My first day at Senjo....!!
By Samuel Alemu
...I was four and life is changing fast and I am very confused. The first day to Kindergarten (Ka) at SJS was such a shock for me. I didn?t like it too much.I was stuck with some 40 cranky kids who are mostly yelling and crying.
I decided something terrible is about to happen to all of us so began crying loudly as well. Who are these people? Why am I here? What do they want? I feel like I am in some sort of boot camp because of all the violence we are subjected to.
I also taught the Dergue was around...and even got scared a lot after seeing bunch of kids with their officer Daddies with long guns?!!! You know who you are.....!!! What you are about to read is something no child should have to go through.
This is what we were taught in Ka with Teacher Mulu and Director Richard as the composer and conducter.
Five little monkeys Five little monkeys swinging from a tree,
Teasing Mr crocodile,
"You can't catch me"
Along came the crocodile, as quietly as can be
and SNAP! Went the crocodile,
and then there were:
Four little monkeys swinging from a tree?
Continue until there are no little monkeys.
This means if you want to pick on someone make sure they are weak and powerless to get back at you, like grandpa. Monkeys are stupid. I dedicated the next poem to my dearest pal Elfaged A.K.A (Robel), when I saw him last time. I even added my special touch.
I substituted Robel for elephant to make the poem more personal. Aman this aint for you bro....An Elephant Walks Like This and That An elephant walks like this and that, He's terribly tall and he's terribly fat.
He's got no fingers, He's got no toes, But goodness gracious What a LONG nose!
P.S
Sam is sending a bunch of felfelas to K-whatever
soon.!!
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SENJO TIZITA
By Dr. Lulseged Tekola
As I remember what happened in Senjo, it always amazes me how fast time goes by. I remember I started school September 1977 a very sunny day. Then I was 4.5 years old with fear going down my spine. My parents brought me to class that September morning and to my surprise there were a lot of kids who were crying and trying to run to their parents after they drop them off.
My teachers were two middle aged ladies known for their calm composure: Teacher Mulu and Mary. Then after two more days I met my childhood friend Kibret Markos. And before we know it we became close friends known for little mischiefs. We did a lot of things including: throwing stones to passerby’s thru the school fence, use our famous projectile made from seeds of one of the trees in Senjo compound using Bic pen hollow tube.
But still we were so smart to stay out of trouble and only were caught very few times and got disciplined. Charlie did the discipline, which was the most dreaded item at that time.
The elementary schooling was great too. We had so much fun that I barely remember those days passing by. The elementary schooling was packed with a lot of memories. We used to play soccer (mititirosh), shule (kick fight) and the famous kukulu. You know what?
Do you guys remember MILI-TIAAA! That is Teacher Solomon's famous phrase for anyone caught talking during class time. When the class hears that phrase then the class poses on ACTION MODE and after teacher Solomon pinpoint the culprit the whole class will jump on that poor guy with the famous KURKUM. Ohhh geee that was painful! You don’t want to be on the receiving side. By the time the class ends probably 15-30 seconds you will start seeing a lot of colors and question/exclamation marks.
Then…..justice is served and dues are paid and life goes on. Some of the victims include Getahun Taddesse (Wiriye), Tesfaye Getachew and of course myself. As I remember I was nailed while we were 4th grader. My GENDA literally cracked. Don’t people realize that I was made of fragile CLAY!
Then came the teen life, high school. Then hormone started pumping in our body: some of us had a very deep voice over the summer break that we sound as if we swallowed a Rhinoceros. Some grew a few inches taller while other start growing light mustache. High school was fun too. From attending band shows to supporting our soccer and basketball teams and our famous hiking trips. It was 13 years well spent being one of my most memorable time of my life.
Well let me say one thing and wind up. One thing, which was funny at high school, is the time spent trying to prepare some TITK (cheating materials). Well we all remember ATERIRA! RighTTT. Short version of our notebooks and class material. As I remember at some point it got almost out of control that our teachers did not know what to do about it. As one of my good friend put the ATERIRA thing in mathematical form:Pass = Fn(Titk)
As Titk goes down passing will suffer and as it goes up PASS will flourish. Well at least that is what our teenage mind used to tell us. I am sure we did it for the fun of it but with time anything change. The values and moral teaching embedded in us during our early life helped us to get where we are NOW. I truly think that the hard work, moral teaching and balance of life we were taught helped us to be responsible people wherever we are these days. Don’t you agree!
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CLICK HERE TO SEE THE MIAMI REUNION PICTURES
We really had a great time in New York City. With 11 plus attendees the 5th reunion have united us even more. It really felt like we were all back to that green grid iron compound and we are reliving that experience. |
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Senjo 89 DC reunion
…By Samuel Alemu
For those who helped plan the reunion, held in Washington DC during the long weekend, they tried to accommodate everybody. To cite, I am one of the beneficiaries of the flexible schedule. Getting enough people to come in the e-mail age could have been relatively easy.
But they did take their time to communicating with each and every one of us. I salute Robel, Lue, Adu, Aman and the others who volunteered.
17 years later, some things haven't changed for the Senjo 89 Class. The first thing I noticed was how many people I recognized. Second was how young some looked: Abdul was the like "Yadera Eka", he look the same or even younger. But for most, the striking physical differences that had separated us into Gulbetegna and Ketchaha, into good-looking and not so good -looking, had faded into a new, 30 something... reality.
I was kind of happy…….. as I did not have to say, I am sorry, but tell me who you are. There were a couple of guys where I took my time looking into their faces and then savoring the moment as recognition set in. But fortunately they were not our classmates. On and on the conversations went as people worked their way to Dukem restaurant, talking of the niches they'd settled into or the adventures they'd had.
Some people were eager to move on to the next person after three-minute life updates. But just as frequent were those you'd barely talked to in high school who now proved engaging or inquisitive.
As teenagers, we often brand each other as Fara, Kopari, Gegema, Fogariwe and Dunse. Yet years later, amid our life trials and triumphs, such differences vanish, fading in importance like an old fad. There seemed less to prove during the reunion than any other individual encounters I had with my class mates. More than anything, I just wanted to reconnect with some old friends. It worked and at least I got a chance to reconnect with Paul John, (Paulos Yohannes).
I thought of classmates I'd meant to touch base with but missed (Jigsa Yoseph, Endrias Afework, Micheal Kebede..and the likes, wondering if it would be another year or years before I see them.
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Sisay did a great job earlier in trying to get us back together despite the fact that the union did not last long for various reasons.Let us hope this uinon goes all the way this time.
.....from the moment we said "School Again again...when can I see my school again" together at the Senjo highschool dereja, we have all been dispersed throughout the world and have taken different walks of life. We have come a long way and well into our adult lives. Over the years most of us have changed beyond recognition:)).
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| Most of the information is based on what I have heard from fellow friends about others or whom I personnaly met on different occassions (possibly many years ago in some instances). Therefore we need to update it together. |
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Lulseged Tekola,Adugna Fanuel,Samuel Alemu,Abiy Akalu |
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Elias Kedir |
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Yohannes Shimeles,Fitsum Mahedre,Paulos Yohannes,Yiheyis Mekonnen,Wondwossen Hawaz,
Dawit Tadesse,Kaleb Mulu???,Gebriel Mebratu,Dawit Girma,Michael Shiferraw,Dereje Fisseha,
Samuel Aberra,Yared Tsegaye,Menelik Alemayehu,Zelalem Aberra,Wondrad Issayas
Endalkachew Negussie,Michael Kebede |
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Tesfaye Getachew,Bruck Eshete,Muleta Benti |
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Getamessay Melaku??,Belachew Tessema,Yalew Meherka,Getachew Mesfin |
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Robel Hailu,Yishak Hailu,Amanuel Berhane,Benyam Alemayehu,Yared Alemayehu |
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Michael Negussu(left long time ago) |
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Abeselom Debebe,Semir Mohammed,Zecharias Mohammed,Amaha Bekele,Dereje Awgichew,
Samson Afework,Yohannes Damtae |
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Benyam Tsegaye |
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Jigsa M. Yoseph |
| Kuala Lumpur, Malasia Area |
Yared Ewketu |
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Benamir Araya |
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Worku Mengistu,Yesuswork Bekele,Fikralem Mulatu,Samuel Fikredengel |
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Abebe Tafesse (left long before graduation)?? |
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Beruck Haileselassie |
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Binor Berihu |
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Merid Tedla |
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Daniel Asmamaw,Yonathan Yohannes |
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Endrias Afework,Yohannes Mesfin |
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Alula Hailu G. |
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Fassika Kebede,Lemalem Lisanework,Kokeb Tefera,Getaneh Bekele,Michael Getaneh,
Tenaw Legesse,Daniel Negussie (left long time before graduation) |
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Michael Mamo |
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Yoseph Atnafe,Alula Hailu S.(left SJS long time ago),Wondem Mamo |
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Sisay G/Kidan |
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Kibret Markos |
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Tekeba Mengistu |
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Yamlak Tsega |
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Susenios ??,Yohannes Nega,Michael Asmerom,Henock Tesfaselassie,Adonai Abraha,
Michael Amdemariam,,Abdulmoen Hussien (dc),Belay Fanta (dc),Dereje Yemaneh (portland),Abinet Assegid (Stillwater,OK) |
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Daniel Mesfin |
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Anteneh Wondimu??,Bedri Ahmed??,Samander Belete??,Adem Mohammed??,Bereket Berhe |
| Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Area |
Dibaba Amensisa,Eskinder Tesfaye,Sanay Habte,Dawit Amare,Addis Amare,Amha Bekele, Yazew Kavaleri, Menelik Alemayehu, Henock Mamo,Assefa Bahta,
Samuel Paulos,Fisseha Bisrat,Henock Woubshet,Dawit Woubshet,Yazew Kavaleri,Tessema Mebratu,Menkir Girma,
Ezana Yoseph,Eyasu Siraj,Eshete Demissie,Elias Tsegaye,Estifanos Siyoum,
Messay Emrou,Ezra Mersha,Tadele Mezlekia,Bruck Alemtaye,Ashenafi Gizaw,Minelik Tadesse,Abera Feyissa,
Tamrat Kidanemariam,Teferri Workalemahu,Tabor Kumelcha,Eligo Legesse,Teferi Solomon,
Eyob Demissie,Dereje Bizuayehu,Elshadai Tsegaye,Tessema Mebratu, Melak Begashaw,Bruck Nardos,
Adiam Abebe |
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Awet Gaim, Sina Tekle |
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