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ADDIS ABABA

The evenings are very fresh and some of the rains have come early.  I need a blanket at night and I am constantly surprised by the cool climate here.

Last Saturday, it was my birthday.  We went to the Programme Office in the city and we were given a demonstration on how to cook Ethiopian food on a kerosene stove.  We had a taster session on all the various stews which are spicy and made out of lentils, chickpeas and split peas.  The next workshop was to open our boxes.  How exciting.  My box was huge and contained 2 blankets, a one ring electric stove a kerosene stove, a water filter and a pillow which was rock hard.

The next item on the agenda was to go shopping with a serving volunteer.  I bought some ferenji (white person) food, candles, matches, a glass, bowl, plate and mug.  I also bought a chopping board, mosquito spray and a few other items that looked vaguely useful.  In the evening, we went to the Kenyan Embassy for a barbeque.  I was thanking everyone for coming to my party.  What a lovely way to spend my birthday.

The days continued to be intensive with more lectures on development issues, gender, cultural issues and, of course, 2 hours of language study each day.  Monday saw the start of Lent here and there will be 55 days of fasting but it is actually good news for me because the orthodox christians here eat no meat or fish during this time so eating out in the restaurants will be better for me.  Apparently eggs and dairy will be hard to find but not impossible.

We had a tour of Addis on Tuesday and the bus went high up in the mountains to a height of 3,500 feet.  The air was very thin and we could see over the entire city with a blue pollution haze hanging over it. 
We then drove around the city and the various buildings, monuments and gardens.

Last night was a dancing lesson and we had lessons on all the different forms of dancing in Ethiopia and also belly dancing.  The Ethiopian dancing is full of shoulder shaking.  Tonight, we are going to have a chance to practise it in a cultural evening with a band and traditional food. 

Our employers came to meet us today and in the morning, we will be starting the journey to our placements.  My journey will take 2 days with one overnight stop in Jimma.  I am looking forward to starting work and I will have a few days on arrival to relax and set up my home before I have to go into work.  Apparently, my home will be very basic but in the campus of the college so very safe.  They also say that it is a beautiful place but I will describe it in detail in my next email.

Well, I'm off now to get dressed in my African outfit for the cultural evening.