If the individual acts society is changed. Soceity is a combination of individuals. To change whether right or wrong, good or bad, the start point, the initiative must come from the individual...
- The Dalai Lama
Please let me tell you about my host brother Dejene.He's the kind of person who in a great deal of pain will smile and ask you how you are, he's a devoted boyfriend to his beautiful girlfriend Biza (who lives away whilst studying) and is a beloved member of the community. I admire him because he is so serene and affable, the number of visitors he receives is testament enough of this fact!
I don't really affiliate with Christianity (being Buddhist) but I have immense respect for his piousness and I see how his faith creates kindness and peace within him. Last night Dejene said another profundity (he has a habit of coming out with real gems)
'If your sad fix it. You fix, fix, fix...'
I can honestly say in the 7 weeks I've known him I've never seen Dejene sad or angry, perhaps believing in something and having faith is a very powerful tool for putting things into perspective. I think Dejene is so loved because he is so reliable, in a group you can be sure that he wont need to down jambo (beer) in order to have fun. He has no need to go to clubs as he's not looking for anything, I'm certain Eden exists inside his head.
It was no coincidence that Bob Marley called Ethiopia, Zion. This place though exhausting at times is the heartbeat of Africa. Once again this continent is reminding me that my hopes and dreams are alive and well. Africa exhilarates and inspires me to be the woman I've always wanted to be. The hot sun doesn't just warm my skin it heats my soul and invigorates the determination within me. I can and will do all my hearts content because Africa, she guides me!
I believe the life plan will (hopefully) go something like this:
1) Get a yoga qualification
2) Study International Development & African Studies
3) Become an accomplished Surfer
4) Live in another country
5) Have lots of sex and babies preferably with my current boyfriend (ha ha ha ha sorry Ant couldn't resist the temptation to terrify you....I'm kidding....sort of...)!
6) Get a dog and a cat - or anything with a heartbeat for that matter.
7) Grow Vegetables and have plants on every available space
8) Have a home that is painted in bright colours my parents will think is vulgar.
9) Embrace art and continue to live like a hippie
So back to Ethiopia...
Last weekend the whole team (21 of us including supervisors Peppy and Yosef), traveled four hours into the countryside to Lake Lagana. Its the only lake in Ethiopia you can swim in safe in the knowledge that there are no crocs or Balazia disease lurking about. Aside from having lots of fun with the team it was a really amazing place for a little spirituality. I woke up at 6.30am regularly to practice yoga postures by the shore and swim as the sun rose. There are no words to adequately articulate the experience. I swam and told the world how grateful I am for everything, I whispered to the water that I loved Antonio and realized that I do know my dreams I just need to start implementing them.
Back to the city and things are going exceedingly well. I've hopefully secured a post teaching art classes to rehabilitated street children (the children have been through the federal system as they've committed crimes whilst homeless/orphaned). I am stoked to be doing something creative, not only because its an outlandsih excuse for me to embrace my inner artist, but also because these are vulnerable children who have difficulty expressing the atrocities that have happened to them. Art is a fantastic medium for self expression but can be done in a way that is not so exposing.
The other good news is again arts based. I'm working with a women's cooperative who make the most beautiful pottery. The community where the pottery workshop exists is incredibly impoverished and will really benefit from establishing a working trade. At the moment the women are battling middle man syndrome whereby much of their profit is not filtering back down to them. I aim to create not only a website but give the women the tools to self promote and hopefully run their own shop. They are incredibly talented and I'm certain won't need our help for long as they are perfectly capable of running the show!
So all in all things are going great here. Without fear of gushing I also want to give a big shout out to my wonderful man fellow Antonio who is in Brussels at the moment working with graphic designers and doing his art thing...which I never understand but am always proud of!
And lastly a little inspiration..Meet Wilma Johnson!
Wilma is a bit of an unsung hero of mine. She's the author of my favorite book Surf Momma which in short is about her change from being an earth mother living in remote Ireland to becoming a surfer a chick in Biarritz France at the ripe age of 50! Not only does her art work make me salivate its so beautiful (examples dispersed throughout this blog), her writing is hilarious, strong and utterly compelling. Again a great example that you do not need to be pigeon holed by your age, gender or place in society. Man, woman or child if you dream it you can do it!
So until next time folks!
Please keep writing comments or sending emails I love reading your thoughts.
Peace, good karma and all that shalom
Love Sophia
x
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