Ennui

I'm beginning to wonder what I have to do to whom to get a job around here.  Over the past 14 months (the first few while we were still in Beijing) I have applied and interviewed for 8 distinct positions at this embassy, several of which were aligned quite well with my skills/experience.

I guess for this overseas assignment I'll just be making a career out of being a token interviewee so Management can pad the numbers.

In other news -- oh, wait.  There is no other news.

Boringest Post Ever

It seems I'm getting slower in my old age.  It has been a whopping five months since my last post.  Alas, there hasn't been all that much to write about.  Addis Ababa is, well, kind of a boring place.  Not much to do or see in town, so I have taken few pictures and have even fewer stories to tell.

However, in February our friends Ruben and Stephanie (whom I will refer to as RubStep, because I dig dubstep and they are the only couple I know whose names could be close enough to do so) visited.  They did some touring around Ethiopia, and I was able to join them for Axum and Lalibela.  Photos are posted on Flickr (link in sidebar).

For our first trip out of Ethiopia since arriving last August, D-What and the boys and I traveled to the Seychelles.  It was a decent beach getaway; the boys loved the sand and getting more swim time in.  Photos now on Flickr.

As always, I hope to post more frequently here, but we'll see how it goes.  Need interesting material, and that's in short supply here (along with many other things).

3 Months in Addis Ababa

So, we're coming up on three months in Addis Ababa.  Here's a recap of recent events:

• We finally got the last of our household effects and our consumables shipments on Nov. 9.  So all our stuff is here!
• Well, not our car.  Thanks to screw-ups by no fewer than three parties involved in the shipping of our vehicle, it didn't even make it to the continent of Africa until a few weeks ago, and is "supposed" to reach Addis the very weekend I am typing this. Then, only 3-4 weeks to get cleared and registered before we *might* see it.
• D-What and I attended the Marine Ball.  My tux, last worn at the Marine Ball in Seoul in 2003, still fits!
• D-What made a quick work trip to Harar, and I took a day trip outside of Addis to the Blue Nile gorge and Debre Libanos (photos on Flickr, link at right).  Much like in China, I think the key to an enjoyable assignment is to get out of the city frequently.

I think we're fully into the routine of life here.  Some "new" observations since my last entry:

• Chicken breasts and chicken eggs frequently seem to be in short supply.
• Our household staff (and I believe Ethiopians in general) use an insane amount of sugar in their coffee - and that is coming from yours truly, a bona fide sugar fiend.
• The average Ethiopian's day seems to consist of a lot of standing around - whether they are tending their livestock in the field, hanging out on the sidewalk (or more likely in the road), or working construction (building *or* road).
• Relatedly, we have heard that the construction on Bole road, the nearest main road to our house that we would use extensively if it were open, might be finished in two years - just in time for us to leave.

And, a few things we / I have been adjusting to here:

• Starting to finally be "comfortable" at the altitude here.  I still tire faster than usual with exertion (lifting/moving furniture, doing lots of stairs, etc.) but it's better than before.
• Limited supplies of foods - we've to to snatch up certain things if they're in stock because they might not be there next time.
• Being awakened multiple times a night (almost every night) by roaming packs of dogs.  Usually I am a proponent of animal protection, humane societies, that sort of thing - but this dog situation is ridiculous and I am a hair's breadth away from requesting that the poisoned meat be put out (something they do here to control the dog population).
• Since we couldn't ship pressurized or liquid products, I had to look for alternatives to the shaving cream I had been accustomed to using.  Before we left the U.S. I settled on "old timey" shaving soap and a badger hair brush.  Still trying to figure out a good technique for getting a good lather - if anyone knows about this sort of thing I'm open to advice.

One Month in Addis Ababa

This is a little overdue (the one month mark was September 23), but here is my report for the first month in Addis Ababa.

Since my last entry:

• We let the cook/housekeeper go.  She wanted way too much money and wasn't very good.  So if we keep up that attrition rate, we're on track for beating our record in Beijing (7 housekeepers in 4 years).
• We hired a new full-time cook, and a separate part-time housekeeper.  Their combined pay is only slightly more than what we paid the one we let go, and they are MUCH better.
• We visited our driver's house (at his invitation) and had a wonderful lunch and participated in a coffee ceremony.  Since Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee, they burn incense and wear special clothing while they roast, grind, and brew the coffee.  Also, our household staff surprised us with a coffee ceremony at our house on a Friday afternoon.  This is already infinitely more social interaction with the local people than we had in Beijing.  Coffee is often paired with popcorn.  The boys ate it all.
• I have learned the numbers 1 through 39 in Amharic, though I can't remember the numbers for 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, or 90.  I do have 100 and 1000.  So as long as the tens place isn't 4 through 9, I should be okay.
• We got unlimited bandwidth ADSL installed at home.  Normally the telecom company reserves this for businesses, but the embassy Information Management section made an arrangement for ADSL to be installed in embassy houses.
• We continue to rent a 1980-something Toyota Corolla.  It is small, rattles a lot, stalls all the time, but it allows us to get around so we're not (always) trapped at home.
• I am learning more about our neighborhood and how to get around town, so by the time our own car gets here and we get driver's licenses we should be good to go.
• Our air freight was finally delivered, after sitting at the airport (less than 3 miles from our house) for nearly a month.  Our household effects from Beijing may be coming this week.
• The boys attended their first playgroup in Addis, something we hope to make a regular event.  The host of that gathering inspired me to build a playhouse for the boys out of our air freight cartons.  Just got started so you can't see it yet.

So, despite our house still being a significant disappointment (I've now seen two houses other than our own and they are WAY nicer), things are looking and feeling better -- though we still have 2 months or so until we'll fully adjust to the altitude.

Ten Days in Addis Ababa

Day 0:

We arrived well after dark, thankful that all of our luggage made it (there was some uncertainty that it would be checked all the way through to our final destination since we were changing airlines for the third leg; during that transition in Dubai, from United to Ethiopian Air, we were informed that our bags were over the Ethiopian Air weight limits (they weren't over the United limits) and we were charged baggage fees, and we had to gate check a few essential carry-ons due to limited cabin storage.

Our sponsor met us and guided us to the embassy vehicle that took us through unfamiliar neighborhoods to the strange building that would be our house.   Disappointment set in as we entered the house and encountered the bizarre floor plan: an entry foyer dominated by the first flight of marble stairs (plus doors to either side and a corridor straight back that we would explore later); a second floor with the kitchen, dining room, 1/2 bath, one potential bedroom with its own full bath, and a strange small room we believe is intended to be a den; the master suite up another half flight of stairs, consisting of a large bedroom, a walk-in closet with horribly inefficient wardrobe units, a room with just a shower and a sink, and a larger room with the toilet, bidet, two-sink vanity, and a whirlpool tub; a final half-flight up held two bedrooms and a bathroom (and access to the rooftop patio).

We unpacked some things and all crashed for the night, exhausted after more than 26 hours of travel.

Day 1:

After being awakened at 0500 by the call to prayer from the mosque we can see from our upper floors, D-What reported to the embassy to begin the check-in process.

Further exploration of our new home revealed the largest room in the house (a living room/reception hall on the ground floor, near no other useful living space), another two bathrooms (one 3/4, one 1/2), an attached garage, and a strange bar room inexplicably separated from the other areas.  Outside we found the guard booth, backup generator, servants' quarters, laundry, and storage.

Met our day guard, nanny, and cook, and began settling in.

Day 2:

I took the boys to the embassy for a quick visit to the Health Unit (nothing serious) and had a first real look at Addis Ababa.  Once called Abyssinia, now known (by me) as Corrugated City.  I have never seen more corrugated metal walls and roofs - shops, dwellings, other structures anywhere and everywhere throughout the city.

I also got my first dose of traffic.  Crowded and chaotic, with few signs or signals, but fewer cars than what we were used to in Beijing.  Definitely dangerous on the road (2nd worst post for accidents according to the U.S. State Department) but most drive slow and cautious, and even bad snarls worked themselves out eventually.

Picked up a sim card for the cell phone I bought in Beijing, and finally I could communicate with D-What (telephone line at the house not operational).

Day 3:

Saturday!  No rest for the jet-lagged, though - off to a brunch hosted by our sponsor, to meet some other embassy people.  It was very nice, though we were instantly jealous of the house (the only other embassy house we've seen) and began to wonder if the house we got is generally intended for first-tour officers.

After the brunch came the naps (for all of us) and a relaxed afternoon and evening.

Day 4:

Rented a car (for a month!) since we learned that it will be upwards of 3-4 months before the car we shipped from Beijing might show up. Still feeling the effects of the altitude - poor/light sleep, breathlessness from even mild exertion (i.e., stairs, which our house has lots of) -- and probably will continue to have similar symptoms for several weeks.

Day 5:

This day is a near-total blur.  Seriously, I can't remember anything but getting our (hopefully temporary) EVDO internet set up.  It's a USB device that uses the cellular network to access the web, and is rather expensive for the limited bandwidth you get each month.  I've got my fingers crossed that the response to our inquiry on ADSL service comes back with a "can do."

Day 6:

Back in to the embassy for the mandatory security briefing, which included such points as "No Blue Donkeys" (the local blue & white minivan taxis whose drivers are often unlicensed and high on qat) and "No Mercato" (the huge open air market rife with pickpockets), and to get my embassy ID badge (now the escortED becomes the escortEE). 

Day 7:

Another day of getting to know the household staff (read: aligning their practices with our quirks), and an afternoon visit from Facilities Management to answer questions about the house.  I learned how to operate the generator (although it's usually automatic) and how to clean the water distiller (potable water in the house is a good thing!).

Day 8:

Getting my bearings through our driver, who has taken various routes to the embassy, mostly because of the unusual traffic jams on main roads near ceremonies related to the recent death of Ethiopia's Prime Minister.  Off to the embassy once again (30-40 minutes each way) for the driving safety class (mandatory if you want to get an Ethiopian driver's license).  Mostly more stuff about going slowly and carefully, especially around those Blue Donkeys and pedestrians - who are not only everywhere and walk out suddenly without looking, but also are always in the right according to Ethiopian law.

Day 9:

Fridays are half days at the embassy, so I go in for a while to take advantage of the free high-speed wireless set up in a historic building on the grounds called the Tukul, since Steam (the computer game store/platform) is stupid and won't let you play your games offline unless they are fully updated.  15 gigs of download is a bit too much for my 4gig/month bandwidth at home.

After D-What's half day is done, we hit the "market day" in the embassy parking lot to see what can be gotten there (jewelry, art, food) and then off to lunch where we introduce our driver to Chinese food.  The place was pretty authentic, and our driver liked what we chose.

Day 10:

Now that we've got a basic handle on things (at least between our house and the embassy), we all head there to check out the playground, and continue more downloading.  Back home after lunch, and just relax at home.

So, ten days on the ground in Addis Ababa.  General thoughts:

- House seems below average, but we only have one other to compare so it may very well be "nice" for this city.

- Will definitely have to rely on the staff more than I thought, for shopping, cleaning produce, etc.

- Driving (or walking, if you risk that) will definitely be the most dangerous aspect of this assignment.

- Internet access is not as bad as I thought it would be, but is more expensive than I thought I would be.

- There is a huge sales/value-added tax, 15%.  If only they would put more of that revenue back into road maintenance, that would be something.

Americans Have It So Easy

I'm excited to have returned to the U.S.  It's so easy to do things - and just live - here.  I mean, there are definitely flaws - I'm talking to you, $12 movie theater tickets and the U.S. cell phone system (among others) - but in general it's so nice.

Great to see my peeps.  But sad that our time here is so short.  We should have a spare room in Ethiopia, so feel free to come visit!

On another note, I turned 37 today.  I am guessing, based on family medical history, that I've lived about 60% of my life (was probably half over when I turned 31).  I'd better get cracking on building that time machine.  I mean, I don't have a whole lot to show on my "lifetime achievements" trophy shelf.  There's the excellent wife and twin boys, but no real career nor any non-career accomplishments.  I've had the text of the first few chapters of a book on the page for over three years now, but I just can't stay motivated to  continue on it.  I'm kind of in a position where I'm unsure of its quality/appeal but afraid to share what little I've got for fear that it's crap.

So yeah.  Back to the search for a nanny for our time in Ethiopia - because I'm getting too old for this $#!+.

Grand Re-Opening!

Welcome (once again, for some of you) to Wogworld.  After going private a while back (for reasons some of you know and the rest will just have to wonder), we are re-opening to the public!  To kick off the new era of Wogworld, here is a little story about what I consider to be the most bewildering social incident in my life:

Let's all jump into the way-back machine and ride it to the spring of 2008. What were you doing then? Never mind, this is about me. I was living in the DC area with D-What, who was nearing the end of Mandarin Chinese language training at the Foreign Service Institute (I had dropped out of the same class in March, unable to keep up while I was also working nearly full time at the World Market at Pentagon Row – but still tested with a 1+/0+). We were also somewhat regularly playing a homebrew Dungeons & Dragons campaign with a couple of Foreign Service friends.

Unfortunately, one of our pals had to leave us and report to a new assignment overseas. Although we were sad to see her go – especially so soon after her feisty rogue had wrestled that ogre zombie to the ground – and we felt that no one could truly replace her, I did start looking around for a new player to round out the group. Sooner than anticipated, I found a candidate.

Let's call him "Ben" (because that's his name). He was – and I believe still is – the boyfriend of one of my co-workers at World Market. Ben is a sharp guy with a quick wit and a wry sense of humor. After chatting with him a bit about the campaign and what type of character he might want to play, I thought he would be a good fit. I went over to his place once or twice to help get his character set up, back story and all, and he joined us for the next session.

Things went well; it seemed to me that everyone got along, though in-game the long-standing characters were a bit gruff toward Vargas (Ben's character), but generally I think it's to be expected that dungeon-exploring adventurers will be wary to accept an unknown newcomer into their midst until trust is earned. Ben didn't have a good way to get home as late at night as we tended to finish, so I had agreed to drive him home after each session. On the way, I asked him how he felt about the game and his response was positive. I spoke to him again a few days later when I saw him at World Market, and he seemed excited about the next session. On the drive home afterward, he again expressed enthusiasm.

I don't recall if it was after that session or if he had attended a third, but when I sent out my usual e-mail to coordinate the next session Ben didn't respond. I thought maybe he was experiencing Internet/computer difficulties, so I gave him a call. No answer. I needed his response, so I decided to shell out the 20¢ or whatever it would cost me to send him a text message. Both e-mail and text message went unanswered. No "Sorry, I can't make it." No "I'm not coming ever again." No "Fuck off and leave me alone." Absolutely nothing. Further, from that point on I didn't see even him at World Market where he had often met his girlfriend after her shift. I asked her what was up, and she said she didn't know.

To this day, I have never managed to reestablish communication with Ben (not that I've tried terribly hard since he won't respond), nor figure out what happened to cause him to bail out so completely and so abruptly. I've wracked my brain, replaying the last game session Ben attended in my mind countless times, searching for something someone (including me) said or did that could have offended him so much that he couldn't say one more word to me – ever.

Ben, if you're reading this: what happened? I really, truly, have no idea what we did – and I really want to know. Mostly so I can apologize (if necessary), but also because it's been eating away at a small corner of my mind for four years, and I think it will eventually drive me mad.