Sad the inzee tree is down. Oh.. the inzee tree.. I grew up hiking up inzee and taking a break under that tree. that was 30 years ago! Thanks for the great blog. I stumbled on it today and have been on it the past 6 hours.
A jambo would be so good I am so lucky to get the chance to come back and feel everything, see everyone - except the person I most wanted to see. But reading this blog was so important, and reminded me of good times as well as the worst. Thanks x
Oh come on Pete! Isn't it about time you supported your local team? And I don't mean the Gas...
Besides City play a better class of football then Keano's bull-terriers!
:P
Goodness! I dunno! You get to see the footie live out there, and then you complain that you have to sit with ManU fans!
Spare a thought for a Sunderland fan in Bristol trying to find a (decent) pub showing the Liverpool game last Saturday tea time when it clashed with Bristol City v Derby :-)
Thanks for your blog from a soon to be Ethiopia VSO Hi there,
I stumbled across your blog by chance and it's great preparation for me. I leave London in a month for Addis where I'll be working as a Fundraising Advisor for local HIV/AIDS NGO.. your blog has really brought it all to life, so thanks.
Maybe I'll get to meet you both at some point.
Thanks again
Kirsten
RE the accident Nice to hear what the lovely VSO Ethiopia family did when me and Oscar and Pam were shoved over to Kenya! I only wish I could have joined you (especially the Pride bit and Kindaleb's ranting!) rather than being stuck in hospital and then flown back to the UK to recover fully before being allowed back! Great comments and just wanted to say well done for all efforts to remember Dave, albeit a little ferenjified.. but don't expect he would've appreciated load sobbing and wailing sitting in a big tent for days! Take care and hopefully see you soon xxx
Hope you are both OK and surviving stir-craziness, pants crises and the trots (umm, not a good combination!)
It must be very frustrating. I hope you get some good news about the situation soon.
Hi Sara and Al, just read your blog which explains why you havent been able to email. Glad they are keeping you safe, even if it means more wear and tear on the underpants. It must be very frustrating to be stuck in Addis and I hope you can get back to Assosa soon. All our love Jan and Al xx
Hi Sammy This is Alan. Glad you enjoy the blogs! I think Sara will be posting another soon and she is delighted to know that someone originally from Ethiopia is enjoying them! Cheers, Alan
Hi Al and Sara...I have just read through all your blogs right from the beginning. They are brilliant! Sara - Glad you are getting over your cheese issues. Al - Very interesting tracking your views of Arsenals demise since mid March, your experiences with ethiopian alcohol and of course the work you are both doing. Sounds like an amazing experience you are having. Hope you are both well, keep up the good work and keep writing...
Black Gold Hi Mark, keep buying Ethiopian Yirgacheffe as it is Fairtrade. Try to look out for a documentary on coffee called Black Gold and check out this web site on Fairtrade issues http://www.vso.org.uk/thecoffeeproject. We actually might go to visit the Yirgacheffe coffee producers at some point - they are based just south of Addis. Yes we are completely envious of broadband internet! Hope all is well in 'Nam and say Hi to Rach! Glad to hear you are still thinking of coming! Cheers, Al
Welcome home! Glad to hear you are back from your tour safe and sound. It sounds a great adventure.
I won't mention Arsenal :-(
Though I suppose you do still have the opportunity to scupper Man U's chances on Sunday! :-)
thanks Hi Sara, I really enjoy your blogs. I am originally from Addis but has been away for a long time. Reading it makes me closer to the culture and everything I love and miss so much. I can't wait to read more. Enjoy your time there.
Brilliant Hi Al, Sara.
Loving catching up on your exploits in Ethiopia. Went to Starbucks this morning and they had a big sign promoting Ethiopian Yirgacheffe. Made me think of you guys while I was probably denying ethiopian coffee growers of their hard earned?
Did a quick web search (are you envious of that line?) on this coffee and starbucks and it looks like I might not be shopping in Starbucks again... it didn't make particularly ethical reading...
So you made it through the training in one piece then? It sounds like you're having a whale of a time. Roll on 2009 and our visit to Asosa!
Take care out there in the big bad world.
Mark
learning lingo what is anharic for 'what is the latest cricket score' or 'where can i buy cheese please?'. really enjoying your blog. saw dave and kiki today but we missed you both. we are moving on friday, will email you the details soon. love from ana, simon, dan, darcy, paddy xx
Pining for the cheese counter Oh dear! Yes, I remember only too well my yearnings for cheese in South America.
In the end, I caved in and started to eat the local stuff in the markets, but (i) no matter how hard I tried to persuade myself, it wasn't really a substitute for a lovely bit of Brie; and (ii) I was always a teency weency little bit worried about whether my stomach would be up to the local bacteria (but I survived!)
Just off to open the first beer of the bank holiday weekend :-)
Cakes Oh so the cakes have got you again Sara, please can you give me a little more information on the cakes, you know how I like a nice piece of cake. Love the photos, can't you get a little James Bond like device to take pictures at the market would love to see them. Do you remember Cafe Wayan in Ubud.....
really, really like the blog Hi Sara and Al,
I've just looked at your blog for the first time and I really, really like it. Almost makes me feel I know the place. Hope you have a good trip into the remote hinterland and look forward to hearing about it.
very proud what great photos. loved hearing about about the school/children. glad they are enjoying seeing you as much as you are enjoying seeing them. can we do anything to help with school resources.?
Hi - this is Al & Sara's blog!
We are 2 VSO volunteers working in Assosa, Beneshangul-Gumuz, Ethiopia for 2 years from Feb 2008 to 2010.
Don't try to find us on the map, 'cos we don't appear. We are proud to announce a grand total of 0 entries in the Lonely Planet - Ethiopia & Eritrea and um, 0 entries in the Bradt guide. In fact as an "emerging region" within Ethiopia our area is pretty anonymous both internally and (clearly) internationally. With the mud strip airport being relaid with tarmac we had a 2 day 4x4 journey here from Addis. That said, Assosa is a regional capital, has a p... full info
Al and Sara
Al Mercer & Sara Hassen
Glad you enjoy the blog!
We are enjoying Assosa :) Salam na to you Gashaw!