Asmara June 9th 2001

 

Starting from the back of the hall, I end almost on the stage with my video camera. Nobody minds. When I am finished with my video, I take some beers as an encouragement to enter the dance floor. I seldom dance, but in this atmosphere and on a so crowded dance floor, one's feet will do the job themselves. The party lasts until 6:00 in the morning so there is little time to sleep.

I wake up at 10:00. I have to pack and say goodbye to Mebrat's family. Mebrat is still sleeping, so I will have to find my way myself.

I start with Haile and Froyni, who live in Harnet Avenue. The three youngest children start to sing the songs they have learned at school. Communication is problematic, since only the oldest son speaks English. I drink some tea with them and eat some flat bread (kicha).

Then I will try to find Solomon. It is Saturday, but still he is at his office at the Keih Bahri Comprehensive Secondary School. They are examining the students. Solomon brings me to the auditorium. Before I leave I have to make some pictures of his son. He is undergoing his examination at the moment. Solomon will make some kind of note to show to the people in Sembel to find Mebrat's other brother and her mother.

Old Sembel is one of the pauperized parts of Asmara and the small houses look all the same to me. The streets have no names, they are numbered. But in Eritrea one is not used to specific addresses. When I show Solomon's notes to one of the locals, they group together to help me. One of them walks with me to Feshaye's house. Feshaye and his wife are surprised I visit them for the second time by myself.

In the evening the house is filled with people to say goodbye to me. We go to the airport with Solomon's car. At the airport I pass all the checkpoints without any delay. It looks as if they recognize me immediately when they see me in my t-shirt. Of course everything is ok. They know I am a friend of Eritrea. Check in time is from 8:30 until 22:00, but most Eritrean passengers check in after ten.

We have to fill an exit form and pay a 15 dollars embarkation fee before we enter the very modern and clean waiting room at Asmara Airport, surrounded by ten shops where one can buy some last souvenirs and drinks & pastry. Just before midnight we are directed to the last waiting room, from where we leave the airport buildings to walk to our Lufthansa Airbus. At 00:15 we take off.

 

Party for Eritreans visiting Eritrea and living in the Diaspora - Asmara Expo.

Bereket Mengesteab at the party for Eritreans visiting
 Eritrea and living in the Diaspora - Asmara Expo.

Party for Eritreans visiting Eritrea and living in the Diaspora - Asmara Expo.

Party for Eritreans visiting Eritrea and living in the Diaspora - Asmara Expo.

Party for Eritreans visiting Eritrea and living in the Diaspora - Asmara Expo.

Party for Eritreans visiting Eritrea and living in the Diaspora - Asmara Expo.

---

The children of Freweini and Haile - Asmara Eritrea.

Zafu, Alana, Feshaye, Yordanos and Alex - Asmara Eritrea.