Back in London, all quite unreal. Train into London was filled with obese people, women showing off far too much flesh, people yapping on their mobiles...Strange when we landed, not sure that I wanted to be here at all. The mad consumer culture all seems so obscene.

Not much blogging lately. Phone been out of order – we hadn’t paid the bill so they cut us off. Nothing unusual there except that we hadn’t been told the bill was due. No phone means a trip to the internet café which is so slow….

How exciting – tonight we are going out for an Indian meal! It has been about 5 months since the last one so I am really looking forward to it. The only other ferenji working at college is Indian and has invited us round for dinner. It will be so nice to have something different. Mind you, we have been spoilt this week – I found tinned hommus in one of the shops and WHOLEWHEAT breadsticks. We are brave enough now to have salad – after much cleansing of veg so our diet has expanded. Michael did say that he felt malnourished today though and I think he looks it! He has an extensive list of what he wants to eat when he gets home – I don’t think I am quite so bothered, as long as I can get chocolate.

I’ve been really enjoying life here lately and feel a little reluctant to leave. It is good timing though because there will be nothing going on at college for the next few weeks. Getting to know people better helps. Last weekend we went to college graduation, nearly 200 students graduated and went off to start their lives as second cycle (upper primary/lower secondary) teachers. The ceremony was held in the cinema in town and went on all morning. Well, actually it started two hours late – waiting for the president of SNNPR to arrive. The event was much the same as at home except that they had the local children’s circus/acrobatic act on first. They were amazing. An odd part of the act involved a guy walking a tight rope and removing his trousers half way across! After the ceremony college provided lunch at Pinna for the staff and invited guests. In the evening they put on another meal for all the staff – teachers, admin workers, gardeners, cleaners, guards etc. Lots of beer. Probably too much. We were the last to leave and they insisted on driving us home in the college bus! It was great to socialise a bit with some of the staff though. On Monday I attended a moderation workshop with a couple of the tutors with my group – the workshop was uninspiring but it was good to get time with the tutors and get to know them a bit better. I think they will be really good at leading the course next year.

Another bit of excitement this week when I got locked in the toilet at college. Don’t laugh – it was quite stressful. Thank god we have clean loos – you would be dead in minutes if you got stuck in some of the facilities here! Anyway it seemed like I was in there for hours though I’m sure it was no more than 10 minutes. Verging on panic and no-one seemed to hear me. Very solidly built cubicles with solid metal doors, very cell like. Eventually I figured I would have to get myself out – so I did a bit of climbing and got out through a high window into the next cubicle! Good exercise.

The weather has cooled down a bit and we get a bit more rain than before – I’ve had to put a fleece on a couple of times lately. And socks. It has been much hotter in the UK than here, seems weird. We fly back for a visit in 10 days.