That day I skipped down the road with an old lady and found my avacado guy.

So today I declared "Ethiopian B&B" day. I stuck to this declaration. It's is election day today, so I wanted to stick close just in case there were any rallies/riots popping up.

Prior to the last two nights, my sleep issues have involved falling asleep sitting up at 7pm and then waking up through the night multiple times. I was really excited to make it to 5am the other day. Since the night before Ted left, I'm now having a hard time falling asleep/relaxing, and then having to make myself get up at the right hour to my alarm.

Well as of this morning, all patterns have come full circle. I hit my alarm, then slept through it more, and then decided at 8:30am that I should get my butt out to the common area before they shut breakfast down on me. Usually, Ted and I are up a few hours just waiting for breakfast to open. I wandered out there straight out of bed (I decided we're all family now so they could live with my mascara everywhere). Then I came back in here and sat on my butt some more. Then I decided I should probably be less gross so the ladies could get into my room to do what they do everyday in here.

I then read all morning.

Then I decided I really did need to do something with myself on this day. I had already made a deal with myself that I needed to conquer new experiences with the street vendors here.

Being here is nothing like being in Bogota so let's just get that straight. In Bogota, I'm in the fancy pants part of town and I speak the language (or close enough to do what I want). There are parks every 5 minutes. There is every kind of store from street vendor to fancy mall. There are street people, but it is minimal. There is grass. The skin tones really vary in Colombia, so even though people are primarily Latino, there are also white people or Latino people with pretty light skin. I don't stand out nearly as much as I do here.

Here, I am luminescent and stop traffic. Most are very poor, and there are street folks and children everywhere. There are randomly new buildings, but mostly, there is a reason I'm not taking pictures, and that is because I am attempting to preserve dignity. I stand out so loudly, that to carry a photo taking device with me is spitting in the face of what these people are living in. I've never walked alone (ie: without a man) in Ethiopia before, so this was a maiden voyage. It's not that I feel unsafe. My biggest concern is just that someone who is not in their right mind will follow me and not let up (that did happen, but not too bad).

So I set out with nothing but a few birr for my street vendors and a bottled water (for the heat and altitude) so that when people want stuff I can wave my arms and they can see I have no wallet/purse.

So like I said, I'm luminescent and stop traffic. Like, cars stop to point. Groups of people turn around from what they are doing to point. An entire bar cheered. The most common reaction, however, was to practice your English skills on me... that is, unless you are female, in which case you could care less about my existence.

So I had gone about a mile or so in my chosen direction, when I was passing a little old lady (I'm talking 4.5 feet tall, looked about 80 years old but probably 65, about 3 teeth) and I think I accidentally brushed her hand.. and I turned to say some gesture of an "Oops sorry" where she then grabbed my hand. I thought we were just doing an awkward handshake then.. but then she wouldn't let go of my hand.. and then I think was explaining about how people hold hands when they walk. So, I do have some Amharic words, but they are directed at a child to "not bite" me, "sit", "give me that", and "it's time to play" etc. I didn't think any of these phrases fit the scenario. So I played muted and happy. So then she patted my hand, and kept talking (no idea....) and basically gestured that we were going to be holding hands and walking from henceforth. I laughed.. .okay.... so THIS is happening now..

So at intersections she wanted me to skip. So I skipped. We were quite the spectacle. I think she was telling the people that we passed that "she found a friend." After about 3 blocks of this, it was starting to get a bit awkward because I didn't really know how much longer this was going to be going on. Right around that time, she patted my hand and said "Caio!!" and ducked her head under one of the many tin lean-to's all along the road. Turns out that was her stop. So I kept going.

Good times.

Not too long after that, I saw I was coming up to a man begging in the road with stumps for legs at the shins. It was hot out. I had mostly sweat through my shirt. He was smiling with his hands out and bowed his head at people going past. Here's the thing about very handicapped people here, there are no services or welfare or problems for people with this level of disability here. If there are, I haven't heard of one. So here is when I regretted having nothing on me. So he got my bottled water. He gave me a low bow and kept smiling and saying "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" which I think he meant as "thank you" and it was the only word he had. I saw him on my return trip and he had downed that water pretty quickly.

After an hour or so, I was getting back to my place of origin. Near the British Embassy, a group of young taxi drivers hang out. Ted and I had seen them on Friday when we were out mapping the area. They were a new level of friendly now that I didn't have a man with me. Not scary, just friendly. So all along this walk, while people practiced their English, there was also a lot of high fiving from kids and the occasional college aged male. So when the high fiving was offered from the taxi guys, there I was. One very friendly one caught my hand (again, not menacing) and says "I am Yari, and I really do love you with my hearts!!" This was met with lots of cheering from the group at his boldness and I laughed pretty hard and walked away.

I'm telling you, single ladies. Forget bars. Just take a walk over here and you will be HOT STUFF. As I told Ted today, if he ever leaves me, I have now found a line of new husbands in the Ethiopian taxi profession.

I had previously selected my avacado and banana people on my walk, and I got this taken care of. Today was not mango day, as tomorrow is mango day and I found that vendor as well. On my 2nd walk today in the opposite direction, I have also located a woman roasting corn on the side of the roundabout so that is happening too.

Behold, my spoils.



I am living off the land on this continent on the other side of the world from every friend and family member I have. I ate one of those fantastic avacadoes outside tonight while reading a book.

P.S. There was a British family with 2 Ethiopian twins about 5 years old that was here staying for a few days on family heritage trip. It's like Mary Poppins and the most stereotypical 50 year old British guy you could imagine. Add this to the list of things that are TOO AWESOME: 5 year old Ethiopian children running around with CRAZY British accents. It's the most adorable thing you have ever heard. "But Huuuuuuubert, whyyyyy won't you pass the teeeeeeeaa???? Seriously. I needed a recording device.