glad to be back
on Tara's Ethiopian Adventure (Ethiopia), 29/Jul/2010 13:29, 34 days ago
Despite the rain in Addis it has been great to be back in Ethiopia. I think it was pretty easy to take for granted I was living in Ethiopia before I left for the UK and it just seemed‘normal’. But coming back I’m seeing things fresh again and it really is quite exciting. Addis is a really vibrant city, there is so much life happening around you and somehow everything feels a little more‘real’ than life in the UK–perhaps because it is seems so disorganised and chaotic compared to our organised (rather clinical even) lives back home.This week I’ve really enjoying taking part in an intensive language course. My brain buzzing with Amharic words and phrases constantly, but sadly much of it doesn’t seem to be sticking at the moment. We have 6 hours of classes each day as well as homework each evening so we’ve been working hard. I was really chuffed with myself on Friday as I was able to discuss my daily routine...your daily routine...her daily routine...their daily routine... and our daily routine... IN AMHARIC...but only with the help of my book! At the moment we are writing everything out in English script so although I can now write about half a page of reasonable Amharic I don’t think many Ethiopian’s would be able to make head or tail of it! Next week we are going to try and learn some of the local script...only about 250 letters in their alphabet so it should be pretty easy!! Yikes!Last night we had a leaving party for one of the Diaspora volunteers. He is Ethiopian but has been studying in Canada for the last few years. He has just volunteered, in Addis, for the last 6 months and is now travelling back to Canada, with his wife, to finish his PhD. I think he really enjoyed the chance to give something back to his country as well as having a chance to spend time with his wife who he had been separated from while he was in Canada. Another volunteer hosted the party and it was excellent. A delicious spread of food and great mix of music from Ethiopian Pop to Salsa to 80’s Classics. I don’t think I’ve ever danced for as long in my life and my legs are suffering a little today! Because of the language classes and an IT project in Addis there were loads of volunteers from all over Ethiopia at the party and it has been great catching up with people again. I’ve just got a few more days in Addis and then I’m looking forward to catching up with my friends in Ambo and hopefully introducing them to some friends who are visiting from the UK. It is good to be back!