Melkam Addis Amet -- It's 2003 in Ethiopia!

Enkutatash / addis amet

ETHIOPIAN NEW YEAR

Meskerem 1st/September 11th

Melkam Addis Amet = Happy New Year

Ethiopia still follows the Orthodox Julian calendar which consists of 12 months of 30 days and a 13th month, Pagume, of five or six days, depending on whether or not it is a leap year. The Ithiopian calendar is seven years and eight months behind the Gregorian calendar, so September 2001 is Meskerem 1994 in Ithiopia.
The way Ethiopians measure time is also different from the West. The clock starts at 6am western time and runs until 6pm. Therefore 8o'clock in western time would be 2o'clock Ithiopian time. Because Ethiopia is close to the Equator the sun rises at around 00.30 Ethiopian time and sets at around 12.45 in the evening (6.45 western equivalent) all year round. Ethiopia is 3 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time).

http://www.rastaites.com/Ethiopia/newyear.htm

On our way

We have accomplished a lot in the last couple weeks.

Our contracts are in and we are waiting on the Dossier paperwork packet.

While we are waiting for that packet we completed our home study interviews. We are working with Kate Burns who is amazing. She is so helpful in answering my many questions.

Today we were fingerprinted, it was done with the biometric systems so it is already submitted to the state. Love technology!

Life will get more exciting once all the paperwork is done but until then we are getting to meet every notary in the county!! (All very nice)