July 16, 2008

When we were traveling to Awassa, Mehari, our driver, commented that "the
burden is on the women in Ethiopia". Here women are the ones to haul
household water from sources often quite a distance from their homes. We
have seen women carrying large loads of wood they have gathered from god
knows where to build fires on which they cook the family meals. Shortly
before we left home we viewed a PBS piece called Walk to Beautiful I
think. It was the story of Ethiopian rural women who experience damage to
their bladder and bowel during childbirth because all their lives they
have been undernourished and have carried loads too heavy for their
bodies. In addition many married when they were quite young, early to mid
teens and their bodies aren't fully developed. These factors result in
women being too small to delivery children without damage to their bodies.
Because of the tears in the bladder and bowel, these women 'leak' urine
and feces and are consequently shunned in their communities. The piece
showed one woman who had to live in a hovel attached to her mother's hut.
So the story was about three women who through pure grit made their way to
Addis where the Fistula Foundation provides free medical service to help
restore these women's bodies. Some have more success than others with the
repairs. Needless to say we were in tears throughout the program but
Mehari's comment further emphasized the plight of the women of Ethiopia.

Well it is Thursday here in Addis. It is wind up time for the Bergman's.
Today I will starting organizing the packing, pulling out clothes we will
not need before we leave, pulling out the items I have purchased (lots of
baskets) so that my master packer, Mr. B. can start thinking about what
will go where. He always says 'oh, it will fit', or no problem, we can fit
one more thing in the suitcase'. Then he works things around until sure
enough it all works. Sometimes the zippers are straining on the luggage
but he has never failed to get it all in. What a guy!

Tonight we are taking the ICMA staff and their dates to dinner at our
favorite Italian restaurant. Tomorrow night we will have a romantic dinner
at our favorite restaurant, Serenade. Here's a funny story. We have tried
to call numerous times for a reservation. Last time we went we couldn't
get through so we went without a reservation and had to sit in the smoking
section. Three Dutch folks sat at the next tables and smoked before,
during and after their meal. ICK. So this time we really wanted a
reservation so we could be seated in the non smoking section. Last time we
were there we picked up their business card to ensure we had the correct
number. Again Ron called and no ability to get through so he calls the
catering number and the man said to call the other number which it turns
out is misprinted in the monthly publication that highlights good
restaurants in Addis. Wouldn't you think they would tell the magazine? We
have been here for two issues with the same wrong number. Well it turns
out the number is wrong on their business card too!!!! Oy, they don't know
from business in Addis.

Last night we went to dinner at Makush, an art gallery and restaurant
combined which is a brilliant idea. While we dine we get to view original
paintings and photos. The last time we ate there we saw an artist's work
that we really liked but I found out earlier this week when I had lunch
there that the paintings we liked had been sold. There is a lesson here,
folks. Buy it when you see it or it may not be there when you come back!
SO they told me to come back on Wednesday as they would have more from
this artist. Well they had only one and we liked it so we bought it.
Because we had come by twice, the manager of the gallery discounted the
piece by $20 (about 15%), which essentially paid for our dinner. Are we
lucky or what? So we asked how much to frame it and it was $15! Yes, we
are having it framed as a matter of fact and will pick it up on Saturday.
It is a small oil of a typical street scene in Addis with the ubiquitous
blue and white cabs and small stalls with vendors and shoppers.

Today, Thursday, my tasks are to go get lots of cash for tonight's dinner
and to take money to the gallery to pay for the painting. I will cover a
lot of ground as the Hilton ATM is the closest ATM and the gallery is in
the opposite direction. But I have lost weight here and I am sure it is
due to my daily treks on foot. The Hilton is one hour round trip and going
it all up hill. I still can't make it up the seven flights to our room at
the hotel without stopping at least once, gasping for breath. However
initially I stopped three times so there is improvement. I am convinced
the Ethiopians are superior runners because of training at the high
altitudes they have developed incredible lung capacity.

While out on my errands today I passed a man leaning against a fence
talking to another man. He stopped me and asked why I was walking with an
open umbrella and it wasn't raining. I mention this because I feel so safe
here that I am completely comfortable talking to complete strangers
without fear. I explained that I use the umbrella to protect my skin from
skin cancer and I showed him my most recent scar for SC surgery. We then
chatted for five or ten minutes before I continued with errands. Further
on, I heard an adult voice yell 'mommy'. I turned and spied a very
handsome young man, probably in his early twenties who flashed a big smile
and said, 'I love you, Mommy'/ We laughed together and I realized how hard
it will be to leave such an endearing place, where people can feel free to
be themselves without fear of judgment. What a gift!

There are so many mini-bus vans here. They are government licensed but
privately owned as they are all blue and white all over the country. They
seat about 12 people and have two staff: a driver and a 'conductor'. The
conductor hangs his upper body out the window and announces the route in a
loud voice. Anyone on the curb who wishes to board flags the bus and the
conductor open the door, exits, takes the fare and gets back in. I can't
help but wonder how his body feels at the end of the day from riding in
this most awkward position. Obviously this wondering stems from an elderly
person who can't endure a twisted spine! Ah, youth………

Another sight I spied today was another polio victim who had wrapped his
lower body from his waist to his mid thighs in what looked like piece of
rubber sheeting. Sine he had to propel himself along the sidewalk with his
hands that were protected by using a pair thong sandals, this would
protect his torso which was dragging on the sidewalk. I have seen many
polio victims who get to the streets to beg and move along the sidewalk in
this manner. Later in the day I came across another man who instead of
using sandals had fashioned two wood blocks with 'handles' to protect his
hands from the sidewalk. People here are too poor for wheelchairs. I may
have seen one or two the entire time we have been here. I constantly
reflect on America's wealth at every level when I see how people here make
do.

When Derge picked us up tonight, his cab wasn't working. He got out of the
car, raised the hood and fiddled with something. He repeated this twice
then went to the trunk and got out some tools. He changed a spark plug and
we were on our way. Talented man. We went to dinner with the three staff
members: Shewaye, project director, Asfah, finance and Zelalem, the
driver. Shewaye and Asfah brought their fiancées. We had taken $200 cash
as VISA cards aren't used here. Our bill for the evening was $45.00 for
appetizers, drinks and entrees! So much for thinking we knew how to
estimate a going away party!

July 18 2008
Today it is raining. We are ¾ packed and I will go to Adama with Ron and
Shewaye today. It is one of the four cities where they are doing work.
Tonight we will go to our favorite restaurant. Tomorrow we will do a
little sight seeing, get a massage at the hotel, go to dinner on the way
to the airport and head home, arriving 26 hours after departing Addis.

I won't miss the smell of urine and animal feces on the streets but I will
definitely miss the flirtatious shoe shine guys who always have a ready
smile and friendly wave. I will miss the incredibly helpful and friendly
staff at our hotel and am grateful we stayed here rather than the Hilton.
I will miss the great weather. Before I came I thought everyday would be
like the 'greyt' NW in the winter and spring: gray and miserable because
we were arriving during the rainy season. Instead we have had some sun
everyday but one I think. And the temperature is a perfect high 70's or
low 80's with low humidity. Of course being the frugal people we are, we
will miss the cost of things here. We have traveled so much in developing
countries that we have completely lost our perspective on the cost of
things. I will miss the aroma and the taste of the wonderful coffee here.
YUM

Ethiopia is an intriguing place. It was a difficult adjustment initially
but now that it is time to depart, we are grateful to have been guests in
the country with so many needs yet with people who are so generous. Meaza
who helps to coordinate the housekeeping staff asked to speak with me
privately the other day. She came to our room and said she is married and
both are working but they can't make ends meet with all the increases in
the cost of food, etc. She wanted me to find an agency in America that
would help them to raise her son because there wasn't enough money to send
him to school. I told her I didn't know of any but would look into it. My
gut reaction is there is no such agency. And her situation is so much
better than all those folks I meet on the streets who say "I'm hungry".

Ethiopia is a heart breaker because of its many needs.

Since we have been here, numerous times I have seen vendors who walk
around with a tray of sticks about 5-6 inches in length. I finally found
out that they are 'Ethiopian toothbrushes'. You chew on the stick and it
becomes fibrous and can be used as a toothbrush sans paste. Another
mystery solved.
Tomorrow we will go to Entoto Mountain for sight seeing, have lunch, get a
massage, head out for dinner and onto the airport for our 26 hour journey.
We have truly enjoyed our experience here and look forward to a return
trip in the fall.

That's all from the land of 13 months of sunshine.

Post script

We're now back home. The flight was uneventful… but grueling none the
less with 27 hours of elapsed time. One of our bags didn't make it all
the way to Portland, but it was delivered to the house some 10 hours
later. The wonderful TSA had searched the bag and then forgot to put back
the TSA approved lock. They guys are useless.

We fall asleep around 9:00 each evening and sleep through the night… but
wake up early around 6:00 AM. Hopefully we'll be back to normal soon.
We're on day two of a three day regimen to take de-worming pills as a
precaution. This is something we do after visiting developing countries.
You never know what you can get from eating vegetables there.