Escape from Akaki

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Around 50 new volunteers arrived in Ethiopia at the end of September - which is the largest intake. Most arrived on two consecutive nights so the 6 of us (Steven, Clare, Mekdes, Bethy, Belachew and I) went to the airport (with Tamrat) in the middle of the night on Thursday and again on Friday. It was very good getting to work with Mekdes, Bethy and Bel - they work so hard behind the scenes.

It was different to our In - Country Training (ICT), being on a campus in Akaki (south of Addis) and I think that many of the new guys were frustrated. Although it was difficult being on the campus, one of the benefits was that the whole group got to know each other. We did have a bus tour of Addis on the Friday and on Sunday took them to Debre Zeit (Bishoftu) - poor Mekdes was really worried as they had not had the session on safety and security and it turned out that Bishoftu was the venue for the biggest Oromo celebration of the year - on that day! The three of us existing volunteers had persuaded her that we should just drop them in town to give some freedom, rather than taking them to the lakeside - people wanted to do some basic shopping. In the end, we said that we would explain to Patricia if we lost anyone. Which we didn’t!

It was fun being with the new volunteers and getting to know them … but it was necessary for our own sanity to escape when possible. One day, while they were in a session, Steve and I went for a walk up Akaki hill - it was good to get out. The walk went up through the cemetery and great views were possible from the top. The three of us also escaped down the road on the basis of having to buy prizes for the volunteers with the least (Gary) and most (Diana) luggage. One activity was a shopping trip to Addis - we gave the volunteers an option of going alone or being accompanied by an existing volunteer. Enough volunteers came to help out, which meant that Steven, Clare and I could get away without a group - a pleasant afternoon in the Pride Bar! On Friday, Steven and I managed to escape Akaki and go swimming at the Ghion Hotel. Great value at 20 birr!

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Photos

ICT
The new volunteers and some of the ICT coordinators.

Meskel
Party at the Training Centre to celebrate the Finding of the True Cross.

Pride Bar
The gathering of the volunteers after the Scavenger Hunt.