Sounds

Sounds

Dawn in my town of Ali, Ethiopia

12:00a.m.-3:00a.m. - The stray dogs have their daily business meeting. I’m not quite sure what they are barking about, but it sure is opinionated.

4:00a.m.-6:00a.m. - The echoing of the churches and mosques begins. All 5 mosques and 2 churches have their very own loud speakers for all to hear.

6:00a.m.-7:00a.m. - Commence the bird songs! No power? No Alarm? No problem. Bird songs are usually coupled with the slightly less pleasant donkey screeches.

7:30a.m. - Metronomic, hollow thud of fresh coffee being pounded with a wooden mortal and pistol. If this blog weren’t about sounds, I would tell you about the aromatic smells of perfectly roasted coffee beans that dance into my room.

8:00a.m. -School alarm (and by alarm, I mean metal cylinder on a tree branch being hit with a metal stick) clinging.

8:00a.m. à- Teacher! Teacher! Barsistuu! As I walk into school like a cheesy celebrity, I am greeted left and right by my students. They like to summon me in order to practice their English. Please, please, no autographs. 

After 12p.m. - The determined pitter patter of a stampede of children released from elementary school quakes the pebbles near my feet. If I’m out, they try to catch up for a well-earned fist pound and a chance to practice their “HOWAREYOU.MYNAMEIS…” monologue.

3:00p.m. - Chiff! Chiff! Horse carts, cattle, goats, you name it. This is the sound you use to get them in line.

Dusk in my town

5:00p.m. - The skin on my face peels back from the blasting Ethiopian music coming from different shops. I’m now partial to it. Their knobs go to 11.

6:00p.m.à: Mayanna! Mayanna! Pees! Cuba! (This translates into, “Marianna, please give me the ball.”) My compound siblings dash towards me and koala embrace my legs like a eucalyptus tree. We play until the only light that’s left is from the smoldering embers of charcoal fires and a dense sneeze of stars splattered in the sky. 

"Mayanna, Cuba!"

My compound family