ONEMoms in Ethiopia: Home, and everything's different

Learning about agricultural education in Ethiopia.
Photo credit: ONE/Karen Walrond

After 31 hours of travel, I'm home. I slept in my bed, I'm sitting on my couch. I still haven't seen my family -- they're flying home this evening from a visit to Gramma. I can't WAIT to see them. This is the longest we've ever been apart.

Today, I'm unpacking, going grocery shopping, cooking dinner. And I'm trying to sort through the images and thoughts and experiences from my time in Ethiopia with ONEMoms.

I think the best way to share the trip now that I'm home is to tell these stories gradually. I've already given you plenty of ONEMoms tales from the road at Parent Hacks and The Accidental Expert, but now, surrounded by my everyday life, the story is changing. I hope, by waiting, I'll be able to talk about how the trip changed how life looks and feels here. And what we can all do together to make a difference not only in Ethiopia, but in the world (including here in America).

For now, I just want to thank you for the comments, tweets, likes and general WE'RE WITH YOU energy I could feel on the other side of the planet. It's something to be so far away from family and the familiar, and to have people reach out to say I'm listening. We all felt that way.

In the meantime, any questions you'd like to ask? Observations? Thoughts?

Before I left, attendees of the Blogalicious Conference had questions for the people we'd be meeting in Ethiopia. I've written them up, along with the answers I got in a new post at the Accidental Expert: Answers from Ethiopia: Responses to your questions. Fascinating and surprising, I think.

Comments

[Liz Broomfield]

I just blogged about the Ethiopian charity I support for the Blog Action Day Power of We theme http://librofulltime.wordpress.com/2012/10/15/the-power-of-we/ and am beside you all the way with your project plans. Well done for seeing what you want to do and doing it, rather than just doing nothing, as so many people do.

Liz x

[Jaime-Alexis]

I'd be curious to hear what you were most surprised to see--and what you were most inspired by!

[Boston Mamas]

I hope your reunion with your family is wonderful. What a gift it was to share this experience with you!

[Melanie Wilson]

I got familiar with how World Vision helps establish sustainable food sources through a blogging friend who went to Bolivia. Does ONE do this kind of work in communities, too? Looks like an amazing trip.