Everywhere are flags of different regions of Ethiopian as well as the Nation flag. Misrak explains that in the beginning the national flag was just red, yellow, and green. During Haile Sellassies time the government added the lion in the middle of the national flag. The current government has once again changed the national flag from the lion to a star in the middle.
On our way back we stop to buy a papaya. A man in a business suit and sunglasses pays for it before I can even pull out my money. “For our lovely guest he says and walks away to his car.
I side glance at Misrak as to what to do next and she say, “You can go tell him thank you. People here is Dire Dawa do that sometimes they are very nice.” So before the car takes off I walk over to the rolled down window and say “Amaseganalu” (Thank you in Amharic.) “No thank you.” He says in English. “What is you name?”
“Misty” I say and the two men in the car laugh (remember my name in Amharic literally translates to “My Wife.”) I laugh too and they ask if I am on vacation or working. I tell them I am volunteering and they are very pleased. “Well then a pleasure it is.” The man says and we say goodbye.
Misrak and I take a small car back to where I am staying. The two guys in the car are not as nice. They say in Amharic to Misrak, “She is Russian, so we will discriminate and make you too pay more.”
“She is not Russian.” Misrak says, “and so we will not pay more. The guys make a sour face and insist that I am Russian and therefore I will pay more or they will kick us out of the car. We get back to my place and pay them the normal amount (Two Birr.)
The guy driving makes another sour face and shoves the Birr in his glove compartment only saying “You are Russian.” He drives off. We laugh, and continue on.
Last night (12/5/09) was a bazaar and concert. (5 Birr to get in.) There is lots of live music, as well as a comedian. The people here although they are very, very poor, have a great sense of humor.
I’ve been reading a lot. I just finished “The Hero with a Thousand Faces” by Joseph Campbell. I am almost finished with a book Ashley let me have before she left Barcelona Spain. It’s called “Of Saints and Shadows” by Christopher Golden. It’s about the war between vampires, humans, and the Catholic Church.
It’s a great read if you like fiction, Vampires and all that stuff. I eat it right up. I’ve always loved a good Vampire read. Ever since I was little I was reading books like “My Best Friend’s a Vampire” and Anne Rice books, R.L. Stein, Movies, and TV shows like “Dark Shadows” I could go on and on…
This book is different. It relates in a strange way to my own surroundings in a sense. The book is about the Catholic Church coming after the oldest of the vampires and eventually planning to destroy them all. Their intention is to keep them from an age-old secret the Catholics have hidden from Vampires to control them. The vampires eventually find out the secret is the superstitions. They’re all fakes. Even walking in the sun.
I put it in this perspective: I am living in the guesthouse of a Catholic church. Ethiopians as I have described eat raw meat. In fact they eat meat whenever it is available raw or cooked. They love their raw meat! Their chocolate skin helps protect them from the sun, yet they prefer the night. May times the streets here look deserted until night falls and you see masses of people everywhere.
Could Ethiopians be modern day Vampires?
1 comment:
now I understand the vampires comment. You won't come back to the States with a thirst for blood, will you? I've already seen some zombie in you...
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