Let Me Introduce You To...

2.12.16

This blog is dedicated to some really admirable people I’ve come across here in Ethiopia. I am enamored! It would be my pleasure to introduce you to them.

Fenet<<

Meet my neighbor and one of my best friends! She was really embarrassed that she had to get her head shaved. I asked her if I could take her picture, and upon showing it to her she got the biggest smile on her face. I asked her if it was beautiful (sitti bareeduu?), and she agreed! We like to play soccer and dance to Tears for Fears together.

 Abayneh>>

Meet on of my grade 9 students. The improvement he has exhibited in the past 4 months is phenomenal. He just received his highest exam score yet! What I find truly inspiring is the confidence he displays in his mistakes. He proudly puts in an effort now more than ever, and humbly accepts feedback. English is not the second, but the third language my students must learn- on top of 11 other courses + harvest season + house work + taking care of siblings + looking after animals + etc. Needless to say, I am astounded every day. I learn far more from my students than I could ever possibly hope to teach.

 

Fenet and Mustaria<<

Meet my ladies. I recently introduced them to glitter, which they have given the name of "bilbillittii." We count to three, throw it in the air, and spin around in the glitter shower. I'm not quite sure if there is any other way to handle glitter. This is what I do in my free time.

 

My Boys>>

I don't mean to sound arrogant, but I'd like you to meet my biggest fans. These little dudes run to me every single day and give me an engulfing hug around my legs. Afterwards, they giggle, run away and say, “Bye! Bye, Marianna! Bye!” Today one of them grabbed my hand, kissed it, and escorted me home. What can I say, I'm smitten.

Shawaye<<

Meet my 3^rd mother. She is a fellow English teacher and one of my best friends. My female teacher friends are especially amazing because they take on double duty of school work and work at the home, both exceptionally taxing. We’ve had some incredible conversations and have drunk a ton of buna! She provides more meals for me than I cook for myself. She’s taught to me not ever let personal relationships drown in work because they should take priority. I’ve also learned that, sometimes, hanging out means peeling carrots with a spoon without talking because the rain is too loud on the tin roof. I’m content with that.

Micky>>

Meet one of the most influential I’ve encountered on my journey thus far. I spent about five days visiting a town in eastern Ethiopia called Harar and met him on my first day. As a white visitor in a foreign area, I was initially skeptical of the intentions of his cordialness. He soon proved himself to be a trusted friend. He was an expert historian of the ancient city, an attentive listener to our conversations, a patient guide throughout our Harar adventures, and a genuine spirited fellow. He would not take monetary compensation for everything he did for us, so our group presented him with a prayer flag to highlight some of his admirable attributes, introduce him to some new English words, and thank him. Here’s to Micky- for showing me raw, whole-hearted, unadulterated kindness without expecting anything sort of compensation in return. Something to strive for, I think…

-Marianna