News From A Broad, Part I

One of my very bestest friends ever is on holiday right now in Ethiopia - and I'm torn between thinking "why would you ever go to a place where female genital mutilation* is popular?", vs. being green with envy. Her email's fall solidly into the green-with-envy column, and they're funny too, so I'm presenting her emails as guest posts. (Which sounds better than saying "I'm just going to copy what she said, 'kay?")
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Subject: Ethiopia!!! We're in Ethiopia!!! How Frikkin' Cool Is That?!?!?!
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We made it! And happily, the hotel has an internet cafe (whose proprietor is intensely curious about all things Canadian). So far, it's been a great trip, and quite funny at times. Every time we've told someone we're headed to Ethiopia, they ask us if we're going to get a baby. Ha, ha! Except they're not joking. We actually met a couple, Cory and Cora (they match!) from Manitoba somewhere, that are here to get a baby. Good luck - as B___ pointed out, it's a huge amount of paperwork to get a car into Canada from the States - the paperwork to get a kid in from Ethiopia must be staggering. Another funny thing is that despite travelling all the time, I totally gapped out on what can and can't make it through security, and they took away my bottled water, sunscreen and antibacterial spray. Then I got searched. Thoroughly. So thoroughly that other strangers from the security line were wishing me good luck and wincing as they walked by. Ah well. And the 17.5 hours of flight time ended up being pretty much totally wasted, as neither B___ nor I have read a word of the guide book. I did, however, watch "Bolt" and "Australia." They have individually controlled TV's for each seat on Lufthansa now, which means you can rewind the part where Hugh Jackman struts around without a shirt on again and again and again. Yay! I tried to get some phrases going, and say thank you to the waitress at the hotel restaurant, but she walked away while I was trying to pronounce it so clearly I wasn't making any sense. Incidentally, "thank you" is like, 25 letters long and mostly vowels. Our assimilation attempts are not looking good. Anyway, we join our tour for reals tomorrow and I think we'll try to sneak a city tour in as well. The weather here is lovely - humid and 20C or so. Periodic rain, but it's neither heavy nor cold so it's nice actually. I would type more about the lovely people and cool city and scenery all that crap but am about 5 minutes from a coma-like sleep so... People are nice. Totally lost already, city is big and constructed entirely in circles. It looks cool. So does the scenery. That's all I've got. Love/fondness in varying degrees to everyone!
S____
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Doesn't that sound so cool? More to follow.
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*Sorry for the heavy nature of this footnote - I know they're usually funny - but there is nothing humorous about fgm**, & the cultures & mentality that support it. Shudder. There are several charities that helps support victims & work at educating & abolishing; this is one out of the UK - Women At Risk . I'm sure there are Canadian charities that support the same; but I was frankly getting too depressed looking at Google. There is always Doctors Without Borders, which has been my favorite charity since I lived in Moose Jaw & my family doctor left to go & work with them for a couple years. And the Harlot supports them, to; with her Knitters Without Borders , she's raised $590 768 for Doctors Without Borders (aka Medecins Sans Frontiers).
**If you don't know what fgm is, & you're of a sensitive nature, maybe don't ask Google... It's awful. It's unreal. It's cruel. It's hideous. It's barbaric - and I really mean that. Donate something to a charity that supports marginalized women and pray to whomever that you & your daughters will never have to find out. Shudder.