Addis Ababa has been my home now for 10 days, more specifically the Holiday Hotel in the Haya Hulet district of the city. Fortunately I arrived with minimal expectations and haven’t been disappointed so far. Addis, as cities go, has very little to endear itself to the casual visitor – unless of course you consider half constructed buildings to be architectural masterpieces. It is as though the builders got so far and then got fed up and started somewhere else. I understand that it has more to do with several constructions running out of funds.
They may still be in that state when my time in Ethiopia comes to an end in 2 years’ time, but you have to hope.
I have a feeling that hope is going to be really important during my time here along with an ability to deal with frequent changes to what is planned. Towards the latter half of the training week, my placement in Adola was confirmed. However, there remained an issue over where I would be staying. There was a possibility of a house with water that belonged to the hospital, but this was later adjusted to something on the college site. This seems likely to consist of a small bedroom, a kitchen and a long drop out the back somewhere. VSO have a list of furniture that they provide. 50% of this won’t fit. I’ll know for sure when I get there, and keeping hopeful it will exceed my expectations.
Water is not a part of the deal. It is brought to the college by donkey. I suspect that I am going to appreciate it all the more. I have been informed that this will be resolved in two or three months… they just didn’t say which two or three months.
Wednesday 24th September is date for departure. Four volunteers will travel down to Hawassa – about a 4 or 5 hour drive, and then I shall abandon them to continue alone to Adola- I was told another 3 hours… I’ll buy the logistics man a beer if we make it that quickly.
I’m told there isn’t much (apart from a gold mine) in Adola. Hawassa sounds a positive beacon of entertainment by comparison. I have the feeling that I am going to be spending a lot of time in Hawassa.
While I will be glad to get out to my placement, and suspect I won’t particularly miss Addis, I know that I will miss the good company I have had over the past 10 days (yes, even Ted 😉 ). Most people seem to have been heading out to various challenges from half-finished homes to lack of water.
I’m going to try to focus less on what I don’t have, and more on what I do – I’ll let you know what that is when I find out myself…
The real adventure is about to begin.