Blog 2 - Addis Ababa

Blog 2

Addis Ababa

May 12, 2012

Hi All,

Here we are again and we have lots to write about, so enjoy.

We are doing well and things are going well too both at work and play. As usual, we are having fun and adventures. Just to let you know many people carry umbrellas here, they are bright colors and shimmer in the sun, they are used for both rain and sun.

There is so much begging here: men, women, children. Some of it because of real poverty, and some for other reasons. Never the less, it is all over no matter where we go. It is hard not to give, but not possible for us and not a good idea anyway.

This is a very religious country – Ethiopian Orthodox Church predominates. Every morning and evening there is very loud church chanting on loud speakers, so we don’t need an alarm clock. It is VERY LOUD and starts very early in the morning, and then again in the evening.

Driving here is pretty chaotic. Lots of traffic. The only way to drive is to break all of the driving rules that you know and just go. Also, there are probably a lot of unlicensed drivers. It is really crazy. On top of it all, Addis is undergoing some major road construction (by the Chinese of course) and it is a real mess. It is not going to get better for a long time.

We visited a local hospital which is a residence for lepers. They have a workshop where they make some very beautiful things including intricate weaving and embroidery. We will go to their shop and hope to buy some of their goods. They are quite special.

Addis is huge and there are not emission regulations, and if there are, they are not enforced – thus smog. However, the air does clear and the weather is pretty comfortable until it rains and then things are a mess. This city is over 8,000’ high, the third highest capital in the world. Nights are cold and you need a blanket to sleep. Last week we got caught in a hailstorm!

Hinda and I despite being married for 51 years are opposites in many ways. Outside Hinda sits in the sun, and Peter in the shade. Hinda has a very delicate stomach and Peter’s is made of cast iron. Thus, opposites must have something in common. By the way, Hinda has discovered a local remedy, that does work, for an upset stomach: seltzer, honey and lemon and it tastes good.

At a meeting we attended at the US Embassy, we were told that Ethiopia has more auto accidents than any place else in the world. It doesn’t take long here to figure out why.

Everyone has house help, and often more than one. They cook, wash, clean, drive, babysit, etc. We don’t, but our landlord does and their house help do our cleaning, washing and some of our cooking as well. We are really lucky to be renting a small house in a compound with a delightful family that are our landlord. They are a couple with two young children and they are generous and easy to live with, although they live in their own house. They take good care of us and share everything they have.

Speaking of cooking, because of the Italian influence during WW2, there are lots of very good Italian restaurants. Also Arab-Yemeni. All very good. Yes, we do get our share of Ethiopian food and it too is good as you would expect. But the coffee here is terrific. From the traditional coffee (buna) made as a part of the daily coffee ceremony to macciattos and cappuccinos. Whenever we come to Africa, we have great coffee. Speaking of restaurants, we often order one thing but get another, waiters seem to have a mind of their own and do not always listen to what you tell them. They also only seem to want to follow what is on the menu even if you want to make a minor change. We went to a restaurant and spaghetti with vegetable and meat sauce was on the menu, we asked to have the spaghetti with vegetable sauce only and it took talking to the waiter, cook, owner and several others to delete the meat.

The coffee ceremony: roast the beans in a pan over a charcoal fire; pass the pan around to smell the roasted coffee aroma, sprinkle some incense on the fire; grind the coffee; boil coffee and water over the fire in a clay coffee pot; enjoy!

There are thousands of buna bet – coffee shops. Tiny to very large, including a chain called Kaldi’s which is modeled after Starbuck’s including the colors of their logos. But the coffee is much better of course.

Ethiopian time is 6 hours behind Western time. Thus, when our watch says 7pm, the Ethiopian time is 1pm. Got it? Also, their calendar is different so that here, we are younger. Cool! Hinda is especially happy about the calendar since she has been told she is actually 6 years younger.

Everyone one, (out of the city) carries wood, water, small goats, chickens, and any thing else they might need. When we say everyone, we mean from toddlers to old men and women. And they walk very long distances often up very steep mountains. And there are also draft animals for heavy loads including donkeys, horses, and camels.. The goats, sheep, cows, and oxen are usually herded by kids some very young, perhaps 5. Some go to school – some not.

This past week we drove to the north to visit African Services Committee’s clinics in Kombolcha and Mekelle. We drove about 1600 kilometers in 4 days and worked in between. The road was a good one but we had to cross over a number of mountains where the road had hairpin turns, switchbacks, people and animals at every turn and the most beautiful scenery on all sides. At one point the skys opened and the rain came down in torrents, since most farming is done on terraces on the mountains, the rain washed down and the road washed away, leaving huge rocks and mud for us to drive through, lucky we had a 4 wheel drive. Lots of fields being plowed by oxen and young men. Onions, bananas, corn, cabbage, carrots, and other things we did not recognize were growing abundantly. We are exhausted but the ride and experience at ach clinic was exciting and memorable. On the way home there was a religious holiday, so on the day before the holiday we saw lots of sheep and the day after the holiday we saw lots of sheepskins.

African Services Committee is a very well run organization but like many other non-profits has lots of funding problems. The programs provided are testing and treatment of HIV, family planning, nutrition, youth programs, outreach and income generating programs. Although they run excellent programs and provide service to many people, funding is limited and not enough. We are spending lots of time trying to help them raise money to keep programs running. This will likely be the major part of our work while here. Peter especially has taken the lead in assisting with fundraising and Hinda continues to help but will be writing protocols and other things for the clinics.

There is a lot of Khat chewing by men. Khat is a leaf that men chew that is a stimulant, kind of like marijuana. It is a big problem with so many men chewing it all of the time and continually high.

We may become rich. We bought a 1795 US Silver Dollar from a restaurant manager. We paid 500 Brr, the equivalent of $27. So we either got conned, or we will have a good investment. We will find out when we get home. Peter thinks it is real. Hinda thinks it is a fake. Another example of how we are different. Who is right?

On May 19^th we will be leaving for a week’s vacation driving to the south to visit the Omo Valley. It is an area where many different tribes live and Peter is hoping to get some good photos which we will share with you.

Love to all, Hinda and Peter