A Busy Weekend.

It was a three day weekend due to the Muslim holiday of Eid and a very sociable one for us what with an invitation to Dawit's place for coffee on Saturday, a final farewell to John the outgoing VSO Country Director, my Sunday Tigrinya lesson, Caroline's Sunday English lesson (in different directions, of course), the arrival of a 14-year old boy on our doorstep with a new-year present and the arrival of Cliona for her last few days in Eritrea with her Hagaz (Anseba) days now behind her and South America on the horizon.

Dawit is our polio-victim friend (on whose behalf we're collecting for a motorised tricycle - we still need more money by the way!) and we went to his house on Saturday afternoon. Really we knew that we wouldn't get away with just a coffee it's not the Eritrean way but, in denial, we ate a Massawa Fast Food lunch shortly before going. Of course it wasn't long before we realised lunch was a big mistake as fresh papaya juice, injera, two types of goat stew, fried potatoes were laid before us, followed by coffee and popcorn - all delicious and we couldn't really do it justice.

So this is one of the problems (this time it's a good problem) with Eritrea - house guests are treated like royalty no matter how poor the family (a goat was probably killed on Saturday in our honour) and so feelings of guilt creep in once more. However, I was told by another Eritrean friend not to feel guilty about taking food and that in fact one must accept what has been prepared and be enthusiastic about it (this latter is not difficult).

Due to friends and family being around as well we learned a little more about Dawit's history and the total lack of funding available for any kind of help. He was unable to attend school after the age of 14 due to lack of facilities. He is, indeed, not eligible for any support from the government or any other funding body.

From the rest of the discussions it is apparent that this is going to become a full-blown Dawit-mobility project and that we will be involved in the purchase of whichever vehicle is selected. I am starting to feel that we may get out of our depth insofar as Dawit should possibly be assessed for ability to be able to handle a motorised vehicle in the first place and should definitely receive training so the whole thing could take a lot of time. Still that means more possibility to gather more contributions ... you'll be hearing more about this we're not going to let it drop!

P

We had to leave in time to meet up John at Cinema Roma (lovely old Art Deo cinema built by the Italians) for the football and then he was caught up in meetings and couldn't make it so I ended up watching a very boring game of football (Fulham and someone else) with Phil. Slept a bit too. Saw John later and he gave us a lump of Waitrose strong Cheddar cheese. Delicious, salivating at the thought of it now. He's off to work in South Africa for a few months and we, in Eritrea await the arrival of a new Country Director.

Re my Sunday English lesson - its academic writing to a young colleague of Phil's who's just starting a distance uni. course. It gives me someting to do while Phil has his Tigrigna lesson.

C