Cultural Moments

September 30, 2013

In continuing to embrace adapting to this culture I figured I would report some of the highlights. Last Thursday was the Orthodox Christian holiday Meskal “The Finding of the True Cross”, which like all holidays here involves eating doro wat, drinking buna, eating kolo and socializing. In addition a giant cross is burned. Yay! I had the fun of inviting myself to go with my compound “sister” visiting from Addis, to the celebration. We ended up meeting her brother Johannes (and my neighbor), one of the nicest people I have ever known, and going out for tibs (roasted meat) and beer first. I had a lot of fun with them talking with them in my broken Amharic and their broken English. I listened as they talked about family issues, which answered some questions that had been building about my “compound family”. Anyway we left and headed up the hill to where a huge crowd of people stood in their lovely nutella’s (not the chocolate but the traditional white scarf). As it started to get dark a huge cross made of Eucalyptus branches was lit on fire. I enjoyed playing with the kids, taking photos and surprising people that I could speak tinish Amharic. A lovely cultural ceremony.

Me in my "Habasha" libs (Ethiopian clothes)

Lovely ladies

The burning of the cross

Cutie!!!

My other lovely cultural moment was today when I went to the home of my counterpart Gobezie and his wife Tigist, who are quickly becoming my second adopted family. Her 35 year old sister suddenly died last week of a heart attack and they were in mourning. Ethiopians address death by erecting a large tent in their yard and sit in it mourning for days. Friends and neighbors drift by and sit to pay their respects, talk and console each other. I found it to be very touching and powerful as we sat watching the emotions of sadness, reflection, memory, connection and joy pass over us. One elderly man came and started wailing and crying deeply which of course led me to cry a bit reflecting on all those who have mourned under the tent, the sadness of a young life cut short, and the pain of loss that everyone faces. A precious moment.

Walking back home I gave a banana to two of my favorite little girls and enjoyed talking with some high school girls. Now that school is back in session the kids are everywhere and I am learning the joy in talking with them pushing both of our language skills. This afternoon I snuk out before a looming rain storm and collected some old manure in preparation for making a garden with Mogus the guard tomorrow. Some young boys even helped me even though they thought I was crazy collecting poo! Ah the joy in embracing being different!

PS- As of tomorrow I have been in Ethiopia for 1 year!!! Crazy!!!