Sunday

In the clouds.

Today was our last day in Ethiopia, until I receive US Embassy clearance to bring Gemechu to the United States. We left the northern mountainous region around 9:15 and drove thru the clouds to the Monastery. It was a beautiful and very holy place; we witnessed both a funeral and wedding ceremony during our 2-hour visit. We took a tour with a well-spoken guide. Before we were allowed entry, we had to review the lists of requirements to the actual monastery and cave… no menstruating women, no intercourse for either a man or woman in the last 48 hours, no photography. Then we were allowed to enter sans shoes and view the interior, it was beautiful, well preserved and obviously a prize possession to the Ethiopians. Men and women were separated inside and a curtain was placed to block the woman’s view of the altar.

Monastery

We then trekked up a very rocky and steep incline to view the cave. The elevation was so high it was difficult to climb. Many people were making this trek to the top….an ill man was partially carried to the cave to bath in the holy waters at the peak. Inside a small cave at the top, a monk prayed and holy water flowed. Many Ethiopians collected the holy water and carried back down the incline….indeed a treacherous task.

Rocky Climb

We left the monastery and heading to a traditional lunch in a restaurant with a beautiful view. Along the way we saw a honey farm, which was also home to hundreds of monkeys. Ethiopians have a very potent drink made from fermented honey called Taj- we tried Taj and we referred to it as the ‘crazy orange drink’, because it could sneak up and get ya really quick.

Bees & Monkeys

Addis Ababa from the mountain.

We then headed back to Addis, a beautiful drive with gorgeous views of the city. Since the new family had not yet met their son, we were lucky enough to tag along for an additional orphanage visit. I must state that it is a true privilege to witness this first meeting between parent and child. We were so fortunate to witness all the families first meetings and it was a gift. It is a comfort to know how much the caregivers love these children. When we arrive, some of the caregivers stop in to witness the family visit and to share in the happiness. I gave and received many hugs and kisses today. As I was playing with my little guy today, he was batting at my face…. the caregiver in the room looked right at Gemechu and said “oh no no no Gemechu no hit mama’s face”… then she proceeded to make him giggle aloud….leaving is tough, I cried all the way back to the hotel, but I know he could not be in better hands, unless they were mine.

Gemechu

Saturday

We had to say goodbye to our friends Bob and Pam who left tonight, we all hope that the return trip will be at the same time….I love the fact that this journey has introduced me to new friends in California, Michigan and New York…I believe Gemechu and I will have some summer adventures driving coast to coast.

Journey North

Today was also our last big adventure, a journey to northern Ethiopia. The north is mountainous and at higher elevations, we reached over 10,000 feet. It was also full of winding roads cut out of the mountains, which made it a dizzy drive and although I had been feeling fine, today was a little rough. Along the way we stopped for pictures and the children would come running with their treasures to sell...Alemu helped us to barter a good price. The children would attempt to win you over by telling you what grade they were in and where their school was located... I might add they spoke all this in english....it was impressive. We finally made it to the hotel and then had a buffet-style traditional lunch.

Bartering with the children.

In the afternoon we drove thru the Blue Nile Region and witnessed beautiful scenery. As we winded thru the mountains headed towards the bridge, which crossed the Nile, the temperature became warmer. We saw many monkeys as well as the usual suspects cows, donkeys, sheep, and goats. It was impressive how the animals and people traveled thru the area, on a narrow road with a cliff drop off on one side and the mountain on the other side. The road we traveled is maintained by the Japanese government. The also built the new bridge which crosses the Nile. There were many semi trucks on the road since it is the road to the Sudan. We even witnessed a few kids and teens hitching a free ride on the back of the trucks. We crossed the new bridge on foot and then walked across the old bridge. The river is low due to the lack of rain but it was still quite massive. Much like the US Saturdays seem to be the day for weddings and we saw more than one wedding party. As we passed a wedding in the middle of a photo shoot, we stopped to take a few pictures as well. They in turn took pictures of the crazy Americans. We headed back up the mountain and to a local town for a drink then onto the hotel for dinner and bed. It is amazing how exhausting it is to sight see. A new family arrived today; they traveled north with us and hope to visit their sons tomorrow afternoon. Since one of their children is at Enat Alem, I may get a bonus visit with Gemechu- WOO HOO!

Walking up the mountain road.

The Nile River.

Court!

Today was the big day….

This day will forever change my life in such a profound way. We arrived at the government building in downtown Addis Ababa slightly before 9am. I was nervous and the stress forced me to skip my morning coffee. We waited about 30-40 minutes outside the courtroom. It was standing room only, all the people waiting were adoptive parents or people relinquishing their children, many countries were represented in court today. The range of emotions in that room is staggering to consider. We were the second group to be called and all 4 families from my agency entered together. The court clerks (women) reviewed our passports and the judge (woman) named the children and we acknowledged our presence for our child. Then she asked us a few questions to which we answered ‘yes’ in unison. We were all finished except for that ever-elusive MOWA letter which is about 30 days delayed. I realize you now want to know when little Gemechu is coming home….I do too! I am hoping for sooner rather than later, but to be honest it could be 6 weeks or 3+ months. But for today, I will celebrate that I have made it this far.

Entrance to the National Museum of Ethiopia

After court we headed to the National Museum of Ethiopia, home to Lucy. To be fair this portion of today’s blog post is especially for my fellow art and history teachers…. Lucy or as she is referred to in Amharic: Dinkenesh (wonderful) is indeed the most famous artifact at the National Museum. Lucy is a 3.5 million year old skeleton, the oldest hominid that has ever been found, on a side note she was named after the Beatles song Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. Lucy was found on November 24, 1974, at Hadar in Ethiopia. "Hominid" basically means a being in the ape/human family that walks upright. There was a fascinating exhibit about the progression of man, which included many artifacts and was quite interesting. As a update to this information in 2009 another female skeleton was found in Ethiopia ‘Ardi’ which precedes Lucy by a million years. As for the art in the National Museum, it was beautiful. The painting floor was of course, my favorite part of the tour but what was most interesting was the mixture of paintings: primitive, ancient, modern, realistic, non-objective. The most distressing thing about the museum itself was the conditions. There were no airtight cases, no protection from sunlight, outside air, or even water damage. One of the families brought their 20 year old daughter who is a photographer… she pointed to a portion of the painting and asked if it was fading away- she was so distraught and commented that she felt she was lucky to see it before it was gone-

Lucy

The actual skeleton is preserved in Addis Ababa and not on display

We then enjoyed a pizza lunch, which we all agreed was delicious since we have overloaded on Injera, and bypassed a second museum to visit the children. This was the last time we will see them until our return trip…it was bittersweet. Each time we visit we are graced with more insight to these precious children and I am referring to all of the children in the orphanage. They love the attention and the interaction and I am so happy that almost all of them have families. I spent a solid 2 hours holding my little guy and even let Grammy have a turn or two. Saying goodbye was rough…. I will be leaving a big part of my heart in Ethiopia…soon sweet boy, I will be back soon….

Thursday

Ah, that sweet smell of diesel in the morning…city living in a large city with lots of vehicles and not a street sign or traffic light to be found. We have learned to not pay attention to the road- have I mentioned our driver’s mad skills….we are in good hands. Car insurance in Addis must be higher than New York City. There are only a few roads that lead into and out of the city – on our trip south the road we took would have led us directly to Kenya. There is public and private transportation. All the taxis are blue and they range from three wheeled smart car replicas to small BMW replicas, to small vans. I take in the sights thru the car windows and there are a few things I am very clear on….. Ethiopians are proud …it is evident in the women sweeping the streets, the daily shining of shoes, washing cars, and the general greetings they give each other and guests. It is not uncommon to see boys and men walking hand in hand, two-handed handshakes and hugs. I have seen many pickup soccer games played in the streets and overgrown courtyards…gives this coach’s heart a squeeze each time I witness it. The begging is present but I applaud the little ones who are hustling for the money, whether they are selling gum or candy it is not just a handout for them.

Shoe Shine

Soccer

Today was filled with everything a girl could love…..shopping, food and babies….

We left this morning for a shopping trip in a public market…. It was relatively quick and I should have had a better frame of reference for the outing. It was a little crazy and I am not skilled at the bartering game, it was no wonder the store owners looked so happy- We did manage to purchase some neat mementos but you know where your heart is when you are willing to bypass the shopping to spend time with your little guy…. Off to traditional lunch and then a very long visit with the children…. Gemechu was a sweetie as I expected but he also gave me a special gift… he cried and fussed, although it only lasted about 5 seconds it was music to my ears. I have seen nothing but a sweet pleasant baby boy and I was glad to see him let loose some personality… He is a tiny guy but he has a belly and chubby legs, of course he is always bundled up so I steal a peek when the nannies change him. It was 50-60 degrees in Addis today and for the first time we all agreed with Alemu that it was cold….

Perfect.

Tonight we went to a traditional dinner and Ethiopian Dance show. I think I definitely need to find a place for Gemechu to learn the traditional dances they were beautiful, energetic and dramatic… each told a story and we all enjoyed it. I even saw Alemu smiling thru out the show. I did not take my camera tonight so pictures will come later.

Rainy Season

Rainy season has arrived.

Today we awoke to rain….rainy season has arrived and since it has been very dry it is a precious gift for the farmers. The growing season is very short in Ethiopia: July thru October. We left Nazareth a dry desert area and headed to Assella a much more lush area- As we headed south we had trouble maneuvering thru the streets, they flooded with the rain.

Street flooding

Farm

We still had to dodge the usual obstacles in the roads from cows to people. Our driver has amazing skill. Assella is a beautiful town and I was glad to see the Transition Home where Gemechu began his journey. The directors, caregivers, nurses, and guards were soft-spoken lovely people. We participated in a traditional coffee ceremony, sweet black coffee and popcorn. We spent quite a bit of time in Assella. We then returned to Nazareth for another traditional lunch and back to Addis.

Cows crossing the road and bring traffic to a halt.

Alemu gifted us with a short visit to the orphanage. It is a very small place and we crowd 7 adults in addition to nurses and caregivers it is beyond crowded. The children are no doubt overwhelmed when we descend on the orphanage as our the caregivers but I can not express how impressed and confident I am in the care the children receive. Today was certainly the most emotional day I have ever experienced. Much like the farmers I will forever treasure the gifts I received today….

Each day comes bearing its own gifts. Untie the ribbons.

Ruth Ann Schabacker


Children playing outside of Assella

Tuesday

Lake Awassa

An eventful day…..We left Awassa at 9 am, it is truly a gorgeous place, and it didn’t hurt that we stayed in a luxury hotel…. Today we headed north to Nazareth, a larger city near Addis, and clearly a favorite of Alemu….

View of Nazareth

I found a new setting on my camera and hope my pictures are less blurred…. The amount of animals in the road is amazing- herds of goats, cows, dogs and we saw a herd of camel today- and dodged a enormous bird…. Mom asks what type of birds, every time she sees one….Alemu answers either a big one or Ethiopian birds, I appreciate him…. We stopped again for a traditional Ethiopian Lunch of Injera.

Celebration Lunch :0

Today marked the end of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church fasting… a month of no meat- many people were celebrating the holiday including our driver who along with Alemu ate raw meat dipped in hot sauce for lunch, I am somewhat outgoing and others tried the raw meat- me ….yeah right!!! not a chance…. I did eat the cooked sheep, no doubt you are impressed! Nazareth is a busy city and we are quite the sight….7 white Americans with our Ethiopian driver and a guide… truly a minority… this does however speed us through the road security checkpoints…. I was struck again today of the loving nature of Ethiopians- they share such a friendliness with their neighbors as well as strangers- I find Americans usually hesitate to attempt a foreign language in country – Ethiopians will often greet us in English and this is most impressive when it is obvious they are not versed in English. We visited a government run resort this afternoon, which had two natural fed spring water pools, one was an Olympic size and the other international size. The larger pool was closed today as they drain and refill them weekly- Mom swam in the warm pool as did some others and then experienced a hot spring shower… I wandered and took pictures with Elsbeth. We were introduced to a beautiful yellow birds nesting area by a security guard carrying a rifle- Again they are such a proud and generous people. After a few drinks we headed to a light dinner… about the food- we are seriously overfed! All 7 of us declined dinner but Alemu insisted…. Tomorrow we visit Gemechu’s birth town. All three families’ children are from Allessa so we will see the town and meet birthparents- an emotional day to be certain. On a side note, Elsbeth’s son is not only Gemechu’s crib neighbor but they also arrived from Allessa to Addis together. Besu’s birthday is January 7 and Gemechu is January 8. Although Besu will reside in the San Francisco Bay area we have already chatted about staying close for the boys- another precious gift along the way.

We waited for the herd of camels to cross the road.

Mom and I in front of an Ethiopian Orthodox Church

Prepare for a long post- today was jam packed full of new adventures….We began our trek south to Awassa early this morning… we left Addis Ababa at 8 am and took a 5 hour van ride thru some beautiful cities and small towns, it is quite different from the city of Addis- there is pure beauty in the love and friendship of the people. We saw mostly rural farm communities. Multiple families living in mud huts often with their cows. I have many pictures and to be honest I would have stopped every 10 yards for pictures but instead most images were caught thru the van windows. The weather is warmer in the south but still lovely spring type weather- although according to Alemu it is freezing and this would be why Ethiopians are usually bundled up while Americans are content in tee shirts- we told Alemu he needed to experience snow to understand cold :)

Injera

We stopped twice along the way once for coffee and once for Injera….both very tasty, however I discovered it was best that I did not ask what exactly I was eating….

In Awassa we stopped at a coffee and banana farmer’s home. He shared his home with his young wife and numerous children and of course the family cow. The pride he had in his banana trees and coffee trees was evident on his face and his children loved nothing more than to have their picture taken and see it on the camera screen.

Our Hippo viewing transportation :0

Hippos on Lake Awassa

On to Lake Awassa …. This was a leap of faith for me as I am not the most adventurous girl, we loaded into a small wooden boat and headed out in rough water to see the hippos- up close and personal….The boat captain was great but I was partial to the 1^st mate an eight year old boy who bailed out the ever increasing water that accumulated in the bottom of the boat…..needless to say I was thrilled to reach dry land and as additional proof of the Ethiopian wildlife I also let a large monkey on my shoulder to eat peanuts out of my hand…In what I have come to see as the dichotomy of Ethiopia we arrived at our resort for the evening… an amazingly beautiful place that sits on Lake Awassa, it truly seems criminal to stay in such luxury after our day’s trek.

Tomorrow we will visit another resort town, I anticipate another eventful day….. Each day I spend here is exhausting and awe-inspiring. It is so completely surreal that I am getting to glimpse a part of the world which is so very different from what I have known for 42 years- This trip is a precious gift and I truly feel lucky that I will return in the near future…and I look forward to the day I can bring my son back to visit his first home.