back "home"
Blijf op de hoogte en volg Anna
25 Januari 2013 | Ethiopië, Bahir Dar
Hello out there!
Time to write another blog.
We had our Christmas leave in Germany and Holland, also visiting some of the churches that have been financing the water project in Mozambique. It was a very busy time, but full of interesting meetings with friends and family we had not seen for a long time.
And I also realized that it helped me to reflect on the life and work in Africa in a different way. During our months in Mozambique we were pretty much on our own. Now we had people to talk to, with there different questions and input, which helped me to put things into perspective a little better.
Then, about 5 days ago, I came back to Ethiopia. The smell of the air when I came out of the airport in Addis was still the same. And so are the injera, the mostly friendly people, the dust… . I had one day in Addis, which I spent with Melesse, a friend I had met in Mota last year. He showed me around a little bit. I was amazed that after the buzzing traffic in Mozambique I still had to get used to the traffic in Addis. So much chaos, lots of jammed streets… . Anyway, it did not bother me. And I tried to get as much impressions as possible. I had chosen the worst possible weekend to come to Ethiopia: Timkat – Epiphany, the celebration of John baptizing Jesus. It is a very important holiday, with processions everywhere on the Friday and the Saturday. Had I come a day earlier I would have had the time to witness the processions, where all the people use whit dresses and there is that special atmosphere everywhere.
In the evening I flew to Bahir Dar where I spent the night and left for Mota the next morning. Our trip was prolonged somewhat by processions blocking the street which gave me at least a chance to see some of the dancing and singing, some special hockey-like games, only played on Timkat and priests with their white clothes and coloured umbrellas.
In Mota many things are the same, too. The hospital looks the same, only a bit older, but at least somewhat cleaner now that there is running water at the ward. The kids are calling me on the street and come running to shake hands (and ask for a pen our money, of course). The market is busy. The Dashen beer has the same taste. The same man - whose wife I helped to give birth last year- is working at the computer shop. Shewaye is as beautiful as ever and helps me keeping my place clean. From next week on she will give me Amharic classes. Her 2 little sisters did not change a bit, Tigist is as wild as ever (Tigist means ‘patience’ in English, but I think this is the least fitting term for her character) and Mahalit friendly and calm.
In the hospital some things have changed. Only two midwives are left from last year and all doctors are new for me. So I have to learn many difficult new names: Yalem, Melkam, Yirgalem, Bewket, Selashi … so strange to my ears and so hard to remember. But as they say here: Slowly, slowly and egg learns to walk. Eventually I will remember the names and maybe even learn a bit more of the language. We now have an X-ray machine, running water, some more blood test can be done… . The hospital also is an egg that will learn to walk very, very slowly.
Furthermore Erik left for Mozambique, but could not get into the country due to changed immigration and visa rules. That is very much tempering his (and my) motivation again and he still has to figure out where to continue working and how to get a long term visa or residency permit. I am sure, that things will somehow sort out; but it is not as we had wished it would go. Hopefully he will be able to come and visit me at least for a few days.
So, many things are uncertain for the future, but I will try to make myself useful here for the next 3 months.
I was nice meeting so many of you back in Europe, and the ones we did not have time to visit will have their share next year.
Big hug,
Anna
PS I just realized that I forgot the cable for my camera, so the pictures are from Dr. David. One is me with a Tigist and Mahalit and two neighborhood children and the other shows a woman I her timkat dress.
The rest will have to wait until I get a cable
Time to write another blog.
We had our Christmas leave in Germany and Holland, also visiting some of the churches that have been financing the water project in Mozambique. It was a very busy time, but full of interesting meetings with friends and family we had not seen for a long time.
And I also realized that it helped me to reflect on the life and work in Africa in a different way. During our months in Mozambique we were pretty much on our own. Now we had people to talk to, with there different questions and input, which helped me to put things into perspective a little better.
Then, about 5 days ago, I came back to Ethiopia. The smell of the air when I came out of the airport in Addis was still the same. And so are the injera, the mostly friendly people, the dust… . I had one day in Addis, which I spent with Melesse, a friend I had met in Mota last year. He showed me around a little bit. I was amazed that after the buzzing traffic in Mozambique I still had to get used to the traffic in Addis. So much chaos, lots of jammed streets… . Anyway, it did not bother me. And I tried to get as much impressions as possible. I had chosen the worst possible weekend to come to Ethiopia: Timkat – Epiphany, the celebration of John baptizing Jesus. It is a very important holiday, with processions everywhere on the Friday and the Saturday. Had I come a day earlier I would have had the time to witness the processions, where all the people use whit dresses and there is that special atmosphere everywhere.
In the evening I flew to Bahir Dar where I spent the night and left for Mota the next morning. Our trip was prolonged somewhat by processions blocking the street which gave me at least a chance to see some of the dancing and singing, some special hockey-like games, only played on Timkat and priests with their white clothes and coloured umbrellas.
In Mota many things are the same, too. The hospital looks the same, only a bit older, but at least somewhat cleaner now that there is running water at the ward. The kids are calling me on the street and come running to shake hands (and ask for a pen our money, of course). The market is busy. The Dashen beer has the same taste. The same man - whose wife I helped to give birth last year- is working at the computer shop. Shewaye is as beautiful as ever and helps me keeping my place clean. From next week on she will give me Amharic classes. Her 2 little sisters did not change a bit, Tigist is as wild as ever (Tigist means ‘patience’ in English, but I think this is the least fitting term for her character) and Mahalit friendly and calm.
In the hospital some things have changed. Only two midwives are left from last year and all doctors are new for me. So I have to learn many difficult new names: Yalem, Melkam, Yirgalem, Bewket, Selashi … so strange to my ears and so hard to remember. But as they say here: Slowly, slowly and egg learns to walk. Eventually I will remember the names and maybe even learn a bit more of the language. We now have an X-ray machine, running water, some more blood test can be done… . The hospital also is an egg that will learn to walk very, very slowly.
Furthermore Erik left for Mozambique, but could not get into the country due to changed immigration and visa rules. That is very much tempering his (and my) motivation again and he still has to figure out where to continue working and how to get a long term visa or residency permit. I am sure, that things will somehow sort out; but it is not as we had wished it would go. Hopefully he will be able to come and visit me at least for a few days.
So, many things are uncertain for the future, but I will try to make myself useful here for the next 3 months.
I was nice meeting so many of you back in Europe, and the ones we did not have time to visit will have their share next year.
Big hug,
Anna
PS I just realized that I forgot the cable for my camera, so the pictures are from Dr. David. One is me with a Tigist and Mahalit and two neighborhood children and the other shows a woman I her timkat dress.
The rest will have to wait until I get a cable
-
25 Januari 2013 - 13:01
Maarten:
Hoi Anna!
Tjonge, dat de landen in Afrika toch nog zo katholiek zijn terwijl het in Europa waar nota bene in Rome het hoofdkwartier ervan zit, het aantal gelovigen hard achteruit holt. Ook wel weer mooi om te lezen dat niet alle dingen zo snel veranderen daar; er straalt wat rust uit vind je niet? Mooie analogie met het ei dat leert lopen, haha! Ik denk dat je al aardig gewend bent aan het feit dat dingen niet altijd gaan zoals je zou willen, maar ik hoop toch dat Erik gauw op zijn bestemming terecht kan! Zijn er nog opties uit te pluizen? En was het nog wennen aan de warmte, of valt dat nu wel mee in Ethiopië? Hier zitten we nog onder nul :-O
liefs,
Maarten. -
25 Januari 2013 - 16:40
Ineke Sturm:
Hoi Anna, Gefeliciteerd met de verjaardag van Erik. Ik zal hem dadelijk een mailtje sturen. Waar zit Erik nu als hij Mozambique niet in kan. Ben benieuwd of het inmiddels wel gelukt is. Hier alles goed. Het is nog een witte wereld. Volgende week gaat het dooien en zien we ons groene gras weer! Veel succes bij je werk en we hopen dat je een mooie tijd hebt in Mota. Veel groeten van Phil en Ineke -
25 Januari 2013 - 17:04
Marianne Sturm:
Hoi Anna, wat fijn om te kunnen lezen wat je meemaakt. Is Erik inmiddels op zn bestemming aangekomen? Ik ga hem nog mailen.groetjes van Marianne -
26 Maart 2013 - 20:17
Marina Smit:
Hallo Anna,
Please contact me as soon as possible I have some possible work for you in Afrika. In Mozambique and Angola. ( short term) Few days trraining.
+ 31 0647604908
Greetings Marina
Reageer op dit reisverslag
Je kunt nu ook Smileys gebruiken. Via de toolbar, toetsenbord of door eerst : te typen en dan een woord bijvoorbeeld :smiley
