Day 1: The beginning

Getting into Ethiopia, I had to shake off the longest two days of travel I’ve ever had in my life. It was a whirlwind: the first day consisting of a full day car ride to Washington D.C. through a snowstorm. I kept thinking how ironic it was that I haven’t seen snow in North Carolina in years, yet the day we embark to drive, it pours out of the sky like powdered sugar on top of a cake. The plane ride was somehow just as exhausting. I just kept reminding myself that it would all be worth it when we landed (spoiler alert: I was right).

I still was unsure of what the first day would consist of, but upon hearing the word coffee, I knew I would be able to handle anything else the day would hold. We met Zac and drove through the city towards the guest house giving me my first initial glimpse of Ethiopia. My window was open and my eyes were glued to the scenery and individuals that inhabited it. We then arrived at the guest house and had some time to eat a few cookies and drink coffee. This was quite a moment for me as I realized that while back home I had my mug ¾ filled with creamer and ¼ with coffee, I had no need for creamer here. The coffee was just that amazing on its own.

We decided that instead of lounging around the guest house all day that we were awake enough to handle our first adventure out in the city. Zac took us to a market, but not

one like I could have ever imagined. The images in my mind of scarves, clothes, and foods were replaced with computer parts and wires which littered the road. The area was congested with sights and sounds which made it a lot to take in on our first day.

The day’s events ended with a trip to a coffee shop and an introduction to the world of Ethiopian coffee and coffee incense.

Coffee incense basically just means whoever is preparing the coffee for you brings over the roasting beans during which time, people waft the smell into their faces to see if the roast is to their liking (as dark or light as they want it). At which point, they continue to make the coffee and then bring it over to you when it's done.

To me, this was not only calming but delicious to the senses...a perfect way to end an otherwise seemingly endless day!