do they wonder where all the sights and sounds of home have gone? no chanting or dogs barking in 10 days, no goats waundering around the streets, smells of B.O. are limited, all these white people, english everywhere, crazy food, so many people wanting to hug and kiss me, saying "thank you" all the time...... come on that's alot!

when we were in addis, i tried to let them soak it all in.... letting them just watch life around them as it went by outside our gates, praying they would remember the life that would quickly fade away and be replaced by all that is the u.s. i will always remind them that they should be so proud to be ethiopian- for all the crazy things that are this "homeland" of theirs, there is a beauty and gentleness that they will certainly miss.