Getting to know Ethiopia... again.

Many people have asked me about the changes I’ve noticed since I lived here the last time. My first answer is that there are a lot more roads paved, groceries available, and the city has grown in general. 

But there’s a certain familiarity to the buildings, the people, the dust. My initial reaction when I stepped off the plane was of coming home. The smells were the same (love that diesel fuel), the food was just as spicy, the sun still shines just as bright, and Bingham holds many memories of the adventures we had. 

However, the longer I’m here, I realize I am a different person since the last time I was here. Eight years ago, I was a child who saw things through the eyes of the child. I remember being nervous about the beggars at my window and anxious about not understanding the language or being understood.  I was unsure of myself, as many adolescents are, and trying to make sense of the world around me. 

On the other hand, thing were a lot more black and white. I saw life here in Ethiopia as the norm, rather than comparing it constantly to what is different than “home.” Ethiopia was my home and America was a place I visited. A big part of that reality was that my family was with me. I was still a child who had my mom to cook for me and my dad as a teacher. I was a student, and that was a role with which I was comfortable and familiar. I had a community in Boarding and my friends in my class. I was here because my family chose to come. 

Wow... where has the time gone??

This time, I’m here on my own. 

I have the independence, but I also have the choices that come with it. I have to do my own grocery shopping and cook for myself. I must work to build my own community and friendships. I am now a teacher with responsibility, as I still try to figure out what exactly that means. 

First time driving on the streets of Addis! Success!

But I also see Africa differently. I have a love for the Ethiopian people that has replaced the previous anxiety. The driving is still terrifying, but I know I can conquer it. I have a freedom to travel and explore and see parts of Ethiopia I have never seen before. I have a confidence that God has put me here for a reason and it will be revealed in time. Bingham is a living, growing organism that I get to be a part of and contribute to impacting the world for God’s glory through these students. 

So to answer your question, yes it’s like coming home, but as a new person. It’s still my beloved Ethiopia, but I get to chance to experience it in a whole new way. 

Ethiopian Hospitality

My roommates and I had the opportunity to go to the home of an Ethiopian lady, Mekedes, that we have friended on Sunday for injera (local Ethiopian food) and a coffee ceremony. 

This ceremony is best experienced but to give a snapshot- as the guests, we observe the beans being washed, rinsed, and roasted over the small fire. I cannot even begin to describe the rich aromas that begin to fill the room.

Then, the beans are ground the good-old fashioned way with mortar and pestle- no automatic coffee grinders allowed.

Mekedes' beautiful daughter, Tsennat, showing us how it's done

 The grounds are then transferred into the buna (“coffee” in Amharic, the local language) pot and given time to brew. This is the freshest coffee you will ever taste… and maybe the strongest as well.

All the while, the host and guests visit and share… as much as possible through the language barrier anyway. It was such a blessing to spend time with Mekedes and her adorable children in their home and we look forward to having them over to our home for dinner soon!

Grasses, Monkeys, and Making Memories

                Well, there weren’t any sheep to eat. But there were lots of monkeys, games of kick the can, capture the flag, and sardines, cold nights spent trying to get as close to the fireplace as possible, no power, and God’s beautiful handiwork shown in the majestic mountains and sweeping hills.

                This last week, I had the privilege to travel to Guassa, a region in the Ethiopian highlands (northeast of Addis), with half of the tenth grade class. The trip was a part of the “Activities Week” in which Bingham Academy sends their 6^th through 12^th grade students once a school year all around Ethiopia. Depending on the class, the focus of this week is either community service or spiritual awareness. This provides an opportunity for the students to spend time out of the city serving alongside their friends and teachers; a time to bond, build memories, and learn in a new context.

Ours was a focus on community service and we spent the week learning about the unique Guassa grass. Being a scarce resource, which is used for roofs, weaving, and other daily necessities, the surrounding community has spent the last 400 years working together to preserve it. This includes an advanced system that records the nature of the grass (height, density, etc) and any signs of illegal harvesting. It was a fascinating study on how a group of people can bond together in order to maintain and protect what’s important.

Hello Mr. Monkey~ he and his friends are the "Gellatus" monkey.

Of course, the learning is always important. But I relished the opportunity this last week of getting to know the students and teachers outside of a normal classroom- not only does this provide a different context,  but also a true bonding experience as we dealt with flat tires, screaming monkeys, a (very) flexible schedule, hiking through the beautiful Ethiopian highlands (which brought to mind either the Doxology or “The Hills are Alive” from the Sound of Music), and many games of Fishbowl. It was a great first week in Ethiopia and a chance to see how Bingham impacts many lives to this day.

And now- a week to relax (mid-semester break) and prepare for teaching that starts the next week!!

I made it!

I’m here. and pretty much hit the ground running.

Monday/Tuesday: Flights were good~ smooth, lots of new movies, interesting seat partners. First time watching Big Bang Theory in the Frankfurt airport, but not a bad way to pass the time. Luggage made it without any problem, walked through customs with confidence and found my little sign welcoming me to Bingham Academy.

Wednesday: Campus tour and trying to reorient myself with Bingham’s campus, meeting all the (new… to me) teachers at tea time, two meetings with Bingham principals, lunch and reuniting with Mekedes, my Ethiopian grandma, then heading to the Embassy to begin the process of getting my Ethiopian drivers’ license. Returned to Bingham, attended my first staff meeting, went out for dinner (injera!!) with my mentor/buddy Rachel, back for Bible Study in her apartment, then worked on unpacking… bed.

Thursday: Headed to HQ for SIM orientation, met various people (some new, some I knew, some that knew me but I didn’t know them), go off with some new people and get a cell phone… this is an interesting story that I may expound on at a later date… back to Bingham for lunch (injera!), tried to read some manuals but fell asleep, watched the beginning of Bingham JV’s basketball game, headed out with Alli (the teacher who covered for me and then I will take over for her) for grocery shopping (which may or may not include some off-roading… TIA.) and then dinner back at her place with her two adorable little boys (injera).

Friday: Started off with a trip to the Foreign Ministry of something or other to do the next part of the license process, then on to the Ministry of Transport to finish it off and got my Ethiopian drivers license! (now to work up the nerve to actually drive here). So grateful to have Ethiopian experts to get me through the journey of it all. Back to Bingham and got to skype my parents for the first time! Meeting with the principal to figure out my responsibilities here… and then headed to dinner with old friends tonight.

Deep breath.

Oh, and did I mention that I am going on a trip next week? Yep, headed to the mountains with two male teachers, eleven tenth graders, and some sheep. (Apparently, that’s the food we’re supposed to purchase, but I think we’ll actually buy them there. For reals.)

Now this seems like a lot… and I may have left our proper punctuation for effect… but I have to say I can’t imagine a better welcome to Ethiopia. I figure let’s start the adventures from the beginning and fit in as many as we can! :)