Cultural Dresses

1/25/10 Monday


Misrak and I went shopping for a cultural dress this weekend (Friday.) I found one that I liked and fit. We didn’t buy it then since they would charge me more for it just because I am a ferengi (foreigner.) The next day Misrak and Meaza bargained and bought the dress for me. I also got one similar to mine for my sister Arielle. The fabric is hand-woven cotton with hand-stitched designs.

Friday evening I went with Mesfin to the Peacock Café. We met with his friend Anbesa for drinks and to hang out. Anbesa also won the DV lottery and is moving to Texas with his aunt and uncles that have been there for over 15 years already. I showed his how to write an American resume and some things to expect when he gets there.

Anbesa is upset because his family is encouraging him to marry an American when he gets there. He has a beautiful fiancé that I met on Saturday afternoon when Mesfin and I were invited to Ambesa’s house for coffee. He says he will find a way to bring his fiancé over as soon as he has his paperwork finished.

The conversation turned to love and the three types of love that physiology has broken down in to. It is best described using Greek term broken down to these three classifications:

“Agape” is the Greek word for divine, unconditional, self–sacrificing, active, volitional, thoughtful love. Greek philosophers at the time of Plato used it in a way that suggested a universal, as opposed to a personal, love; this could mean love of truth, or love of humanity.

“Philia” meaning friendship in Modern Greek, a dispassionate virtuous love, a concept developed by Aristotle. This love is what one has towards their family and friends.

Lastly, “Erotic Love”; conjugal love is involved in erotic love as well, and is understood as a sexual love.

We decided you need all three of these in a relationship. Since that was the conclusion of our discussion we finished that with these things involved in Anbesa’s relationship, he and his fiancé will be able to be patient until arrangements can be made to bring his fiancé to Texas with him.

Yesterday (Sunday) for lunch the Abbas and I were invited to Assumpta’s house. We brought our lovely 93-year-old Abba Petros. It’s the first time I’ve seen him leave the Catholic Church Compound.

Assumpta has a very large family. After I greeted her whole family we were lead into the living room (they call it the salon.) We sat down and one of the sister’s brought water to wash our hands. The other sisters rotated with different dishes of food filling our plates.