A Birthday for the Books!

 

            For many reasons my 25^th birthday was one I will never forget!

            While visiting with a wonderful family in Southern Ethiopia in a place called Arsi Negelle, they surprised me by doing a unique tradition that is done for special guests and events.  This included my parents and me being seated on a bench and watching while the men killed and skinned a goat, and then the women cooked it.  Stop reading if you don’t want the graphic details; the stomach was emptied and cleaned, along with the intestines, and then prepared.  We then proceeded to eat it for dinner (just the meat, not the other organs). This was quite an experience to say the least; one that I never will forget.  It was a great honor, since goats are expensive and only prepared for special events and guests.

 

Let the skinning begin...

And it continues, after being hung in a tree to make the process easier.

The final product!

Many people (myself not included) enjoyed raw meat with a local spice; a delicacy here!

The rest of the meat was cooked on an open fire on a large metal pan.

            The same afternoon, I went to Hawassa, a beautiful oasis with a Lake, and beautiful flowers and landscape, a large change in scenery from my home in the mountains of Mezezo (which I also love, though!).  We spent time relaxing at a restaurant overlooking the entire lake, only interrupted by monkeys that try to steal your sugar packets (therefore the restaurant provides you with a stick when you order, in order to fend of the rascals)!  Then with my parents, my boyfriend, and I took a boat ride on the waters of Lake Hawassa.  The water and surrounding areas were completely still and quiet, which was a nice respite from the chaos of Addis!  During the boat ride, where the only passengers were my boyfriend, my parents and me, my boyfriend proposed!  It was absolutely a perfect and unforgettable day

The proposal, with a  beautiful backdrop of Lake Hawassa.

Newly engaged and couldn't be happier!

            Proposing is not in the culture of Ethiopia, and therefore my boyfriend (fiancé!) went above and beyond his Ethiopian culture and even managed to keep it a secret from me, and asked my Dad for his blessing and permission to propose! I was blown away by the beautiful proposal and I couldn’t be happier to be engaged to Kabir!

Kabir let out a shout of joy after I said yes:)