Work Starts Soon

So we have arrived at the end of "In Country Training" and we start our placements next week. We have also had some Tigrinya language training (it's not going to be easy you should hear the word for egg ... and there is a 200-character script to learn) but given time who knows?

Life in Asmara is going to be interesting and probably very busy - in my case there are already a number of IT tasks earmarked for me on top of the training and it looks as if I may be travelling in the rest of the country some of the time.

Asmara itself continues to amaze. The combination of a great climate - still gotta be a bit careful of the sun at this altitude and latitude - and the city itself with it's landmark buildings, bustling market and mixture of old and modern styles of dress is a winning one.

We've also seen inside our house which is a little bigger than we were led to believe so if anyone wants to come and stay ... and no - the palm trees are too far apart to sling a hammock but the tiled outside area for taking the evening sun more that makes up for this.

Watch this space for photos - we're working on it!

P

More from Asmara

Sunday 3rd February

Apologies to those of you who may have been waiting avidly for the next posting (if any). I think we've got too used to instant Internet access and emailing in the UK. It can be very intermittent here, in fact non-existent sometimes. Hopefully we can sort out something more reliable when we move into our house which we're hoping to do in a week's time. On the subject of accommodation:

The standard varies tremendously. It's obviously better in Asmara as generally the standard of living and availability is better but VSO do make sure that the volunteers working in the villages (who are the majority) have have a good basic standard of accommodation - a bedroom and either their own or shared toilet and kitchen. The toilet can be a flush or a pit latrine. Water can be on tap or delivered daily by anything from a tanker to a mule. We've just had an overnight stay in a village with a volunteer as part of the in-country training, which was was really interesting and enjoyable. Kaska is a methodology trainer and lives and works in a village about 20 k outside Asmara. She has a large bedroom and her own kitchen and toilet in a compound which she shares with a family of 7 and a shopkeeper. We learnt how to maintain and use a kerosene stone and we cooked a meal on it! The family has 5 kids who were great and their mother set up a coffee ceremony for us - the coffee beans are first roasted, then ground and the coffee made, this is repeated twice, it's considered very bad form to stop before the third cup. Strangely enough the coffee is always accompanied by popcorn. It suits me, I love popcorn. We were shown round the village to cries of "Kaska" from all the local kids. Kaska's worked their for 3 years and seems to be adored by all the people living there. Her job involves working inside and outside the classroom training local teachers in more communicative methods, although she's based in the one village she also travels out to other outlying schools. It's a basic but very rewarding style of living.

We're going to be living and working in Asmara. VSO have found us a house which is being cleaned up and painted and they will provide us with the basic necessities. All I can tell you about it is that it's got 2 palm trees in the front garden which is good to going on with. We've tried peering through the undergrowth around the front gate but can't make out much more so more later on that one.

We're just about to start the 2nd week of in-country training which seems to be more work orientated than the first week, we'll be going out to our places of work and meeting co-workers.

We've taken lots of photos but haven't yet sorted out the best way to link them into this blog or even if we can , bearing in mind how slow the upload speeds are but watch this space.

Time to try and post this. Before I do, one thing:

My personal email is @mac.com but this is proving very difficult to use. Gmail is much easier, problem is we both have are email address books on mac and can't access them. So we'd appreciate it if everyone would send us an email at carholden@gmail .com (for Phil or me) so we can build up a new address book (and also because it would be nice to hear from you as well).

C

at last

26th January Saturday

We’ve arrived and all’s well so far. Apart from the Internet. I don’t know when this will get posted as the connection is very slow at the hotel but I’ll write now while the mood is upon me and also I might feel differently in a few days.
The flight over was uneventful apart from Phil being put on a later flight for the first leg of the journey to Frankfurt and the nearly missing the Asmara connecting flight. I’d decided I’d refuse to board the plane if Phil’s flight didn’t arrive in time but luckily we were spared the experience of a showdown with Lufthanasa by P’s appearance 5 minutes before take-off. Five other volunteers were on the flight, nearly everyone else left at Jeddah so we almost had the flight to ourselves for the final hour to Asmara. Arrived at 10.30 by which time we were all in a zombie state and staggered through all the airport formalities including registering our mobile phones and changing money to pay the tax on them. We were met by a welcoming committee from the VSO office in Asmara who
Left us at our hotel with medical and induction packs and promises to return the next day.

27th January Sunday

Decided against joining the optional walk to the edge of the escarpment to see the baboons in favour of sleeping late. An afternoon walk around Asmara (partly in cloud) and an evening meal with the other in-coming volunteers and two on-going volunteers gave us a really good first experience of the place. The main street – Harnet – is just as we’ve seen in photos. It’s still hard to believe we’re really here.

28th January Monday

Up at seven for breakfast at the hotel followed by the first day of the in-country training at the VSO office. This lasts for two weeks after which we start our jobs. Four of us are based here in Asmara and the other three are going to jobs in the villages outside Asmara. Today was mainly a bits and pieces day, this morning was spent filling in forms for work permits etc etc. and then this afternoon was a getting to know Asmara tour – great fun. Lunch and dinner with other volunteers. Everyone is so friendly and welcoming, volunteers and all the staff at the programme office. We’re definitely still in the first euphoric stage of culture shock.
Language lessons start tomorrow.

8 days to go

Panic's setting in, so much to do, so little time. Just received a welcoming letter from the VSO office in Asmara telling us what to do at the airport when we arrive and giving us an optional schedule for Sunday. Suddenly everything seems real and very exciting (and frightening?). Can't wait to go now.

Just been into work (ex). it was lovely to see everyone although there were quite a few people I didn't see (Shenagh? Jane? Rupert? Tina?) Everyone please keep in touch, I will answer emails! Also please remember me to Kenny.

C

Less than 2 weeks to go

It's Sunday and the house is finally feeling emptier - still a way to go we're getting there. All we need is a tenant now ...

P

Is Panic Setting In?

Only just over two weeks and we're on a flight to Asmara. Still packing, no interest in the house but apart from that we're all set. The dilemma of what to take is helped by the 25kg limit.

We've also just done a quite intensive but very interesting 5-day VSO course "Skills for Working in Development" something my IT colleagues could argue I have always lacked! As usual the other volunteers on the course and the trainers made it a real pleasure.

P

Not long to go

It's 2008 and we've got three weeks left in the house. It's all starting to get serious now. Box packing is under way and we're off to Birmingham on Thursday for VSO courses.

C