September 11 – 28

***Emily is having trouble with her photos but will send them to me when she can so I can upload them.  So, check back in a few days to see if this post has the photos that go along with it. – Autumn

Happy 2002 Ethiopia!

Well, it kind of feels like I went back in time and at the same time still went forward. It turned 2002 here on Friday September 11th. Weird. I was invited to Bellatu’s sister’s house on Friday night. Saturday we went to the beauty salon and then Sunday I went to Tesfanesh’s sister-in-law’s brother’s house. It was a good way to spend New Years – they definitely celebrate for many days. The family usually gathers at the patriarch or matriarch’s house on new years day. Then for a couple days after that they gather at another member’s house for a meal. It’s a good tradition.

Beauty Salon

Friday night I informed Tesfanesh that I wanted to go to a beauty salon and have my hair straightened. She was delighted. So Saturday late morning we headed to one beauty salon, but they were so full they said to come back in four hours. So we jumped on the minibus and headed up to Bethel. Right across from where the bus let us off there was a beauty salon (they are all over the place) so we decided to try this one. It was much nicer than the first one we went to and there wasn’t a long line at all. They washed my hair with freezing cold water and then put it in curlers and under a dryer for 40 minutes. While I was under the dryer the most amazing thing happened – Ethiopian Idol came on tv. I had no idea they had Ethiopian Idol – I shouldn’t have been surprised but I was. Some were good and some were horrible. They also had dancers too so I guess it is more like America’s Got Talent. Anyways, after the dryer she straightened my hair and kept touching/playing with it. I asked her if it was her first time doing a white person’s hair and she said yes. Then she ruined it. She put a sheen spray on my hair without asking me. It was so oily feeling and looking that I went home and washed my hair that night. Next time I will have to tell her no spray. I loved having my hair straightened though.

Out From Under My Feet

On Saturday (the 12th) night Tesfanesh told me about a three bedroom ground floor apartment in the same complex. So the next morning we went and had a look at it. It was surprisingly really nice for an apartment. The kitchen was large as well as the living room. The three bedrooms were a decent size too. So we called the owner that night and told him that we would like to take the apartment. So we called him again on Monday night to try and figure out when we could meet with him to sign the contract and that kind of thing. He said he would get back to us. So we called again on Tuesday night and asked if we could meet the next day to finalize things. He said he was going to be out of town but that he can meet with us on Thursday. So we call again Wednesday to schedule a time and he told us that his sister lives in the same complex and told her friend that she can rent it. Tesfanesh was livid – she yelled at him for a good three minutes without taking a break. So we didn’t end up getting the apartment. It’s bummer too because we are going to have to spend another month in the one bedroom no water apartment.

Quitting Time

So this new job has its pros and cons. Pros: the pay and the hours. Cons: lack of organization, never being able to get a hold of my boss, not being paid on time, no one ever does what they say they will do. I am about fed up. Yesterday I almost quit but then I thought of the money and I kept my mouth shut.

School Shopping

So Mefin (Hiwot #2’s right hand man) called me a couple weeks ago and said that he is getting around a list of children from Debre Zeit (pronounced Deb-ra Z-eye-eat) who are hoping to get sponsored to go to school. I told him that I would help with whatever I can. Saturday night he came and visited and told me all about the sponsorship children – all 67 of them. They are from extremely poor families – so poor in fact the government is waiving tuition fees. He told me what they needed: uniforms, notebooks, pencils and backpacks. He also gave me an estimated budget for all the supplies of almost $13,000 birr. Yikes! So of course I called my dad and begged him to ask our church. He did of course – thank you so much. That covered a portion of the cost. Then I remembered the donations from some of the traveling families. So my trusty driver and I went to the merkato to go school shopping for 80 children (we added 13 orphans in the mix as well). First we went to see if we could reduce the cost of the backpacks by having tote bags made instead. We were able to reduce the cost to half the price. Then we went looking for 640 notebooks. We found a shop that would sell them to us for a very, very good price – $1.65 birr less than the estimated price. They were also willing to give us a reasonable price on 160 pencils so we added 80 pens and 80 erasers too. Tesfanesh and I unpacked all the notebooks and put them in stacks of 8 for each child. When we get the tote bags back on Saturday afternoon we will stuff each bag with all the school supplies. We are hopefully going to go to Debre Zeit on Sunday afternoon and hand out all the supplies. I will for sure take pictures. As for the uniforms – well I’m not sure. I hope the school will waive that fee as well but if not they cost about $10 USD per child. Thank you so much to everyone who donated.

School Shopping Part Two

Last Sunday (the 20th) I met with 20 children who live in Addis who are being sponsored to go to school. I met their mothers and sisters and younger siblings. They were poor. I started with the top of the list and took her photo and asked her if she was excited to go to school. She was shy but responded with a huge smile. I gave her a tote bag full of all the goodies and she bowed low and said thank you very softly. I got through the first nine children and then my camera died. Ahh…of course it would. With each child it was the same shy smile and some would answer my questions in English – only the confident ones did. They all bowed their thanks – it is not customary to say please or thank you in this culture, so a bow was more than I was expecting. Each child whether they were four or fourteen each looked at their tote bag and notebooks with awed expressions. One little boy is three – he is the younger brother of a little boy and girl who are going to school – was wearing such tattered clothes that I wanted to go home and get something for him. When he sat down the whole inseam of his pants were missing and his little pee-pee was just hanging out. His mother looked at me, pleading with me for something from him. I had nothing. I told her through Mesfin that I would bring him something when we finish the photos and buy school uniforms. Tomorrow (Saturday) we are going to Debre Zeit to deliver the rest of the tote bags. My mom called me last night and there have been enough donations through my church that all the uniforms will be paid for! This was such an answer to everyone’s prayers. I wasn’t sure where I was going to come up with money. Mesfin was overjoyed this morning when I told him we were going to be able to purchase the uniforms. He wanted to me tell everyone who donated money, “Thank you so much. God bless you.” I must also add my thanks to everyone who donated money. Without it 80 children would be at home playing in the streets or working in the fields, but now they are able to go to school. I think I have the best part in this whole ordeal – I get to watch their faces light up while they touch their tote bag for the first time, when it really sinks in that they are going to be able to go to school.

A Day in Debre Zeit (School Shopping Part Three)

So yesterday (Saturday the 26th) I went to Debre Zeit with Mesfin to meet with 60 children to give them their school supplies and take photos for their profiles. Well, lets just say something went wrong. I was not surprised at all – I was kind of expecting it actually. Only three children showed up. Hmm…Mesfin said that they moved offices a few days before and that the people didn’t know where the new office was. Well, that makes sense. So while we waited for a couple more kids to come I played with the kids at the orphanage (oh yeah, the office is at the orphanage). I forgot what a joy it was to play with kids. There was a mother there with an older girl and she was holding a baby – I was then informed while I was feeding the baby that was her baby and she was visiting while she registered the older girl for school. I couldn’t believe it really. I don’t think I could do it; visit the baby I gave up to an orphanage and most likely for adoption. I promptly gave the baby back to her – I didn’t feel right holding him while she was there for only a little while. So we filled out the paperwork and took photos. The social worker that helps Hiwot said he would make sure the children were there the next Saturday. So I have to go back next Saturday – not that I really mind.

Magdus Alemayhu

I called her forward so we could fill out her paperwork and take her photo. She was the first one and a little nervous. I asked her name and her age, six – then looked to her mother to see if she knew a more precise date – surprisingly she did. I asked her if she did chores and what she did. She answered so quietly that I had to lean closer and ask her again. She cleans the house. That did not surprise me at all. I asked her what she liked to do for fun. Again she whispered so softly that I leaned closer. She likes to play hide-n-seek with her friends. I asked her if she had ever been to school – only kindergarten. She hasn’t gone in the last two years because her mother cannot afford the tuition of $55 birr or $4 USD. She said she was very excited to go to school. I asked her mother about the father. He died she replied. I said I was sorry for her loss and asked how – he was a soldier. I asked her if she had a job – yes as a construction laborer. Being a construction worker is one of the most physically demanding jobs there are in Ethiopia. Ever since Ethiopia was under communist rule women were allowed to work as construction workers. The social divide was broken. Women are paid about $20 birr for 12 hours of work that is roughly $1.60USD. They carry loads of stone and sand and cement for 12 hours. It is backbreaking work. Magdus then smiled for a photo and laughed a little when I showed it to her. She gladly accepted her tote bag with notebooks, pencils, pen and an eraser and was all smiles then.

Bane of my Existence

Ok so I exaggerate just a little when I say that but really I hate ringworm. It itches and itches and looks disgusting. Luckily it’s not on my face this time. I thought at first it was just a mosquito bite on the top of my middle finger of my right hand. After a couple days it started to spread and take shape. Now it is a distinct circular shape. Since I sleep with my head on my hands most of the time I have taken to putting some gauze around it so it doesn’t spread to my face – and I don’t itch it as much. Ugg I hate it. The anti-fungal cream says to put it twice a day for a month. Boo. I guess it could be worse and be on my face.

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