Saturday was market day in Lalibela. The market started about 10 or 11am - late, because people walk for several hours from the surrounding countryside to get there.

Went to Lalibela last weekend. It is one of the must do sights in Ethiopia. You’ll have seen it on TV no doubt, on some travel show. We had. Lots of rock hewn churches built by angels (according to legend!) some 900 years ago. I don’t want to sound un-enthusiastic, but it was hot and I got bitten to death by fleas. Had some fairly awful Ethiopian food too. Anyway, here are some photos so you can see for yourselves:

The first two are Bet Giyorgis or Saint George, unusual as it was set apart from the others. Apparently, Saint George was upset that none of the churches in Lalibela was dedicated to him so he went to see King Lalibela to complain. Lalibela then built the best church in the town for him!

When we got home, after the usual argument with taxi drivers, Mekdes had made lunch and prepared a coffee ceremony. Fabulous! The mesir wat (spicy lentil thing) is delicious and I got her to teach me how to make it this week. Of course, I have plenty of time for cooking lessons now as I told the Dean I wouldn’t go in to college until he phoned me with some work. I’m not going to pretend to work. I said to him that I thought it was a shame that they weren’t using my skills! VSO have said there is a possibility of something short-term at the Ministry of Education in Addis so I am waiting to hear. I’d rather be in Gondar but I would go to Addis if there was work.

Rainy season seems to be over and the garden is starting to look parched. Apart from the parsley, that is, which seems to have taken over.

We’ve been waiting a couple of weeks for parcels to arrive from the UK and then, as usual, they all arrived at once. Loads of goodies including some divine shortbread which we have just finished (thanks mum!). Mike has finally got started on his OU course now so we both have studying to do.

Happy New Year! It isn’t everyone who can say they have lived through two millenniums, must be why I am looking so old. There has been a mad build up to the event: up till Tuesday there were sheep everywhere, being led home on a rope, carried over shoulders or fastened onto the roof rack of line taxis. Tuesday was New Years Eve and there were big parties in Addis – maybe you saw it on the news? It was on BBC World Service, concerts, fireworks and speeches by dear Meles. Wednesday, the sheep were heard bleating in yards or seen tied to gate posts having their last suppers. This was New Years Day but Wednesday and Friday are fasting days for Orthodox Christians so the great meat eating fest was postoned to today. Today, I expect the streets will be running with blood and there will be the usual heads and horns strewn around. Mike said there were piles of fleeces at the side of the road when he went out. 400 birr for a sheep - apparently things have never been so expensive here. That’s about the monthly pay of the lowest paid teacher.

We were invited round to a neighbours yesterday – really they wanted to invite us today and don’t seem to be able to cope with the fact that we don’t eat meat. Belete keeps saying ‘But I really wish you ate meat’ and looks really sad! It was great anyway, injera and misir wat (spicy lentil dish), special New Year bread (cooked in a kind of water oven) and the usual fab coffee ceremony. We stayed for the full three rounds (it is traditional to have three brews of coffee) and watched some TV with them – lots of the partying in Addis and the fireworks.

We found out on Tuesday that the government had declared Thursday and Friday national holidays – bit last minute, didn’t they know the millennium was coming??? So we are confined to home. Fortunately, on Tuesday I got the books for my next OU course. Some of it is a bit easy – stuff I remember well, but there is also a lot of more applied maths which looks interesting. Don’t laugh. And mathcad – anyone used it? Seems quite straightforward. Got some good video stuff too about applications of maths. So it should keep me busy for a while. Thanks to my friend in the Royal Mail for getting it to me so quickly.

Last night we started watching 24. Wow, anyone seen it? I said at the start that we would only watch one episode but it was so good I’m afraid we watched the first 4. Brilliant.

Well, things are going on much as usual here. Living with giardia seems to be a permanent fixture here – I got it a few days after returning from the UK and it is proving drug resistant so far. Thought I’d try alcohol next, tho my first attempt last night failed as the Ethiopian red wine I opened last night was fizzy and ended up down the sink. What a waste of 35 birr (£2). One of the 3 shops (I can’t call them supermarkets here really because that would conjure up a vision of well-stocked shelves, a wide variety of food…) in Gondar has farenji wine I noticed so I might need to investigate how much it is. Web wisdom seems to say that giardia clears up by itself and there is some question over the prescribing of antibiotics. Yes, I am becoming quite an expert.

Enough of that. We actually did something interesting yesterday and went to visit Debre Birhan Selassie church. This is the most famous church in Gondar (the guidebook says there are 44 altogether) – hard to know how old it is but they reckon there has been a church on the site sincethe 1690’s. This one is an unusual shape (most churches are ciccular) and famous really for its paintings. The ceiling is beautiful, paintings of 80 cherubic faces as you see. Some of it has been water damaged but the roof of the building was restored recently. The walls are the traditional mud on the inside and covered with paintings depicting various saints, the life of Christ and Ethiopian historical figures.

The setting is beautiful, about a kilometre out of town, on top of a hill. There is a high stone wall surrounding the grounds full of juniper trees and others I didn’t recognise. It was a windy day went we went, cloudy and very atmospheric.

Went for lunch at Steve and Gemma’s too and had a great veg curry. Gemma is a optometrist and was telling us why we see so many blind people. Can’t remember the technical details (but I sure Mike will) but basically most cases are from an easily curable infection spread by the flies you often see round peoples eyes. Simple hygiene would prevent most cases.

I’ve finished ‘Researching Mathematics Education’ – the final part was a project. I have to say I think mine is crap but hopefully it is enough to pass. I think I peaked on assignment 4! Started my next course now, doing some hard maths and trying to really understand it.

Kibeb, the daughter of one of our neighbours, called round the other evening with her little sister Kizzy. Kibeb is studying laboratory at Gondar Uni and was one of the most open Ethiopians we’ve talked to. When I said we were going to visit the church she asked if I was Christian. Well, that started an interesting conversation – she can’t believe that we have no God or anything we believe in and are still happy! It is quite common here for people to dispute evolution and I think it is something we will talk more about.

OK, Mike has been making pancakes so I’m off for breakfast…

It’s quite disgusting how little blogging I’ve done – my only defence is that I’ve been too busy. The trip to the UK was fantastic – time in London catching up with friends, eating, shopping then up to Yorkshire to spend a fabulous week with family. So good to see everyone again. My nephews, Alfie and Harry have changed the most – it has been a whole year since I had seen them last. Alfie has done his first year at secondary school and Harry transfers this September. Great to run with Helen, wander round Harlow Carr chatting and eat at Betty’s. (If you don’t know Betty’s tearooms then you are missing a treat, albeit an expensive one!). We all went to the pub one night – yes, I do look a bit drunk don’t I?

Michael and I had two weeks in Scotland, fortunately the midges didn’t seem to realise we were there. The first week we walked – bits of the Great Glen Way and the West Highland Way, round Kerrera Island (off Oban) and up Stob Ghabhar. This last turned out to be an epic walk from the Bridge of Orchy. We set out quite late, stopping early on for a coffee. Ended up doing 18 miles and just getting back to the B of O in time for dinner at 8! The last week was the Scottish 6 Days orienteering – based in Grantown beyond Aviemore. Grantown is a beautiful town, we camped in the grounds of Castle Grant. The orienteering was fantastic – my altitude training meant I was fitter than normal. It was still exhausting tho – three days followed by a rest day then another three days! We had one last day in London which was the usual mad rush to do all the last minute things and try to pack everything away. Highlight of that day was the most fantastic spinach lasagne that Sue cooked, full of mushrooms and peppers.

It was great to catch up with Camden people too – all the old maths team, Helen, Ange and Teresa. So nice to be able to have normal conversations with people, to eat such a variety of food, drink good wine, have a seat to myself on the bus etc. Great to feel healthy and well for five weeks too and not have to worry about amoeba.

Anyway, we’ve been back just over a week now and we have both found it quite hard coming back – mainly I guess, because the trip to the UK was so good. Still, we were pleased to be able to run our normal route only three days after returning to altitude and we’ve been a couple more times since then. The Great Ethiopian Run takes place soon but it is in Addis and we can’t really afford to go. Besides, I think I would prefer to do an off-road race when I get home. I enjoyed running in Yorkshire when I was there.

I have the final project to do for my OU course in the next couple of weeks. I’ve had difficulty getting students to interview this week but hopefully it will happen next week then I will just have the stress of writing it.

Fasilidas Castle
Yohannes' library

Spent most of the weekend working on revisions for the Higher Diploma handbook. Really it needs more time but I’ve done as much as I can bear. We ran yesterday morning and it felt like hard work. Also finally did the tourist thing in Gondar – went round Fasilidas Castle. I have to say it is well worth a visit. We started off badly as we all had to pay 50 birr entrance, which is a lot for Ethiopia. Ethiopians pay 5 birr and we tried unsuccessfully to negotiate a volunteer’s rate.

The Royal Enclosure is quite extensive and a bit of a haven in the middle of town. Once you are in you don’t get hassled and the grounds are good for bird spotting or just sitting amongst the trees and the ruins. Fasilidas Palace is the oldest castle and the most impressive. Emperor Fasilidas declared Gondar the capital in 1636 and it continued it’s prominence until the 1800’s. Fasilidas son, Yohannes 1 built a library and his son, Iyassu built his own palace. A couple of other Emperors put their own building up making quite a complex. Enough history, here are some photos. If you want a place to stay while you visit you better get a move on – we will be finishing here early next year.

Iyasu's Palace

This photo is a reminder of why I am here!

Ethiopia is ranked 170 out of 177 countries on the UN Development index. Frankly, I see no sign of improvement. In a recent article in the Guardian weekly there was a focus on aid and development. It seems that the amount of money spent on aid is no indicator of progress. Several countries with huge aid budgets have actually gone backwards in recent years – Ethiopia among them. The key factor is governance. Let me give an example of how poor government affects Ethiopia.

My first placement in Ethiopia was in a teacher training college, establishing and delivering a programme of professional development for teacher educators. The college was only the second private college in the country to run such a course. All colleges, including private ones, had been told that they had to run the Higher Diploma Programme (HDP) and that the qualification would be a requirement for those training teachers. Unlike in the government colleges, where VSO volunteers and DFID funding was provided for the courses, private colleges had to pay 10,000 birr a month (about £700) for the volunteer costs and find any money for resources itself.

The course was very successful with candidates working enthusiastically to complete it. I left after eight months with the programme established and running under the leadership of two Ethiopian staff. This might not seem unusual until you hear that many government colleges are struggling to motivate their staff to do the course and finding it impossible to get Ethiopians to take over as leaders. In several cases, VSO have continued to place new volunteers as leaders, despite there being trained local staff.

I have now moved to a government college where life is very different. An example that epitomises the differences between the two is the system for photocopying. In the private college, there was a photocopying room in the administration building which was open all day and staffed by two very friendly and helpful women. There were two working photocopy machines and copying was usually done instantly. Bigger jobs would be done and delivered to my office. In the government college I dread having to photocopy. There is a photocopy room in the admin building, but it is mostly locked. On the odd occasion it is open one of two things happens. Either there is a woman there who speaks no English, the photocopier is covered with a cloth and you are sent away, or there is a man there who says the photocopier is not working. If you want more than 300 copies they will do it on the Riso, if not, well, tough. So, if you really need to photocopy (which you do otherwise you wouldn’t have embarked on this painful journey) you go up to the Dean’s secretary and beg to use the copier. Sometimes she allows you to, other times you are told to get a letter from the Vice Dean. Yes, there is another option – just outside the college there is a shop where you can pay for photocopying.

Anyway, back to the story. This year more private colleges have been investing in their staff and offering the Higher Diploma. Last week there was a workshop for Deans and HDP Moderators in Addis. The Minister for Education was due to open the meeting and I was impressed when he turned up early and spoke briefly (very un-Ethiopian). However, he then made the mistake of asking for questions and a very articulate Vice Dean from a private college asked him an awkward question. It seems that the government has decided that private colleges should not train teachers any more and that any teachers trained in private colleges will not be employed in government schools. There is, therefore, no point in private colleges running the HDP and the universities will no longer support them (currently the universities moderate the work of their local colleges). The minister seemed unable to defend his position; merely saying it was a political decision. The logic of it defies me. He seemed to be saying that there were quality issues in private colleges and although the obvious answer to me would be to develop quality assurance systems that is not what they are going to do. Instead they will contribute to further demoralisation and attrition in the teaching force. Note that this is a country where the primary enrolment rate in 2004 was 46%, with the secondary rate much lower at 25% (UNDP, 2006).

So, despite the need for more teachers and for better training, one whole sector of teacher supply has been effectively closed down. Private colleges, working for the benefit of the country, have been slapped in the face. How must individuals working or studying in those institutions feel? We often bemoan the fact that many of the most educated Ethiopians leave to make lives abroad, but with this sort of system in operation, who can blame them?

I’ve been working with an Ethiopian colleague in the private college planning training for the next national HDP conference. I was told yesterday that private colleges have not been invited. Here we have a really good Ethiopian leader basically being denied his right to contribute by his government. As a volunteer, I have effectively spent most of a year establishing something that the system has now torn apart.

All this makes me feel like packing up and going home. What difference can I make in a system like this?

I have to remember that I am not working for the government but for the people - (sounds trite but it is true), after all, it is often those countries most lacking in terms of government where the people are the most in need of help. Any institutional change is hard won and could be undone by higher powers; what you have to hope for is that you help bring change at an individual level and that those individuals will one day be a strong enough force to make a difference here.

Anyhow, enough of that. We have just over two weeks till we come back to the UK for a break and boy, are we ready for it! Things at college have picked up slightly – work is continuing to establish some sort of line management system in the college. I was not surprised to hear though, that the Regional Education Bureau lays down the management structure of the college and the Dean is unable to change it. We will have to be quite creative I think! I am tackling the issue of time management and have been asked to do some training on how to use a diary. Haha.

I’ve been reprimanded for too much medical info in my blog but I gather Michael has been keeping interested parties informed about my amoebas! I have a season ticket at the clinic now.

Back from Addis, laden with apples, leeks, green beans, cheese and tofu! Had a good few days, working at the Ministry and catching up with people. Great to be part of a professional community – it is so isolated here in Gondar.

Booked flights while I was there, returning to the UK for four weeks in July. I’m going to do the Scottish 6 days orienteering - can’t wait! We will try and change the flights so that we can stop off in Egypt and see the pyramids – since we will be passing by anyway.

Today is a holiday here to celebrate the downfall of the Derg. Still, we are in training now (ha!) so the alarm went off at 4.45 am. Michael’s first words to me were “good morning” followed rapidly by “come on else I’ll go without you”. Sometimes I hate him. He’s been running twice whilst I’ve been in Addis and he is completely unbearable if he goes running and I don’t – he gloats all day! Anyway, as usual, as soon as I am out I love it.