Holy Shit

One of my school cleaners enters my office with Mr Z (ineffectual and inefficient Deputy Head) to translate. She needs to take two weeks of on medical leave. I ask why, and she informs me she has a trapped nerve in her lower right arm. She informs me the doctor gave her a prescription, but it’s too expensive, so she needs to head out of Addis to some holy waters for two weeks.

Holy Water is found all over Ethiopia, most dedicated to individual Saints. It is a common for most Ethiopians to seek cures, not least brother Derbo’s mother, who goes regularly as she seeks an alternative cure to her HIV, tuberculosis and diabetes.

I ask her how much the prescription is, thinking i’ll simply pick up the tab and she can forget leave. Unfortunately, it’s some US$45 and this could become a very tricky and expensive precedent. I ask her to provide a doctor’s certificate and come back to me; i need some thinking time. 

Toothless Black Lions

After Ethiopia's quality result against Zambia in the African Cup of Nations, hopes are high amongst my colleagues as the Black Lions face Burkina Faso in their second group match. I'm not so sure, after Burkina Faso got a good draw against the once mighty Nigerians. 

Leading into the 9pm kick-off the crescendo of car horns, whoops and screams fill the city. Songs break out from the traditional to tribal football chanting.

Despite four changes from Tuesday night, Ethiopia begin the match the stronger, looking dangerous on the break and hitting the wood-work, and it's clear the audience believe it's only a matter of time before the flood-gates open.

However it's Bukina that open the scoring and complete silence descends. It's eerie. 

The game become more tense as each team dares not lose possession and it becomes an increasingly dour affair. Half time is a welcome break.

In the 55th minute and Burkina have their goal-keeper sent off and the audience erupt for the first time since the opening goal. Down to 10 men, surely the Lions can take advantage? Such belief doesn't last long, as Burkina get a second and Ethiopia simply capitulate. Final whistle can't come soon enough, and it ends a humiliating 4 - 0. 

To add salt to the wound, the electricity in Gerji goes out. But at least i enjoy the quietest of nights.

 

RIP Dr No

 It’s 3.20pm on Thursday – Golf Day and i am rushing to escape my office to join Ginger Warrior on the course. My phone rings. It’s Boss. Fuck – normally she leaves me to my own devises.

However, it transpires that it is our very first conference call, with Mr T and GW, and i can immediately guess where this is going. Boss informs us that Dr No is out! His letter of "resignation" has been accepted by Ato S.

She may be English, but Boss went native long ago. She spouts her bull-shit, sayng she was instrumental in his removal and persuaded Ato S to let him go. She has had 8 years to rebel against Dr No, and as usual, she has done nothing in alignment with the School of Inertia. It shouldn’t upset me, but it does!

Twenty minutes later i meet up with GW on the first hole. I would have thought we would have been elated at getting rid of the reptile, but neither of us are. Relieved for sure, but there is no whooping or jubilation. That said, it’s our most leisurely and informal round yet.

As Davenport keenly notes, you never know who will come in as a replacement. 

Nonetheless, two down and one to go. Boss is a liar, a fraud, vindictive and a bully.

Weliso

 Negash Lodge

With the school closed for the Prophet Mohammad’s birthday, Frank (Boss’ poor husband) is keen to get Ginger Warrior and myself out of Addis. And he knows a choice spot some 110kms out of the city in the nondescript town of Weliso.

It is the home of Negash Lodge, a former palace of Haile Selasie. Now converted into an upmarket lodge, it boasts extravagant rooms based on tribal themes, a good restaurant and pizzeria as well as baths, spas and a swimming pool.

spring water is pumped into the pool

one of the many interesting bungalows

 feeding time for the beautiful Colombus monkeys

Once out of the city, the sealed road passes through lush farmland and tribal agricultural communities. It is truly stunning. 

Helping Africa

Dr Gloves sends me a gift from Hong Kong – a post-grad student from HKUST who attends his sociology classes, who “wants to help Africa”. And apparently, my school fitted her remit. 

Her name is Tanya and she is prepared to pay her own way, work for free and even to bring out some school resources too. For me, it is a no-brainer, but Boss is anxious that all correct procedures are in place, which involves the school writing to the Ethiopian Consulate in Hong Kong (situated in an Industrial Estate up a back alleyway in Kowloon) requesting an acceptance of a 3 month business. Which they do, although Tanya is only out for 3 weeks. Boss seems a little less troubled as I suggest that she stay at Boss’s unregistered bed and breakfast for 200 Birr a day.

Cheekily i request for a school handbell, stickers and 100 boxes of coloured pencils to distribute around classes.

A scholarship student from the North East of China, Tanya compares my school to her own primary school, and she thinks my school is much better. She tells me of the inherent corruption in Chinese schools where Heads and Class Teachers get rich by accepting bribes from “concerned” parents, And the problem is escalating exponentially!

Tanya is as keen as mustard, and she gets stuck in.

 

The Black Lions

Ethiopia hasn't enjoyed much success in international football, but qualified for this year’s African Cup of Nations for the first time in 31 years, by beating Sudan in their final qualifying game. The country go nuts! Not least in Gerji where the party goes on well into the night.

Known as the Walya Antelopes or more commonly the Black Lions, Ethiopia’s first match is against current African Cup holders, Zambia, and my hopes are not high. Ethiopia hold their own for the first 40 minutes in a fairly open affair, before the Lions’ goal-keeper comes tearing out of his box and assaulting a Zambian striker who goes down in heap. As does the goalie – i guess hoping for some sympathy from the referee. The ref shows none and the goalie is sent off, carried on a stretcher! A first in my forty plus years of watching the Beautiful Game. Zambia score just before half time and a possible avalanche looks on the cards.

Whilst Zambia dominate the 2^nd half, the Lions look increasingly dangerous on the break, and score an equaliser with 20 minutes still to play. The city is silent and tense, but the Lions win the match one – one, and the city erupts with wails, screeches and taxi and car horns.  I;m not expecting much sleep tonight.