False Start, Take 2
I tried to fly to Ethiopia today, tried being the key word. My plots were foiled by a piece of bureaucratic red tape I like to call the "Nigerian Transit Visa." Apparently one must procure a transit visa from the Nigerian Embassy, a week(s) long process, prior to having a 3-hr layover in the lovely Lagos Airport. I am thrilled that Nigeria is so peaceful and without strife that their government has the time and energy to prevent me from resting in their airport, however, this little bit of African bureaucracy at its best is infuriating.
Lesson Learned: NEVER CONNECT THROUGH NIGERIA
But as Nanny Rita told me when she dropped me back off at home, things always happen for a reason and so I like to think that some divine being wanted me to stay home tonight so that I could write this pre-departure blog post.
It's funny how something as exotic and different as Ethiopia can quickly be reduced from the frightening to the familiar. Preparing for my return to the motherland this time around has been as routine and (more) stress-free as flying to NYC for a weekend. I am excited to reconnect with old friends, meet new locals, and explore areas of the country I missed last time. I have been fortunate to go on many trips and make many friends along the way, always departing with "I hope to see you again soon" or "I'll be back"; but too often these platitudes are forgotten. With my return trip to Ethiopia, I am following through with Abebe, Daniel, and everyone else who I told "I'll see you again." This fact struck me when I called Abebe last week to ask what supplies were needed in the outpatient clinic - he couldn't believe it was me on the phone and when I finally convinced him, he giggled for the rest of the conversation and I could literally hear him smiling through the phone. I am equally excited to return to this place that means so much to me and has forever shaped my life.
When I was emailing with Rick last year about coming to Addis, I forwarded an email to my mom who wrote back "Are you up for this experience? It could be life changing" - little did we know. Since then I have been accepted to the Mt. Sinai Humanities and Medicine Early Acceptance Program and feel comfortable knowing that my future lies in medicine.
This summer, I hope to continue working at the Mother Theresa Mission Clinic with Abebe in the outpatient clinic in the morning and with Rick's patients in the afternoons. I hope to visit more of the government hospitals in Addis and to meet/round with more Ethiopian doctors. I plan to travel when Ari and Diana visit in late July (Bahir Dar, Gondar/Lalibella, Harar are all possible destinations). And I hope to gain a deeper understanding of the country's customs, culture, history, and circumstances that contribute to the vibrancy, diversity, and energy that is Ethiopia.
Hopefully my next post will be from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Looking forward to sharing my stories and reading your comments.
~Sar "false start" Medoff
p.s. Here are the closing thoughts from my final journal entry last year (7/18/07):
I've gotten a surprising amount of "well, I'm sure you saw terrible things;" I did see terrible things but I saw a lot of beautiful things and I helped a lot of people, even in my small, peripheral way. I didn't save any lives...but I made people smile, I held hands, and I now have more friends...in Ethiopia and Africa than I ever thought possible. It's [Africa's] problems are different than America's, but different in a great way because these are problems we can all help fix. And it all starts with a lot of motivation and a little bit of Action. 6:45 PM
Lesson Learned: NEVER CONNECT THROUGH NIGERIA
But as Nanny Rita told me when she dropped me back off at home, things always happen for a reason and so I like to think that some divine being wanted me to stay home tonight so that I could write this pre-departure blog post.
It's funny how something as exotic and different as Ethiopia can quickly be reduced from the frightening to the familiar. Preparing for my return to the motherland this time around has been as routine and (more) stress-free as flying to NYC for a weekend. I am excited to reconnect with old friends, meet new locals, and explore areas of the country I missed last time. I have been fortunate to go on many trips and make many friends along the way, always departing with "I hope to see you again soon" or "I'll be back"; but too often these platitudes are forgotten. With my return trip to Ethiopia, I am following through with Abebe, Daniel, and everyone else who I told "I'll see you again." This fact struck me when I called Abebe last week to ask what supplies were needed in the outpatient clinic - he couldn't believe it was me on the phone and when I finally convinced him, he giggled for the rest of the conversation and I could literally hear him smiling through the phone. I am equally excited to return to this place that means so much to me and has forever shaped my life.
When I was emailing with Rick last year about coming to Addis, I forwarded an email to my mom who wrote back "Are you up for this experience? It could be life changing" - little did we know. Since then I have been accepted to the Mt. Sinai Humanities and Medicine Early Acceptance Program and feel comfortable knowing that my future lies in medicine.
This summer, I hope to continue working at the Mother Theresa Mission Clinic with Abebe in the outpatient clinic in the morning and with Rick's patients in the afternoons. I hope to visit more of the government hospitals in Addis and to meet/round with more Ethiopian doctors. I plan to travel when Ari and Diana visit in late July (Bahir Dar, Gondar/Lalibella, Harar are all possible destinations). And I hope to gain a deeper understanding of the country's customs, culture, history, and circumstances that contribute to the vibrancy, diversity, and energy that is Ethiopia.
Hopefully my next post will be from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Looking forward to sharing my stories and reading your comments.
~Sar "false start" Medoff
p.s. Here are the closing thoughts from my final journal entry last year (7/18/07):
I've gotten a surprising amount of "well, I'm sure you saw terrible things;" I did see terrible things but I saw a lot of beautiful things and I helped a lot of people, even in my small, peripheral way. I didn't save any lives...but I made people smile, I held hands, and I now have more friends...in Ethiopia and Africa than I ever thought possible. It's [Africa's] problems are different than America's, but different in a great way because these are problems we can all help fix. And it all starts with a lot of motivation and a little bit of Action. 6:45 PM
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