Life, especially the Christian one, is about constant growth. Here's what I've learned during the past year about personal struggles.
My steps along the Big Story – about adversities and hope
Learning through the harvest
At the beginning of the summer, we acquired a summer cottage in Finland. The covid situation and the recent political unrest in Ethiopia haven't allowed us to return there yet, but now at least we have a place of our own to stay while in Finland. In the midst of the uncertainty, our home has … Continue reading Learning through the harvest
Don’t fall
When I was small, I learned something about balance. In order to avoid falling down, one is supposed to fix their eyes on a constant, external spot that isn't moving. I'm still loving this piece of advice. It tells me how to keep in balance amidst the never ending change and unexpected turbulence of life. … Continue reading Don’t fall
Still here
Ethiopia confirmed yesterday its 16th corona virus case. Many expats have already left the country and the embassies are following up with people like us who are still here. No one knows how the situation will evolve in a fragile society like this, which makes it tricky to decide whether we should stay or go. … Continue reading Still here
After four months in the country
Four months ago, Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, became the new home for me, my husband and our then 10-month-old baby boy. We’ve spent our first months here in the city learning the Oromo language, after which the plan is to move to the countryside. Thankfully, we’ve been feeling this is the right place for us … Continue reading After four months in the country
Learning Afaan Oromo
Not too long ago, I first learned there's a language called Afaan Oromo (or Oromiffa). Soon after that, I found out we were supposed to learn that language. It was obviously because of my lack of knowledge that I had never heard about it before. For it's the most widely spoken language in Ethiopia with … Continue reading Learning Afaan Oromo
People in Geneva Part 9
Mary-Anne grew up in England and moved here with her husband around 4 years ago. She speaks excellent French, is amazingly hospitable and cooks utterly delicious meals (including dessert!). Here's what Mary-Anne would like to share with us about her experience in the past few years: "It's a strange feeling doing life in a different … Continue reading People in Geneva Part 9
People in Geneva Part 8
Mariam is from Guinea-Bissau and has also lived in Cap Verde, Portugal and the UK before moving to Switzerland nearly two years ago. Last Saturday, we went for a long walk along lake Léman and through the botanical garden, taking these pictures and talking about life in all its fullness. I left our meet-up feeling … Continue reading People in Geneva Part 8
People in Geneva Part 7
Zuzia is a friend of mine, originally from Poland, but having lived abroad for more than a decade already: first New York, then Munich, and finally Geneva where she's stayed with her husband for the past 5.5 years. Zuzia's ideas, energy and encouragement have been major drivers of this blog series, and I'm excited to … Continue reading People in Geneva Part 7
People in Geneva Part 6
هذا يوئيل Or in English, this is Joel. He's originally from Iowa, USA, and came here 1.5 years to do a PhD in international history - or more precisely, the history of Syria. He's an incredibly knowledgeable guy, and I'm always surprised by the depth and breadth of his insight when discussing with him. Here's … Continue reading People in Geneva Part 6
Surprised by the landscape 