Loving Ethiopian Food
Part of passing on my heritage to my kids is ensuring not only they learn to speak Amharic but that they also develop attachment for things Ethiopian.
Ethiopian Dance Performed in Amsterdam
Another video - this time curtsy to Addis (thank you!).
God only knows just how much these guys had to practice!
You Tube Induced Nostalgia
I am sitting here in tears after watching these videos. They were staples of my childhood.
I thought I might extend the possibility of being reduced to tears to those of you (Ethiopians) who are about my age and grew up in cities.
Because you may also remember.
Hoya Hoye: Playing with Fire
Growing up in Ethiopia, I always loved taking part in the "Chibo" ceremony during holidays.
No More A Pagan: The After Baptism Bash
After the baptism and communion at the church, we all went home.
My dad blessed and cut up the giant Ethiopian bread.
No More A Pagan: Dinbit's Ethiopian Baptism
One Sunday morning, this past summer, we got ourselves out of our warm beds at the crack of dawn and headed to the church.
Dinbit's grandmother got her comfortable at the baptism hall while myself and the prospective godmother looked on.
Continue Reading "No More A Pagan: Dinbit's Ethiopian Baptism"
Duty Free
Of all the religious garb colors, this bright orange is my favorite.
It makes religion seem cheerful and full of hope.
Black, on the other hand, makes me think of the part of religious doctrine that is irrationally unyielding.
Electric Rationing = No Blogging
So, some of you guys have emailed me asking where I have disappeared to.
Did you know that we are under electric rationing here in Addis Ababa?
Good god, it is a pain in the butt not to have power y'all!
In theory, we are supposed to have power every other day. In practice how ever, it has been more like no electricity for a full day (6am to 11pm) and then some intermittent power sprinkled through out the next day.
Just to make this holiday from electricity a little bit more special, the phone in our house actually goes out with the power [our telephone is not the only one that behaves this way].
SO, I CAN NOT even use my computer battery, dial up (yes, dial up is still king in Ethiopia) to connect to the internet and do my business.
This, it turns out, has a fatal effect on my blogging! I have so many updates but no way to do them.
Between the kids meals, naps, and school schedule, it is really hard to fit in the black and brown outs. The past few weeks, I have barely succeeded in getting in my writing assignments on time!
Hopefully, I will be back up and running soon enough.
Dinbit and the Closet
So what does Dinbit do in the mornings, after she drops her brother off at school?
She plays in the closet.
First Day of School in Ethiopia
Both Buchela and I were excited about his first day of School here in Addis.
Ethiopia 2009: Buchela's School
I didn't want Buchela to be bored during his stay in Ethiopia.
Addis is not a particularly child friendly city.
It lacks basic amenities such as playgrounds.
Safe and In Rainy Addis
Addis is cold, grey, and rainy.
I am trying to remember how to enjoy this season.
As a child, I know I found magic in it.
