Derbo played his cards right and became my Ethiopian brother.
He picked me up on my 2nd day in Addis back in 2010 as i was on my way to pay homage at the "alleged" burial site and tomb of Haili Selassie.
He tells me he's a student at the local Tourism College and wants to practise English with me. No problem methinks. He invites me back to his hovel and cooks us up some injera and slop. It's rancid so i take him out for a machiato. He becomes tour guide and fixer of bus tickets when i need out of Addis.
His family are from up near Lalibela. His father was killed during the war with Eritrea and his mother is HIV, earns but a pittance in the veg market and trying to bring up the three remaining children. She has sacrificed it all to at least enroll Derbo at college in Addis in the hope he will eventually be able to bring home the bacon. Derbo would like to study medicine but the course is too expensive so he opts for tourism.His college peers look down on his poor and rural upbringing, but he gains immense face by inviting Gloves and i to a student presentation class.
Gloves and i offer to loan him the money to complete his final year of studies and today he has officially graduated. A very happy and proud chappy indeed.
I know he hopes to move into my huge spacious apartment, but it just isn't going to happen. I buy him a suit for his graduation, donate one of my new Hong Kong silk ties and write him a C.V. to cold call every tourism company in Addis. I need him self sufficient - and fast.
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