Some week

This afternoon—Monday—was really awesome. We had patients today, Tsinat got a hand-operated centrifuge (for when the power goes out) and it is SO COOL! I printed and cut my tests for third grade on Wednesday, and Abebe found out where the guest house that Meredith and her mother are staying is. Okay now this afternoon. Class went well—I had to skip a whole bunch because second grade is so behind (by no fault of their own). Afterward, I went to play football with Dureti, Hermela, and Firmaye. Then two boys (Alazar and another kid) came, and we were going to play three-on-three, so I divided the teams. Then Firmaye got all put out and insisted on a hands-up-hands-down thing to decide. They turned out to be the exact same teams I had picked in the beginning. Then Fantu came and we all were playing, then Dureti got hit so a few of us sat out so it would be fair teams (2-on-2 haha), and were taking about Fantu’s wig. “No, guys, it’s not a wig, it’s artificial hair.” They asked if the Bible said not to wear wigs. I told them no, the Bible says not to dress up all fancy with jewelry and go around wanting people to tell you are beautiful. Then they wanted me to tell them a Bible story. So I told David and Goliath with Firmaye and Hermela translating. They all really liked it, and a few kids from the afterschool class or water pumping came to listen too. Fantu, as it turns out, is SDA too. She goes to church in Sefara with Firmaye. Coolio.

On Tuesday, Hulu, Adugnyae and I traveled to a remote area outside of Addis Ababa to visit patients that would have a hard time traveling to our clinic. We were going to go to someplace, Asegefach Mariyam, but we could not find it. So armed with blood-pressure cuffs, stethoscopes, and brochures, we picked a village, and met with its inhabitants in one of their houses. The nurses took blood pressures and gave advice about childcare. The rest of the village was gathered at an assembly area under a tree. The nurses gave a lecture about general hygiene and answered questions from the audience. They said that one of their biggest needs is a better way to access the clinic during the rainy season. In order to come to our clinic, they must pass a river that swells significantly when the rains come. Because this community will have much easier access to medical care than in the past, they expressed their deep appreciation and said that they are delighted to have this clinic so close. And the reason that sounds so unlike my usual blog writing is because it is a slightly modified version of an article I wrote for the Kalaala Chronicles.
Class was good. I think Tuesday was the day I killed the spiderS. I was outside and there was a spider. I told it not to go in my house, but it blatantly disobeyed me while I went inside to get a shoe. So I was already panicky, but when I hit it, it exploded!!! Billions, or at least a hundred little baby spiders (all with the potential to grow up big and scary like their mother) exploded out. So I screamed (bloody murder) and went ballistic trying to smash them all, and Dr. Fekede was outside and was like, “What’s going on; what’s the matter?” Funness.

Wednesday. Um, OH! Meredith, and her mother Martha came to pick up Hollis Bilch’a, and they spent the day with us! We picked them up at their signless guest house, stopped by Bole Mini for Dabo Kolo, and went back to Kalaala. Meredith had brought us refried beans and We showed them around the compound, and then ate lunch. I had made patties the night before (a whole batch, so we would have leftovers for supper!!!!). No one ate much, especially Cameron who only had three and Martha who had half of one. But she was sick so… Hollis is SO cute! Cameron learned how to change a diaper. It was really funny. They all came to watch me give my test to the third graders. On test day I am especially firm and yelly and on the brink of mean, because cheating is a big thing, and I cannot tell if, when they are talking, if they are talking about the test or about playing soccer after school! I am not usually that mean, but I have to be extremely cautious on test day. It was really good to get to see them all.
Probably the funniest thing that happened while they were here was their amusement at Cameron’s and my relationship. We are apparently like an old married couple. We argue and joke the same, never fight. We make decisions like a married couple. We’ve been through the “having a baby” phase (except Jennifer wanted a dog), and now we’ve been married forty years and he start bringing me the tomatoes off the stove as I am asking. Oh, and we both wore green today. It sounds really boring when I try to describe it, but it is super funny. Except, Meredith says, that we do not share a bathroom, which we halfway do, because my shower is broken and he blows his nose with my toilet paper. When we leave, it will be like we’re old and he died. See, it’s funnier if you could see us.

Oh, in the morning before worship, I went to find Mek,des (aka Mek’des haha) and Biniam because they passed their test but both missed a question. Mek’des came to worship, so that was no problem, but I went to look for Biniam in the classroom. Dureti, Eyerus, and another girl were there. Dureti had her Bible, and told me that every morning they all get together and read. Enough said.
The rest of Thursday could have gone better. A lady in labor came into the clinic, and I was excited. Except that Cameron had to go meet Other Bereket and had to go pay for his and Austin’s trip up north, and then we had to meet Bereket to go wedding clothes shopping. Yeah, Amanda, shopping. And to stop you laughing, Cameron is wearing a gray suit with brown shoes. I came here to get medical experience and thus far really have gotten none. I guess God has other things for me to learn. I was grumpy all day nonetheless. The NTO stuff went smoothly, and then we spent years in the internet café with Other Bereket doing that thing. I had brought a book, but I am halfway through and still not interested, so I just stopped because it was useless. Then we went to wait for Bereket at the Century building, Dembel City Center. We found a really cool “Restaurant and Snack” and went to have small snack. Cameron got a New Dehli pizza (which was really good without the chicken), and I got the most wonderful mango juice/smoothie/yum. It was yummy and thick and SO worth the 11 birr it cost. It must have been like 5 mangos. 5 or 10. So good. Then we went with Bereket to shop. We found Cameron’s suit (a nice gray color), then his shirt and tie. Then ut oh me. I said yes to the first thing that was halfway decent. It has shiney things on the top, but one is falling off so I have to sew it on. The lady said to wash it, but I am going to see what the fabric is first.

Today has been pretty fine. The meeting got cut short (YAY) because of patients. Then later, Amanuel asked if I was busy to go over the price list with Cameron. Once I found out what he wanted me for, I decided that I was busy, and that he and Cameron could handle it without me. Yep. I should go email all my friends back. Aren’t you jealous that you are the only one who does not get one? (I’m trying to trick you, because no one ever emails me actually.)