02/01/2012
We received the keys for our new house on boxing day, almost exactly 3 months after our arrival in Haramaya. It’s a lovely spacious apartment on the top floor of a block of staff accommodation. We have two small bedrooms downstairs, one of which is mine and a big open plan mezzanine level above the sitting area which Susan is using as her room. We have double height windows beside the sitting area so the whole place is flooded with light and in the late afternoon when the sun comes in through these windows it heats up like a greenhouse. At the moment the weather is still cool enough that we’re glad of this, but we may change our mind come June! The whole place was painted sunshine yellow before we moved in and so it feels really cosy. The electricity seems pretty reliable and we have internet connection – although that is decidedly less reliable. Water comes on 1-3 times a day for about an hour each time, so in between times we store water in buckets. Unfortunately there are no hot showers, but a couple of kettles full of hot water in a bucket allows for a pretty decent bucket bath when you need one. It’s amazing how little water you actually need to keen clean!
We had a flat warming / New Years party on Saturday night. For all Ethiopians it is still 2004, and their New Year is celebrated in September, so like Christmas it’s a bit of a none event here. Still we made more mulled wine, and every brought some food, and we had music and of course dancing until about 2AM. It was great fun. Again I have been amazed at the generosity and thoughtfulness of our Ethiopian friends. Gift giving doesn’t really come into the celebrations here, but they know it’s part of our culture and so many of them brought us gifts, even though we had nothing for them or each other. Consequently I am the proud owner of a CD full of Christmas tunes, a lovely new bangle and a beautiful brightly coloured scarf. So kind and thoughtful.
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