Donkey Basketball

Recently I was asked to participate in a fundraiser that was being put on by the Strasburg High School Athletic Department.  All I was told was that some of the student's favorite teachers were being recruited from the elementary, middle, and high schools to play Donkey Basketball.  Now.... Being from Virginia Beach, I figured Donkey Basketball was a fun name for regular basketball where you played with some silly rule (ie.  you had to shoot only with your left hand or something like that)...  Ya... I was completely wrong.  Apparently at Strasburg, "Donkey Basketball" means DONKEY BASKETBALL!!!  Yes, other teachers and I participated in a basketball game in which you had to ride donkeys around the basketball court.  It was a crazy game with a crazy set of rules... you see, you couldn't shoot unless you were on your donkey... you couldn't even leave your donkey's side (so if the ball was just out of reach and your donkey wasn't budging... then you were fresh out of luck)  

Anyway, to say the least I never thought I would be able to claim that I was in a Donkey Basketball game. And now... Well... Have A LOOK!

Thats me... #41

My Donkey's name was RootBeer!

The Blue Nile Gorge

Wednesday was probably my favorite day in Ethiopia. We packed bag lunches and left Addis heading out to the rift valley/blue nile gorge. On the way to the blue nile gorge, we stopped at a Debre-Libanos Monestary and toured the cave where Saint Tekle Haymanot lived and prayed. The Cave contains a spring and is considered sacred. Next, we did a short hike to the portuguese bridge (after a coffee break of course) and got to see amazing views of the rift valley. Finally, we ended up at the blue nile gorge! 

Debre Libanos Monestary

Spring water in the cave 

The Rift Valley 

Blue Nile Gorge 

Ethiopia

It has almost been a week since I got back to the States from my 10 day adventure in Ethiopia and I am still fighting jet lag and trying to get used to the change in altitude. But regardless of my exhaustion and head cold, it was all worth it. I feel like I am still trying to take in and absorb everything I saw, tasted, smelt, and heard in Ethiopia. It was certainly a once in a life time trip and I feel so blessed to have been apart of the GCP experience.

Ethiopia was anything but what I expected to see in Africa. Throughout the trip we stayed in a hotel called Ras Amba in Addis Ababa (the capitol city of Ethiopia). Addis was an amazingly lively city. We spent the first few days of the trip doing walking tours of the city center, visiting museums and local churches, and experiencing the traditional food and dance.  Everyone we met along the way was so welcoming and took great pride in their country's history.  Here are a few pictures from the first few days of the trip....

View from the roof top cafe at our hotel
 (I got to eat breakfast up here every morning!)

My first cup of Ethiopian coffee... life changing! 

View of Addis in action at Arat Kilo 

My first traditional Ethiopian meal... with of course injera

My room mate for the week! 

St. Stephen's Ethiopian Orthodox church 

Church of the Holy Trinity in Addis 

Menelik II Orthodox Church 

Ras Amba Hotel... home for the week 

Merkato- the largest open air market in all of africa

Merkato Market 

Tej- Ethiopia honey wine

More pictures of our adventures from the rest of the week to come....

Pennies For Patients

What if I were to tell you that if some of you were to see me right this moment.... you might not recognize me!  A couple weeks ago Strasburg High School participated in Pennies for Patients.  This is a program that calls on high school students to collect and donate any spare change that they can find to raise money and awareness to help fight Leukemia & Lymphoma.  Because of this  program millions of lives are touched and millions of dollars are raised to help find a cure for Blood Cancers. 

At Strasburg High we set a goal for the kids to raise $1,300 in a one week period.  To "sweeten" the pot and motivate the student body, my buddy and I told students that we would shave our heads into MOHAWKS if they surpassed the goal!  Kids really got into the challenge, mostly due to the thought of humiliating two of their beloved teachers, but also because they knew the importance of their mission.  Let me tell you something, while I have never felt and looked more ridiculous... I have never been more proud.  The students of Strasburg High destroyed their goal raising $2,000 dollars.  My classroom alone raised $300 dollars (the most in the entire school... ya... we also won a class pizza party because of it).  It has been a week since the assembly where Mr. Brice and I were Mohawked in front of an entire audience of cheering kids.  I'm losing the mohawk tonight, but I thought some of you might want to see it before I do : )

Ya... the SHS Boys Soccer parents meeting was this week.  You should have
seen the looks on their faces when they introduced to the new Assistant Coach, haha.

'Twas The Night Before Ethiopia

Well guys, the day has finally come... Lauren sets out on her journey to Ethiopia tomorrow morning at 6:30 a.m.  A 12 hour flight will land her in the capitol city, Addis Ababa.  Never in her wildest dreams could she have imagined that she would be traveling all the way to NorthWestern Africa.  She is in for quite the adventure.... STAY TUNED!

I'm honestly SHOCKED that my wife could fit 10 days worth of cloths into one backpack....
Lets face it, we all know that she doesn't travel light!!