Istanbul to Addis Ababa
We could see a bit of Turkey when the plane was landing. From the gate at the airport we could see a cruise ship in what must be the Black Sea. I paid $5.19 for a diet coke at the airport.
We could see a little more of Turkey when we took off and then we saw a beautiful moon rise over the Mediterranean. The moon is almost full and while the wing partially blocked the view, it “rose” twice due to cloud cover and us changing altitude.
Both our flights were uneventful and I am happy for that. The ride from the airport to the Union Hotel was a little intense. I think watching “Amazing Race” helped prepare me a little bit. They tied most or our luggage to the top of the taxi. The car was quite old and rickety. The driver had to pull off the side of the road to recheck our paperwork. There were many dogs in the streets and some people. I think I may have seen a dead body just laying in the street. On our 20ish minute drive around the city there was only one traffic light. It was red but the driver only slowed down before turning left.
At customs there were separate lines for foreigners, flight crews and Ethiopians. The Ethiopians were in two long lines and they were pressed up against each other body to body. It was only young men. I wonder about Little Dude crossing cultures when I see something like that. When we walked outside the airport Jamie noticed how quiet it was. You could hear crickets.
I am writing this from our hotel with the sliding glass door open, there are lots of dogs barking and howling.
There was another white family on the plane that I guessed was coming here to do an adoption. I disapproved of them. Do I disapprove of myself??
I can truly say I am very afraid. I don’t think I often feel fear – fear, not worry. It feels different.
It is 2:15 am – I need to sleep. I need to trust the judgments and decision making SAG and I put into this for months when we were not exhausted.
Hard to be so close to LD and not be able to get him. So worried about how afraid he will be when we are leaving here.
- A view of the Care Center where Little Dude lived from our hotel room balcony.
Semi-Feral Mama 
Love these!
I can’t tell you what I was doing on April 28, 2010, but I can tell you exactly what I was doing eighteen years ago on April 28, 1993. I was in Quezon City, Philippines meeting my 6 month old daughter for the first time! The time goes by so fast!
I can feel your fear in the words. This is riveting.
Loving all this! I’m so glad you are sharing this with us! I’m sure I’ll feel a similar fear on our first trip. So many unknowns.
I knew this would be invaluable to me, I knew it. I cannot wait to hear more. I can hear myself in your words, somehow.
I’m so glad you kept a journal! Really. I love how much of the world around you, you were taking in. That’s what I wish I had written about. I miss Ethiopia. I was in such a daze. Worrying about my kids at home. Worrying about Jason leaving. I’m not sure I was prepared in the slightest sense of the word. I had forgotten the moon!! I was fascinated by it on the plane. I kept waking Jason up to see it. We saw another white couples in the airport (not from our group)…and I found myself feeling a little icky about the whole adoption process. The romance fades a little when the process/relationships are personalized.
I wasn’t afraid. I was…nothing. I kept thinking, “I’ll process this later.” “One step in front of the other.”
🙂 I’m very happy you’re writing.