Fairly typical conversation in Ethiopia

Particularly in Lalibela...

Random kids on the street: "Hello! How are you?"

Us: "Hello. Doing great!"

Random kids on the street: "Have you seen the churches? You like them?"

Us: "Yes, they are incredible."

Random kids on the street: "Where you from?"

Us: "The United States. Arizona."

Random kids on the street: "America!!!"

Random kid #1: "Obama! Yes we can!!!!"

Random kid #2: "Obama is my cousin!"

Random kid #3: "My nickname is Obama!"

Random kid #4: "Really, I'm not a big Obama fan like these guys. I actually think he's something of a socialist, who will manage to drive America down to the same level of poverty as much of Africa if all his plans are achieved. He's working hard to destroy the very system that makes America so successful that all these kids in a distant village in Africa celebrate the president's name, while I couldn't even tell you who is president of Ethiopia."

Ok, so random kid #4 didn't exist. But all the other statements we heard in Lalibela. Seriously, that entire mountaintop village is apparently related to Obama. I saw more Obama T-shirts there than I have seen in Phoenix.  I even saw one guy wearing an SEIU T-shirt.  Obama even has his own gift shop in Lalibela...

I asked our guide if the gift shop had previously been known as "Bush Souvenir Shop." He laughed and said no. Then I am pretty sure muttered something about a dictator. I didn't quite catch what he said, but I wasn't about to ask him to clarify.  Afterall, the guy was our only lifeline in a village full of Obama fans.  I wasn't about to get into a heated political debate with him.

I did, however, leave several National Reviews at the guest house, and give away my Bush biography.  Just in case someone around there isn't as big of an Obama fan as the random kids on the street...