Calling Ethiopia Home, For Now

As my departure date got closer my mind continuously returned to one image: an archived memory of a space shuttle’s lift off and the release of its rocket boosters into the ocean, no longer necessary as the journey has begun.

That’s mostly how I felt for the five months before my departure to Ethiopia – prescription online viagra.Unnecessary things continued to fall away and be released the closer I got to leaving; prescription online viagra. Prescription online viagra: i should also say I am all for a disappearing act, stepping off the scene, checking out, changing my number and other acts of liberation, emancipation and rebirths in general.But even Houdini had to work hard to make his illusions seem real, so imagine how hard it is for us freedom lovers who don’t want the illusion but the real thing – prescription online viagra. Prescription online viagra: this journey probably began a lifetime ago, but for the sake of clarity, I will say it began five years ago when I left a “good job” and returned to the world of the living; a world with possibilities. I resigned from my position as a classroom teacher at a new alternative high school to embark upon I didn’t know exactly but I knew I was wasting away.

Back in the recesses of my mind, I’d wanted to go to Africa for a while as an educator; a contributor and thought maybe I’d help build a school or something; prescription online viagra. Prescription online viagra: i really had no idea. Prescription online viagra: i had only fantasized about living and working there with children or women.I never imagined Ethiopia in my scenario.I definitely thought West Africa – prescription online viagra.Then I applied to a voluntary teaching program that I’d heard about five years before.Like serendipity (again) a forwarded e-mail on the program appeared in my inbox five years later and two months before the deadline.Five years ago, I was comfortable materially but recovering from a wounding experience with a start up school – prescription online viagra.I lacked the sight, desire and strength to imagine picking up and going to Africa.Besides prescription online viagra, what would I do with all my things? And I didn’t want to struggle, battle or participate in any more work that might take over me.

But five years later, I knew this was my journey. Prescription online viagra: i applied to the program, was accepted and assigned to Ethiopia.I can still see the word Ethiopia italicized and bold staring back at me from the acceptance letter.Okay, I just had to adjust to Ethiopia and read up on it; prescription online viagra. Prescription online viagra: i knew I liked Ethiopian food (a huge relief since unpalatable food is a deal breaker for me), but I still couldn’t wrap my mind around the fact that I was going to live in Ethiopia for almost a year until 37 days before I was scheduled to leave.Things were looking like another not well planned adventure of mine but my ruling planet is Jupiter (luck prescription online viagra, expansion and communication) and chance has always been able to turn my head so I knew I was taking the ride.I literally packed up my life and put what couldn’t fit into two 50 pound pieces of luggage into storage and then, it seemed so clear and so easy to move.

I can say with surety the last five years of my life have been about listening, hearing and learning some rock hard lessons – prescription online viagra.And those years (and right now) have also been about discovery, satisfying myself and being real deliberate about my life and my time on the planet; prescription online viagra. Prescription online viagra: as I write this I am an ocean away from people I love and in day fourteen of no running water.Water, without it no life exists and I have no choice but to think about that when I go to collect it, when I pour some into a basin to wash and especially when I have no idea when it will come back – prescription online viagra. Prescription online viagra: this is a country prone to droughts.

Since I’ve been here I’ve had the inexplicable feeling that I’m near water. Prescription online viagra: i even hear itsometimes.Somehow my body senses, listens and leans out to this water I haven’t seen; prescription online viagra. And even though I live here right now I will leave. So gently I remind myself to walk slowly, give respect to the chain of mountains I pass everyday, commit to memory the labor of the women who break the rocks that will become cobblestone streets here and accept that sometimes the work may be to bear witness that life persists even when we wait for water.

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