Singing in Ethiopia

Aster is angry by the way our suitcases are thrown off the roof of the minibus - I don't think it will do much damage; it's mainly clothes - and I pull her away. I know she can have a very bad temperament...

Mareshet has left us behind to search for the right bus, but quickly comes back to guide us the way.

Again we have to wait in a row, our luggage is weighted, and we have to pay extra because it's too much. Aster, not willing to pay, asks several people if they have less weight so they can take one of our suitcases; indeed, she manages to find someone who can take one of them, but we still need to pay some money for the rest. I'm not complaining...

Before we go into the bus, I ask Aster if Alem-Tsehay doesn't need to pee - I guess it will be a long trip and they probably won't stop for a baby to get out... I think it's the way they hold her, that makes her go... Aster takes Alem-Tsehay from her back and holds her. Mareshet looks, sees that nothing happens, and takes her from Aster. She talks a bit, strokes, and... there it is...

She wants to return Alem-Tsehay to Aster, but I take her instead. All of a sudden, the other people start having interest in the baby, but then seem disappointed to see that it is 'just another black' baby...

Like the previous time, Aster buys lemons and roasted grain, and also like before, it takes a long, long time before the bus finally starts moving.

It's a nice bus. It is a new one, and way better than the one we had on our way to Nazret. This time I have no problems with the length of my legs, and they even have screens to show movies and video-clips.

I'm sitting next to Aster, Mareshet sits behind us. Unfortunately, it doesn't take long before Mareshet starts vomiting... The sound... And the smell... With great effort, I manage to control myself.

"She is nervous." Aster says. "It is the first time she's going back, after coming to Addis..."

"Maybe you need to sit next to her?" I ask, and Aster agrees. She asks the woman sitting next to Mareshet if she wants to swap places, and the woman happily complies. Perhaps because of Mareshet's vomiting, or, and I know I'm getting arrogant now... perhaps she rarely gets the chance to sit next to a ferengi...

The woman has a three, four years old child on her lap, who can't keep her eyes of me. I smile and say 'ciao' but she quickly hides her face against her mother's body. Then she starts peaking at me...

The woman strokes the hair of the girl and whispers something to her. The girl snuggles up, and seems to go to sleep.

I watch the screen showing a movie. It's all in Amharic, so I don't get a word they say, but I can somewhat follow the story. Suddenly, a ferengi shows up, and the whole bus start laughing; I wonder if they put the video up because of me... Apparently, he isn't the smartest person in that movie, and even the woman next to me can't withhold her smile. I myself laugh too, so she should know there is no reason to feel bad about that...

We first drive through a relatively flat area with lots of agricultural fields, some of which are being cultivated by ploughs pulled by oxen. You rarely see large machines like tractors being used on these fields. A bit later, it turns into a more mountainous area, and we even go through a number of tunnels.

So far, Alem-Tsehay has been quiet - I think sleeping - but now she starts moving a bit, drawing the attention of my neighbor. When I pull the cloth away from Alem-Tsehay's face, the woman takes another look at me, and then turns to Aster; I think to find out about how I'm related to this baby.

Alem-Tsehay starts softly whining and Aster is ready to take her from me, but I'm determined to solve this problem myself this time. So I carefully cradle her, and softly sing some lullabies I that know. I can hardly believe it is because I make too much noise - the rest of the bus is much louder - but the girl next to me also wakes up and looks at me and Alem-Tsehay.

When, without thinking about it, I start singing 'Are you sleeping', the girl sits up and whispers something in her mother's ear. Now I remember it's also sung in Ethiopia. I somewhat remember the words they had taught me, and, looking at the girl next to me, I start

"Gassiye Jacob, Gassiye Jacob"

The girl again looks to her mother who, I think, encourages her, and the child joins me in the song.

When I'm done, the girl repeats the song, and I join again. Then she starts singing another song, which, of course, I don't know. Somewhat expectant, the girl looks at me and then seems disappointed that I don't join her. Next she looks at her mother, talks a bit, and starts singing again, this time assisted by her mother who softly whispers the words.

After a long time, at least three hours driving, the bus stops at the side of the road, and people get out. I look at Aster, and she tells me it is a ten-minute break.

We also get out; I see most people walking into the bushes to pee, so I pass Alem-Tsehay over to Aster and follow their example. When I come back, Aster has put Alem-Tsehay on her back and together, she and Mareshet also go for a quiet place to squat down.

Indeed, after ten minutes, someone calls, and everybody gets back into the bus. Then we have another two-and-half hours' drive before the bus stops again, this time in a city, and that is where we have to get out.

We get our luggage and cross the road to a square full of smaller busses. Aster walks around, asking, and finally guides us to a minibus which will bring us further.

Again, there are complaints about the size and amount of our luggage, and this time there is no way around it - I have to pay extra. Ten birr - forty eurocents - but enough to darken Aster's mood.

It takes quite some time before the bus is completely filled. Clearly, this isn't Addis - people here carry tools, some bring animals, and also the smell is... different...

The road is no longer paved; the minibus follows a gravel road with deep holes to avoid, sometimes the bus goes at less than a walking pace through some of the unavoidable holes. Fortunately, the driver seems to know every little bump in this road.

The view is spectacular - I would have enjoyed it if it wasn't too scary... We are really driving on a narrow, bumpy and dusty road through the mountains, with on the one side steep walls of rock and on the other side generally a deep nothing... Of course there are no crash barriers, and the driver takes the bends around the mountain, without any view on oncoming cars, with a true contempt for death. He sounds his horn before taking those turns, but that doesn't comfort me at all. And it doesn't help that several of the oncoming cars move with speeds that seem more than double the safe limit. That's not all - several times, the driver feels the need to overtake show-driving trucks, clear view ahead or not... The bundle of branches, from which he continuously picks the fresh young leave tips, explains his courage; ch'att, better known as qat in the rest of the world – an opiate often taken in Ethiopia. Car-wrecks along the road and on the steep mountain flanks tell me that quite often things don't end well. In our case, however, the saints, put up on the walls of the car, do a good job and without any accidents we arrive safely in the next place.

Village is too much honor for the few houses placed together. Nevertheless, we get out of the bus here, and collect our stuff.

Both Aster and Mareshet look around - this is the place where they were born; in Mareshet's case, it is also the place where she had lived until two years ago...

I hear a cry, and someone comes running towards us. A woman, dressed in rags, embraces first Mareshet, then Aster. The woman cries, and so does Mareshet.

Aster points to me, says something, and the woman gives me a hand, keeping her distance.

Aster asks her a few questions, the woman looks around, points, and Aster tells me to stay where I am while she goes checking around.

So I stand there, being watched by several onlookers. In Addis, people may be used to foreign people, but here they clearly aren't.

Some children whisper loudly and point in my direction; I see some running away, apparently calling their friends, as soon it gets really crowded with children... Mareshet tries to shoo them away but they keep watching at save distance, until finally some of the men start sending them away.

Aster comes back, disappointed. She can't arrange a car, and it is at least a two-hour walk we have to go. We have to hurry; otherwise it will be dark before we arrive...

"Two hours!" I cry out desperately, pointing to the large suitcases, "How are we supposed to carry those if it is that far?"

"We can leave them in Genna's house" Aster says. "Tomorrow, they can collect them with their donkeys."

Aster calls some of the boys, still standing at distance, and gives them orders. Then she tells me: "They will carry the suitcases to the house."

We walk to one of the houses - actually, this shed doesn't really comply to the term 'house' - and Aster points the boys where to place the suitcases. Then she hugs the woman again, and we go.

We walk an endless path leading into the mountains. It can hardly be called a road - no pavement, no gravel, dusty - only the bushes on the sides and the trodden sand indicate this is a commonly used route to somewhere.

We have walked for about five minutes when someone calls. A person comes running our way - it's a woman - and I see Mareshet stiffen.

When the woman gets close, her pace slows down, and the last few meters are bridged hesitantly. In the end, Mareshet also takes a few dithering steps in her direction.

They hug, but I can see that both keep their distance. However, the woman starts to cry and then Mareshet wraps her arms around her again - this time like she means it. Mareshet rubs the other woman's back and talks to her. I think she wants to assure the woman about something.

Aster watches too; I can see she is uncertain about what's happening. Of course, I want to ask her who this is, but I let her watch and listen. It seems important.

After a long time, Mareshet lets go of the woman, takes some distance, and talks some more. Then she calls us to come too. Aster gives an awkward embrace and I shake her hand. A few more words, and the woman turns and goes back.

"It's the new wife of Mareshet's husband." Aster says, and I understand... perhaps a little bit better now...

We continue our path, and Mareshet and Aster talk; I can imagine they want to discuss what just happened.

It is hot; I'm sweating, and I think even Mareshet and Aster are troubled by the temperature. Mareshet and Aster have brought umbrellas which they use against the sun. Aster also offers one to me, but I decline - I prefer to walk empty-handed.

I take some water - I'm glad Aster thought about it and we are taking several bottles with us. Their family lives on a small farm, and there is no bottled water around - only the water from a nearby river, which is fine for them but probably not suitable for me to drink.

I close the bottle, and all of a sudden I feel overwhelmed with gratitude that I'm experiencing this. I mean - here I am, in the middle of, let's face it, nowhere. I'm going to see, with my own eyes, what it means to live on an Ethiopian farm - a small Ethiopian farm. For sure this will be an experience I will never forget. At the same time, I'm grateful that I'm in the position that it is only temporary; I will see this, and then go back home.

But then I also start to realize that I will probably get face to face with real poverty... Real, real poverty; and they are not just people - they are going to be family... They ARE family.

I have to move on. We really need to be at the location before it gets dark, so we continue. But while we walk, my mind starts working in new directions...

Of course I had been shocked on my previous visit to Addis, but there was still a lot of distance. I was with Aster, and that was it. I had seen things, heard things, but Aster was doing okay. More or less...

Now, there is also Mareshet who I have learned to know, Alem-Tsehay of course, and in a few hours I am about to meet a whole family. What am I about to see - will I see real misery? I mean - this is Ethiopia, after all, world-famous for its famine... Aster and Mareshet are certainly not wealthy, and their family is most likely living in worse conditions - can I handle this...?

We continue walking. The road is winding and the landscape sloped. I look back, and already I can't see the houses of the village anymore.

Aster comes walking next to me. "How is Mareshet?" I ask, and she gives a smile.

"She is strong as always." Aster says with pride in her voice. "She doesn't blame her husband - he is a good man who just had no other option.

"While Mareshet was in labor, he was close to her - he wanted to help, do everything he could, but there wasn't anything he could do for her. Nothing...

"Even later, when the baby was out and Mareshet's problems really started, he didn't want to give up. He called the doctor, he even brought Mareshet to town, but no-one could help him.

"His parents got angry because he spent so much money and time on Mareshet - they wanted her away, so, in the end, he paid her transport to Addis, hoping she could undergo surgery and get cured. But after a year without any news, he had no option than to divorce and marry again...

"That woman, she was the sister of Mareshet's best friend. She felt ashamed, seeing Mareshet, but Mareshet told her she didn't blame them. We will visit them on our way back."

I am impressed. I wonder how often Mareshet thinks about this; I'm almost certain every day. This woman has been through so much misery; so much pain and shame. How can she forgive those people after all what happened to her? No wonder there was tension in the beginning; amazing that it only took this short... And now she even wants to face her ex-husband... I feel nothing but admiration. I want to... I quickly walk to Mareshet, make her stop, and kiss her cheeks. Both Aster and Mareshet are surprised. Then Mareshet playfully lashes out to me - "Siddih!" - and continues walking again...

After a while, Mareshet seems to slow down, and Aster worries. Is it too far? Even though she doesn't show, Mareshet is still weak, and with the heat, the stress and the long bus trip...

They talk, and then Mareshet sits down on a stone in the shadow of a huge tree. I give her a bottle of water, she takes a sip and gives it back to me.

"Come!" Aster says to me. "We will go first, and then my family will have to come back and help her. I don't understand why there was no one waiting for us in the village..."

I look at Mareshet, but she waves me away. Go!

I put the bottle with water next to her and go with Aster. Now we walk faster - already we didn't have too much time, and if they have to come back to pick up Mareshet...

After about fifteen minutes walking, we suddenly see a group of children watching us on the side of the road. Aster calls to them, and they come our way. Now, I also see the sheep walking around.

Aster talks to them, they deliberate, and suddenly one of them runs away, continuing the path we were taking.

"Let's go back to Mareshet." Aster says to me. "That boy is calling our family." And so we walk back.

Mareshet is still sitting on the stone, watching us coming back. We join her under the tree, Aster takes Alem-Tsehay from her back and gives her to me. I'm surprised how quiet she has been today - sometimes even worried...

Aster pours some milk in a beaker and gives it to me. Then she watches how I feed Alem-Tsehay.

"Will you miss her?" she asks.

Oh...

"Are we bringing her back to her parents?" I should have figured that out myself... Aster nods.

"I will..." I admit. "She is so beautiful!" I hope she won't continue about having a baby ourselves now - I might give in...

Surprisingly soon, Aster points to the road, and indeed, I see a cloud of dust in the distance. A little later, I can see three or four people, walking with a horse. That must be the family. When they get closer, I recognize an older man, two older boys and one boy around ten, eleven years old. Aster and Mareshet stay remarkably calm and wait until they have arrived before they get up. Their greetings, however, are very warm.

Aster introduces me and I also get hugged by the old man; the boys shake my hand.

Mareshet is helped on the horse, the smallest boy takes my bag, and we start walking again; the old man assisting Mareshet, the small boy holding my hand.

We move pretty fast now, and it doesn't take long before we see the group of children again. They wave to us; the boy holding my hand ignores them, too proud, I think...

We get off the 'road', and now walk an even smaller path - we can no longer walk side by side. Aster points - their houses are behind that mountaintop.

When we get near a small, shallow water stream, Aster tells me that this is where they get their water from. From there we walk up into the mountains.

So far, our path had been relatively flat, but now we have to climb. Aster tells she and I have to go first; each of us is assisted by one of the older boys now. The old man follows, letting the horse with Mareshet find its own path.

Already we are at high altitude - Addis is about 1800 meters above sea level; this may be slightly lower but I still experience the low oxygen. Walking up the mountain is therefore quite a task. Aster doesn't seem to have any problems, and I don't want to look weak, so I try not to show too much. However, when Aster takes a short break, she laughs when she hears me panting. "You want to wait here? They can first bring Mareshet and then get you with the horse too?"

Of course not...

We round a large rock, and suddenly we can see several huts built on a flat area on top of the next mountain. "That's it!" Aster points out. "We are nearly there!"

The boy guiding her points and says something. Aster asks something, and then she turns to me. "You see that house there, the one on the side, that one with the light-brown color? They built it for us!" She seems really proud.

I can't believe it. It is huge! They certainly wouldn't have built such a large house just for guests, but Aster assures me it's the truth. "You will see; they are very proud to have you! By now, everyone in this area knows they have a ferengi visiting them!"

The color is lighter than that of the other buildings, indicating that, indeed, it has just been built, but only for us...?

We walk on, and finally arrive at the huts. A small group of people is standing there; watching our arrival. An old man steps forward and hugs Aster, helps Mareshet getting off the horse, and then shakes my hand. Then some older women come and greet us. The others stay at distance.

I look around. The children don't look too thin - they are laughing, talking to each other, and pointing out to things. They seem okay. Their clothes are dirty and ragged; one of the boys has a large, open wound on his leg, but I think it's expected that, with such a group of children, at least one will have some injury - they are children, after all. It's the same in my country. But all in all, they don't look too bad...

Goats walk around, some followed by kids, and there are also many chickens scuttling. And there is a dog, tied up to a tree, barking. When one of the boys threatens to kick it with a stone, it cowers and keeps quiet for a moment.

Aster takes Alem-Tsehay from her back, who is immediately taken by one of the older girls. Then she tells me to sit down on a stool and to take off my shoes and socks.

I do as I'm said, and a woman comes my way, holding a washing bowl and a bundle of leaves. She pours water over my feet and starts rubbing them.