First week in office

This week was our first working week for the Afar National Regional State Bureau Education Bureau (as the official name is) or REB or bureau. On Tuesday we only had a short meeting with a two of the managers. Desara (Curriculum) and Mohamed (Teachers Development). There are two other department Licensing and Inspection, but these managers were not in. Another important manager who was present and who will be Emon’s linemanager is Muhammed (lots of Muhammeds, Mohammed Muhameds here). He is the manager from the staff department Planning. This department is important, cause,  as they said, everything that happens in the bureau passes through Planning. 

I did not get the chance to meet the Bureau head, because he is in Addis at the moment and so is the vice head, but we met him last Sunday at the airport. He will probably be in next week and then I hope to have an opportunity to meet him.

On Wednesday we got some basic information on the departments and were introduced to the workers from the Planning department, but not a lot of induction has taken place until now. There are a lot of important meetings with people from the Woreda’s* and it seems we have come at an inconvenient time. There was not even an office for us to work in, but since yesterday that has been arranged. There is no AC yet but a fan, but at the moment there is a power cut, so the fan is not working and it is pretty hot in and I am sweating like a pig.

If I have understand it correctly, today is the last day of the meetings and after that there will be more time to introduce us properly and then we can start work and facilitate the REB to overcome their challenges. I hope we can sit together and talk about the performance indicators and goals for the bureau for the coming year(s).

Last week a day was spend waiting to be moved to another location, there is no house for me yet and all the hotels were occupied. In the end Emon and I could stay for a few nights at the UN World Food Program guest house, but unfortunately we have to move again today, back to Arte. I really hope the housing situation will be solved soon, because I do not like to live in hotels a lot and packing and repacking every two three days.

On Saturday we went to Logia with Nessro and her brother Hussein. We did some shopping and after that went to Nessros and Husseins house, where Nessro prepared a coffee ceremony. First the beans are roasted, then cooled, then grinded and at the end hot water is poured onto them and then it is served. Just before serving some sort of incense is burn in a pot and that makes the room smell very nicely. We got some popcorn and dates? (dadels) with it. This is also eaten when fasten is broken or in the morning before fasting starts during Ramadan.

 Traditional crafts from Afar

 Goats in garden of Nessro and Hussein

Living room Nessro and Hussein

To conclude this blog, I will point out a few things that really strike me (as odd?)

·  goats everywhere, even in restaurants

·  phones will be answered always (even in meetings)

·  the soap bar in the hotel was changed every day

·  lots of things are broken or badly repaired, even new things you buy are broken or crappy (phone and surge protector), according to Emon it’s African-Chinese quality and not European-Chinese quality J

·  if you let the hotel wash your clothes, you probably lose a few items

·  people are very hospitable and friendly

· children react to a white person, the same as everywhere in Africa, touch your skin and hair, handshakes, running towards you, shouting hello how are you? etc.

·  when you start a conversation with someone, don’t be surprised if your breakfast (or dinner) is paid for

·  everywhere there is sand and dust

·  water is always lukewarm (even from the taps), unless you just bought it from a shop

 Neighbour kids of Nessro and Hussein, very curious about the faranji

* Ethiopia has Regions, like Afar where I work, these are divided in Zones and the zones are divided in Woreda’s and they are divided in Kebele’s which makes that the lowest level.