We didn't have reliable internet access in the South, so the following are some belated blog entries. Since Lauren has covered most of the details from our hospital trips, I am going to give some insight about our free time.
Besides visiting the hospital in Yirgalem, Team Ethiopia South had some free time to check out the local points of interest in Hawassa and Yirgalem. An interesting fact that we learned from Yodit, Yirgalem was built before Hawassa and was at one point a place where the emperor would visit. However, one of the emperor's son was killed in Yirgalem (supposedly by someone in Yirgalem) which upset the emperor and caused him to move out of Yirgalem, refusing to visit ever since. However, Yirgalem is still one of the most fertile locations in Ethiopia and is one of the major producers of coffee. Thus, we paid a visit to Aregash Lodge and saw coffee plants! Definitely, more green than I thought.
Our first stop in Hawassa was the infamous lake that Hawassa was named for, Awassa Lake. We decided to take a boat ride on Awassa lake to get a better view of the hippos. The lake was beautiful and the clear blue skies made everything even better. After a joyous ride through the clear waters, we arrived at a location full of tall reeds and hippos swimming in the water. Yodit was quite paranoid about the boat tipping or a hippo attacking the boat. Luckily neither happened, despite having Lauren and I moving up and down the boat trying to get better pictures of the hippos. At one point we were about 15 feet away from one! We even saw a baby hippo stand on its mother's back. After observing the hippos (and taking about 150 pictures between Lauren and I), we decided to head back. The ride back was also gorgeous, though a little wet. Yodit and Lauren had to hide underneath a On the way back the captain also told us about how he made the boat that we were riding in himself. That explaining the tipping and the water seeping into the bottom of the boat.
After the hippos, we headed over to a park to see some stork-like birds (or as Lauren would describe it, a cross between an ostrich and a pelican). Since I can't really describe the bird so I included a picture, please let me know if you know what kind of bird it is. Some of the boys in the park had bits of fish to attract the birds. While feeding the birds, this monkey came up to us and started begging pineapple (we pick some up on our way to the park). Of course, we obligingly fed the monkeys and as we ventured deeper into the part, more monkeys came out treats such as peanuts. The monkeys were so daring that they would walk right up to my hands and pick peanuts straight out of my hands! On our way out of the part, we were also introduced to a black and white species of monkey that was native to Ethiopia. As the monkey was being coaxed out of the tree, we noticed how thoughtful its face appeared. These black-and-white monkeys actually let me feed peanuts right into its mouth (so much for rabies precautions). In fact, some of the boys in the park were able to convince one monkey to climb onto my shoulder! Lauren had one climb onto her shoulders too!
After a fun filled day in Hawassa, we returned to our hotel for rest for our visit to Yirgalem hospital. I honestly do not know what to expect, so I am both a little excited and nervous.
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