We had all of Rick's family over and many Habeshas and Forengis. Lots of interesting NGO people, journalists, and a massage therapist. The ages ranged from 9months to 40 something. I look forward to sharing the pics.
Drama at the Orph…(the new abbreviation I will use for the sake of privacy since bl*gs and e-mails are regularly screened here) has been resolved enough for me to return. I started on Sunday.
B is still refusing food, vomiting, very depressed and was headed to the hospital when I left today. It is very difficult to witness
B got an IV at the hospital she made all the nurses at the hospital cry because her whimper and sulk is so heart breaking and she is so beautiful. She was so dehydrated that they were unable to get an IV in her arm, so they had to shave her head and get a vein from her head. She looks so pathetic with her shaved head but still gorgeous. She came home from the hospital after 3 days but quickly vomited the food she was fed and she headed back to hospital and got an NG feeding tube.
Genetu is becoming more and more alert everyday. He is interactive and looks in my eyes and smiles and giggles. It is so amazing to observe his transformation. He is physical more connected to his body, he moves his arms and legs more and is beginning to sit in heroes pose (on his knees).
* At the Mission*
Teddy is doing really well too. I have visited him 4 times and it is a joy for me to be there with his friends. I found out that his "diaper" is rarely changed sometimes not for multiple days. Bathroom-ing at the mission in general is a disturbing there are stalls that serve as both showers and urinal and I walk by people with the doors open using urinating or defecating. The place reminds me a bit of images I have in my head of the holocaust because all the people are in striped pajamas, most of them have shaved heads and there are tons of people squeezed in to rooms and hallways. This in no way is a comment on how they are being treated by the nuns, I do not mean to compare them to nazi's. I am more trying to explain the dark, depressing situation these people are in and how so much of their dignity has been lost, or perhaps never even developed.
When I go to the mission to visit Teddy I have a wonderful friend/escort his name is Noah and he has lived at the mission for 10 years. He knows at least 5 languages including Amharic, English, and Italian. He calls me Bella and he translates for me. He is usually waiting for me at the gate and then he escorts me up to Teddy's room. He is probably in his forties but has a very sparkly boyish smile. He walks with the help of two hand crutches I think he may have lost the use of his legs due to polio. It takes a while to get upstairs though he is very strong and skilled with his crutches, the time allows us to have a lovely chat in Spanish, Italian, Amaharic and English.
Over the past 3 times I have worked with Teddy his legs are straightening dramatically and he is gaining control over relaxing his legs. I am truly shocked at his change. I don't really understand what it is that has created the shift, it is hard for me to imagine it is my gentle subtle slow work 3 times that has created such a shift. Though I have given him exercises to practice so its possible he has just been really diligent about them. Whatever it is Teddy is slowly uncurling and he is strengthening his arms and core so he is close to lifting himself from lying down to sitting up. It's really amazing. I am just in shock about it.
Around Town
Crossing the street here is pretty silly. The main roads are paved and have medians between them, there are no cross walks so one just has to find an open space to cross through. There are beggars and what I like to call hustlers all over the mainstreets and they are persistent. The little kids are the most intense. One time I was trying to cross the street, which reminds me of the 1980's video game Frogger, because you just have to dodge around cars. This little kid was following me and tugging at my sleeve. I had a power bar I had just opened and I had taken a bit of it. He was tugging at my sleeve and I was looking for a clearing to dodge across the street. I gave him all the response that mean no leave me alone and he just wouldn't. Finally he pointed at my power bar implying he wanted one. I didn't have another so I asked him if he wanted the other half he laughed and took it.
I take taxi everyday here and the annoying thing is they don't have any meters so we have to haggle the price everytime. They usually double the price when they here I am American, I get better prices than my white friends because people are so intrigued and excited about the fact that I look like a Habesha but I don't know Amharic. They usually find it endearing and they give me a better price. Driving here is CRAZY there are no lanes that anyone follows people just honk the horn as they are passing by. The cars are all very old and poorly taken care of so they have no indicator/turning signal everyone just honks to let people to know they are squeezing by.
*The Monologues*
The monologues are going well. Last week we rehearsed at Nikat which is an organization that was created by ex and current sex workers. They provide sexual health education and help women get testing and treatments. They also help women start small businesses like selling handmade crafts and things as well. NIKAT IS AWESOME.
We rehearsed in this little small airplane bunker type thing which is amongst a shanty town with homes that are just one room with wall made out of tin sheets that look like aluminum siding. There were lots of kids who came out of their shanty tin homes to come say hello and practice their English phrases with us. They played loudly outside our little rehearsal bunker. The bunker had one blinking fluorescent light and one lamp which both went out for long periods of time during the rehearsal. We used flashlights which created a cool affect as all these women read the monologues. Even in the dark Nikats hospitality was amazing the passed out cookies and the traditional sweet popcorn and coffee ceremony.
Speaking of coffee
OH sweet wonderful Ethiopian coffee
It is called Buna here
Buna Buna Buna
Oh how I love thee
There is a traditional Buna ceremony that most homes offer to guests and all restaurants have.
The coffee is delicious and strong. It is served in a very small cup, though thanks to the Italian's attempt to colonize I can order a macchiato or latter at most establishments. The Ethiopian Orthodox Christians fast ever Wednesday and Friday which means no animal products, thus all establishments have soy milk readily available. My favorite thing to get is a fasting latte from kaldi's coffee which is a coffee chain in Addis that has completely stolen everything from Starbucks including their green aprons and circular emblem. DELICIOUS!
Many of you know about my tumultuous love affair with espresso in America, but its different here with my lovely Buna. We shall never be estranged no this is TRUE LOVE.
*ART DAY*
AT my housewarming party a few of Dr. Rick's daughters came. They are wonderful girls and they are clearly desperate for female connection. The hug me and kiss me and hold on to me with a deep hunger. I had the idea to have and art party where me and some of my girlfriends here would bring art supplies to the girls and I ordered Pizza for all them. I asked the girls to make pictures for the walls of the orphanage.
The patty didn't go quite as planned because the boys descended upon the pizza like ravenous animals. I growled at the boys and demanded they make pictures too as payment for the pizza. It was totally chaotic but 2 hours in to it their living room was packed with both the boys and the girls and they were all drawing and cutting and pasting and we all had a great time. The pictures are wonderful and I will be putting them up on Monday and I want to try and make some of the pictures into mobiles.
Drama at the Orph…(the new abbreviation I will use for the sake of privacy since bl*gs and e-mails are regularly screened here) has been resolved enough for me to return. I started on Sunday.
B is still refusing food, vomiting, very depressed and was headed to the hospital when I left today. It is very difficult to witness
B got an IV at the hospital she made all the nurses at the hospital cry because her whimper and sulk is so heart breaking and she is so beautiful. She was so dehydrated that they were unable to get an IV in her arm, so they had to shave her head and get a vein from her head. She looks so pathetic with her shaved head but still gorgeous. She came home from the hospital after 3 days but quickly vomited the food she was fed and she headed back to hospital and got an NG feeding tube.
Genetu is becoming more and more alert everyday. He is interactive and looks in my eyes and smiles and giggles. It is so amazing to observe his transformation. He is physical more connected to his body, he moves his arms and legs more and is beginning to sit in heroes pose (on his knees).
* At the Mission*
Teddy is doing really well too. I have visited him 4 times and it is a joy for me to be there with his friends. I found out that his "diaper" is rarely changed sometimes not for multiple days. Bathroom-ing at the mission in general is a disturbing there are stalls that serve as both showers and urinal and I walk by people with the doors open using urinating or defecating. The place reminds me a bit of images I have in my head of the holocaust because all the people are in striped pajamas, most of them have shaved heads and there are tons of people squeezed in to rooms and hallways. This in no way is a comment on how they are being treated by the nuns, I do not mean to compare them to nazi's. I am more trying to explain the dark, depressing situation these people are in and how so much of their dignity has been lost, or perhaps never even developed.
When I go to the mission to visit Teddy I have a wonderful friend/escort his name is Noah and he has lived at the mission for 10 years. He knows at least 5 languages including Amharic, English, and Italian. He calls me Bella and he translates for me. He is usually waiting for me at the gate and then he escorts me up to Teddy's room. He is probably in his forties but has a very sparkly boyish smile. He walks with the help of two hand crutches I think he may have lost the use of his legs due to polio. It takes a while to get upstairs though he is very strong and skilled with his crutches, the time allows us to have a lovely chat in Spanish, Italian, Amaharic and English.
Over the past 3 times I have worked with Teddy his legs are straightening dramatically and he is gaining control over relaxing his legs. I am truly shocked at his change. I don't really understand what it is that has created the shift, it is hard for me to imagine it is my gentle subtle slow work 3 times that has created such a shift. Though I have given him exercises to practice so its possible he has just been really diligent about them. Whatever it is Teddy is slowly uncurling and he is strengthening his arms and core so he is close to lifting himself from lying down to sitting up. It's really amazing. I am just in shock about it.
Around Town
Crossing the street here is pretty silly. The main roads are paved and have medians between them, there are no cross walks so one just has to find an open space to cross through. There are beggars and what I like to call hustlers all over the mainstreets and they are persistent. The little kids are the most intense. One time I was trying to cross the street, which reminds me of the 1980's video game Frogger, because you just have to dodge around cars. This little kid was following me and tugging at my sleeve. I had a power bar I had just opened and I had taken a bit of it. He was tugging at my sleeve and I was looking for a clearing to dodge across the street. I gave him all the response that mean no leave me alone and he just wouldn't. Finally he pointed at my power bar implying he wanted one. I didn't have another so I asked him if he wanted the other half he laughed and took it.
I take taxi everyday here and the annoying thing is they don't have any meters so we have to haggle the price everytime. They usually double the price when they here I am American, I get better prices than my white friends because people are so intrigued and excited about the fact that I look like a Habesha but I don't know Amharic. They usually find it endearing and they give me a better price. Driving here is CRAZY there are no lanes that anyone follows people just honk the horn as they are passing by. The cars are all very old and poorly taken care of so they have no indicator/turning signal everyone just honks to let people to know they are squeezing by.
*The Monologues*
The monologues are going well. Last week we rehearsed at Nikat which is an organization that was created by ex and current sex workers. They provide sexual health education and help women get testing and treatments. They also help women start small businesses like selling handmade crafts and things as well. NIKAT IS AWESOME.
We rehearsed in this little small airplane bunker type thing which is amongst a shanty town with homes that are just one room with wall made out of tin sheets that look like aluminum siding. There were lots of kids who came out of their shanty tin homes to come say hello and practice their English phrases with us. They played loudly outside our little rehearsal bunker. The bunker had one blinking fluorescent light and one lamp which both went out for long periods of time during the rehearsal. We used flashlights which created a cool affect as all these women read the monologues. Even in the dark Nikats hospitality was amazing the passed out cookies and the traditional sweet popcorn and coffee ceremony.
Speaking of coffee
OH sweet wonderful Ethiopian coffee
It is called Buna here
Buna Buna Buna
Oh how I love thee
There is a traditional Buna ceremony that most homes offer to guests and all restaurants have.
The coffee is delicious and strong. It is served in a very small cup, though thanks to the Italian's attempt to colonize I can order a macchiato or latter at most establishments. The Ethiopian Orthodox Christians fast ever Wednesday and Friday which means no animal products, thus all establishments have soy milk readily available. My favorite thing to get is a fasting latte from kaldi's coffee which is a coffee chain in Addis that has completely stolen everything from Starbucks including their green aprons and circular emblem. DELICIOUS!
Many of you know about my tumultuous love affair with espresso in America, but its different here with my lovely Buna. We shall never be estranged no this is TRUE LOVE.
*ART DAY*
AT my housewarming party a few of Dr. Rick's daughters came. They are wonderful girls and they are clearly desperate for female connection. The hug me and kiss me and hold on to me with a deep hunger. I had the idea to have and art party where me and some of my girlfriends here would bring art supplies to the girls and I ordered Pizza for all them. I asked the girls to make pictures for the walls of the orphanage.
The patty didn't go quite as planned because the boys descended upon the pizza like ravenous animals. I growled at the boys and demanded they make pictures too as payment for the pizza. It was totally chaotic but 2 hours in to it their living room was packed with both the boys and the girls and they were all drawing and cutting and pasting and we all had a great time. The pictures are wonderful and I will be putting them up on Monday and I want to try and make some of the pictures into mobiles.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment