Battle of the Bulge...
on Tara's Ethiopian Adventure (Ethiopia), 04/Jan/2010 14:59, 34 days ago
Since I arrived I have been putting on weight at quite an alarming rate! I have been finding this quite depressing as I have been eating less than I normally do. (For those that know me well you will know that eating less food is indeed sad news. ) The only explanation therefore seems to be the lack of exercise. Amazing what a difference exercise can make! I didn’t even think I got that much exercise before but now that I am forced to sit at an office desk most of the day I can really feel the difference. I was finding it difficult finding a time and place to exercise as I am in the office for most of the day light hours and even going for a walk can attract so much unwanted attention it is sometimes easier to just stay in my house. However, when I found that most of the clothes I arrived with were no longer fitting correctly, and some just wouldn’t fit at all, I decided enough was enough!Some volunteer friends gave me a copy of the Davina workout DVD for Christmas. Probably the best present anyone could have got me. It is great because it means I can now get exercise without having to leave my house and face the barrage of‘you you’,‘ferenge’ etc. So far I’ve managed two of her workouts and my thighs ache! My colleagues also invited me to join them with football practice before work on a Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. Football practice starts at 6.15am and so if I’m really quick I can get away with setting my alarm for 6am and then rushing to the university football pitch. It is still dark at 6am although the sun is just starting to climb. It really feels like a different world at that time of day- quite beautiful. Every morning the Orthodox Church hold services between about 4.30am and 8am. I get the impression that people can just come and go to these services as suits them. Therefore at 6am the streets are scattered with silent worshippers heading to and from church. Both the women and men wear large white shawls to cover themselves for church. Some are short and only cover the head and shoulders but many are full length covering their entire body. At this time of day in the half light they look like ghosts floating by. By the time I get to the pitch the sun is up enough for us to start our warm up without worrying about tripping over tufts of grass etc (it is not exactly the most beautifully kept football pitch i’ve ever seen).I’m not normally one for making New Year’s resolutions but I think this year I will need to. I intend to commit myself to at least 3 sessions of exercise a week and hopefully soon I will be able to wear all the clothes that I came here with. I certainly don’t have the money to go replacing my wardrobe.