26th February, 2009

I appear to be suffering from some kind of ‘culture shock’ (a phrase which I hate) that has caused in me a pathological hatred of all things Ethiopian. This is stupid, obviously, and I’m sure it will pass, but it has caused my recent blogs to be a little bit harsh.

Despite feeling a lot of frustration - and sometimes needing a good cry - I’m not depressed, and I’m lucky because no matter how hopeless I’m feeling, working with the children makes me feel much better!

The Water Project is going well, with the children getting more and more confident. My friend, A., also visited Lalibela and stayed for a week, running dance workshops for each class (with me, A. and the teachers joining in!). We based the lesson on The Lion King, so we learnt about all the different kinds of animals in Africa (and the English words for them!) before moving on to talking about the different movements those animals make, and eventually making it into a dance. It was fantastic fun, but the most exciting thing for me was that every single child got involved – even the shyest girls who were, the week before, hiding their face with their arms every time anyone spoke to them, threw themselves into being crocodiles and elephants!



It was also the most exhausting 4 hours I have spent for a while! Although I have done a few mountain hikes since I’ve been here, and walking up the steps to my house is knackering, I tend to go everywhere by car and so I don’t get the amount of exercise I used to in Addis. I do have my yoga mat with me but, well, it’s still in the suitcase it arrived in Lalibela in, which tells you how much yoga I’ve done since I’ve been here!

So spending 4 hours dancing to ‘I Just Can’t Wait to be King’ with groups of excited children knocked us all out. We’d brought water with us – an essential thing in the desert-like surroundings of the school – but it wasn’t nearly enough and by the time the car pulled into the town, A and I were nearly climbing out of the windows in our desperation to get water. However, after a fresh mango juice and a couple of gallons of mineral water we were rehydrated.

The children all fell in love with A – as did most of the project staff, to be honest! – and it’s always good for them to meet other faranjis and see them as nothing to be scared of. All of the sessions we do with the students will be turned into proper lesson plans, resources and schemes of work, so that the teacher can use them when they want and the input is sustainable. I will also run the workshops in Addis, at the orphanage.

I do love people coming to visit – 1, because generally they bring me chocolate and English newspapers, and 2, because I get to show them one of the most beautiful places in the world, but it is great for both the school and the orphanage when people can come and work with the children. You don’t have to be a teacher to spend time playing football or doing art work with them, and it is such a valuable experience for them.

I’m looking for people to run summer schools in Lalibela (and at the orphanage) – let me know if you can get yourself to Ethiopia!