Wow, through first time.

Hi guys,

What do you know? This time I got through to write a new post first time!! It only took a couple of seconds! I can't believe it.

I'm taking advantage of email access while I am in Asmara, because I wont have it in Barentu. I've found out that the bus only takes about 6 hours, but you may need to queue for about 3, and even then, you have to jump the queue to get on. I've heard most people are invited to jump the queue though.

Asmara is a beautiful city. I feel fairly familiar in Asmara now. You can get most things, although they are expensive. Fuel- $3.80, chocolate $8, whisky $150. My earnings will be about $200 a month so I will be budgeting quite frugally. Got any tips for me Doug?

The only place where the internet is quick enough to load pictures is possibly the british council, where I might try and link this to picasa. So, hopefully pics coming soon.

You wouldn't believe how hard it has been to just get onto this site!

I've tried everything to get on to post another topic, and this is the only way it has let me, by editing a former post. No shit, I have been trying to type this for 30 minutes at least. I'm finally through so I hope it publishes properly.

Landed in Eritrea last Saturday. Found out in Cairo that the other volunteers have been delayed and will be here this Saturday. Luckily, a couple of Aussie volunteers have taken me under their wing and shown me around the joint.

It will take far to long to upload a picture, so I will attempt to describe it.

Asmara is clean, with trees lining the sealed roads. Old cars and new cars travel on the wrong side of the road (to me) but traffic is minimum, but you need to watch out for the hustle of people on bicycles, and the red buses which have squeezing room only. Walking down the street I notice a long line of people with small plastic containers near a gas station that look like they have been waiting all day. They are patient, and fill out the required paperwork as they reach the front to collect their ration of kerosene. They've been cooking with charcol because kerosene hasn't been available for weeks. Cafes are dotted around town. A big cathedral stands on the main road, outside is a bus station with many people waiting. If a seat is available, it is offered to the old lady with her kerosene, or the mother with her baby wrapped to her back. People pass you on the street and look at you. The pale skin is a dead give away that you are an outsider. Some are indifferent, most are friendly, sharing a smile and saying 'selam', rarely are you bothered.

Outside the city there is no mistaking it, I am in Africa. The only paved roads are those that connect major villages. Mounting a motorbike with a fellow volunteer we venture into the dry, dusty landscape. The eye can see for miles- clouds are at eye leve in the distance as they approach the eastern escarpment to hopefully dump their precious moisture. A well of water is surrounded by green, then red, and dry yellow dust. We climb up a rocky road, holding on for dear life. Don't want to fall off out here. Passing a collection of Eucalyptus trees reminds me of home, there must be water under the ground as twist and turn following it. A friendly face greets us. He is the director of the school where my friend works. He takes us on a tour of his historic village built of stone on stone. New houses built with old methods, leaves and dirt for roofs. Interested faces poke out of these homes. Kids play soccer with socks, or tennis around a pole. Electricity goes down to the well to pump water. Regretfully, and somewhat difficultly, we decline an offer for coffee, a process which can take up to four hours. Food is scarce, coffee is expensive, though hospitality is bountiful. A welcome introduction to this vastly different region. This is Africa.


If there is perhaps one country which could rival China's rapid development, it would have to be United Arab Emirates. It has the feeling of being 'under construction.' What they have is very new, but you look around to see most things are only half finished. I also get the impression that the labour building this place is imported, mainly from India, maybe. I'm in Abu Dhabi for a day and just read that it is the richest place in the world! If the wealth (oil) was shared equally, each person would be worth approximately 17 million UAE dollars! Don't take my word for it though, I just read it in a magazine that was lying around the hotel room. Off to Cairo today, then onto Asmara, Eritrea, tonight! Pretty stoked. Really looking forward to getting to the place i'll be calling home this year, making some friends and learning heaps of new things! I'll keep posting...

The Language

I arrived in the restaurant, on my own for the first time, without needing to rely on April’s fluency in Chinese. I had a bundle of phrases and words up my sleeve and ordered a number of items from the menu in Chinese! Woohoo, I overcame a big hurdle!

Up to this point I had ordered various things at restaurants and bars with April, but this was my first time doing it on my own and to my surprise they understood me, although a few wry smiles broke out on her face as I got the words out. Haha!

I have learnt around 15 – 20 phrases or words in the three weeks I have been here. Having April is a wonderful resource and without her correction in my pronunciation of words I wouldn’t have learnt as much as what I have now.

Living in Shanghai means I need to learn Mandarin which is the official Chinese language and the dialect Shanghainese. Most of what I have learnt is Mandarin but I have a couple of words in the local dialect particular when I need to shoo away the pesky watch sellers in the city. “Nian ke!” I say, which literally means “Get the hell out of my way!” Funnily enough it has worked a treat so far, especially seeing the shocked look on their faces when a Laowai (foreigner or white man) can speak their language!

Well, I think there are already a few points of contrast between my posting and yours Steve. I've had my departure date delayed due to a lack of paperwork. I'm now writing furiously to try and fill some space on this damn blog because when I get to Barentu, my town in Eritrea, i'll have to travel 3 hours by bus to the next town before I can get internet access. It might take even longer if I buy the camel i've been checking out on E-bay. Then when I get there I can look forward to camel speed downloading/uploading to boot!

However, it looks like you have access in your apartment. High speed broadband no doubt (just look at the snazzy pictures that you've been able to upload!)

I leave on the 22nd of January. I fly out of Sydney, to Abu Dhabi, Cairo and then Asmara- capital of Eritrea. I'll have 2 weeks there before they drive me out to Barentu (check it out on Google Earth, very small and dry) and i'll begin teaching. Half of my time is designated to teaching a couple of grade 5 classes, the other half to collaborate with the local teachers. I'm a bit daunted by the prospect of 70+ kids in a class and have absolutely no idea as to the logistics involved in teaching anything to such large numbers. In addition to that, they have a strict exam schedule which they follow, and most of the students are notorious for cheating. I'm putting it all down as a LEARNING EXPERIENCE!

Departure date postponed...

Well, the departure date has been postponed. Probably a sign of the type of administrative occurances to come. Just somethin i'll need to get used to. Actually, i'm stoked! I've been running around like a headless chook for so long, i've forgotten what it feels like to have time to myself. I read a whole book today! Jodi Piccoult My Sister's Keeper. Great story. The ending was great. The girl... no. Better not. Will keep posting!

Social Thoughts + Food

Who said China was a Comuni$t country?? Well in some twisted theory, maybe. As many of us are aware, we sometimes say one thing and do another, much like this country. In practice, what I see more of is rampant capitalism and I stress the word rampant with tight go\/ernment control over a range of what we perceive as every day freedoms, especially the internet. Spend, spend spend, brands, brands, brands is the mantra among the growing middle class and elite. Sure there is poverty in the city and millions live in rural areas suffering grim existences but the way in which this country is changing, it can only be left up to the imagination where China will be in a few decades. This is no post WWII soviet bloc, this is eight storey shopping malls, this is the new China!

In saying all this, there are these Volkswagen Sanatana’s from the mid 80s still being driven around and they sure do look like the cars out of the old James Bond movies when 007 was always fighting those mean Soviet’s as they chased him in those drab looking but highly reliable East German automobiles. Each time I see one I always think of Roger Moore! Maybe during China’s not so glorious times, their mates next door traded these cars with them!

Nick has been pressing for an update on the food, so I’ll fill people in. I am really enjoying the food at the moment, tasting a wide range of local, Chinese and dishes from outside China, in particular Japanese and Korean. Local food mainly consists of rice and noodles but there are a lot of soup dishes worth tasting and all at around $1 to $2 per meal. Venture into food courts in mid range shopping malls and the restaurants are cleaner and decorated in a more familiar way. The food is much the same with either tofu, meat and various sauces on top of rice or dry noodles. All for about $2 to $4. Foreign dishes demand about $5 to $10 and the quality is always very good.

I have only had one uncomfortable experience where I needed a toilet quickly and ironically it was the most expensive eating experience so far where April and I spent a substantial amount of Yuan at a so called ‘fine dining’ restaurant tasting dumplings. All the super cheap and road side stalls have not given me any grief!

Well I can hear the car horns outside making a very creative musical tune so I may go listen.

Till next time… =)

Oh, and for those wanting to know about these old Soviet mobiles, I found a picture.

The experiences continue

Once again there are too many things to discuss in an entry so i'll try and summarise a lot of what has been going on lately!

I am starting to become more familiar with the city. Accompanied by another 21 million people, it sure can be a squeeze but I am finding it easier to naviagate my way around some of the bus and train routes and am starting to get a sense of direction.

The funny thing about Shanghai is that even though it is bigger than Tokyo, where i have spent some time in, it doesnt quite have that "massive" feel to it yet. I gather this is due to the city constantly under development in so many areas. I'd say in 20 years time this could be close to one of the most clogged but enormous cities in the world if it keeps going at the rate of growth that is occuring now.

Spitting, hocking and all the other words used to describe when someone needs to clear their throat and leave the remains on the ground beside your foot are common place here but not as common as I had myself believe. Although you will experience it around 10 to 20 or so times a day, which for many of us 'refined' western folk is a bit much, as a guy and one that used to spit when i was teenager, i can get over it :P What I can't get over is some dude masturbating next to me in a high class shopping centre urinal and only after he saw me walk in! Not the most pleasant of experiences. "Look ahead, finish what you have to and get out fast" i said afterwards!

"You wanna watch?", "Hashish, marijuana", a few of the regular and common phrases many approach me with each day I venture in to the city. Chinese from near the tibetan area of the country also beg in the streets, particular around People's Square where the young children are instructed to grab your pants and pull on them to get money. Quite a sad situation but one which i am not prepared to become involved with.

I have also visted numerous historical gardens and places, famous streets and shopping districts. April and I also visited the Shanghai World Financial Centre, a 492metre tower with the top floor being 474metres. Was absolutely amazing being up that high and an awesome experience. For those interested, this is currently the second tallest building in the world.

So far Shanghai is just what I was after!

Keep looking back as I hope to post more often!

Till then... :)