Category Archives: Ethiopia

Pirates!

Posted on 2 May 2013 by lornaofarabia

Check out the recycled-materials ship from the school’s pirate-themed spring carnival last weekend. The sails are plastic milk bags. The trim is bottle caps.  The ocean is blue packing plastic. And of course the buoys are plastic water bottles. Never … Continue reading →

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Pied pipers

Posted on 24 Apr 2013 by lornaofarabia

Elementary teachers received this message on Monday: Every year we have the privilege of hearing the two pipers that the British Embassy sends to Addis every year. Last year we heard them in the covered area, which was a bit … Continue reading →

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When life gives you lemons

Posted on 23 Apr 2013 by lornaofarabia

There’s no substitute for fresh lemons. Where I grew up in California we always had a lemon tree in the yard.  After I moved to Oregon, we ended every visit to my in-laws in LA by loading the station wagon … Continue reading →

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Bath party

Posted on 21 Apr 2013 by lornaofarabia

Not the Damascus politics kind. Bath party, Addis style, to me means inviting your friends over to use your shower because they haven’t had water at their house for a week.  Add a little wine and cheese and you can … Continue reading →

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A breath of fresh air

Posted on 14 Apr 2013 by lornaofarabia

I recently ran across the following article on Italian air quality: “Drugs in the Air” I will say I did enjoy some nice breathing in Sorrento and Rome, for whatever reason.  It is a little depressing to be back to … Continue reading →

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Folklorist for a day

Posted on 12 Apr 2013 by lornaofarabia

Alekka is taking a Spring semester course in Anthropology. Her teacher asked me last month if I’d be willing to present a guest lecture on folklore. My first reaction was, not possible, I haven’t thought about folklore in 25 years. … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere, International Community School, Teaching | 3 Comments

Box of wonders

Posted on 22 Mar 2013 by lornaofarabia

My daughter Alice in the US packed up a box and sent it here. It was mostly stuff I’d asked her to buy for us, but she tossed in a few much-appreciated surprises (mainly of the chocolate variety). In case … Continue reading →

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Threshing time

Posted on 21 Mar 2013 by lornaofarabia

It’s a busy season for teff farmers in the highlands.  Teff is the grain that is the basis of the Ethiopian diet. Farmers harvested and stacked the teff in November; now it’s time for threshing and winnowing. The countryside is … Continue reading →

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From our roving reporter

Posted on 19 Mar 2013 by lornaofarabia

My daughter Alekka reports on her Grade 10 Week Without Walls experience in… Oops, wrong map. Gondar and Lalibela… Every year at ICS each grade level takes a trip. Freshmen always go to the Bale Mountains, juniors to Woliso, and… … Continue reading →

Posted in Around Ethiopia, Background, Ethiopia, International Community School | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

White man dancing

Posted on 17 Mar 2013 by lornaofarabia

I have written at length about the culinary nirvana that is Ethiopian food, so I won’t repeat myself here (not today, anyway).  My uninitiated American friends can find out where to find the good stuff if they scroll to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Family, Food, International Community School, Teaching | Tagged , , | 1 Comment