If you want to cope in this rat race world of ‘education’, copy! Copy from your friend, copy from the Internet, copy from books, just copy. As a parent, I encourage you to do it, as long as you manage to get in to and graduate from a State Run University. As a private school owner, I encourage you to do it and bribe the officials so that my school will become reputable. As a friend, I help you do it as it is the shortest way to success. Continue reading
If one walks on the main streets of Addis especially when a main Christian holiday is around the corner, one cannot escape the rather chaotic view of colorful posters that are posted on poles, and on constructions site fences. The ‘pastors’, ‘prophets’, ‘apostles’ and the ‘anointed’ ones announce their upcoming ‘conferences’ or ‘miracle-filled’ services. Photographs will be posted as well. Continue reading
I remember reading a fine piece on the book vendors in Addis a few years ago; it was on Addis Neger – a now defunct newspaper. The article mainly highlighted the plight of the vendors and how hard it was for them to make ends meet, as the market was not strong. Self help books were more popular then. They were also the ones that were more available and I presume no serious reader would buy such books.
The depth of our greed!!
This caught my attention the other day when I was scanning through the papers: Yaregal Aysheshum, Family Assets Frozen over Allegation of Corruption.
‘Emily really knows her stuff’ is one line in the lyrics of the theme song of Thomas and His Friends – a well written/made children’s TV series. Knowing one’s stuff is an amazing quality and which I believe distinguishes one from one’s peers. And more so if one is in business….
I had to buy some stationary for my office the other day and I was looking for a particular type of envelope in a certain colour. Knowing that it would be difficult to find what I wanted in the small stationary shops found everywhere, I went to Kazanchis – the stationary Mecca of Addis. I visited nearly 20 shops and half of them do not know what an A5 envelope is. That was shocking as I thought it was an elementary thing for stationary people to know. So much for knowing one’s stuff. I, though, found 2 or 3 people who knew their stuff well. And it was kind of refreshing.
Addis’ weather is always good – except the heat in May (you can stay indoors and escape the heat) and the Rainy Season (if you don’t like mud and continuous raining). But November is the best time for me.
The golden horizon during sunset is breathtaking; the wind is soothing and the temperature is just perfect. This is something we the locals take for granted; but for those who always suffer weather extremities (too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter), I’m sure Addis in November is something close to heaven.
Addis Watch is back. We intend to post about every day happenings in Addis regularly from now on.