Fasica

We had to cut our visit at Hope for the Hopeless short because of more embassy paper work. This turned out to be a typical thing for us to have to deal with day in and day out, with the exception of the weekend. Nothing ever really seemed to be the end with Nettie's papers but today was the day that they finalized the adoption on the Ethiopian end. Her blood work was drawn the day before and today she would be processed. We waited, and then it happened. In true anticlimatic style, we left and Nettie was officially Kim and Gary's baby! That was cause for celebration and Grace, the director from her agency, had invited all 4 families that were adopting that day, to join her at a cultural restaurant called Fasica that night.

We went back to the guest house for some much needed rest and asked Lsanu to pick us up and join us for dinner. We would also pick up Dess.

Our car full arrived at the restaurant first. It was obvious that this was a place locals could not afford. It was very elaborate. There was even a hand dryer in the bathroom! Walking into the dining area we passed security. And then the dining hall was amazing. Huge paintings adorned their ceilings. Little stools were all about for the guests to sit at. Yup, I ordered a fanta. Dess was a gentleman and ordered for us all. That was nice. He knew what we would like. The other members of the party arrived one at a time over the next half hour.

Food was served and then music began to play. Singers stepped up to the microphone and then dancers dressed in wigs, dresses, etc came forth to represent their culture in Ethiopia. For those of you that have been to the cultural center in Hawaii, it was not unlike that. Really neat. Really, really neat. Of course, Nettie knew her dance. Lsanu even took a turn at dancing though he says that his religion is too conservative for that and he only did it to make us happy. We enjoyed nice conversation and the food was pretty good. Darn that injera, though!

I saw my first coffee ceremony. Ethiopia claims that they were the first to discover coffee. They roast it over open flames and then grind it with motor and pestal. They lay grass beneath the cups and light some incents over charcoal. It smells so good. They use a ceremonial pot and pour a first serving into what we would call VERY small cups. Every drinks. Then they serve a second round out of the same pot. Everyone drinks again. Now they pour water into the coffee in the pot to fill it back up. They pour another round of now dilluted coffee and then repeat this one more time. This is considered three rounds since it is dilluted three times, but yet you get 4 cups! Three, four... who knows! Anyway, a very neat tradition.

We head to the car and the car doesn't start. We get a push and then off we are to Dess's mom's house. It was a nice house and we were invited inside. We could not stay long. Nettie was very tired and Lsanu had to stay in the car and keep it running. There was a dog in a tiny metal cage at the door. He is never allowed out and is only to act as a security alarm for the gate. The house was very nice and only cost Dess $40,000 to build. It was no mansion but was really quite nice with a seating area, linoleum floors, plastered walls, plumbing and electricity.

It was late. Very late. 11:00 by this time and we needed some rest. Tomorrow would prove to be our first stressful day!