Ayenesh describes her family tree, her village, and the local history. Her father died when she was a child. Her mother brought her and her brothers up alone. Ayenesh worked with her mother in various household jobs, and with her brothers in ploughing and working the fields and herding cattle. Because they had to support the family, Ayenesh and her brothers were not sent to school. She describes her daily routine – the tasks, games, and social life in the village.

As a girl and as a young woman, Ayenesh was unable to leave her house unless accompanied by a friend or relative, because of dangers of being kidnapped or raped. Events such as these caused a chain of revenge and feuds. In order to protect them and the family honor, the women stayed at home unless there were special tasks to be done outside.

Ayenesh’s grandmother used to talk about Israel, describe life there to her, and predict that Ayenesh would move there one day. She also taught Ayenesh her favorite occupations – spinning cotton threads and making reed baskets.

Ayenesh talks about shepherding and herding cattle, about work routine, and the types of wild animals that lived in the area. She describes an epidemic that caused great harm to the sheep and cattle. She also describes how the family dogs used to help chase the monkeys away from the fields and protect the house from robbers and hyenas.

One day, while she was supervising the farm animals, a snake bit Ayenesh on her leg. He brothers treated her and bandaged it to prevent the venom from spreading through her body. Several years later, when she went to pick reeds to make baskets, she was again bitten by a snake, and her brothers used a traditional medicine against the venom.

Ayenesh married at the age of 20. She describes the celebrations, and the customs and traditions connected with the matchmaking and the wedding, such as the Insusla and the roles of the escorts and the Kes. After getting used to married life, she moved from her village to her husband’s village, Berha Sfard. She thought that living in a village not surrounded by open areas would prevent her from encountering any more snakes, but even there, they appeared in the coal sacks in her house. Her husband supported the family by farming and other jobs, and in the winter the couple regularly employed two or three workers.

At the age of 23, following tradition, she returned to her mother’s house to give birth to her oldest daughter. While she was staying there, her brother died from an illness. She describes the funeral service and the week of mourning. A short time later, Ayenesh gave birth. She describes the traditions and customs connected to staying in and leaving the menstruation house.

After several years, when the opportunity to immigrate to Israel was opened, Ayenesh’s husband refused to leave his mother and travel to Addis Ababa without a guaranteed flight to Israel. Her older brother took responsibility for her and the couple divorced. Her oldest son, aged eight, stayed with his father, and Ayenesh immigrated to Israel a short time later.

Ten years later, Ayenesh returned to Ethiopia. She was reunited with her son and brought him to Israel.