Mother Theresa Orphanage

Friday night, all of us traveling to Ethiopia together met at Strings with Tammy & Noel and discussed the trip at length. We found out what we'd be doing each day and where we were staying etc. Noel got to day two and "said and then all of us except Julia" will board the bus and we'll head to Project Mercy, Julia I'll fill you in later".................... NO! you're leaving me behind?. Breathe. So I found out that the Mother Theresa Aids Orphanage have requested that I stay with them for a day or two and pass on some knowledge. Which brings me to................. do I teach them knitting or finger knitting? How do I teach using non-verbal cues (as they dont' speak much english), clearly the usual ryhme to teach kids how to knit is not going to work...........

In through the front door
Around the back
Out through the window
And off jumps jack.

Anyway I am very excited, teany bit nervous about going. Mainly excited.
We are having a "packing party" the week before we go, mainly so Tammy & Noel can tell us what to take and what is ridiculous. Lots of head scarves/ bandanas for bad hair days, medications, basic shoes and clothes.......... I have a two page list - I'll get to it as soon as I pack my house, the dogs and move - my head hurts with thinking about how much I have to do between now and January........ move, Ethiopia, back to USA for 3 weeks and then home to Australia for Christmas.

Details and schedules are changing all the time so its a great chance to breath through it. I have officially let go of all my expectations. My biggest stress about Ethiopia is finding a decent dog sitter, my last one sucked. Marcello & India were NOT happy with me after New York. I need someone more nurturing and ramp up the visits to 3-4 times a day... anyway, something else to work on.

I really like the people I'm travelling with. There is a wide age range. Superintendent of Schools, high school kids, uni kids, a bead maker (who is amazing!!), Professors of International Studies from Metro State, an Artist, and Yoga instructor & Knitter :-)

I have found out there is possible 2 or 3 villages where if you stand on one leg, with your hair pulled back and chew gum, you 'might' get cell phone reception and/or internet connection, so I will hopefully keep up this blog (complete with photos), while I'm in Addis Ababa and Yetebon.