Well Blogees
I have arrived in Awassa and am inspired to take up the mantle of re-writing my blog. I don't expect anyone to be there as it has been such a long time, but coming to live in Awassa feels like a new experience and in many ways it is. I am still in Ethiopia and still working as a VSO Volunteer, but I am living with Paul in a new house and have taken up a new placement and so to a great extent, things feel different. So rather than recount events of the past in Addis and the many trials of being a VSO volunteer over the past year I'll take up my blogging from arriving in Awassa.
Awassa is one of the largest towns outside Addis Ababa. It is about 400km directly south and is at a lower altitude – don't ask me what I have no idea about heights and stuff (except that a tennis net is three feet high and comes roughly to my hips), but being lower means that almost all year round it is hot. In Addis I was sleeping with three blankets at night and that was before the rains came. Awassa was incredibly hot for the first two weeks I arrived here. My finger swelled up and I couldn't get my engagement ring off – not that I want to take it off anyway! But the 'small' rains have finally arrived here – which is just what the town needs. Trees were wilting in the heat and there is dust everywhere. The great thing about the rain here is that it predictably comes at 5.30pm every evening. At about 5.15, when I hear the thunder I have enough time to jump on the bike and make it home before a soaking. The rains also make the evenings cool and bearable.
Awassa is also different from Addis as it is flat – which is perfect for cycling around. Paul has fixed up an old bike for me – broken pedals and punctures galore – which will suffice till VSO get a me a new one. But it is wonderful to be back on the bike. Yesterday we cycled down to Haile Gebre Selassie's (Ethiopia's most famous athlete) five star hotel. Five Star in Ethiopia is not quite five star Sheraton in Addis type of luxury but the drinks were cold and the food tasty. But like all Ethiopian buildings nothing is ever quite finished, but unlike most other buildings which look 20 years old and decrepit weeks after 'completion' The Haile Resort looks well and healthy. And the best thing about the resort is the view. It sits on the banks of the Awassa Lake and it is wonderful to spend a few hours having a juice and reading a book, watching the bird life or staring into the lake. One of the best features about eating and drinking in Ethiopia is you can simply buy a coffee or juice and then sit for hours on end. No-one hassles you to move on or buy another drink – it is very relaxed and enjoyable – and even more so at the lakeside.
It is a pity this hassle-free behaviour is not extended to Ethiopian's general 'interest' in ferengis. As you know from Addis feregenis are constantly hassled for 'one birr' and more and the beggars literally step into your path and bang you on the arm for money. The hassle in Awassa is subtly different. There is a lot more staring. Groups of Ethiopian's of all ages stare constantly at you and if you literally stand still for too long (like getting a bajaj) you will be surrounded by locals staring at you. There is still the constant cry of 'You You Fereng' often followed by 'I love You' – not reserved for female ferengis only – Paul is 'loved' by many locals. I find the staring very disconcerting. Paul was told in a cultural talk that Ethiopian's find it rude to stare – so we have adopted a non-violent retaliation to the staring problem – stare back. Often with a 'teacher's' glare. This usually makes the staring stop. As to the cry of 'you you ferenge' (which will now be referred to simply as YYF) being on the bike helps. Usually by the time I have swept past on the bike they do not have enough time to react to a white person on a bike. But here's another interesting fact about Ethiopian's they are resilient. As you pass them we hear the cry of the Ethiopian – YYF. You ignore it – the cry gets louder – you ignore it and maybe walk a fraction faster – but the further you get from them the louder the cry – I have had children screaming YYF from down the street – Ethiopian's hate to be ignored – even if they are being rude, it's a pity they do not understand how rude it is to shout constantly at foreigners. On a bad day the shouting can really get to you and you resort to shouting back, I nearly slapped a man on the street for shouting something really rude at me and he replied 'I am Ronaldino'!!!!!Paul nearly hit a small child who would not go away – children will follow you for literally miles asking for money and nothing you say or do will make them go away – Ethiopian's are the most persistent and resilient people I know. I sometimes think that I should behave better and not let it get on my nerves, but I was reading the guide book the other day and it stated that the hassle in Ethiopia is possibly the worst in the world – and certainly compared to other African countries the author had visited Ethiopia is the worst hassle he has experienced in his many travels in Africa. It makes me feel better that it is not just me who feels like that. I could go on, especially about cyclists having stones thrown at them as they cycle past towns and other cyclists who gave up cycling in Ethiopia because of the hassle, but this is only one side of life here. In general I am enjoying Awassa and life here. It is a good change to Addis.
