Nice pictures Hi Rytas -
Thank you for the words and pictures. I feel like I get to share your trips with you.
You are looking very grown up in your photograph and I bet you're taller now too !!
Take care - love - Nancy
Hi Ruta and Family Ruta,
I have been glued to your blog like a great book you can't put down. I am so glad I have got to catch up with your life in Africa. It certainly puts things in perspective. You are doing God's work and we will be praying for you. Much Love, Joan
Although I don't know you well, my family and are enjoying and learning a lot through your entries. Thank you so much for opening our eyes and being brave enough to make a difference!
Labas, Kulbiai I hope all is well with you guys! Here's a couple of things I wanted to share.
The celebrations at Jono and Judy's, and then Lino and Rima were too calm for my taste. I suspect that this had something to do with your family's absence. :)
The concept of microcredit loans is intriguing to me. Reading this post reminded me of a book written by Muhammad Yunis. In his book, he describes the establishing and expanding a successful microcredit program in India. I remember being excited after reading this book, and immediately initiating discussions with friends. I would be curious to hear about your experience with the mircrofinance institutions.
Thank you for these blog posts. You would might be surprised who reads the blog. Several of my peers have already discussed reading this site with me, and they are not relatives. You have immersed yourselves in a culture that is dramatically different from that of Riverside and Urbana and I enjoy hearing about your impressions and adventures.
Iki pasimatimo,
Nerijus
I am an Ethiopian living in Austria.I stumbled upon your blogs on the internet and it is interesting to hear your experiences in Addis Ababa.
Hope you enjoy the rest of your stay!
AGOHELMA I agree, this orphanage is very neet and tidy. I am going to visit them in Januari. I represent the organization MINF. MINF has helped AGOHELMA and their children for many yerars now. I hope they are all well and healthy.
Best regards Lisbeth
Linksms švents Kalds! Kaledos tikrai stebuklu metas! Neseniai gavau is Astos ir is sesers Vitos jusu nuostabios seimos gera blog'a. Pasidalinu su teveliais ir atidziai skaitom, pergyvenam. Neseniai ziurejom dvd Ewan McGregor, kur su draugu keliavo is Skotijos i Capetown motociklais: Long Way Down. Tai sekem visa kelione su zemelapiu. O dabar jau laukiam jusu irasyta dvd ir isleista knyga!
Te Dievas jus visus globoja ir priziuri. Nors lauke siaubingai salta Cikgaoje, siunciu jums silciausius apkabinimus ir sveikinimus!!!!!
Linksmu Svenciu!! Visai mielai Kulbiu seimai linkime linksmu Sv. Kaledu ir ispudingu Naujuju Metu. Su malonumu skaitome visus aprasymus ir persiunciame kitiems. Aciu labai!
Rita ir Rimas Pencylai
WOW! Hey, Kulbiai!
I love love love reading your amazingly descriptive blog. It's so awesome that you guys are really living an adventure. Anyway, I hope you guys are enjoying yourselves and have really settled in by now.
Keep the entries coming! Myliu, Ariana
Blog entries I'm absolutely glued to this travel blog. I'm just in awe your familiy's world experience here. There's no way you can't come out of this a stronger and more loving family. God bless you all. Everything you write is fascinating, for goodness sake.
Eyes on Ethiopia Hi Ruta, thanks for taking the time to blog about blindness in Ethiopia. If you're interested in learning more about ORBIS' work in the nation check out a blog post that was written over the summer about one of the leading causes of blindness in Ethiopia--trachoma. Follow this link to learn more:
http://blog.orbis.org/orbis_international/2008/08/eyes-on-ethiopi.html#more
Hey Vidas Hey Vidas!! Hope all is well. Katie and I are beginning our Confirmation project this week. We are sending home information letters this week to all the school families. We will also put fliers in The Bell (bulletin). We will start collecting items for you during Advent. We think about you often. I see that you are still playing soccer. Awesome! By the way St.Mary Vasity football team won the championship game after 10 years. Everyone thinks about you in school. Also everyone misses you. Thanks and have a great day!! -Christine Manika
you guys Hi Tadas
I have just caught up on your incredible move. Wow! I cant believe you are
in africa. What do you spend you day doing? are you working? I can't
imagine the culture shock. but it is great for the kids. I look forward to following The travels of the Kulbis Family
Exhaust lollipops Labas Lukai! I LOVED reading your incredibly descriptive and detailed entry. You write incredibly well, so well, that I could SWEAR I had a taste of diesel exhaust in my mouth! I bet it's unbelievable for you to think back to a regular old school day in Riverside and think about how different it is.
It's so interesting to me how you described the soccer field conditions, and that soccer is soccer: you don't need a fancy field, perfect uniforms, and top-notch conditions to play and be good at the game. I hope all of you are having fun and learning some soccer-Amharic! :) Buckis tau! Vija
Hippos, Crocodiles, and Pelicans, OH MY!!! I'm so happy all of you were able to break out and explore what I think looks more like the "Africa" we all imagine instead of dusty, crowded cities. :)
I couldn't help but thing about the Lake Como I went to in Italy 5 years ago--- it's quite different from the one you went to. While you saw hippos and crocodiles, I saw hotels and George Clooney! I guess the only thing they had in common was water and a beautiful sunset. hehe
Vasara, was it scary seeing the crocodiles??? Even though I know hippos are the most dangerous animal, it's hard to be scared of something so fat, round, and clumsy-looking! :)
Even though I wasn't there, I think I'm going to dream about Africa tonight. Thanks for writing all your amazing stories and posting pictures, I know it's a really long and tough process.
MYLIU MYLIU MYLIU! Vija
HOLA! Dear Kulbiai,
OMG!!! Is Africa fun? I have seen your pictures and you are all sooo skinny! Who wanted to marry Vasara? Breastfeed Rytas? Wierd. Ponytail crazy people. I'm just kidding. It must be really fun. Ariana says hello, and wished you the best.
HAVE FUN!!!
Monika Siliunaite
PS see you in a year!
The Kulbis family is spending a year in the capital city of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The objectives of our sabbatical include taking direct action to help understand and fight extreme poverty and global inequalities. It is a small drop of aid, but hopefully the seven of us will cause ripples of goodwill.... full info
Nancy Hejna
non-member comment
Nice pictures
Hi Rytas - Thank you for the words and pictures. I feel like I get to share your trips with you. You are looking very grown up in your photograph and I bet you're taller now too !! Take care - love - Nancy