When you are immersed in a culture different from the one you grew up in, you can't help but notice the differences everywhere. Some are more in your face than others. And then something happens that makes you remember that despite our differences we are the same too. A few days ago I learned my cousin died suddenly and unexpectedly. We're the same age. I was able to talk with my parents and was obviously upset but thought I would keep it to myself and not let on to my host family that anything was wrong. Of course my host mother knew something was wrong right away. I could communicate to her that someone had died but that was the extent of my language skills so my little 17yo sister came to fill in the blanks. She has an incredibly big heart inside her little body. She hugged me and cried with me and wiped my tears. Their concern for me is so genuine. They barely know me and don't know my family but of course they know grief and the pull to comfort others is universal. We are all different and yet we are all the same. I can't be close to my family back home right now but I am very well taken care of by my Ethiopian family. But it still feels strange to be far away during a time like this.
Last week I received a surprise valentine card in the mail (thanks Mom!) and a package that I sent to myself with a lot of help from a dear friend who included a few extra treats - so delightful!
And everyday I feel thankful for the beauty of my surroundings - the rolling hills with shades of green and brown and the way the sun filters through the clouds at the end of the day is pure magic.
Love from Ethiopia!
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