Reflections

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