My '07 Travel Story

Traveling to visit or pick up your child from Ethiopia can be a very busy time for families.  Now is a good time start learning about cholera, however, as you don't want to get sick while your meeting your new kiddo(s).  There has been a recent outbreak all over Ethiopia, including Addis Ababa.

According to the American Centers of Disease Control and Prevention:

Cholera is an acute, diarrheal illness caused by infection of the intestine with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The infection is often mild or without symptoms, but sometimes it can be severe. Approximately one in 20 infected persons has severe disease… [more]

We traveled as a family to pick up Mita and Enu. This is not the usual way of doing things, but it is what we as a family needed. So it was Hubby, me, Meg, Elle and Grandma. We had so many plans to travel with the girls and see the sights of Ethiopia. Once we landed in Addis and met with our agency's supervisor we realized that our plans were a bit overdone. Some things we had not considered. Our new girls were not used to going on family vacations. We should have realized this. In fact they had never been out of the city of Addis Ababa. For those of you without kids currently, a trip… [more]

My last few posts on traveling to Ethiopia have covered just about everything. I do want to fill in some blanks and make some more recommendations. As a nurse who loves prevention I cannot help but try and think of the worse case scenarios! Ethiopia is an amazing country with a rich history and beautiful people who share great food and customs. I encourage you to embrace this country for all it offers. I also want you to remember that it is a developing country and you should take care to follow precautions. My husband and I lived in Peru for over a year. In that time we saw several visitors make some basic mistakes that put them in danger. *… [more]

You have landed in Addis Ababa and now the adventure really begins! Most of us get our visa when we land in Ethiopia. It is possible to get your visa through the Ethiopian Embassy in Washington D.C. Your agency will probably be able to walk you through this process if you wish to get your visa early. If you plan on getting your Visa in Addis Ababa have a crisp, new $20.00 bill. We waited in line for about 45 minutes. Meg was vomiting the entire time, so it was a long 45 minutes for us and the people around us! A visa is simply a pass to get into the country. American citizens can obtain visa's… [more]

You have planned, packed, re-packed and are now actually on the plane! You are so excited, nervous and happy the time is actually here. Much time and energy has been spent for this moment. Once you are on the plane there is really nothing else that has to be done. Take this 22 hour opportunity to... what can you do on a flight that long? First I would put on your complementary slippers, close your eyes and picture your child. In a few short (okay very long) hours you will be parenting! This is just the beginning of a long, stressful, and wonderful adventure. Here are a few suggestions to spend your time on the plane and… [more]

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (One of my favorite web sites, I might add!) issued a warning last Friday (February 20, 2009) on Meningococcal Disease and travel to Africa. I will briefly review their suggestions but highly encourage you to read the entire warning if you are planning on traveling soon. Ethiopia is in the Meningitis belt of Sub-Saharan Africa. This belt stretches from Mali, West Africa to the Western half of Ethiopia. Outbreaks of Meningitis are most common in the dry season between December and June. What is Meningitis? The short answer is: An infection in the brain and/or spinal fluid. It can be bacterial or viral. Viral is the less severe kind and… [more]

You have packed your bag, your child's bag and your carry on bag. There are a few things that you may want to add to your packing. If you have traveled to a developing country before, you probably have an idea of what the bring. If you have not, you'll just have to trust my advice! First Aid Kit You can make your own kit, find great ideas at Adventure Medical Kits. It is easy to get carried away (take it from the nurse here! I had a LOT of first aid gear!)Here is a very basic list. Band-Aids of all sizes Antibiotic ointment Butterfly bandages Tweezers and nail clippers Anti-itch cream Acetaminophen (for fever) Ibuprofen (fever, pain and altitude sickness) Pep-to tablets (take before each meal, to prevent diarrhea) Antacids (to… [more]

Over the years I have found that less is more when packing a carry on bag! The more activities you have to do, the less time you spend on each of them. The plane trip to and from Ethiopia went pretty well for us. It is a long flight, so I don't think it would be fair to say it was enjoyable, but it was tolerable. Packing your carry on bag is easier if you break it down into three categories: 1) Important Papers/Things you Cannot Live Without: * Passport- We always have several copies made and put them in two different places. Also we leave a copy with our go-to person at home. *Adoption papers. What you need to… [more]

The time has finally arrived. You are a bundle of nerves, full of energy and exhausted all at the same time. The may sound trite but RELAX! If you do not have kids at home, go out and have fun. Date your spouse if you have one or have a great night out with friends. This will be your last carefree night for a decade or so. I'm not joking here. If you do have kids in the home already, try and get out and have some kid-free fun. You'll have to get a sitter and you'll probably call home at least once, but it will still be good for you. Do not pack anything until you have… [more]

As soon as you start the adoption process in Ethiopia (or any country) I would get started on travel documents and read up on the current situation pertaining travelers. Get your passport application filled out and sent ASAP. Passports have been taking a long time to process for many of us. If your trip is in the next couple of months you may want to pay extra to expedite your case. You can get the forms you need here. If your passport is going to expire in the next year, I would renew it at this time. Ethiopia recommends not traveling on a passport that will expire within six months of your trip. Be sure to get… [more]