After a long
journey home, a week of internships that involved many more adventures, a
little school, and a night at prom, the girls took some time to reflect on
their experiences in Ethiopia.
The group with the boys from Youth Impact after soccer.
Ethiopia was literally the
best trip I have ever been on. It not only was so much fun to meet all of our
new friends but also a great bonding experience for our whole group that went.
There are so many highlights I don’t think that I can pick an absolute
favorite. However, I can pick many favorites:
1.
I absolutely loved playing
with the babies at the orphanage. I made friends with this one baby name Iuntay
and it’s safe to say that we were best friends.
2.
Playing soccer with the
boys who had previously lived on the street was the most fun I have had in a
long time.
3.
Just driving around the
city and when we went out into the country was so fun being with everyone
especially when Senait, Dougie and Bini were with us
4.
Abi
I think the hardest part
of the trip was that we would have so much fun with all of the kids and people
we interacted with, but we have to keep in the back of our minds the extreme
poverty these people are living in. It was always really hard ignore all of the
beggars that would come up to our car windows. It was especially tough when
they would bring their babies up with them and we still just had to pretend
that we didn’t see them. I learned that while I can’t change the life I was
born in, I can make a huge difference in these people’s lives just by sitting
and talking with them, or playing with them. As cliché as it sounds, I really
believe that one of the best things we could do, especially for the kids, was
to just get them to smile and have fun with us. So all in all, it really was
the best trip ever.
#AbiLovesIt
#AbushToleratesIt
-
Mary
Katharine Barker, ‘16
To be quite honest, I was
extremely nervous to leave my bubble that is constant internet, connection to
the outside world, clean tap water, and food. Little did I know that leaving
North America for the first time and going to Ethiopia would change how I
prioritize issues in my life. By the first night in Addis, I knew that the
house we were in, the people we were with, and the things we were about to see
were going to be life changing. I have met the most amazing people through this
trip. The children in the orphanage and
after school programs were the brightest, happiest, and most beautiful
individuals I have ever met. The pure
joy and faith that I saw when we went to the street boys’ home made me feel the
most overwhelming sense of happiness. Seeing
the children at Destiny Academy studying things that I studied showed me that
everyone is similar to me. I hope
everyone can leave their bubble at least once in their lives and experience a
new world like I did for that week. I am
so sad to be back but am so excited to revisit shortly. I can honestly say that this trip has taught
me to keep all of my thoughts simple rather than overcomplicating every aspect
of my life. The simple lifestyle of the
people I saw in Addis taught me that simplicity leads to a happy and less
stressful life. I think that this was a
perfect time to learn this lesson because up until now, I have stressed about
the most miniscule issues and going to college knowing that I should keep only
simple thoughts will definitely help me make the most of the rest of my life.
-
Sam
Berlin, ‘16
Every single one of us has
come home a changed person and not one of us can explain how or why. The simple question of... "Hey! How was
Ethiopia?!" has become an actual struggle to answer. How do you fit these
ten days into a few sentences? How do you condense the relationships you built
with complete strangers into a few words? How do you explain that our van
driver was the funniest person ever even though he only said a few words and we
basically narrated him the entire time? Now, whether it is a scarf, some beads,
or t-shirt, I am repping Ethiopia wherever I go. In returning home, I had no
idea how I would even begin to tell my parents about the time we had, so the
only thing I could think to do was to read them pieces of my journal. Not the
best idea to do in busy restaurant because one second I would be laughing and
crying the next. (so sorry to everyone around us trying to enjoy their meal.)
As cheesy as it sounds, I truly see the world through different eyes because of
this experience. Ethiopia, I cannot thank you enough.
-
Mary
Powell Boney, ‘16
Although my time in
Ethiopia was short, the experience taught me more than I could have ever
imagined. I am blessed with so much in my life; however, it is so important to
know that there are people who are not as lucky. People are struggling with so
many things around the world that we overlook on a daily basis but happiness
can shine through every individual, regardless of their current situation.
Throughout the trip, I saw so much happiness among my classmates, but also so
much happiness among the people that we came in contact with in Ethiopia. Many
live without a sufficient income, a stable source of water, a steady home life;
yet they are so joyous. They seem to take the most satisfaction out of the
smallest things and that has touched me immensely. I was touched by so much
throughout the trip and know that in many ways I will never see things the same
again. I will allow small joys to impact me in major ways and know that
although I tried my best to positively affect the lives of the Ethiopian people
I met along the way, there is much more that I can do and will continue to do
throughout my life.
Abundant hearts-up for
Ethiopia
-
Ruthie
Brady, ‘16
It is impossible to
communicate all of the distinct feelings and experiences that Ethiopia provided
us with. We could each probably write an entire book solely on the smells,
sights, and stories of just riding through the streets of Addis each day;
though as descriptive as we could be, it still would never do the actual
experiences justice. If there’s one thing I know for sure about this trip, it’s
that I that I will never be able to repay the deeply incredible people that
often unintentionally brought me to so many realizations; realizations about
importance of relationships, faith, and gratefulness– basically everything that
we are always told not to undervalue, but understandably forget about in our
whirlwind of life here. The common connotations of a poverty-stricken,
third-world African country seem to naturally invoke feelings of pity and
hopelessness, but Addis was almost anything but hopeless. As heartbreaking as
what we witnessed and learned about was, the amount of hope was just as, if not
more, overwhelming. It is so hopeful not only because there are people who
actively show how much they care about issues, but also because of how lively
and genuine even the poverty-stricken people were. People don’t abandon hope,
because often that can be the only thing they have left to hold on to. It was
entirely refreshing to take part in something that seemed like a separate world
filled with people that were all happy to see you.
I wasn’t surprised at how
much Ethiopia impacted every one of us. Any break from a day-to-day schedule
seems to bring along a certain level of new insight, and traveling to a
third-world country would undoubtedly generate some new perspectives. Going
with people I knew well made it really cool to be able to notice new aspects of
people’s personalities and emotions that I hadn’t yet experienced. Every one of
us was so insightful, inspired, and affected in different ways, and I really
think that largely contributed to what made the trip so enjoyable. As Caroline
talked about, being in such a substantial place surrounded by “people of
substance” really makes a difference in how worthwhile everything can be. I
hope I’ll be lucky enough to find myself back in Addis, and able to re-immerse
myself in the richness of life and culture that Ethiopia offers.
-
Jane
Dodge, ‘16
Ethiopia is a beautiful
country with a vibrant people and culture. My week in Ethiopia was truly an
inspiring and incredible week. There were many experiences that enhanced my
view on life, but especially my time working with the children at Destiny
Academy. I have never experienced a place with so much energy, joy, and
curiosity. I was first impressed by observing the kids in the classroom. They
were all learning their academic material in English! Not only is physics an
incredibly hard class on its own, but I can’t imagine trying to learn it in a
language that is not my native language! The students were very engaged and had
a willingness to learn. They seemed to really appreciate and value their
education-- something that I sometimes take for granted. Another aspect of the school that brought joy
to my life was recess! When the kids came out to play, I have never felt so
overwhelmed and also loved! The kids all wanted to use their English and asked
many questions. They also showed me a game where two people hold hands with
each other and spin around until one of them is too dizzy to keep on. I think I
ended up playing this game a million times. Each time I twirled with a child,
his or her eyes would get very big and a huge smile would come across his or
her face. It was a beautiful thing to see!
After a week of reflecting
on my time in Ethiopia, I have realized that I have been so blessed to come
away with many new insights and experiences. A lot of these experiences have
left an imprint on me but cannot be described in words. No matter how hard I
have tried to articulate them, nothing I have come up with does them justice –
they are just things that are felt. Although this is the case, I do feel that
there are some things that I came away with that can be put into words. For one
thing, I realized that I am so very blessed with the life I have now. Although
I have been aware of this, there are many things that I take for granted every
day, such as clean water for my toothbrush. From this realization, I want to be
open minded. Life is FULL, and I don’t want to miss out on anything because I
didn’t allow myself to try. I want to live life with an open heart and open
eyes. There is so much to see and love around us — we just need to allow
ourselves to experience it.
-
Caroline
Fountain, ‘16
Well obviously, I loved
Ethiopia. There are many, many things I loved about the trip and many reasons
why I would get on a plane tomorrow if I could. What I miss most is the people
and the way they made me feel. The trip went so smoothly with the guidance of
Amy, Bini, Dougie, and Senait who always went above and beyond to make our stay
as wonderful as possible. The general population of Ethiopians that had to deal
with our obnoxious singing and loud talking everywhere we went were so
welcoming and accepting of us, despite the fact that we were clearly foreigners
invading their homes. The kids we met at the orphanage, after school program,
and Destiny Academy showed us so much love and excitement which resulted in us
having more fun than the kids most of the time. I don’t think any of us ever
stopped smiling when we got to play with our special friends we made or when we
were being pulled and hugged and kissed by a million different kids at once. I
am so grateful for getting to meet the street teens who welcomed us into their
facilities and wanted to play soccer with us. They had absolutely no reason to
pass us the ball, as it benefitted them in no way, yet they still included us
and that made it enjoyable for everyone. I have to give a shoutout to Abi and
Abush for driving us everywhere we needed to go and also opening themselves up
to the idea of ten girls invading their personal lives. They honestly became
our friends by the end of the week and we would not have had nearly as much fun
as we could of without them. I also obviously cannot leave out Tekle, one of my
soulmates and a great person who helped provide entertainment for the week and
who helped Ms. Floyd believe in the power of good vibes.
What I am trying to get at
with all of this is that every person I met in Ethiopia made me feel like I was
valued by freely allowing who they were to exude from their beings. Every
person we encountered exhibited selflessness at all times towards our group and
that in turn inspired us to be the best versions of ourselves as well. I can
say that I experienced a lot of moments on that trip where I was overcome with
pure joy and contentment and that would not have been possible without the
amazing people who put the trip together and were great to us while we were
there. I know that if I ever want to go to a place where “one love” is embodied
unconditionally, Ethiopia is where I will go.
-
Andy
Smithey, ‘16
Can we go back yet??? That’s
the real topic of concern here! Our trip to Ethiopia is one I will definitely
remember forever. We packed so many things into our short time abroad and every
minute was inspiring, fun, and full of happiness. I learned so much from the
people around me and I feel changed for the better. I want to start looking at
situations differently by not always weighing the risks of the negatives, but
instead looking at all the benefits that could result. I realized all the
things I currently take for granted, and I want that to change immediately. I
tried to think of my favorite part and it was impossible to narrow it down to
one specific event, so here are a “couple” of my top highlights:
1.
Playing with a little girl
at church
2.
Meeting 5 year old Solomon
- I have never seen a kid smile more in my entire life. He was so full of joy
and lived in the moment individually. I could tell that he just wanted to be
around people and make friends. He spoke little English, but it wasn’t
necessary to be his friend!
3.
Spending the afternoon
with Abeyu, a thirteen year old from the Berhan Yehun after school program who
did not speak English, but we had an immediate connection that made me feel
like I made a friend
4.
Listening to Dagim belt
“I’m only Human” in the van on one of our many sing along trip outside the
city.
5.
Learning how to/actually
attempting to weave at Connected in Hope
6.
Taking pictures of the
water balloon fights at Sele Enat orphanage
7.
Aggravating a lion to get
an awesome picture
8.
Listening to English and Chemistry
classes at Destiny Academy - man those kids are smart!
9.
Traditional dance lessons
with Minte
10.
Meeting the women from the
midwife college that had previously struggled in life due to Fistula
11.
Playing soccer with the
boys from Youth Impact’s Hope House → they really know how to play soccer, good grief!
12.
Purchasing tons of things
from the three places we went, Connected in Hope, Salem’s, and Posta Bete
As you can see, it was a
fantastic experience and I would do it again in a heartbeat! I already can’t
wait for my next trip to Africa! One thing I hope to always remember is to stay
flexible and positive when bad things happen, because there will always be someone
in a worse position than me. Some of these kids lived in the dump with
absolutely no toys or clean clothes, some didn’t have any parents to take care
of them, and some will never get to travel around the world like me -- they are
still happy, so why can’t I be?
-
Zoe
Johnson, ‘16
It’s truly amazing how
much you can take away from 10 days in Ethiopia. The 10 days felt ridiculously
short, despite how much was packed into each day and how much I learned about
everyone else on the trip, Ethiopia itself, and life in general. It is hard to
put into words what I gained from this trip because almost all of it is
intangible. While it sounds cliché, Ethiopia really does expose you to a world
where people are so grateful to be alive and for the littlest of things. It
showed me how simplicity can directly translate into happiness if you let it. I
learned this every day we were there – between going to the animal preserve,
playing with kids from the after-school program, hair braiding with a girl
almost my age from the orphanage, yay-ducks and yuck-ducks with the whole group
at nights, and much more, it was a lesson that was re-taught every day. While I
couldn’t take the exact lifestyle we lived for the 10 days home with me, I
could take back all the small, universal things that made the lifestyle. I know
I will always be able to benefit from the universal happiness and friendliness
we constantly were surrounded by in Ethiopia and I am so grateful that I was
able to gain that alongside the best group possible. J
-
Jenni
Struthers, ‘16
This trip was truly one of
a lifetime. I know probably everyone said that but it is because it actually
was. The people I met, things I saw, and connections I made in Ethiopia are
things that I will carry with me and remember my whole life. This trip was also
great because of the group I was with. Everyone was so mindful of the
experience, absorbing every little detail. It was also amazing to watch
everyone grow from this experience. Everyone was so supportive and interested
in the things that we got out of it. Not only did I grow closer to the people I
was with, but also myself. Personally, I became more in touch with myself
mentally, emotionally and spiritually – by journaling every day, disconnecting
from my life at home, emerging myself in the culture, and focusing on the
interactions with every single person I was around.
In addition to the
awakening of my own self, Ethiopia was obviously eye opening to the different
living standards and cultures on the other side of the world. I love and
appreciate every chance I can get to learn and experience lifestyles different
than my own, and this was definitely one of the best chances for that. Being
more globally aware has helped me have a better understanding and appreciation
for my own life, and also changed my mindset and ideas about a lot of things.
I cannot thank my parents
enough for supporting me and sending me on this incredible trip. Y’all are the
real MVPs. Also to Cherokee Gives Back – Amy, Biniam, Dougie, and Senait, thank
y’all so much for such a wonderful trip. What you are doing is very important
and a career that I am insanely envious of. Ms. Davis, Ms. Floyd and Ms.
Turlington - the best chaperones we could have had. You were all so on top of
things, flexible, and ready to do what it takes to ensure that we all had an
awesome experience. Thank you so much for the wisdom, support, love, and for
putting up with our 24/7 rendition of the Legally Blonde Soundtrack.
I will miss the borderline
rollercoaster car rides with Abi and Abush, busy streets, amazing (and
sometimes scary) food, and beautiful people of Ethiopia; however, I know I will
be back one day. For a place that was so foreign and so far away, I have never
felt more at home. All in all – this trip changed me, and all of us, in some
way or another. I am so grateful for this experience and am a better person
because of it. Ethiopia will forever have a piece of my heart.
xx
-
Allie
Swanson, ‘16
