blog - 001

ሰላም (sälam). Welcome to my first blog post. I arrived in Addis Abäba, Ethiopia in the evening of Thursday 26th September 2024, which was ደመራ (dämära), and the day before መስቀል (mäsqäl) - an Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church holiday that commemorates the 'Finding of the True Cross'. So much has happened since then!

Addis is full of colour and vibes as usual. Lots of changes are happening though. The Addis I remember is disappearing - currently being dismantled/demolished. I feel for the people losing their homes and community. The massive gap between those with and without has been difficult to witness at times. Also, the practise of patience, acceptance, hope and faith has been viscerally/visibly present in the population and for myself. Everything moves at a different pace here.

Soon after arriving I setup my home music studio that continues to develop by adding art on the walls and tweaking my setup. I have been creating new music/art, meditating, connecting with culture, eating lots of Ethiopian food, hiking, practising yoga/pilates/body weight exercise, learning Amharic, reading, going out to events, resting at home and also meeting/spending time with some amazing family/friends. Life is good and I’m very grateful!

The smog of thick pollution and dust when I am walking/driving around Addis can be a bit overwhelming at moments. Driving in my aged ትንሽ (tïnïsh) green Renault Clio has been an experience (her name is Olive) - nearly overheating her going around tiny cobbled steep roads, getting a puncture, purchasing new tyres and getting an oil leak. Olive is working fine now though, thanks to my family here. She has a old radio too, which has a cassette tape player!

Most Saturdays I hike up into the Yeka mountain with a group, which gives me some very fresh air (sometimes Entoto mountain on Sundays) and at the same time tests my heart because of the difference in air pressure, stopping me from inhaling enough oxygen. However, I am slowly acclimatising to the altitude.

This blog post was written and edited without the use of Artificial Intelligence.

some pattern things...