This morning Richard and I took a bajaj into town for the first time. We needed to get to the bank before it closed at noon and there was no one available to take us in so we walked about 10 minutes until we encountered one of the three-wheeled motorcycle taxis they call a bajaj. We were able to negotiate a pretty reasonable fare that got us to the bank to exchange some US dollars as well as Euros. The big Saturday market happens close to the bank so we spent a pleasant hour wandering through the stalls. We bought some produce as well as a handcrafted table cloth. Most of the other forenji (foreigners) stay away from the market for some reason but we really enjoy the atmosphere.
By the time we got home, the kids had finished their gardening work on campus. Carl and Vera are in the midst of some pretty ambitious planting and cultivating in an attempt to bring some beauty to the campus. The kids have helped with watering and today they were planting very small seedlings in bags that will eventually be planted somewhere on campus. It would be great to come back in five years and see the transformation as all these very small plants mature.
After a quick trip into town with Dianne for some groceries, we went to spend the late afternoon at our Dutch neighbours. The Dutch government has a program that grants significant funding for five years to people who come to places like Ethiopia to start businesses that will establish and train Ethiopians in new business ventures. There are quite a number of Dutch families in DZ who have been here for a number of years. They often gather at our neighbour’s to play volleyball on Saturday afternoons. The kids had a great time playing and Richard and I thoroughly enjoyed visiting in their beautiful walled garden full of flowering bushes and lush vegetation. There is so much potential for beauty in this country. Unfortunately, the average Ethiopian is far too preoccupied with survival to give much thought to beauty.
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