A Year in Perspective

May 19th, 2010 was an interesting day. I spent quality time in DC with some friends and Arielle, we had dinner, drinks and then went to bed. All the time, my mind seemed to wander, seemed to think about other things. What would the future bring? Mainly, with regards to my best friend, my mentor and my personal corner stone - my Dad. Now, just one year later, I find myself in a different corner of the world, new friends, new language, ways of communicating, new emotions, new outlook on life, new perspectives, new goals, and still I suppose the same person - in appearance anyways. 

I was chatting with my Mom on skype just this past weekend, my neighbor asked me, "how old are you going to be?" I actually had to stop and think. I know that the older generation reading this will laugh, write this off as simply "young delusions in perception," but lets be honest, the beauty of sharing experiences and ideas is that every person's perception is somewhat different. While perception changes (as it should) throughout life, perhaps I have given some merit to my current state. In short, I feel as if it has been a long year. It was one year ago that Vince courageously under went massive brain surgery (that he naturally brushed off as "routine") in what would prove to be his last big swing of the fight of his life. I don't say this to make myself or anyone else feel depressed or unhappy, but rather to shed a bit of light, once again, on my year in review, because, it feels like it has been a damn long time - the longest in my short memory.

Time passes in such an interesting manner. You can look back in life and compare long periods of time that feel like a snap, short periods of time that feel like a breeze and all other intervals in between. The only commonly agreed upon assumption of time is: It takes way too damn long for a Major League Baseball game to end. I digress - A few for-instances: It feels like Dad has been gone for some time now. It has been just shy of 10 months and it feels like those 10 months have crawled by. If this is the case, then how can time here in Ethiopia pass so quickly? Three months down? Are these three months not measured on the same scale as the 10 he has been gone? I don't understand it and have had a hard time wrapping my head around this stark contrast. Im not exactly sure why this is the case. Any insights are welcomed.

This year was filled with a lot of big steps, and I am wondering if these steps were intentioned or was more like crossing a river by stepping on rocks: you only think about the next dry place and the next, and so on.....hmm. Lost Dad, Bought my first new car (which officially makes me an American, I personally think we should do away with SSN#'s), saw my first ever Steeler's playoff victory (monkey is off my back), went through emotions I never though possible, grew closer to people who I never though I could get closer to, moved from Washington DC - via Pittsburgh - Addis Ababa on 2 weeks notice, lived abroad again in a completely foreign place for 3months and still kicking. And so, feet securely on dry rock, I wonder just where the next step will be. 

I think the hardest part, for me about being in this foreign place is: not being able to share it with Vince. This has been my struggle here. Don't get me wrong, there are other struggles, but they are more simple frustrations that a few deep breaths and a beer can easily mend. I constantly see different things within the culture, people, and food that I think he would have really enjoyed and I would have enjoyed sharing with him. While he grew a bit "set in his ways" in his latter years, at heart, Vince was the type of guy that valued his relationships with other human beings more than anything else. This is why he would have loved me being here, loved it here himself, and would have been loved here. But I hope, that I am able to resemble him in my interactions here. I think this gives a little relief to my struggle. 

Enough of this sappy, introspective rubbish. Arielle took off last evening, it was great to have her here and she is already sorely missed. My friends here in Addis grew quite fond of her, which, if you know her, is not easy to do :) Joking. We had a blast while she was here, just hanging out, mainly in Addis, enjoying life, chatting and laughing more times than not. In typical fashion, Arielle is currently in Istanbul for two days, then to NYC, Boston, Amherst Mass and back to DC. We both continue to move in crazy directions, but are enjoying each other's company as always. All in all it was great for her to come here, and gave me the much needed relief of a familiar face. 

Addis is still alive and kicking, the rains are slowly moving in which is really nice (if you ask me - since I'm writing, you have no choice). The days are much cooler, filled with clouds and sometimes rain. If you know me, you know I hate the heat and for the most part the sun unless at the beach, or bouncing off of fresh powder, so, the colder, rainy season is welcomed. There is also something that is instinctively human about sleeping in peace while the rain ricochets off of the landscape outside. Quite peaceful. As far as my time here, still trying to figure out exactly what the next few months will bring. It looks like I will be here through early July, then back to the States for a few weeks, and with all hopes, back to Ethiopia for some months. But, this is all in flux and since I have been reflecting on the interesting turns of the last 12months, lets just say that I am learning, slowly, to expect anything and prepare to be okay with it. I will keep everyone posted.

All in all I am doing well, heading out to celebrate with my friends for a few beers, but was doing some serious deep-thinking and felt inspired to share a bit or at least put it into words for my own personal therapy/relief. I can only hope that I continue to grow as much as I did in the past 12months. I can only hope that I continue to learn from Vince. I can only hope that I continue to develop strong relationships with people who lift me up. Thats my hope for the upcoming 12months. O yea, and that the Steelers win the SuperBowl. Light and Love

Mike

Bahir Dar and a Taste of Home

        For the second installment of this o-so-theraputic blog, I was waiting for something to really strike me, but have come to the realization that forcing myself to write is crucial. While simply keeping my own journal is important, it is sometimes hard to be diligent when writing to an audience that consists of, well, me. I suppose I'll write about my latest adventure to Bahir Dar, Ethiopia - this time, I had a partner in crime.

Arielle joined me in Ethiopia last week, arriving late Wednesday night, which is typical here in Addis. There is not too much to say about this welcomed visit except that when you are completely out of your "natural environment" for an extended period of time, seeing someone who knows you probably better than anyone else is quite therapeutic. We have shared many laughs which is much appreciated. I find that living here can be challenging in the most basic senses (i.e. humor). Since I rarely find myself taking myself seriously, interacting with someone who has the same sense of humor is a huge relief. It is also great to have a touch of home here in Ethiopia. It is good to have someone laughing at your stupid jokes.

Anyways, I booked two tickets to fly to Bahir Dar early Saturday morning, returning Monday evening. Bahir Dar is town north of Addis, located on Lake Tana. The town is the third largest city in Ethiopia (I think around 150-200,000 people) and is sometimes referred to as the "Ethiopian Riviera." This nickname comes from it's wide, palm tree-lined streets and laid back attitude. The climate is much warmer and feels more like western Kenya or Uganda due to its lush environment. There are definitely some tourist attractions in and around the city, all of which we managed to hit and a good time was had by all.

Saturday - Arrived at 8AM, took a taxi from the airport to a place called Ghion Hotel in order to beat the other tourists who were staying there, booked a room (with my exceptional bargaining skills) at 250Birr/$15/night. We had heard about a large Saturday market in town, so decided to venture out for a walk. It was an interesting market, hopping with locals, long alley's to get lost in, and miles of goods for sale. There really is nothing like the feeling you have while wondering aimlessly through a hectic third world market. Everyone wants to talk to you b/c of your obvious ability to purchase goods/spices/live goats, sheep and chickens. As I always tell the vendor's, "I would love to buy this goat, but I don't think U.S. Customs will appreciate it" and also when I have to answer the question, "Have you come in contact with any livestock" affirmatively, it could really delay my re-entry into the ever-popular, ever-paranoid US of A. This usually doesn't quell their efforts. Long story short, I managed to take a couple Donkey head-butts squarely on the ass, dodged a crate of tumbling Mangos, and was recruited by my o-so-beautiful travel partner to bargain for local scarves and goods. Feeling that we had both received enough attention (Arielle was quite popular among the local men) from the Bahir Dar faithful, we settled in for a Coca-Cola at a local corner shop. It is also important to note that the feeling of a coke (made with real sugar, not corn syrup like in the States) going down the pipes in this beautiful country can be a slice of heaven. We ventured back to the Hotel for some R&R by the lake, more chatting and some local food. Not a bad way to spend a Saturday.

Sunday - We woke up early, met a guide who I had been referred to from another friend here in Addis. Got on a small motorized boat and set out on Lake Tana to visit two islands, each with people living on them, each with multiple monasteries for viewing. Our guide was amazing and we visited many modest monasteries with absolutely fabulous paintings all over the walls inside each monastery. We also were able to go to Solomon's (our guide) house, meet his family (they live on the island) and have injerra and goat meat, araki (moonshine), and local beer. Now there a few things that need to be said about the aforementioned house visit: 1.For those of you who know her, the ever-popular, always replicated/never duplicated Arielle Conti is a vegetarian. As you will see in the photos below, she has been broken down in her one week here and has been gnawing on any cooked meat she can get her hands on. Watching her rip into a lamb bone covered in meat was quite fun and I'm sure her mother will be relieved. 2. You may ask yourself, "Mike, how did you manage to drink all of this locally brewed alcohol." I would answer with: It is not an easy job, but that is why they pay me the big bucks. First we had bottomless glasses of local beer - which can be strong, but tastes and looks like puddle-water. This is where you pray that whatever fermentation that has taken place in said puddle-water kills whatever else has been mixed in. Arielle asked, "How do you make this." I immediately piped up and said: Don't answer that! It can sometimes ruin the experience. Araki - local moonshine, however, will burn any lining left in your stomach and you have to pinch back one small shot of it, which is all it takes to set you off on a crooked path. All in all, great experience, made for an interesting rest of the day. We finished up the boat tour around 3pm, relaxed and ate some local fish for dinner. Great day all around.

Monday - Thank God for local holidays - no work - one last thing to do before departing Bahir Dar: Blue Nile Falls. Lake Tana is the source of the Blue Nile river which meets the White Nile in Khartoum (Sudan) and forms the Nile River that you and I all know and love (Moses, straw baskets, Pharaohs etc.) The White Nile starts in southern Uganda, and for those readers who have been with me since my first African adventure may recall I rafted this part of the Nile S. Uganda. Regardless. We wound up taking a Bajaj (Ethiopia) TukTuk(Kenya) Rickshaw(India) - small three-wheeled motorized cart to the falls outside of Bahir Dar (1.5 hour trip each way). The road to the falls is rough and will give you a really thorough African Massage on the way. Arrived at the falls, quite impressive, but was supposed to be much more impressive before they built a huge Dam (hydro-electric) just up stream. The trip was worth it either way and I have great pictures to show for it. We returned to Bahir Dar town and went straight to the airport where we learned of Bin Laden's capture/death. I must say that I remember where I was when the towers fell, when we invaded Iraq and I don't think I'll ever forget where I was when I heard this news: A small Airport in the middle of Ethiopia. Flew back to Addis, tired of local injerra and spices, consumed a glass of wine and pizza at one of my favorite local spots and crashed. All in all a great weekend. 

Not too much else to write, I hope this entry finds everyone well - I am doing great, My life is not that extraordinary, have settled into normalcy, completely adjusted. Looking to stay on here for work a bit longer. Looking to come home for two weeks in July. Other things to note: Have been looking for new music to listen to, if you have any suggestions please comment. Arielle brought me a new camera, have been trying to get into photography, see some pictures below. Thats all for now - much love.

 Beautiful Flowers - Beautiful color - Art, who goes there?

 Ghion Hotel - Great scenery

 Arielle's "Hot 100" Photo shoot

 Look at what I got at the Market!

What? Look where? 

Bayonete - Fasting Ethiopian food 

Example of paintings in the Monasteries

Local Beer - a.k.a. Puddle water - drink up 

Arielle's re-entering into Omnivore-ism  

Our guide Solomon w/ his Mom at their house 

Hot, tropical walk

Traditional chanting drum - being played - by a non-traditional hand 

Murals/Frescoes/Paintings 

Detailed 

Suave, Calm, Cool and collected (okay, a little bit drunk and sun-burned) 

Traditional Fishing boat - sinking - I suppose this is why tradition sometimes needs changing 

Nice Photo 

Conti and Rooney do Blue Nile Falls 

It's a bit sunny 

 The falls in all their glory

Goodnight and Goodluck

History, Religion and Community

Thanks for taking the time to visit my newly chartered blog. I was inspired to begin writing and become, dare I say ... "A BLOGGER" after one of the most amazing trips of my short life. It is difficult to know where to start, but I have chosen the title for this entry due to three elements that I believe describe my latest 6-day jaunt to Lalibela, Ethiopia.

History - I suppose it may be important to give a quick "historical landmark plaque" on the town. Lalibela is considered one of the holiest cities in Ethiopia, it sits about 650 kilometers north of Addis Ababa. It is a town of about 15,000 people, all of whom are Ethiopian Orthodox Christian. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church was one of the first sects of formal Christianity. It goes back as far as 3-4th century A.D.  As a side-note, it is important to tell readers that Ethiopia is about 70%Ethiopian Orthodox Christian, 30% Muslim, and a sprinkling of Jewish and other religions mixed in. The town consists of small villages, and 11 "Rock hewn" churches. These churches are the tourist draw to this town (and what drew me to travel there), but the churches are not the reason I will return to this isolated and beautiful place. Thought to be constructed around the 12th-13th century A.D. by King Lalibela, ruler of Ethiopia at this time, the churches exist in three forms: Monolithic, Semi-monolithic, and completely carved into a mountain (much like Petra, Jordan). Many of these churches are also connected by underground tunnels and they sit in three clusters within 1 square mile of each other. Because King Lalibela is a saint in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, the people believe that the churches were built by three people: King Lalibela, God and Angels. The historical significance of the King is widely celebrated in Ethiopia, but more specifically in Lalibela. The King was a well traveled man whose divine orders to construct the churches was, in part, due to the distance between the Christians in the horn of Africa and the Holy City of Jerusalem. Many people would make pilgrimages to Jerusalem, but it was difficult due to the distance between the Horn of Africa and current day Israel. So, it is said that King Lalibela constructed these churches and the town as a second Jerusalem that could house pilgrims in this part of the world. 

While of deep historical importance, these churches are not protected like a museum, but rather are as active as the St. Pius X in Brookline, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. People from the town attend their specific church on holy days and other occasions. And for my last tour-guide piece of information, it is important to note that I arrived on Holy Thursday and stayed in the small town through Good Friday, Saturday evening service and Easter Sunday. Most faranjis (white outsiders) that I spoke with said that this was far too much time in such a small town with little to do, but I tend to disagree with the travel mentality of blowing through what seemed like such a fascinating place. True, the motivation of this journey was to see the town, the churches and the history. It is also true that one can do that in just 1.5 days time, but I was also traveling here because I wanted to see the culture that culminated in the Orthodox Easter celebration, and what better town to do it in? 

Religion - The devout nature of the Ethiopian people is unlike anything I have ever seen. I have never committed/dedicated myself to anything (except maybe the Steelers) nearly as much as the people of Lalibela have dedicated themselves to their faith. I arrived Thursday morning, met a fantastic man named Endie who offered to take me around to all the churches and tell me the history for about $12 USD (quite expensive, but the going rate for my own personal guide for the entire day). It is important to note that Endie had lived in Addis, getting his education in Tourism in order to be a formal tour guide for the visitors who come to see the churches of Lalibela. This is the standard practice in Lalibela and the police have cracked down on street kids and un-licensed guides preying on the loads of old European tourists. I digress -  I entered into the first church and observed women and men dressed in all white (it is customary to wear a thin white wrap when going to church) climbing down the steps to the sunken church, blessing themselves four times, touching the wall of the monolithic church, bowing and kissing the front of the building. Bare-foot old women and men with walking sticks climbing down steps - that were more like a rough guide down a mountain - to observe what they believe to be the ultimate truth led me to my next realization: As a general rule of thumb, I decided that taking pictures of people while there were praying or observing the most sacred time of year was not okay with me. From the moment I set foot into the first compound, I quickly realized that this was not my every-day Catholic up-bringing, but something that was much more respected. Lent in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church is observed for 55 days leading up to Easter. The entire country fasts (not as strict in Addis, but in the north of the country it is taken very seriously) for these 55 days, consuming absolutely no animal products, alcohol or indulging in "sins of the flesh" - wink wink - thats right, NO SEX! From Good Friday until 3AM on Sunday morning (when the fast breaks) the truly devout people fast completely - no water, food, and sleeping in the church - praying and chanting all the time. As I told Deacon Alemu (a new friend), if people in the States abstained from alchohol, food and sex for 55 days, I think the end of the fast would bring multiple cases of people's heads exploding. 

The Easter services here begin Saturday evening at 7PM and continue on until 3 AM. Having befriended a Deacon, I was invited to attend service at the famous St. George Church in Lalibela where my friend Deacon Alemu would be leading the chanting all evening. Needless to say I jumped at the opportunity (considering my travel plans - which usually consist of buying a ticket to and from a place - were wide open) and spent my evening (from 9PM to 12:30AM) packed in a small rock-hewn church, standing, chanting and witnessing one of the most amazing cultural displays I have ever seen. All the men and women dressed and wrapped in white, all standing (there are no seats in this small church), chanting, banging huge drums, blowing trumpets and praying together. This is the same way that Easter was celebrated in the 4th century in this country. I stayed for what seemed like three short hours, observing, smiling and enjoying the holiday with the members of the church, priests and deacons. My night culminated in the Candle ceremony, where the Resurrection is celebrated (around 12AM), this consists of everyone in the cramped church lighting a candle, exiting the church in a joyous procession, complete with drums, trumpets and chanting, circling the church and then gathering in the front of the church. Those who have been in the church for the past 2.5 days gather outside in order inform the hundreds of people who have been sitting in different nooks and caves carved into the rock that the Resurrection has happened. There is not enough room in the church for the many pilgrims coming from the country side, so the grounds of all the 11 churches are swarmed with devout pilgrims who can be seen praying, sleeping or quietly chatting in anticipation of Easter.  It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and one that can only happen while traveling with an open mind and no concrete plan - In most cases, I have found that there is beauty in chaos - case in point. 

Community - While in Lalibela, and due to my decision to make an extended stay, I tripped across two distinct communities: the Local community and the Traveler's community. First, the local community in Lalibela. It is important to characterize this community as the people who live and work in Lalibela. Many of these people are quite poor by Western standards and a good chunk of them work in the tourist industry. My first day I met a man named Endie who was a certified tour guide of the churches, he was surprised to find out that I was staying in Lalibela for such an extended period of time (as most faranjis blow in and blow out in two days time). Following an amazing tour (Thursday), he invited me to celebrate Easter at his home with his family on Sunday. The same day I wondered around town, found a local pool table in a dive restaurant and met a kid named Beke. Beke was hell bent on me seeing where he stayed and going to his home for traditional coffee ceremony. This is quite customary for this country, you meet someone and within a matter of hours they open their home and family to you, it is a concept that seems a bit foreign to me and most travelers. Come Easter Sunday, I was up early in the morning and over the course of the day I visited 4 different families (all locals I had met in Lalibela) for Doro Wat (chicken and spice), Tibs (goat meet with spice), coffee, and local beer. I had to decline invitations to other homes because there was not enough time in the day. I went from small mud house to small mud house eating, chatting, and celebrating as if I had known these people my entire life. Homes were opened to me and food was served as if I was a starving traveler who needed saving. The food was damn good and I even tried raw goat liver which turned out to not be that bad. It is hard to put into words the kind of welcoming and hospitality that I experienced while in this beautiful place.

The second community I mentioned was that of the Traveler. Because Ethiopia does not see too many backpackers/travelers, many of the people that you do meet on holiday or sight-seeing here are fantastic. It is also conducive to solo travelers. The first day I spent a ton of time with three Finish girls who were coming through Lalibela, the second day I met two Americans and one British guy. I spent a ton of time with an Irish girl who had just come to Ethiopia for holiday for one month. These people had amazing stories to share and, like me, they never shied away from great conversation, local food or local tradition. They all had amazing stories to share, amazing places they have lived, traveled or worked and funny anecdotes for us to drink beers by. The beauty of this town and this trip was that the traveler community and the local community have integrated quite well in this town. The locals accept the value in having tourists come through, and they also embrace the diversity of people who call their town home for a few nights. I was amazed at the willingness of both travelers and locals to talk, eat and learn from each other. It is quite a beautiful thing (sappy, I know), but an aspect of this experience that should not go unmentioned. Again, I have much more to say on this topic, but it is difficult to put into words, I am hoping this captures it. 

In other news - Arielle has arrived safe and sound in Addis, she is doing great and it has been amazing to see her and share my new life with her as well. We are traveling to Bahir Dar this weekend for touring and hopefully much of the same as I found in Lalibela. I hope this blog provides some insight into not only my life here, but Ethiopian culture and the beauty that these people represent. Stay tuned for more.

Here are some photos from my trip:

Me in one of the Baptismal Pools

Getting ready to enter mysterious Door Number 1

Outdoor Chanting on Holy Thursday

The Famous St. George Church - Holy Thursday - A view from the top

Traveler friend Saana at the top of St. George Church

One of the Churches carved into the rock

Beke in his home after Coffee 

Sun Breaking through after heavy rain, Lalibela town

Me and Deacon Alemu - Easter Sunday

Too much meat to cook at once

Endie and Me celebrating Easter with just one beer ;)