From Ethiopia

Well it has been another fantastic day in Africa! I am laying here typing with my beautiful baby lying next to me and the wind is flowing thru windows off the deck from our bedroom. He is starting to smile at both of us and has been cooing so sweetly. When Shawn and I went to take him back to the nannies this morning while we shopped. I had him in my sling. The nannies smiled and patted my sling saying, "good mommy! Safe, Safe, Safe". I knew they approved. Ethiopian culture says that babies are not to be seen in public until they are older than six months. So my sling that keeps him hidden inside is perfect. We kissed him goodbye and told his favorite nanny that we would return after lunch.



Massi then took us to Church Hill road for a morning of shopping. The shopping prices were so amazing. I felt guilty buying the things knowing that this was someone’s livelihood and that the items were so inexpensive. Even harder to watch were all of the beggars that showed up as soon as they saw the Americans. There were many people who were crippled,or in wheelchairs or have some sort of terrible disability. In America we have a social safety net for these people but not here. We were told by our driver today that only between 6-20% of this country works doing salaried jobs. The per capita income in Ethiopia is $120 a year. No that is not a typo! Ethiopia is one of the world's poorest nations. As we were walking our baby back this morning we walked next to two young men wrapped in blankets that they probably had slept in on the road. They told Shawn and I that there was no work here. They were going to look this morning for something to make money. We gave them two granola bars for their breakfast and they thanked us and then we left them as we turned into the office. Anyway, I got off the subject of shopping. We had a good time and it was nice to have Massi and our driver to keep us safe and in the right place.



After shopping they drove us through the Merkato. This is the largest open air market in Africa. It was huge. I was taking pictures outside my window and Massi told me to quick close the window or someone would pull my camera out of my hands. There were so many people, donkies, cars, goats and more people. In the books it sounds like a fun place to visit and I had been disappointed when I learned that we would not be able to shop there. However like so many other things here as you are able to experience it for yourself you realize why Massi has made the determination that it will be drive through window shopping.



We returned home to another wonderful lunch finished with the best rice crispy treats ever. Someone on our agency forum had told me that the cooks love to make rice crispy treats. So if I would bring the marshmallows and rice crispies they would make them. They were delicious.



Need to run and do some things I will write later.



I went to pick up Girum from the care center and his favorite nanny was there. She was smiling her usual beautiful smile. She tries so hard to communicate with me and I, her. But usually we just smile and laugh at our little Girum, however. Today when I came she said to me, "I have a gift for Girum". She got in her drawer and pulled out a beautiful Ethiopian outfit. She had bought it just for him. I got all teary eyed and gave her a big hug and she asked if she could put it on. He looked so beautiful in it. It was really more than my emotions could handle. This sweet nanny had bought this beautiful outfit with what was equivalent to 2 days pay. It was then that I really understood how attached she was to my little boy. She has taken care of him for the past three months so well. To which I will never be able to repay her for. I got to the car and the other families were there and I showed them little Girum in his outfit and all of them could not believe he she had done that. We are all very aware at the little money that people get by on here. I started crying it was just to much. A van full of darling babies and toddlers and my sweet little boy in his darling Ethiopian traditional dress.



We spent the afternoon enjoying each other's company and doing a little wash in the

bucket in our shower. Not my favorite pass time, but necessary as most of our luggage space was taken up with the gazillion donations we brought with us. (Thanks to the generous donations from so many of you our friends and family. ) The roof has a makeshift laundry line on it and we hung our stuff up to dry in the breeze.



We had to be ready to go by 6:30 to the Crown Hotel for a traditional Ethiopian meal and dinner dancing show. Think, Ethiopian Luau. It was very interesting food. I personally enjoyed the food at the guest house better. But it was still delicious. Then they had dancers that came out and a live Ethiopian band playing traditional Ethiopian instruments. They danced from all of the regions of Ethiopia. They can move their head and necks unlike anything I have ever seen. Shawn took lots of video tape so we will have to show anyone that is interested the tapes when we are home.



We are at the guest house now and I am tired and have to get up early as we have a car picking us up at 8:30 to get us to the Dutch embassy for a transit visa. Then we will be meeting with the Doctor to go over Girum’s history and see what she has to say about him. Hopefully the embassy will be a smooth trip.