Ponder

There are so many moments I wish I could share with you all. The feeling of the soft sun on my face as I walk to work, sometimes maneuvering between cows and street dogs, donkeys passing. Sitting in the garden at the embassy, having lunch in the sun as I listen to all the great stories of my very experienced colleagues - the coffee tree next to us and a thunderstorm emerging. Loving my work so much I cannot stick to regular working hours; new challenges and tasks lining up until my head spins and my body says no. Knowledge, experience? I feel humble.

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Screaming of confusion as a cockroach jumps on me from above as I open the cupboard in the kitchen to find some spices. Yelling at the spider that lives in my bedroom, who only replies that since I killed his brother in law last week he will bug me for a long time – literally - and then he runs away. Bastard.

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Walking to the minibus, past the sheep market, chopped off heads and feet and skins lying everywhere. Sheep having all their four feet tied together, despair in their eyes as they are sold for NOK 250 - then to be shoved into the backseat of one of the small white and blue Lada-taxis and off they go. Inshalla!

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Sitting in the minibus, travelling through Addis to the beats of Teddy Afro and everyone singing along. Donkeys, street children, elephant men, dust, maize, poverty, diplomatic SUVs, beauty, music; life passing by. Scratching my flea bites. Woraj alle!

Visiting friends in their humble houses. Traditional bread, injera, messer, shiro, coffee ceremony, incents, parrots, eskista, laughter, moments, we are spoiled by those who should be spoiled; eye-opener.

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Walking home from parties at 7 am, as Addis has already come to life and everyone else goes to church. The sun touching my face gently telling me its time to sleep. Grounding fresh coffee in my kitchen, sitting on the terrace in my underwear drinking 3 cups, 4 cups, 5 cups on Saturday mornings, looking at the clouds.

Screaming of joy as I walk into a hotel room in Debrezeit – from my bed I can look out on the lake and the green rolling hills. A tease of the sea! A big nice bathroom, water, electricity; luxury! Feeling a cold St. George or two (delicious Ethiopian beer) running down my throat as the sun sets. A few hours later, sitting in solitude on the terrace overlooking the lake, as the African night plays its symphony for me - its only me, the sky and the stars in the world. Thinking about all the crazy beautiful madness in my life. Moments of joy and bliss, other moments I might want to forget. Longing.

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But the feeling of wanting to stay forever fills me, and a rare sense of peace; despite all the confusion about existence, life, the past, the present and the future. Falling asleep with the curtains open, looking at the stars. Waking up in the morning as the sun replaces the stars, the sounds of the world change and everything comes to life, as a new day is welcoming me. Coffee time. - God damn privilege!

If I was a Donkey

Enjoy my first photos from the Ethiopian road!

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Addis Ababa Bete

It smells like popcorn as I walk down the street. Its maize season. Women are sitting on the side of the road roasting whole pieces of maize, selling them for a few cents. Mountains of maize tower next to them. Some of their babies are crawling around in the mud; some hang around their mothers’ neck or sleep in a warm lap. I feel humble.

Visiting a local project this morning just blew my mind. Orphaned children and youth had created a green lung in the middle of the "slum" in Addis. Growing vegetables, herbs, plants flowers. Making music, learning life skills. They showed me their garden and green house. I planted a tree, the children danced and sang about pollution, deforestation, desertification and health. They told me about their dreams for the future. Wow. And of course - the coffee ceremony.

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Back to my street. Walking to the shop can sometimes be challenging here. After a long day at work, my brain all fried and worn out, I would love to just walk and air my mind, buy some water, vegetables, avos, milk. But, no, farenji-girl, here in Addis, that is too much to ask!

- You want taxi? Taxi? Taxi? Taxi?
- I love you too much!
- I want to marry you!
- Farenji, farenji!

Men are wonderful. I love men. Of course. However, on the streets of Addis, some of them actually annoy me a bit. I do not understand their intentions, and what goes through their minds, as they speedily walk up next to me, then attempt to discreetly walk next to me in the same pace, without saying a word. After a while they mumble “you are beautiful” or “you, you”.

Ah, how I wish I could have a conversation with them. To find out if they are actually thinking something, or if they just lose their minds every time they see a foreign woman. “Ethiopian men loooove farenjis”, my local colleague told me. Yes, I have noticed!! (Which is strange, cause their Ethiopian women are too gorgeous!) But leave me alone on the street! I actually prefer the men who are on a mission, dragging a goat or herding some donkeys. I acknowledge them, they acknowledge me. Leaving one another alone. Or maybe I should walk up to some of them and ask if they need help to drag the goat? "Give me, give me?" :)

It is obvious that the late afternoon tiredness and hunger is bugging me, which explains my grumpiness. Soon I will be smiling at everyone again, dropping the few Amharinya words I can, acting humble and normal. But now dinner-time is way overdue. I will cook in candle light as there is only power every second day - we had power yesterday. Luckily there is water.

A hefty thunderstorm is rolling in over Addis’ huge sky. Lightning, sharp! Loud! Powerful! Madness! Tomorrow a grand meeting at the African Union is on the agenda. Then it’s the WEEKEEEND! Ishee!

Addis Abeba bete, I already love you!

La Washingtons vilje skje

Fader vår, du som bor i Washington
Hellige vorde dine bomber
skje din globalisering
komme ditt imperium som i amerika
så og på jorden
gi oss idag vår daglige nød
og vi forlater deg din skyld
selv om du aldri forlater dine
skyldnere
for verden er din med din allmakt
til din ære
til historiens ende

Johan Galtung 2008

From Addis with love!

to all my dear and loved ones!

here comes a little update from addis ababa, ethiopia where i have now lived for a week (many of you got this in an email)! for those of you i havent updated, i got a job as a trainee at the norwegian embassy in addis, and i will stay here for 6 months. since days are busy, and there is no electricity or internet in my house i am writing to you all in english (if that is offensive or uncomprehensive, let me know and i will send you a nynorsk translation ;))

addis is gorgeous. absolutely gorgeous. it is safe to walk around here, day and evening (but after 23:00h all the streets are empty - ethiopians go early to bed). thats amazing in a big city with such contrasts between rich and poor, and very different from cape town - despite people saying that crime is picking up here too.

people are so friendly, even though i dont speak a word of amharic. we are few pale-faces amongst the over 3 million ethiopians here in addis, so we are noticed, and i feel so damn privileged. i have never seen poverty like this before on my travels. the poverty is really in your face. it is very different from uber-segregated cape town and stellenbosch, where the poor are not welcome or cannot gain access. embassies and grand offices are next to shacks, fascinating! ambassadors and vip's are driven around in big cars, manoeuvring between goats, cows and people in the streets. and donkeys! i love the donkeys!! and the dirt-old lada-white-and-blue taxis!! most shops are small and right by the road, selling vegetables, fruit, juice, water and most things that one needs.. and the mango- and avoseason is everlasting. i still have to go proper coffee-hunting, however i am not disappointed so far. ah, i already love this place!

i am so amazed by the entrepreneurship of the "less privileged". beggars and people living on the street get a different meaning here. it is really on a big scale! i hope i can take some photos soon. it is a strange feeling to be driven around by a driver, to important meetings in my semi-preppy outfits (i so do not fit in and i love it!). black suits, briefcases, very important people, business cards, networking, cocktails, concerts, signing agreements, writing reports. the contrasts are enormous working in the diplomatic world in one of the poorest countries in africa.

my comrades at the embassy are so down to earth - they are all really beautiful knowledgeable people! the work is great, everyone is so friendly and nice. there are 5 diplomats and 15 local employees at the embassy - some of the "local employees" are also norwegian (including myself). i have been thrown straight into the work and i get a lot of space and trust to do my thing. i have already represented norway on several big meetings, at the OHCHR and UNECA (i even spoke in the mic!). damn! the african union and the un economic commission for africa have their head quarters here. igad, the regional development organisation is also located here. addis is one of the biggest diplomatic and political capitals of the world. i also met the biggest jazzmusician in ethiopia, mulato astatke - what a wonderful old man! addis is so exciting i think my head might pop!

i have gotten many questions from you where i live and if the food is good (and if there is any food) :) i live with the previous trainee eivind (who is fantastic and from brønnøysund!) and i will stay in that house till august, then i might move in with a swedish girl. the house where i live now is literally 1 min walk from the embassy, so its great. water and electricity is scarce, but we are managing! its actually quite relaxing that we only have power max every second day. but not having water is not very exotic, i am telling you!

the ethiopian food is fantastic. i have had injera several times - gorgeous! and i love eating with my hands!! and ambo is my favourite new friend - old glass bottles with delicious sparkling water :) the ethiopian beer is supertasty. the spicy tea as well. despite the very short occupation by italy in the 1930s italian food is an institution here. pasta, pizza everywhere! so my dear friends - i wont starve this time around either ;) and the reggae is fat and nice!

rainy season has just started here. we have had gorgeous weather today, around 24 degrees. we had lunch in the garden of the embassy to welcome some of us new ones, and say goodbye to a few that are leaving. but all of a sudden it became dark, and the thunder is rolling behind the clouds. the thunder here is scary-hectic! :) BOOM and its pissing with rain, everything turns into mud, it hails! when the sun comes out and the birds start singing again its time to go home and get ready for some addis friday night live! (very soon!)

i hope you are happy now that you know i live in a house, i do eat and that work is great! ;) for any further questions, dont hesitate to ask!

i miss all of you, and hope all is well in summerwarm norway and cold stormy cape and everywhere else. please keep in contact and send me little updates from all over the world! have a fun, relaxing weekend!

a thousand kisses, camilla

(i might close my blog for public access,

but please write me an email and i will give you access)

Butterflies...

Oh my. My feet might lift off the ground soon cause my belly is so full of butterflies! I am soo excited - tomorrow I am leaving on a jet plane for a new chapter of my life - in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia! The last days have been chaotic - as always when I am moving - I havent done half of what I intended to, which means everything is quite normal. Keep in touch all of you, its always nice to hear a few lines from you - and I will keep y'all posted! Xx

Presidenten

Eg har akkurat fulgt President Zuma sin tale i Parlamentet, der han svara på kritikk som har kome etter hans tale til nasjonen forrige onsdag. Det er herleg å sjå at Presidenten engasjerar seg i slik debatt, sjølv om det kan diskuterast kor matnyttige mange av svara hans var (det gjeld vel dei fleste politikarar).

Og JZ, som han ofte blir kalla, er ein raring. Eg må flire av dei klønete tale-eigenskapane hans, den uformelle latteren og dei morosamme kommentarane. Jammen dansa dei og sang Shosholoza i Parlamentet når ein FIFA-fyr (med ein sjukt herleg fransk aksent) kom inn for å overrekke pokalen og den offisielle fotballen til Fotball-VM, som finn stad her i Sør-Afrika i 2010. Zuma måtte òg leike litt med fotballen; han hoppa rundt i Parlamentet og triksa. Han sa at no treng vi ikkje å ha VM, for pokalen er i Sør-Afrika og her skal den bli! Fantastisk! Då tenkjer eg på dei tørre politikarane vi har i Noreg, kor uber-formelt og skikkelig alt er. JA til meir humor, dans, sang og fotball i Stortinget!

Det har vore mykje blest rundt Jacob Zuma dei siste åra og spørsmål har blitt stilla kring den nye presidenten sin politiske og moralske legitimitet. Ein kan ikkje akkurat seie at det har vore fokus på dei politiske merittane hans; Zuma har nemleg vore medlem av ANC sidan 1959, han satt 10 år i fangenskap på Robben Island saman med Mandela, og han spelte ei viktig rolle i meglinga mellom partar i Sør-Afrika tidleg på 1990-talet. Zuma var og ein sentral fasilitør i fredsmeglinga i Burundi, og han var vise-president i Sør-Afrika frå 1999-2005. Det tippa eg at du ikkje visste. Det politiske livet hans har vore totalt overskygga i media av anklagar om sex- og korrupsjonsskandaler, særleg i vesten, men òg her.

9. mai vart altså Jacob Zuma innsatt som Sør-Afrika sin fjerde demokratiske valgte president, og endeleg får vi sjå politikaren Zuma i aksjon! Som alle andre presidentar har han tilhengjarar og motstandarar. Zuma er sett som ein folkets mann, inkluderande og noko populistisk i sin politikk. Om det blir store endringar å sjå er lite truleg. Men den nye regjeringa har oppretta ein nasjonal planleggingskomite for å sikre ein meir effektiv og samkøyrd politikk blant dei ulike departementa.

Det blir spanande å sjå kva den nye regjeringa får til, trass i mykje pessimisme om Sør-Afrika si politiske utvikling. Etter Mandela har det berre gått nedover, seier folk. Ja, på mange måtar skal det nok mykje til for å overgå Mandela. Samstundes står Sør-Afrika ovanfor heilt andre utfordringar enn i tida rundt frigjeringa. Utfordringane no er mykje eit produkt av politikken som har blitt ført sidan 1994, men sjølvsagt gjallar gjenklangen av apartheid og 300 år med undertrykking i gangane. Det er mykje å ta tak i, og eg håpar JZ kan bevise at han er ein bedre politikar og leiar, enn eit mannleg moralsk forbilde - for der har han stroke i alle fag!

Ein kompis av meg kommenterte debatten som foregikk idag på ein fantastisk måte:

I am at loss for words - its beautiful that we have a prez[ident]
who is one of the people and not sitting in his ivory tower.
almost brings tears to my eyes,
or that could just be the dust thrown up
as his convoy of high-end german vehicles passing me by
as I sell my body for bread...

Åh, no syng dei inn til bøn i Bo-Kaap, det muslimske området her i Cape Town. Sangen straumar hit til meg i Gardens - vakkert! No skal eg ut å gå ved havet. Cape Town, Je t'aime!

og HIPP-HIPP HURRA FOR
LILLESØSTER INGVILD som blir 20 år idag!!
♥