Monday June 8th - Over the last year it has been my pleasure to learn about The Adera Foundation through my friend and executive director of The Adera Foundation, Julie Miller. I have attended dinners for Adera and admire their mission statement which reads as...
The coffee ceremony is an integral part of social and cultural life in Ethiopia. An invitation to attend a coffee ceremony is considered a mark of friendship or respect and is an excellent example of Ethiopian hospitality. Performing the ceremony is almost obligatory in the...
Here is a look at the neighborhood that the Adera daycare center is located in. Our group spent the afternoon preparing the center for the week ahead, unloading the 20 or so 50 pound bags of supplies that we flew here with. We are getting...
Our road trip outside of Addis Ababa Saturday allowed us to experience the mountainous southwestern region of Ethiopia, learning about the culture and making friends with these hard working farmers and their families that call the Oromia region of Ethiopia their home. Part of our...
There is no better way to experience the divide in our modern day world between wealth and poverty than to enter third world countries through the gateway of Dubai. Seeing the opulence of a 7 star hotel (a category that does not even exist) with...
Saturday June 6th - Perhaps my favorite memory of this remarkable day was befriending Terefea and her brother Habbu on the long rocky descent by foot to Wenchi Crater Lake in the countryside of Ethiopia. An Interesting story about Habbu, it is very common here for...
Staying in the countryside of Ethiopia for our first night was a wonderful introduction to the nature found in this rugged, yet beautiful part of the world. The area where we stayed our first night, is home to some very playful and loud monkeys and...
Friday morning we departed Dubai for our destination of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. On takeoff, Dubai was shrouded by blowing sand from the Arabian desert as well as stifling 110 degree heat. We were happy to be heading to Addis Ababa and its 8000 ft altitude...
Thursday June 4th - Upon arrival to Dubai, for an overnight layover before we make our way to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, we toured Dubai’s famed Blue Mosque. The ladies were asked to wear the traditional abaya's (long black overdress) and the shela which is used to...
Destination Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Thursday June 4th - Our 15 hour flight went smoothly, arriving Thursday at 12:15pm Dubai time (3:15am CST). So, with our bodies feeling like 3am and our minds taking in the bright and sunny 109 degree skies of Dubai we celebrated our arrival...
