Defining Family

When I arrived in Ambo 10 weeks ago, I defined family as a blood relationship.  I did not quite understand any of the relationships between the members of my host family; in fact, I obsessed with untangling the branches of their family tree.  I discovered that my host sister, Almaz, who took care of me, was actually a distant niece of my host parents.  Her five sisters turned out to be one sister, two cousins, and two close friends.  I was told that my fellow trainee Jordan's host family is related to my host family, but it turns out they are just neighbors and friends.

Jordan and me with our host families, who may or may not be related.

In America I consider many of my friends to be family, that is just what happens with close relationships, but unlike the Ethiopians, when I introduce my friends, I still just call them "friends."  I soon realized that even when Almaz introduced me to her friends around town, she just said I was her sister, no explanation.  I slowly began calling each of my Ethiopian friends my brothers and sisters, crossing generations and families.  People who are technically just family-friends, or who should be my nieces and nephews, they became my Ethiopian siblings.

As I packed my bags into the Peace Corps vehicle the day before I moved out, my father, who does not speak a word of English, hugged me as we shook hands and kept saying "yene lej," my child.  The little girls I have befriended in the neighborhood who call me their sister wiped tears from their eyes as I said my final "goodbyes."  My little brother, Naboni, played outside my room this morning with his new soccer ball I gave him, as I ate my last home-cooked meal.  It is amazing what an impact these people have had on me in just 10 weeks.

I will miss so many things about living in Ambo.  I will miss watching the one Ethiopian channel, ETV, with my parents at night while attempting to practice my new Amharic words.  My father would smile and mutter, "gobez Jennifer, gobez."  I will miss the children who run into the streets and yell my name instead of the ever so popular "you!" I will miss that group of women that Almaz introduced me to, all of which I too can now call sisters.  I have loved having this experience and getting to know my host family, fellow volunteers, and Ethiopian training staff.  I also cannot wait for the adventures that are to come in Dangila over the next 2 years.  Tomorrow I swear-in as a Peace Corps Volunteer and Saturday I move to Dangila where I get to start what I came here to do.  I am looking forward to building friendships and family in my new home.