Home Sweet Home

Ethiopia is amazing!! The diverse landscapes, the complexity and innocence of her people. For now - it is where my heart is.

In the last 4 months, I swam in lakes and natural hot springs, visited historical religious sites, went on an adventure that is unmatched by any travel books I've read, met the most accepting and loving people and learned a lot about my own strengths and weaknesses.

One of the hardest things I've done in my life- is get on that plane and fly back to America. The shock of being home surrounded by our materialistic and advantageous lifestyles has been challenging emotionally.

A travelers thoughts on arriving home in the US:

1) Man, it's quiet here- where are the chickens, sheep and donkeys?
2) Toilet paper does go into the toilet- not in the basket.
3) Nothing fits me- where's the tailor?
4) It's really really clean here. I mean really really clean.
5) I think the water coming out of the shower head is trying to beat me up- water (yay- it's a water day- what are our water days again?? - everyday- awesome...) but water pressure with it- what a concept.
6) You do not need to plan ahead to take a shower- Speaking of showers-why do I need 3 of them again exactly- only 2 of us live here...
7) Is there going to be lights today? - oh of course there is- silly me.
8) What day does the woman come to do my laundry again- oh wait- that's me- damn.
9) The food tastes commercial here- boy am I happy we have lots of "Soft" in this house. Are you sure I'm eating chicken?
10) Can somebody explain to me why I own all this crap???

Initial thoughts in Ethiopia-
1) The internet is ancient- how the heck am I going to survive??
2) Hospitals- oh yay...
3) I can't understand anyone..and no one can understand me- (think lonely).
4) smells, smells, smells.. everywhere there are smells.
5) noise, noise, noise- where are my earplugs?
6) this servant stuff is nuts... I couldn't stand it- now I am wondering how to live with out it-laugh.
7) is there any order or schedule to this chaos?? (nope)
8) everyone is so darn busy.
9) do we have to eat Injera again (now I'm dying for it).

Well- I'm home- there's tons to do- but I'll add stories of my adventures as the weeks progress. For those of you who hung in there- thanks.