Achamyeleh Debela

I was born in 1949 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in the Merkato neighborhood known as Teklai Biro. I have a rather vivid recollection of my childhood. I remember Yeneta Asdegdeg and fellow students Nunu, Buta, Tadele and Mengistu Jembere, Teshale and Gebeyehou Worsa, Taddess Wolde Giorgis, Eshete Gebeyehou, Tariku Biratu and many others with whom I had the privilege of spending part of my "kes temari bet" years. I remember staying a year behind school before going to the ferenje (inglise temari bet) because my father was working in Adigrat and later in Gondar as director of the post office.
The year I finished (Dawit Medgam) was spent with Degaga whom I have known as the shepherd who would collect cows from several houses along the road leading from Shawel Dema seffer all the way to Ras Hailu Meda. Degaga made certain conversation with the heard that steered them to smoothly fall in place as they came out of the various households in the neighborhood. I followed Degaga and his cows to Ras Hailu Meda and brought them back towards the end of the day to their owners. As a child I was fascinated how the cows knew when to come out on Degaga's approach and when to go back to their house when he brought them back. Between Degaga and some fond memories of learning soccer with (yecherk kwass) and playing kulf & later marble (beyi) with children who were hanging out as I was or those who skipped school, my time was somewhat occupied.