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| Two beautiful girls who ran up to my parents and I alongside the road and loved having their pictures taken! Such cuties:) |
In rural Ethiopia, mirrors aren’t common, and this was something my parents pointed out to me during their visit (they were here from April 28-May 9 and we had a wonderful time!). It was fascinating to have them share their opinions and observations with me throughout the trip, because many things that have become commonplace to me, after living in Ethiopia for 16 months, were very different and notable for them.
My Dad, the unofficial cameraman for our Ethiopian adventures and
travels, along with my Mom and myself, noticed how children, as well as adults,
were very eager to see themselves in pictures on the camera. Many of them don’t see themselves on a
regular basis in a mirror, if ever, and so seeing themselves is quite a treat. Since my parents don't speak any Ethiopian languages, they didn't have a way to communicate other than using myself as a translator, and so they found that taking pictures and showing them was a great way to make connections and bond, without having to use any words. It was a powerful experience for them as well as for me, as my parents laughed and smiled with my Ethiopian friends and family! It is something I certainly never will forget!
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| Smiles all around as I show some children their photos :) |
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| My Dad showing photos to a group of children and adults! |
Perhaps you are like me; often when I see pictures of myself I think
critically about my appearance; and say “Oh dear, can we please try that
again?” or “Not my best!” However the
people here are just delighted to see themselves in the photos and as they see
their own faces on the camera display screen they are simply beaming and full
of joy. This was a valuable experience
for me!
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| People all ages were all smiles after seeing their photos:) |
In the States, where outer beauty is often a focus, especially with
advertisements and the media, there is a culture of the importance of how we
look externally. It is refreshing to be
in a place where, especially in the rural areas, there isn’t media and
advertisements, let alone ones that emphasize and promote outer beauty. Here, people are thrilled to see themselves,
and they each are so beautiful, both inside and outside.
This was a wonderful reminder of life, what is important, and how
different perspectives, places, and cultures and sharing of these can really
make the world a better place and can bring us all together a little bit more.
It left me thinking, how different would life be without mirrors?
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