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Sights, sounds and smells of Addis...

So I've arrived safely in Addis, and have spent the first day in Bingham, I'm sitting down to write this post on their not-too-shabby fibre optic internet. Nice!!
It is amazing, there is a lot that has changed in the 3 years since I've been here, but most of it seems so familiar. The sights while driving, the crazy traffic, the occasional power cuts (which happen exactly when the football is showing). The dogs at night, the mosque in the morning, the crazy bird songs. Even the smells, from the smells of the supermarket, to the Bingham compound. All of which seem an odd thing to be enjoying, and they perhaps took some getting used to when I lived here before, but I'm realising how much I've missed it all! I've been taking it all in since I arrived, as if it were a drug. Many things have changed for the better, apparently there have been less power cuts in the last number of years, the internet is a definite improvement, the roads are making progress (although there seems to be a lot more traffic on the roads now which causes major traffic jams)

The infamous ring road, with runners and laundry galore

Traffic, which seems to have got worse. Although apparently the AU summit is in town this week which may make a difference..

First meal of Injera in 3 years. I inhaled this, it was soooo good.

Dave Johnson picked me up last night at the airport and drove me back through Addis pointing out some of the things which have changed since I last left. I spent today catching up with Dave and Christy, and seeing some other old friends from Bingham, as well as checking out the familiar and also the new changes in the compound. The new High School building is really progressing, its great to see what progress has been made and to see what a great addition it will be to the compound when it is finally finished. Dave and Christy are dropping hints that it will be great whenever I come back to work here; haha, loving it :-)

Bingham Compound

The new school building work.

A couple more pictures here

Tomorrow is a normal school day, so I'm gonna make myself useful as much as I can. I'm really looking forward to catching up with some other friends across town too.

Will blog again soon; this internet is great. I could get used to that!

Niall

Posted at 19 May, 2013, 8:21pm

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