Final goodbyes to loved ones had been said via phone and text during dinner before we left on this six-week adventure into the great unknown. We were both a little nervous; full of great expectation, yet also apprehension. This was a fantastic opportunity to travel to a fascinating and historical sub-Saharan country; a country described as
being truly African due to its lack of foreign occupation. Yet it was also something very much outside the 'comfort-zone'. Shopping for items such as sterile needle kits and debating whether or not to take HIV PEPs brought home the fact that there was an element of risk involved in such a trip. There is also the fact there is a school of a
hundred or so street children in Mekele waiting for us with expectation, not to mention the six sisters we would be living with and working alongside. What would they be hoping we could bring to project? I know I can teach RE in a classroom in Chelmsford with my interactive whiteboard and my DVDs and textbooks and the photocopier
downstairs. Would I be able to help improve the English of these children? I hope and pray that I can. However, if all else fails, I've got a load of Southend United shirts to give them!
Hopefully that explains the nerves a little.
The seven-hour flight was enjoyable. We had dinner, non-stop drinks and breakfast on the plane. The service was excellent, if a little relentless. I was desperate for sleep but every time I dozed off I was woken up being asked if I wanted another gin and tonic. I didn't, as their measures were very large and I had already had two. Or it was
another meal, I'm pretty sure breakfast came round at about 4am. I certainly didn't want hot flannels at around 3am either.
Our arrival in Addis was relatively hassle free, I managed to get through immigration with no problem and we had not lost any baggage! We needed to repack as we had a drastically reduced allowance for the connecting flight to Mekele later in the day – a new holdall priced at 50Birr (£2.80) did the trick. Tommy and I were taken to the CAFOD/Trocaire office in Addis were we met all the staff there who were fantastically friendly and helpful. We had a freshen up, coffee
(very strong) and a chance to check email.
Addis was not as modern and westernised as I thought it may have been. There was so much to take in as we were driven through the city but it struck me the number of people making a living by selling things along all the pavements and roadsides. It must be a nightmare walking along there – especially as a clear foreigner like me! We will have to
investigate the city further at the end of the summer when we will hopefully have two or three days there in a hotel.
We returned to the airport and visited the 'other', older terminal that caters for domestic flights. As the early morning Mekele flight had been cancelled, our plane had been upgraded to a much larger and comfortable model, which was a relief! We travelled with two CAFOD staff who were visiting Tigray which made everything easier and smoother – especially getting all our luggage on the plane without paying excess.
We were picked up from Mekele airport and transported to the Daughters of Charity compound in the town. The amount that the horns are used in the vehicles out here is truly unbelievable, it seems they need to be
hooted at every possible occasion – especially when overtaking! The town felt friendlier and more intimate than Addis. It is looking fairly 'green' at the moment as we are in the rainy season and it has rained most days for the last few weeks. As soon as you come off the main roads, you're glad you are in a 4X4 as they are little more than
unmade tracks. I managed to clock certain key shops on the way to the compound including the bank and internet café. Apparently it is a very safe place and I won't get hassle from the locals and crime is very low apart from the odd pickpocket if you are not careful!
There is only a small Catholic population, even though I was today told that 40% of the children in Mekele attend Catholic schools. This shows the influence and importance of people such as the Daughters of
Charity in the area and just how amazing work that they do is. Sister Medhin greeted us on arrival before we had lunch together and we heard of the many things that they do in the region. Tomorrow is a day of
rest, but I can't wait to get to the street children project on Saturday to meet the children and starting getting a real taste for the work that goes on here.
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