Festivals

1/4/10

I hope everyone enjoyed the holidays! I have been traveling a lot and haven’t had the chance to put my thoughts down until now. Not only that but I’ve been having trouble getting things to post. Grrrrr Internet in Ethiopia 

January 1st is World Peace Day and January 9th is Christmas in the Ethiopian calendar. So between my holidays and their holidays you can imagine how busy it’s been. Especially with each of the schools preparing their own ceremonies and events for the occasions.

I visited the Elementary/Middle School for their English class two Saturdays ago. Wondimu is an excellent teacher, engaging the students in his class. He has many activities for the students so they do not get bored. He loves to teach. You can tell he really enjoys what he does.

After the morning class he invited Brother Simon and I for a Buna ceremony (traditional coffee) we talked and laughed, watched Ethiopian Idol and took pictures. I had a great time.

After the afternoon class Wondimu also invited us for dinner. We went to an Italian restaurant. We had some great conversations. I learned that Wondimu won the DV Lottery and has received a visa to live in America.

For those of you that didn’t know (Even myself) The DV Lottery are run between our government and Ethiopia to give people from the country to experience America. Everyone’s name in the country is entered in the lottery. When a person’s name is randomly picked they must provide valid documents and go through an interview process.

Wondimu was this year’s lucky pick. He plans to stay in New York with a friend of a friend. I may try to persuade him to come to Texas though. He is extremely smart and I’m sure I could help him find a job teaching English or something similar.

We drove to Harar for their World Peace Day event. I went on a bus with some of the high school students from Bethrai Catholic School here in Dire Dawa. The bus was filled with energetic students singing, and joking around.

The children of the Harar Catholic School prepared a wonderful program including Peace Dramas, Music and singing, Traditional dancing, a Poetry contest, an auction to raise money for the school, and award ceremony.

After the program we had lunch at a restaurant in Harar. On our way back we stopped at a huge lake that had become dry from the drought. The bus driver told everyone to get their energy for the journey back to Dire Dawa.

Everyone flew out of the bus in one big gush and began to run down the hill into the dried up lake. Running, doing cartwheels, forming big circles and holding hands while singing. We played little games, and chased each other. It was a lot of fun.

Some of the local boys soon were watching from a distance giggling and pointing at all of them. Then we all piled back into the bus and drove home.

I took Abba Negash, Abba Mengesach, and Brother Simon out for Christmas dinner at their favorite restaurant. It seems that the best restaurants are the Hotels. I ended up getting sick the next day and spent the next day in my room near my toilet.

Once I was better Abba Worku, Misrak, Mesfin, and Yumisrach drove to Jijiga for their program. When we arrived we met with Abba Johnny an Old Italian priest who loooves to shout and yell. We all like him but at times jump at his commands. It’s really funny though when he shouts, “EAT! EAT!”

Jijiga’s program had all the elements of the program in Harar including a fashion show for the little kids, and acrobats!

I was invited on stage with Abba Worku and one other person. We were all given live doves and on the count of three (And, Hulet, Sost!) we all opened are hands in the air and the three doves flew up, up, up together and circled the arena before flying away! It was beautiful, amazing, and awe-inspiring!

Jijiga by far had the best program. All the students attended. Unfortunately Jijiga is not a stable city and none of the parents were invited for the program.

Jijiga is located very close to the Somali border. Somalia is a desperate country full of pirates, thieves, and terrorists. Because of this they have strict rules in their city that is populated with many Somali people.

At 4pm no one is allowed to drive. By 7pm everyone must be off the streets. Everywhere you go you are padded down for weapons and a lot of soldiers with riffles guard the streets. The day before we came there was a shooting and the day we were there was a terrorist bombing. We were safe staying with the sisters.

That night the sisters surprised me with an Italian cake they prepared for me for World Peace day and my New Years! We celebrated together with the delicious pastry and local beer.

At midnight Misrak threw the lights on in our room and shouted “Happy New Year!” I was confused at first but realized she had set up a whole celebration for us without me ever suspecting! Misrak is amazing! She had popcorn, chocolate, and decorated the floor with white flowers. She gave me a gift. It’s a traditional woven container to hold food for long journeys. It’s the smallest of its kind and made of woven reeds and goatskin. I love it! It’s absolutely beautiful!

After Lunch the following day we got out of Jijiga and drove straight back to Dire Dawa only stopping in Harar for Tea. The next day I was sick again. Luckily this time I was able to get some medicine and didn’t have to wait it out. I am fine now.



1/3/10

The World Peace Day event In Dire Dawa. The program at this school wasn’t planned out as well as the last two programs. There was music, speeches, and the poetry contest. There was an exibit two of the students put together with bios of all the Noble Peace Winners including the most recent (Barak Obama.) After the program I had lunch with the Abbas and Brother Simon.

I was then invited by Mesfin (the Math teacher at the Dire Dawa School) for juice and a tour of some of the Hotels in the area. Seems the Hotels are nice here, with clean swimming pools. Mesfin informed me that really the only place you can go swimming is at the Hotels.

Hotels are much different in use than in the states for the most part. Here a hotel provides a clean swimming pool, safe food, and nice sports bars. A lot of people in the city go to hotels for their amenities not to rent a room (that is of course unless they are renting a room.)


1/5/10

Getting ready for an Ethiopian Christmas! Tomorrow is Christmas Eve here and there are many programs planned. At 6pm there is a program at the train station, and then I’m going for Pizza with Mesfin for dinner. At midnight everyone meets at the church for a Christmas program. I’m not sure what all is involved, but it lasts until 4am.

So as soon as I’ve had the experience I’ll be sure to give you all the details.

Leave me a comment and tell me how you spent your Hanukah, Christmas, Kwanza, and or New Years?!