World Crafts: How Ethiopia Forever Changed our Lives

World crafts can connect us to far away places and remind us of far away people.  Kids Activities Blog is so excited for Rachel to share part of her story today and how world crafts are helping connect her sons with a the country of their birth which was prompted by WorldFest.

If you are in Texas, you do not want to miss WorldFest in Addison October 20 & 21 {more information at the end of this post} where you can travel the world in a weekend.  They will be hosting world crafts and kids activities along with games, shopping and ethnic foods.

Our lives were forever changed last January.  We fell in love with another country., with the smells, the colors, the vibrant personalities and two pairs of trusting eyes.  By choice and through adoption, we became a multiracial and multicultural family.  This past summer we brought home two of our boys.

Cultural Appreciation

One of my favorite memories from that trip was the generosity of the people that hosted us while we were in-country.  In one trip we got a flat tire on the top of a mountain overlooking the city of Addis, where we were staying.  A group of guys, including a couple of young teenagers, helped us literally lift our vehicle to change the tire.  I’ve had flat tires here in the States, and did not experience the same warmth and assistance.  Afterwards, the older sister of one of the boys who had helped us, hosted a coffee ceremony for us.  She roasted the grounds of coffee in a pan, hand ground them and then steeped the grounds with water over a fire of eucalyptus coals until the coffee is dark and heavy.  While we waited we learned that the boys and their family made hats from wool, monkey tails and bits of yarn.  We were so impressed with the industrious spirits of the people we met, we brought one home for our son to remember our travels.

World Crafts

Now that we are home, I am teaching my son how to weave.  We aren’t making hats, just practicing with bits of yarn, maybe the finished product can become a coaster for our Ethiopian coffee pot.  To make our loom, we used a plastic storage bin, wrapped yarn around it until the section was as wide as we were going to work with.  Then we taped the back to keep the strings secure.  With bits of yarn, we threaded them through the loom.  This is a great activity to help your kids practice fine motor skills, or work on recognizing patterns.

Thank you Ethiopia, for changing our lives forever!  You have helped us value the little things, to remember to take time to enjoy those around us, to work hard and to enjoy the little lives you have entrusted to our care.  If you are looking for other weaving posts, check out our DIY friendship bracelet loom, it’s a favorite around here – and for the younger preschoolers, try weaving with paper.

To see more about our trip to Ethiopia, we have a set of photos of Ethiopia and a video about our adoption story.

WorldFest

WorldFest is presented by the Town of Addison and the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth.  It will be in Addison Circle Park:  4970 Addison Circle Drive, Addison, TX 75001.  On Saturday, October 20 and Sunday, October 21 it will be open from noon to 6 pm.  There is a $5 ticket cost at the gate for all visitors over 4 years of age.  Discount tickets are available at DFW Albertsons Market locations.

The two-day “getaway” celebrates the world’s diverse heritage as exemplified by DFW’s exciting mix of ethnic communities, plus spectacular cultural experiences. WorldFest provides a genuine global experience with international music and dance, exhibitions, sporting games, international markets, ethnic foods, children’s activities and more.  You can literally “travel the world in a weekend at WorldFest.”

Thanks so much to WorldFest for sponsoring this post.  We are so excited to have such a fun event in our home town.