Now it is real or “And now for something completely different”

For the past couple of weeks I have been preparing to head for Ethiopia. Only now, somewhere over Africa between Amman and Addis at goodness knows what time (Seattle or local doesn’t matter) the “what am I doing” here point of reality once again is sinking in. Since returning from Nairobi every minute seems to have been consumed with all manner of business related to the rentals. Goodness knows what would have happened had we remained in Kilifi. The yard at the Queen Anne Hill house would have grown wild for yet another year for starters. It is amazing how much greenery, basically left to it’s own devises, grows in the span of 3-4 years! Five truck loads of greenery “recycled” and two loads of bark spread around, the place looks much smarter. A new coat of paint outside also helps. So, now the chance to think what next?

In the immortal words of Mont Python – “Now for something completely different”: The climate in Addis, being even higher in elevation than Nairobi, will be temperate, far different from the steamy coast of Kenya. Ethiopian culture, history, politics and tribal characteristics etc. will all be a new experience. Arriving in Addis will feel distinctly different from the experience of arriving in Nairobi. Nairobi was more akin to going home. As I was being driven from the Nairobi airport to the hotel the driver was pointing out the various places of interest – few had changed. “This is State House Road, home of the President” – yes but the more interesting landmark for me is the apartment building we just passed where I lived for a year in the mid-70s. Now I have no idea what to expect. Still with VSO, but working out in the Ethiopian VSO office, I will get to see the operation from the other side. To satisfy the requirements of a large Canadian grant supporting activities in 15 countries CUSO-VSO (the Canadian affiliate) is instituting a more standardized methodology for the monitoring and evaluation of the programs it will support. Delloite and Touche are providing the majority of volunteers to assist the country sites. Ethiopia is amongst a few countries they declined to send their employees.

Oopps, we are presumably approaching the monsoon effects the pilot eluded to earlier. More later….