Happy Enkutatash! (new year)

Today, Ethiopia celebrates its New Millennium! Ethiopia uses the Coptic, or Julian, calendar, which is seven years behind the Gregorian calendar used in the Western world. The new year begins on Meskerem 1 -- or September 11 on our calendar. This year Meskerem 1 will mark the start of the year 2000. Enkutatash, as the new year holiday is called, is traditionally celebrated by giving bouquets of flowers, or more recently, greeting cards. *

Here is an interesting article in Time Magazine about this special day:
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1657384,00.html

On Sunday Grant, Alex, Almaz and I went to a Millennium party at a park in Minneapolis. There were lots of speaches and music (all in Amharic), vendors, a bouncy machine, a soccer game and lots and lots of people standing around and talking and celebrating. Alex loved the spicey wat (stew) so we'll definitely have to eat Ethiopian food more often.

*taken from an email sent out by Children's Home Society and Family Services