It is a strange feeling ending one day early and starting a new day early all in the same plane seat. It was fun looking out the window of the plane to the immense darkness with just the twinkle of light from the ground. We could see the lights of Barcelona and Sicily. The flight from Washington DC to Addis Ababa was fourteen hours long. As the plane was over Egypt the sun started rising. I think that is one of my favorite things about the actual flights I have taken from DC to Addis, watching the sunrise from 35,000 feet in the air. The pictures don't do it justice. The colors are so vibrant.
After what seemed like the longest flight ever, we landed at Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The airport has been renovated since Kevin and I have last been here. It looks wonderful and is so much easier to navigate. However, like all large airports, it still had the same long lines. We waited in line to show our proof of negative COVID tests. Then a line for immigration and passports. Then things really got interesting. It was time to find all of our bags. The baggage claim was much more organized than the previous trips. However, it was still a mass of confusion. There were five or six carousels. However, there was not a particular order in which baggage was placed on each one. All the bags from the flight were on multiple carousels. A nice little game of hide and seek. We were all thankful for the bright orange tags that marked all of our bags. Yes, they were numbered too. And for those who have heard how I pack our household for moving across the country, this was similar... yes, there was a massive color-coded spreadsheet.
We hunted for the box. Nowhere to be seen on the carousels. Kevin spied the odd sized luggage office. Victory! The box was there. Now just one more line and we were good to go. Customs. We waited our turn. All the bags went through a scanner. They asked questions about the box. Then they also pulled off the black suitcase with the ultrasound machine in it. My heart sank. I thought I prayed fervently for my luggage before. Now it was a whole new level. At first it was me back in the customs office with the customs officials. Opening the box. Explaining what a hematology machine does. Opening the black suitcase. What is this? An ultrasound machine, but Kevin's mentos candy was in the side pocket. I told the customs official that Kevin didn't mind sharing. He didn't seem to find that funny. Although, I was very serious... we'll share! Checking the customs paperwork. Checking the clinic letter. Checking the church donation letter. They didn't want to talk with me any longer. They wanted to see Kevin. The same barrage of questions. Who are you? Why do you have this medical equipment? What are you going to do with it in Ethiopia?
The girls and I were sitting outside the customs area waiting. We saw Kevin, the customs official, and the box coming out. Woo Hoo! We're good. Nope. On to another office. Another round of the same questioning. Finally they explained that the health minister would have to approve the machine's arrival into the country. Zebene had started the paperwork for all of this, but the government had not replied before our arrival. However, they saw Zebene's request in the queue. We were told that his request would be answered next week. With the receipt and paperwork we would be able to come back to the airport and retrieve the hematology machine and the ultrasound machine.
Four hours after landing in Addis Ababa we were able to leave the airport.
No box. No black bag.
We are trusting in the system. It all arrived here in Ethiopia.
Now we just need to get it out of customs and to the clinic!
After all of that ordeal we walked out of the airport, down the ramps, through the parking lot, and into the arms of our dear friends, Hiwot, Zebene, and their family. Even with all the issues we had that morning it was so good to finally be back in Ethiopia. The hugs were long and tight. My eyes might have leaked a little.
Honestly the rest of the day was pretty much a blur. Zebene took us to the guest house. We ate some pizza. A short time was spent at their home for coffee and catching up. Then finally bedtime. I have rarely been that tired! It was a long day that had really just merged with the one before.
(I'm not sure what the green stuff in the middle is, but it is
super spicy! Of course M^ loved it!)
ድመት
[dim-it]
Dog
ውሻ
[oowish-a]
Car
መኪና
[ma-ki-na]
Yes
አዎ
[a-ow]
Okay
እሺ
[ish]
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