PROCESS
Last weeks blog entry leads us into informing you of two huge
successes that occurred late last week!
·
Rakeb was accepted into the Amicus program! Thank you to
your generous support, we were able to make the initial $3,800 payment that
they require to process the application, and obviously that investment paid
off!
·
Our Amicus representative visited East High School last
Friday and was able to get all of the required paperwork signed and accepted.
Despite boasting a student body of nearly 2,200, there are only10 seats
reserved annually for international students and Rakeb’s name is now on one of
them!
East High School: In 1968 it ranked in the top ten schools in the nation!
RAKEB
Rakeb’s family lives in a cozy little home pretty much in the
center of Addis Ababa. A rusty tin barrier gives them some privacy from the
stone footpath that leads further into their neighborhood. Upon entering the
gate, one is welcomed with a small clay yard that hosts an outdoor sink used
for washing dishes and a fire pit where they make bread, bagels, and injera.
Entering the front door of the house leads you into a cozy living room. Two
large couches surround a coffee table. The room is dark, but eyes adjust to the
light. It is almost a given that Rakeb’s mom will have a pot of coffee brewing
for anyone who stumbles into their home, so the tantalizing smell of coffee and
frankincense fills the air. If the power is working, then the TV in the corner
of the room will be playing some American movie. Beyond this room lies the rest
of the home; the kitchen, the bedroom, and the bathroom. I never got to see it
though, as the whole family stated that they were too embarrassed to have me
see it.
ETHIOPIA
One of the things that Amanda and I wished there was more of in
Panama was culture. Panama, especially Panama City, was very “Americanized”. You
can easily find many American restaurants including McDonalds, Taco Bell, and
even TGI Friday’s! The U.S. Dollar was their currency of choice. American’s
living, visiting, and working in Panama was a common site. For me, Ethiopia had
everything I had craved in Panama. The language is so foreign, the food is like
nothing I had ever had before, public transport was insane, and each region of
Ethiopia is completely different from the others. That goes for the people, the
language, the food… everything! I know that I only scratched the surface in
regards to seeing what Ethiopia has to offer.
Talk about culture! Where else would you see a guy carrying 14 mattresses through traffic?
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