Saturday, March 26, 2016

What up USA?????!!!!!! As I write this, I am sitting on our final flight of the day at the Frankfurt Airport on the way to Addis. I’m sure many people have heard of our adventurous 26 hours so far, but if not, I’m gonna give a quick recap.

We woke up at around 3:30ish to leave from school to the airport in a bus driven by the wonderful Ms. McGlohon at 4:15am. When we got to the airport, checking in and security all that went very smoothly. Our flight was originally supposed to leave at like 6:30am, but because of some technical issue on the plane, we didn’t end up leaving till a little before 10. Our dear, dear friend Michelle at the Jet Blue ticketing desk promised us that since there were about 23 passengers on our flight to Boston making the same connection to Dubai, we would not miss our flight. Literally the minute we landed in Boston the flight attendants let us go ahead of everyone else to make our flight and before we even got off of the plane, the pilot goes “yeah well if you were trying to make the Emirates flight to Dubai, it already left. Sorry.” We were distraught to say the least. To make that situation even better, once we got off of the plane, we got to watch the flight we were supposed to be on take off! Yay. If they would have just waited literally 45 seconds, we could already be in Ethiopia. J I’m not bitter, I promise.

While the rest of us spent about 3 hours playing catchphrase at a gate, the shining star that is Ms. Turlington worked with our guardian angel, Amy (if you’re reading this Amy, we still owe you a song) to figure out how the heck to reroute us to get to Ethiopia without losing too much time. Also, quick shout out to Ms. Floyd who had to stay the night in Boston, connect to Dubai, and then meet us in Addis tomorrow. Hope you’re having fun! We’re all kind of annoying so you probably got the better deal out of the two.

Although it has taken us a lot longer than we originally hoped, it is pretty cool that we got to spend 6 hours in Germany. The Frankfurt airport is one of the cleanest airports I’ve ever been in, so way to go Germany. Another cool thing about the flight that we are on now is that we get to (more like have to, but I’m thinking on the bright side) touch down in Saudi Arabia, another country most of us have never been to. We’re also really lucky because wonderful, beautiful Amy managed to get our seats together on both flights which has been fun, except right now Jane and Allie are already bickering and we haven’t even taken off yet… oh well.

Here are some highlights from today (I actually have no idea what day it is/how many days have passed. Ruthie wished me happy easter like an hour ago which I know is wrong but I’m even more confused now)

-The TSA lady in Raleigh (jokingly) told Andy that she wasn’t allowed to take her giant container of animal crackers on the plane. I was almost positive she was going to take them and run, but luckily the lady told her she was kidding before Andy cried/committed a crime.

-On our Boston flight, most of us were paired with varying members of this one huge, annoying family with like 3 babies. Jane even got to sit next to Uncle Travis!

-Originally, when we thought we might have to stay the night in Boston, we thought about going on the Freedom trail (a joke). But don’t worry! While we we’re weaving through the corridors in the bowels of the airport to get to our new concourse, there was a mock Freedom Trail going through the sketchy hallways! So even with a change of plans, we didn’t have to miss out on the freedom trail. J

-For some reason, on the flight to Frankfurt, my Zzzquil didn’t kick in until about 20 minutes before we landed so I really don’t even remember traversing through the airport or going through security again. I now know how zombies feel and I feel like I can connect with them on a more spiritual level.

-Ms. Turlington got us all Kinder Eggs in the Frankfurt airport and we all got a little animal inside of it that are now our spirit animals for the rest of the trip.

·      I got a seal

·      Jane and MP got dinosaurs

·      I think Ruthie got an otter

·      that’s all I can remember, except Allie, who actually got a baby game instead of an animal and has made it VERY clear that she’s bitter about it

-Here is a quick apology to anyone we have come in contact with during any leg of this journey: I am sorry that we seem to be continuously singing Legally Blonde the Musical. We seriously cannot help it. (I’m also sorry for the people that get the words to the songs wrong. Cough cough, Andy, cough…)

-When we boarded our flight to Frankfurt, the flight attendant read Allie’s ticket wrong and told her to sit in business class. When I called her and told her that her seat was definitely in the back with the rest of us scum, we got the joy of watching her have to walk all the way to the back of the plane with a mini champagne glass filled with orange juice & gold specks in her hand that they gave her when she was a business class guest for a total of 4 minutes… lololololol.

Well, the guy sitting behind me keeps touching my leg and I’m getting annoyed so I’m gonna go…

It is now 10:45pm in Ethiopia and I still cannot tell you what day it is. The rest of our flight to Ethiopia went great. Almost everyone slept the entire flight to Saudi Arabia and once we landed, all but about 20 people got off of the plane so we could all have full rows to ourselves which was so nice. We had to stay on the plane for the hour while we were in Saudi Arabia so, while we didn’t get to step on Saudi Arabian air, we did go really close to the exit door when it was open, so we technically breathed the air. The second leg of the flight was actually really fun because were pretty much all awake and moving around from row to row and the flight attendants didn’t really care. We originally thought that it was going to take 5-6 hours to get to Ethiopia from Saudi Arabia, but it was only about 2.5 which was beautiful. Once we landed in Ethiopia, we got through customs and baggage claim in a record amount of time, and met Amy and Bini (our hosts from Cherokee) to load our stuff up and drive to the house. The house is really cute. We are split up into rooms of 4 and 6, with the room of 6 looking like a penthouse with roof access and a Jacuzzi. Tomorrow we are going to go to church and then an orphanage so everyone is showering/getting ready for bed right now. While I have never felt grosser, I am going to miss the airport/plane lifestyle that now feels like home to me. Just kidding. It’s probably my bed time (even though I’m pretty sure it’s the afternoon back at home) so this is the end of this blog post.

4 continents.

A small amount of days (maybe 2????).

Bye.

mkb

-       Mary Katharine Barker, ‘16

Reflections

After being delayed in DC for quite some time last Sunday, we finally made it back to Raleigh and jumped right back into our hectic lives at Saint Mary's. But, just like last year, we thought it might be a good idea to have the girls reflect on their time in Ethiopia.  

Meg also created a beautiful video to remember our experience: 
https://vimeo.com/90066576

Now that we have returned back to reality, I keep thinking about all the things I learned and all the people I met back in Ethiopia. Each person, even the people whose names I do not know, left some mark on my heart. Even driving through the streets, the images that I saw will remain with me forever. Words fail me when I try to describe it in full. There are a few things that definitely stand out in my mind. Firstly, when we served at the women and children’s soup kitchen, the food was running late and we played with the children as we waited. The mothers were bringing their children to us to play with. One lady commented that she had not seen the kids so happy in a while. This simple sentence showed me, as cliché as this sounds, that even simple things can make such a difference. And later, still at the soup kitchen, a boy who was about fourteen years old offered me some of his food when I was serving him. This boy was eating at a soup kitchen and he was offering me some of his food. I refused his offer and he just smiled and said “God bless you!” I cannot explain the feeling I had right then. Later on that day, I met some of the sweetest children. They attended Berhan Yehun, an after school program for the poorest of the poor children in the city. The boy and girl that I met that day were so happy to see us and had the biggest smiles that you could not guess that they were so poor. Just an hour and a half with them brought big smiles to their faces and gave me a sense of how small an act of kindness is and how it can affect not only the recipient but also the giver. It is very fair to say that those children left a large mark on my heart. All the people that I met in Ethiopia will be with me for a long time, if not forever. I am so blessed to have experienced this.

- Megan Blelloch, ‘15

I absolutely loved our time in Ethiopia and I would like to go back for a longer duration very soon!! I think overall, I really appreciate the relationships we were able to make with many people there. These relationships ranged from just waving and smiling as we passed by people on the bus, to extensive, tear-jerking-goodbye friendships we made. Everyone I had the privilege of talking to was incredibly selfless and kind. Although we saw a lot of devastating things, I also was able to see a lot of hope for the future through many programs we visited and heard about. For example, we drove through the "landfill district," where people live in shacks on top of garbage piles and sift through the garbage to find food. Immediately after this, however, we went to Berhan Yehun where kids who live in such shacks get two meals and hours of tutorial time to enhance their education. Playing and tutoring these kids was one example (out of many) of the hope we were able to find despite extreme poverty. I am so thankful for our group, as we all became very close and shared many laughs. It was an unforgettable experience that has confirmed my desire to major in public health or the like!

- Carson Clay, ‘15

The expected, “how was your break?” questions were immediately asked when everyone got back to campus. I quickly came to terms with the fact that you can only put our experience into so many words, but it is impossible to explain all that we saw in Addis. I can’t fully explain the beautiful people and faces, the exotic smells, the poverty-stricken environment, and the radiant hope that is Ethiopia. There is only so much that words can fathom, but some things are better left unsaid and close to the heart. If I hadn’t been physically pulled away, I would have stayed forever. Our trip together and experiences we each shared opened my eyes to things I wasn’t expecting, while also affirming things I had already known about myself. In only one week, Addis forced me to question my plans for college and goals for the future. Already knowing I want to pursue a pre-med major, I am now also considering a minor in public health/ international studies and possibly taking another foreign language class. I know I will return one day, hopefully, this time, with the ability to heal and help the people who now have a place in my heart. 

- Meg Cooksey, ‘14

My decision to go on the Ethiopia trip was pretty last minute and extremely spontaneous. Luckily for me this very under-thought-out decision was arguably one of the best decisions I have ever made. This trip was absolutely the best trip I have ever been on in my life. Ethiopia is such a beautiful country, full of incredible people and I am so thankful that I got to experience such an incredible country which was quite different from my own. The biggest thing I gained from this trip was an increase in my thankfulness. It’s crazy to think that things like spotty wifi and not being able to find a prom dress could easily ruin my day while my incredible friend Dasash from Berhan Yehun lives in a tiny shack in a landfill with her blind mother yet always replied with a smiling “Great!” when I asked her how she was doing. Now that we’re back, I feel like everything in my life has really been put in perspective and I have a new found appreciation for the little blessings like having a great house to live in with food to eat and a bed to sleep in because seeing it firsthand makes me even more aware that there are so many people in the world who don’t have these things. I can honestly say that every day since we’ve returned I have desperately wanted to go back. I hope to return sometime in the near future to a country which gave me so much in such a short amount of time.

- Kayla Gwaltney, ‘15

Every person I’ve seen in the past few days has come up to be wanting to know all about my trip to Ethiopia, and all I can manage to say is “amazing,” because you can’t put into words the experience.  I can’t describe the sights and smells and textures I felt/saw when I was there because it has to be experienced, not described.  I could talk about the children and work we did there and people might get a sense but the feeling was indescribable.  The Women and Children’s Soup Kitchen was probably my favorite day.  It was an awesome experience being able to help by doing something as simple as serve food.  I didn’t even cook the food, just served it, and the people were still so grateful.  Also, before we started to serve food, we were playing with the children which was so fun.  The children were smiling and laughing and the mothers even said this was the happiest they had seen their kids before when all we were doing was playing in the dirt and rocks and giving them piggy back rides.  I was astounded at how the children just came up to us and said hello and started to play, in fact it made my day.  They weren’t shy and it wasn’t awkward, we just jumped right in playing with them even though we couldn’t understand what they were saying and vice versa.  Overall, the trip was life changing, showing me a completely different side of the world and making me appreciate everything I have and enjoy helping other more.

- Relia Monk, ‘15

When I decided to go to Ethiopia, I did not know just what an experience I had signed up for. I had travelled a lot, but had never set foot on African soil; I had no idea what it would be like. During our stay in Addis, I was really surprised to see all these influences China had on Ethiopia, and yet I had always been completely unaware of them. As the days went by, I found out Ethiopia and my country had so much more in common. Like China, Ethiopia has been invaded and occupied by western powers, but was never once ethnically and culturally taken over; both peoples are very proud of their country, its history and contributions to the world. Both countries are developing countries, where huge gap between extreme poverty and wealth exists, but people are so eager and willing to make changes happen. It was gratifying to see that there were so many institutions and volunteers from all around the world making efforts to better people’s lives here. What’s more, the sight of the young students’ hands shooting up high with pride and confidence invoked in me a firm faith in Ethiopia that it will strive and thrive in near future, along with new hopes for my own country. What I cherished the most, was the friendship, the sense of connection and support we have built within these few days, not only with all the people we met and all the new friends we made in Africa, but also with our little group. Like Florrie said last year, it was a truly a gift to be able to spend my time in Ethiopia with such a lively group from Saint Mary’s. I will always remember Addis and my experience there.

- Evelyn Qin, ‘15

I still cannot believe I was in Africa. This experience was one of the most eye opening of my life. I saw and played with kids who were at the poorest level in the country of Ethiopia; I experienced everyday life that Ethiopians have to struggle with. Every moment, every car ride, was full of new things and images. I absolutely want to go back, and I miss the girls and boys every second of every day. I want to know what they become as they grow up. I pray that God will continue to work in my life and the group of girls that went to Africa with me, that he will show us how to continue to reach out to these beloved children. I cannot believe I got to be a part of this dream-like experience. Of course, so many things we experienced were sad and heartbreaking, but it showed us the life they live every day. I miss Ethiopia and I want to go back to Africa as soon as I can. I cannot thank those that supported me enough for this experience.

- Hannah Thompson, ‘14

It was such a fun and special trip with so many nice and funny people. Although we only stayed there for ten days, how easily the Ethiopians get satisfied and appreciate what they have was impressive to me. I remember when we were at soup kitchen, because the food arrived late, we played with the kids there to kill time. It was nothing significant for us, but one of the parents said that she had not seen her child so happy for a long time. One mom even gently pushed her daughter forward to let her play with us. Besides, even though the condition of the soup kitchen was not good, people were not desperate. Some people even invited me to join them. One man said “God bless you” to me; another said thank you in Chinese to me. All these details are still so clear in my mind, and I am still touched by how simple these people’s lives are and how they cherish every single little thing they get, even just a smile.

- Eve Tong, ‘15

 

Saturday, March 22, 2014

Everybody woke up half sad, half excited today. We were all excited abut going shopping this morning but everyone was sad that it was our last day in Ethiopia. With mixed feelings, we all loaded up the van and headed out to our first shopping stop; the coffee store. Meg and Mr. Orvis were pretty excited. When we arrived at the shop, the aroma of roasted coffee beans filled the air. After buying all of our coffee, we loaded up the van again and headed to  the post office area where all the little shops were located.  We all shopped around and bought souvenirs before heading to buy kolo, a barley snack mix or Ethiopian granola. Ms. Turlington out-shopped us all in this store.

Next, we all went to our last lunch in Ethiopia. This time was spent playing trivia with Bini for postcards, our last coffee and small talk about the time spent in Ethiopia. When the last macchiato was gone, we headed out to our final shopping destination, a store called Salem. I think Ms. Turlington and Hannah were the most excited about this store. We all came out with bags full of cool things to give to family and friends and a some things for ourselves.

When the van pulled up to the house after an exciting morning, Everybody hopped out with full shopping bags. Ms. Wahlstrom even commented "Now we look like total tourists." The group went upstairs and showed off all of the neat things the were purchased today.

A kind of silent gloom has taken over the house as we all pack and prepare to go home. Bags have to be re-organized to fit all of the new things we bought. Some people are scrolling through the pictures that were taken this past week. I know we all are going to miss the children we met this week, making awkward eye-contact with random people in the street, all the new friends we made, and waving to all the excited children as we pass them in the street. Everything here has been quite an unforgettable experience. Half of me wants to go home and half of me just wants to stay here. Getting on the plane in few hours will be pretty hard for all of us. As the plane takes off into the air and Addis Ababa shrinks as we rise higher and higher, we will all think of the amazing time we had here in Ethiopia.

- Megan Blelloch, '15