5th August 2008 - Part 1

Another productive day! After being woken up at 3am this morning (Tuesday) by the biggest and noisiest thunderstorm I have ever experienced, I had a bit of trouble getting out of bed at 8am (how things change, huh?!) but by 9.30am Hanna and I were on our way to Shiro Meda.

Shiro Meda is a district of Addis where around 16 of the children from the orphanage live in a house kindly donated by an Ethiopian family living in the US. They are my favourite children (am I allowed to have favourites?!) and I love going to visit them. I took the balloons and pumps left over from the fundraising 'Balloon Race' we ran in July, some sparkly hairbands for the girls (these girls LOVE anything with glitter on!) and some Haribo left over, I think, from my cousin's wedding. Feel a tiny bit guilty bringing E numbers to Ethiopia, but not too much!

I even love travelling to Shiro Meda, and the walk through the muddy lanes – everyone is normally so friendly and I don't get anyone shouting 'You, You, You!' or 'Faranji' at me! Instead, I can smell the cooking from the houses and see the women walking along wrapped in their Nutellas (a kind of wrap that is normally wrapped over the head and round the shoulders). I always want to take pictures, but it feels disrespectful, somehow. Anyway, I always enjoy the long bus or taxi ride and then the short walk.

And when we open the gates to the compound, 16 small children come hurtling out of the house and throw themselves at me and Hanna! They always remember me, which always surprises me, and generally the smaller ones attach themselves to one of my available body parts, and there they stay until I leave!

Today, Hanna had been told by one of the men who comes in to teach them English during the holidays (it's school holidays in Ethiopia as well as the UK) that two of the boys were fighting a lot and wouldn't listen to anyone. They respect and love Hanna very much, so a short talk from her (of the 'I'm so disappointed in you' variety) was enough to make the boys apologise and sort out their fight.

Of course, I think the effect of the talk may have been spoiled slightly by my attack of the giggles half way through. I couldn't understand what Hanna was saying (apart from 'eshe' which means 'okay?' and which, be warned, I will be saying constantly when I get back to England!) but the tone of the talk was very evident, and there was no reason at all for me to laugh. Except that behind Hanna there was a regular parade of chickens that had come in the open back door and were making their way into the younger girl's bedroom - to have a quick peck around, I presume, and get comfy on the beds. These chickens looked so business like (if you can say that of a chicken!) and so focussed, and paid so little attention to the people around them, that it just made me giggle. And once I'd started giggling, the children's bemused faces made me laugh even more! Eventually the chickens were removed, and I put my 'serious face' back on …

We did have to leave Shiro Meda and lunch time, but I shall definitely be back. I plan to spend a couple of nights there some time in September, too. Spending time with those kids is one of the best ways I know to cheer me up, and they seem to appreciate my hugs, too!

Ps. On a completely random note, one of the advantages of being far away from anyone who has any real concept of English pop music (apart from hip hop and rap, which is very popular here!) is that I can listen to the most awful, cheesiest music in the world and nobody bats an eyelid! It's fabulous! Spice Girls album, anyone …?! :o)