Corine in Addis

Harrar

2011-01-29T12:10:00.000-08:00

It has been a long time yet again Although many of you have undoubtedly heard me complain about the masters and the workload being crazy etc etc.
My Fabulous school had the full 3 weeks, yes eat your heart out Belgian teachers, but off course two of those were spent in my pyjamas with greasy hair in front of my books or laptop. Yeah =(
The third week however I allowed myself a break and Mika and me went to Harrar, a muslim city in the east of the country. There is a friend of his living there, her name is Sylvie and she’s ½ Ethiopian1/2 Belgian. She was raised here in Addis, left when she was 16 to Brussels studied there a multitude of things amongst which philosophy and has now returned to teach French at the university of Haramaya. Trust me I’ve seen Haramaya town and it’s not big, like 1 street, so she decided she’d live in the nearby Harrar. It was great staying at her place! We cooked talked about French music, Brussels, life and of course about teaching. Besides Harrar is a great place, It has this Arab feel to it and the old walled city is a labyrinth of alleys. The houses are painted in white or something very bright such as green, pink etc. The people are also colourful in every sense of the word. These Muslims are known mainly for their use of “Tsjat” a leaf that if you chew it for long enough is supposed to give you a certain buzz. Judging from the red eyes some have it certainly does something to you but I am not a cow that likes endless chewing so I haven’t really had the Tsat experience yet. I tried it once, it’s food like, what did you expect??? But it tastes awful so that was it for me, I’ll drink some Amarulla to have a nice taste and buzz, thank you!
Anyways 10-year-olds carry the leaves around in the breast pocket of their school uniform. WEIRD!
Some of the highlights of the trip? Feeding hyenas on the outskirt of town with Pepe Yosuf who has been doing so daily for the last I don’t know how many years. I counted fingers and toes and he amazingly still has them all! Besides the “doro wot” the Ethiopian dish although I don’t really get what they like about it so much , is considerably better there. They cook it longer in Harrar which makes the onion caramelise and gives a certain sweetness to the taste, furthermore I had an esprice,( several layers of fresh juice which equals heaven in a glass, it even beats the Amarulla _almost!) with a new fruit called ambeshock or something!!!!! We actually had that juice after a very extraordinary afternoon. Throughout the city I had seen colourful girls with strange make up. They were not Harrari I was told but Argoba. We had decided to go to the bus station that day and ask for a minibus to an Argoba village. The bus was extremely packed and everyone around us spoke Oromo leaving Mika and Sylvie as much in the dark as myself. After an interesting very much nauseating ride we arrived in a dusty area and were told the village was just up the road. This was about noon the sun was burning down on us and the up the road turned out to be an hour walk or so. It was well worth it, don’t get me wrong there was hardly a village but all the kids didn’t know what hit them 2 whitish ‘ferenj’(=Foreigners) in their village. Soon we were surrounded by curious eyes and as we had gone there to watch people in the first place it didn’t bother us at all those were watching us back. It’s very refreshing not to be asked for money for a change. Some spoke a mouthful amharic or 4 words of English but most communication was nonverbal. They were fascinated by my sunglasses, so I took them off to let the kids try them on. Very funny pics of these cute kids with my big shades on. The fact that I have blue eyes really freaked them out and the little ones hid behind their friends and only dared to take a sneak peek. After sitting for about an hour or 2 on a tree trunk in the “centre” of the village and attention we decided to return… All of them came behind us waving us goodbye. Very strange feeling to be treated like a celebrity. Sylvie told us her guard had told her he was raised in what she believed to be a similar village and how he had said with much enthusiasm “ and one day ferenj came!!!” What an experience, remind me to show you the pictures this summer, uploading them with Ethiopian internet is really impossible. Furthermore I discovered camel meet is tender juicy and tasty and Ethiopian movies are really crap! On the bus they entertained us with what could have been a Shakespeare tragedy. Full volume through the speaker: the most annoying thing ever: can’t understand the movie, can’t sleep (too loud), can’t listen to your MP3 ( still too loud)… grrrrrrr.
No honestly the overall experience was great, I have 2 colourful enormous scarves draped over my single armchairs to remind me.
Back to school and in the lasts weeks of module 1 was tough! Especially since some books still hadn’t arrived and were therefore brought back for me by my colleague Anna who went home for X-mas. This did mean still tons of reading to do. It hasn’t been an easy couple of weeks, I’ve been absent from school twice , what a great thing that my 2 teaching assistants can then take over, I feel so lucky! The assignment is due tomorrow I’ll reread it one last time in the morning (Sunday) and that’s it. 6 weeks later they’ll let me know the verdict, on Monday I start module 2.
A New Zealand friend told me that what I do is illegal back there, doing 4 modules a year for an MA of 8 is considered full time studying and you are not allowed to do that on top of working full time. Did I mention the 2 Dutch schools I teach at, So yes it is still busy. And I want to take part in the vagina monologues again this year and rehearsals have started last week (I had to cancel but will go next week!)
On the brighter side my tutor did say the next module involved less reading so I am hopeful. The books have now all come so that can’t hold me back this time…
Big hug to you all!

2010-12-21T05:38:00.000-08:00

2010-12-21T05:24:00.000-08:00

2010-12-21T04:55:00.000-08:00

It’s been ages!
It seems I did sort of get carried away with taking on the masters the 2 Dutch schools one of which is at times ridiculously demanding on top of my full time job. I love the students I have at Sanford: 1 of them didn’t show so I have only 13 now. The one that bit me is a real cutie pie with an extremely expressive face. His dad says he talks a lot about me at home and he’ll cling to my legs and give me kisses which is super sweet. And there are others that are a lot of fun, This is the first year that I start a kindergarten class full time and will also finish it and the bond I feel with my kinds is amazing. The others schools are also fun and so is the MA course it is just a lot. That’s the reason none of you receive mails lately or that this blog isn’t updated often. Even at weekends I don’t do all that much, trying to study and sometimes this leads to wasting time. I had forgotten what a terrible student I was.
Nonetheless I have been doing some things. A colleague of mine was really miserable after the summer holiday, she fell in love with living in Turkey and was doubting about leaving. Me seeing how Melissa felt told her that if she was going to be unhappy here she ought t leave with her daughter. She did and it turned out to be a big mistake. It sucked because she was also missed.
Besides a new nursery class was started in September and the new colleague there, Linda, is very different from me and Anna ( the other nursery teacher) and collaborating doesn’t always go smoothly. Anna and me have a ball though, we were the wicked fairy’s in the school pantomime for primary students ( after our kids had left) and were so scary that we made a year 2 student cry. Hihihi. It was loads of fun. We made the kids do aerobics such as stirring the cauldron on Snap’s “I’ve got the power”.
Since the beginning of December a new teacher arrived taking over what Melissa left behind, called Louiza, she was volunteering in India before, is 27 and I believe she may become a good friend.
When Louiza arrived teaching assistants were swapped because I had a real lousy one that many teachers before me complained about but she is close (= goes to the same church as) some people in administration and is therefore impossible to fire.
It was especially bad because she brought a tension to the class atmosphere. Some of the annoying things she did were: not taking proper care of the kids art work, pasting things in or cutting them out crookedly, not dating them properly, an attitude that felt like spying on me, talking to parents and colleagues in Amharic which I do not speak whilst this is against he rules, reacting defensive towards feedback etc. As a result I had even more work because I could not delegate it to her which added to my stress level. I addressed the issue and was told to document everything and then when Louiza came I would get another assistant. This has happened in the mean time and although Elsie is not the quickest I am incredibly relieved.
Linda, who is in many ways very American, organised a thanksgiving party for whoever wanted. My first time celebrating this holiday was really nice. Mika showed up with his new hairdo: one inspired by a minibus driver Nele, Karen and I saw: braids and a curly Mohawk in the middle! I taught it was quite funny for him to meet my colleagues like this for the first time.
We’ve also hosted a couch surfer, Oliver, I met him the day after GYA fired me ( more than a year ago) and he’s been travelling ever since. He has seen the whole of Africa on motorbike: from South Africa, Capetown to the very north, next he’ll go to India and then around Europe before returning to London. He’s living off, renting out his flat in London, good thing the rents there are high. It makes me feel like travelling even more! A friend of TJ’s( = friend in Belgium who just moved to Jo’burg) in South Africa visited us as well with a delicious portion of pork meat she sent!!!! Yummy I do miss pork here!
The Christmas holiday has just begun but it seems I won’t be doing much more than studying. Hopefully I make enough progress so I can visit Harar just after new year. I’d love to get away for a while.
Nothing left to say but to wish you a merry Christmas and a happy 2011!

Still coughing

2010-09-27T06:41:00.000-07:00

Who thought Africa’s air would be cleaner? No way. As it turns out I have another infection of my airways, just like I did last year around this time… PFFFFF
This weekend was Meskel or the finding of the true cross which is why on this Monday I can stay at home and write my blog =)
It was quite cool yesterday, there was a huge fire on the main square which was absolutely packed with people. Especially at sunset when candles were handed out and you saw all the little lights around the fire which was lit shortly after. Pretty. The legend is that the smoke of such a bonfire led them to find the true cross. Now the direction in which the fire falls says something about the harvest for the year to come. ( should be good)
The government decreased the value of the birr (by about 20%) which will make many regular people even poorer. There are some reactions in the newspapers but no real riots about it. To me it makes me feel so sad, so many people have a hard life as it is and now it will be even more difficult for them with all the prices going up… I don’t know much about economy but don’t see the benefits for people not involved in export or another foreign currency paid job. Nobody is getting a pay rise. Thank goodness I am ‘international hire’ by now otherwise I’d earn much less then last year.
And I’ll need my pay his year seeing as I start my ( pricey) MA course next week. It’s got me quite excited and a little scared. I hope I didn’t take on too many things this year.
The Dutch embassy school is quite ok but loads of work. I am finding it hard to be told by a method what to say and how to teach and enjoy my freedom at Sanford even more because of it. I’ll see how it evolves. Enjoy Meskel day!

Happy Ethiopian new year!!!

2010-09-13T05:23:00.000-07:00

It’s been a while but luckily I got to see so many people during summer! Thanks to all for making my holiday unforgettable.
I arrived with 10kg bodyweight extra but did, for a change, manage to pack correctly and had (to great relief of Dries again my companion at the airport) no problems checking in. I slept most of the flight seeing as Ethiopian airlines don’t offer you your private tv screen like KLM did on my way to Brussels which is actually quite fabulous. How I longed to go to Belgium in June and now I’m satisfied back in my nest in Addis.
Coming home on Sunday and starting work on that very same Monday wasn’t exactly ideal although otherwise I would have missed the huge great flea market which supplied me with a lot of games to play during the power cuts. Luckily the first workweek was meetings and setting up.
I am still somewhat tired and seem too long to go to bed at the same time my 4 year olds do, meaning around nine. I’ll get to a more normal rhythm at some point I hope.
It was nice to see the people here again, especially my boyfriend off course but I have also met some other cool people. It took Mika and me some time to find our balance back but that’s also coming along now.
As it turns out I have 14 kids in my class, really nice. The first weeks weren’t easy though, many of these kids have never been in an English spoken environment and are thus scared shitless. 1 of them bit me really hard and wouldn’t even let go!!! I was completely at loss for words by the whole thing and now, a full 2 weeks later, still bear the small teeth marks on my underarm. War wounds I suppose. It was scary and exciting to start off my very own nursery class for the first time. I was fortunate, I could actually prepare for it whereas my new nursery colleague’s classroom wasn’t ready until the Saturday night before the students came!
I have good hopes for this to become a fun year.
The other day it was saint Rafael’s day, people want it to rain that day because they say it’s holy water and their prayers were answered not only did it poor it even hailed holy water! I was in a minibus at the time and the driver had no visibility whatsoever no decent ventilation system nor working windshield wipers, without a doubt my scariest 10 minutes in Addis so far! The imam didn’t see Eid on a Thursday which meant 1 day of holiday less for me, darn, however I had fun things planned amongst which making popcorns so it wasn’t too bad.
The new year’s eve (10 September) was quite ok, I went out with some of Mika’s friends and we had a nice time, watched sheik Al Amudi’s firework and went to bed shortly after because I managed to get a severe cold including throat ache, congestion and as a result of that head ache Yahoo= (New year’s day was spent resting on the couch.
Nonetheless I wish you all the very best in this Ethiopian 2003!

Last time to court...

2010-06-14T07:08:00.001-07:00

This morning I went to court…I figured I may as well squeeze 1 more update in before I leave. It was strange, really strange. To start with the lawyer told me that my witnesses won’t be heard ( neither was I btw) but then last time I met him he said that may be Nasr should come anyway and that the judge may hear him. This was only last Friday so I called Nasr and he’d made other plans and would then get back to me. He never got back to me, as a matter of fact he hasn’t picked up the phone on me since Friday. Needless to say he wasn’t there this morning. I had arranged to meet the lawyer at 8:30 and the “court” started at 9. Me being really nervous got there at 8, Lester (the American embassy guy) arrived at 8:45 and my lawyer answered my worried message at 8:50 with “I’m on my way!”.
After waiting a while the lawyer speaks to someone and it turns out we only had to be there at 10, which explained why GYA still hadn’t arrived… We went for a coffee returned and had another wait. I was able to identify the witnesses I didn’t know, the timekeeper and a driver. We had to wait for another hour or so and where then called in, I felt miserable as if I was about to faint. The only thing that happened then was that the court established a translator was needed and after that we were sent out to wait another 45min. It must have been nearly 12 when I got in for real. First witness Clement whose pet-name is the snitch wasn’t able to say very much, the second witness I got to ask questions myself which was good and the third one, Asefow, the one higher up the ladder at GYA flat out lied! He said all kinds of nonsense that just wasn’t true such as them calling me relentlessly to get me back etc etc… The verdict will be on the 9th of July. Both me and Lester thought it went rather well but that’s missing out the Amharic bits obviously because they didn’t translate everything at all, actually the translator left after the first 2 witnesses and then the judge did me the favour of translating some of what Asefow had lied about. I’m worried and relieved at the same time, it’s very strange. The lawyer was worried about Asefow’s testimony so I kinda don’t know what will happen. I just keep reminding myself that I wasn’t deported and that I will be staying whatever the verdict and thus already kind of got what I wanted.
I came home exhausted after I called the head of Early years in Sanford school and asked her if she wanted me to come in for the remaining hour and a half and she told me to go home and relax so I did. I am happy to be in Sanford school, I really am.

2010-06-12T01:34:00.001-07:00

Some weeks have passed. Lake Langano was really chill. Sitting on the terras paying ridiculous fees for breakfast whilst playing cards. Mostly a game called asshole at which I didn’t really shine;-). Most importantly We also relaxed besides the beach and I got to swim in the muddy water, man I’ve missed swimming! I actually miss having the beach nearby. It’s my first long stay in a landlocked place and I miss the sea, just like my granny from Ostend would I’m sure. I’ll make up for that in Belgium and Bilbao!
Elections were ridiculous but I’ve been told not to write such things online because you just don’t know and I’m in enough trouble as it is. ( tell you all about it when I get there;-)) What mattered a lot to me was that it would be peaceful, although me and my class could have used the extra holiday if it wasn’t. This term is too long and the kids just as me are getting restless.
Most work is done now, we do however have a parent presentation ahead of us where my group will sing a cute pirate song! My kids great me in the mornings with” good morning pirate Corine” even though I’ve told them many times I’m the captain;-)
They’re lovely and I’ll miss them. I had to observe them while drawing and write down what they said and such, after I asked Munirah what she was drawing she whispers ” an alien in an space-ship!” They crack me up! Some are very good at ‘imaginative speaking’ lately and invent the wildest stories for me! Delina, who is so overweight that she doesn’t like getting up, started calling a whale (after a lesson about whales in which was said that a layer of fat keeps the whales warm) the fat fish and completely forgot the word whale!
I’m also definitely going to start at the Dutch school on Monday evenings in September! Yesterday I went to their closing parent presentation and was introduced as the new teacher. It is strange to be surrounded by Dutch people and I find it difficult to filter out my obviously Flemish accent or not to speak English!
Furthermore I’m looking into starting a long distance masters degree seeing as I’ll be here a while longer. It’s quite difficult to find interesting courses and some are ridiculously expensive! (Remember higher education in Belgium is highly subsidised and thus fairly cheap.) At the moment I’m thinking about the South African university or a British one. The last one is really expensive though but at least I can find that sort of information online whereas UNISA gives you nothing but the different degrees they offer, some of which sound really cool!
On Monday I have to go to court again. GYA’s witnesses will be heard, there is no occasion on which they will hear my witnesses next appointment is the verdict according to my lawyer. It’s strange as some of her witnesses are unknown to me. I’ll see how that goes, I try not to let it get to me anymore. A cop at the American embassy is following the whole thing since David ( remember my first flatmate) complained about the school to them. Miss Gibson is still an American citizen and keeping my residence permit like she did can be considered slavery so she may be in real trouble if her embassy takes action against her. However, if this action is taken I will not really be involved which is fine by me. I’m ready to move on! The only thing I’m still doubting about is whether (if I win the case ) I should talk to Saskia’s friends at the newspaper or not. Those are worries for later though as the verdict should only take place after I return from Europe. Your ideas are welcome regarding that issue!
Thus far this update and probably the next one will be live!!!
Remember: Belgium 2/07 to 20/08 with the exception of when I am in Bilbao from 28/07 to 04/08. Hope to see you in less then 3 weeks!

no news... nor pics =)

2010-05-27T22:32:00.000-07:00

Not too much has happened still. I got a bit moody with Sanford because they made me reapply for my own job in order for me to have an upgrade… It meant I had to write a letter of application, update my CV etc etc. Then on the interview they also told me I had to sign for 2 years or I should stay local hire. So I guess I’m staying until July 2012. 3 years is a long time to be here but I guess it will be good for my CV. After that French speaking country!

At the Dutch embassy school they were excited about that. I’ve gone and observed and next week will teach my first trial lesson there. It is really nice. 10 kindergarten kids who speak Dutch and something else at home and come to the school once a week for 2 hours. I think I’m gonna love being a part of that. I’ve evaluated my other students and written my report cards. They’ve done well and it’s cool to see that I did a good job.

Furthermore we’ve been doing entrance exams at school for next year’s nursery students, some parents really don’t accept that their kid isn’t ready for our programme and should do the exam again next year. It’s pretty weird and some kids are extremely spoiled and stubborn. Nonetheless I have a couple of extremely cute kids who made it through the test and now have to get through the lottery. We tested 61 kids and some 45 have passed the test and there are 15 places. The lottery is the only way locals get into Sanford international school and there is a limited amount of places even now that they’re opening a third nursery class.

We’ve got a long weekend this weekend and after substituting for Saskia I’m going to lake Langano with some friends for the night. I had hoped to see this together with Nele and Karen but things didn’t work out that way so I’m happy to go now and celebrate Alix’s birthday there.

I’m totally into a new game called Ligretto which in America is known as Dutch blitz or peanuts. It is really cool and I will be teaching you all when I get there. ( You can hold Cristina personally responsible for getting me hooked). I even dream about Bilbao and Ghent lately and wake up hungry. Countdown has definitely started.

Cursed first visitors...

2010-04-22T05:21:00.000-07:00

My first visit in Bilbao was robbed violently but got her possessions back, all’s well that ends well, but now the curse strikes again it seems...
Nele and Karen arrived on Monday with all kinds of goodies, surprises from other friends and a big stack of clothes. They had set it up at my home as if it was St Nicolas day and that’s exactly what it felt like!
I had to send a friend to pick them up early morning at the airport ‘cause I needed to work. He showed them around somewhat and brought them to my school when I was about to finish the parent conferences.
It seems so long ago now that I was running towards them _quite emotional_ through the school compound. It felt so good to show them my class and the art show. My kids did an excellent job colouring Murakami’s flowers and I was so proud!
The next day, Tuesday, I still had to work and they went to Mercato with proper safety instructions. Nonetheless they almost got robbed before they even arrived! The minibus they took actually dropped them off once they had discovered they weren’t gonna allow them to get in their purses. I had never heard such a story before. After that experience Mercato was a piece of cake.
On Wednesday I met them after work ( which is near all important museums they visited) to take them to Shoromeda, Ethiopian textile heaven where they went all out buying scarves which I tried to get for them at local price. After followed an evening filled with games at the house of Alix. When we returned in the early hours we actually scored a free ride with some helpful guy!
Thursday was my last day of work ( good ‘cause I was exhausted!) so after the tasty Indian meal the school provided for me I met up with the girls. Sadly enough I couldn’t join them the rest of the afternoon as I had planned seeing as I had to meet up with the lawyer Dr G recommended for my case. Dr G is a legal advisor which means he cannot plead in court so he hooked me up with someone else who I didn’t trust very much initially but after that meeting that improved! We decided to rewrite the case which would make it easier to win but also means I’ll have to pay GYA some money and it will take a little bit longer. I hope that was the right decision. Upon coming home the girls surprised me yet again with some cheese and wine ( plus coke) they had picked up at a supermarket. Yyummie! Then we had wonderful chechibsa which Mika prepared for us and no-one can beat him at making chechibsa. A sort of savery pancakebread dish with berbere, he makes it with loads of veggies!)
Then we went on my very first ‘foodrun’. This woman from school, Jill, has been organising this for the last 10 years. The idea is simple. The volunteers, just us 3, pay a 100 birr and she provides 400 bags of food and bottles of water. Then we all get in a taxi and start driving around to where there are many homeless people. You get out, wake them up and provide them with a warm meal and clean water. It is incredibly moving. 400 bags of food are not nearly enough for all the people living on the streets here. They are so grateful and lead such a hard life. All of us were really moved by the whole thing. There’s a website where one can read more about this and donate to this cause but Nele left with the contact details. I’ll give them to you next time. It was a truly amazing experience. So if you have been looking for a good cause to support, one where you know your money goes to the people and not to the organisation like in big NGO’s this is one way to go. This organisation you can fully trust.
Friday we went up the Entoto mountain and saw Menelik’s palace, I like that place, it’s very humble. We were going to go for a swim but then Nele and Karen learned the hard way that 13 months of sunshine (Ethiopia’s tourism slogan) is a big fat lie. Still the picnic with guacamole in the Ghion park was nice. I was quite frustrated because I didn’t manage to find a bank that was open and allowed me to get out money from my recently opened account for our trip the next day.
Afa our driver with one big dreadlock on the top of his head of about 30centimetres high picked us up early next morning. It even felt earlier because we had a great evening at the gardenparty of Becca ( one of the new colleagues, the blond one from the pictures).
We spent the whole day driving and just took a little lunch break in Afa’s parents town where we were invited to a nice meal and I found a bank that was willing to give me money from my account. Yes Getting money out can be complicated in Africa!
We picked up a nerdy German along the way and arrived in Lallibella in time for the Easter eve celebrations. Afa actually got us a good price in a fancy hotel with amazing view which used to be Haile Selassies palace. It was fully booked but they arranged the staff room to accommodate us. The other tourists at the ceremony behaved appalling and thus ruined what is supposed to be a spiritual event. They took pictures continuously with flash and prevented the Ethiopians from seeing. One lady stood so close to a priest (and refused to move) that she was under his ‘ umbrella’. We were disgusted and sat at a fair distance on the walls of the amazing rock hewn churches which gave us a good overview. When I started falling asleep and dangerously leaning forward towards the depth of the church we decided to call it a night.
The next day we let ourselves be saturated by these wondrously sculptured buildings. Breathtaking. The evening we spent at ‘Sophie’s restaurant’ where Sophie gave a dance performance in which I joined.
Next day we set out with Afa to Gondor. Well we said goodbye to him in between Gondor and Bahir dar and started using local transport, meaning minibus, there. We arrived in the city of castles starving. First we had to find a good bargain hotel and then we had a great lunch After digesting everything seemed to be closed. Nonetheless we bumped into Nigisti, the girl from Gondor who travelled with the guys who were crossing Africa by car and arranged to visit her NGO the next morning which turned out to be another heart-warming experience. In the evening we celebrated Karen’s birthday but I had to order my drink a full 3x before I was served!
Nigisti’s project ( www.yenegetesfa.org) is another one of those causes well worth support. Amongst other things she takes orphan girls or girls whose parents couldn’t support them away from the homes that took them in order to use them as free servants and where they are often abused and on the other side she also provides streetboys with a home. Both of these homes have a father and mother figure and the children go to local schools and are allowed to be children and play. She also does HIV prevention/education for prostitutes, teaches homeless skills such as shoe-cleaning and some crafts in order to be able to provide a bit for themselves. Besides she set up a bread voucher network: instead of giving a beggar money you can give him this which will give him a small bread at a local bakery. We bought and handed out some of those but it seems they aren’t that well known yet which was somewhat complicated. All in all it was a nice morning seeing how one girl with her growing organisation is managing to make a difference. Turns out some of the sponsors of her project are Belgian so this summer she’ll be there fundraising.
Afterwards we visited the castles and took shelter from the hailstorm in the lion’s cages. Then we saw the royal pool, probably very beautiful when it’s not under restoration and found out a badjadj aka tuk tuk can also be used as an all terrain vehicle or a 3X3 when we went to se the corpses of queen Metewab and her son. No kidding you can actually see their bones in the compound of the remains of her castle! We ended the day with a women’s craft project in the Felasha village near Gondar where beautiful baskets, pottery and weaving was sold. They even spun their own thread! A nice dinner, ok I admit I had 2 dinners one of which with delicious spicy sauce and homemade yoghurt, was the end of a busy perfect day.
The next day Wednesday, also the day of my courtcase which I send the lawyer to, we set out to Bahir Dar where we’d be hosted by a ‘peacecorps’-er called Kyle. We wondered around town, visited the market, had some juices and reserved the girls boattrip for the next day before seeing a beautiful sunset near the hippo pool at the source of the Nile although sadly enough the hippos had decided to go somewhere else for a change. We went to my favourite pasta place in Bahir Dar and someone (hmmmm blush blush ) had a little too much too drink which in combination with the sun and not too much sleep caused me to have to clean the bathroom in the middle of the night because I made a mess and that just before being picked up by the minibus that took me back to Addis a day sooner then the girls.
The next morning, around 6:30 when I was safe and sound asleep in my own bed I was awoken by a phonecall from Nele telling me their minibus which was taking them back to me had an accident. They were halfway between Addis en Bahir Dar meaning in the middle of nowhere: a village called Debre Markos.
From that moment on the holiday was over. I started coordinating both insurance companies, calling to civil aviation, the local police to try and get their luggage, the flying doctors, I maxed out my account to pay for a private ambulance to get them to Addis which broke down, etc… Nele begged me to get them out of there, told me Karen was in pain but no matter how hard I tried I didn’t get them to Addis before 11ish the next morning. They had to spent the night in the horrible public Debre Markos hospital. Just imagine: Nele was bare footed at a certain moment and there were injection needles lying around on the floor… in the AIDS continent!!! I’ve never believed but the help of Kyle’s friends Mark and Veronica who live in the neighbourhood and translated, brought snacks, assisted in retrieving the luggage ( the police actually makes the victims of the accident come and identify it) and their mental support was nothing less then a god’s gift.
Seeing them all banged up the next morning in Addis broke my heart. Nele who had a broken collar bone was completely ignored even in the ‘good’ Korean hospital which is supposedly the Hilton of hospitals. Karen was kept lying still all day and had an operation on her severely fractured thighbone the next day by an American volunteering doctor. The operation took ages because the equipment was being used by someone else. These sort of things occur non-stop eg. The elevator is temporarily out of order so Karen had to spend her first night in a shared room with constant moaning of other patients. I have to go to the pharmacy because they don’t have the medicine Karen needs. The mattress is too hard which causes Karen to get bedsores. The correspondent of the insurance company in Nairobi conveniently forgets to arrange Nele’s flying papers so I have to go to the airport and solve that problem.
Chained to her bed by her injuries there is no way for Karen who is only now slowly getting somewhat more mobile to call a nurse so someone is forced to be next to her 24/7,including at night. After going to several pharmacies we had no choice but to give up hope for finding Nele a triangle shaped bandage to support her arm, etc. All extremely frustrating.
Luckily Nele was able to fly home on Monday evening where she received proper care and an operation. I didn’t even get to say goodbye to her in a proper manner because the security at the airport has no heart and blindly follows rules.
Karen’s dad flew in on Tuesday morning which took lot of weight of my shoulders, we look after her and sleep next to her in shifts now. She keeps her spirits high but the date of her return is continuously postponed.
The driver didn’t survive so everything taken into account I guess we should praise ourselves lucky because it seems neither of my visits will suffer long lasting consequences.
Still it really is a horrible ending to such a wonderful visit.
Pictures may be next time.

My Bole home 2

2010-03-20T23:43:00.001-07:00

1. Opposite side of the living room
2. Guest room ( aka Nele's room)
3. Bathroom with super flashy pink shower curtains in front of the window and for the shower/bath...
4. Masterbedroom

My Bole home 1

2010-03-20T00:01:00.000-07:00

Pics of the house speak for themselves, don't they?
( last one is another from the housewarming party that got uploaded without me realising...)

Housewarming

2010-03-19T23:49:00.000-07:00

So around the 8th of March I had my housewarming party or better just a party because there is a lot to celebrate.
I had another guest from couchsurfing who took these pictures and the next with his digital camera.
1. The whole group some friends didn't make it but it was a great evening. I'm really starting to settle in.
2. My new colleagues: Secondary school teacher (re) Becca is the blond beauty and the other is a KG teacher that teaches next to me and is called is Melissa.
3. The snacks I made.
I attempted Spanish tortilla but my friends back in Spain would have been embarrassed...The zucini snacks ( calabacin rebozados) did work out and even the italians agreed my pizza was tasty!

Running around….

2010-03-05T09:56:00.000-08:00

I have to go to court on Monday and explain them that the summon hasn’t been delivered. Yep kinda scary plus I miss the first day of work and the reception of a new student in my class but there’s no other way. My collegues, not the board, are so kind: they actually wished me luck which felt so good. I was also invited to a BBQ at my closest colleague’s home.
Also on the brighter side the landline in my flat just started working so from now on you can reach me _ if I’m home_ less expensively on 00251115548779 = Really cool!
And there are only 24 more days to go before I get my first real visit: Nele! (=best vriend from Flanders) and Karen. So the smile on my face has definitely returned!

Ps: Wish me luck with the 1st women Ethiopian run tomorrow!!!

Just a short note in between…

2010-03-04T01:24:00.000-08:00

My week off is flying by and sadly enough I’m not really able to enjoy it very much… . After the cleaning was finally finished I found out that Immigration has lost my file and thus I still don’t have a new residence permit which means I cannot go to the police for my stolen camera still which is bad for my insurance company, plus I can’t give the court summon to GYA. I should have given this the latest last Friday, 10 days in advance, seeing as the case is supposed to be on the 8th of March, meaning next Monday but Dr G and me fear GYA may block some paperwork so the case will probably be postponed… What a mess.
In addition my ex landlady is given me trouble, even though most of the furniture is still in the other flat and I have paid until March the 20th or so she refused to let me in the compound the other day which infuriated me so much I caused quite a scene… I’ve decided not to move anything out so she can’t rent it a day sooner just to bug her but still. It’s so frustrating. Where has my luck gone off to???
On top of that there are loads of power-cuts, some Italian company didn’t do a good job with the construction of a new hydro power plant so the tunnel with generators collapsed a mere week after opening. It’s super annoying: For example I went to school to prepare for next week but there was no power when I arrived so I couldn’t do a whole lot... And more of the same.
till I shouldn’t complain: I’m liking the new house, will probably be in a play ( covering for someone which is exciting because it’s been 10 years since I was last on stage), also I’m hosting the boys again now that they’re back, plus am running ( or rather walking) 5 km for women empowerment and have a house-warming party coming up… . So hopefully next update will be less winy =)

Home sweet home...

2010-03-01T09:42:00.000-08:00

Things still haven’t really settled down but it is a more enjoyable rhythm then before. My paper process is running at its end. With Dr G driving me up the wall because he felt I should be doing things whereas the school doesn’t allow me to interfere. Due to a meeting in the ministry of education we are behind schedule which won’t be a problem for my visa but does mean I didn’t give the summon to GYA on time so the court may be postponed… .
Last weekend the 20th or something was fun. I hosted couch surfers at my home. 3 crazy guys from about my age: a Welsh one, German and South African. The last did his masters in London and is now returning. The welsh guy is joining him and they’re driving his 4X4 all the way to Capetown. Can you imagine from London to Capetown!?! They have a lot of fun stories to tell and saw some interesting places. They have solar panels on the roof of the jeep and try to raise money for a charity that wants to provide people in desolate regions with solar energy because the lack of electricity tends to intensifies their poverty. If you want to read about their adventures www.overlandandintheSun.com . The German is also involved in charity and is doing the trip from Germany to Capetown by motorbike. He’s currently joining them while his bike is being fixed. His site: www.fernwehge.de .
They were good fun, we had some delicious meals and did a daytrip to the lakes at Debrezeyt. Sadly enough I couldn’t go swimming because the water’s not safe if you’re not being treated against some disease and frankly the leech my feet attracted when I was paddling put me off. Still it was great to eat cheese and guacamole sandwiches at the shore.
In my class and with the colleagues all is well. My students are very adorable and say the funniest things: We were describing people and they said their previous teacher had a green nose. My wage and housing is arranged through the board more specifically through the senior manager, Sisay. He’s Ethiopian and not nice to me, may be because his kids are going to GYA ( not all the staff members are allowed to have their children in the school…). The head of primary, John Lane, was absent so I saw my new flat with him and his assistant and when I pointed out things that should be taken care off I got an inappropriate answer. When I told Mr Lane he apologised and even his assistant told me he felt his boss was out of line. Result: I have moved into my new home but where all the other teachers get a clean house mine is/was really filthy. This because Sisay wanted me to hire a cleaning lady of his choice, probably someone he owed a favour and got angry when I explained I already had someone doing my laundry and that I usually cleaned myself.
The place is starting to get cool though. I rearranged all the furniture yesterday, washed out most cupboards, unpacked and started cleaning the bathroom which was the filthiest. I’ve never missed Mr Proper this much in my life. There are hardly any cleaning products here so your result depends on your effort. Plus I managed to clog the bathroom pipes when I was trying to get rid of dirty water which made me unable to shower after cleaning. So now I’m waiting for the school plumber. It wasn’t exactly the start of my week off I had hoped for but the result _when I finally finish_ should be well worth it. I’m really excited: It’s so enjoyable to have a fridge again (after more then 2 months) and there’s an oven, a table to eat at, space in the cupboard, a good bed/mattress, a sofa, A sink in the kitchen etc. The flat is on the third floor and in the fancy tourist neighbourhood of Addis. It has a pretty big terrace and an extra bedroom with double bed which I’ll use to host people. It will be so nice! There are some things which aren’t exactly stylish such as the curtains which are extremely ugly and the painted kitchen cupboards which no matter how hard I try look dirty but hey I’m willing to put up with it. ( I may go all out shopping for matching scarves to use as curtains. Textile here is rather pretty plus affordable.)

A rainy week later...

2010-02-14T09:55:00.000-08:00

First of all to all the couples out there: Happy Valentinesday!
The sun may have started shining for me again but I’ve gotten wet feet =)
It’s literally been pouring here. Up to the extend that when I woke up, a bit nervous for my first real day, at 3:00 on Monday morning and it was still raining, much like when I went to bed at 22:00, the courtyard had transformed itself into a mudpool and the kitchen was lower then the water level, thus a pool as well. Not the best start of my day.
Luckily at school things went smooth and they continued to do so the rest of the week. It’s pretty exhausting, especially now I still live rather far, but fun. My 18 super small students are super cute. Fatoumata can’t sit still and is always up to mischief such as pinching, mixing up puzzles, etc; Delina gets too much food and is therefore overweight and doesn’t like moving too much which was funny on sportsday Friday; Bamlak is hilarious when he shouts along to 5 little speckled frogs but has trouble pronouncing the word;… They are all really adorable!
The only setback was when on Friday it turned out that I was told the wrong wage and get less then Belgian minimum wage after all during these first 6 months. But that’s not the end of the world. It’s still more then 3 times what I had before.
In the mean time I’m arranging as much as I can all my papers again. With the new visa I have to go to the whole process of immigration again before I get a new residence permit. Hopefully I get everything arranged before its expiration date. This past week I’ve been running about to translators and doctors after work hours then I went home to do some preparing and by the time this was finished it was bedtime. It wasn’t the most exciting week, I can’t wait for things to slow down, I need just a little more patience. The lazy weekend I’m having which involves loads of sleep, food and eating out; is doing me good and I feel ready for next week plus there’s a holiday coming up the first week of March.

From now on I have an address again:
Sanford International School
Corine Huyghe
PO BOX 30056 MA
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia

I now only have a mobile phone with the number: 00251 912488366
School website: http://www.sandfordschool.org/

All's well that ends well!

2010-02-06T03:30:00.000-08:00

On Thursday I don’t go to Aaron again and find myself waiting very nervously. I didn’t sleep well and was absolutely exhausted. The boss arrives and greets me, then several people are called to his office, including Solomon who later seems to be dictating a sort of testimony to the secretary. At 9:30, after the meeting was over, I’m called in and told that if I can bring a letter of the school that wants to hire me that they’ll give me a business visa.
I could hardly believe what I was hearing. Went out, called Sanford aka dreamjob, and made an appointment. Shortly after I was introduced to my new classroom, students and the teacher that’s leaving because she has started her own school and needs more time for that. On top of that the teachers were having a potluck and I was invited to join them, cool huh, they do potlucks from time to time ( potluck = everybody prepares something and then there’s a buffet with the different dishes). I was also given the letter which I delivered to immigration after their lunch break. After a mere 3 offices my passport was taken and I was given an appointment to come and collect the visa the next day which I did without difficulty.
Friday I got up very early and took 3 minibuses to get to the dream job on time and observe the current teacher on her last day so I could pick up the class habits. It is really cool! Most afternoons are for preparing ( kids leave at 12), I have 2 happy helpers and only 18 kids most of whom don’t speak English at home. They’re super cute and everybody seems really friendly…. It was really hard to tell Aaron’s dad who was quite disappointed especially by the fact that he didn’t get any notice but I explained nothing had been certain until that very morning and that that’s why he didn’t know sooner. I didn’t get to say goodbye to Aaron or some of the people I worked with yet. The idea is to do so on Monday or Tuesday after work.
I will sort of sign until July 2011. My wage is paid in bir but is a low Belgium wage and it includes local health insurance. On top of that I will be given a furnished house in one of the more elite areas of Addis which is closer to the school once they get everything sorted out. ( good thing I still didn’t buy a fridge).
Sort of sign because after August my status will even improve: then they’ll pay for my flight to Addis after the summer holiday plus I get to ship stuff and I can ask to get paid in a foreign currency to a foreign account. Easy for saving which I’ll do seeing as that low Belgium wage I get every month is more then some people earn in a year! Cost of living is really reasonable.
All of it is a dream come true. I’m now officially in the international school network which looks great on my CV and will allow me to be hired under similar conditions in different countries.
I celebrated yesterday evening with some of the ICS teachers and Alix with a “cranium” session, brilliant game, loads of fun especially in combination with some alcohol and nice snacks… So much fun I’m having a quiet day to recuperate from it ;-) However tonight I’m going out with Holger and some other friends to a traditional restaurant ( the one where we ended up on the dance floor a long time ago when I first met Holger and Mohammed!) so that’ll be fun.
I do still have the court case ahead of me but that shouldn’t be too horrible.
What can I say, life is sweet at the moment and it seems the sun has started shining for me again! After all, all is well that ends well=)

Tommorow again... When will today catch up?

2010-02-03T07:57:00.000-08:00

On Monday after being with Aaron I set course for Labour. It was a promising start, I had to be there at 13:30 which gave me time to eat something in the teacher’s cafeteria before rushing away. Sadly enough the secretary at labour was absent so my clearance letter that required 2 lines more then the standard one could not be typed and I should come back the next day same time. When I called the dream job I felt like an 8-year-old telling the teacher the dog ate his homework and went home to enjoy the afternoon for a change.
I enjoyed the evening even better! There was a cocktail party at the embassy because the Belgian minister of foreign affairs came to Addis for the African Union meeting. Parties there are never without catering and this time they flew in the delicious grey small shrimps typical for the Belgian coast, besides that there was a whole buffet with other goodies including a dessert of fresh chocolate mouse and strawberries! It was a feast! Holger Saskia and me really enjoyed it. Saskia is even considering to become Belgian seeing as the Belgian community is very sociable and friendly;-)
Between you and me ok ambassadors do get a really nice wage but these things are not obligatory and come out of their pocket so it is really nice of them to do this. The ambassador’s wife is Ethiopian by the way and a really friendly stylish host.
To my great relief I was given the letter promptly by Labour on Tuesday and thus set course for immigration. Dr G thought it would be in my benefit if I went there by myself to apply for a business visa. We’re hoping I will receive one seeing as my court date is only on the 8th of March and the 8th of April and I am telling them I do not have the means to stay here without wages until then… ( The dreamjob would be able to hire me if I get this visa).
I went to the not so nice boss,room 105, I talked to the last time. After an hour queuing he took half a minute to tell me I should go to room 77 downstairs and apply for a visa there like any other person. I called Dr G and he referred me to his friend who made me wait, fill out some forms and then also sent me to 77. When I finally got in I explained my case upon which the guy scribbled down something in Amharic and sent me to room 81. There, there is a nice lady ( I’ve been there before and she’s always been sympathetic to my case) who attended me after a while and then scribbled something on my file and sent me to Ato Solomon , room 80, who is only friendly to me off record and with Dr G present. Solomon made me wait for ages, he’s always being a pain and thus very busy, and allowed people to queue me twice before it was my turn. He then asked me silly questions such as where is your residence permit, you need to give it to us, whereas he knows _or at least should know_ I was fired for asking this permit and that GYA kept it. He scribbled down 3 things in Amharic, all the true and thus wrong answers I gave and sent me to room 95. Room 95 seems to be a different director, one that has refused to talk to me twice before and he was now in a meeting and I shouldn’t wait because it was already 17:15 and everything closes at 17:30 ( immigration doesn’t do overtime like Labour). So I should come at 8:30 tomorrow. I went out drained and super disappointed as usual. Luckily the money bar I mentioned in one of my first blogs is near this ministry and they have some excellent fries with ok tasting mayonnaise which helped to cheer me up a bit.
8:30 the next day Wednesday I don’t go to Aaron but set out to immigration. I am kept waiting until 9:15 before I get to see the man behind the secretary in room 95. I explain him my case and he says they will give me a tourist visa upon which I start crying and tell him then I’ll have to go home ( which I mean, I can’t take much more of this) and GYA who’s been mistreating people for the last 10 years will get away with what they did to me and will continue doing this. He gets 2 calls in those mere 10 minutes I’m in there and sends me out twice eventhough it’s clear I don’t understand enough Amharic to make anything out of what he’s sayng. When I come back in the second time he starts calling someone and GYA is named… Then he says: come back tomorrow. No answer, no explanation, nothing.
I rushed to Aaron and had lunch was forced to eat real quickly while he was in recess. After he left I went to court to get the summon for my case. I have to personally give it to the school. Having to go there soon made me call David ( remember ex colleague and first flatmate, the one that got robbed in Merkato) to see what he was up to. Good thing I did because he told me he is eloping tomorrow morning at 8:45 and that the school will be closed until Monday.
We started in September with 8 foreign teachers and 2 American management assistants. Tomorrow a mere 3 out of those 10 continue to work for GYA. 5 of the people who stopped have left/fled the country, the other 2 are me and the witness that saw me get fired who was 1 of the manager assistants, we are still here for the time being.
So here I am waiting for another tomorrow hoping that very soon I can live for today again and be happy.

Waiting for the miracle to come...

2010-01-31T01:54:00.000-08:00

Well The next Monday before our Wednesday deadline still without an appointment. Dr G took me to immigration with a different client after having been waiting again in his office. Seeing as we were there we might as well go and talk to one of the bosses we hadn’t talked to yet, he was the usual unfriendly and aware of my HRC-case. This guy told us to go to the ministry of Labour and said the Isayas we had been trying to schedule the appointment with most of the previous week was not the right person to talk to after all.
Dr G. tried to stop a German rasta from running away from the office and managed to get his bag stolen in the process. Thus when he realised he needed to return and look for it so I ended up waiting/crying in the car for another 45 minutes by myself. By the time he returned it was 17:00 and all major offices close at 17:30. I had been waiting for Dr G since 11:45 and we had done nothing but encounter another immigration prick that felt I should leave the country.
Probably out of guilt we still headed for the Labour office where we found our way to the boss’s office. He listened to my story and called his colleague director who was also still in his office and received us as well. Labour is said to be very pro employee, there the ones linked to the union so nice and left-wing. They told me they had an important meeting with the Addis council the next day and that they would present my case and give me a call when they figured out a way to help me. I wasn’t called but still went there the next day by myself. The boss had become ill and wasn’t able to attend the meeting. He told me he’d discuss the issue the next day and call me. I’m low on patience so on Wednesday, again by myself, the other boss found me waiting for him after his lunch break and took me to his colleague and they discussed a solution in front of me. They told me to go to immigration again and ask if they would be able to give me a business visa when Labour cancelled my work permit which would allow me to get hired by the dream job. I got Dr G to accompany to the last prick at immigration we had talked to to address this question. Immigration avoided giving a clear answer which is what they do best. They did however tell me that GYA had written to them asking them for my deportation and that they had told GYA that wasn’t their place to decide.
In Dr G ‘s opinion this means there on my side. Anyway so we went back to labour who started the process of cancelling my work permit and told them that immigration wasn’t going to deport me if I were involved in a court case so I’d need a letter from court to prove this. Labour would have my work permit cancelled by the next Thursday and that left us plenty of time to file for court so I had a letter for them immediately after the permit was cancelled.
On Saturday I gave some documents to my Amharic teacher for translation which was Dr G’s idea and after that enjoyed my visit to the ethnological museum which I hadn’t seen yet. Hilarious folktales and inspiring artefacts in a former castle. Really cool! I spent the evening eating with some teachers from the school I’m in with Aaron and afterwards went to one of their houses provided by the school. A ballroom for a living room and an equally big lounge room, 3 bathrooms, etc and she lives there all by herself. This school is crazy. I really get along with the wife of one of the teachers who was my Canadian friend ( Emily)’s host and friend. She’s really very pleasant and open-minded company and loves to cook and play scrabble. I feel that if I get to stay here Alix may become one of my close friends.
Sunday flew by as usual I went for juice with Saskia( the Dutch girl) and some other people and on Monday I found myself rushing to Dr G’s office again to file the case, sadly enough my teacher/translator was sick and didn’t get the documents translated. It took Dr G a long time to decide he’d translate himself and that we should meet the next day to file the case so there was hardly a free afternoon left to enjoy. On top of it all there was a power-cut, the first for ages, and Alix was supposed to come for dinner that night. I ended up reheating the stew on a kerosene fire we borrowed from the landlady which caused it to burn and give my delicious stew a rather bad taste. Alix was nice enough to say it tasted nice anyway but honestly it didn’t. 10 Minutes after starting our meal the electricity came back. What is it with me in this place, I am cursed or something?
Tuesday I was pretty tired because Aaron has a new baby sister and his mum’s back from the states and he’s not dealing with the change extremely well but still I hurried Dr G’s office again only to be kept waiting for ages until I call for the 3rd time and am sent home with the message come tomorrow morning and then we’ll get everything done.
Thus on Wednesday I don’t go to the school and find Dr G translating the paper when I arrive at 9. At 10 he walks out with someone else for just a little while and asks me to await him there. I wait until 15 before we finally get in his car in order to get things done… We needed some stamps on copies and then the case needed to be presented in Amharic so that needed to be written… No need to say by the time that was done it was 17:15 and we weren’t able to file it. I finished the new book I started that day while waiting around for him and felt so depressed.
So we ended up only filing the court case on Thursday and then they told us they couldn’t give us the letters until the next day. I went to labour by myself and the boss was very surprised _ and disappointed?_ that I didn’t have the letter. He emphasized it was important I got this done before the end of the week, as if I didn’t know. On Friday I went with Mika who got instructions of Dr G to the court. When we arrived the judge who had to write these letters had just left for an early lunch s we hung around for 1,5 hours and then went back in. The judge saw the urgency and scribbled the letter I needed in 5 minutes, I just needed to get it typed and printed…which isn’t to difficult when you have 5 secretaries sitting in an office. But I guess I was wrong they were notably too busy playing with their mobile phones to type anything and made us wait a full 1,5 hours!!!!! ( the letter had less then 100 words for goodness sake!). I got really pissed and upon receiving the letter I ran out of there to make it to Labour as soon as possible. I arrived at 15:45 but my appointment with them was at 13:30 so they were in a meeting. The rest of the afternoon was spent waiting for them to come out which they did at 17:15. Then and there I was told it was too late to do anything and that I should be back there on Monday. I felt so extremely frustrated and mentally drained again. I never realised how much I just love our efficiency although I do admit government agencies aren’t the most efficient in Belgium or Spain either. ;-)
So the weekend began rather poorly but that would be solved with the hike I’d take with Holger and Mika. We set out Saturday morning with a scrumptious picnic packed to climb one of the mountains surrounding Addis. The views were nice, just getting out of the smog into nature from time to time is great actually and when we arrived to the top we were surprised to see a tent. We thought those would certainly be farangies but in stead we bumped into the federal police _What were they doing there? No clue whatsoever!_ They told us to go down this way or that way.
Fine, we enjoyed our picnic ( a lot mmmmmm cheese and avocado…) and decided on our route down one of the choices we were given. After a short while and a silly photo session we are called back by one of the agents. We had to return because we shouldn’t have gone that way_ even when it was one of the options they gave us! At the camp our documents were taken ( me my Belgium ID and a photocopy of my passport) and a lot of discussion was done through the radio. Mika told me later that their boss had no idea what to do with us terrorists… Thank you Mr Bush for giving them an example of this ridiculous behaviour.
We were sat down for ages before we were escorted down a very steep path ( I was fine with my little sandals and short shorts but Mika who’s quite a sissy was scared of slipping so I held his hand pretending I was the damsel in distress all the way down). One of the local woman actually discussed with the cop about why they were doing this and told him to leave us and them alone. Upon reaching the village outskirts we were taken in the back of one of their jeeps _I’m convinced that neighbourhood is still gossiping about us now_ to the regular and not federal police station. At this point we all thought it pretty hilarious stupid.
In the police station we were interviewed and I got really scared cause my paper situation is not exactly ideal and I had to tell them I worked for GYA seeing as that’s the only papers I still have at the moment so if they wanted to call the school I was in trouble. They kept us there for a long while until one of the bosses came, everybody avoids taking responsibility here, who was charmed by Holger’s excellent Amharic and let us go. We had done absolutely nothing wrong but we presented an ideal diversion to bored policeman on a mountain. Mika said later that if we had seemed unfriendly to them they had the intention of putting us in jail. I was freezing in my shorts on the way home and had become really pissed off, I hate these limitations of personal freedom just for power display. It’s something I’m finding really hard to deal with.

In between

2010-01-31T01:02:00.001-08:00

I was writing an email to a friend ages ago updating him a bit on my thoughts and then realised this should actually also be in my blog. Sadly enough I didn’t get it posted and then forgot all about it until now.
19/01
I’ve been so occupied by this case that I’ve omitted sometimes my reflections on life here. Here’s what I wrote:
I really appreciate certain things more now, a washing machine for example. You know this horrible task is mostly done by hand here. It’s actually cheaper for me to hire someone to do it then to buy a machine. Having a servant that comes to my place to do it once a week is also extremely strange. I pay her well in Ethiopian standards but she only gets 5 euro per month!!!!
There’s also our selection of vegetables ( here very limited) and actually just supermarkets. You have no idea just how cool those are. Going to Lidl you know you’ll get a good deal and you can find almost everything you need there. Here supermarkets are for white people and thus more expensive than the small souxs. Yet the souxs can also rip you off easily and it’s hard to find one who sells everything you need.
Since I moved I haven’t bought a fridge not to mention the lack of an oven since I arrived to Ethiopia and I feel I never appreciated these fully until now. ( I’ll buy a fridge as soon as I have the job at the British school confirmed but don’t want to just now.)
And then there’s the almost complete absence of affordable cheese…. I’d die for Brie right now =)
I didn’t tell you guys either that Holger brought me Belgian waffles and chocolate from Belgium after Christmas to give me courage. How sweet is that?!?
In other words no matter how desperate I get from time to time this place and the people I’ve gotten to know here are still worth while.

No news on my case, today everything was closed due to the celebration of the 3 wise men
( Balthazar is believed to be from here by the way)

I was writing an email to a friend updating him a bit on my thoughts and then realised this should actually also be in my blog. I’ve been so occupied by this case that I’ve omitted sometimes my reflections on life here. Here’s what I wrote:
I really appreciate certain things more now, a washing machine for example. You know this horrible task is mostly done by hand here. It’s actually cheaper for me to hire someone to do it then to buy a machine. Having a servant that comes to my place to do it once a week is also extremely strange. I pay her well in Ethiopian standards but she only gets 5 euro per month!!!!
There’s also our selection of vegetables ( here very limited) and actually just supermarkets. You have no idea just how cool those are. Going to Lidl you know you’ll get a good deal and you can find almost everything you need there. Here supermarkets are for white people and thus more expensive than the small souxs. Yet the souxs can also rip you off easily and it’s hard to find one who sells everything you need.
Since I moved I haven’t bought a fridge not to mention the lack of an oven since I arrived to Ethiopia and I feel I never appreciated these fully until now. ( I’ll buy a fridge as soon as I have the job at the British school confirmed but don’t want to just now.)
And then there’s the almost complete absence of affordable cheese…. I’d die for Brie right now =)
I didn’t tell you guys either that Holger brought me waffles and chocolate from Belgium after Christmas to give me courage. How sweet is that?!?
In other words no matter how desperate I get from time to time this place and the people I’ve gotten to know here are still worth while.

As for my case no news, today everything was closed due to the celebration of the 3 wise men ( Balthazar is believed to be from here by the way)

The nghtmare continues...

2010-01-17T10:50:00.000-08:00

Last time I didn’t mention the moment I was sitting on the bus and the phone from the school came saying they wanted to offer me the job. I didn’t mention this ‘cause I was too afraid to be happy. No matter how hard I tried I did feel absolutely thrilled. This was the kind of job I’d been aspiring shortly after starting to teach English. A decent contract in an international school where you enjoy the freedom to work as we do in Belgium or any other western country. It seems my fear was with good reason because when I turned up at the meeting that was scheduled on Monday I was introduced to the person in charge of the paperwork. After hearing my story he asked me to come back on Tuesday to discuss the options. There and then he told me he didn’t think they would be able to hire me on time. I’d have to go to Belgium, finance that myself, and get clearance beforehand… It’ll take a lot of time and money and this dreamjob of mine is supposed to start at the beginning of February. I first went to HRC crying my eyes out and they pointed to the embassy to help me this time, they say they should call the minister of foreign affairs.…
It was another blow to the head, one that’s got me crying in this stupid mall while I was waiting for an appointment with some guy whose phone number I got from my Amharic teacher saying that he could solve paper problems. I was totally desperate: it seemed as if nothing was going to happen just like nothing _but prolonged suffering for me_ had been happening. I felt absolutely beat and hopeless.
I got Holger on the phone and was weeping when the guy who had legal advisor on top of his door finally showed up to his office, only 45 min later than he had said he would. That’s the state he found me in yet after explaining my case Dr. Getatchu ( Dr G.) started phoning influential friends so they could hear what happened to me. He even invited me out to dinner with them and one gave me his phone number?!? ( yes I also thought this was totally weird. On top of everything Dr G. seems to know many people in the school I’m currently ‘volunteering’ in which was also awkward ‘cause I haven’t told anybody there that I may be leaving soon seeing as nothing is sure until now. ). Anyway I agreed skip working with Aaron the next day to meet him ‘cause we had a lot to do. After a long wait including joining him to another case he had to solve we went to immigration and spoke to some people there. We ended up at the same desk I had been several times before only now the guy was nice and told me he knew that no foreigners were treated worse then the ones at GYA but that when he had tried to do something about it his job was jeopardised and so he did nothing anymore. So the contacts GYA bragged about having were real enough it seems. Afterwards I had an appointment with the embassy ( who wrote to the minister of foreign affairs asking to intervene which is very exceptional to do this for an individual and not a diplomat) but by the time they were finished Dr G. was busy with something else and I was told to come to his office as soon as possible the next day. I rushed away from Aaron and called Dr G. asking if I should meet him somewhere only to be told to await him at the embassy who was trying to schedule an appointment with the head of National Intelligence and security, they didn’t manage and after a long wait we decided to go down there and take our chances but by then Dr G. was in court so someone from the embassy accompanied me there only to be turned away by the secretary. I felt drained and cried my eyes out ( I figured all was lost again and didn’t even go to my first level 2 Amharic lesson) until Dr G called and told me what he wanted to do with me the next day. So I rushed away from school again on Friday only to wait in his office for 2hours and 45 minutes before we returned to the same secretary with a written report of my story which got us through the first door to be able to get the phone number to make an appointment on Monday at the second door… Grrr That’s the only thing that happened which is so frustrating. Dr G. did however talk to the people of the dream job and was very self-assured about solving my case before next Wednesday so they sort of not gave up on me just yet, which was super. I just hope he can make it all come true, he says a lot and things do seem to be happening but we haven’t really done that much but postponing to the next day so I hope we’ll be able to really do some of those things on Monday (= tomorrow) seeing as Tuesday is a holiday here…
Sweet Holger brought me extra Belgian candy which he had taken from his visit after he heard what happened. I met him at a concert on Friday which turned out to be horrible but we did schedule then to have lunch on Sunday and play games: yes the addiction that was born in Bilbao has continued. I played settlers of Catan ( not really my cup of tea) and a hilarious homemade version of ‘time’s up’. Lunch was my new speciality: stew and my first goat meat version which was really tasty.
On Saturday evening I went with the friend of my Canadian friend and some teachers from the school I didn’t know very well for some scrumptious Chinese so it’s fair to say I did have a good weekend with no time for emailing so sorry to those awaiting reply…

The Ethiopian Christmas Santa brought my long desired silver lining!

2010-01-08T01:06:00.000-08:00

It seemed you did cross your fingers. The interview went well and I noticed they were interested so afterwards I went to the HRC and told them I really wanted this job and that the GYA- situation may be in the way of getting it. Mahlet was not there ( hence I know nothing about the investigation) but I crossed the big boss in the corridor. He invited me in his office and asked how I was doing. After explaining he gave me his personal mobile phone number and told me he’d help me to be allowed to be hired and that I could give his number to the school. So I did and then after a wonderful dinner with Mohammed ( Holgers flatmate who went from a house that was too full to an almost empty one ‘cause Holger spent his holidays in Belgium) I took off on my trip seeing as I had asked Aaron’s dad for a week holiday.

Thanks to Mohammed, who was born in Bahir Dar, we got the number of a minibus service that picks you up at home and brings you there. Sadly enough arrangements had already been made for me to sleep at Mika’s grandmother, where he lives, seeing as that place was better connected to the main bus station than my new nest. We slept in his hut in a central neighbourhood of Addis on a mattress that you would almost mistake for a blanket. ( The bathroom is a hole in the ground much like the French ones near the highway and shower = bucket). I’m not frowning, it’s actually part of the experience of being here: seeing how real people live. Shortly after falling asleep, we watched a movie on his laptop so we would go to bed late and be able to sleep in the bus, we were awoken by the call that told us they’d pick us up in 30 minutes.

29/12

Exhausted and comfortable in the best seats of the bus ( we were the 2^nd they picked up) I slept for most of the 12-hour-way. Upon arrival we were bombarded with enthusiasts to relieve us from some money but Jordi, Mika’s best friend and a couch surfer ( CS-er) like us, sent her friend to haggle with a tuk tuk for us that took us to her place. Tuk tuk or badjadge are these hilarious mini taxis with 3 rather small wheels. We were welcomed by her family with a coffee ceremony ( I actually tried some to be polite) in Jordi’s wine bar. She makes mango- and date-wine and so. Really nice simple people.

After talking for a while some French girls in need of a place to sleep contacted her so we went to pick them up and then enjoyed delicious pasta in a no-nonsense bar near lake Tana. Jordi seems to host loads of people (all voluntarily), she’s undoubtedly the most charming guide of Bahir Dar and clearly knows where to take her guests.

30/12

After a rather cold night ( we had only brought one blanket and the French were using Jordi’s) and the purchase of a 120 birr camera+ film we set out to see the famous Blue Nile falls that are depicted on the one birr note in all their splendour. The ‘Bradt’ travel guide already mentioned there weren’t all that anymore after the constructing of a hydraulic power plant nearby. What was left is rather insignificant, especially after enjoying the falls in Yosemite this summer, but still it’s set in a nice environment and makes for a relaxing walk. When we were there a bunch of people arrived and it turned out to be the Egyptian prime minister and company including loads of press and security soldiers. It seems Egypt had been getting less water since the infamous construction and came to check out the situation. Later we were told that the falls were bigger that afternoon due to the visit and that they are normally reduced to dribble. All busses that went back to town were stuffed, the soldiers didn’t let some through somehow and my attempt to hitchhike wasn’t appreciated so we waited in the burning sun for ages to squeeze in the 3^rd bus that arrived and then still had to stand on this 45-minutes dirt-road-trip. I started feeling nauseous after 20 minutes and lost consciousness which conveniently got me a seat until the tire exploded shortly after. My 2^nd hitchhike attempt got us to the city centre 10 minutes later.

We wanted to cook for Jordi and her family ( all 8 of them excl. us 2) to thank them for their hospitality so set out to make a vegan meal. They are Ethiopian Orthodox so they fast ( no animal products whatsoever) up to Ethiopian Christmas. Cooking for 11 people ( a new Russian CS-er arrived) on a small charcoal fire is definitely another of those ‘real people’ experiences. It took us forever.

31/12

The early bird catches the worm and we caught a little boat with some other tourists to see some of the breathtaking monasteries built on the islands of lake Tana and the source of the Blue Nile. What was supposed to be finished at 13:00 the latest lasted to 16:00 because all people in the boat insisted seeing everything we were promised upon booking the trip.

Really amazing: seeing as people are often illiterate the Bible is depicted on the walls of these hut-like monasteries in a very colourful manner. One of the islands didn’t allow women whilst another one was run by them. We passed people from the islands travelling in actual papyrus boats which still resemble the ones used in ancient Egypt and saw real pelicans. I couldn’t have wished for a better day to end my year. We went out for dinner: the Russian guy, Jordi, Mika and me where I experienced the Ethiopian version of potato croquettes ( not recommendable) and then went to a traditional improvisation on music bar. Obviously we were sung about in a language we didn’t understand and picked out to dance. I was getting in to it and was actually pasted a birr on my forehead by one of the customers ( this is how you show the dancers you like what they’re doing) which was pretty funny. Countdown took place in a faranji bar ( for Ethiopians new year is in September) which had even provided tiny fireworks for the occasion. It was really nice.

1/1

After breakfast we said our goodbyes and set course for our short pit stop in the village of Auwramba before heading to Gondor. Auwramba is said to be extraordinary for it atheism and equality of sexes besides they produce textile according to ‘Bradt’. Sounds like my cup of tea, doesn’t it? Sadly enough Auwramba was none of the above only an exhausting and time consuming detour which involved me carrying my suitcase for over 40 minutes on a rocky path… There was not even a single textile shop! Annoyed and disappointed we made it to Gondor just in time to enjoy the castles there for 1 hour before they closed. The castles were really pretty and the ‘Bradt’ guide provided a interesting inside in the history of the Amhara Kings. The evening was spent with a delicious dinner ( we actually ordered 3 portions between the 2 of us which won’t come as a surprise to some of you) including a spice minced meat sauce and goat yoghurt. We spent a short night in an inexpensive and also pretty disgusting hotel.

2/1

Yes short night because at 5 am we were at the bus station to catch a bus up to Axum. A bumpy and dusty 15 hours ride with hardly any entertaining breaks ( only breaks to pick up people or put new air in the tires…) but luckily with breathtaking views of the Semin mountains and along an Italian constructed red dusty road where a friend of Mika found his death in a traffic accident. Exhausted and proud that when 6 people around me started puking I was able to not do so I arrived in the Tigray capital at 21:00. It’s amazing how the people who live along this road or should I say path, live following the sun’s rhythm and change hairdo’s and behaviour according to their inheritance.

The last part of the ride, in a 2^nd bus, was plagued by drunk people in uniform but I was warned by the people of the previous bus and Mika told me to duck on time when they more or less started fighting before being thrown out… ( another one of those ‘real people’ experiences?) We took a nice hotel this time where I was immediately charged more for my food because of my skin coloured but I did enjoy the nice clean on suite bathroom with hot shower!

3/1

After a really tasty breakfast_ some strange kind of porridge that was firm with beriberi ( a spice), scrambled eggs with veggies, fresh yoghurt and as the cherry on the cake fresh ‘ sprice’ juice obviously_ we set out to see the archaeological sites dotted around the town.

My heart almost stopped beating when we realised it was Sunday and saw the tourist office where we were supposed to buy our entrance tickets was closed: we came all this way and wouldn’t see the sites? Luckily the small office leading to the stelae field was open and even allowed me ‘habisha’( opposite of Faranji = native) price when I old her I worked in Addis: 8 birr in stead of 50. Pretty impressive, some of the highlights included: a stele dated from the 3^rd century that weighs 500 ton and measures 33m still lying where it fell on top of the underground tomb with incredible masonry that you can actually access for a certain king Remhai. Furthermore a trilingual inscribed tablet ( Sabaean (pre-Amharic), Geez ( religious language using Sabaean alphabet but differently) and Greek) still lying where it was placed in the 4^th century -unmoved seeing as it says anyone who moves it will meet an untimely death! And the unexcavated leftovers of what they presume was a palace where they made a cosy outside bar with pool table. Next to the thing that looks like a bench but was actually a table used to clean corpses. All this within walking distance of the rock hewn tomb for a 6^th century king. Oh and before I forget there’s also the church (that doesn’t allow women) where the original arc of the covenant is said to be kept- I saw from afar the outside building with the curtains that cover it- but lost much of my frustration when I heard nobody is allowed to see it anyways! We forgot about lunch and then really binged for dinner. I’m actually starting to appreciate injeera more especially he meals which include a little bit of everything with meat, a bit of everything with veggies, etc. There’s also a chickpea sauce called ‘shiro’ which is pretty tasty. Our trip to the bus station ( I had to start making my way back the next day to restart work with Aaron) taught us we only had to be there at 7.

4/1

At 7:20 I wake up surprised. Ten minutes later and without brushing my teeth I was outside with all my luggage and in a tuk tuk. No need for the hurry ‘cause the bus we took to Addis only arrived at 10:20 and then still had to change tires… This when the people kept telling us it would be there any minute now and seeing as there are no numbered space you don’t leave ‘cause a bad place on the bus is hell. So without breakfast we got on but most of the places were already taken by previous stop customers and so we were stuck in the back row with 4 other people various suitcases and a puking and peeing but still rather cute baby. There was no space even to have your arms beside you and we kept slaloming on mountains without there being a decent road… We saw various deadly looking car accidents on the side of the road and thus gratefully accepted the priests gift of holy Debre Damos soil. We were under the impression we’d arrive at Dessie ( more then halfway to Addis) and then sleep there to arrive at Addis before noon the next day so you can imagine our surprise when at 16 the bus pulled over in Mekale and didn’t leave again! From there it would be hard to even make it to Addis the next day =(

Anyway Mekale is quite charming and has a nice market know for the arrivals of caravans of camels with salt where I bought a traditional ‘Ntela’ after being better at haggling then Mika.

5/1

All day on the bus, past Dessie into ‘muslim ville’ around 17:30. One street big but fortunately with a clean hotel and a place with wonderful samosas (here called sambusas), you know those Indian fried triangle shaped pastries. The vomiting ceremony repeated itself various times and I had a hard time trying not to join them. Why didn’t I take a flight from Axum to Addis? Because I’m silly and thought it would be another one of those ‘real’ experiences.

6/1

We made it to Addis and my new home at 14 after the bus driver stopped by his home in the middle of nowhere to unload his personal stuff. I had to start working at 15 but fortunately Asefow ( Aaron’s dad) cancelled the appointment because there was too much traffic on the road. It was their Christmas eve and everybody is buying and killing oxen, goats etc. Completely normal to see them struggling on the main roads these days. So a late Merry Ethiopian Christmas to you al!

Holiday Special…

2009-12-27T02:23:00.000-08:00

First of all: Merry Christmas ( too late) and Happy New year to my dear readers!

No news whatsoever on my case. The school has been summoned (meaning the owners of the school aka die fuehrerin and her Somali husband who proves the Somali reputation right!) which probably won’t help me very much. They were supposed to be at the Human rights office last Thursday so on the 17^th. Mrs Mahlet awaited them only to find they didn’t show up. When she checked the summon it seemed this hadn’t been received ( they have to sign upon delivery) due to the fact that it hadn’t been taken there. Grrrr

The Belgian embassy has in the mean time taken more interest in my case and want to help me get correct information. It’s for them I went to the Human Rights Commision ( HRC) where I was told the previous and assured a new summon was written and this time also sent – at least I hope- telling GYA to come on the 24^th. Mrs Mahlet was embarrassed and told me to contact my embassy, which I had already done, to help me along. Though when I tried to call Mahlet’s office at 15:00 on Christmas she wasn’t there. I left a message but wasn’t really into pursuing it seeing as it was our Christmas and I had made a deal with myself not to worry about it and focus on my house.

Yes, I left Holger’s at last. I was welcomed really well there and am extremely grateful but feel one shouldn’t impose on friends, especially new friends, too long and 1 and ½ months is pushing it. ( It’s actually exactly half the time I know Holger).

So even if I don’t know about a job yet ( still can’t officially work and am helping Aaron) I started looking for a place to live. I was thrilled to find one near the central square called Mexico but when I took people there to advice me they told me the neighborhood was too bad and I shouldn’t go there. Especially Aaron’s father insisted I’d find another place. So through a broker he knew I found a place within walking distance to the school I am now in with Aaron but not really well communicated. He haggled a lot with the landlady and I got the brand new “studio” for a very reasonable price plus only had to pay for 3 months in advance.( =their way of a deposit). There’s a small living room and even smaller bedroom. A bathroom that defines as tiny and a kitchen separated by the common yard. The kitchen is actually more an empty room: there is no sink or cabinets or anything! Luckily I inherited an electric small fire from the de Lomba family ( my ex colleagues at Gibson who took off shortly after I was fired seeing as they still were able to because their residence permit hadn’t been processed yet and thus their visa unlike mine hadn’t been cancelled). To my the emptiness bearable I also lend some furniture of Mika ( the couchsurfer guy) which he had in storage. I moved in on the 23^rd. I’d post the pictures but don’t have a camera anymore after it was stolen from me. As if my bad luck wasn’t enough a mere 2 days later my extremely old but functioning mobile was lifted out of my zip locked pockets when I was drumming to get on a small bus called Kendo to get to Holger’s. I cried my eyes out. So This year my Santa wish list is quite elaborate: Phone (check), 2 mattresses which should serve as sofa ( ½ check), bamboo shelves for the kitchen on which I can place the electric fires ( ordered), all kitchen materials: pots, pans, cutlery, can openers,…( check and a whole lot poorer after), bathroom shelves ( check), and a fridge ( aouwch!). As indicated by all the checks I spent the 24^th and Christmas day in the biggest market of Africa. Mercato, indeed the place where David was robbed. This time applying a new technique: tell Mika what you want; go for tea somewhere; let him go, inform and haggle; then go with him and approve of what he shows you and pay =)

Worked out pretty well. When they see me, the Faranji, they just go prize crazy. I tried to buy some spices by myself, Mika stopped me on time, and was charged double of what they charged Mika in the other shop without him bargaining. Not really my idea of fun shopping but the result is a blossoming cosy home. X-mas eve was spent with some of the people I went to Debrelibanos with and ex colleagues from GYA. We went out for dinner and then saw a really nice jazz concert with an extraordinary choice of instruments. Really nice even if I was a tad exhausted. On Christmas I was pleasantly surprised by several phone calls ( Thanks you guys, it was fantastic hearing you!) and had a quiet evening in with homemade stew. My latest addition to my culinary spectrum. It’s been grey and rainy here so perfect Irish conditions=)

You see I did pretty well with keeping the spirits high the last couple of days. Also I have another job interview Monday in a fantastic school -so cross your fingers and on Tuesday I hope to take off to the North, Couch surfing in Bahir Dar or so, with Mika.

Finally online again... Here's the story:

2009-12-11T06:37:00.000-08:00

Being a Russian prostitute…

Lucretia the nice flatmate has decided to elope. She tried to escape the fascist terror of our school yesterday only to find out shortly before boarding the plane that she couldn’t leave the country without going to the immigration office. Our esteemed fuehrer has us imprisoned in her school and country… I’m beginning to see that if I want to leave Gibson concentration camp I will have to leave the country as well. It’s extremely frustrating because I don’t want to leave Addis and I have nothing lined up for me on the outside… I’ve just started to fall in love with this place.

The solution is getting our residence permit but even though it’s illegal to keep it die fuehrerin is not giving it to me. I need a lawyer or something to put some pressure. This is what I think people forced into prostitution by human smugglers must feel like. It’s awful.

Out of 8 international teachers 2 are on the verge of going and 4 others including me are thinking about it. Most others will probably leave the country though…

This feels crappy. Speaking of which I am sick again… yes diarrhoea which is why I have time to write...

I had a wonderful weekend, went to a place called Debrelibanos. Extraordinary landscape beautiful waterfall. We even found our way behind it ( in between hyena doodles, did you know those are white because they eat the bones…) which gave us an even more amazing sight. It was breathtaking, the view over the valley, the water, the patchwork of crops all over the mountains everything.( They don’t use machines here in there agriculture so they can also plant things on very steep slopes.)

Not unexpectedly I had Holger to thank for this trip, some people of his work organize something similar every month and from now on I’m officially invitedJ. After this splendid visit all of us, 16 or so, went out for a meal. We had “kid fo” meaning raw beef. Now for me it’s not that big a deal, my dad would slice a piece off his steak before cooking it and he’d give it to me and after all in my part of Flanders we are raised eating raw minced pork so I figured I’d give it a go.( Especially after a couple of glasses of honey wine I saw no harm…) We giggled a lot cause Holger and me had to go to the going away party of some Flemish friends (that had cycled up north) at the priest’s house afterwards being all tipsy. Anyway I guess the raw meat or the honey wine on top of the antibiotics for my cough weren’t my brightest ideas ‘cause on Monday I found myself running out of class not do to a number 2 in my pants… After that little incident I figured I’d better go and see the doctor again.

Pictures will follow.

Didn’t upload this on time… We’re already a week later.

The day after writing the previous we had a meeting with all the international teachers and the semi bosses. We had said we’d stand together and wouldn’t leave without our permits. We put up a struggle but they didn’t give in and the others gave up. This whole thing was really affecting my inner tranquillity though so I asked if I could meet with the boss to talk about it.

On that meeting I was fired because I insisted too much on getting what is legally mine. I was without words, left the office, the building and then broke down.

The next day, 5/11, I started looking for other jobs like a mad woman ‘cause I still don’t want to leave…

I’ve also gone to immigration at the airport where they told me that what she has done is indeed illegal. They send me to the main office where they keep postponing my meeting with some boss. I can do nothing but wait which I find really frustrating.

Job-wise things do pop up but everyone is waiting for immigration as well. I may earn less but I do believe I’ll be happier which is worth a lot.

In the mean time Holger my Belgian in Addis Guardian Angel has allowed me to crash at his place. I couldn’t stand being in the Gibson house anymore, didn’t feel comfortable, slept poorly etc. I am extremely relieved to be out of there and this house is amazing: it has beautiful garden filled with birds, sunshine and butterflies. I feel so fortunate I can be here.

Whereas that cow of Gibson concentration camp made me feel so betrayed and lonely other people really have come through for me which means so much especially after only being here for a couple of months and feeling so extremely lousy.

I can’t post this update yet even though I want to because I still have to deal with that cow and don’t want to risk anything to make that even worse. After that she’s getting a bad review on every site I can get my hands on.

I was invited to a huge party ( the king’s birthday or something) at the embassy. It was really cool, all kinds of Belgian cheese and little tasty snacks were definitely amongst the highlights. There was even Belgian beer but no Kriek so I did without. It is really wonderfull to be invited to something like this, there are so many interesting people there and everybody is so laid back. ( may be even too laid back: the ambassador of Venezuela (old) actually flirted with me) Still I have never felt this Belgian before I believe.

And this blog keeps on getting longer as everything is postponed yet again. I wonder how much more I can take before I crash…

I finally got the meeting at immigration only to find they sent me to someone else, a Mr Solomon. His office was the one with the huge queue of course.

So I got in line was granted half a minute of his time on which he based his decision to allow me in his office to wait there while he transferred other people… When it was my turn I had the telephone number of the cow ready which he had asked.

I told him my story and he asked the number but then when I mentioned the name of the school he sighed and didn’t need the number anymore… All of a sudden I was told to go and arrange everything with her and that I should leave the country If she didn’t give me a letter of no objection in order for someone else to be able to hire me… I couldn’t believe it, after all the illegal stuff she did I was at her mercy!

I scrambeled myself together and made an appointment after a pep-talk with Saskia, a Dutch girl who’s married here and actually has a network. I also contacted another school and they confirmed that the way I was fired was illegal and that I should use that to my benefit in order to have some leverage.

At first Mr Asfow, the one put in charge of international teachers by that cow, pretended he didn’t know anything about this letter of no objection and asked who told me this. When I told him Mr Solomon at immigration did he said he knew him and had spoken to him. I could see that being friendly wasn’t gonna get me anywhere so I dropped the illegal firing on him. His tone changed ( suddenly he did know about the letter of no objection) and he told me to write a formal request for this letter to Mrs Gibson. I did, wasn’t able to get a copy of it to show I did because everybody was afraid to give me anything… Then I waited again.

Can you see by now why I haven’t posted anything for almost a month???

Saskia gave me the number of a lawyer and told me to go to the ombudsman ( didn’t know this was the word in English as well it’s Dutch to me!) so I called and the lawyer seemed to think it was a good idea for me to go there as well. On Friday they took my case and told me they’d solve things on Monday afternoon and that I should be there. I was thrilled. On Monday afternoon the phone of GYA nor Immigration seemed to work so I had to go back Tuesday morning. On Tuesday morning I was told they couldn’t take my case after all because I wasn’t a government employer. I broke down then and there and was thus sent to the boss’ office so he could explain me where the human rights and anti corruption ministry was so I could go there. I cried and felt really embarrassed.

I tried desperately to pull myself together and go to this other ministry. It started off all wrong it was on the 7^th floor ( no elevator) and I arrived there just as the boss went into a meeting. So I sat there and waited.

Actually going into the building I was spotted by a GYA parent who followed me in to see what had happened to me. I told him my story and calmed down a bit. He wanted to take me out for coffee ( let’s not think he’s hitting on me and just being nice, my mental sanity is at stake here) I refused and kept waiting. Just before his lunch ( 2 and a half hour and some Amharic studying later) the boss took me in and referred me to an investigator, Mahalet or something, who was already out for lunch.

I devoured a hamburger and a juice and returned only to find the investigator had a long lunch and was late. Finally I got to talk to her, she apologised for being late and was very friendly. After telling my story she asked to see the contract I had signed. I told her I had a blanc one but had never received a signed copy of the school. She asked the number and called to ask for it. Mr Asfow told her ( lied I mean) he was out of town so the hole thing got postponed to next Monday whereas it was only Tuesday then.

When I informed Saskia she said human rights tends to take ages and does very little. She recommended I’d hire a lawyer and see how I can make things go quicker. So connected me to a friend that gave me the phone number of a friend with whom I met today only to be told (in an extremely friendly manner) I should contact her friend because he’ll have the time to help me… I’m meeting him this evening.

In the mean time I need to keep the schools that are interested in hiring me waiting. I have however semi started helping some parents with a kid with down syndrome until I get all this stuff arranged. At least that presents me with some distraction.

Monday Human rights…

23/11

I’ve seen a lawyer in the mean time. He told me it is not ok what she is doing and that I could sue her for the wage of the remaining part of the contract plus compensation especially after I get my paperwork arranged with the help of human rights. Don’t know what to do. Today I was told she wasn’t gonna give me the letter I needed. Tomorrow I need to confront her and try to press for the letter at the human rights office.
I also contacted the embassy but they aren’t really allowed to get involved. Pfff. Don’t know, this really is getting me down. I think about my sweet friends in Belgium and Spain, About the big pregnant bellies I won’t see, my cousins first steppes I’ve already missed, My fun conversation in my beloved Bilbao, etc and can’t help but wonder why am I doing this?
Of course I wouldn’t be me if I gave up this soon but I’ll admit I’m tempted. Tomorrow’s a new day, hopefully with new opportunities and fresh courage…

24/11

Good things happen to those who wait!!!!

The meeting at the human rights today. My lawyer had recommended I’d take someone so I called my friend Ebrushé from Konso ( who lives in Addis) and asked him if he’d do me this favour. He did and he did a splendid job in making me look as the victim and talking in Amharic to the jury about me. Also In giving me the hug I needed when I broke down after. At first it didn’t look good at all, the people from the school lied and told them I still had materials, That I had said I didn’t care about Ethiopian children, that they hadn’t fired me, etc.

I was shocked. But did with Ebrushé’s help keep my cool. After the joint meeting there is an individual one in which they pressured me to return to the school. I asked them how they could expect me to go back after the way they had treated me… Then it was the school’s turn we actually heard shouting and when I asked for translation I was told they were telling them that they had abused me. I crossed my fingers ( so hard they hurt now) and tried to think positive. I kept repeating: what goes around comes around so if she treats me likes this one way or another this will come back to her.

It became 17:20 and the office started closing but they were still in there talking. When I was finally called in they said they had 3 options they would present to Mrs Gibson:

1 I go back there for a limited time and get a letter of no objection afterwards.

2 They pay for my flight back to Belgium ( home for Christmas! But then back with new visa under different employer)

3 They give me the letter of no objection.
I am thrilled number 2 and 3 are best but I could probably put up with number 1. Next Monday they tell me her decision and then I can accept or decline.

An enormous weight has been lifted from me and I feel so much better. Friday I will meet my lawyer he has however already said that even after an agreement with the human rights I can still sue for the way she fired me and get a huge compensation but we’ll see that after Monday.

1/12

Really nervous when I had to go to the meeting. Ebrushé joined me again and has made it his mission to cheer me up. As it turned out I had reasons to be anxious’ cause the GYA people were not only an hour late but also managed to only offer one of the 3 options ( the going back one) stating that the boss hadn’t returned and they weren’t authorised to do more. Luckily the boss of human rights was quite irritated by this as well and did most of the talking after hearing what they said. I was asked if I believed what they said which is like openly showing mistrust and said I did which was true but was also nice of me.
So the whole thing got postponed by yet another week… I was really disappointed coming out of there.

Luckily working with Aaron ( the down syndrome boy) helps me to keep my mind of things and also Holger has been so good. I am still staying at his house and he has someone related to his work coming as from next week onwards meaning it’ll be ages before he has the house to himself again.

Actually more people have been extremely nice to me. Others sadly enough have left again ( Martin, Emily and Marisol). I’ve been hanging out a lot with one of the couch surfers I’ve met called Michael. He has also really supported me.

Also my lawyer didn’t want to charge me ( I insisted) because he felt bad about what happened and felt it wasn’t ethical of him to charge me for his help. It really moved me how he can be so idealistic when he’s a lawyer and also rather old. I wish there were more lawyers like that.

In the mean time the job offers keep coming and I do not really know which one to choose. ( A lot depends on Monday obviously) there are things that are more idealistic and others that are financially as comfortable as GYA and I’m having trouble choosing furthermore I also have to think about my resume and some schools give a better impression if I want to work on this continent next year then others. So it’s tricky but also positive.

7/12

Most of the time I’m feeling good. There are enough fun things happening to me. The Belgian friends who introduced me to Holger also introduced us to the , Indra, of the first secretary of the Belgian embassy, Wout. It has been easier to keep the embassy posted on my situation through them and they also just arrived and are fun company. Holger and me amongst others had a really nice evening at a party they hosted in their house ( on embassy grounds). Amazing people were there. Some people studying Sudan of the university of peace a really fun Walloon journalist working with refugees here, a documentary director,…

Besides the other day was Sinterklaas (Saint Nicolas) which as most of you will know is a big deal to us especially when you’re younger then 10. There was a party hosted at the Dutch embassy to welcome the Sint and there were some traditional cookies. It was brilliant: I took Michael and Holger also came and we explained him this rather extraordinary and so local tradition. In the mean time I also dropped my resume in the extracurricular Dutch school. Even though Saskia keeps reminding me I do NOT speak Dutch but Flemish which always provides us with a reason for laughing whenever we meet.

This morning when I got up I even found a bag with goodies from Belgium with a note from Sint Holger, some Belgian colleagues of him arrived and he shared what they brought for him. Isn’t that the sweetest??? Anyway the final meeting is up in 30 minutes so I have to get going. Cross your fingers!

8/12

And with all those positive thoughts I rushed off to meet GYA at the human rights. The boss who fired me was there this time( the fuhrerin’s husband). The meeting was opened and immediately there was trouble. The human rights boss explained he wasn’t pleased with the fact that GYA brought other people to the meeting every single time and that the commission wasn’t willing to go back on previously made decisions. Gya wasn’t pleased with that at all and before I had even opened my mouth they were arguing and shortly after the meeting was closed. Conclusion GYA didn’t except any of the left available possibilities ( I was said to have refused possibility 1 which I only sort of did) and so Human rights would conduct a thorough investigation of the school. I was baffled and super disappointed. Mrs Mahalet( remember the female investigator in charge of my case couldn’t even tell me how long this was going to take. She merely said she was sorry I had to meet someone like that and then: ‘ the fight begins’.
So now I’m stuck here: can’t even leave the country if I wanted to ( GYA still has my papers) and am not allowed to be hired ( the other job offers I may loose. I mean how long will they wait?). It really makes me feel lousy.

After the meeting I was moody to poor Ebrushé before I took off to see a room for rent ( an Italian girl looking for a flatmate but who’s not sharing at the moment) which cost about half my expected salary ( so unaffordable for me but not too expensive for the UN volunteers it seems) and then rushed home because I had invited Brook, a friend of Holger’s for volevant ( typical Belgian food). Even though I really didn’t feel like it and I cried _quite embarrassingly_ in the minibus back ‘home’ it turned out to be just what I needed. A pleasant evening spent in good company and with tasty food if I may say so myself J.

Today I meet the lawyer again and I also have to pop in at Human rights to give them the Amharic version of my story which my friend Michael has translated.
I guess I have to keep thinking what goes around comes around . I wonder if the fight just started how comes I feel KO already?

9/12

Talked to the lawyer yesterday and he says it shouldn’t take human rights too long. So if he’s positive I should be as well. Hanging in there.

PS:

2009-12-09T02:23:00.000-08:00

Have already tried wordpress but that limits me to 35people and they have to be users.

Hi too long!

2009-12-09T01:23:00.000-08:00

I haven't been updating because things have not been well. I am always told it will be all over next week but it has already taken more than a month. It is not recommended for me to tell everything online for anyone to acces.
In other words I need your advice:
How can I open something alike to a blog but where one can only enter when you posses the password???
Al info welcome at my usual email.

Here is me and my new haircut again!

2009-10-24T23:50:00.000-07:00

Things are getting better here socially, luckily for me ‘cause I can’t stand being lonely.

Holger is really fun and last weekend I went partying with him and met some more people, amongst others an interesting German sociologist, Martin.

He also took me hiking with a Canadian girl, Emily. My condition sucks and I don’t handle the altitude well but I did survive. The delicious pumpkin soup that I had afterwards made it all worth while! Emily is also lovely and she then introduced me to a designer friend from NY, Marisol with whom I went to the hills around Addis today.

Once the ball starts rolling… It feels so good.

Yesterday I went out and met Ethiopian couch-surfers that Martin knew and I also got to speak Spanish to other Faranjis at the bar, the honey wine was abundant and today I feel the results… The fact that the stupid mosque called me out of dreamland for prayers at 5am didn’t help either.

So socially all is well sadly enough I can’t say the same for the school. The unintelligent rules and the way they blindly follow them gets to me more every day. From time to time I feel the only way I will be able to stay there and be happy is to care less about my teaching and my students. I am not willing to do that so I’m starting to look for other options and I am not the only one so far 6 out of our group of 8 foreign teachers are looking to abandon ship.
We’ll see how that goes. In the mean time cross your fingers.

By the way, everybody that has been mailing me, thank you so much, I really enjoyed hearing from home. Still emailing isn’t easy here so please excuse me if I take a while to answer.

Short but to the point this time also working to hard to have many adventures…

Pictures from my hike with Holger and Emily...

Last pictures pictures of Konso...

2009-10-24T23:36:00.000-07:00

1st The inside of the hut of our guide whom you've seen on the previous pictures ( the one with the traditional clothes in front of the terrasses). Looks fabulous doesn't it? His wife,whom he married at the age of 17 or so, does all the nifty handywork... When he graduted university here she left the village for the first time to see Addis ( wearing traditional clothes). He's forcing her to finish High school while she takes care of their home and 3 children...
2nd Ibrushe the guy that helped us out ( our friend) and us in front of reproductions of the statues the people from Konso used to put on their graves. With tourism increasing ( you have to stop in Konso to go and see the other tribes such as the hammer people in the south) the statues were being sold or stolen. Now they are trying to unite them in a museum...

Konso pictures

2009-10-24T23:26:00.000-07:00

1st A lady with traditional dress trying to make a living.

Oops didn't turn these, you'll manage right? did however as you'll have noticed by now, find a way to make them smaller and thus easier to post!!!

2nd Konso is one of the few places here where they do have terrasses in order to get the most out of their land. ( our guide and me)

3rd a traditional house in a village near Konso. This is actually the community house which means all the young men between 17 and 37 say sleep there and not with there wives. It's a way of being able to mobilize them easily and of contraception because they can hardly provide for themselves let alone a lot of kids...

4th They grow their own cotton for their weaving. So that's what it looked like before it became your t-shirt or so...

More wildlife!

2009-10-24T23:20:00.001-07:00

1st me in the truck which is how we made our way from Arba minch to Konso.
2nd the Irish blokes our guide and us near the '40 springs' where we went swimming.
3rd speaks for itself no...
4th huge one and we came pretty close in that little boat of ours...

Nechisar natural park pictures...

2009-10-24T23:11:00.000-07:00

1stKathleen with our guide in Nechisar park.
2nd one was like the zebra playground... our guide told us there were always zebras there.
others are views... amazing place.

2009-10-11T05:25:00.000-07:00

Oh my, how could I forget...
Yesterday I conquered my fear and did it... I went to the hairdresser. My once beautiful Basque haircut had resulted in a chaos of inequality, meaning my hair went where it wanted, so I thought it was time to be able to have my hair down again hence my haircut.
I came in asked the price ( check if I had enough money on me) and had to wait a bit. Finally a girl comes and takes me to wash my hair. A short conversation.
what do you want?
A haircut
short style?
Ok but I need to be able to have a pony tail...
OK.
And that was that... 20 minutes later I had what in Dutch is known as a 'Carreken' ( in English a page boy) the same hairdo I had when I was 6... Eventhough it's quite innocent I do think it looks pretty ok.

Another update…

2009-10-11T05:24:00.000-07:00

It’s been a while hasn’t it? Let me see…Oh my since the long weekend!
Well, not too many things happened. We have been teaching fulltime no breaks except for the weekend which here just like everywhere is always too short. My body is still adapting after the diarrhoea I have a big cold now but I guess things will get better once I get used to this.
Everyone is school seems to be getting fed up with the ridiculous amount of rules and I am grateful that I didn’t have the best job ever in Spain so I’m sometimes more willing to put up with it all. My direct boss ( called a unit leader, she’s responsible for KG), miss Mazareth, seems really pleased with me and tries to accommodate things for me. One of the other unit leader follows the example of their boss: the dreadful Miss Mulu who’s at the school every other day and is a real pain. The unit leaders suffer most but so does everyone else in the compound. She’s rude, horny with power, implements stupid rules to the dot so really a plain nuisance. Luckily she has nothing to complain about when it comes down to me so I am left alone by her. One of my foreign-teacher-colleagues is not so fortunate and is considering quitting so as not to have to deal with her. Mrs Mulu is the big boss’ right hand and personal friend so there isn’t much we can do about her. Anyway I’m doing ok, it isn’t paradise but I didn’t expect it to be so either.
This week I had my first Amharic lesson. I wanted it to be in a ‘school’ and have fellow students. It was pretty hard actually, especially since the other had already had 1 lesson and it goes really fast. It seems an interesting language. I don’t expect to be able to speak it fluently by the end of the year but it would be nice to be able to order, haggle prices, and do some other stuff by then. Also I love the different alphabet they use. You should google it it’s very pretty. Some of you will have a fit knowing that I’m actually studying at the ‘Alliance Française’. Hahaha. It’s cool though because there are so many languages spoken in class, the teacher constantly speaks Amharic English and French and then other people speak Spanish as to communicate with the Italians… It’s really nice, there was a French Spanish teacher sitting next to me and a French Basque girl but when I told her ‘gomez’ was like ‘oso ondo’ she didn’t understand so her Euskera is worse then mine…
When I told the teacher ( in Amharic with gestures) that I was teaching at Gibson he asked me if it was ok ‘cause he heard the boss is a mad women… . So go figure.
Last weekend I was feeling kinda blue. Missing everyone, feeling a bit lonely… On top of that I was supposed to meet some tourist we had met in Konso to go to the museum and he stood me up etc.
Monday however a friend’s brother in law, Andreas, arrived whom I had met once a long time ago. He’s here cycling with some buddies and had emailed me so we could meet up. Turned out I wasn’t the only one he’d emailed and I found myself sitting with a small Flemish congregation at the table. It’s so nice to meet up with your kin and I left with various phone numbers and a piece of Camembert, a real treat you can’t find here. Adreas and co set off to the north the next day and will be back in Addis on the first of November.
I met up with one of the other Flemish guys yesterday, Holger, he’s not boyfriend material but really fun. We went with a friend of his to a traditional restaurant. Now these usually have live music and dancers some of whom will pull you on stage but last night everyone actually got on the dance floor voluntarily: I’m talking other foreigners, middle aged Ethiopian couples, etc. I’m not kidding the whole restaurant danced with the singers!!! I had my first portion of honey-wine which helped to make me feel less embarrassed. It was so much fun! Holger really reminds me of my friend and rock Roel in Spain, he’s actually also into playing board games and stuff. It’s good to have found someone like that here.
Today I was supposed to be going to THE event of Addis: Teddy Afro’s first concert since he was realised from prison. Teddy is the national hero, managed by amongst others Bob Marley family, he sings poppy reggae and is said to be a good guy. Only last elections he wrote a somewhat critical song and that’s why the authorities were out to get him. It is said he ran over a bum who was sleeping in the middle of the street and ran but the court case was fishy and he was released earlier then he was supposed to and is giving this concert to the benefit of homeless children. Anyway I’ve been trying to get tickets all week but they only went on sale today. So 2 hours ago I was standing in line cause I was told you can’t buy tickets for anyone but yourself when it started pouring down. I was feeling how the water was penetrating my raincoat my shoes and everything else in less then 2 minutes (‘cause that’s how hard it was pouring...) when I ask the girl in front of me ,all dressed up with teddy earrings and Ethiopian colours and stuff, why they didn’t sell tickets earlier. She explains the organisation is afraid of fraud ( hologram tickets or bar codes or something are too exotic I suppose) and that there won’t be any tickets at all today. Meaning you pay, you get a stamp and go into the stadium ( aren’t allowed to leave) and wait until the concert starts. It was 12 o’clock at that moment, I was absolutely soaked and noticed the stadium is not covered. In addition I know the concert isn’t supposed to start untill 18… Conclusion I’m back at home under my blanket in my pyjamas… I’ll admit the atmosphere in the queue was great, everybody was really excited, teasing the poor cops who try to keep things orderly, singing dancing and all of this despite the rain, but me, I am happy where I am now.

2009-09-29T07:58:00.000-07:00

The last one is a view of Addis from near Washa Michael the first one is part of the national park ( more will follow) and then there's a fisher's boat. Can you believe he uses that in water where there are pretty huge crocodiles!?! But then off course some people also walk in that water...

2009-09-29T07:37:00.000-07:00

Rock hewn church by the name of Washa michael!

It’s been too long!

2009-09-26T06:34:00.000-07:00

As I said in the last update (the one that didn’t get posted until now) there was a long weekend! We were supposed to go with 3 but Jennifer the Scottish girl told me she wasn’t going when we went for our work permit so it was only Kathleen and I in the end, which wasn’t exactly what we wanted because we are not always on the same wavelength ( to put it friendly). Anyway I had understood from Kath that she was ok with a couple with whom I work joining us so I kept them up to date and got a barking for it because she didn’t want to put up with their 3 year old which she hadn’t told me. We weren’t off to a great start nor was it a splendid ending but we managed ( a lot of patience was involved) and what we saw most definitely helped!

We took the bus early morning ( 5ish) on Saturday to arrive in Arba Mich ( literally 40 springs) at 21:00. A colleague of Kath helped us find the right bus but we had to take a detour seeing as it was a holiday for many people and the direct bus was already packed. He bribed a guy in the queue to get us on and then made the guy in front of us promise he’d help us onto the next bus and with finding a hotel upon arrival.

This guy is called Ibrushe and is really nice he lives in Addis but grew up in Konso! He showed us where we could brunch at a friends restaurant and got us a cheap and clean room in Arba Minch, he even helped negotiating the price for the tour we wanted to do in the Nechisar national park.

Sadly enough the next day when Ibrushe was with his family we got ripped off anyway, such is life I guess. We ended up joining some Irish blokes ( Kath was very happy with that) on their boat-tour and guided walk. It was incredible! We saw zebras, antelopes, albatrosses, flamingos, hippos and lots of crocodiles! Especially the crocodiles are quite scary when you get close to them in your little boat… ( They kill various people every year, not surprising if you see the boats of the fishermen, some people even just walk around in the water to spread their nets) we were in awe.

Actually it is the only time in my life I sulked about being a non-smoker, because our guide bought some fish on the boat and we were supposed to grill it on the shores of the reserve but nobody carried fire so we didn’t.

After returning we took a bike ride to see the 40 springs ( tiny springs really) and to swim in the pond they lead into. The Irish even drunk the water but I was afraid of stomach ache and didn’t. The swimming was really refreshing after baking ( and burning) in the sun all day. No privacy caused me to shock some kids when changing but hey they’ll survive. All of this was supposed to be included but wasn’t in the end.

In the evening we went to a rather posh restaurant to have the grilled fish and almost finished off the money I had taken with me. Kath had left with her mastercard only and I had been lending her. You can imagine the shock when the next day her card ( nor mine which was to be expected) didn’t work!!! We had to call around to try and get people to wire us money so we could continue our trip and not have to abort it then and there. We had a couple of options to solve the problem ( people in Addis amongst others Tony that were gonna help us) so we headed out to our next destination, Ibrushes village, in the afternoon ( supposedly we’d go in the early morning but due to the bank trouble we ran a little late.

In stead of taking a minibus we got a ( paid for) ride in a truck. Really slow uphill, and an unexpected unloading break in the middle but other than that fantastic! When we arrived we found Ibrushe knew the entire village and everybody was thrilled to see him cause he hadn’t been home for 4 years or so… He took us for some kick-ass food ( big juicy chunks of meat) and then dancing in a local tiny pub. It was really authentic and I turned out to be able to do their dances quite well. (The dances down south are somewhat different from the ones we get to see in Addis).

At night Kath woke me up saying there was someone in the room ( her dream= obviously there wasn’t) which caused me to scream my longs out and to be scared for a couple of hours more. What surprised me the most and also freaked me out was that nobody had come to check what the noise was about, especially since the hotel was rather posh ( we got local price thanks to our buddy).

The next morning we paid a friend of our buddy some money to take us to the tribes around Konso. We didn’t have the budget for a car so sadly enough we only got to visit one village near the town. It was fairly cool but it does make you feel a bit as if you’re going to a zoo. I was happy to see the weaving of their traditional colourful skirts there. We also had a meal for that price: a sort of corn dumplings ( that tasted like sand) served with the leaves of some sort of tree and 1 egg. I went wild on the leaves which were very tasty and as a result my intestines are now upset… ( my cold has gone btw)

The south is reall interesting I definitely need to return, the hammer tribe reside there ( the ones that whip their loved women in a ceremony ) ,there’s also a tribe with lip plates, etc.

When we were about to take a minibus back I stopped a jeep with other faranjis (=foreigners or at least white people) wondering if they could take us. Not only did they take us, it turned out they were Flemish freelance TV-producers ( they made ‘ broodje kannibaal’) so I had a wonderful chat!

We arrived back in Arba Mich sooner than expected and thus tried the bank again: Kath’s card miraculously worked! Relieved we decided to meet up with the guy who was gonna borrow us our bus fare and so ( Getinet) anyway partly because his wife is Dutch and is involved in education here and because he sees really interesting. It was a nice evening were it not for Kath’s dislike of the restaurant she send the food back and was too demanding (in my opinion). Some friends of Getinet offered to take us for the bus price half the way ( they had to be there) to Addis meaning we didn’t have to get up at 4 am.

Sadly enough our luck had changed because after the direct bus had left we got a phone call that they weren’t going after all. We ended up having to take 3 buses and no lunch break to get in Addis some 12 hours later… Pfff hell, we were even lucky we made it.

I guess that busride is partly why I am not feeling too good today ( I had to teach) but I’m hopeful tomorrow will be better. Especially now that I made myself a good portion of oats porridge for supper. On that note I’ve noticed it’s 21:00, in other words bedtime!

Midweek of my first workweek.

2009-09-26T06:31:00.000-07:00

It’s pretty exhausting and I tend to go to bed around 21:00 or earlier. Hopefully I will get used to it soon and thus be able to have a bit of a life in the evenings.

Sunday ( after updating my blog) was great. Kathleen and me set out for the Entoto hills that surround Addis to see the Washa Mikael church or at least what is left of this rock hewn church. Not that pretty but still very impressive. It was quite a climb and I was totally out of breath by the time we got there ( my cold doesn’t help, nor does the smog) afterwards the guides took us to a viewpoint: nice view of Addis. We finished off by going to my new favourite burger place….mjammie.

On Monday ( 1^st day of school) they made us foreigners responsible for the new kids that cried or fought too much to be able to keep them in class. Not exactly fun in all honesty especially because these kids don’t speak English yet and thus feel very frustrated by someone like me who doesn’t understand Amharic. Tuesdays things were a bit quieter and I started teaching. Being a bit out of it and not having a clear idea of what these kids can and can’t do it wasn’t much of a success. Today, Wednesday, it went better though and I felt pretty pleased with myself.

The kids are so incredibly cute! All of the girls have the funniest and most creative hairstyles.

Sadly enough the school drills them ( more then I like may be) a lot, they have to walk in straight rows boys with on one side the girls the boys on the other. Also they need to sing the Anthem every day. Whereas I have songs to get them to class they march on: AFTER I EAT and the I is often left out here which makes the thing besides not fun also incorrect I WASH MY HANDS AFTER I WASH I GO TO CLASS…Or BE EXCELLENT TODAY, BE EXCELLENT TODAY,… .

Anyway even though some things are quite different when I get out a teddy bear and play with it the kids are mesmerised all the same which is nice. They are quite shy and often what they say is hardly a whisper which as communication teacher who wanted to try peer correction isn’t very handy but I guess they need some time and I’ll find ways around it.

This weekend is another long one ( some Muslim holiday this time) and were planning to go away somewhere with some of the teachers so there’s much to look forward to.

more pics

2009-09-13T03:50:00.000-07:00

1st one is one of the monkeys in Sodore, you know the hot water springs... One just like it stole my jelly sandwich...
2nd one is a church under construction near Nazareth/Adama. Doesn't it look like an illustration of an Arabian night fairytale?

pics

2009-09-13T03:40:00.001-07:00

The first picture is Tony and Kathleen in Nazareth /Adama with one of the juices I've been talking about. The second proves that it can and will hail in Africa during rainy season.

Lucy

2009-09-13T03:38:00.000-07:00

Sunny day today and I have started the new year well!
On the eve I went to have some beers with an ex teacher whom I met on the bus once and one of his friends. It was pretty funny to see their face when I asked a Fanta lemon and mixed it with my beer (=Pica). Some things of Bilbao I am not willing to leave behind. Even if Fanta is kinda different here.
On new years we were invited by an African American who also works at the school to his house. James was also the guy who picked me up from the airport, he’s from Texas and a bit of a cowboy from time to time. He’s here for the second time, this time in a manager function and with his wife and their 2 year old son. They are so amazing, they beam with love. At the dinner we had the other day James was talking about how much they had enjoyed having their son ( Jamsie). At the ‘ party’ there were some people of their church ( Baptists) where both of them do a lot of voluntary work including preaching. They’re also learning Amharic to be closer to the people here. These other people were missionaries who have dedicated their lives to preaching and have lived all over the world, various years in South Africa during apartheid in a mixed church, now they are involved in Sudan,and here. Really interesting to talk to, also because they love food and cooking. We’ve been invited over to their house for Christmas and I get hungry just thinking about it. Non traditional food is a real luxury and delicatessen here! Besides it’s always impressive to meet people who are so passionate about their faith and seem even better people because of it. It was a really interesting afternoon and I had so much of the scrumptious pot roast that I didn’t eat in the evening ;-)
I did however make some kalimotxo (=cheap Ethiopian wine and Pepsi) before going to the traditional restaurant where other teachers (who weren’t at James’) ate. Luckily I was somewhat tipsy because one of the traditional dancers at the restaurant pulled me on stage to try and dance with her…..AAAARGGHGH . Their dances are so amazing, they do these expressive rhythmic movements with their shoulders, it’s wonderful to see ( and hilarious when you also try it)! Many people wore traditional clothes and had head jewellery or different kinds of braids then the regular during the celebration. Really impressive and a feast for the eyes.
Yesterday I finally got round to going to the National museum where you can view Lucy the pre-human they’ve found near Addis. Incredible she was only 1,1metre tall even though she was an adult! There are also all kinds of clothes, crowns and other stuff there from their emperors really strange to see, I felt like in a fairy tale, curved swords and velvet outfits.
I’ve also learned there are an incredible amount of different cultures here, people with lip plates, and markings included but these are found more in rural areas and I haven’t seen them in Addis yet. These people still use oxen and wooden instruments to plough… . It is so different here.
I just finished Paolo Coelho’s ‘The Alchemist’ and this also has made quite an impression on me. Lucretia brought it and told me I should read it because it applied on us being here. If you haven’t read it I recommend you to do so.

Happy New year!

2009-09-11T02:10:00.000-07:00

Yes, today, on the 11th of September Ethiopia with its different calendar, celebrates new year (2002)!!!! Their slogan is 13 months of sunshine but so far it’s still raining here in Addis. I can’t wait for it to stop. It’s pretty chilly and you never know what’s on next.
We’ve finished our training and all of us especially me are extremely tired of hearing the same thing over and over again. My GYA ( Gison Youth Academy) school is very focussed on rules which doesn’t really help their efficiency. But I guess if I wanted efficiency I should have stayed in Belgium or something. Some examples: we are supposed to be there at 7:45 but even in the planning it doesn’t state we’ll start before 8:30. Obviously people aren’t very motivated to be there on time hence a lecture every morning about being on time whereas they only started ‘the meeting’ at 8:47 or so instead of at 8:30… . Being bored when I could have slept a bit longer drives me up the wall so I tried to do something useful but they wouldn’t allow me to get any material until 8:00 which then obviously means 8:15…I don’t know who I’ll need the most patience for: my little kids or the office.
Turns out I only teach English conversation to all Kindergarten classes ( not to pre-KG nor to Prep) it means I’ll have the full 219 students ( in 7 groups of more or less 31) all of whom with the most impossible names to remember. I spent all Monday writing nametags of different colours for each class that’ll go on a necklace. I expect to be needing them for quite some time.
The good thing is I prepare only 4 lessons a week all of which I teach 7 times . Also even though I stop teaching at 12:00 I can’t leave the school before 15:30 so I have loads of time to make them absolutely fabulous. I’m starting to teach on Monday and my holiday is officially over!
The African colleagues ( all of them girls) seem ok although they keep more to themselves or in their little groups which make sense. I had bad luck because the foreign couple o that also teaches in the KG department( just like me) have been absent often. Jose and Carmelina with their son of 3 have had some problems adapting and finding a home. Seeing as they are a family they aren’t allowed to stay in the guesthouse where I live. It must be hard if you have people to take care of to go abroad. When they are there however it’s fun, they actually have a Latin background and speak Spanish as well so it’s our complain and gossip language.

I came down with quite a cold and am sniffing all the way through this update, so the weather and smog of the city finally got to me as well ( Carmelina has been to the hospital twice and is on all kinds of meds). The smog is actually unbelievable, more then once a car passes you by and 30 seconds to a minute later you can still smell the vile black emission. Gross!

Furthermore I am lowering my intake of dairy products ( my homeopath would be so pleased): I haven’t seen cream here yet, the milk is not as good as in Europe, and yoghurt is tricky to find. Also with the power-cuts you don’t know if it’s going to be any good. I’m starting to drink a lot of tea now which they prepare with loads and loads of sugar…mmmm.
I bought 4 eggs the other day to make some mashed potatoes and French toast and stuff and each and everyone of the was bad: one was green, the other had a recognisable foetus,… . So I told the housekeeper and asked her if she could get me some eggs and that I’ll pay her and she got me 4 perfectly ok eggs. You really have to watch your every step here because if they can and you’re white they will haggle you!
The other day I was waiting for someone who was late in front of a central police station. I think I got an idea of what the first immigrants went through. Everyone but literally everyone stared at me. Various men felt they needed to slow down or ask me if I was fine. A bunch of boys tried to sell me some chive and a police officer came out to ask me what I needed. I was there for a mere 11 minutes. It is so strange to be this different I am constantly reminded of it. Beggars cross the street to ask you for money, or become even more persistent. One time the whole minibus was watching me to see if I would give this old man some money so he’d bugger off. A guy stepped up behind me and put his arm around me, some others will grab your arm when you walk into a bar and make a kiss symbol,… . I am convinced giving in to this is making things worse or keeping them that way so I give my change to people who are asleep who didn’t bother me or I leave it as a tip in the bars. I feel the best thing to do is spending your money in small establishments so it really gets to the people. The guy from the juice bar/ fruit shop up the road knows me by now and tries to teach me new Amharic words every time I go there. He also greets me when he sees me walking. This really gives me a nice feeling.
Kathleen had a guy from an internet café across the road ask her for her mastercard. She pretended not to understand and walked away, she had gone there to try and make a long distance phone call, a service he didn’t provide. The next day as she is walking home this guy is standing outside another shop and starts shouting at her ‘ you bitch, you stupid bitch’… . she was pretty shaken by the whole thing and even reported it to the police. I am pleased I don’t look as young, slim and blond as she does and that I am more or less left alone.
I hope things don’t seem to negative when I write, I guess at first it’s always a bit difficult and I am enjoying discovering this new place a lot, I am still happy to be here.
So far for now. Talk to you soon.

pics

2009-09-03T04:52:00.001-07:00

Ok so that's the monkey from the bar and our housekeeper Arakesch en 1 of the guards drinking coffee in our kitchen.

Busier

2009-09-03T04:45:00.000-07:00

A lot has happened over the last couple of days….

First the arrival of Kathleen, a new Irish colleague( 26 and quite the character but then again so am I) , who immediately started planning a trip to somewhere. I said I’d join her so later on her first day we set out to try and book a bus (seeing as the internal flights were above my budget). After a long exhausting day, we were dropped off somewhere we didn’t want to be and we were trying to find our way to the bus station asking some people that weren’t very useful when all of a sudden a Rasta with a British accent (Tony) helped us out.
When he heard what we were up to he actually recommended another place and asked if he could join us. That’s how a day later then we had originally thought we ended up going to Nazareth/ Adama. ( 2 names= The second is African and the first one refers to the Ethiopians relation to king Solomon through their ex-emperor Haile Selassi a prophet to the Rastas).
It was quite fun, Tony can be a bit much at times and Kathleen moody but we had fun.
We stayed in a quite horrible budget hotel which didn’t even meet Ghana’s shoestring-standards but it was only for the night so we did survive. We went there amongst other reasons because there were some hot springs accompanied by a resort with a pool. Pretty cool floating in hot water ( too hot for swimming especially in combination wit being even higher up) and in a beautiful setting including monkeys that nicked my breakfast jam sandwich.
I went all out on juices which were even less expensive there…. Sheer pleasure.
At a certain moment I lost my company which was a bit scary and annoying but the Ethiopians are good people and when they saw I was lost they honestly wanted to help which made me feel even more frustrated and embarrassed.
We had taken the bus back to arrive ‘home’ we found nobody had any news about the following day which was supposed to be our first day of training. After ringing almost everyone without answer we got hold of someone who told me he was going to ring me back as soon as he knew what the plan was. That was at 6 AM!!!! He woke me up to tell me we didn’t have training until the next day! Grrrrrrrrr We are all getting a tad frustrated with being kept in the dark about things regarding us.
In the mean time another girl arrived in our home ( we are now 4). Lucretia is great! She is such a ray of sunshine and giggles at absolutely everything. She’s 35, American, worked in the army to pay for college, has lived in Korea and seems really on my wavelength about a lot of things. Can you imagine, there was a mix up with her arrival time and no-one was there to pick her up ( after a 17 hour flight). So she tried to call but nobody answers their phone here it seems then she changed the only money she had on her ( 20§) and got in a taxi to the main office and when that was closed ( lunch) she went to the American embassy and then back to the main office….. OMG ( for my mum this means: Oh My God ;-)) and all this she tells with a smile on her face after you’ve been introduced…. I would have died!
Today we had our very first day and got to meet the other staff international and regular teachers. We’re not as many as we were led to expect, a mere 8, 6 of which in Kindergarten teachers ( not all with experience or training) separated over both campuses. It was quite funny because all of us feel we aren’t getting paid enough: the school is very profitable and other schools are offering double from time to time to their international staff. So I hope we can arrange that. Things aren’t expensive here but they had told us the 250 euro would permit us to live comfortably and it’s more of a money managing budget since prices have tripled in the last 3 years ( I notice this a lot in my travel guide and also there’s a staff member who taught here a while ago and the price references he gives are so surreal) … Cross your fingers we can get united and receive a pay raise.
The boss, Mrs Leea Gibson, a converted American Muslim made a cliché speech and we had to applaud and shout yes!!!! PFFFFFFF Nothing interesting this far, a lot of importance being given to paperwork which has never benefited a single student but that’s no different in Belgium. I hope tomorrow will be more enlightening at least as to what I am supposed to do in class.
David has been told that he will teach in the other school and has to move out tomorrow to move into the bole house. I lose a nice flatmate but gain the room with on-suite bathroom, enough closet space and balcony. Every cloud does have a silver lining;-) seeing as it was raining he spent the afternoon packing and I moving my stuff and then we played some scrabble which I am happy I brought along. Nice and homey…

Big hug, thinking of you all.
Take care and all news is very much appreciated!

By the way I can be reached on 00251 113714222 landline
Or on 00251 912488366 mobile
And you can write to me on Gibson Youth Academy
PA Corine Huyghe
PO Box 15564
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia

PFFFFFFFFFF

2009-08-28T01:37:00.001-07:00

After various days I hope to finally get this stuff online. I didn’t realise how much I rely on the internet to fight my homesickness. This is really annoying, I can read stuff, download the pictures of my little cousin,etc but I just can’t reply or send anything out… I feel as if I got tele-transported to the dark ages.
Anyway all is still well although it is still raining.
After all my exploring the city is starting to make sense.
I finally found a supermarket (hm you wouldn’t call it that if it were Europe) that carries chocolate powder. I had been missing my morning chocolate milk terribly. This morning our housekeeper, Arakesh, called us down for some coffee. Now I don’t drink coffee which is a shame if you live in the land of coffee, but did not want to offend her and had a try. It does really taste different here, not what I would call nice, but different from the one at home.
She really is a lovely lady as are the guys who guard our gate day and night.
Now it’s Ramadan and there is constant chanting broadcasted from the mosque in front of our flat. Also a different not entirely pleasant experience.
I am really counting the days until our training begins, I want to know what level of kindergarten I will be teaching and get to know the colleagues. ( David’s nice and quite interesting but I’d also like to know some people that are just a tad younger). Anyways I am supposed to start training on the 1st and for all I know now I will have up to 40 kids in a class.( TOO many). I’ll keep you posted.

I’m not working yet…. Do you notice? =)

2009-08-28T01:35:00.000-07:00

This has been written a while ago but the internet hasn't been willing to post it.

So I have the time to tell you yesterday’s adventure… We decided to go to ‘mercato’ which is supposed to be the biggest shopping area in Addis and the biggest market on the continent…
Much as in Ghana we had to enter every ‘shop’ because otherwise they feel offended, and soon we had something my travel guide has baptised plonkers, meaning men that follow you/ guide you ( often want money for it afterwards) and whom you can’t get rid of. We had 2. We managed to lose one and the other proved to be more difficult. Personally I prefer to be left alone when I shop so when it started to poor again we wanted to take a bus home. Besides I had already been robbed blind on some nutmeg so I was ready to go. On the way to the minibus some guy comes up to our guide and informs them they have David’s passport which he had carried around in his back pocket ( I know DUMB).
The plonker translates and explains they want money for it, They are talking, then it turns out they want a 1000 birr. We go ‘no’ and say we’ll go to the embassy and that we don’t have that kinda money let alone on us… So they’re talking and in the meantime I tell David I’ll slip away to find a cop. The guy talking tour guide obviously knows the whereabouts of the passport so if he’s entertained may be I’ll be in time… The first cop I see in uniform sends me off to the police station and gets 2 guys to show me. I get in the police station and explain what is happening, they call some people in and a group of cops in UNDERCOVER is to walk me to the place. They don’t walk next to me like a bit behind because as a Whity I kinda stand out. I get them to where I meet David and both guys have disappeared after an argument. He tried to follow them but couldn’t go far seeing as I was to meet him there. We show the cops where he lost them and describe our guide and the other guy. He had told us his family owned the shop where I bought the necklace so we take them there whilst some of the other cops take off. Before we even reach the shop the other catch up to us with ‘our guide’ saying I wanted to come back whereupon he gets hit hard ( he was already bleeding) right in the face….
I obviously totally freak, it had in the meantime dawned upon us that the plonker might not have been as innocent as he seemed but obviously we aren’t sure which is what I tell one of the cops who tells me they know this guy and its not his first time pulling this trick. In a matter of minutes we are surrounded by people looking at us and the guy crying on the floor. ( my stress level was going through the roof and I didn’t know what to do with myself) finally we move to a parking garage, more cops come ( all undercover)a women starts to chat with us and then the first cop who wore a silver shining jacket come up holding David’s passport. We don’t know how he left the guy that got it and honestly I don’t want to know. Our ‘guide’ apologises gets some sort of ticket and we get chaperoned to the minibus. You should have seen these guys, they walk as if they own the streets, people stop them to greet them all the time, I felt as if we were the victims in a TVseries with the heroes being the cops. They also introduced David to a guy who had helped them , gave them information who immediately asked for money… Bad luck for him he didn’t want birr but dollars which he didn’t have on him so he walked away with nothing…

Today we went back to mercato and everything was a ok. Can you believe our 'guide' came up and asked us if we remembered him.... Duhhhhh

2009-08-24T00:27:00.000-07:00

Here I am again!
Don’t expect me to keep up this rate because I am sure I won’t… As by miracle we have electricity today which means we had it for 3 days in a row now and if I can believe David is very extraordinary here.… therefore I figured I’d better make use of it and type out another update.
I’ve reread my previous entry and it’s pretty chaotic I guess, but that is also what being here feels like for the time being. There is a constant flow of new information and things to discover.
Yesterday I had my first injeera, the pancake alike stuff they eat here, not all that nice. David my flatmate comforted me by saying that the one our housekeeper makes is way less sour tasting and that you do get used to it…It’s made of some kind of wheat that has its own yeast in it and is remotely comparable to sourdough bread.
Afterwards there was live music in the bar and some dancers, really cool to see. They use their shoulders in a very funny way while dancing.
I have fallen in love with the minibuses. They’re very cheap and fast and they actually drop us off in front of the house… How cool is that? ( it is because we are on a main road but anyway) You can however be packed like sardines but hey, that happens during rush hour on the subway as well. They are a light Bilbao blue and white, the same colour as the private taxis which are mostly Ladas!!!! Haha never seen that many Ladas together…brings back memories…
At the moment it’s rainy season and believe me it rains…( do you understand now why the mini busses are so great). Thus I ended up staying in and catching up on some sleep today, after all it is Sunday. To my great pleasure I found out tat food stalls are open which makes it easier to score something edible on a Sunday here then in Bilbao.
Nonetheless I dined out in the restaurant/bar in front of our house ( I had some kind of fried rice { =Ghana memories and at lunch I noticed the egg yolks are not very yellow here either!}), which was fun because there was a wedding going on so we saw more traditional dress and dancing. Also the women here can do that strange high-pitched noise while moving their tongues up and down.
People in the neighbourhood are extremely friendly to us, the boss of the bar we ate at came to say hello, the girls in the bakery already know which kind of bread I like, the guy from the fruit stand remembered I bought bananas the day before, etc…
Ohh I almost forgot, we were having a drink on a terrace the other day when a monkey (more precisely a guereza) came sitting on the fence some 3 metres away from us, very bizarre little creature….

Arrival

2009-08-22T01:46:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my blog on my experience in Addis Ababa.
I arrived exhausted after a short stop (that wasn’t all that short) in Sudan and still had a smile on my face due to the wonderful goodbye party ( thanks to all) and the fact that I passed my C2 Cervantes ( thanks to everyone in Bilboa with the patience to correct me!)…
James with his family came and picked me up and wanted to take me out to dinner but seeing as the plane was half empty and I had been offered seconds I was stuffed and we just went to a supermarket to get some breakfast stuff for the next morning, toilet paper and candles ( for the power cuts). The school invited which was good because I didn’t have birr on me. Afterwards I was taken to the flat where I probably will be staying for the rest of the year. The big Boss a converted American Muslim is on holiday so I haven’t spoken to her or met her and she’ll decide where exactly I will teach in Makanesa where I am now or in a different school. My American flat mate David is in his early fifties and came here out of love for a girl he met in Uganda who is supposed to come down to live in Addis in December. He’s got the biggest bedroom with the on suite bathroom which will be mine once he leaves ;-). My bedroom is quite ok though I’m lacking some closet space but that all the more reason to buy some nice baskets to stuff that can be on the floor. Being tired I was a bit taken aback at first by the flat more specifically the kitchen… We sadly enough don’t have an oven only a gas stove with 2 fires… So far for cooking elaborately. They also showed me the place to wash my clothes by hand outside the house…. Pfff I must admit I was extremely happy when David told me our housekeeper does this for us, she also cleans and does the dishes ( What a luxury huh!). He seems to be a nice guy and we went exploring the outskirts of the city yesterday. Kids don’t come up to you as much as they did in Ghana here but they are however more persistent. I had the most wonderful drink, I had read in my travel guide ( thanks Roel!) that the juices here are amazing and that they can also serve you a glass with a layer of every juice they offer. This pretty rainbow drink contained avocado juice mango juice raspberry juice etc…. DELICIOUS!!!!!! And this wonderful smoothie costs 10 birr ,less than 1 euro 1 euro = 17 birr). If I keep this up I’ll definitely have my portion of fruit a day! We also went to a supermarket and David had told me he hadn’t seen cheese here so when I saw some cheese there I decided to buy some. In Bilboa I was reluctant to buy something at the counter for quite some time because you don’t know up front how much it will cost you and I should have been as reluctant here… I asked for a mere 5 slices of 2 kinds of cheese ( the slices were quite thick) and ended up paying a 100 Birr! Auwch! I learned that lessons the hard way. Down the street where we live there are some small shops, good for fruits and vegetables, there’s also a butcher with pork meat only and I thought I was gonna have to go without! Also eating out seems quite affordable so for the ones that thought I would go hungry NOT!
A bit of a bummer is limited internet access, meaning no skype probably… but well this blog thing should keep you up to date, I don’t know about pictures yet though.
Enough for today! Take care.