Update 9-26-08

Written by Kamille at 3:15pm our time,
Good evening, It is 11:00 pm here in Ethiopia. We are all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. No one is really ready to sleep (as it is 3pm back in the US).

This afternoon we took naps. Lucky for us we brought popcorn and we are currently negotiating some barter deals for other food, because people want our popcorn.

The dilemma of the evening is trying to get or receive calls from the US... Grandma Babe managed to figure out our cryptic messages by e-mail and I just got off the phone with her.

I am not sure if it is the 17 hour flight, or the altitude here, but we are all suffering from Kankles ( I am not defining this, but I bet you can find it on Wiki if you try).

Due to the Meskal Holiday there is a lot of activity around. Someone I work with (YS that's you), told me that part of the holiday is that children go around signing and wanting to get coins, candy, etc (a little like our Halloween, but with a completely different purpose). Early I heard children singing outside and immediately remembered the information about the singing children. I ran to the gate (there is a guard at our gate at all times). Anyway, I ran to the gate and opened it, Jamie came behind me and moments later followed by Trent and a fellow adopting father. I asked if the children could wait so I could take their pictures. They stayed and I took photos on my digital camera and then showed them the pictures of themselves. Jamie brought them candy, they were excited. After I rushed the door for what I "knew" was singing, harmless children, I was reprimanded by Trent and fellow father adopter for being unsafe.

More children came again later, I rushed to the gate again, this time with at least some caution. I knocked on the gate for the guard to let me see. As he squeezed the door open slightly, I could see several dogs barking and growling. The guard finally got them away so I could see the children. I wanted to give them birr (money) but others thought this would encourage more unwanted guests.

Ahh, yes there was another round of singers, this time the guard came to stop me before I even made it to the gate. I climbed up the gate to see young men chanting and standing close to our gate they had lit a small fire (maybe part of the tradition??) . We were not allowed to leave or go out to meet them. Though in my opinion it would have been safe, but that's just me). We went to the roof of the house and waved and took pictures. This encouraged them enough that some of our guests were unable to leave, for a while. We were told to go back inside. (bummer) The guys were yelling in English "No Problem", "What's up?". It was fun (ok, entertaining more than "fun"). They hung around for a while. Later it appear some of them returned to do some sort of coffee "ceremony" with the guard. I knew they were harmless (Right, right).

Now we are watching American Television and Blogging, it really doesn't feel like we are in Africa, maybe more singers will stop during the night.

Good night.