The full welcome

By the time we reached the Yeshi Buni after church last Sunday, we were famished, and fairly excited, since this was the supposedly most respected place in town to get Injera. We washed our hands, drank sparkling water from a sealed bottle, and heartily enjoyed our meal with our fingers, with Ethiopians from church.
Sunday afternoon was completely over by the time we got home. It was after 4PM and I thought that I was going to be late for the soccer game. I wasnt. It was close to 5 before all the Ethiopians were ready to play. They all laughed that I had brought 'boots' from America and my team cheered "We get the Whitey." Sadly, I didnt play long before we had to leave to have dinner and prayer with the Warren's and the New City team. But it was in my best interest. The difference in altitude is noticeable, or else I am really out of shape. The night ran long, but time at the Warrens is rich. We really enjoyed the New City Team as well.
With a full day teaching ahead, my nerves woke me up Monday--I didnt think twice about my stomach griping. By the time my last class was over, I rushed back to our apartment and Betsy had the same look in her eyes:
"Welcome to Africa. You are now part of the African Legacy."
It had started out gradual, but it was all downhill from there.
Neither of us slept Monday night. We greeted each other with the grimacing nod at regular intervals. It wasnt just gastro-intestinal; it was a fever, too.
Thankfully, I have a light class load on Tuesday, and as the bell rang ending my one class for the day, I was the first out the door. I didn't wave on the way out.
By Wednesday, we were up and wandering about. I made it through all of my classes. Its such a standard occurrence around here that there's not much sympathy to go around. Its not of matter of if, its a matter of when. Its probably the same reason that they call Pepto Bismal an 'after dinner mint.'

By Friday, the fever finally departed. Still some residual side effects, but our initiation ceremony is more or less complete, so we think. I was just glad to have made it to all my classes but the ills were still plaguing us. Sunday after church one week later, of all places, we went with the new MTW team from Baltimore and NYC back for, none other, more injera. By this sunday night we decided to quit acting tough and take the Cipro. Within hours, the disease was gone. We slept like never before, until 5AM when the Mosque next door starting blaring the loudspeaker of Amharic chanting. Bets crawled out of bed and stumbled to find leftover airplane earplugs for the both of us, and as I put them into my ears, I never had so much love in my heart before--so much so that I fell back asleep almost instantly.

PS The internet has been almost completely nonexistent. We blog at its mercy. More anon.