The day before Christmas. So, we had like always on Sunday mass in the morning at 9 o'clock. And additional to that, we had mass in the evening. It should have started at 7, but because all the people are late mostly, we didn't start before 8. Both of the masses were beautiful to see, Abba Anthony was preaching and there was a big choir with colorful clothes singing. In the evening, there was also a theater played by some children and youth, quite funny, although I didn't understand much. Unfortunately, I couldn't film, because it was too dark, but I filmed some of their songs.
I was trying to make a cake, but the oven was so weird, that one side was burned and the other wasn't even right. After that, Abba Anthony and I decorated a little in the school, where he is the director.
Later, the watchman, the Kitchen girl, the sisters and I decorated a tree in the garden. It is quite funny to decorate for Christmas under the burning sun, when it's hot and the tree has pink flowers.
I got a beautiful Ethiopian bag as Christmas Present from the sisters.

The next day was Christmas. Merry Christmas.
In the Morning there was another mass, and then local people made traditional Borana Coffee. It is water with milk and sugar and then whole coffee beans in it. That is been cooked and you drink it while eating these coffee beans.
In the afternoon I played with the kids. They like it to be turned around and they like it if I take pictures of them.
Later, I helped Anthony with some account staff.
I got some earrings from a local girl and as a Christmas gift from Abba Boniface and Abba Anthony I got a yellow-red scarf. And I ate too much sugarcane, because my checks were hurting.

In the night to tuesday, it rained. So in the morning, it smelled wonderful sweet, warm, like in the tropics, but also chilli and wet.
We wanted to go to Addis Ababa, but because the car had some problems, we didn't go. Instead, I helped in the Kindergarten after a little bit of walking and much waiting, because Boniface was in Yabello and I didn't know what was going on.
The children in the Kindergarten get Lunch every School day, sponsored by some Americans. I don't know exactly who does make it possible. So today, they got some biscuits. They always share and suddenly, one of the kids wanted to share with me too. So others wanted to give me of their biscuits to, but I refused because of my allergies and because they have less to eat than I have. They should enjoy their meal.
In the afternoon, I played soccer with some kids. It was quite fun, but we played on a cement ground, so I played barefoot. That was no problem till I jumped on a little stone, which caused an inner bleeding. It hurt pretty much, but it is now (12.1.2013) almost over.
I met a science teacher, he spoke quite good English, but one of his first questions was if I had some sugar cane for him, because I was eating it. I said, I didn't have any more. After a bit of talking, the English teacher came to, his spoken English wasn't as good as the one from the science teacher, but at least he knows the grammar. It is a big problem to find good teacher, especially English teacher, because the most people who can speak English good enough find another job. The job Teacher isn't so favored, the most people us it as a step in between, before they get a better job.
Both teachers invited me to come and watch or even teach during their classes.

The 9 of January Boniface and I spent mostly in the car. We drove from Dhadim to Addis Ababa in 24 hours, starting at 6 in the morning and arriving at 8 in the evening. We saw a lot of people along the street. There were a lot of people who wanted a lift, maybe to save some money, because public busses cost money or just because they wanted a private place. But these people didn't walk; they just waited at the side of the road instead of walking a bit. I heard that there are a lot of drivers who take them with them, because they can earn some money with it. Other people wanted to sell things like fruits or vegetables.
We drove a time after a big car which had cows and sheep's in the back; it was kind of a pickup car. There was a man standing with these animals and he did a lot of funny things back there. It was quite amazing to see, but also very dangerous. He got some money from us, even if he didn't expected it, because he liked doing what he did himself.
In the evening after dinner we went to look where the Swiss embassy is and we went visiting the sisters of Charity in Addis Ababa.

On 7.30 in the next morning, we drove to the Swiss embassy to get my driving license changed. I got my documents from the embassy quite easy, but after that we had to go somewhere else to put some stamp on it, what exactly, I have no clue.
The rest of the day I didn't do much besides waiting, learning Borana words, taking pictures and waiting. It is hopeless, we were searching for some several things but we could get them nowhere.
I feel still sad about the destiny of so many people, which are so poor and hungry. The hygienic is quite bad, there is so much rubbish in the city and people throw everything just on the ground. There are a lot of donkeys and some cows in town; I even found some sheep herds in the middle of the city.

Also on Friday we didn't do much more then searching for things in town. I get a little annoyed by the people who come begging for money or who want to sell something to me, because I always have to get the same answer.
Early in the morning we were at another office for my driving license, they told us to come back on Monday morning, hopefully I will get it then, because we will drive back before lunch.
There was a young man eating chewing chuck, he wanted to give me some, even though we did never speak and we just crossed on the streets. I don't know exactly what it is, but someone told me that it is kind of a drug and that it tastes really bad.
After Lunch, I had two little cups of strong, black coffee with a lot of sugar. I don't like coffee which isn't strong.

Today was still the same as the days before. We had lunch with a Dutch girl; she was in Dhadim a year ago and worked the last months in Addis Ababa. She will come with us to Yabello, together with some other Dutch girls. In the afternoon we did some more shopping.
I don't know exactly what is wrong but I feel a little sick, during the last days it went up and down. It is also my allergies, because of the dust. I slept under a really dusty blanket, I changed it now, and maybe because I didn't sleep much the last days.

Our last day in Addis Ababa before we go to Dhadim again.
We were invited to eat at a friend of Boniface today, a Kenyan women living in Addis Ababa. She cooked Kenyan food, I liked it. First we ate goat, ribs and legs and then we had the main food. Something with corn and beans, something looked like a cake out of cornflower and water, some rice and two dishes of meat.
Still I'm not feeling totally well, I woke up and I felt sick, now it's getting better. In the morning I didn't do much, I slept quite long and then I read a bit. That's all I did this day.