Timkat (Ethiopian Epiphany) in Dire Dawa (18 January 2014)

Timkat ala Dire Dawa

So, of course, I want to immerse myself in the local culture. So when the cultural calendar alert sounded -- let's go!

It's Timkat. People were talking about it. I asked my colleagues about it. Students, too. And my pal, Wikipedia, of course.

Timkat (Amharic: ጥምቀት which means "baptism") is the Ethiopian Orthodox celebration of Epiphany. It is celebrated on January 19 (or 20 on Leap Year), corresponding to the 10th day of Terr following the Ethiopian calendar. Timket celebrates the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River. This festival is best known for its ritual reenactment of baptism (similar to such reenactments performed by numerous Christian pilgrims to the Holy Land when they visit the Jordan); early European visitors confused the activities with the actual sacrament of baptism, and erroneously used this as one example of alleged religious error, since traditional Christians believe in "one baptism for the remission of sins" (Nicene Creed). (Wikipedia)

I'm a draftswoman, great!

3D rendering via Sketchup. Design is by Architect Luzzette.

I love my job. I mean being an architect. Really.

I've been lucky, getting this volunteering placement. Being an architect, there's only so little humanitarian work or professional volunteering opportunities (none that you don't self-fund, IMHO) or with known volunteering agencies or iNGOs.

Media Noche in Ethiopia

Not quite lavish, but was most filling, nonetheless!

While we didn't celebrate Christmas with the tradition noche buena, Filipino colleagues at the university, Ma'am Luzzette, Ma'am Liezl, (with their housemate Ma'am Ana from TVET) and Doc Rommel, and I, bid goodbye to 2013 with a very meager media noche at the 3 ladies' flat.