An Adventure In Ethiopia

Apologies for those following the blog, the last two weeks have been a whirlwind of  finishing up work, packing, souvenir hunting,  and goodbyes. Alas, our great adventure has come to an end. This morning we will leave for Addis Ababa and the next day, we fly out!
I think I speak for both Suzie and I when I say that we really can't find words to describe how Ethiopia has affected us. The hospitality, food, language; every part of their culture has been an enriching experience.  It seems hard to believe that only three months ago we both wandered the streets of Addis, terrified, trying to find a store that sold water, with only our instincts and sense of curiosity leading the way. I don't think either of us had any idea as to what was to come over the summer.
Of course, I wouldn't trade those 'terrifying' experiences for anything in the world. Every time we put ourselves out we felt apprehensive, almost always followed by a sense of pride and above all, fun. For instance, on our first shuttle ride in Jimma we had no idea where its destination was, but we took the chance and in the end we learned the route. Three months later, we knew the taxi routes all across town like the back of our hands. For me, this sense of trial-and-error learning has been one of the most rewarding parts of living here.
Finally, we'd like to give a heartfelt "thank-you" to NSAC International for giving us this life-changing opportunity, Jimma University for all of the incredibly helpful staff and students, and of course the people of Ethiopia: no matter where we traveled or how terrible our Amharic was, we were always met with unbelievably open arms and minds. Ethiopia will be dearly missed.
Thanks for reading!

Deuna seunbetu,

Manny

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