VSO Visit to Gilgel Beles and Latest News

Email

I now have email at the College during the week, although only likely to be able to use it twice-a-week. I’m getting through my backlog!

Sat 10^th Nov

Up and do hand-washing before the water gets turned off. Walk to the market to try and get eggs before they run out. Also, if possible, big oranges (which are sweeter than the small ones), limes (to squeeze and add to water to make a lime drink), roasted peanuts sometimes and bananas.

Tue 13^th Nov

My supervisor from VSO Ethiopia in Addis arrived last night and today we had meetings and discussions about how it was all going, both personally – problems with the house etc and professionally – establishing a counterpart who will work with me and will be able to continue my work after I leave. It was very useful. Also, he bought a “rescue package” from another volunteer in Addis which includes franks, tuna, corned beef, sweets, biscuits etc – I had my first Mars Bar for about a month!

Wed 14^th Nov

My first teacher training in Ethiopia. I went to the local school in the afternoon, with a colleague who acted as translator. I ran a session on using a counting stick and number fans/cards for 21 teachers and the director (head.) It seemed to go fairly well – they understood some English and the rest was translated. There was a slight problem when I asked “What problems might there be using a count stick” and some interpreted it as “What problems are there with education in Ethiopia” and I got responses like “need more chairs”, “only works in Developed World” etc. Also at the end I was told, that in future training the teachers need incentives to come to training (i.e. money.) Overall though, for a first go, I think it went well and the evaluation sheets look like most enjoyed it and found it valuable. Next I need to go in and see if they are using any of the training in the class.

Creatures

Creatures found in kitchen so far: Gecko, Lizard, Toad, Frog, Ants, Weird furry caterpillar, cockroaches, black crickets.

Creatures found in bedroom: Spiders, Mouse, Ants, Mosquitoes, flies, cockroaches (two have fallen from the ceiling onto my mozzy net – good job I have it!) black crickets.

Other creatures in the house: Birds nesting in mud nests high up on the wall outside the toilet and outside my “kitchen.” A Swarm of bees came in one afternoon.

In the UK it really makes you jump when you lift up something on the floor and a spider or something shoots out. Here, already I am used to it. It happens so often, including opening my suitcase and a mouse ran across, that you almost expect it and it doesn’t make you jump much at all.

Psychology

VSO warn volunteers about problems they will face adapting to the new situation. There have been many times when I’ve thought “what am I doing here.” For example when you’re in a car full of people speaking a language you don’t understand and laughing and not including you; finding the toilet full of stuff without a flush; not wanting to eat injera and shiro wat again; not wanting to dissect meat from the local “selling meat out of the back window of their house (butchers).

Thoughts I have had (which are apparently quite common) include – thinking abut recklessly walking through long grass to get bitten by a snake, thinking about drinking dodgy water, thinking about not using anti-malarials – all to become ill and get taken back home. Of course I haven’t done any of these, and there are days (more frequently now) that it feels normal and ok to be here.