Millennium

Today is the Ethiopian millennium. They go by the Julian calendar, which is 7 years behind the calendar that the US goes by. So, I've basically been thinking about Ethiopia the whole day and how much I could be there to join in on these celebrations.
You see, Ethiopians were not afraid of their millennium like we were of ours. They didn't build bomb shelters and buy 50 years worth of canned goods. They didn't tape up their doors and windows, they didn't buy extra guns to protect themselves from the millions of robbers that would immediately spring up after the new year (seriously, what were we so afraid of?). Instead, Ethiopians were, and still are, wildly excited about the millennium. They see it as a renewing time, as a time when they can bring themselves back to the great civilization that they once were.

Even the prime minister, who isn't the best of people, said "We have came from being one of the most advanced nations on earth to being one of the poorest, we have begun to fight back the poverty."
While I'm not a big fan of the prime minister, he expressed what all Ethiopians are feeling. That they deserve better than this and that they are fighting through all the troubles that they face. Many Ethiopians are hoping for less starvation, more jobs, more stability, less corruption and an overall better life. This is what they hope that the millennium will bring.
One of my dear friends, Ageritu, is extremely excited about the millennium. It seemed to be all she talked about while I was there. She thinks that many things will be renewed this year: church, culture and government.
That's another thing. Ethiopians aren't only celebrating this new year for one day like we do, they are celebrating it all year. This is a big point in their lives, in their country...and today was only the beginning.

Even so, I feel as if I should have been there for this. I mean, it's not like I'll live until the next millennium (unless there is a fountain of youth in Ethiopia, which there might be). And if I am going to live there shouldn't I have been a part of the biggest celebration and most hopeful time that Ethiopians will have in my lifetime? I think I should have been and I am still kicking myself for not staying. But what's done is done. I'm here now and I need to start preparing to get back to Ethiopia, start preparing to move there.

That's all for now. I still plan on posting some more stories about people who I met while I was there, so if you're interested check back soon.

I hope all is well with all of you.
God bless.