Travel plans

Yesterday we got our travel date. We are leaving on Wednesday, January 21, arriving in Addis Ababa late on Thursday night the 22nd. After my last rather panicky post, I had gotten excited about the idea of traveling as early as January 15th. But now that we are starting the final whirlwind of preparations, I have to confess that I'm glad we have that extra week. There's so much to do!

The plane ride
The first leg of our trip is to Amsterdam, about 8 1/2 hours. We have a 4-hour layover before departing for Sudan (6-1/2 hour flight). We're in Sudan for about an hour and then we head to Ethiopia. We are scheduled to land in Addis a little after 10 pm. If there's one certainty about this part of trip, it's that I'll be completely fried by the time we land.

Our week in Ethiopia
Here's an idea of what our itinerary might look like:

Thursday evening
- Arrive in Addis Ababa and go to the guesthouse

Friday
- Attend an orientation and meet then Mirabelle!

Saturday
- Spend the morning at the care center observing and learning Mirabelle's routine
- Exchange money and shop in the afternoon
- Attend an evening dinner show at the Crown Hotel

Sunday
- Hosanna trip south all day (see below). Return early evening to the guesthouse for dinner

Monday
- Spend the morning at the care center
- Visit museums and city sights in the afternoon. Visit AHOPE (see link) and tour CHSFS Ethiopia facilities

Tuesday
- Attend a special going-away celebration in the morning for the children at the care center
- Return to the guesthouse for lunch, taking Mirabelle into our care after the going-away celebration
- Travel to the US embassy for our afternoon visa interview
- Free time in the evening

Wednesday
- Spend the day with our daughter
- Hairbraiding class at the guesthouse in the afternoon

Thursday
- Ethiopian cooking class in the morning
- Spend the rest of the day packing and taking care of last-minute items
- Leave the guesthouse for airport transfer/hellish journey home

The trip back is similar to the trip there, except for a 5-hour layover in Amsterdam, and the fact that we'll be making it with a 6-month-old, who will no doubt impress us with one of the following talents:

A. Her ability to blow out her diaper during the plane ride - maybe more than once
B. Her volume when displeased
C. Her amazing demonstration of "good traveler" skills

Sure, it will be the last one, letter "C"!

Here are a few more details about our stay and activities:

The guesthouse
There are actually two CHSFS guesthouses, which families describe as very comfortable and cheerful. Three meals per day, snacks and bottled water are all included in our stay. Most bedrooms have one double bed, some with private bath. As in other parts of Addis Ababa, power outages are a common occurrence and the water supply for showers and toilets is sometimes limited. Limited Internet access is available.

Hosanna
Hosanna is about three to four hours south of Addis. Transportation is by bus. Hosanna is the capital of the Hadiya zone. It is a bustling city with a population of around 60,000 people. The roads are unpaved and the city is dusty.

Hosanna is where the Mussie orphanage is located. Many of the Ethiopian children who are matched with families through CHSFS are originally from the area around Hosanna. They are first brought into care at the Mussie orphanage.

This trip to Hosanna will give us a unique opportunity to see the Ethiopian countryside, near our daughter's birthplace. In addition, it may possibly allow us to meet the person or people who first cared for Mirabelle and gave her her Ethiopian name, Tsegayenesh, which means "you are my grace."

Hairbraiding class
Really, no one wants to end up with this look:


Our mental state
The truth is, right now we are both feeling mostly nervous about many aspects of the trip, from the preparation to the potentially challenging journey home - not to mention that our baby may completely freak out and reject us the first time we hold her (of course, our other kids freak out at us all the time, so we should be able to handle that one). We'll see where we're at in 20 days!