Welcome to my website!
I'm Barbara Olson, author of Christmas in Gondar: Five Ethiopian Stories.

About the Author
Teachers Barb and Clark Olson, together with their two children, moved to Gondar, Ethiopia in 1971. For four years, Barb kept a detailed journal of the family's experiences in this east African nation. This Christmas book highlights five Ethiopian Christmas stories taken from the journal, two of which were published elsewhere. Barb and her husband now live in Springfield, Illinois, U.S.A., where she continues to write, and works as a community organizer. Her complete journal, GONDAR, Ethiopia, Guests in the Ethiopian Highlands and Children of Zemecha, will be available soon.

About my book, Christmas in Gondar: Five Ethiopian Stories

Christmas in Gondar, Five Ethiopian Stories, are true tales of Christmas in the early 1970's in this East African nation, many set in the Public Health College International Elementary School. These true stories, written for children as well as for adults, weave together adventure and intrigue, cultural clashes, pageantry and revolution. They tell about celebrating Christmas with people of many different ethnic groups, customs, and faiths including Ethiopian Orthodox, Islam, Beta Israel, Hindu, Sikh, Jain and Protestant. All while the winds of turmoil and revolution build.

The cover art was produced by Teshager Demisee, a resident of Gondar.

About my book, Gondar, Ethiopia: 1971-1975 Guests in the Ethiopian Highlands and Children of Zemecha

In 1971, teachers Barb and Clark Olson, together with the two small children, moved to Gondar, Ethiopia. For four years, Barb kept a detailed journal about the family's experiences, recording people's stories and events both domestic and political, local and national, chronicling the early days of the revolution, as well as the drought and famine moving across this East African nation. Barb now lives with her husband in Springfield, Illinois where she writes and is a community organizer.This book is a "Thank you" to the people of Gondar and a tribute to the resiliency and vision of Ethiopia's youth. Several of these stories are published separately, including the children's book, Christmas in Gondar, Five Ethiopian Stories, available soon.