Ethiopia Build

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Oakland, CA: Tomorrow I begin my journey to Ethiopia for another Habitat for Humanity Global Village build. First leg will be flying from San Francisco to Amsterdam on KLM. There I will run, run, run through Schiphol to catch the next flight to Addis Ababa. I have only a 55 minute gap between arrival and departure. Fortunately, Boots and Ramsay will be on the 2nd flight, so maybe they can hold the plane for me! In addition to my personal luggage, which includes tools for the build, food to snack on, innumerable electronics (and their accompanying adapter/chargers) and toys for kids, I've packed a medium sized duffle bag filled with school supplies, some toys and diapers to donate to the Children's Home Society and Family Services in Addis. This is the agency through which my cousin and her husband adopted their son, Eyob, this past June. Not sure how I'll get this stuff to their office if we're working every day. Nikki's friend, Sable, who is from Addis, has provided me with local contacts. Her mother is visiting there now, but we may only pass each other at the airport, since she is returning stateside soon. In Addis our GV team of 9 will be constructing public latrines in a slum area. I know it's too glamorous for words and who wouldn't want to travel halfway around the world to build a latrine! This will really pump up the old resumé. Not sure about the availability of internet access in Addis, so updates maybe infrequent and most likely will have to be written at an internet café. I'm sure our hotel is not wired. I spent today trying to track down newer unblemished twenty dollar bills, which are easier to exchange in foreign countries, especially less affluent countries that don't have a lot of international ATMs. Apparently, the U.S. Mint charges banks more for brand new bills and the ones I got from my credit union yesterday were kind of shabby.Today I went to Wells Fargo and the pickings were slim there, as well. I won't be needing much cash until the beginning of the 3rd week and the tour of northern Ethiopia begins. So, off to inventory the suitcase once again and contemplate whether I really need that extra shirt or jacket or pair of pants.

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