We woke up to roosters around 6:00 AM. Actually, I had been awake since about 3:00. Hailey was covered in mosquito bites because she had given us her mosquito net.
We gave out the first hacky sack ball and pencil and we became bombarded. No where near like the market, but they were pushing each other to get the goods. Hailey reminded them to use English and be polite but it was difficult for them. Many were demanding and aggressive, shoving others out of the way. It seemed like kids came out of nowhere and soon we were being followed by kids.
Hailey prepared us a delicious breakfast using her propane stove from the ingredients she purchased yesterday at the market. An egg scramble topped with an avocado creamier than any I have tasted in the states.
We got ready and I considered a shower, but got a little gun shy and decided against it, which later turned out to be the wrong choice because when we got home, there was no water.
We got all of our gifts in order for the children at school and those we saw along the 2/3 miles to Hailey's school. It turns out there wasn't actually school because the 8th graders had testing in the morning so there was no school for anyone else for the day. This was extremely disappointing because there was so much wanted to share with us. We went anyway. When I say it was hot, I mean it was really HOT! And I was feeling "funny." I felt dizzy and light headed and my stomach was upset. Don't know if it was/is the food, the jet lag, the lack of sleep, or a reaction to the malaria pills with little food in my system last night, but it was pretty yucky. Knew I had no choice but to push through it though.
We walked the route to school to cries of, "Hi Hailey!" And children running up to us from all directions. Most Hailey knew, but not all.
We went to Hailey's school and got to see her classroom. What an amazing job she has done. She has created games from trash, and it is inviting and colorful, quite a contrast to the other classrooms containing bare walls and desks in rows. She created several Scrabble boards of trash and letters from bottle caps. She has created such opportunity, yet the excitement is limited. It does not seem like much priority is put one education, so those who chose to come to her English club are making that choice because of the opportunity she is providing. What I don't think she quite realizes it that impacting a few, changes many. Seeing the face of one child, Biruk, the one in the "Books From Bele" video who says, "They are books," was priceless. The way he looked at and responded to Hailey, brought tears to my eyes. She has lit a fire!
Many kids followed us to the school but because it was closed, Hailey told them to stay by the gate. Most did, but a few came in, especially the members of her English club, the pen pals of my students. I got to give them the red white and blue rainbow loom bracelets from my class. They were so excited, but I think I was more excited! They read the notes from my students, but our attempts at writing in Amharic made them laugh. Ahmaric words are written with Fidel characters and we used English characters. The point got across though and they wore not only the bracelets in pride, but carried the notes, as well.
John playing hacky sac and volleyball with some of the students and they loved it, however it switched quickly to using only their hands in a volleyball type game that they couldn't get enough of. John was having the time of his life. What I found interesting is that while he was playing with the boys, the girls were standing around. I asked them if they wanted to play and they excitedly agreed. They waited until they were asked because they were girls. Hailey said this was common.
We then went to restaurant and tried tagabino. It is made from chick peas powder. It was really tasty!
We then headed off to a coffee ceremony at the Woreda Office. We ordered a coffee in the Bunna Room because we thought they forgot but they did not. Twenty five people showed up and we were brought in to a room. A traditional Bunna ceremony was set up. Abebe, Education Quality Control, Hailey's go to man, headed the ceremony. What an amazing tribute. He introduced everyone and talked about Hailey's ambition and drive. He seemed very aware and appreciative of all she is doing. John had the honor of opening the ceremony with a prayer and I got to cut the huge loaf of bread, called doofo dabo. We enjoyed that in addition to Bunna, soda, fandisha, the ceremonial popcorn. Proud mama and daddy moment; that's for sure!
We went back to Hailey's compound and the preparation of dinner began. Unfortunately I needed to rest for a bit and got to only listen to the last few minutes of the chicken's life. I still haven't figured out if that is a positive or negative. There are pictures, however, which seem good to me. The chicken must be killed by slicing its throat, the job of a man. John said he did not do it because he wasn't asked, hmmm.....? A boy in the compound sliced its neck. You then you put a basket on top of it so it dies. If you don't it will run around "like a chicken with it's head cut off. When they took the basket off, they laid it down. John went to take a road kill selfie for Makenna (and Jasmine) but its severed head tried to bite him. He screamed! Alemitu had to finish the sawing off of the head and threaded a feather through the neck bone to clean it out. Next the wing feathers are pulled off, followed by making a little slit between the skin and feathers enabling the feathers to be pulled off. Hailey helped with this and says the body was still warm....
Once the skin and feathers were removed, Alemitu started to cut it up and used coarse salt to clean it. She threaded a fetcher through the neck to clean out the insides. She started with cooking onion and oil, then add water, let boil, add all the spices, stir and stir and stir and stir. Finally the chicken is added. Lastly, they boil butter, strain out all the fat and add that to the mixture. It is served over injera. The first piece of injera is unrolled on your plate. When you reach the end of your plate, you leave the excess. Unroll another piece of injera the opposite way leaving the excess again. This excess is used to pick up the food that is served in the middle on top of your injera.
We enjoyed a delicious meal and handed out the gifts we brought from America! They loved them and I am so grateful and appreciative of this amazing Ethiopian family!
No comments:
Post a Comment