I'm having way too much fun in this city! I feel like I'm on holidays, actually. But I have also been getting quite a bit of work done, now that I have my own computer back :)
Today I went with the nieghbor (who also works with us) to the office here. It was so nice to see some more of my old friends at the office there. It's amazing that they still remember me after so many years away. It's also just so wonderful to be able to take the bus everywhere. The busses here are so "civilized" - nice, clean, orderly. Everyone has a seat, so they're not even as crowded as rush-hour busses at home! And if the traffic is moving, there's quite a nice breeze coming through the open windows, so it's not even all that hot. Today I was sitting on the bus, looking at the backs of the heads of all the passengers - seeing all the men in their white flowing gowns and little white caps and the women in their beautiful colored tobes (wrap around veils) fluttering in the breeze. It was just beautiful, and I was just enjoying myself so much. I was probably sitting there with a silly grin on my face just because I was so happy to be sitting on that bus today. Weird, I know. I often had that feeling as I walked down the street in the place where I used to live, as well. And I LOVE that feeling - just pure joy and awe of the fact that I get the privilege of being in this place at this time. I'm a little sorry that I don't get that feeling more often in J-town, where my house is! Anyways, I'm not usually filled with an inexplicable joy at being in that place, but at the same time, I'm quite satisfied living there, as I know that I'm there for a purpose for this time.
But it sure is good to be here and to have a few days of joy in being in a place!
So I went to one office this morning first, then I went with another co-worker on the bus to a different office, where I had a nice "breakfast" (at 10:30am) of beans and goat cheese. Man, it was SO good. Then I took off with Audrey to the market. We spent the next few hours wandering around the market. It was really interesting to be there and to see all the things that are available. My phone got a nice little jacket to keep the dust off, my head got a headband to keep the sweat from dripping into my eyes, the generator got a nice new hard cover notebook to keep track of his hours, and our workshop program got some beautiful paper to print certificates on. All in all, it was a very successful shopping trip!
We even had time to sit in the shade and have a little cup of tea (for Audrey) and coffee (for me) with one of the tea ladies who set up her shop in the shade of a building. This woman made the most wonderful coffee with a lot of wonderful spices in it. Wow, it was sweet and spicy and so delicious! I wanted to take her photo, because she was so beautiful sitting there all wrapped in her red and white tobe... but she was right next to a bank with a bunch of soldiers guarding it, so I didn't want to risk taking my camera out of my bag :(
I was encouraged, as well, that I could understand a lot of what was being said in the shops - maybe my Arabic isn't SO bad after all! At least I'm able to get what I want and ask questions about things, and understand some directions of where I need to go.
When we got home, I was pretty warm, so I took a shower, and was amazed at how clean I still was! I didn't even have dirt in my elbow creases after spending several hours out and about. Amazing. Yet another reason why I love this city.
This evening, Richard came and picked me up and he took me to a great Ethiopian restaurant. It was decorated in the traditional fashion, with the little tables and lots of Ethiopian relics on the walls. The waitresses were all in traditional clothes and there were Ethiopian music videos playing on the tv screen. And the food was so good! They even made the injera with tef, just like it's supposed to be. We sat there for about 3 hours, eating and drinking coffee and enjoying the smell of the incense. I can still smell it on my clothes and skin - I don't think I'll take a shower tonight since I smell so yummy :)
The restaurant was in a part of town near to where I used to live. So it was great to be on some of the familiar roads and see some of the things that I knew from before. We even passed by my dad's old office (the one near the railway station, dad!). It still looks exactly the same as before!
Oh, the internet turns off here at 10:30 (I'm staying with early birds), so I'd better post this before the internet shuts off! At least the air coolers and electricity stays on all night here!
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