Work has been progressing at a steady pace and I am getting a better feel for the work of the Ethiopian Bar Association and the office. The next post will talk about the organization and the work I am doing here.
Unlike Canada, I was dreading the weekend here. In Canada, there is sense of excitement for the impending weekend – a time to get away from work, to relax, to meet friends and just have a bit of down time. However, ever since I got here, down time tends to make me think of home and as such, I like to keep busy. Work has been good in that regard. At least when I am at the office, I am thinking about my projects and rarely have a chance to miss home. I have also enjoyed my time here so much more since Mary arrived, in that I don’t feel so alone. It has been great to explore Addis with Mary! I am glad I have a roommate and I am looking forward to Eric’s arrival too. It is nice coming home and not being by yourself and having someone kind and fun to hang out with!
On Saturday, Mary and I went in search of wireless internet. We were told that many coffee shops around our house had internet access and that we could take our laptops, buy a tea or coffee and check email and surf the web all day! We were looking forward to connecting to people from home. What we did not anticipate (and we should have given our history here so far) was that the internet would be so slow that it would not even connect. We finally found an internet café, playing non-stop Celine Dion music no less, that was a bit faster and did what we could from there.
On one of our walks to find an Internet café, I received a call from our friend Susan Wong, the fellow Canadian we met last weekend for coffee. Susan invited us to her home that evening for a party to meet a whole host of other Canadians working in Addis with various NGOs, the Canadian Embassy, and with private Ethiopian companies and firms. There were also a wonderful group of German, Australian, and European expats.
Let me just say that Susan’s house is stunning. She shares her place with a German architect working in Addis and it has a fireplace, a garden, beautiful furniture and art and it really feels like home. It was so fun to hang out, eat tons of amazing food and catch up with a group of people that are also calling Addis home at the moment. Thanks Susan for hosting such a fun party and for having us over! I also saw some pictures of Susan’s trip to Mauritius last year! What a beautiful place! My best friend Shankari and her hubby Ounesh are having a wedding reception out there this December. I am so tempted to go it is not even funny, but time off and finances will be the deciding factor. [PS – on the topic of my awesome, architect friend Shankari – she asked me to clarify for everyone that I am actually a Regina boy and not a Saskatoon boy as my blog erroneously indicates. I did grow up in Regina and it was home for most of my life and she is probably right. However, Saskatoon has been home most recently. When the internet cooperates, I will make the change to a Regina/Saskatoon boy or even better a Saskatchewan boy]
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
There was once a dog named Cujo...
So we have been in our new house since Wednesday and have been slowly settling into a routine. There have been a few kinks to work out with respect to unwanted visitors (i.e. Mrs. Ant and her brood and Mr. C.O. Ckroach and his cousins) and intermittent water (i.e. no water in the mornings) and then flooding (the leak in the ceiling in Mary's room which sadly flooded her bed). For the most part it has been nice to finally call a place home. :)
Oh and by the way, did I mention we have a dog? I mean we don’t have a dog. The owners of the house have a dog. I have never seen this dog nor do I know its name, but based on the way it bangs against its kennel, barks and growls, it can only be named Cujo. Really, no other name seems appropriate. Cujo is the name of a frightening, vicious dog featured in a Steven King novel by the same name. This dog might have also been in a series of American horror movies.
Our landlord told us that Cujo is in his kennel during the day, but is released at night once everyone is home to patrol the grounds. Awesome. Cujo loose at night. For those of you who don’t know, I am absolutely petrified of dogs. Petrified. In another piece of evidence that Mary, Eric and I were meant to be roommates, apparently, they are somewhat afraid of dogs too. Listen. I love dogs on posters, on coffee mugs and from a distance. I believe all animals should be treated with love and respect and kindness. Dogs just freak.me.out. No doubt there will be some interesting Cujo stories in coming blog entries. Stay tuned…..
Oh and by the way, did I mention we have a dog? I mean we don’t have a dog. The owners of the house have a dog. I have never seen this dog nor do I know its name, but based on the way it bangs against its kennel, barks and growls, it can only be named Cujo. Really, no other name seems appropriate. Cujo is the name of a frightening, vicious dog featured in a Steven King novel by the same name. This dog might have also been in a series of American horror movies.
Our landlord told us that Cujo is in his kennel during the day, but is released at night once everyone is home to patrol the grounds. Awesome. Cujo loose at night. For those of you who don’t know, I am absolutely petrified of dogs. Petrified. In another piece of evidence that Mary, Eric and I were meant to be roommates, apparently, they are somewhat afraid of dogs too. Listen. I love dogs on posters, on coffee mugs and from a distance. I believe all animals should be treated with love and respect and kindness. Dogs just freak.me.out. No doubt there will be some interesting Cujo stories in coming blog entries. Stay tuned…..
Craving
I am craving a Reese Peanut Butter Cup blizzard from Dairy Queen like there is no tomorrow. Have one this week and think of me! Real milk chocolate and peanut butter. Together. Mmm....
Call me!
The elusive cell phone – I got a SIM CARD
So I got a SIM card at a fair price after much drama. MUCH DRAMA. I cannot get into it here in much detail, but needless to say it is a funny story that you must ask me about when I get home. Ahhh…good times.
So my new cell phone number is (if you are calling from Canada or the US) SEE BELOW. The number at our house (land line) is 011 251 11 6633322. Call me if you can. It would be lovely to chat! I miss you all very much – yes – that’s right – each and every one of you. Have a great day!
UPDATE: Due to dramatic circumstances far beyond my control, as of October 21, 2008, I have a new cell phone number. Please call me at 011 251 913319302. The land line telephone number noted above remains the same. Talk to you all soon!
So I got a SIM card at a fair price after much drama. MUCH DRAMA. I cannot get into it here in much detail, but needless to say it is a funny story that you must ask me about when I get home. Ahhh…good times.
So my new cell phone number is (if you are calling from Canada or the US) SEE BELOW. The number at our house (land line) is 011 251 11 6633322. Call me if you can. It would be lovely to chat! I miss you all very much – yes – that’s right – each and every one of you. Have a great day!
UPDATE: Due to dramatic circumstances far beyond my control, as of October 21, 2008, I have a new cell phone number. Please call me at 011 251 913319302. The land line telephone number noted above remains the same. Talk to you all soon!
UN library
So today, I got access to the UN library – which is a great facility. In fact, the entire UN compound is really nice with manicured laws and blooming gardens. The buildings are really nice too and the wireless internet connection is the fastest that I have encountered since coming to Addis. I will likely work from here 2 days per week and then 3 days at the office.
Moving in!
So we moved into our lovely house today which has a bathroom with a shower that is completely separate from the sink and toilet – meaning – wait for it – NO WET FLOORS! Yay! We also have satellite and a nice garden – you must all come and visit! It will be fun!
We finally bought groceries last night and as expected, they were way more expensive than eating out! It was however wonderful to have a bowl of cereal and milk this morning – ahhh…. The simple pleasures in life.
We finally bought groceries last night and as expected, they were way more expensive than eating out! It was however wonderful to have a bowl of cereal and milk this morning – ahhh…. The simple pleasures in life.
Beats walking
So, like I mentioned in a previous entry, there are taxis and there are minibuses! The taxi drivers immediately know they can fleece us. We are essentially walking around wearing a neon sign that says Firenje (foreigner) and a T-Shirt that says Feel free to ask us to pay 3 times the acceptable price for your taxi. We don’t mind, we don’t know any better! There is no meter and no standard price in cabs here and the fare is finalized through negotiations with the cab driver.
This is why I love the mini-buses. On the mini-buses, there is a fixed fee and they give you perfect change. However, the downside to the mini-buses is that routes change and you cannot plan to be at a certain place within a certain time. You always have to give yourself ample lead time. In the case of private taxis, when you confront the taxi drivers about the extremely high price they have just quoted you and attempt to haggle, they always tell us about the rising cost of fuel and how it costs 10 birr / litre. We are slowly catching on and we have now started cutting them off when they start talking about the rising cost of fuel. We immediately ask how much and we offer to pay only ½ of that. We say we know that fuel is 10 birr/litre, but that the distance is not far and a fair price will ensure that we call them again.
SIDE NOTE: The deal here is that if you like a cab driver, you take their name and number and you can call them from anywhere to come and pick you up. Otherwise, you hail cabs much like you do in NYC! I think my negotiation skills will see a strong improvement in the course of the next 6 months. Either that or I will likely continue to pay far too much for cabs. I think it might be the latter.
This is why I love the mini-buses. On the mini-buses, there is a fixed fee and they give you perfect change. However, the downside to the mini-buses is that routes change and you cannot plan to be at a certain place within a certain time. You always have to give yourself ample lead time. In the case of private taxis, when you confront the taxi drivers about the extremely high price they have just quoted you and attempt to haggle, they always tell us about the rising cost of fuel and how it costs 10 birr / litre. We are slowly catching on and we have now started cutting them off when they start talking about the rising cost of fuel. We immediately ask how much and we offer to pay only ½ of that. We say we know that fuel is 10 birr/litre, but that the distance is not far and a fair price will ensure that we call them again.
SIDE NOTE: The deal here is that if you like a cab driver, you take their name and number and you can call them from anywhere to come and pick you up. Otherwise, you hail cabs much like you do in NYC! I think my negotiation skills will see a strong improvement in the course of the next 6 months. Either that or I will likely continue to pay far too much for cabs. I think it might be the latter.
French is not helping me now
So I am trying to learn Amharic while I am here….but mostly my attempts are met with laughter. Either people don’t expect me to speak the few words I know or I am absolutely butchering the pronunciation. I have checked and double checked with Amharic teacher, Ato Berkenmeskal and he assures me that I am on the right track.
In fact, today, in yet another outpouring of warmth and generousity, Ato Berkenmeskal wrote out a sheet of common English phrases translated into Amharic so that I could carry it with me and learn them easily. Also, the Program Officer, Tizita, lent me her book of English to Amharic. Thank you both so much! I really do appreciate it.
In fact, today, in yet another outpouring of warmth and generousity, Ato Berkenmeskal wrote out a sheet of common English phrases translated into Amharic so that I could carry it with me and learn them easily. Also, the Program Officer, Tizita, lent me her book of English to Amharic. Thank you both so much! I really do appreciate it.
Your friends are my friends
Like I said, we met Sehen and her mother. We also met a fellow Canadian named Susan Wong. I received Susan’s name from my predecessor Stephanie Vig who knows Susan quite well. Susan has been great from the get-go. Before I even left Canada, she introduced me to her amazing blog in which she shares a lot of interesting insights into life in Addis. She has had many varied and interesting experiences and it was great to meet her. While she started out in the NGO world, Susan now works for an Ethiopian export company. She was wonderful in sharing her knowledge about Addis, all the places we must visit, where to eat (so essential), where to shop (also very important), and how to deal with certain issues as they pop up! Thanks Susan!
I like Indian food, because I am Indian
So, there is so much delicious food in Addis. Why then do I insist on continuing to eat pasta and pizza from the same restaurant? I am sick of carbs. It is time for some veges and fruit and protein. Last night, we finally broke the pattern and found a delicious Indian restaurant called Sangham. We had pulao and tomato chutney and saag paneer and navarathan korma (MMMMMM……). I had my shot of spice! Eating Indian food every day at home and then going 2 weeks without any spicy food was like death to my tastebuds. Yay for Sangham!
Little House (Most Certainly Not!) on the Prairie
On Saturday, we met Sehen and her mother. Sehen is a close friend of my good friend Helen Fikre who I studied with at Columbia. Helen is originally from Addis and met Sehen in law school I believe. In any event, Sehen and her mother are absolutely, without a question, angels. There is no other word to describe them – they are the most lovely, generous, helpful people. They took us with our housing agent to see three houses and then arranged for us to stay in a house close to theirs in the lovely Bole area, about a 10 minute walk from the bus, near the internet cafes, shopping malls, movie theatres and the largest church in all of Africa – Bole Medanyala. [NOTE: This church is absolutely stunning and situated on such a large piece of land. It is white and has large towers/domes. It is extremely peaceful and calm. We could not go inside as the church was closed. I look forward to visiting the church and observing a traditional Ethiopian Orthodox church service.]
You have to understand that searching for housing was not easy. We called Sehen and her mother for help when we were at a complete standstill. We had found a housing agent who took us to see a few houses to rent last Friday. Apparently, you can only rent houses here. It is quite difficult to rent apartments, because there is a lot of government bureaucracy involved and taxation issues and it is harder for foreigners (or firenjes in Amharic). Furthermore, many of the apartments in the commercial areas are earmarked for specific officials.
The first house the housing agent took us to had large cockroaches – I mean large – large enough so that even I, a legally blind person, could see them just fine. No joke. The second place that he showed us was already occupied and the final place was a story in and of itself. So we arrived at this two-story villa-style house in the Bole area and the guard working at the house opened the gates and let us in. He took us to the back of the house (me, my friend and colleague Mary, and our housing agent). He then demanded money from us before he would show us the house. This is very uncommon, as you do not have to pay the guards or the owners of the house for showing their property. The housing agent yelled at him in Amharic and after much hesitation he finally let us in. The house was a 2 story home and it was quite large. It was completely empty – no furniture – apparently it was all “in storage” and would be brought back if and when we moved in. Then he told us that the price for the house was 12000 birr per month, approximately 4000 birr over our budget. We thanked him for showing us the house and went to leave, indicating that it was outside of our price range. As we approached the gate, we noticed that it was locked. At this point, the guard once again demanded that we pay him for having shown us the house and refused to open the gate until we did. Needless to say, our housing agent yelled at him for quite a while in Amharic until he finally relented. Thank goodness for our housing agent! Good times. Good times.
That evening, both Mary and I had what we can only coin as “culture shock”. I had already been here for a week and had been walking around with “rose – coloured glasses” not understanding the reality of key everyday matters such as finding a house. Did I mention how nice it is to have Mary here? It is nice to share this period of anxiety, uncertainty and discovery with someone else and she has been so supportive and kind. She is also from a super close-knit family and totally understands the need for me to check in with my parents on a regular basis. It has also been fun to venture into different parts of Addis.
Anyways, back to the housing story. On Friday night, I finally called Sehen and told her about our predicament in finding a house. She told us not to worry. She said that she would bring her mother and we would all look at places together the next day. They took us to about 4 houses on Saturday and finally took us to their friend’s house which was a lovely, new, immaculate 2 bedroom house in the Bole area. The house was in our price range and since it was their friend’s house, we did not need to have a housing agent or pay the associated housing agent fees.
A little bit of background is warranted - a housing agent in Ethiopia is much like a realtor in Canada, however, housing agents here also show rental properties. Plus, housing agents here are not with brokerage houses and they do not have fancy signs or pictures or calendars or other such swag that realtors in Canada provide. The deal is that if you decide to rent a house that the housing agent shows you, you have to pay them 1/2 of one month’s rent and the landlord pays the housing agent the other 1/2 of the month’s rent essentially giving them fees totaling one month’s rent.
The owners of the house we are renting are really nice and will be living in the service quarters behind the house. They will be like the security for the house. We will also have someone come in and clean the house and do laundry two times per week. I have to admit, that this will be a completely strange feeling, given that I am so used to doing my own chores. It always made me feel awkward when I visited family in India to have people doing everything for you. However, I think it makes the owners of the house feel more confident that their house will be well maintained if they have someone come in and do the work regularly. It also helps us, as there are no laundry facilities or washing machines nearby. Without this assistance, we would have to find a Laundromat or we would have to wash our clothes by hand. The last time I washed clothes by hand was in our hotel in Venice two summers ago and I used shampoo on my T-shirts because we were out of detergent. Needless to say the colour ran out of my clothes faster than an Olympic track and field gold medalist! As such, I think this situation is for the best. It looks like the total cost of the cleaning and laundry services per month is 200 birr which amounts to about $20 Cdn.
We agreed that we would meet the landlords to sign a housing contract on Monday and pay them the money up front for 6 months rent. It is quite standard here to pay the entire amount of rent up front (rather than on the first of every month). My friends who are in the same program, but working in Tanzania, found that they too had to pay the whole amount in advance. After we paid the owners the money and signed the contracts, the owners brought out snacks, drinks, and food to celebrate with us on our new impending relationship as landlord and tenant. This was an extremely kind gesture and made us feel very welcome. The landlord and his wife told us to think of them as our parents and promised that they would take very good care of us! When I told my mom that they had said this, I could almost hear her huge sigh of relief on the phone! My poor parents – I swear that I am giving them way more stress than they bargained for. I promise I am doing great Mom and Dad! I am eating my meals and will start taking my vitamins every day! I promise. Don’t worry!
So, we moved our luggage in yesterday and we officially move in to the house today! I cannot wait! The people at the hostel have been nice, but I am sick of living out of a suitcase. Plus, on Saturday morning, I had quite a scare when a young boy of about 7 or 8 jumped on to the balcony of my room (which is located on the second floor) and began banging on the window). As I was sleeping at the time, when I turned over and saw him standing at the glass doors staring at me, I jumped out of bed and yelled (who am I kidding – I screamed like a 8 year old girl). I think I scared him off! Poor little guy.
You have to understand that searching for housing was not easy. We called Sehen and her mother for help when we were at a complete standstill. We had found a housing agent who took us to see a few houses to rent last Friday. Apparently, you can only rent houses here. It is quite difficult to rent apartments, because there is a lot of government bureaucracy involved and taxation issues and it is harder for foreigners (or firenjes in Amharic). Furthermore, many of the apartments in the commercial areas are earmarked for specific officials.
The first house the housing agent took us to had large cockroaches – I mean large – large enough so that even I, a legally blind person, could see them just fine. No joke. The second place that he showed us was already occupied and the final place was a story in and of itself. So we arrived at this two-story villa-style house in the Bole area and the guard working at the house opened the gates and let us in. He took us to the back of the house (me, my friend and colleague Mary, and our housing agent). He then demanded money from us before he would show us the house. This is very uncommon, as you do not have to pay the guards or the owners of the house for showing their property. The housing agent yelled at him in Amharic and after much hesitation he finally let us in. The house was a 2 story home and it was quite large. It was completely empty – no furniture – apparently it was all “in storage” and would be brought back if and when we moved in. Then he told us that the price for the house was 12000 birr per month, approximately 4000 birr over our budget. We thanked him for showing us the house and went to leave, indicating that it was outside of our price range. As we approached the gate, we noticed that it was locked. At this point, the guard once again demanded that we pay him for having shown us the house and refused to open the gate until we did. Needless to say, our housing agent yelled at him for quite a while in Amharic until he finally relented. Thank goodness for our housing agent! Good times. Good times.
That evening, both Mary and I had what we can only coin as “culture shock”. I had already been here for a week and had been walking around with “rose – coloured glasses” not understanding the reality of key everyday matters such as finding a house. Did I mention how nice it is to have Mary here? It is nice to share this period of anxiety, uncertainty and discovery with someone else and she has been so supportive and kind. She is also from a super close-knit family and totally understands the need for me to check in with my parents on a regular basis. It has also been fun to venture into different parts of Addis.
Anyways, back to the housing story. On Friday night, I finally called Sehen and told her about our predicament in finding a house. She told us not to worry. She said that she would bring her mother and we would all look at places together the next day. They took us to about 4 houses on Saturday and finally took us to their friend’s house which was a lovely, new, immaculate 2 bedroom house in the Bole area. The house was in our price range and since it was their friend’s house, we did not need to have a housing agent or pay the associated housing agent fees.
A little bit of background is warranted - a housing agent in Ethiopia is much like a realtor in Canada, however, housing agents here also show rental properties. Plus, housing agents here are not with brokerage houses and they do not have fancy signs or pictures or calendars or other such swag that realtors in Canada provide. The deal is that if you decide to rent a house that the housing agent shows you, you have to pay them 1/2 of one month’s rent and the landlord pays the housing agent the other 1/2 of the month’s rent essentially giving them fees totaling one month’s rent.
The owners of the house we are renting are really nice and will be living in the service quarters behind the house. They will be like the security for the house. We will also have someone come in and clean the house and do laundry two times per week. I have to admit, that this will be a completely strange feeling, given that I am so used to doing my own chores. It always made me feel awkward when I visited family in India to have people doing everything for you. However, I think it makes the owners of the house feel more confident that their house will be well maintained if they have someone come in and do the work regularly. It also helps us, as there are no laundry facilities or washing machines nearby. Without this assistance, we would have to find a Laundromat or we would have to wash our clothes by hand. The last time I washed clothes by hand was in our hotel in Venice two summers ago and I used shampoo on my T-shirts because we were out of detergent. Needless to say the colour ran out of my clothes faster than an Olympic track and field gold medalist! As such, I think this situation is for the best. It looks like the total cost of the cleaning and laundry services per month is 200 birr which amounts to about $20 Cdn.
We agreed that we would meet the landlords to sign a housing contract on Monday and pay them the money up front for 6 months rent. It is quite standard here to pay the entire amount of rent up front (rather than on the first of every month). My friends who are in the same program, but working in Tanzania, found that they too had to pay the whole amount in advance. After we paid the owners the money and signed the contracts, the owners brought out snacks, drinks, and food to celebrate with us on our new impending relationship as landlord and tenant. This was an extremely kind gesture and made us feel very welcome. The landlord and his wife told us to think of them as our parents and promised that they would take very good care of us! When I told my mom that they had said this, I could almost hear her huge sigh of relief on the phone! My poor parents – I swear that I am giving them way more stress than they bargained for. I promise I am doing great Mom and Dad! I am eating my meals and will start taking my vitamins every day! I promise. Don’t worry!
So, we moved our luggage in yesterday and we officially move in to the house today! I cannot wait! The people at the hostel have been nice, but I am sick of living out of a suitcase. Plus, on Saturday morning, I had quite a scare when a young boy of about 7 or 8 jumped on to the balcony of my room (which is located on the second floor) and began banging on the window). As I was sleeping at the time, when I turned over and saw him standing at the glass doors staring at me, I jumped out of bed and yelled (who am I kidding – I screamed like a 8 year old girl). I think I scared him off! Poor little guy.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Getting ahold of me!
So my dear friend Alison Fingas, law student extraordinaire and all-around fantastic person, is uploading my blog posts to this website, because I am unable to log on or post on Blogger. I am emailing her my blog posts in word documents or emails and she is copying and pasting them onto the blog.
Please email me at prasannaranganathan@yahoo.com with messages or Facebook me, as I will likely not be able to see any comments posted on the blog (on the rare occasion that it actually lets me long in, it is quite slow and rarely ever functions). But please feel free to comment on the blog site too – it will give me something to read when I get back to Canada in March. Thanks so much Ali for all of your help! You are the best!
Please email me at prasannaranganathan@yahoo.com with messages or Facebook me, as I will likely not be able to see any comments posted on the blog (on the rare occasion that it actually lets me long in, it is quite slow and rarely ever functions). But please feel free to comment on the blog site too – it will give me something to read when I get back to Canada in March. Thanks so much Ali for all of your help! You are the best!
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Better Late than Never!
Note to self:
So the problem with a blog is that you need to update it. As many of you know, I don’t always reply to email in a timely fashion, so I knew this would be a challenge. However, I do place some of the blame on the fact that the internet café here prevents me from logging on to blogger to post. As such, I have been writing this post since I arrived in Addis (in a word document) and it might be a dizzying and confusing array of facts, images, emotions and things you did not really want to know – but there you have it. It also might be really long, but then again, I am not known for my brevity.
And the story begins….
So after flying nearly 18 hours, I arrived in Africa . The plane was landing in Khartoum Sudan en route to our final destination in Addis Ababa , Ethiopia . The landscape was extremely familiar in that it reminded me of wide-open prairies that form the Saskatchewan landscape. It was like I came full circle.
I finally arrived in Addis last night. I took the most hideous luggage possible so that it would be easy to spot on the luggage belt and boy – it did not disappoint. The pink/grey/white plaid gym bags really stood out. After I picked up my bags, I met my supervisor Derbew Temesgen who arrived at the airport to pick me up. He was just as friendly as he sounded on the phone. He took me to his car, a vintage blue Volkswagen and we set out for the guest house where I would be staying for the next few days. I was almost certain that either my luggage would swallow his car whole or crush it like the anvil on one of those WB cartoons, but luckily we made it to the hostel in one piece.
I did not realize how cold it would be here. I mean people warned me that it was the rainy season, but especially at night, it gets quite damp and cold. Nothing like the Saskatchewan winters mind you, but then again, nothing truly ever is.
As luck would have it, the guest house is located next door to one of the larger shopping malls in Addis – the Friendship building. Yes, the irony of its title did not escape me. I was in a new city , unfamiliar surroundings and desperately craving any social interaction possible. Which brings me to my next observation…I have learnt that life without a cell phone or internet is strangely liberating and intensely confining all at the same time. There was no way for me to get word back home until the next day that I had arrived safely in Addis. Even then, it was by way of a two line email at an Internet Café with some seriously slow computers. Leading up to my departure, sending emails and making telephone calls had become a life function much like breathing or sleeping or eating, so this complete disconnect was going to take some getting used to.
My first weekend in Addis was very quiet. I have to admit that I was going a little stir-crazy in my hotel room. I essentially stayed in and nursed my cold, reading periodically and watching an episode of Dr. Phil after which I immediately remember why I don’t like him at all (it was the only English programming I could find).
I must admit however that the isolation typically associated with moving to a new place has been somewhat abated by the fact that the people (working at the hostel, at the store, in the cafes) I have met here are some of the warmest, most generous, friendly people ever. I get this sense that they are extremely proud of Ethiopia and extremely welcoming of visitors, taking it upon themselves to make you feel happy and comfortable. They take a genuine interest in you. They want to know about you and where you are from. Coming from a culture where the first response is to run when someone looks at you twice on the street, it is both heartwarming and surprising to have this genuine outpouring of affection from complete strangers.
I also discovered that buying groceries here is indeed more expensive than eating out at restaurants. Growing up with Superstore, you almost come to expect a large selection at rock-bottom prices. I have only experienced this reverse phenomenon once before and this was when I lived in New York , a city that also made eating in restaurants a cheaper alternative to buying groceries. With the large international population in Addis, there are a number of culinary options available and I look forward to exploring what the city has to offer!
Poverty
As expected, poverty is rampant and there are people of all ages begging in various parts of the city for money so they can buy food. This poverty has always affected me, especially during my trips to India and especially when it is young children and elderly people who are begging. Young children…who could have a future, who could make a difference if only they were given some support now. Elderly people, who have suffered through such adversity in their lives, personally and as a collective group to fight for the rights and experiences we so easily take for granted. That these people face this plight seems particularly cruel.
People warned me to always appear focused when I am walking, as if I know where I am going and don’t have time to stop. People warned me that providing assistance to one person would only draw unwanted attention and bring other people forward to ask for help. I have followed this advice so far, but my heart breaks for the people I see. I am also saddened that my very reaction amounts to ignoring their existence…to ignoring their plight. Imagine walking through life and feeling invisible. Imagine enduring this indignity every single day of your life. Imagine having no choice but to wake up and face this adversity again. Imagine if pity is the best you can expect from someone. Just imagine. I cannot even begin to go there.
Transport
Monday, I took my first ride in a mini-bus – which is a blue and white van that runs up and down the street. You hail it much like you would hail a yellow cab in New York City ! The only difference is that you get on and it picks up people along the way until the mini-bus is full to the rafters. Let me clarify – the Mini bus is essentially a Volkswagen van – it seats about 10 people or so (technically) but can often pack in many, many more people. MANY MORE. I often think of the contrast between a) the mini-bus where essentially you are friends with everyone because you are practically sitting on them and b) the city bus in Saskatoon where people literally choose every single corner on the bus, with some even standing, in order to avoid having to share a seat with someone they don’t know.
The mini-bus fare is 1.35 birr which amounts to about 13 cents. I noticed today after work that there is often no fixed route with drivers deviating from a standard course in order to attract new passengers. Once you are on the mini-bus, you simply go along for the ride which can take longer or shorter depending on how many people are on board. If there are very few people on board, the mini-bus will stop frequently (i.e every block) to get more people on. I figure that the best option is to choose the mini-bus with the most passengers because it will be less likely to stop along the way to pick up more people due to space constraints. When you want to get off the bus, you shout “Woraj Alla” and the bus driver will pull over. I wish we could yell Woraj Alla in Saskatoon and get the bus drivers to drop us off in front of our homes on days when it was -40C.
Furthermore, the mini bus drivers have assistants that collect money and sit with the passengers in the back. These assistants yell the name of the route at the stops so you can get on. I got on to the wrong bus today, because when I asked if the bus went to the Ambassador building (the landmark close to my office), I thought the bus driver said yes. However, a kind fellow passenger told me that he was just yelling the name of another route and that I should get off this bus and get on the next one.
Oh another thing – very few streets have official names here. There are street names and there are maps which include these names, but there are usually no street signs. You find your way around the city using landmarks. For example, “drop me off at the British Embassy!” This was a great bit of information that the previous intern, Stephanie gave me. Thanks Stephanie!
Life at the office…
Like I said, Monday was my first day at the office. I arrived to the EBA and met with the staff here. They are a warm group of people who have been really welcoming.
The work looks like it will be really interesting and engaging. I will be working on proposals for their continuing legal education programs, their legal aid clinics and their public education initiatives. I will help in establishing the structure of their law society (disciplinary framework and governing bodies and procedures) and will assist with their Strategic Plan. These are sort of vague notions at the moment, which I will explain further once I delve deeper into the work. I am impressed at the scope of the EBA’s projects and its commitment to social justice issues. It is really inspirational!
The office is quite small and there are 5 of us including me. There is the Executive Director, Derbew, his assistant, Mistere, the accounts manager, Betelehem, and the Program Officer, Tizita. The office has 3 rooms and I share a desk with the Executive Director. As I get further into my work, I will try to venture to the UN library to do some research and work from there.
I do have to say that I have some very big shoes to fill here. Both of the previous CBA lawyers in the Young Professionals Program that worked at the EBA, Asad Kiyani and Stephanie Vig, have impressed the people at the EBA. I have had a chance to review some of the work they did while they were here, and it is excellent! It will be quite daunting to fill their shoes. Members of the EBA Executive Committee and the EBA staff have been singing their praises and enjoyed working with both of them tremendously.
I am truly, madly and completely grateful to be here. People often view international work as a sacrifice. This cannot be further from the truth – we are gaining so much from being here, from working here, from living here. This experience is once in a lifetime. I am certain that during my time here, I will be challenged, sometimes frustrated and even craving my life back home. Heck, even in my postings in this blog, you will likely sense my frustration at certain issues or inconveniences, but from the bottom of my heart, I am grateful for this opportunity. Being here means the world to me. Thank you so much to the CBA and CIDA for making this possible!
Food
Hearkening back to my backpacking days, I am eating all of the free breakfast provided by the Guest House (Toast and Jam), having a personal pizza for lunch that I buy at the bakery and one more for supper. I did have some lasagna yesterday for what amounted to 2 dollars. I cannot wait to delve into the ingera – which I really loved when I had it at Ethiopian restaurants in Canada and the U.S.
I went for my first coffee/tea break with people from the office on Monday. As many of you may know, I don’t drink coffee or tea, so I indulged in my new “drink du jour” – namely 7 UP! I absolutely hate pop on most days, but it seems to be the only thing I can get when I am out at a restaurant here. Even though I do not drink coffee, Ethiopia is famous for its café, so I might have to try it out. They do have tons of chocolate croissants – Three Cheers for Pain Au Chocolat!
Fashion
I have to mention it here and now. I constantly feel like a slob here when it comes to my clothes. People here are so well dressed, have such a fantastic sense of fashion, and really know how to blend both western and African attire in a myriad of creative, inspired ways! I also love the beautiful, traditional scarves the women wrap in their hair in a variety of interesting ways.
I only packed one pair of dress shoes to wear to work and as expected on my very first day I stepped in a huge mud / mush puddle. My black shoes were covered in mud. I had no idea how to clean them off and was scraping them against a sidewalk. Suddenly, several people approached me and offered to shine my shoes. Apparently, this is quite common in Addis. On most of the street corners, especially during the rainy season (June – Mid September), there are several chairs/stools set up where you can sit down and people will clean your shoes and polish them too! It costs about 5 birr and is worth every penny!
Wednesday
Today I had my first Amharic lessons from a delightful man at the Ethiopian Bar Association, Ato Birhenmeskal [By the way, Ato means Mr. (used as a term of respect) and Weziro means Ms. (also a formal greeting/term of respect for women)], who taught me how to say the following phrases:
Come on – Na
Hello – Deehna
Indemin Nawo – How are you?
Tenaistilli – how are you?
Amezainnanoe – thank you
Betaunto – very good
____________________
It was bound to happen. After work, I fell asleep on the mini-bus and nearly missed my stop. For those of you who don’t know, I am notorious for falling asleep on all forms of public transit. I fell asleep on the bus every morning on my way to work in Saskatoon . I fell asleep several times on the subway in New York . I fell asleep on the tube in London wearing my huge backpacker’s backpack on my way to Heathrow. Oh and get this, I fell asleep on the bus in Nice, standing up, wearing my backpack, surrounded by people. I seriously might as well just wear a sign that says, Hi, my name is Prasanna and I am a narcoleptic, please don’t mind me.
Thursday
I went for a walk at lunch today to visit the Sheraton which is apparently the Big Cheese in terms of Hotels in Addis. Boy, it did not disappoint. It is quite lovely – very classic. However, it was almost deceiving in that once you crossed the gates into the gardens leading to the hotel it was like you were in a completely different place….a manufactured oasis that is completely disconnected from the community in which it is situated. Even the roads (for a few blocks leading up to the hotel) were well manicured and relatively traffic-free. However, beyond those two blocks – the reality of life in a large urban centre in a developing country became readily apparent. There was a lane of small shops with many people selling clothes and art on the street. There were people begging for alms.
However, this stark contrast between poverty and opulence - this is not a phenomenon specific to Ethiopia . I have noticed this quite a bit in India too – these huge hotels, in providing a luxurious experience to their guests shelter them from the very place they have come to visit. The real world lies just beyond the gates of this urban oasis. I am not knocking these establishments – in fact, I have no doubt I will be visiting the Sheraton again very soon (there is apparently a great restaurant there). It just makes me wonder….that’s all.
________________
So I forgot to mention this a few days ago. There are virtually no ATMs here. I think I saw one in the Sheraton and one in the shopping mall, but that is it. Thank goodness Robyn Trask, a previous Canadian intern with the Ethiopian Women Lawyers Association and Stephanie Vig warned me about this before I left. Thanks Robyn and Stephanie! As such, I brought mostly traveller’s cheques (TC). I went to the bank to cash some TC on Tuesday and was told that I am supposed to carry the purchase agreement with me and present it when I want to cash the TC. This was despite the fact that the purchase agreement clearly says not to carry it with the TC. I smiled and nodded, like the completely clueless person I have become as of late, and the bank manager assured me that he would take the risk and cash them for me just this one time.
Well today, I went back to the bank to cash some more TC because I will have to start looking for a place to live soon. This time, I went to the main branch of the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia which is in one of the most beautiful old-world, gothic buildings ever, yet it was in the shape of a huge dome so it had this sort of cavernous feel to it. It would be a great place to host parties. In any event, the bank teller at this location told me the same thing about carrying the receipts if possible, but did not make it seem as mandatory as the guy at the first bank did. In any event, NOTE to SELF: if cashing TC, consider carrying the receipt.
Getting a cell phone – the Ultimate Mystery: How do they get the Caramel inside the Caramilk bar?
The search for the all-elusive technological gizmo known as the cellular telephone continues.
Who knew that finding an operational cell phone would be so difficult? Well, to be honest, I did have a sense that it might be tricky. The previous internet at the EBA, Stephanie had warned me that finding a SIM card might be tricky now that the Ethiopian Telecommunications had nationalized the sale of SIM cards and only sold them to people with Ethiopian IDs.
I thought it might still be possible to find a SIM card at the fancy hotels like the Hilton and the Sheraton, but to no avail. I bought my phone here on Saturday and have been searching every day for a SIM Card. The first day, I was told that only people with Ethiopian IDs could buy them. The second day, I brought my boss (a really kind and patient man who has been so generous in helping me get settled) to buy the SIM card for me, but they told us that they were sold out. They said to send a photocopy of my boss’s ID with me the next day.
The next day I showed up at the time the store owner told me to be there and was told to come back in the afternoon. I went to the office and my boss told me to go when they suggested. I did so and the store was closed.
I went to another branch of Ethiopian Telecommunications and stood in a line. When I got to the front door, they closed the door saying they were done for today. When I told him that I had been trying for several days to get a SIM card, he mocked me and did the whiny voice….you know the one that your older brother or a school bully would do to make you cry:
Oh….poor baby….waiting for 4 days for a SIM card….wah wah wah…..So sad….so sad…wah wah…what will you doo? OOOOOH no……that is toooo bad. Wah wah…
The next day I met the person at the store who sold me the cell phone in the first place and she said she would try and get her brother to buy a SIM card for me. I left her my phone and 400 birr and she asked me to come back the next day. I finally did and she said her brother could not get one. She returned my phone and my money and apologized.
So it looks like I may not have a cell phone. My only other option is to rent a SIM card which will cost me around 5 dollars per day and this SIM card only gives you a phone number (no airtime).
I have given the phone to a kind person who works at my hotel with the required 400 birr and she said she would try to get me the SIM card today. I will keep you posted. Needless to say, I do not have high hopes!
During this time of trying to find a SIM card, I was trying to find a pay phone that would let me make some local calls to start finding a house to rent in Addis or a place where I could make international calls to call my parents at home. Needless to say, this was difficult as well. I went from store to store and each person told me NO. In fact, my hostel would not even let me make local calls and I offered to pay them. At one point, I was walking in circles inside the mall looking desperately at anyone to let me use their phone. I must have appeared crazy. No joke. I felt like a character on one of those sitcoms who is having a nightmare in which everyone is laughing and pointing at you while a Simon and Garfunkel tune plays mockingly in the background. Eeps.
As soon as I get a cell phone or find a phone booth, I promise to call all of the people in Addis who were so helpful to me before I left Canada . I cannot wait to meet you all in person – talk to you soon Thomas, Susan, and Laura.
The Arts….
I have been trying to find information on where there are local Ethiopian musical/theatre performances. As many of you know, I am a huge music and theatre fan and one of the huge reasons I decided to go to grad school in New York was that it would be bring me closer to my one true love…theatre and music…and Broadway. I spoke with a few co-workers who told me that there are concerts in the City throughout the year. I cannot wait to find some music and theatre! I am also hoping that there might be an international choir of some sort that I could join. It would be fun to delve into singing again.
Also, apparently, Bollywood movies are really famous here too – so I might have to see a Bollywood movie in an Ethiopian theatre – talk about an intercultural experience! I will keep you posted. Any suggestions?
Yay! Mary and Eric are moving to Addis!
Mary Mitsios is a fellow Canadian who is working in the CBA Young Professionals Program. She has been placed with the Ethiopian Women Lawyers Association and arrives in Addis today (Thursday). Her partner Eric arrives later this month. Once Mary gets here, we are all trying to find a place together! It will be wonderful to have Mary and Eric here and to be able to explore the city and learn about the culture with some friends. I cannot wait to see you guys!
_________
Visitors
So, I know I threw out the invite to come and visit – but I was serious – you are all welcome to visit! I promise to show you how to catch a mini-bus (my only discernible skill thus far and even this only has a 75% success rate) and we will eat like there is no tomorrow. Ethiopia is a beautiful, interesting, truly original place. The people are kind and friendly and there is so much to see. I would love to have visitors to explore the country with me! I will let you know my address and phone number as soon as I get them.
Miss you all!
Until next time….
Kindest regards,
Prasanna
Friday
So, today I had a great conversation with my boss, Ato Derbew about the different important festivals in Ethiopia , the various places to visit in Ethiopia , and activities that I should consider during my time here. He is arranging for me to meet with various disability rights organizations while I am here so I can see the type of work they do both on a broader legal, policy scale relating to disability rights, legal remedies and approaches, and advocacy strategies as well as on an individualized social, psychological counseling basis. He indicated that persons with disabilities often face the most extreme forms of marginalization, brutal violence, sexual abuse, and mistreatment and that their experiences are often so devastating.
As such, the EBA has entered into a partnership with an international NGO called Handicap International to provide specialized legal aid assistance to persons with disabilities. I really wanted to explore the legal and policy responses to disability rights issues in Africa . Given that disability rights issues have been so important to me both from an academic standpoint and a deeply personal level (as a person with a disability myself), I look forward to learning more about these issues through the work of the EBA and in meeting and volunteering with other organizations working in this area.
Ato Derbew also told me about the national observance of Muslim prayer every Friday between 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM. Apparently, during this time, all of the offices close and work stops in observance of this spiritual and significant holy time.
So the problem with a blog is that you need to update it. As many of you know, I don’t always reply to email in a timely fashion, so I knew this would be a challenge. However, I do place some of the blame on the fact that the internet café here prevents me from logging on to blogger to post. As such, I have been writing this post since I arrived in Addis (in a word document) and it might be a dizzying and confusing array of facts, images, emotions and things you did not really want to know – but there you have it. It also might be really long, but then again, I am not known for my brevity.
And the story begins….
So after flying nearly 18 hours, I arrived in Africa . The plane was landing in Khartoum Sudan en route to our final destination in Addis Ababa , Ethiopia . The landscape was extremely familiar in that it reminded me of wide-open prairies that form the Saskatchewan landscape. It was like I came full circle.
I finally arrived in Addis last night. I took the most hideous luggage possible so that it would be easy to spot on the luggage belt and boy – it did not disappoint. The pink/grey/white plaid gym bags really stood out. After I picked up my bags, I met my supervisor Derbew Temesgen who arrived at the airport to pick me up. He was just as friendly as he sounded on the phone. He took me to his car, a vintage blue Volkswagen and we set out for the guest house where I would be staying for the next few days. I was almost certain that either my luggage would swallow his car whole or crush it like the anvil on one of those WB cartoons, but luckily we made it to the hostel in one piece.
I did not realize how cold it would be here. I mean people warned me that it was the rainy season, but especially at night, it gets quite damp and cold. Nothing like the Saskatchewan winters mind you, but then again, nothing truly ever is.
As luck would have it, the guest house is located next door to one of the larger shopping malls in Addis – the Friendship building. Yes, the irony of its title did not escape me. I was in a new city , unfamiliar surroundings and desperately craving any social interaction possible. Which brings me to my next observation…I have learnt that life without a cell phone or internet is strangely liberating and intensely confining all at the same time. There was no way for me to get word back home until the next day that I had arrived safely in Addis. Even then, it was by way of a two line email at an Internet Café with some seriously slow computers. Leading up to my departure, sending emails and making telephone calls had become a life function much like breathing or sleeping or eating, so this complete disconnect was going to take some getting used to.
My first weekend in Addis was very quiet. I have to admit that I was going a little stir-crazy in my hotel room. I essentially stayed in and nursed my cold, reading periodically and watching an episode of Dr. Phil after which I immediately remember why I don’t like him at all (it was the only English programming I could find).
I must admit however that the isolation typically associated with moving to a new place has been somewhat abated by the fact that the people (working at the hostel, at the store, in the cafes) I have met here are some of the warmest, most generous, friendly people ever. I get this sense that they are extremely proud of Ethiopia and extremely welcoming of visitors, taking it upon themselves to make you feel happy and comfortable. They take a genuine interest in you. They want to know about you and where you are from. Coming from a culture where the first response is to run when someone looks at you twice on the street, it is both heartwarming and surprising to have this genuine outpouring of affection from complete strangers.
I also discovered that buying groceries here is indeed more expensive than eating out at restaurants. Growing up with Superstore, you almost come to expect a large selection at rock-bottom prices. I have only experienced this reverse phenomenon once before and this was when I lived in New York , a city that also made eating in restaurants a cheaper alternative to buying groceries. With the large international population in Addis, there are a number of culinary options available and I look forward to exploring what the city has to offer!
Poverty
As expected, poverty is rampant and there are people of all ages begging in various parts of the city for money so they can buy food. This poverty has always affected me, especially during my trips to India and especially when it is young children and elderly people who are begging. Young children…who could have a future, who could make a difference if only they were given some support now. Elderly people, who have suffered through such adversity in their lives, personally and as a collective group to fight for the rights and experiences we so easily take for granted. That these people face this plight seems particularly cruel.
People warned me to always appear focused when I am walking, as if I know where I am going and don’t have time to stop. People warned me that providing assistance to one person would only draw unwanted attention and bring other people forward to ask for help. I have followed this advice so far, but my heart breaks for the people I see. I am also saddened that my very reaction amounts to ignoring their existence…to ignoring their plight. Imagine walking through life and feeling invisible. Imagine enduring this indignity every single day of your life. Imagine having no choice but to wake up and face this adversity again. Imagine if pity is the best you can expect from someone. Just imagine. I cannot even begin to go there.
Transport
Monday, I took my first ride in a mini-bus – which is a blue and white van that runs up and down the street. You hail it much like you would hail a yellow cab in New York City ! The only difference is that you get on and it picks up people along the way until the mini-bus is full to the rafters. Let me clarify – the Mini bus is essentially a Volkswagen van – it seats about 10 people or so (technically) but can often pack in many, many more people. MANY MORE. I often think of the contrast between a) the mini-bus where essentially you are friends with everyone because you are practically sitting on them and b) the city bus in Saskatoon where people literally choose every single corner on the bus, with some even standing, in order to avoid having to share a seat with someone they don’t know.
The mini-bus fare is 1.35 birr which amounts to about 13 cents. I noticed today after work that there is often no fixed route with drivers deviating from a standard course in order to attract new passengers. Once you are on the mini-bus, you simply go along for the ride which can take longer or shorter depending on how many people are on board. If there are very few people on board, the mini-bus will stop frequently (i.e every block) to get more people on. I figure that the best option is to choose the mini-bus with the most passengers because it will be less likely to stop along the way to pick up more people due to space constraints. When you want to get off the bus, you shout “Woraj Alla” and the bus driver will pull over. I wish we could yell Woraj Alla in Saskatoon and get the bus drivers to drop us off in front of our homes on days when it was -40C.
Furthermore, the mini bus drivers have assistants that collect money and sit with the passengers in the back. These assistants yell the name of the route at the stops so you can get on. I got on to the wrong bus today, because when I asked if the bus went to the Ambassador building (the landmark close to my office), I thought the bus driver said yes. However, a kind fellow passenger told me that he was just yelling the name of another route and that I should get off this bus and get on the next one.
Oh another thing – very few streets have official names here. There are street names and there are maps which include these names, but there are usually no street signs. You find your way around the city using landmarks. For example, “drop me off at the British Embassy!” This was a great bit of information that the previous intern, Stephanie gave me. Thanks Stephanie!
Life at the office…
Like I said, Monday was my first day at the office. I arrived to the EBA and met with the staff here. They are a warm group of people who have been really welcoming.
The work looks like it will be really interesting and engaging. I will be working on proposals for their continuing legal education programs, their legal aid clinics and their public education initiatives. I will help in establishing the structure of their law society (disciplinary framework and governing bodies and procedures) and will assist with their Strategic Plan. These are sort of vague notions at the moment, which I will explain further once I delve deeper into the work. I am impressed at the scope of the EBA’s projects and its commitment to social justice issues. It is really inspirational!
The office is quite small and there are 5 of us including me. There is the Executive Director, Derbew, his assistant, Mistere, the accounts manager, Betelehem, and the Program Officer, Tizita. The office has 3 rooms and I share a desk with the Executive Director. As I get further into my work, I will try to venture to the UN library to do some research and work from there.
I do have to say that I have some very big shoes to fill here. Both of the previous CBA lawyers in the Young Professionals Program that worked at the EBA, Asad Kiyani and Stephanie Vig, have impressed the people at the EBA. I have had a chance to review some of the work they did while they were here, and it is excellent! It will be quite daunting to fill their shoes. Members of the EBA Executive Committee and the EBA staff have been singing their praises and enjoyed working with both of them tremendously.
I am truly, madly and completely grateful to be here. People often view international work as a sacrifice. This cannot be further from the truth – we are gaining so much from being here, from working here, from living here. This experience is once in a lifetime. I am certain that during my time here, I will be challenged, sometimes frustrated and even craving my life back home. Heck, even in my postings in this blog, you will likely sense my frustration at certain issues or inconveniences, but from the bottom of my heart, I am grateful for this opportunity. Being here means the world to me. Thank you so much to the CBA and CIDA for making this possible!
Food
Hearkening back to my backpacking days, I am eating all of the free breakfast provided by the Guest House (Toast and Jam), having a personal pizza for lunch that I buy at the bakery and one more for supper. I did have some lasagna yesterday for what amounted to 2 dollars. I cannot wait to delve into the ingera – which I really loved when I had it at Ethiopian restaurants in Canada and the U.S.
I went for my first coffee/tea break with people from the office on Monday. As many of you may know, I don’t drink coffee or tea, so I indulged in my new “drink du jour” – namely 7 UP! I absolutely hate pop on most days, but it seems to be the only thing I can get when I am out at a restaurant here. Even though I do not drink coffee, Ethiopia is famous for its café, so I might have to try it out. They do have tons of chocolate croissants – Three Cheers for Pain Au Chocolat!
Fashion
I have to mention it here and now. I constantly feel like a slob here when it comes to my clothes. People here are so well dressed, have such a fantastic sense of fashion, and really know how to blend both western and African attire in a myriad of creative, inspired ways! I also love the beautiful, traditional scarves the women wrap in their hair in a variety of interesting ways.
I only packed one pair of dress shoes to wear to work and as expected on my very first day I stepped in a huge mud / mush puddle. My black shoes were covered in mud. I had no idea how to clean them off and was scraping them against a sidewalk. Suddenly, several people approached me and offered to shine my shoes. Apparently, this is quite common in Addis. On most of the street corners, especially during the rainy season (June – Mid September), there are several chairs/stools set up where you can sit down and people will clean your shoes and polish them too! It costs about 5 birr and is worth every penny!
Wednesday
Today I had my first Amharic lessons from a delightful man at the Ethiopian Bar Association, Ato Birhenmeskal [By the way, Ato means Mr. (used as a term of respect) and Weziro means Ms. (also a formal greeting/term of respect for women)], who taught me how to say the following phrases:
Come on – Na
Hello – Deehna
Indemin Nawo – How are you?
Tenaistilli – how are you?
Amezainnanoe – thank you
Betaunto – very good
____________________
It was bound to happen. After work, I fell asleep on the mini-bus and nearly missed my stop. For those of you who don’t know, I am notorious for falling asleep on all forms of public transit. I fell asleep on the bus every morning on my way to work in Saskatoon . I fell asleep several times on the subway in New York . I fell asleep on the tube in London wearing my huge backpacker’s backpack on my way to Heathrow. Oh and get this, I fell asleep on the bus in Nice, standing up, wearing my backpack, surrounded by people. I seriously might as well just wear a sign that says, Hi, my name is Prasanna and I am a narcoleptic, please don’t mind me.
Thursday
I went for a walk at lunch today to visit the Sheraton which is apparently the Big Cheese in terms of Hotels in Addis. Boy, it did not disappoint. It is quite lovely – very classic. However, it was almost deceiving in that once you crossed the gates into the gardens leading to the hotel it was like you were in a completely different place….a manufactured oasis that is completely disconnected from the community in which it is situated. Even the roads (for a few blocks leading up to the hotel) were well manicured and relatively traffic-free. However, beyond those two blocks – the reality of life in a large urban centre in a developing country became readily apparent. There was a lane of small shops with many people selling clothes and art on the street. There were people begging for alms.
However, this stark contrast between poverty and opulence - this is not a phenomenon specific to Ethiopia . I have noticed this quite a bit in India too – these huge hotels, in providing a luxurious experience to their guests shelter them from the very place they have come to visit. The real world lies just beyond the gates of this urban oasis. I am not knocking these establishments – in fact, I have no doubt I will be visiting the Sheraton again very soon (there is apparently a great restaurant there). It just makes me wonder….that’s all.
________________
So I forgot to mention this a few days ago. There are virtually no ATMs here. I think I saw one in the Sheraton and one in the shopping mall, but that is it. Thank goodness Robyn Trask, a previous Canadian intern with the Ethiopian Women Lawyers Association and Stephanie Vig warned me about this before I left. Thanks Robyn and Stephanie! As such, I brought mostly traveller’s cheques (TC). I went to the bank to cash some TC on Tuesday and was told that I am supposed to carry the purchase agreement with me and present it when I want to cash the TC. This was despite the fact that the purchase agreement clearly says not to carry it with the TC. I smiled and nodded, like the completely clueless person I have become as of late, and the bank manager assured me that he would take the risk and cash them for me just this one time.
Well today, I went back to the bank to cash some more TC because I will have to start looking for a place to live soon. This time, I went to the main branch of the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia which is in one of the most beautiful old-world, gothic buildings ever, yet it was in the shape of a huge dome so it had this sort of cavernous feel to it. It would be a great place to host parties. In any event, the bank teller at this location told me the same thing about carrying the receipts if possible, but did not make it seem as mandatory as the guy at the first bank did. In any event, NOTE to SELF: if cashing TC, consider carrying the receipt.
Getting a cell phone – the Ultimate Mystery: How do they get the Caramel inside the Caramilk bar?
The search for the all-elusive technological gizmo known as the cellular telephone continues.
Who knew that finding an operational cell phone would be so difficult? Well, to be honest, I did have a sense that it might be tricky. The previous internet at the EBA, Stephanie had warned me that finding a SIM card might be tricky now that the Ethiopian Telecommunications had nationalized the sale of SIM cards and only sold them to people with Ethiopian IDs.
I thought it might still be possible to find a SIM card at the fancy hotels like the Hilton and the Sheraton, but to no avail. I bought my phone here on Saturday and have been searching every day for a SIM Card. The first day, I was told that only people with Ethiopian IDs could buy them. The second day, I brought my boss (a really kind and patient man who has been so generous in helping me get settled) to buy the SIM card for me, but they told us that they were sold out. They said to send a photocopy of my boss’s ID with me the next day.
The next day I showed up at the time the store owner told me to be there and was told to come back in the afternoon. I went to the office and my boss told me to go when they suggested. I did so and the store was closed.
I went to another branch of Ethiopian Telecommunications and stood in a line. When I got to the front door, they closed the door saying they were done for today. When I told him that I had been trying for several days to get a SIM card, he mocked me and did the whiny voice….you know the one that your older brother or a school bully would do to make you cry:
Oh….poor baby….waiting for 4 days for a SIM card….wah wah wah…..So sad….so sad…wah wah…what will you doo? OOOOOH no……that is toooo bad. Wah wah…
The next day I met the person at the store who sold me the cell phone in the first place and she said she would try and get her brother to buy a SIM card for me. I left her my phone and 400 birr and she asked me to come back the next day. I finally did and she said her brother could not get one. She returned my phone and my money and apologized.
So it looks like I may not have a cell phone. My only other option is to rent a SIM card which will cost me around 5 dollars per day and this SIM card only gives you a phone number (no airtime).
I have given the phone to a kind person who works at my hotel with the required 400 birr and she said she would try to get me the SIM card today. I will keep you posted. Needless to say, I do not have high hopes!
During this time of trying to find a SIM card, I was trying to find a pay phone that would let me make some local calls to start finding a house to rent in Addis or a place where I could make international calls to call my parents at home. Needless to say, this was difficult as well. I went from store to store and each person told me NO. In fact, my hostel would not even let me make local calls and I offered to pay them. At one point, I was walking in circles inside the mall looking desperately at anyone to let me use their phone. I must have appeared crazy. No joke. I felt like a character on one of those sitcoms who is having a nightmare in which everyone is laughing and pointing at you while a Simon and Garfunkel tune plays mockingly in the background. Eeps.
As soon as I get a cell phone or find a phone booth, I promise to call all of the people in Addis who were so helpful to me before I left Canada . I cannot wait to meet you all in person – talk to you soon Thomas, Susan, and Laura.
The Arts….
I have been trying to find information on where there are local Ethiopian musical/theatre performances. As many of you know, I am a huge music and theatre fan and one of the huge reasons I decided to go to grad school in New York was that it would be bring me closer to my one true love…theatre and music…and Broadway. I spoke with a few co-workers who told me that there are concerts in the City throughout the year. I cannot wait to find some music and theatre! I am also hoping that there might be an international choir of some sort that I could join. It would be fun to delve into singing again.
Also, apparently, Bollywood movies are really famous here too – so I might have to see a Bollywood movie in an Ethiopian theatre – talk about an intercultural experience! I will keep you posted. Any suggestions?
Yay! Mary and Eric are moving to Addis!
Mary Mitsios is a fellow Canadian who is working in the CBA Young Professionals Program. She has been placed with the Ethiopian Women Lawyers Association and arrives in Addis today (Thursday). Her partner Eric arrives later this month. Once Mary gets here, we are all trying to find a place together! It will be wonderful to have Mary and Eric here and to be able to explore the city and learn about the culture with some friends. I cannot wait to see you guys!
_________
Visitors
So, I know I threw out the invite to come and visit – but I was serious – you are all welcome to visit! I promise to show you how to catch a mini-bus (my only discernible skill thus far and even this only has a 75% success rate) and we will eat like there is no tomorrow. Ethiopia is a beautiful, interesting, truly original place. The people are kind and friendly and there is so much to see. I would love to have visitors to explore the country with me! I will let you know my address and phone number as soon as I get them.
Miss you all!
Until next time….
Kindest regards,
Prasanna
Friday
So, today I had a great conversation with my boss, Ato Derbew about the different important festivals in Ethiopia , the various places to visit in Ethiopia , and activities that I should consider during my time here. He is arranging for me to meet with various disability rights organizations while I am here so I can see the type of work they do both on a broader legal, policy scale relating to disability rights, legal remedies and approaches, and advocacy strategies as well as on an individualized social, psychological counseling basis. He indicated that persons with disabilities often face the most extreme forms of marginalization, brutal violence, sexual abuse, and mistreatment and that their experiences are often so devastating.
As such, the EBA has entered into a partnership with an international NGO called Handicap International to provide specialized legal aid assistance to persons with disabilities. I really wanted to explore the legal and policy responses to disability rights issues in Africa . Given that disability rights issues have been so important to me both from an academic standpoint and a deeply personal level (as a person with a disability myself), I look forward to learning more about these issues through the work of the EBA and in meeting and volunteering with other organizations working in this area.
Ato Derbew also told me about the national observance of Muslim prayer every Friday between 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM. Apparently, during this time, all of the offices close and work stops in observance of this spiritual and significant holy time.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Getting ready to go to Ethiopia!
"Ahhhh! SO Exciting!" These are the words that my friend Meena Rajulu used when she so kindly set up this blog for me to share my experiences as I get set for my upcoming adventures in Ethiopia. She chose the photo of me carrying an air mattress in my winter parka - a photo taken in the winter months during my year in New York City! Since I still don't have a permanent place to live in Addis, I hope the photo does not foreshadow my accommodation situation once I get there. Thanks so much Meena for setting up this blog! You are the best!
So, let's start at the very beginning, because as Maria said in the Sound of Music, that's "a very good place to start."
I found out in the first week of June that I would be heading to a foreign country for a 6 month placement through CIDA/CBA Young Professionals International Program [CIDA is the Canadian International Development Agency and the CBA is the Canadian Bar Association] to work with a human rights NGO [Non-Governmental Organization - the acronyms are non-stop] in this country. During the last week of June, I found out that my placement would be with the Ethiopian Bar Association (EBA) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. I have never been to Africa before and I am completely thrilled to be going to Ethiopia! I have heard such wonderful things about Addis and after having spoken with my wonderful supervisor at the EBA, I am really looking forward to this opportunity! From my conversation with my supervisor and the information I was given from CIDA/CBA, it looks like I might be working on some of the following projects:
* Access to Justice Project: Legal Aid Framework: Developing Policies and Procedures, Legal Aid Networking
* Self-Regulating Profession
* Women Lawyers Initiative: Female Practitioner Recruitment
* Community Legal Education
* Fundraising Initiatives
Needless to say, things have moved quite quickly since I first found out about the program in early June. I was working at a great law firm in Saskatoon, SK and had to wrap up my projects there before the end of June, so that I would have enough time to prepare for my departure. There have been a series of immunizations/vaccines, tablets and fizzy drinks (I never knew there were so many immunizations and this is coming from someone who has travelled to India so much growing up). I got the VISA and am all packed and set to go (Thanks Mom for helping (i.e. doing) the packing - you are the best!).
It is interesting the reactions that this move has elicited among my family and friends. Everyone has been unequivocally supportive, with the typical BE SAFE warnings that pretty much go with the territory of being an only child in a close-knit East Indian family.
My parents have been wonderful. I have a feeling they are scared out of their minds that I am moving so far away, yet they put on a brave face and have been so completely loving, supportive, and encouraging. I am truly blessed to call them my parents and even more blessed to call them my friends. We have been playing a daily round of gin rummy (Cards) until I leave and on occasion, I have a feeling they are letting me win. My dad has been super keen and found all of these You Tube videos on Addis, so I am getting a sense of what the city might look like and it looks like a great place. My friends have been great - such great advice, funny stories, and lots of laughs.
OK - back to the story. We (and by we I mean the 14 or so of us in this program who are going to various legal placements around the world in countries such as Laos, Jamaica, Ethiopia, South Africa, Tanzania, Namibia, Guyana, and Colombia - I think that is all of them) had a week of training in Ottawa in early July and there I had a chance to meet the group of fellow interns, from the CBA, CIDA/CBA, CIDA, and non-CIDA/CBA groups - needless to say that we fall into many categories. They are without question some of the kindest, funniest, most intelligent people I have met. We had a blast in Ottawa and I look forward to meeting you all again during my travels over the next few months. Also, super special thanks to Al Cook, our fearless leader, advisor, and all around fabulous Program Director who takes such good care of us!
So, this post has become long and rambly and unintentionally verbose, so I will stop. Oh right - when do I leave? Let's see.....I leave August 7, 2008 for Addis and start work with the EBA on August 11! I will post again once I am there with my first impressions and hilarious travel stories. What is that old saying "an embarassment of riches" - flip it on its head and you will have a clear picture of a typical day in my life - "rich in embarassment." I usually do something embarassing on a daily basis. I promise to keep you in the loop.
I throw the invitation out to all of you to come and visit me in Addis! You are always welcome and I look forward to having visitors!
Enjoy the rest of the summer and keep in touch!
Talk soon,
Pras
So, let's start at the very beginning, because as Maria said in the Sound of Music, that's "a very good place to start."
I found out in the first week of June that I would be heading to a foreign country for a 6 month placement through CIDA/CBA Young Professionals International Program [CIDA is the Canadian International Development Agency and the CBA is the Canadian Bar Association] to work with a human rights NGO [Non-Governmental Organization - the acronyms are non-stop] in this country. During the last week of June, I found out that my placement would be with the Ethiopian Bar Association (EBA) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. I have never been to Africa before and I am completely thrilled to be going to Ethiopia! I have heard such wonderful things about Addis and after having spoken with my wonderful supervisor at the EBA, I am really looking forward to this opportunity! From my conversation with my supervisor and the information I was given from CIDA/CBA, it looks like I might be working on some of the following projects:
* Access to Justice Project: Legal Aid Framework: Developing Policies and Procedures, Legal Aid Networking
* Self-Regulating Profession
* Women Lawyers Initiative: Female Practitioner Recruitment
* Community Legal Education
* Fundraising Initiatives
Needless to say, things have moved quite quickly since I first found out about the program in early June. I was working at a great law firm in Saskatoon, SK and had to wrap up my projects there before the end of June, so that I would have enough time to prepare for my departure. There have been a series of immunizations/vaccines, tablets and fizzy drinks (I never knew there were so many immunizations and this is coming from someone who has travelled to India so much growing up). I got the VISA and am all packed and set to go (Thanks Mom for helping (i.e. doing) the packing - you are the best!).
It is interesting the reactions that this move has elicited among my family and friends. Everyone has been unequivocally supportive, with the typical BE SAFE warnings that pretty much go with the territory of being an only child in a close-knit East Indian family.
My parents have been wonderful. I have a feeling they are scared out of their minds that I am moving so far away, yet they put on a brave face and have been so completely loving, supportive, and encouraging. I am truly blessed to call them my parents and even more blessed to call them my friends. We have been playing a daily round of gin rummy (Cards) until I leave and on occasion, I have a feeling they are letting me win. My dad has been super keen and found all of these You Tube videos on Addis, so I am getting a sense of what the city might look like and it looks like a great place. My friends have been great - such great advice, funny stories, and lots of laughs.
OK - back to the story. We (and by we I mean the 14 or so of us in this program who are going to various legal placements around the world in countries such as Laos, Jamaica, Ethiopia, South Africa, Tanzania, Namibia, Guyana, and Colombia - I think that is all of them) had a week of training in Ottawa in early July and there I had a chance to meet the group of fellow interns, from the CBA, CIDA/CBA, CIDA, and non-CIDA/CBA groups - needless to say that we fall into many categories. They are without question some of the kindest, funniest, most intelligent people I have met. We had a blast in Ottawa and I look forward to meeting you all again during my travels over the next few months. Also, super special thanks to Al Cook, our fearless leader, advisor, and all around fabulous Program Director who takes such good care of us!
So, this post has become long and rambly and unintentionally verbose, so I will stop. Oh right - when do I leave? Let's see.....I leave August 7, 2008 for Addis and start work with the EBA on August 11! I will post again once I am there with my first impressions and hilarious travel stories. What is that old saying "an embarassment of riches" - flip it on its head and you will have a clear picture of a typical day in my life - "rich in embarassment." I usually do something embarassing on a daily basis. I promise to keep you in the loop.
I throw the invitation out to all of you to come and visit me in Addis! You are always welcome and I look forward to having visitors!
Enjoy the rest of the summer and keep in touch!
Talk soon,
Pras
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