how does it feel … to be without a home … a complete unknown … like a rolling stone ???

here !!!

2 years later …

not quite sure how i feel yet … it is what i was expecting, but utterly NOT at the same time … there really is no preparing yourself … the streets are bustling and full of activity … everyone looks healthy and seems happy, and there are plenty of luxuries and nice things around …

but lots of people are walking, the roads are often in disrepair (like worse than the roads OFF the saskatchewan grid roads), and seeing donkeys and horses quickly becomes ordinary (in the middle of a city of 4 million) …

2 feet to my left they are selling ipods and blackberry’s … just out the door there are excited children selling kleenex for 1 birr each (1CAD = 9.2birr) …

it is … utterly wonderful

the trip was LONG … but that was to be expected, and like all things that must be endured, it was over before i knew it … the hilight was prolly seeing khartoum from the air … we had about an hour on the ground to refuel there (capital of North Sudan) … when we landed i was in the middle aisle … so only caught the briefest glimpse of africa (my first glimpse of africa) out the window …

then a bunch of people got off the plane … so i snagged a window seat … then we waited … and waited … and waited … and my heart sank as the sun went down and i missed my chance to see a birds eye view of a marvelous north african metropolis …

then … we took off … i have seen many many cities from the air at night before … but none like this … it was like gazing down into the starry night … the strict order of north american cities, with streets and their lights in orderly rows was simply not there … or at least only in small pockets … it looked as if someone had taken a handfull of diamonds and just tossed them out onto a black velvet sheet … tens of thousands of randomly sorted twinkling lights in the darkness …

indescribably beautiful …

we were met at the airport by our YCI crew, Lindsay, Michelle (who is leaving in a week [tear]), Medin and Desmond … could not have ASKED for a better welcome … from jubilant waving through the security gates at the airport … they have held our hands happily every step of the way … our house in addis is nice … well secured, with warm showers and comfy beds … i made this the first stop on my year in africa as i was hoping for a soft landing … i could not have asked for better

we are here for just under a week, meeting the staff of our partner organizations, getting used to the language and learning about what we will be doing … and enjoying the nightlife, which i am told is to be experienced … i can’t WAIT to hear local music …

on friday or saturday we head north to Debre Birhan … where we will spend a few days learning more specifically about the street kids program we are implementing … then we head further north to Debre Sina … our home for the following 6-7 weeks …

thats it for me … should be on at least once more before we head north … then it will be only occasional for a couple weeks …

i will also have pics coming the next time i am online …

can’t believe the pats lost …