The daily (1/16/2009)

Life here has caught onto a routine, which is nice. I play with the kids, teach class, and hang out around town. Its pretty sweet. Everyone I come into contact is just so nice...very considerate...even the beggars. It is such a wonderful city...massive though...I swear one taxi ride takes 30 minutes...for me that is a lot of driving through pebbled alley ways, and dysfunctional highways with no traffic rules...but it gets us where we need to go. We have taxi driver we call up all the time, named Getu...he is hilarious. On his dashboard is a light up neon crucifix, and on the back window is a silohoutte of a very voluptuos woman...naked...haha! He is great!
Anyways, last night he drove us to Yad Abyssinia which is a traditional cultural restaraunt. They have a program of dancing and singing while you eat. During one part they bring a up some customers to the stage...and they chose me. So I had to dance and eat on stage for 10 minutes...sweet and embarassing. But i had a blast. Now i can shake it like a HABASHA (Ethiopian).
Its really funny...people here don't know what to make of me. In the volunteer group...there are 3 white americans, one girl from Finland but was adopoted from here, so she look Ethiopian and then there is me. The other Americans look like (ferengi -foreigners) and the people here love pointing that out. When you walk past them...they just say ferengi! thats it...the little kids love it...they want to shake your hands. For me, its a little different. They give me the inquisitive eye. I am brown like them...but my features are different...so they are puzzled. At cafes...you can hear an entire conversations behind our table based on what my nationality/heritage is. And when the finally decide to ask...they can't belive I am American and have no idea where Nepal is...its hilarous. Sometimes I get Arab ferengi or western Ethiopian (which are people who look like they are from Saudi, supposedly) I have a fun time toying with people.
This past weekend we got to go to Awash Natural Park. The park itself is split by a road. On the left side of the part are the Afar people, which is a tribe... and they live in the park (which is about 30-60km off the main road) On the right side are the Aromo people, which is another tribe. The two tribes always fight, so the entire time we were in the park we had two armed gaurds - who were extremely nice. They let us hold their guns!!! I have never helded a gun... so it was a new experience. Anyways we saw these massive waterfalls...and a whole bunch of animals...a lion, oryxs, lesser kudus (which look like deer but have thin white stripes on their backs -gorgeous) baboons, grovet monkeys, warthogs - yes, like the one from Lion king, camels - though it was a herd with the Afar people and weren't wild, a crocodile, dik-diks(which looked like mini deer/hairless rabbits). The birds were small but had beautiful coloring on their wings...a deep turqouise. Also, the butterflies were amazing. The just flitted and floated around...and and each one was different...just amazing...they were actually my favorite part. That night we stayed at a small hotel...which was overpriced since we were non-habashas. We ended up drinking on the roof...which was blasting tradtitional music. We danced the night away Gin and coke or wine and coke...The local wine here is very good...and is made to be mixed with coke or pepsi...very nice. Its not what we think of wine...but still does the job! All in all...it felt like a friday night back in Eugene! haha
THe next day we went to a natural hot spring...freakin hot...but looked like an oasis and chewed on the local drug of choice...chet. It is just a local leaf that stimulates the body. We were all just super excited. I had to give it a try...my excuse, it is part of the culture and thats what I am here to experience! haha.
Anyways it was 4-5 hour drive...and the driver, Allum played the 90's classics...over and over...I don't think I can handle Celine Dion, or the Backstreet boys for a while.

back at the children's home today is a going away party, for Genet and Awaris. Genet is 17yrs old and her brother Awaris is 15. They are leaving for Camas, WA (very close to portland) to live with their adopting family. They already have two brothers there and sister who were adopted two years ago, so it will be a big reunion for them. So, today all the kids will have cake and soda. Its is a very bitter sweet moment. But I am looking forward to it.

miss ya...and hope all is well!