We arrived in Istanbul early this morning. We had a couple of false starts with our visas and passport control and then baggage was quite slow coming. But then the woman from the Esans Hotel was waiting and we drove there. Our room wasn't ready but we had a lovely breakfast and walked around the Sultanahmet area for a bit. To get money from the ATM machine and see some of the sites. Lots of mosques and hand crafts. Also lots of hawkers wanting to sell to the tourists, dogs and cats and people. Tomorrow is the marathon and we ran into Finns who have come here for that. I wish I had known. We will come next year.
The city is a stark contrast from Addis and I found myself feeling a bit sad about Addis and Ethiopia because there is so much opportunity there and I think it will be hard for it to ever be realized. Ethiopians are lovely people and what we saw was also beautiful and historic. Like our Wyoming, I don't think it will ever be discovered; unlike it, there is much suffering and poverty that will remain unattended to.
So what were the most memorable parts of the time in Ethiopia?
The NICUs of course, at Tikur Anbessa and also the other NICUs we saw yesterday. There is much to be done to improve the quality of care. It will take an ongoing big commitment from those in Ethiopia and those who can supply knowledge and resources from elsewhere. Physical and digital infrastructure, working equipment, supplies, more staff, more education and training are all needed. Like the roads, it will be bumpy but of course, it can be done.
We met wonderful people there--the residents who are full of energy and like their American counterparts, very much committed to their professional responsibilities; likewise Sister Berhane and many other very dedicated nurses; likewise the mothers who remained at the hospital and in the NICU watching over and caring for their babies. All welcomed us into their world, let us take their pictures, asked us to teach them and help them--and of course they were our teachers as well. Lemma, quite a character, Zewedu who was always ready to drive us and the gentlest of souls; the people who fed us and took care of us at the Red Cross, the aerobics class in the morning some of whom ran a little with me around the compound, the waitress at the Loyal restaurant and the waiter at Ambassador Park who were always smiling when they saw us, our three entrepreneurial guides during our Northern tour and more. It didn't hurt that 100% would have voted for Obama given the chance.
Asfaw, his family, his schools, the teachers and especially the children we met and saw there were all amazing. Quite a remarkable accomplishment and I think a shining example of the possibilities that come from creativity, focus, persistence, stubbornness of one person over his lifetime. Hedgehog and fox.
Addis Ababa--chaotic, polluted, crowded, crazy drivers, people walking everywhere in every direction, city boys, hidden quiet places, markets, stick scaffolding, potholes, people living on the street. The airport--we made several trips through there coming, getting Rosie, getting Rosie's bags, traveling to and from the North, and leaving, each a bit of an adventure. We never did retrieve the pulse oximeters Cindy brought. And after many electric shop visits, we never did find a converter.
Axum, Lali Bella and Gondar.
Ethiopian airlines--all our flights left early and one even arrived before the scheduled departure time. But the price was right.
The University and the ethnological museum there. St. George's Cathedral. Lucy.
The food of course. We did have some Ethiopian, lots of "Italian", burgers and fries, vegetable soup in Debra Zeit, coffee and tea. And one Chinese dinner. Coke Light when we could find it. We are bringing home coffee beans.
There were more so, I guess, to be continued. It's drizzling today in Istanbul but I'm going to run.
The city is a stark contrast from Addis and I found myself feeling a bit sad about Addis and Ethiopia because there is so much opportunity there and I think it will be hard for it to ever be realized. Ethiopians are lovely people and what we saw was also beautiful and historic. Like our Wyoming, I don't think it will ever be discovered; unlike it, there is much suffering and poverty that will remain unattended to.
So what were the most memorable parts of the time in Ethiopia?
The NICUs of course, at Tikur Anbessa and also the other NICUs we saw yesterday. There is much to be done to improve the quality of care. It will take an ongoing big commitment from those in Ethiopia and those who can supply knowledge and resources from elsewhere. Physical and digital infrastructure, working equipment, supplies, more staff, more education and training are all needed. Like the roads, it will be bumpy but of course, it can be done.
We met wonderful people there--the residents who are full of energy and like their American counterparts, very much committed to their professional responsibilities; likewise Sister Berhane and many other very dedicated nurses; likewise the mothers who remained at the hospital and in the NICU watching over and caring for their babies. All welcomed us into their world, let us take their pictures, asked us to teach them and help them--and of course they were our teachers as well. Lemma, quite a character, Zewedu who was always ready to drive us and the gentlest of souls; the people who fed us and took care of us at the Red Cross, the aerobics class in the morning some of whom ran a little with me around the compound, the waitress at the Loyal restaurant and the waiter at Ambassador Park who were always smiling when they saw us, our three entrepreneurial guides during our Northern tour and more. It didn't hurt that 100% would have voted for Obama given the chance.
Asfaw, his family, his schools, the teachers and especially the children we met and saw there were all amazing. Quite a remarkable accomplishment and I think a shining example of the possibilities that come from creativity, focus, persistence, stubbornness of one person over his lifetime. Hedgehog and fox.
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| Asfaw |
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| One of the classes |
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| In this picture of Addis from our van, one can see the grey smog and the blue sky above. |
Ethiopian airlines--all our flights left early and one even arrived before the scheduled departure time. But the price was right.
The University and the ethnological museum there. St. George's Cathedral. Lucy.
The food of course. We did have some Ethiopian, lots of "Italian", burgers and fries, vegetable soup in Debra Zeit, coffee and tea. And one Chinese dinner. Coke Light when we could find it. We are bringing home coffee beans.
There were more so, I guess, to be continued. It's drizzling today in Istanbul but I'm going to run.
This is so beautifully written. Sounds like quite the experience.
ReplyDeleteLove you.
H