The Journey of a Lifetime

“Be who you are and speak your mind, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind,” the words of my favorite author Dr. Seuss resounded in my mind as I entered the Livingstone and Court right complex to participate in the Miss Ethiopia USA 2009 pageant. Little did I know that God was about to answer the prayer I prayed every night as a child so many years ago. “Father, if it be your will, give me the chance to make a difference in someone’s life.”
Much time had passed since I folded my hands to pray that prayer. As years went by I started to grow more and more creative and passionate with everything I put my hands on. In turn I taught others to articulate their views and present their goals. At a young age, I began being sought after by older high school students to become their campaign manager. With each candidate I represented, from prom queens or student government nominees, I learned to keep an open mind because each person’s path of life intertwined with my life for some reason or another. My goal as their campaign manager was to find their strengths and expand on them and to be their voice when their fears would blare out their confidence. Holding these roles enabled me to enhance the art of articulation and presentation. Throughout the course of my high school career I maintained an open mind and tried everything that came my way. I began to get recognition for my ingenuity and in later years was voted as the Secretary of my 8th grade class, the Vice President of my freshmen class, and finally in my junior year I became President. I was cheerleading captain, played soccer, won prom queen, acted in Drama productions and led my Mock Trial team to both District and Regional Championships for the first time in 10 years. Numerous extracurricular activities and awards later, I graduated high school 5th in my class and received a full ride scholarship to Ohio State University. My creative passion and the grace of God had led me to the end of a successful chapter and to embark on the one to come.

After graduating high school I was presented the opportunity to visit Ethiopia. I felt mixed feelings about the journey. A part of me had no idea what to expect, still another part of me became obsessed with finding out about my roots As soon as I stepped on the red earth, I felt a rush. For the first time in my life I was going to be able to link my life’s story together. My travels began from the capitol Addis Ababa throughout Tigray and back to Addis. I met each vessel of my bloodline that made me who I am today. I learned the fulfillment of my nation’s history by visiting historical landmarks like Axum, seeing the different monuments erected in different war leader’s names, and engaging in different tours led by archaeologists. I experienced firsthand the richness of my culture by eating at the many fine restaurants, engaging and watching live performances of the different story telling dances, buying the vibrant and beautifully woven cotton Ethiopian clothing. I gained knowledge of the importance of tradition from the common “Selam” greeting shared between two people, the etiquette of a household, and the deep reverence for elders in a community. As my journey continued I saw the urbanization of Addis Ababa and was astonished at the beginning of diversity in every aspect from economic endeavors to tourism. People came from all over the world to get a piece of this great land. Construction sites led by Chinese contractors crowded the city’s streets with new buildings; American tourists flooded the market places for souvenirs, European economic researchers crammed different sections of the country to find their next source of revenue. This country had so much to offer and I couldn’t have been more honored to witness the greatness of one the oldest civilizations in the world. After this exhilarating experience, I wanted to share with the world everything my country had to offer. I told everyone I knew about the urbanization of the rural areas, the mind boggling growth of the economy, the skyrocketing diplomacy of the country’s government and other bureaucratic systems. From the plane flight to and from Ethiopia, I felt a sensation of renewal throughout the entire journey.
Fast forward a couple months later to the month of August, preparations for the Miss Ethiopia USA 2009 pageant were in full swing. I had accepted the invitation for the experience and to advertise my mother’s salon. I began working on my talent portion of the pageant; I was going to perform a poem I wrote. This was my moment to express the beauty of an eternally great country. As I performed my poem I felt the rush all over again. With every word I spoke I painted the country of Ethiopia in my eyes. I wanted the audience to connect my passion to their Ethiopian heritage. I wanted the world to see the worth of everything Ethiopia had to offer and more. I wanted to represent my country with the honor and grace it bestowed upon me the moment it welcomed me on its rich soil. The Miss Ethiopia Pageant was a great way to do just that. As the pageant progressed, I learned of its true cause: to raise awareness and money for the widespread epidemic called fistula. I stepped on the stage to find the walls close in and there I was a child again, in my room praying to the Most High that I would make a difference in someone’s life. Now was my opportunity to be the voice of fistula victim’s, to carry their cries to the masses that had no idea of their suffering. With every extracurricular activity, every campaign I managed, every award I had ever won God was mapping out my purpose in life. The missing link was my trip to Ethiopia: the journey of a lifetime.


By:Wintana Hayelom
Miss Ethiopia USA 2009