We went shopping in the market on Saturday. It was quite something to see Almaz barter with the vendors. She acted insulted at their prices. Or at least that's what her facial expression portrayed. I don't, of course, really know what she was saying. We spent most of the morning at that, and got some good stuff: a traditional Ethiopian outfit for Isaac's baptism, and one for when he's older. A few scarves, (one to keep, and one each for the Grandmas), 2 banana leaf wall hangings, some coffee, and a carved Lion. There were a lot of pushy vendors on the street trying to get you to buy their maps, belts, sumglasses, gum, etc. They came around like 10 times, and you just have to keep saying “No, thank you” but they're really in your face about it. There were also a lot of beggars. Mostly woman with babies on their backs or children telling you how their "mudda and fadda are dying", and please help. It was very sad. I wondered if that really was the case, or if it was just to get you to feel sorry for them. I mean, it's a plausible enough story given the circumstances, but it's also really convenient. One was asking for the water in our diaper bag side pocket. There wasn't much left, and I'm pretty sure Isaac had backwashed in it a few times, but if he was that thirsty I figured he needed it much worse than we did.
John and another of the CHI dads went back out in the afternoon to some shops with Almaz and got an Amharic Bible and some Amharic music. Then they used their remaining birr on formula for the HOH.
All the CHI staff were so awesome, I can't say enough good about them. They were very helpful and amazing. They really made the trip so much less stressful than it could have been. They were great!
The rest of the day was spent packing and getting ready to leave for the airport, which we did around 8. We made it through without much ado, and commenced the Longest Plane Ride Ever.
Isaac did actually remarkably well on the plane. He was fussy once in a while, but coop any almost 2 year old in a seat for 20-odd hours starting several hours after their normal bedtime with people who don't speak their language and deprive them of sleep and you're going to have trouble. So, really, I can't complain. I didn't get more than maybe an hour or 1.5 hours total of sleep in the way back, since he was on my lap most of the time. I was probably more cranky than he was. :P We were all dead tired when we got back, as one would imagine.
This is not the market we shopped at, but is a market nevertheless.
Our living room at the HOH2.
Our room at the HOH2.
Tsegay and Almaz
Fikker: Tour Guide, Translator, General Helpful Guy
Semie: Culinary Artist Extraordinaire
Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done. Genesis 2:1-3
No comments:
Post a Comment