Blogs from Benishangul-Gumuz Region, Ethiopia, Africa - page 3

...and the Ferengis are in the pool :) Dave and Dee had very kindly rented both a gite and a car for the week in France. The main reason was Ondine's wedding of course, but we were also really looking forward to a true, blue skies and beer, trashy novel by the pool-type holiday! We also were keen to enjoy the variety of food and drink tastes that are generally so limited in Assosa. - Apples! (golf clap) - Cheese! (sincere round of applause) - Bread! (cheers and the odd whistle) - Crisps! (hoots of "you da man") - Chocolate! (toss your hats in the air, boys!) - Uber-cheap, yet quality, French beer! (little jiggy dance of joy) - Fantastic red wine! (synchronized funky chicken dance round the kitchen) - and lots of fizzy stuff! (choirs ... read more

Banksy vs Bristol Museum So I'm sitting here in Assosa. It's a dark and stormy night. No chance of a burglary (the three robbers are sat in a cave, telling tales). We just spent the afternoon waiting at the airport for a flight to Addis that never came. Delayed from 12.30 to 2, then 3.30, then 6. Right on cue at 5.15, just as the plane left Jimma, the sky goes black and we huddle in the departure lounge while the rain hammers down on the tin roof. Finally we get the good news. No plane today. Let's try again tomorrow. The locals bum rush the two official Ethiopian Airlines vehicles for the free lift back to town (a 10km hike) while us Ferengi (and Anithya - she is Indian and not officially Ferengi - Ferenge ... read more

Breathing Out We made it to Addis, but then the problems really started! On the Tuesday night we (Sara, Allan, Clare, me) and a lady called Jill - who does the weekly homeless person food run in Addis; and is quite famous for it - all headed off to the Armenian resturant in Arat or Sidist Kilo (I can't remember which). Food was great but my guts spent the next 5 days fighting a running battle with something nasty trying to get a foothold in my digestive system. Just like the Great Doxy vs. Corner Bar Sambusa battle of last year, my belly was playing music all day ("is that classical or modern music?" the Ethiopians say when someone's tummy plays a tune :) Sara was not so lucky. Oh-dear-oh-dear-oh dear. Not good. The world just ... read more

What's the story...? The last 3 days in Ethiopia before travelling back to Europe for Sara's sister's wedding were pretty horrendous. In fact the final week in Assosa was, well, challenging... Sara, Lesley and I had been asked - as native English speakers - to prepare and deliver an oral and written exam for the 100-odd applicants from Beneshangul-Gunmuz who had applied to become a University Lecturer. The Federal Ministry of Education were taking on the batch of new lecturers for 2009-10 and although there is no university in this region, people living here can apply to work at a University in another region. The criteria for successful application was a mixture of average grade score when the applicant attended University, the endorsement of his current employer (I say "his" because there were no women amongst ... read more

So what does it feel like to hit the milestone, 40? At 30 I gave up smoking, which was a pretty big deal - both for me and Sara, who kind of had to give up too. At 40? Well I was going to give up biting my nails. But then that seemed a bit insignificant. Maybe I should give up picking my nose; but then again in Ethiopia that may be a bit difficult. It is a national pastime during the dry season - and when in Rome... ;) I also do not want to become a 40-something bloater. I've had periods of time when I carried far too many pounds and with high blood pressure and a little packet of pills to take for the rest of my life maybe life feels a bit ... read more