The Ethiopia Chronicles

Well, it’s time to close this blog. Its goal was to keep you informed about this one trip, which was over this past September 10, so it will be until next time…
Thanks for visiting and reading it. It was certainly an incredible experience for me, way beyond what I could write in these short notes…
Here [...]

I’m back home in California.
I arrived today Wednesday at 4:30 PM, via Denver.
The long way home started with a flight departing Axum on Tuesday 11 AM Ethiopia time ( Tuesday 1 AM California time. The flight, on a propeller plane stopped in a few cities, including Bahir Dar, where Megha, Jain and Pranav boarded the [...]

We’ll be leaving tomorrow Saturday very early for Lalibela. I’ll be back to Addis on Tuesday, the same day of the return flight to the US.
I won’t take the laptop to the Lalibela and Axum trip, so there will be no postings here..

Today Friday we had the opportunity to visit one orphanage supported by the college we’ve been teaching at this week. Very, very emotional. We had taken a few gifts for them, including a soccer ball, with which we had the change to play with the children later. Some or the children were HIV positive, like [...]

Wednesday and Thursday were busy days teaching in Admas.
I’ve been really impressed and very moved by the college and high school students we’ve been working with. Specially today was very emotional as it was the last full day we shared with them. We met many bright, respectful and very eager to learn kids. 
I think I’ll [...]

Tuesday was a busy day, but mostly another day of unique experiences and culture immersion. 
I slept 5 hours on Tuesday, which was great. I just woke up at 3:30 AM and couldn’t go back to bed, but before that I had a good 5 hours of sleep. I used the early hours as the previous [...]

One word: slow.
I was expecting also to use Skype here for calls but iSkype is blocked as well as all other voice over IP tricks. I have to VPN to work in the US and then use an IP phone, which works, though the audio is very poor so both sides need to use their [...]

It’s Tuesday 6 AM now in Addis Ababa. I’m awake since 3:30 AM today, not so bad I guess, as I slept like 5 hours. At 5:00 I was swimming like the last 2 days… 
We had a great and rewarding day yesterday with the team in Admas College working with the students on technology classes. [...]

My first night in Addis after the 24 hour trip and on a 10 hour difference from home.. I woke up at 3:30 in the morning and couldn’t go back to sleep. Went online, read a little and at 5:30 went to the hotel swimming pool (it opens at 5). Did laps for 30 min. [...]

Already 4 of the team are in Addis: Megha, Neil, Pranav and me. Waiting for Beth and Harsh. 
I think we are all pretty tired and sleepy of the trip but in the afternoon we went to the Mercato. This is said to be the largest market in Africa and it is certainly unique. Blocks and [...]