McDonald's

Rakeb had gone 18+ years without ever being exposed to the evils of McDonald's. This all changed during our recent road trip when in the middle of Kentucky we had no other options. The report back from her despite the smile... so-so.

Road Trippin'

Rakeb had a little over two weeks off for Christmas break, and we took full advantage of it! A quick recap of the past couple weeks...

1. 17 hour drive from Denver to Michigan
2. A week of sleeping until noon 
3. Presents
4. 9 hour drive from Michigan to Nashville
5. A week with her best friend from Ethiopia
6. 17 hour drive from Nashville to Denver
7. Back to school

Rakeb's first trip to Lake Michigan

Finals

The past week has seen Rakeb consumed in making up missing assignments and studying for finals. This coming week is the last week of her first semester, and she is feeling the pressure to say the least. Nothing like having to maintain a C average to keep your visa while dealing with courses like Advanced Algebra, Honors Biology, US History, Spanish, and two Lit classes. So send good vibes her way this week, as the only thing keeping her sane right now is the fact that we are heading out for a two week vacation when she finishes.

Don't let the smile fool you. Finals are stressful!

iEmpathize

As many of you know, I work for an organization called iEmpathize. We are working to eradicate child exploitation and sex trafficking. Every day I am surrounded by stories of neglect, abuse, and victimization that are happening here in the United States, and Colorado. It breaks my heart, and that is why I  must do something to respond.

Being responsible for a beautiful 18-year old girl, while being so aware of the dangers that she intersects with at school, in malls, online, etc... is completely humbling! I am probably a bit overprotective because of my line of work, so my best attempt to help Rakeb understand that is to drag her to as many iEmpathize events as I can to hear for herself what threats are out there, and how she can avoid them.

Amanda, Rakeb, & I at the most recent iEmpathize event

Blurred Lines

I got to know Rakeb as a friend in Ethiopia. I did what I could to inspire her, provide some fun experiences, and help her gain confidence, but ultimately we were friends.

One of the biggest challenges for us since she arrived in Denver has been figuring out how to add in the element of guardianship to our relationship. Instead of relying on Rakeb's parents to set boundaries, Amanda and I have had to take on that responsibility. Sometimes it goes well, sometimes it doesn't.

It has been a surreal experience to be learning how to parent a toddler and a teenager at the same time. I have grown to a point where I am able to view challenging times in a positive light, and I sense that I am learning valuable life lessons. Hopefully I understand more fully what they are at some point.

Saturday Breakfast aka time to reconnect as friends

Ethiopian Dinners

If Rakeb goes back to Ethiopia next year, there is a slim chance that the schools there will give her credit for her time in the US. Thus she would still have two years of High School to complete upon returning. We understood this coming in, but still believed that her goal of attending college in the United States would be more attainable with this experience under her belt. 

What we failed to realize is that there are options for her to stay in a US high school for more than 1 year and graduate here. This was something that her school counselor informed us of after Rakeb arrived, and we have been learning about the logistics over the past couple months. Long story short, she has to transfer to a private school next year, so we have been filling out her application, tracking down letters of recommendation, and starting the process of raising funds to pay for another year.

Instead of Amanda and I sending out letters asking for donations this time around, we are empowering Rakeb to be lead the charge. Once or twice each month Rakeb has been hosting a group of friends who give a minimum donation of $10 to learn more about Ethiopian culture by having Rakeb cook traditional Ethiopian meals and preparing a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony. It has been a huge success and through the first three dinners she has raised over $500! 

Rakeb filling coffee cups with a clay coffee pot

Hope

Rakeb is definitely still a teenager in many ways, but there are also numerous instances where she surprises me by making statements well beyond her years.

We were talking about tattoos a while back. When I asked Rakeb what she would do if she got a tattoo, she said that all she would want is the word "Hope" on her wrist. I asked her why, and she said that hope is what has inspired her to push herself, to take chances, and to keep a positive outlook on life despite many difficult challenges she has already faced in her life.

Here is to hoping that she continues to make the most of her opportunities!