This past month, I got to celebrate two Christmases! Two! I don't even know the proper spelling of plural Christmas. Is it Christmases? Christmasi?
The first Christmas was the one you likely know. I flew home and got to spend Christmas with my family in North Carolina. My mom flew in from AZ and my brother and his family came just after the holiday. It was good seeing them and eating lots of foods that I have missed (mainly pork products and hummus!). I taught my nieces and nephew the Ethiopian tradition of "gorsha". A "gorsha" is when you feed a bite of your food to another person, usually out of honor. We practiced with Christmas cookies. It was a lot of fun. In no time, they'll be masters of the art.
I also spent a few days in D.C. to see some friends - it was way too short but fun to reconnect with them! Some things were overwhelming though - the (attempted) efficiency of the DC metro system, the price of eating out and the many options in grocery stores and Target! I spent 5 minutes in the toothpaste aisle alone! And life moves fast. E-mails are an instant way of communicating in the U.S. with everyone having mobile access (which used to be totally be my life as well) but here, you are lucky if someone checks e-mail reliably once every other day!
I flew back the first week of January to then celebrate Ethiopian Christmas (which takes place on January 7th). Although I was still getting over jet lag combined with a good ol' American head cold, Eden and I had Christmas morning with presents and pancakes and then went to meet the Change boys for coffee.
The next day, we had a big meal with her family and some friends and then went to the Change House for a bonfire, eating and dancing.
This past weekend, we threw a huge Christmas party for all the Entoto kids. Our compound was transformed with a tent and rental chairs as we hosted all 150 kids (age 4 - 18) at once. The morning was filled with dances, games and even a Christmas play put on by some of our own high school kids. We then had a huge lunch and each child decorated a frame that they put a photo of themselves in. Everyone left with a shopping bag of donated clothes and toys. Huge shout outs to all who helped make the day possible - from the numerous volunteers here in Addis to the several people who donated money and items back in the U.S. The kids (and I!) were so happy!
I had a little rough time adjusting back to life here. My mom put it well, saying I no longer feel like I am a newcomer as I have been here for nine months but people still call me "ferenji" and try to talk to me all the time and I'm like STOP it!! Oh well... I am feeling better now. I just take it all in stride and usually laugh. Usually if people on the streets hear me speaking English, they'll try to repeat whatever I said. I should just go around saying ridiculous things so they repeat that and I get the last laugh. :) But whenever I am having a hard time, I just go hang out with the Entoto or Change kiddos and I am immediately reconnected to the reason why I am here and life is grand once again.
Love,
Lisa
The first Christmas was the one you likely know. I flew home and got to spend Christmas with my family in North Carolina. My mom flew in from AZ and my brother and his family came just after the holiday. It was good seeing them and eating lots of foods that I have missed (mainly pork products and hummus!). I taught my nieces and nephew the Ethiopian tradition of "gorsha". A "gorsha" is when you feed a bite of your food to another person, usually out of honor. We practiced with Christmas cookies. It was a lot of fun. In no time, they'll be masters of the art.
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| The fam in North Carolina |
I also spent a few days in D.C. to see some friends - it was way too short but fun to reconnect with them! Some things were overwhelming though - the (attempted) efficiency of the DC metro system, the price of eating out and the many options in grocery stores and Target! I spent 5 minutes in the toothpaste aisle alone! And life moves fast. E-mails are an instant way of communicating in the U.S. with everyone having mobile access (which used to be totally be my life as well) but here, you are lucky if someone checks e-mail reliably once every other day!
I flew back the first week of January to then celebrate Ethiopian Christmas (which takes place on January 7th). Although I was still getting over jet lag combined with a good ol' American head cold, Eden and I had Christmas morning with presents and pancakes and then went to meet the Change boys for coffee.
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| Ethiopian Christmas morning! |
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| A giant Christmas tree in a local cafe where we met the Change boys |
The next day, we had a big meal with her family and some friends and then went to the Change House for a bonfire, eating and dancing.
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| Eden, her sister Elsa and their grandmother who greets me with no less than 5 kisses every time I see her! |
This past weekend, we threw a huge Christmas party for all the Entoto kids. Our compound was transformed with a tent and rental chairs as we hosted all 150 kids (age 4 - 18) at once. The morning was filled with dances, games and even a Christmas play put on by some of our own high school kids. We then had a huge lunch and each child decorated a frame that they put a photo of themselves in. Everyone left with a shopping bag of donated clothes and toys. Huge shout outs to all who helped make the day possible - from the numerous volunteers here in Addis to the several people who donated money and items back in the U.S. The kids (and I!) were so happy!
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| The Christmas play |
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| The audience! |
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| All the Change boys came to the Entoto Christmas party to volunteer. Here you see two of them leading games for the whole group. It was so awesome to see them leading and volunteering! |
I had a little rough time adjusting back to life here. My mom put it well, saying I no longer feel like I am a newcomer as I have been here for nine months but people still call me "ferenji" and try to talk to me all the time and I'm like STOP it!! Oh well... I am feeling better now. I just take it all in stride and usually laugh. Usually if people on the streets hear me speaking English, they'll try to repeat whatever I said. I should just go around saying ridiculous things so they repeat that and I get the last laugh. :) But whenever I am having a hard time, I just go hang out with the Entoto or Change kiddos and I am immediately reconnected to the reason why I am here and life is grand once again.
Love,
Lisa
Ahh, I SO remember that feeling of being like a square peg trying to fit into a round hole exacerbated by having just spent time with family where you feel like a round peg that fits. Well, that was my experience. But your mom's right and time always helped me ease back into life outside the US. Anyway, thinking of you, praying for you, and loving you from St. Louis!
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