out of town for the weekend

Back in work this Monday morning after a weekend in Segenetti visiting Sami and Helen. Set off earlyish on Saturday although as we’d been told that the Segenetti busses ran quite well it wasn’t a 5 am start as it can be for other destinations. As foreigners and teachers we were queue jumped onto a bus. In their early days volunteers tens to resist this and do the “ no, no, just treat me like everyone else” thing. That soon passes. Bus stations here are hot crowded dusty places, the least time spent there the better. Busses don’t leave until they are full and full means full – huge bags, chickens, goats as well as people. We were lucky, we got 2 seats together next to a window that opened and the journey was only 2 hours.
It was lovely to see where Sami and Helen lived – Sami was one of the vols who came over in our group in Jan 2008 and has since married Helen. They are hoping, bureaucracy and visas permitting, to go to the UK this summer. We did the obligatory walk to the big (gigantic actually) tree that figures on the 5 Nakfa note, our entourage growing as we walked. By the time we arrived at the tree it consisted of 5 school kids, assorted adults and a cow. It was good to see the tree but as usual on these occasions it’s the getting there rather the arrival that’s most memorable.
Thank you Sami and Helen for a good weekend (great food and coffee Helen.)

As usual we’re in time warp here. Easter is next weekend. Not an Easter egg in sight though. In fact not many eggs about. A lot of people fast during Lent – nothing at all in daylight hours and then only a vegetarian diet so no eggs.

C