Internet Speeds

While downloading a picture this evening, my laptop reached a new low.  Instead of the standard 2-3 kbps / second that is sometime possible here, Windows quoted 340 bytes/sec!  For those not completely familiar with these numbers, if you a have a 2 megabyte connection you may typically get speeds around 250,000 bytes / second.

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Chinese Proverb

Maybe not new to some of you, but I saw this painted on a school wall.

 

I listen, I forget;

I see, I remember;

I do, I understand.

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Per Diem

 "Per Diem" is standard practice here.  I guess Latin experts will know what this means but for the rest of us, it basically means that any work outside your institution (even if the work is during work hours) you are provided with monies in retrospect to pay for meals and transport.  The idea of using receipts as a fairer system would not work I'm told.  I receive 42 Birr for each day trip, even if a college car transports me and someone else (as usual) pays for meals.

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The Wanderer Returns

I'm back!  Apologies for not keeping the blog up to date and thanks to those people who asked for them.    It was a tiring, yet very exciting time, over the last month: 13 different beds, 2 flights, 30 hours on buses (15 in one consecutive trip), nearly 1000 miles, 8 morning starts at 5am and who knows how much money has been spent.  I'm happy to be back but return to no water and power.

 

Travelling to Addis once again was straight forward enough and full of excitement and anticipation.  My main goals were to eat lots, put on weight and to ensure the new volunteers settled in well ;-)  Addis offers a greater selection of food, particularly meat, cheese, chocolate and soft bread – which basically not available here.  I quickly decide that I need to move to a different place for my second year.

 

The week prior to the new volunteers arriving was spent planning the timetable, creating materials, booking buses and speakers with the occasional visit to "ferenji" supermarkets, eating out and going to the cinema!  I also took the opportunity to buy some new trousers that fitted.  As I was on official VSO business, they treated me to a hotel for the first week.  This meant DSTV, hot showers and 60 Birr "per diem".  

 

We also visited an NGO Fair.  Initially a very strange experience as it was like being transported back to the UK as I entered a school/church yard.  A very green lawn with neatly cut flower beds and pansies was filled by more white people than I have seen for some time.  With a mixture of crafts and cards on sale (most out of my price range), I opted for the samosa stall.

 

Although I've got lots to tell you all, I'm not sure when I'll be updating again as there appears to be an ongoing problem with the Internet (worse than normal).  We shall see.

 

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