us like a Gelada baboon in the zoo. One little girl slapped my arm
when I ignored her requests for birr (the Ethiopian currency). One
time I thought a man was reaching his arm out in an attempt to steal
my bag. As I turned my back towards him, he punched my arm. I'm
assuming these acts were merely done to get a rise out of me. Please
don't worry, these instances are incredibly rare and I haven't really
experienced this type of behavior around my neighborhood. Most people
don't even notice us. Only once did a man grab my arm as he was
asking for birr, but a second man quickly stepped in & yelled at him.
Addis is truly safe, but it is interesting (and important) to take
notice of the few who are fascinated by us ferengis.

Ethiopian Celebrity Sightings

My 1st weekend in Ethiopia was great! On Saturday (a week ago from
today), the other volunteer, Tiffany, & I supported a dozen of the
Ahope kids at the Sports Bridge Gigathlon. This yearly festival
celebrates orphans & street children. It is actually sponsored by the
famous Ethiopian marathoner, Haile Gelabrassie! You have probably
seen him run before as he is always a big contender at Chicago,
Boston, & the other big races. He gave a big speech at the beginning,
and as he was leaving, he was less than 10 ft. from me! I sure hope
some of his speed wore off on me!
The gigathlon consisted of 4 events (although we are only sure that
1 took place): running 2 km with a pinwheel made of wood & paper,
running while using a stick to keep a tire rolling, running with a
very tiny soccer ball, & running competitively. We only saw the kids
running with a pinwheel, but we assume the other events took place
since we did see random tires and soccer balls. Through out the 2
hours, Ethiopian & Sudanese music played while traditional dancers
entertained the adults. Ethiopians sure can dance! When we left, we
only forgot one kid (oops)! Luckily, we only traveled a few blocks
before realizing he was missing. Overall, we had a fantastic time.

What I'm Up To

Hi everyone! I've written 3 posts today, so be sure to scroll down
and read them all!

I need everyone's help!!! I just found out yesterday that I am going
to be an English teacher! I was a little unprepared for this, and I
have NO teaching experience! If anyone has any ideas on fun games or
different ways to teach English, please email me! I just want to do a
great job and I have no clue what I'm doing! It should be a great
challenge though :).

Right now I have been spending every day at Little Ahope (0-7 years).
The kids are sooooo sweet!!!! I love them all. I get there at 9 am
and we spend a lot of time playing kwassa (soccer), tickling, and
playing chase. I am growing attached to them so quickly! They have
lunch at noon and then nap from 1-4. This is when I eat lunch and
wander about (or check email!). At 4:30, the older ones return from
school and then we begin a serious kwassa match. By the time I return
home, my skills will be on fire! I normally stay until 6-6:30.

These kids are seriously adorable! One little girl laughs every time
I look at her. Her whole body shakes and the look on her face is of
pure joy! Another little boy is really shy, but each time I smile at
him, he gives me a huge grin and quickly turns away. It didn't take
him long to start following me everywhere. For their privacy, I will
not be posting any pictures of these sweet kids or their names. You
will just have to see me in person so you can see their sweet faces!
Trust me, they are adorable!

Next week I will hopefully be moving in to my more permanent schedule.
3 mornings a week I will be teaching English at Big Ahope (8-15
years). I am a little nervous about this. The other 2 mornings I
will be working at the community center. Every afternoon I will drop
in at Little Ahope. I just can't imagine going a whole day without
seeing them!!!

The guest house that I am staying at is great! We have a wonderful
breakfast each morning! We also have guards that stand at our gate
24/7. I feel very important, haha. Right now, we only have
electricity every other day. Yesterday was our first day without
water. It came back today. Yay!

I have a few fun things tentatively lined up for this weekend. I will
tell you about them soon! I hope everyone is doing well! Please
email me and let me know what is going on with you!

Gladney

Pretty much everyone that knows me is aware of how much I adore the
Gladney Center for Adoption. Ever since my agency visit last
November, I have been pretty sure that I would like to work for them
one day. As if I needed another reason to love them, they gave me a
new one anyway!

My plane in Addis 2 hours late, and my driver did not meet me at the
airport. They were unsure of when I would be arriving. Normally,
this would have worried me, but Gladney saved the day! As I was
standing by myself looking for an "Ahope" sign, the only white male
around approached me asking if I was volunteering at Gladney!!!
Immediately, I shouted "YES!". Then I realized, that I wasn't (hey, I
was really tired), and corrected myself. He turned out to be their
in-country rep and a few of their volunteers were on my flight. When
I told him I was coming to Ahope, he took their number from me &
called them himself! Ahope sent their driver immediately. Then, this
kind man stood with me for as long as he could. When he finally had
to leave, he gave me his business card & told me to call him if I run
in to any problems while I'm here.

Is it a coincidence that in a city of 4 million people I ran into
Gladney's in-country rep? I don't think so. He didn't have to help
me out (he actually had to make quite a few calls), but everyone seems
to be this way at Gladney! I would be incredibly honored to work at
an agency like this, which is why they will receive my first
application once I have my MSW.

Day 1 Highlights

Hi everyone!

On Monday, June 8th I arrived here in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia! Here are
some highlights from my first day!
- Had yummy crepes & a croissant for breakfast while looking down at
Sudan. Saw lots of desert & the fertile area around the Nile. This
made me miss Egypt.
- Ahope's Social Worker picked me up from the airport along with a
nurse and 2 of the sweet girls from Ahope.
- While driving to the guest house, we passed the UNHCR's regional
office. I not so secretly dream of working with the UNHCR someday!
I've seen their headquarters in Geneva & I was excited to see them in
Addis!
- Had injera, rice, & chickpeas for lunch with the staff at Ahope. Yum!
- Had 2 cups of, hands down, the BEST coffee I have ever tasted! I'm
not a fan of coffee, but Ethiopian coffee is amazing!
- Took a tour of Little Ahope (7 and under). The youngest is 20 days old.
- Took a tour of Big Ahope (8-15 years). Met Mom & Ralph's sponsored
child. Sweet girl!

More posts are on their way!!!

On my way!

Today is the day that I finally leave for Ethiopia! I can't believe it is actually here :)

Thank you to everyone who donated supplies to Ahope! I really appreciate your help!!!

Hopefully I will be able to update soon. My goal is to post once per week. I'm not sure if I will be able to upload pictures, but if I can, I'll put them on facebook and post the link for everyone.

I will be able to check my email, so make sure to email me and tell me how your summer is going!

I will miss you all!

Shots

6 shots down, 1 more to go!

My typhoid vaccination finally arrived, so yesterday I received that from my Dr. plus my yellow fever shot at the Health Department. All I have left is one final Hep A/B shot.

I'm expecting everything I drink to start leaking out of my arms any day now :)

Amongst other things, I am now protected against:
* Influenza
* Polio
* Hepatitis A
* Hepatitis B
* Typhoid
* Yellow Fever

I also have 12 weeks worth of malaria pills as well as prescription meds for when (not if, apparently) I get sick. Sweet.

Blog With A Purpose

The semester is over and now I can focus solely on Ethiopia! YAY!!! There will be more posts soon :)

Originally, the reason for this blog was to keep in touch with my family and friends. I tend to gravitate towards crazy adventures, which understandably sometimes worries my family (my Dad blames me for his white hair :). They like to know what I'm doing and a blog seems like a good way of keeping them informed.

I am hoping that this blog will also have a greater purpose, however. Ethiopia is a country that is close to my heart. Even closer to my heart are the many issues that millions of people, including Ethiopians, face all around the world. Issues such as poverty, HIV/AIDS, homelessness, illiteracy, and many others. I could go on and on about this for hours. It is easy to think about all of these issues and feel both overwhelmed and helpless. Fortunately, I am surrounded by some great people. Professors, classmates (who are going to be AMAZING social workers!), and even strangers have given me good advice on how to keep things in perspective.

This blog is going to help with that. While I can't single handedly erase all of the difficult problems I may encounter, I can share my experiences with you! I can help increase awareness just by discussing everything that I see. Most people will leave this site with a greater knowledge of Ethiopia and its orphans. That is so great! Maybe, though, one person will learn about an issue that will become important to them. Maybe they will feel inspired to help in whatever way they can, whether it is in their neighborhood or on the other side of the world.

Perhaps I am just dreaming, but I think that would be pretty cool :).

The start of an incredible journey

Have you ever felt drawn to a place that you have never seen? I have. About 2 years ago, I learned about Ethiopia. I learned of their fascinating history, rich culture, and their 4.5 million (approximate) orphans. No matter how hard I try, I can't shake this country from my mind. Ethiopia refuses to loosen her grip on me. I am captivated by a nation that seems to have so little yet so much.

Because of this, I will soon be spending 6 weeks in the capital of Addis Ababa where I will volunteer at an orphanage for children living with HIV. While in country, I will be providing some exceptional kids with attention, lots of love, and anything else that is asked of me. I can't explain how excited I am to have this opportunity!

I look forward to sharing my experiences as well as Ethiopia's culture & history with you! I'm sure that upon closer inspection you too will find a place that is much more magical than the pictures in National Geographic depict.

Since I am getting class credit for this, I should consider & outline my goals for this trip:
Goals (in no particular order):
1. Experience Ethiopia's culture first hand.

2. Eat as much injera (a popular sour and spongy flatbread) as possible!

3. Experience life in an orphanage so that when I work in international adoption stateside, I will have a better understanding of where many children will be coming from.

4. Obtain a better understanding of the issues that create orphans & how we can alleviate these circumstances so that future children are not orphaned.

5. Obtain a better understanding of foreign aid & how it is working as well as where it needs improvement. - I recently read a book that discussed why humanitarian aid is not working. I am interested in seeing the benefits/repercussions of aid first hand, forming my own opinions, & learning about ethical and responsible ways of helping.

6. Help in whatever way I am needed. Leave Ahope knowing that I was a positive addition to their organization.

7. HAVE FUN!!!!