Mr. & Mrs. Vandebilt + kids

We’ve been in Addis Ababa for almost two weeks now and are just finally getting settled in. Africa is a completely different beast from anything else we’ve experienced and it’s taken some time to adjust.

Ethiopia, and I dare say Africa in general, moves at a much different pace than Asia. In Asia every one is always in a hurry. No matter where you are going or what you are doing, it should be done as fast as possible. In Africa everything happens in its own time. No matter how much you rush, or how slow you go, it still takes the same amount of time so it seems everyone has just learned to slow down. It sounds like a relaxing lifestyle, and it is once you catch on to it.

Moving to Africa is like going back in time. Running water and electricity are sporadic at best. We’ve been here for 10 days and have had about 3 showers. Just because there is water, doesn’t mean the shower works and certainly doesn’t mean the power is on to make hot water. The water we do get is contaminated, Jacob has already had Giardia, and has to be purified for everything. Vegetables have to be soaked in bleach and then rinsed before they can be cooked.

We are staying in a guesthouse with Dundee, the leader of Strong Hearts organization, Jim and Marion Harris, our parents in Addis who also happen to be from PEI and a whole other range of people that drop in. There are always people in and out of the house, we’re just beginning to figure out who they are. Our guesthouse is of course fenced in, with barbed wire and broken glass on the top and our gate keeper Desta controls the traffic in and out. Tigist comes to clean everyday with her 18 month old baby that she carries around on her back.

We live in a nicer part of town but in Addis that can change quickly. About 250m from our little neighbourhood is the leper community. It’s part of everyday life to see people walking around with missing body parts. These people still live in tin or mud houses that are less than 300 square feet with as many as four generations living under the same roof.

We haven’t officially started volunteering yet, because as I said, things move slowly around here. We finally have everything settled though and will be in full swing on Monday. We’ll be splitting our time between teaching at a nursery/kindergarten in our area, an orphanage and Mother Theresa’s hospital for the sick and dying. Jacob is also going to be running some soccer games and I’m going to work with a group of women who are learning to sew to help get them off the street. We were a little disappointed that it took so long to get things moving but that’s all part of living in Africa.

People are amazingly friendly and welcoming here. We’ve already been invited into homes to share a meal and coffee ceremony. Everyone is greeted with a handshake, hug or four kisses on the cheek. The children are bursting with love and we are often accompanied as we walk down the street with a child holding on to each hand.

As frustrating as it is to get things accomplished, I am growing quite fond of Ethiopian people and culture. This is the first country I’ve been to that I can really understand why people are fiercely proud to be natives. I never understood the Asian culture and way of life, and while I don’t quite understand Ethiopian culture, I see it as something I could come to understand, love and be a part of.