Archived Blog
More at Bingham
So I'm a few days into my trip now, and really enjoying spending time around Bingham. It is so great to see everyone who I used to live and work with. I'm making myself useful add much as possible, offering to help wherever I can, fixing printers, attempting to help with some of the IT firefighting and the like. The current IT teacher is leaving this weekend and is obviously swamped with many many things that need done before he goes so I'm trying to assist wherever possible. I've also offered my services with updating the website too. It's nice to have spare time to be able to help out.
Somethings about this place have obviously changed. With a teacher turnover as fast as Bingham, there are not many teachers here since I last left, only about 4 or 5. It has been wonderful to catch up with them all, and to see how they are doing and how long that they are thinking about staying. But there are many more here that I obviously don't know, so when talking with most of the teachers, or at tea time in the staff lounge, I feel very much a visitor here. However, most of the Ethiopian staff are the same. Taking and spending time with them, and it really feels like home again. I've really been enjoying laughing and carrying on with them just like before, and trying to converse with them in whatever Amharic I can remember. I'm straight back into attempting to learn as much more as I can, and to talk with them as much as possible only in Amharic. Apparently, I haven't forgotten much of it, which is good. They've taught me a couple new proverbs too, which always cracks them up big time.
My old office!
One of the tortoises wandering the compound
On Tuesday night I joined in the indoor floor hockey game. Quite a few of the staff here play, as well as a fair number of students. We had to split into 3 teams, although I was glad of the break every other game, I haven't yet got used to the altitude here. Even walking up a small hill has me out of breath.
Yesterday, I took a trip with my hosts the Johnsons to one of the new restaurants that has opened here. Restaurants are one of the biggest changes around here; so many that were here when I was last here have closed down, and so many new ones have opened up. This trip was to "Sishou". A new burger place. They don't have much options on their menu, just burger with cheese, bacon, both, or bbq sauce. All with chips. But they have managed to source some amazing beef from somewhere so they taste amazing. They are fairly expensive by Ethiopian standards, but definitely worth it. They have opened in an old warehouse which gives an interesting atmosphere, and have used recycled cardboard for almost all of the furniture that I saw. Chairs, tables, light fittings, all made of painted cardboard. Amazing. Afterwards, I saw my old housemate Aaron White walking down the road. It was great to see him and to catch up with him briefly. I'll have to try and arrange a proper get together with him.
Today is Thursday night: indoor football night. Looking forward to that!
I've added more pics to the album here.
Niall
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