Day 5 in Ethiopia

Dinner last night with the families was a real eye opener for me. Not only does Gladney have quality families, they can do the eskista pretty well too. I think Travis has been practicing this dance in the mirror along with his Michael Jackson moves. He was pretty good! (Future traveling families – note to self, start practicing!)

I have to tell you a story Travis told me after we witnessed a car accident today. As both drivers got out of the car to view the damage, I asked Travis what would probably transpire.  He told me of his accident where his back tire clipped the front bumper of a lady’s car while he thought she was stopped as he was turning onto the street in front of our office (but really she ran into his SUV).  If you dawdle too long and someone doesn’t offer resolution in the form of money to pay for the damages of the other person’s car, the police come, chalk the tires, take their time, and then the whole thing ends up going to court. This happened in this case and so Travis, using Emamu as his translator, went to court. Before going, Travis asked Belay what he thought would happen in court and Belay told him that he would probably have to pay something like $40 or $50 USD. They get to court and after a long drawn out proceeding, Travis does end up having to pay some ridiculous amount. As they were walking out, he asked Emamu what the prosecutor and judge were saying all that time and Ememu proceeds to tell him that the judge was threatening to send him to prison for one year! I don’t think Travis will ever trust Belay again.

I really have been joking and telling you about Travis and his accidents, and I am feeling real bad about that - honestly he really is a very cautious driver. For those of you who have been to Addis, you never know when someone stops their car in the middle of the highway right in front of you or a pedestrian walks out in front of you without looking or decides to make a three point u-turn right in front of you.  What I like the most is when the truckers put those big rocks on the highway when their truck is broken down (similar to what we do with flares or cones, only more dangerous if you hit one).

Since I feel guilty about what I have secretly been telling you, because no one here in Ethiopia (including Travis) has access to blogs, I came clean with my writings to Travis last night.  He pulled the “I did have a brain tumor” line, so I should cut him some slack. I had to agree with him on that one.

Today is Friday and I am meeting with Aschalew, the Addis Director of Kidmia (see a really cool video at www.kidmia.org/progress). Kidmia is an organization that a group of Gladney dads and myself are on the board. I am looking forward to finally getting to visit with him in person. I am then going to sit in on a birth mother interview with Fasika, one of Gladney’s caseworkers and in the afternoon, I will be going with the families to visit the three government run orphanages Gladney and our donors help support.

As far as the saga of Odee, you know that Ambien I brought with me to help me sleep?… ‘nouf said.

Scott