Week 6 in Ethiopia had a few unexpected twists and turns as I share below.
My Birthday
Was a special week for yours truly; my birthday was on Thursday, June 15th. And Cuso gave me an unexpected birthday gift (mutually unexpected...lol). Flew to Addis Ababa to complete the immigration paperwork for my resident permit. Had dinner with three fellow Cuso volunteers - Terry (living in Addis); Dr. Jennifer and her husband Brian (returning to Canada after 3+ month in Pawe). Great Chinese food and great company. I also celebrated by having two pieces of cake!
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| 2nd piece of birthday After dinner |
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| Triple Chocolate - early afternoon |
Dave's Ethiopian Weight Loss Program
A few of you made comments about how much thinner I looked. I knew my clothes felt looser and I had to have another notch made in my belt to hold up my jeans. Curiosity got the better of me - weighed myself on Saturday. I have lost around 12 kgs (little over 25 lbs) in the past six weeks (yes, even with the two pieces of cake!). I simply eat less; no treats or snacking and everything we eat is lean.
Meanwhile back at work
So. Started the week with great anticipation that this was the week I was going to get to work. The Planning team was going to be in the office. Sorry David - wrong again. I had a glimmer of hope something was going to happen when the Cuso Program Manager showed up on Monday afternoon to meet with the leader. You see, I submitted a detailed work plan in week 2 that I expected someone in the Bureau to review with me.
I am resisting the tendency I see here for volunteers to dive into doing work on a one-off basis. Lots of examples of where frustrated volunteers do work independently because of the magnitude of needs. Sadly the work ends when the volunteer leaves. I want to make sure my Bureau colleagues are actively leading any work as lasting change only comes when the partner organization steps up and takes ownership of the activities. Being idle for five weeks does get me thinking on options going forward.
In the meantime I spend my time continuing my daily journaling. Also have the periodic conversation with my colleagues about nuances in the English languages. Also had to sharpen my Amharic conversation skills as a number of my colleagues are challenging me to learn more.
Tuesday was a big day. Learned on Tuesday that I was flying to Addis on Wednesday afternoon to get my resident permit completed. OMG! What fantastic news! Going to the big city for a few days. Going to have something to do! Booked my own hotel this time - Jupiter International Hotel (http://www.jupiterinternationalhotel.com/). Wanted to avoid another bed bug adventure as well as have access to good food and a more central location. Happy to report, I hit a home run on my choice! Ended up staying three nights, instead of two, thanks to bureaucracy. Sing 'Hallelujah' for the wonderful way a government can work or not... Flew back to Assosa on Saturday afternoon.
Food experience in Addis
Being in Addis was all about comfortable accommodation and a choice of great meals. Had both. Ended up in Addis for three nights. Had three consecutive days of such good food... and maybe some alcohol. Here are a few photos of my divine dining experiences:
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| Wednesday night's meal Grilled Chicken - 1st chicken meal in Ethiopia - Yummy! In Assosa, the first step to have a meal with chicken breasts would involve buying a live chicken at Saturday's market. Think you can fill in the rest... |
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| Hotel Breakfast Buffet |
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| Hotel Breakfast Buffet |
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| Hotel Breakfast Buffet |
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| Hotel Breakfast |Buffet |
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| Hotel Breakfast Buffet |
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| Friday night - Lamb, glass of red wine and dessert Warm apple pie with vanilla ice cream/chocolate drizzle |
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| Bonus Experience 1st apple I've seen in Ethiopia - Royal Gala (my fav.!) |
Visiting the Hilton - Addis Ababa
The Hilton and Sheraton have magnificent hotels in Addis. Decided to visit the Hilton on Friday afternoon as it is only a ten minute walk away. Being at the Hilton is like being in paradise. I forgot where I was except when it came for me to leave.
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| Poolside - Hilton Hotel Having a moment in Paradise |
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| Snacking on potato samosas; with beer Hilton Poolside |
Here's a flavor of the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa; courtesy of my fellow Cuso volunteer and good friend, Terry Knight. He is completing his placement in Addis as part of the Midwives Saves Lives program. You can find more of Terry's photos on his Facebook page. My sincere thanks to Terry for sharing!
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| Want a haircut? Local barber shop |
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| On the way to work |
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| Looking for a construction job? Wonder what Workers Comp would say? |
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| Goats are your friend - everywhere in the country |
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| All ladders are homemade |
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| Honey wine An acquired taste |
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| Building on right; hanging onto the cliff Yes - that's someone's home |
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| What a little cutie! The most beautiful babies are found in Ethiopia! |
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| How would you like to drive in Addis? Donkeys stay to the right, please |
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| Ethiopian version of a mobile home Yes - someone sleeps |
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| A regular sight in a city of three million + people The donkeys and this man are NOT together |
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| Want to play pool at the local pool hall? |
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| Punch buggies - No punch back! |
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| Shoe shine kiosk - found everywhere Five birr (about 30 cents) for a shine |
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| Looking for vegetables on the way home? |
My sincere thanks for joining me in my time in Ethiopia through my blog. Encourage you to take a few minutes everyday to be consciously grateful for all the good you have and enjoy. And, if you have the opportunity, find a way to share a little of the good in your life with someone else.
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