Looks like summer has both officially arrived during as well as summer like temperatures have recently arrived in the Toronto area (apologies to my non-Toronto based readers for showing my bias). Our weather is relatively unchanging every day (High of 26; low of 17) except for the increasing amount of rain now falling every day. Rainy season is almost here.
A new friend
Every day is an opportunity for me to meet new friends. Let me introduce to a little girl who has for three consecutive days given me the best double thumbs up in the world. She was a little shy for the camera.
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| Some of world's cutest children live in Ethiopia |
Well my friends, it almost happened. I almost had something to do this week. A colleague, Nura, shared a quarterly project activity report from one of the myriad of donor projects underway in the Region. The team wanted suggestions on ways to improve the report's effectiveness. Unfortunately, when I asked for the original project documentation to assess the activity report in the context of the overall project, we discovered the project was managed by the Federal Ministry of Health. The Region was receiving the report as a FYI. Oops! Was given a second activity report to review on Tuesday; waiting for the project documentation to start. I was also given a copy of the Bureau's monthly financial report to review. Still looking for someone to explain what I should be reviewing. We also experienced power outages throughout the week at work along with long lapses in internet access. I've learned how to create a mobile hot spot with my phone to get the internet access I may need throughout the day.
The word 'disappointing' is creeping into my consciousness to describe my work experience so far. I know some of you have expressed similar concern with how this assignment has unfolded. Unsure if the outlook for things to change at work in the following weeks is any more optimistic - and this observation is coming from the guy who wakes up every day believing 'I'm living the dream.' Have started leaving work at 4:30 pm daily instead of sitting around without power and internet. Fortunately, both services have been more reliable at the compound.
Banking - Ethiopian Style
I took both Thursday and Friday afternoons off from work to open a bank account for the various and sundries financial stuff in my volunteer position. Mahari, our Cuso Program Manager, got sidetracked on Thursday pm in addressing another volunteer issue. We were able to get the multiple passport size photos printed required to open a bank account. I got my account opened on Friday pm. We were steered to a particular branch of the bank in town by a Bureau driver given his confidence in the branch staff's ability to open accounts. Deposits and withdrawals are entered electronically into their system and handwritten into the passbook. You must have the passbook with you to transact. Yes, ATM service is available (three week wait for card) as well as mobile banking is available (on the to-do list). Interest for a savings account is based on the minimum monthly (Gregorian calendar, please) balance.
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| Account Passbook cover |
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| Passbook insider cover - Must have photo; my phone # is my address. And it's official - according to my passbook I'm now Ethiopian |
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| Initial deposit - 50 Birr (about $3 Cdn) |
And talking about money (belatedly)
The Ethiopian currency is the Birr. The largest denomination in circulation is 100 birr - about $6.25 Cdn. And Ethiopia is predominantly a cash based society. Try to imagine the amount of currency you would need to have with you to make any larger purchase. A large amount of the currency is worn out. My lesson learned with a ripped 50 birr note. Because the serial numbers were missing on one side of the note I was unable to use it. The bank begrudgingly agree to take the note and give me 25 birr in exchange. After all, it only had half of the required series of serial numbers...
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| Ethiopian 50 and 100 birr notes |
An answer for the chanting, crowing, chirping, barking...
So I have found a temporary solution for the cacophony of sounds disrupting my sleep. The sound of a fan. The fan's steady noise, my version of white noise, drowns out all of the night noises so I actually rest somewhat better. I forgot to mention I met another volunteer last week while in Addis who shared she had found an app for her phone that produced the noise of a fan. Said she slept with her phone next to her head and got a good night's sleep. Sadly, a good night's sleep has evaded me over the last seven weeks.
Here are a few photos from my walk about town yesterday. Constantly have to remind myself to take photos of what may be different here than where you live. The challenge for me now, after the seven weeks in the country, is that I am starting to tune out the differences. Donkeys and donkey carts are everyday occurrence. Men peeing at the side of the road in town; a regular event throughout Ethiopia. We first experienced the different cultural norm walking down a street in Addis. Street lights that are dark at night. Having to carry a flashlight at night (plan ahead if you know you'll be out after dark) in order to be able to avoid tripping, falling down holes and just seeing where you are going. The list, my friends, is endless. And now the photos...
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| Easy Rider - Ethiopian version |
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| Huge grasshoppers live here |
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| Assosa - approaching from the north. |
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| Local beautification program - our version of how to keep the vegetation in check |
My biggest surprise
I've been asked about my biggest surprise in being in Ethiopia. I think the one surprise that tops the list is my naivety about what a third world country was really like. While I talked and read about third world countries and their challenges; there is no substitute for having the first hand experience of those three words truly mean. After seven weeks I am still absorbing the significance of everything I had in Canada compared to what I have here. And I am living a more 'privileged' life than average Ethiopian may be living. I've been introduced to a saying since being in Ethiopia that has really strikes home. A fellow volunteer from Canada mentioned how they felt privileged to have won the 'birth lottery'. The chance of being born in a country like Canada instead of a third world country like Ethiopia. Happy 150 Canada on July 1st. Stay strong and free.
Thank you for joining me this week. Make your week ahead a fabulous one. See you next week.
