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Morning greetings in the Ethiopian Outback
Not thirty seconds after Jason and Sugar left for an early morning walk, I saw a shape at the door. I thought it was Sugar, but it was shorter, wider, and harrier. “Get out!” I hissed! With a smile on...
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Rediscovering Habeshaness: Ethiopian Language
Over the past week, it’s been fascinating to see the girls adding mannerisms and language, to embrace their Habesha-ness. On the road, in the van, instead of arguing, “Yes!” “No!” “Yes!” “No!” They,...
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On the Road between Nakemte and Addis Ababa
After a couple of eventful, but emotionally exhausting days in Nakemt’, our crew was ready to head back to Addis. Nakemt’ isn’t really a destination for anyone… Its sole attraction is our extended...
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Crafting, Reading and Meeting at the Love and Hope Centre in Addis Ababa
On March 10, I had the delight of spending the day at Vulnerable Children Society‘s Love and Hope Centre in Kality, on the outskirts of Addis. In fact, a whole gaggle of us met at the centre. My...
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The road to Lake Langano
I resume our travel blog … … as we were heading south of Addis Ababa towards Lake Langano. The best times in our lives, and certainly the best vacations, have been by ourselves in the bush somewhere....
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Family Forest Fun: Bishangari Lodge at Lake Langano
In February 2014, we took our daughters back to Ethiopia for the first time, since their adoption in 2009. This is one of many blog posts we have written about our family’s homeland trip. I also go to...
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Sacrificial Goat
Just talking to my dear friend Menbi in Ethiopia right now… you’d recognize her as one of neighbors and one of my closest friends. I lent her my Ethio cell phone so she and Haile could stay in touch,...
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Visiting, Shopping and the Spa: our last relaxing days in Ethiopia
In February 2014, we took our daughters back to Ethiopia for the first time, since their adoption in 2009. This is one of many blog posts we have written about our family’s homeland trip. I also go to...
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Frugal Fridays: 5 Tips for Homeland Travel on a Budget
I’ve had so many questions about travel logistics, that I thought I would restart my Frugal Friday blog posts with this one on budget homeland travel to Ethiopia. We were gone for two weeks total,...
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5 Tips for Successful Adoption Homeland Travel in Ethiopia
By popular request, I have compiled some of our family’s tips on successful homeland travel in Ethiopia. Not that I am an authority on the subject!… Others travel much more often than we did. But we...
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Groovy Amharic Music: Yene Fikir
A friend posted this amazing Ethiopian Canadian du-wop song on Facebook, and I thought I would share it with you here. Apparently this great singer is a student at York University in Canada. I know...
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Every Day Ethiopian Culture
One of my besties, M, got back from Ethiopia a few days ago. She has been visiting her family for the last two months, and it was long overdue that we should sit down and have a coffee. I was running...
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Ten gift bags for ten special girls
My daughters and I had fun shopping for some very special teen girls on Saturday. Our dear friend Tawnya is leaving for Ethiopia next week, and is visiting the ten girls in Vulnerable Children...
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This is not a goat… Donations supporting grassroots change in Africa
Have you ever bought a goat, chicken, or a medical kit from a charity’s gift catalog? I have… But I didn’t realize at the time the intricacies of goat purchasing. For many charities, the goat or...
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Chechebsa, genfo and Ethiopian breakfast
It occurred to me the other day that I’ve barely cooked an Ethiopian food in the last 6 months. Maybe because it takes time, and I’ve been short on that! I’ve made some lentils and tibs, but I haven’t...
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Skating through Addis
I love this video from the streets of Ethiopia. I’ve never seen a skateboard there! But I guess they are getting enough paved roads in Addis to now have room for skateboards. Super fun!
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The end of Ethiopian adoption: how it happened
It was almost exactly 6 years ago the Jason and I became the parents of two beautiful little Ethiopian girls. Aren’t they growing up beautifully? This last week, we learned that there would be no more...
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Adoption post placement report delivery to Ethiopia
With the closure of Canadian Ethiopian adoption programs, some Canadian adoptive families are lacking a viable way to get post placement reports to Ethiopia. I’m volunteering to deliver post-placement...
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The real reason I just left for Ethiopia
It’s been a while! But I am off to Ethiopia for another trip volunteering with Vulnerable Children Society. A couple of nights ago of the blue, one of my nine year old daughters asked, “Why are you...
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Follow our Ethiopia trip on Instagram!
This past week, my friend Tawnya and I have been volunteering in Ethiopia at Vulnerable Children Society’s Love and Hope Centre. See what we are up to on Instagram!
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