My last two days at SELAM were colorful and filled with a lot of work. In between, there were meetings with college management Ato Girmay and Ato Bogale. And the plasma cutting machine in the metal workshop was waiting for me to find the error. First, I had to loosen what felt like 72 screws to get the machine open. Then I figured things out and checked all the fuses and connections. I tried two different hose packages, and when I was stuck, I thought I'd start with the parts that didn't look new anymore. So I cleaned the electrodes, and lo and behold, the machine is running again 🤭

But then it was already closing time, and with a little delay, I treated myself to a beer in the village. Back at the guesthouse, I packed my bags since I would leave SELAM on Tuesday after lunch.

On Tuesday, I swapped my work clothes for regular jeans. Today was all about the conclusion; I had a long conversation with the head of the Electrical college, Dereje Duefera, and said goodbye to the instructors appropriately with Swiss chocolate.

For my farewell lunch, the instructors and the vice dean Ato Girmay, and my colleague Tobias joined me. Sara, the good soul of the two guesthouses, had prepared a sensational buffet with injera, doro wot, alicha, and much more. The obligatory conclusion with bunna was a dignified end to my working time here at SELAM.

In the afternoon, I returned to the family in the Gulele district, where I used the remaining time before my return journey for shopping; a few pieces of jewelry, honey, and other delicacies still needed to be bought. For lunch, I tried a specialty, kurt speciale, which is the raw meat eaten with a spicy sauce.

On Friday morning, I landed in Zurich on time and was able to accomplish a lot throughout the day after a shower, fresh clothes, and a short nap; the suitcases are unpacked, laundry washed, and the empty suitcases already stored back in the attic. (There are still a few things lying around here and there, but only because they are very special items that deserve a special storage place... 😂)

I got to visit Christoph Zinsstag from SELAM at the Schwertstrasse stand and already had a brief recap with him. The short trip to the Siblinger Randen then definitely brought me back to Schaffhausen in my mind.

It feels good to be back home

Outlook: now I enjoy two weeks of vacation and then in January, I continue with an internship week at CERTUM Elektrokontrollen.

I will get in touch again and wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

I took the weekend rather leisurely with a small shopping bag, a walk through the Gulele neighborhood, and on Sunday visiting the English St. Matthew's Church followed by a nice lunch with friends at Meskott's near 4kilo. In the early evening, Dan and I went back to SELAM for my last two workdays.

Upon arriving at the house on Friday evening, I noticed that the neighborhood is increasingly being destroyed; even the houses 50 meters away are affected. The small kiosk at the street corner can remain until Monday, after which it will also be leveled to the ground. The residents have known about this for two weeks, and hasty efforts are being made to move the last pieces of furniture while important parts like doors and windows are being dismantled for further reuse. 

On Saturday morning, I visited the Pasta Festival, where many Italian restaurants from Addis showcase their products. Imported Panettone costs around 30 francs, and half a kilo of Parmesan also costs about 30 francs. The offered dishes could be bought in small portions for about 6 francs; some were good, while others were better. I enjoyed a cold beer in the heat. In the afternoon, there was a total power outage—not just in the neighborhood, but all of Ethiopia was dark, and the light only returned late at night, celebrated with loud cheering. 

I packed my things for my trip and assignment in Hawassa. 

In the days following my assignment in Hawassa, I completed various small projects, while others are still pending or in progress. Everything takes a bit longer here, but the result at the end impresses everyone.

With two students, I managed to renovate the lighting around the guesthouse. The pipes were neatly laid with straps and now look quite good.

The workshop manager Woinshet organized both Lista drawer stocks perfectly and sorted out defective materials in my absence. On Thursday morning, she proudly presented her work to me. I am extremely proud that she carried out this task on her own. On Friday, we focused on a few small optimizations, concentrating materials that belong together simply or logically. On Friday afternoon, I then set off for the weekend.

On Tuesday, I wanted to see the hippos, so I searched for a boatman to take me to the hippos. The ride lasted about 30 minutes until we spotted a group of 14 hippos; we lingered there for a moment, about 10 meters apart, and then slowly made our way back along the shore. It was very exciting, especially the moment when we disturbed a mature hippo cow while it was feeding, and it submerged only to resurface a few meters next to the boat. The many birds along the shoreline were also fascinating.

Back on solid ground, I returned to the Selam, where I enjoyed a wonderful meal at the restaurant. A short chat with the metal worker who operates on the JENNY metal press brought back memories of the OttMetall company, whose new building I had accompanied in 2002.

Before long, it was time to say goodbye to Hawassa. I will definitely come back here again.

On Monday morning, the day began with an Ivo altine on the balcony, followed by a traditional Ethiopian breakfast of scrambled eggs seasoned with chili, tomatoes, garlic, and onions. I was picked up, and after a tour of the area and a welcome tea in the management office, I started repairing the sheet metal cutting machine. After Peter Ruff restored the mechanical function one month ago, it was now the electrical part that needed attention. The control system was causing short circuits, and the machine had been unusable for two years.

After a thorough study of the schematics and existing wiring, which was already giving me a headache, I soon compared a few wires with the diagram. I discovered several discrepancies from the schematics and even found errors in the existing diagram. I received help via WhatsApp from absolute machine and electronics experts, so I quickly altered the entire wiring and installed a new rectifier. It would have been a simple task with AMP flat connectors, but I didn't have any, so I had to somehow create a conductive connection between the wires and the rectifier using a primitive soldering iron🕯️.

 Once that was done, I wired a light bulb 💡 in series as a resistor for the motor brake. A quick brave reach for the machine switch, and the machine ran and cut sheet metal as if it had never been idle.

Afterwards, I returned to the hotel dirty and tired.

On Sunday morning at 6, I had to leave for the airport. After a security check, you enter the airport building and go to CHECK-IN.

A short time later, after the second security check, I was already sitting on the plane. The Boeing 737 Max8 became notorious due to two crashes in quick succession, which led to the grounding of the entire Boeing 737 Max8 fleet. In the meantime, these planes have become safe, and the flight was pleasant. After landing at Hawassa Airport, I took a drive into the city. The director of SELAM Hawassa then invited me to his home for lunch, a truly festive meal with Injera, Doro Wot, Gommen, Alicha, fresh cheese, and a variety of delicious Wot (sauces). Afterwards, I returned to the hotel, and with a detour to the lake, I rounded off my first day in Hawassa.

In the meantime, a lot has happened, but let's take it step by step. The lighting behind the Guesthouse was replaced, and further efforts were made to optimize storage in the workshop. After successfully arguing with the 5S/5A principles, the instructor took the initiative and neatly organized the light switches. We then continued with the drawer stock, and we discarded a lot of defective materials or repaired what was possible. Additionally, another storage solution for hammers and the like is in progress. On Wednesday evening, we had a special birthday menu, consisting of a Kazakh chicken casserole, and optionally a bit of fondue. We enjoyed a fine Ethiopian red wine from Zeway with it.

I reserved Friday morning to go to the city with a driver to get some spare parts. I didn't find the spare parts, but I did find an ideal trash bin to equip the disposal station. In short, I bought the bin and introduced it to the person in charge immediately upon my return to Selam.

My NIV measuring device is also with me now; I could pick it up on Friday morning at 'Services along the Nile'.

On Friday afternoon, there was a festive meal, Doro Wot, chicken cooked in tomato sauce, with eggs (Ungulal), and Alicha, a potato-carrot curry vegetable, and of course Injera and lentils, as well as Shiro, a spicy cooked pea paste. Unfortunately, a volunteer is leaving us on Friday evening and returning to Switzerland. I wish him a safe journey back.

For me, after lunch, it was time to wrap up, do some paperwork, and tidy up, then it was off to the weekend.

On Monday, I started with further improvements according to the 5A principles. This requires many discussions with the directly involved instructors as well as the college administration. I present my ideas and suggestions and provide an example of how it could be implemented. My ideas are taken up and addressed promptly. Initial implementations, such as in waste management, have been carried out; the labels have been created, and only the containers are missing. Other ideas are also being examined, such as dust-free storage of sensitive electronic boards in a separate cabinet.

I was missing a small table in the guesthouse, so I asked in the furniture workshop for a small table and inherited an old one. After treatment in the painting workshop, it now shines in front of the guesthouse.

Living together with 3 volunteers from Switzerland 🇨🇭 is also inspiring. During our shared lunches and dinners, personal experiences are exchanged, including stories about a stolen mobile phone that could still be traced nearby, as well as a credit card that was confiscated by an ATM.

In my next report, I will inform you about further repairs to lighting and woodworking machines.

The nightly howling of hyenas around the guesthouse often draws me outside to capture a few snapshots of the pack.

I wish you a not too stressful Advent week, and do it like the Habesha:

'cheger yellam': no problem, all good, works... 😂

The weekend started on Saturday morning with a simple breakfast of bread, honey, and Ovi. The white honey from northern Ethiopia is an absolute delicacy. After lunch near Sanford School, I strolled a little through Addis to Adwa Square. There, at Fresh Corner, I bought vegetables🍅🥬, chicken🐔, and other important things 🍫🍷 and then took a taxi home. On Sunday, I slept in, did a bit of research for spare parts, answered a few emails 💻🖱️, and bought groceries for the coming week. In the evening, I had a delicious Kitfo with Gotcho at a restaurant. Kitfo is raw Zebu beef 🐂, finely minced and interestingly spiced; it reminds me of the taste of Schabziger. Served with fried Gotcho, which is plant juice obtained from the false banana plant (Ensete), wrapped in banana leaves, buried, and then dug up after fermentation. You can only find this here... It's a must... And I actually really like it. The consistency is a mix of chewy omelette, shoe sole, and foam rubber 😂

On Monday morning, I took an overview of the available lab materials. Surprisingly, there is extremely good material that is perfect for training. Unfortunately, there is also a lot of defective material that should actually be sorted out. Initial discussions with the responsible people and planning of the next steps, always according to KAIZEN and the 5S / 5A principles. Interacting with the locals is an interesting challenge; simple solutions must be sought to bring about improvements, but this only works if the Habesha accepts them. I am overqualified to sort out the defective material; I just point it out. However, I will be active and organize a cable board to sort the lab cables. Further improvements, especially in the storage and preservation of sensitive materials, are also being pursued. These tasks will occupy me all week, alongside classroom visits and many discussions with the instructors.

On Monday, I had an initial contact regarding the water pump, which needs to be newly procured and optimized. The borehole is about 127 m deep, and I am gaining new insights into geology, water extraction, and pump technology. Conversations and emails with specialists will also keep me busy on Tuesday. The pump technology, how much and where can be pumped, depends mainly on the performance of the aquifer, the condition of the borehole, and, of course, the depth. Discovering these figures and weighing them is an interesting occupation. I am now waiting for the requested quotes.

The condition and availability of tools🛠️ is, of course, always a challenge and burdens Swiss 🕰️ work planning 🤣🤣🤣

It is already Thursday, and I am waiting for my ordered materials; in the meantime, I have time to write a blog post. I could write so much about pump technology, water extraction 🚿, tools, measuring devices, lab materials, teaching didactics, methodological competencies, and other side issues, but somehow I will refrain from that in the above article and almost feel guilty for boring you with too much text.

Until my next blog post, I wish you good luck with your work.

On Sunday, I was walking through Addis Ababa, around the River Project, where green spaces are being created along the streams as a recreational area for residents and to positively influence the climate. Huge amounts of earth are being moved, new roads are being built, but many houses also have to be demolished for this. The city is reinventing itself.

Yes, I'm doing well... 

On Thursday morning, November 21, 2024, classes begin at 08:30 with Level 2 students. First, we will review the previous lesson and go over some calculations for household appliances; then comes the practical part where a clothes dryer will be completely disassembled, faults will be looked for, found, and reassembled. Repairs are very important here in Ethiopia because a defective device cannot simply be thrown away and replaced with a new one. The students are eager and interested in the work. On Friday morning, the installation of a satellite reception system and drawing installation plans are on the agenda. In the meantime, I’m taking care of new measuring devices and trying to get them operational and tested. I am preparing a lesson to teach the instructors how to use these measuring devices as well as a preliminary examination adapted to Ethiopian conditions.

I was very pleased to meet again the delegation that visited me at the BBZ; Bokale had already called out to me from 50 meters away, so it feels like coming home. 

Friday evening is approaching quickly; I leave the college heading towards the city center. 

By the way: the cook for the Swiss (3 national service members and me) cooks absolutely excellently, a real plus point. Also, the shower in my house works, and there is hot water. All the basic requirements for my deployment here are met. 

For more information, as always, visit www.selam.ch

On Tuesday morning I landed in Addis, the passport and visa control went smoothly, and luckily the customs control as well. I was picked up by friends, followed by a short walk through the neighborhood and then a delicious Ethiopian breakfast. After that, I needed to recover from the travel strains and took a little break. Then came emails and phone calls; there was still a lot to organize. On Wednesday, I drove across Addis Ababa to SELAM (www.selam.ch), where I settled into my accommodation and had a quick hello with the volunteers from Switzerland 🇨🇭. Afterwards, there was a welcome tour and initial discussions with the responsible people. Now I am hungry and waiting for dinner. 

Tuesday evening it started: Six of us met at Frankfurt Airport to embark towards Tanzania. 4 people from Rüsselsheim (partly residing in Bischofsheim), one from Haiger, and one from Essen-Kettwig. What unites them is the contact or support of their community/church regarding the couple Weiß and various missionary projects in southern Tanzania.

After smoothly going through baggage drop, security check, and enduring waiting time, the plane took off around 10 pm towards Addis Ababa, where we arrived early in the morning. It was actually rainy there. During the waiting time, you could try Ethiopian coffee, freshly made, almost espresso-like.

And then came the two-hour flight to Dar es Salaam. During the day, you could see the landscape from the plane, towards the end some islands and coastal strips with wonderfully turquoise sea.

Two weeks ago, Barbara, Nathaly, and I set off towards Bahir Dar. Along the way, we encountered many animals and saw beautiful landscapes. The road led to Debre Libanos, where we saw Hamadryas baboons and had lunch. Then we continued through the 1000-meter deep Nile Gorge. The bridge divides the two regions of Oromo and Amhara, and from now on, we are in Amhara... We spent the first night in Debre Markos, a town between Addis Ababa and Bahir Dar.

The second day led through beautiful green scenery, and before lunch, we stopped at the Fang Waterfall near Tilili. For lunch, we had delicious Shiro Tagabino and Gomen in the small village of Kossa right by the road. Then a short detour to the beautiful Zengena Lake, where, contrary to the norm, a man prepared coffee for us. On the shore of Lake Zengena, I saw fascinating Colobus monkeys. On the way back, an old man signaled me to take a photo of him (and the stone he was carrying). We then drove quickly to Bahir Dar, where we checked into our hotel room.

The next morning, we had Chechebsa with honey for breakfast. Then we went to the harbor, where a motorboat was already waiting for us. We spent about 5 hours on Lake Tana, visiting the Zege Peninsula and the Entons Eyasus Church (on a small island). We saw pelicans, many other water birds, vervet monkeys, and hippos. In the afternoon, we drove to Tis Abay to see the impressive Blue Nile Falls. We stayed overnight at the cozy Blue Nile Camping, where we were the only guests...

The next day, we first took a cold shower at a freshwater spring next to the Nile Falls. Then we had scrambled eggs, bread, and coffee for breakfast. After packing up the tent, we walked for about 1 hour, in high temperatures and sunshine, over a beautiful old Portuguese bridge back to Tis Abay.

Before the start of my last week, a coffee ceremony was celebrated at Addis Guzo (Virgin Mary's birthday). For coffee, there was Annebabero - 'Injera Pizza', Hambesha - traditional bread, and cooked chickpeas and barley as a snack. On Saturday, it was the holiday, usually, family, neighbors, and friends gather in gardens and celebrate outdoors. This year, it was adapted according to each family's safety measures. It is a favorite holiday for many Ethiopians because it is celebrated outdoors with the whole family and because it celebrates something beautiful.

On Sunday, Dinkenish - a stray dog ​​that lives in front of the Addis Guzo Compound and is the mother of guard dog Marley, underwent surgery. She had a uterine infection (no surprise after multiple pregnancies). The uterus had to be removed. The surgery was done in the physiotherapy room, which is currently not in use. It was the first time I saw an animal operation, exciting and very disgusting... The dog is fine now and will never be able to become a mother, which would probably have killed her.

My last week at Addis Guzo was great. I did many different tasks like pimping wheelchairs, building wooden frames, organizing storage, etc. I also did a photo shoot, portraits of all the staff members and some team photos. I took one portrait with and one without a mask (beautiful reusable fabric masks made by the Addis Guzo Tailor Crew).

For my farewell, there was a coffee ceremony with cake. It was a touching goodbye, and I had to promise to come back someday. I will definitely say goodbye in about 3 weeks before I (hopefully) fly away. Currently, flights are still outrageously expensive...

I added a corrugated iron shack to the pictures. There are thousands of them here in Addis. Whether you believe it or not - it's a house. I have already gotten used to such images. Sometimes I drive through the streets and everything is completely normal for me. Then I think back to my first days in Addis, I was amazed at eucalyptus scaffolding on high-rise buildings, which I no longer notice. Naked people on the street and various precarious living conditions. All of that and much more has become a habit for me now. I wonder how the return to Switzerland will be for me...

I have been working again for 3 weeks. We have made many home visits. This way, I have gotten to know the city better and seen very different and extremely exciting life situations. We brought diapers, wipes, soap, and detergent. In addition, each child received an individually tailored home program. Most of the families of the children from the daycare live in 'apartments' provided by the government. The rental prices in Addis are high. Often, you live together with other families in a compound, and a family usually has one room. The toilet, kitchen, water supply, etc. are shared. Often, Muslims and Christians live together in a compound. There are many, partly huge, condominiums in Addis. In certain neighborhoods, these large high-rise settlements have been built from scratch, creating new neighborhoods. They are a kind of 'better slums'. Part of the government-provided apartments is also rented out to make a profit - unfair and at the expense of the poorest. I was told that a large part of the wages of most people in Addis goes directly into the hands of the landlords, instead of from hand to mouth. The vast majority of apartments and driveways are not wheelchair accessible. That means the parents often have to carry the children.

Otherwise, there are various tasks at Addis Guzo. For example, crafting articulated arms for the children's wheelchairs in the daycare. These can hold objects, help with communication, or be used in therapy. The storage room is also tidied up, sorted, organized, etc. In addition, there are various useful administrative tasks, and sometimes I get to help in the kitchen :)

Last weekend was extended due to holidays. I went to Lake Langa with Barbara, Tsige, Hailu, Nathaly, Malaika, Eldana, and four dogs. It was very exciting to discover the natural beauty of this area. I saw countless birds, swam in the lake, slept in a tent, and breathed in fresh air without exhaust fumes. Here are some impressions from the trip:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/M2LruDhb2CBg4xjJA

Next week, my internship at Addis Guzo will be finished. If possible under the circumstances, I would like to travel around Ethiopia a bit. How, where, and if at all is still unclear...

This week we officially started working at Addis Guzo again. There are clear rules: everyone entering the compound must wash their hands first, visitors must wear a face mask. The 2m safety distance must be maintained where possible and depending on the size of the room, only 2-3 people can be together in a room. In addition, there is currently no customer contact. In physiotherapy, we have created individual home programs for the children and have provided hygiene items such as diapers, soap, toilet paper, etc. Starting today, Monday, we plan to make home visits to families and bring them the home programs, hygiene items, and possibly some helpful tips.

Over the weekend, I went on a beautiful bike tour to Mount Wechecha, located on the southwestern outskirts of Addis Ababa. Stefan, Moritz, and I drove by car for 1 hour from home to an altitude of approximately 2700m. From there, we climbed Mount Wechecha in about 3 hours, mostly pushing our bikes. That day, we were probably the main attraction for the people who live up to approximately 3200m on this mountain, which was once a volcano. The locals were always friendly, watching us curiously, and sometimes the children accompanied us for a while or exchanged a few words with us. Mount Wechecha is 3384m high, just above the tree line. Almost up to the top, there was agriculture and livestock: fields of cereals and rosemary, horses, sheep, donkeys, cows, and oxen. The animals looked much healthier than most of the animals I see in Addis. They seem to be doing well with the fresh mountain air and lush grass.

At the summit, it was about 18 degrees and windy, and of course we had chocolate at the top. The descent was exciting, diverse, and unique for me. Sometimes we went over rocks, sometimes over paths formed by the livestock and rain, which could have been intentionally made downhill paths, and sometimes through smaller eucalyptus forests. Unfortunately, the descent (and maybe my riding style) was a bit too daring, and Barbara's shifter broke after about 10 minutes of descent. We had to tie the shifter and chain to the frame with a dog poop bag and a piece of string from my backpack. That way, I was still able to enjoy the descent. Always with a view of the city. This trip exceeded my expectations and was unique!

Next weekend - May 1st is a holiday here - we will be going to Lake Langano in the south for 3 days. I'm excited and looking forward to it.

Video of bike descent: https://we.tl/t-g3aveeXXCO

I haven't written anything for a long time, not only because of my laziness, but also because the internet is often very slow at the moment. Then I can't upload any pictures. I will try it tomorrow at Addis Guzo. Anyway, since the last blog entry, believe it or not, I have taken about 400 photos!

Well, I'm fine and I'm experiencing a lot. Still. In the last few weeks, the program was often walking in beautiful places around Addis. I have seen many animals and beautiful landscapes again. While walking, I often find fine herbs like thyme, lemon balm and mint. On a walk, we even found mushrooms - most likely butter mushrooms - which we collected en masse and cooked at home. In addition, Nathaly and I finished building the dog house for Marley and repaired Nathaly's chicken coop. At the Habeshas (that's what the Ethiopians call themselves), preparations for Easter (Fasika) were underway, which is celebrated here a week later than in Switzerland. For Orthodox Christians, Fasika also marks the end of the 55-day fasting period. On Easter, chickens, sheep, goats, oxen, and cows are slaughtered. Traditionally, the animal is bought alive and then slaughtered at home, larger animals are divided... I also bought 2 hens, which were not for slaughter but for Nathaly, so that her rooster is not alone. Unfortunately, the animals were sick and died after about a week :-(

The traditional Easter dish is Doro Wot - a chicken stew cooked for about 24 hours with lots of onions, tomatoes, and chili (very spicy). It is eaten with Injera, of course. But other meat dishes such as Tips (fried meat strips) are also on the menu. Despite being a vegetarian, I had to try some of the delicious food. I am still convinced - now with certainty - by the vegetarian (mostly vegan) dishes.

For breakfast, I often enjoy a fruit: pineapple, papaya, mango, orange, banana, avocado... Mostly as juice, mixed, sometimes just like that. In the meantime, Barbara and I can prepare the Injera sourdough and cook Injera in a small pan! Now that there is plenty of time, we usually cook a delicious dinner...

Here, anyone who wants can download a video of the green guenons (Grivet Monkey) stealing bananas from the neighbors: https://we.tl/t-ouHRZeWtkf.

I enjoyed my seventh week here in Addis very much. Because of Corona, I have 'vacation'.

Freedom of movement has not been restricted so far. I slept in every day, rode my bike, spent a lot of time outside in nature, and did whatever I felt like doing: There are many smaller repair jobs to do in Barbara's garden, and I started building a dog house for Marley, the guard dog, at Addis Guzo. It is exciting in Addis Ababa, there are handwashing stations everywhere, sometimes you see people wearing face masks and gloves, and sometimes you don't notice anything about Corona at all. We have also set up a handwashing station in front of the house with water and soap...

The walks around Addis offer a lot: Many colors, exciting flora and fauna, interesting panorama, fresh air with eucalyptus scent. This week I saw hyenas from a distance, birds of various colors and sizes, monkeys, and various insects. We found a small waterfall with a pool and an old steel bridge, this place reminded me of Maggiatal. In the forest, you sometimes meet other people, often women who collect firewood.

Biking in Addis is fun, only the unhealthy exhaust air is annoying. The shops are all open, before shopping you have to wash your hands, and in some small supermarkets you order the goods from the outside without entering the shop. The tourist restaurants and parks are closed. In the neighborhoods, however, there is 'normal' life, because there people live, work, shop etc.

I'm fine, I feel safe and well informed. It is difficult for me to talk to Ethiopians about Corona. There are a lot of fake news and scaremongering in the air, rational thinking is only sporadically present. Today the first person in Ethiopia died from the Coronavirus (a 60-year-old woman), tomorrow the fear of the virus will probably be even greater...
In Ethiopia, there are many diseases (hunger, malaria, tuberculosis, yellow fever, HIV, measles, and many more) that thousands of people die from every day. I find it difficult to understand why the media is instilling such a huge fear in people because of Corona. The Ethiopian television shows the worst pictures of Corona from Europe and the USA every day in an endless loop. The government's measures are communicated like propaganda, some regions have completely isolated themselves. I find all of this very exaggerated and I am looking forward to the hustle and bustle being over.

The current Corona situation in Ethiopia: Schools in Ethiopia have been closed since March 16. Since today, state employees have been working from home. There are currently 12 confirmed cases here. Anyone entering Ethiopia must quarantine in a hotel for 14 days. Many flights have been canceled. Handwashing stations (water and soap) can be seen everywhere on the streets. I still feel safe and comfortable here and find it extremely exciting to observe what is happening on the ground. Many people here are afraid and uncertain, and they find it difficult to filter the information overload. The television and radio continuously report on Corona, and alarming images of Europe that resemble an apocalyptic film are shown. There is no more information about the locust plague, which will likely hit Ethiopia harder than Corona. At the moment, I have minimal concerns for the Ethiopian population regarding Corona: The population here is very young, 77% of the population is under 35 years old (CH: 39%, IT 34%), and only 3.5% belong to the at-risk group (CH: 19%, IT: 32%).

The physiotherapy operations at Addis Guzo have been suspended until the end of this week, as the clients with severe disabilities belong to the at-risk group. To get to the Addis Guzo compound, they sometimes have to take several public transports, which are not crowded but still quite full. The repair service with customer contact has also been suspended. It is ensured that there is always water in the tanks despite the frequent water outages. There is a daily update during the morning meeting, and last Friday there was a large meeting with all employees. For the time being, the rest of the operations will continue, and there is enough work for everyone...

Despite everything, I'm doing very well. On Sunday, I went on a trip to Suba Menagesha Forest with Nathalie, Jasmin, Hailu, Malaika, and Eldana. The forest is densely overgrown with juniper and kosso trees, as well as many shrubs, ferns, etc. At times, the forest also reminded me of a larch forest in Switzerland... It felt really good to walk in this forest with fresh air and vibrant wildlife. At one point, we saw colobus monkeys from a distance, and when we returned to the car, many curious baboons came by. We got caught in a long and heavy rain shower in Menagesha Forest. I was the best equipped of all, but I was completely soaked afterwards.

In Addis too, I often go for walks, either in Gulele Park, at the ILRI Campus where Barbara, my host, works, or at Yeka Forest, our local mountain. Currently, it rains almost every day, mostly at night. The weather can change quickly, and the rain is very strong, almost monsoon-like.

Now I've been here for a month! It's crazy how quickly time flies, a third of the internship is already over. But maybe I'll be able to stay a few more months longer thanks to Corona, who knows..? Today, the first case of Corona was also announced in Ethiopia. A shock for all the Ethiopians I know. This morning, I made a not-so-serious bet with an Ethiopian colleague for 2000 euros that by next week at the latest, the first person in Ethiopia will be identified with Corona. She and everyone else in the room were 100% convinced that this would not be the case...

Nevertheless, I still feel safe and comfortable. By now, I am more successful in my work and I know almost all the clients by name. In some cases, I feel like I am being taken too seriously as a professional. Some clients feel that the simplest exercise or the most mundane tip from me is the solution to their problems. This boosts my self-confidence, but it is not proportional. In addition to working in physiotherapy, I have been taking care of Simba, the puppy, whom Fetle, the cook of Addis Guzo, found on the street and adopted (he is now at her house).

This week, the weekly meeting on Thursday afternoon was canceled due to sewing work. We had to finish a major order from the UN. Many employees, including myself, helped to sew, repair, count, and pack the last bags. For this order, some special fabric and sewing supplies had to be procured at the Mercato, the largest market in Africa. I was allowed to go along, it was exciting! The 'Tailor-Crew' was in a huge rush, and the relief when all 600 bags were finished was enormous. There was singing and cheering. Today, the successful completion was celebrated with a coffee ceremony during lunch.

Other than that, this week I went to Sabahar one evening after work, a very interesting place. Here, fabrics made of cotton and silk are handcrafted, dyed with natural dyes, and sold. Everything is fair trade and made in Ethiopia. I enjoyed a little tour and was particularly fascinated by the quite disgusting silk worms.

Today, I went to work by bike for the first time, it was also the first time cycling in Ethiopia in general. It was good! Although the biggest challenge was not the traffic but inhaling polluted air. The ride took about 25 minutes and went straight through the hilly city center.

I have been working at the Addis Guzo Wheelchair Center for three weeks now. My colleagues are Misile, who has been working at Addis Guzo for five years, and Abel, who has just finished his training and has less experience. Working with both of them is fun and the atmosphere is great!

Every morning, the children come with a caregiver (usually their mothers) to the daycare center until noon. Depending on the day, there are about 4-6 children. Most of the children come twice a week for about 4 months, and then there is a follow-up where the physiotherapy sessions are gradually reduced. Many of the children have cerebral palsy, some have spina bifida, hydrocephalus, etc. Most of the time, there is no clear diagnosis or test results. We spontaneously decide in the morning who will treat which child. Sometimes it makes sense to treat a child together, and sometimes we take turns. And sometimes the children have different needs than physiotherapy, such as eating/drinking or changing diapers. Many toddlers between the ages of 1.5 and 7 come here. The goal of physiotherapy is to treat the children in a way that is as close as possible to 'normal development' and to instruct the parents. For example, regarding feeding or home treatment by family members. If suitable, assistive devices are provided. Passive standing in a standing table is also an integral part of therapy for most children. The most important thing is that the children have fun. There is a play and adventure garden with a swing, a small hammock, various seating options and wheelchairs, and many toys.

In addition to Mebrat, who knows all the children well, cleans the rooms, cooks, and helps where necessary, we also receive support in the daycare center from Kirsten. Kirsten is an American special education teacher who comes by irregularly twice a week. Her focus is on the communication of the children, and she works with adaptive learning and feedback, among other things. She brings various exciting and innovative gadgets or has them made by the Addis Guzo technician. Hewan, a 'social worker' (psychosocial counseling), is also sometimes in the daycare center. She knows all the children and families and provides important support.

In the afternoons, adult clients come. They also have various medical conditions. About half of the adults are elderly people who have had a stroke or musculoskeletal problems. Here, the goal is to learn specific activities, to train physical fitness, and to maintain mobility.

This week, I was able to accompany a half-day visit to two other centers. One was a 'Center for Mentally Challenged Children'. This center, in addition to physiotherapy, which works similarly to early intervention at Addis Guzo and has a similar clientele, consisted mainly of a large school for children with Down syndrome and other intellectual disabilities. The school impressed me, everything seemed to be working great, the children were happy, and the teaching was very practical. In addition to different teaching models, there was a garden, a group washing dishes, a knitting group, etc.

Afterwards, we went to the Joy Center for Autism. Here, children and young adults with autism are admitted and treated with a lot of heart and good intentions. Unfortunately, the staff did not have a solid education as specialized personnel for the care of autistic individuals, and the infrastructure was suboptimal for this clientele. Nevertheless, it is certainly better for the children to be in this center than locked up at home and sometimes even restrained with chains. This visit was a bit more difficult to process. I was glad to return to Addis Guzo and have a spicy lunch to distract my thoughts from what I had seen.

Monday was a national holiday: On March 1, 1896, Ethiopia, under Emperor Menelik II, defeated the invading Italian troops in Adwa. This battle was one of the most important in Ethiopian history, and the Ethiopians - who are already patriotic - had a real reason to celebrate their country.

I was able to participate in the celebration with Hailu, an employee at Addis Guzo. There was a large, colorful parade through the city. The participants were mostly dressed in white and the national colors, sometimes in traditional combat gear, riding attire, or other exciting outfits. Often moving in groups, they shouted slogans, sang songs, made noise, and danced. An important traditional dance went something like this: Men form a circle, enthusiastically shouting a motivational song together, building each other up to take away the fear of the upcoming battle. Or dances with wooden sticks that reminded me of martial arts and expressive dance.

We also met Meron, a wheelchair mechanic, and her family, and later by chance Fetle, the cook of Addis Guzo, with her daughter. The city was packed, and we couldn't access the St. George's Cathedral in the morning due to the crowds, but it worked in the afternoon.

Afterwards, we went with a huge cake and I brought chocolate and a few colored pencils as gifts to Hailu's daughter, who lives with his mother, sister, and brother in a space of about 8 square meters. The tiny living room had enough space for about 25 children and 5 adults. There was loud singing, dancing. Peace, joy, and vegan cake (because of the fasting season). At first, I was stared at by all the children and they giggled about the Ferengi (that's what Ethiopians call white people) behind my back. Over time, everyone became very open, and I was included. The housing was impressive to me: about 8 square meters spread over two floors, with sleeping upstairs and dining and living area downstairs for four people. The house is provided by the government, and the rent costs about 15 Francs per month (about what my trip to Bishoftu cost). Cooking is done with charcoal, showering and washing with water from a bucket. After eating cake and singing, there was more dancing and singing. Everyone seemed very happy, at least it seemed that way to me. The farewell was warm, and I left the celebration with sugar and endorphins in my blood.

On the way home, I used the light rail for the first time, which is comfortable and the cheapest means of transportation in the city (a ride of about 10 minutes costs about 15 cents). The only thing cheaper is walking, which I like and only the poorest people do for longer distances. The less poor people here usually don't walk if they don't have to. At Menelik Square, we finally made it to the now less crowded St. George's Cathedral. Hailu wanted to visit the church on this important holiday, kiss its wall, be blessed, and say a short prayer. Then we had a traditionally prepared coffee 'on the street' and took a minibus home. In the evening, I was so tired that I went to bed early, and today I am still tired - tired and satisfied.

On Sunday, I was out of Addis Ababa for the first time. It was an incredibly impressive and eventful day for me. I was told that if I am already excited about this, I should see the rest of Ethiopia...!

So, I went with Hiwot, an Ethiopian who also wanted a day away from Addis, by public transportation. It took about 3 hours to get out of the city, that can happen. Then we took a combination of minibus and bus to Bishoftu, the 46km journey took about an hour and cost around 80Rp/person. People in the bus were chatting and making calls, the man behind us was chewing qat (Ethiopia's national drug) the whole journey. Bishoftu is known as a weekend or day trip destination from Addis Ababa because of its crater lakes and their flying residents.

When we arrived in Bishoftu, we first walked (about 15 minutes) to Lake Cheleklaka. Upon arrival, we realized that the lake is only a lake during and after the rainy season (around June-September), currently it is a large green puddle. I was lucky to be with an Ethiopian because the lake is not very accessible to tourists. We asked at a gate if we could visit the 'lake' even during the dry season. The friendly residents of this huge property, which was actually a paused construction site for a large resort, allowed us in and led us to the lake. There, we saw different colored small birds and, thanks to the good zoom of my camera, some flamingos (without the zoom, they were just white dots).

Back in Bishoftu, we had an excellent lunch: Bayaynet Injera with various sauces & Ethiopian cheese (similar to cottage cheese). Then we took a minibus to Babogaya Lake, a young man in the bus recommended a resort to us. Following his recommendation, we realized a bit late that Babogaya Lake is quite built up with resorts and therefore, although beautiful, not exactly what we had in mind. Furthermore, the resort was more like a party and hangout spot by the lake for young Ethiopians around 18 years old, who were all happily drinking beer and chewing qat in the shade. It was less relaxing for us and not quite what we had expected.

Therefore, after about 1 hour, we moved on. My travel guide said that Hora Lake is less developed for tourism. At Lake Hora, I was first stunned: I had seen Brahmaputra Marabu in a documentary about half a year ago and was fascinated by these scavenging and garbage-eating relatives of ostriches - and now I suddenly see these ugly birds in front of me! Besides the delightful landscape, less touched and developed nature, I also saw other birds, stray dogs, and cows at Lake Hora. Unfortunately, it soon started to get dark and some friendly veterinary medicine students, who had previously made fun of the strange white guy who was photographing everything, strongly recommended that we leave the lake before sunset. It could become dangerous afterwards. 

Back in Bishoftu, we strolled through the streets at sunset, where we saw former residents of Lake Hora frying food in oil, and headed to the bus station. The return journey was loud and long, there was always something happening until the moment I arrived home. Hiwot texted me later that she arrived exhausted from all the walking and the sun, and went straight to bed without showering or eating. Thanks to the many impressions I had to process, I stayed awake for a long time. After all, the next day was a holiday...

Now my second week in Addis Ababa is already over. This week I enjoyed some delicious meals, especially at lunchtime when Addis Guzo cooks. There is a wide selection of fresh vegetables and fruits like mango, papaya, avocados, and more. Ethiopian coffee tastes excellent and the aroma of roasted coffee beans fills the air everywhere.

On Monday and Friday evenings, I went to a jazz concert. The music sounded similar to what I know, but there were also traditional sequences played. One of the musicians at Africa Jazz Village played the Masinko, a traditional one-stringed instrument often used in traditional music.

While working, I had the opportunity to visit the 'Old Compound,' the former campus of Addis Guzo. It is now home to war veterans who are wheelchair-bound due to war injuries. It is like a residential facility with caregivers, a kitchen, and a simple restaurant. In addition, the Old Compound serves as a storage space for materials and wheelchairs. It was very impressive to see how they live there. The area is large and green, located right next to a river that flows with more of a dark brown broth than water.

In physiotherapy, I am slowly understanding the procedures and feeling more useful. The clients, especially the children, usually come in at the same time and stay for several hours. So we usually give tasks and treat multiple people at the same time. The biggest challenge for me is still - and probably will be until the end of the internship - the language. However, I can already communicate the most important things in keywords with difficulty.

Today, Saturday, I went on a small hike to Washa Mikael Rock-Hewn Church, which was built in solid rock in the 12th century. Since the roof has collapsed, you can get a good view of the interior of the Orthodox church. There is now a new church on the premises, painted with the colors of the Ethiopian flag. The path to the church led through a freshly scented eucalyptus mixed forest. I saw many different-colored small birds, and raptors circled in the distance. Especially at the edge of the forest, at the border of residential areas, there is heaps of waste. In the beautiful nature of the forest, there are also broken shoes, clothing, cigarette butts, and plastic waste...

Tomorrow, I am leaving the city for the first time, I am excited. Monday (March 1st) is a national holiday. It commemorates the victory against Italian invasion forces in the Battle of Adwa.

The first weekend also means two full days in Addis Ababa for the first time. Since it gets dark soon after work, I haven't seen much of the city yet.

So I took a long walk through the city and hiked up the Yeka Mountain Peak, which offers a great view of Addis. Luckily, I didn't encounter any wild animals, although leopards and a jaguar have reportedly been spotted here. There are also hyenas...

Thanks to its altitude of +/- 2400 meters above sea level, the temperature here is pleasant. It's around 25°C in the afternoon and cools down to about 10°C at night.

Now I'm looking forward to the next 50 days: tomorrow marks the start of the fasting period, which means no animal products will be consumed.