ETHIOPIA!

Heres the airport on the farm! Seeing the expedition group and my friends leave was so sad, i've missed them being around.

This is the little baby I talked about. any suggestions?

My welcoming sign!

This is the best part.. in the local language it says:"No, you cannot marry my sister." in hopes it would it keep some of the eager suitors away for awhile. Thanks Alyssa! They weren't so easily discouraged, after being there only a few hours i got my first marriage proposal!

Just doing the morning ironing...

I bought my beautiful necklace from the women next to me in the teal scarf, who made it.

Bath time!

I traded one of my bracelets for one of her bright colored beaded ones. A great trade if you ask me!

These monkeys were so cool, they weren't afraid at all!

I hang out with monkeys in my spare time, sort of.

One of the yummiest fruit drinks! it even has avocado on the bottom.

This was visiting one of the schools. I loved spending time with all the kids.

Our crew with Teddy's( our driver) awesome bus!

So after a great trip in europe it was off to africa. You wouldn't believe the surroundings here. it is out of this world. my first day i spent in Addis( the capital of Ethiopia). I went to a school, the market, i met a 100 yr old women, saw things that truly made my heart hurt but yet i can still love it here. Though everyone is so poor and there is a lot of sad things there is also good happy things. the people are a happy, helpful, and loving people. i often have people holding my hands. in the culture here the women hold each others hands and the men hold one anothers hands wherever they go. It's crazy being a white person here. they call and chant at us and say "Faringee Faringee" it means foreigner. i've gotten oodles of attention from all the people. especially being a white girl. don't worry i haven't been scared or felt threatened though i have to take precautions. Kids come and crowd around us and beg or try to sell us things. i hate that i can't help them all. with my group i've got to go to several different schools and take them school kits and desks. My favorite thing is interacting with the people and the kids. i'm learning some of there language. it's hard since there is so many different ones depending where you are at. For the past 2 weeks i've been with the expedition group and 9 boys who were rescued from the streets and grown so close to them all. Each day brings another exciting and new adventure. i've been able to be with some of the native villagers and the bush people and it's unbelievable how they live. the people here are so beautiful too. i got to go to a native marriage celebration. the women dress so pretty in bright clothing. us Faringees were the honored guests. They fed us injara ( a nasty sour sponge crepe thingy) weird barley stuff and curltled camels milk. Nothing that is easy to eat and yet they were expecting us to down all of it. i'm very lucky that i haven't been at all sick despite things i've eaten and been around. At the celebration the groom was pretty old. it was awful to see the bride who was only 15 maybe. she was going to be his 3rd wife. she looked so sad. i'm glad we have the right to marry who we want. The things i have experienced and seen has opened my eyes and humbled me. i have a greater appreciation for simple things i've taken for granted. like running water, a hot shower, dish towels, paved roads, a working toilet. the list could go on and on. i'm now on the farm with Alyssa and her family. it was the best thing meeting all my new nephews and niece and seeing her again. the kids are amazing! i love them so much. Today the street boys and other expedition people left. it was so sad to see them go. i've grown so attached to them all. i wish they could stay with me too. i get to help with all sorts of medical cases that come in. it's unreal the variety that comes to us for help. lots of burns, injuries, delivering babies, it goes on and on. it's hard to always know what to do. i just got done caring for a 2 week old baby whos skin broke out in sores and blisters. she's one of the cutest babys ever. i hope she can get better soon. hopefully this has all made sense and you get a small idea of what has gone on. Hope your all doing well. No doubt the adventures will be continuing. i'll try to keep you all updated. I love it here!