Cold, warm and cold day

14 Feb Cold and warm day

Usual routine, E & I cycled bikes to school, dropped him, I went back to Tottenham C, very tire, feeling bad back ache

12&13 Feb

13 Feb



12 Feb

Cloudy, exam day

Warm sunny day

Warm sunny day for change

Reapeted the usual routine, walked to school & C's work as I helped her with carrying her bag

Mild & windy day

Repeated the usual routine, dropped Ebs, we were a bit late, cycled to TC, finished the CRB report,

Wrote a message in English and Afan Oromo to OromiaNet members suggesting to raise fund to initate and sponsor in all parts of Oromia

5&6 Feb - A Nice Weekend With Don

6 Feb Sat




5 Feb - Sat

One of the best days - Garbushe has agreed to my proposal

Got up a bit late, feeling very tired, didn't go with Ebs who went by himself; I stayed behind to wait for the flower shop at St James to open so that I can buy flowers for Bo as she will leave the College today; rang Garbushe, asked her if she has made any decision, she said she didn't, asked her when I should ring her back; then she sort of started telling me what problems we'll have if we ask the bar ladies to leave - significantly reduced income as people are not going to come our hotel; after discussing the issues we both agreed that if the hotel is renewed, showers introduced, prices can be increased and the income should be good enough to live on; we'll also tell the bar ladies to find different jobs than prostitution; we'll also offer them support if they want to study; I AM VERY VERY GRATEFUL TO GARBUSHE AND GOD THAT MY PROPOSAL IS GOING TO BE TRIED OUT. LET'S HOPE IT'LL WORK. I told Garbushe to keep this plan to herself for now. The next step is find out what saving the hotel has got; refurbish the hotel, make the necessary changes to the bedrooms etc, get showers installed; liaise with Lily's dad about selling food; once the bedrooms sorted, Garbushe will ask her employer to transfer her to Shakiso; if they refuse, she will resign and start amanging the hotel; if they transfer her, she'll try both working for the health office and managing the hotel; if that will be demanding she can just do the hotel management; [the new idea that I'm thinking about now is, finding the security guard(s) for the hotel - I'll try to pusuade Kidane & Nagesa to share guarding the hotel and get paid for it],; C came back before I left the house to pick a bowl Ebs forgot to take to school; I told her about my excitement that Garbushe is going to run the hotel; she like the idea and suggested that the lost income from alcchol could be supplemented by selling cakes, mandazi, tea and juices - all great ideas! left home ready to go to Don's, have packed his heavy books and a few things for myself; bought the flowers, went to Stifford, gave the flowers, chocolate and a card to Bo; learners and Radha wanted to buy a bit of refreshments and organise an event; I went bakc

Good discussion with Shefa

Repeated the usual routine, but C decided to drive and dropped me at St Station; take the 8.25 train, chagedat Hackney Downs, got off B Green, walked to Stifford, met with Radha, have an interesting chat on the weather, our work, told her I was coming back to give flowers, card and chocolate to Bo as she was leaving; walked to Jagonari Centre, taught lessons, including practice exams, which the learners found very useful; came home;

Rang Ashenafi, had a long discussion on what to do with our family hotel in Shakiso, how to improve the effectiveness of our family meeting, what need to do in the future, issue around family members moving to USA, living in closer vicinities etc - a lack of jobs; he suggested we should improve our hotel, run commercial agriculture in Eth, set up a pharmacy in collaboration with Tesfaye Bude; Garbushe to be cashier for the pharmacy, etc; I agreed in principle but told him that we have work hard and save money to invest over the next 3-5 years; we'll keeping talking over skype; I asked if can talk to Sam and see if they can an AHEAD/UDA fundraising event in USA -sponsored bike ride, running or even walking!

Drove Ebs to the Village for his woodcraft falk activity, tonight's session is making music from junk; came home and rang Genene was't in; phoned Garbushe, line didn't work, will ring her tomorrow; hope she'll agree to my planning! wrote diary, get ready for tomorrow - work and jouney to Don's, bath, Obama, bed.

Another chilly day!

Didn't sleep well, C was snoring, she hasn't sorted her snoremender; I was disturbed, got up and did some UDA/AHEAD work; deleted old files of the PC, while listening to music on youtube; C came down livid with me that I working rather than trying to sleep or telling her to go Ebs room; she went to Ebs room, I slept by myself! In the morning sropped Ebs at school; on the way we discussed Obama's teen age rebellion, re: his resistence to rense milk bottles before putting them in the dust bin, or not understanding why his grampa expected him fill his car's tank with fuel every time hi borrowed grampa's car; Ebs supported Obama, I supported grampa. Took train to B Green, walked to Stifford, led the Course Quality Review meeting; walked to Jagonari with Pushpa; taugh lesson, did exam practice; sent £100 to mum, Ferceqo & Qilxa via Garbushe/Western Union; talked to Garbushe - gave details of the money sent and who give to Mun 500 +500 for mobile phone replacement, the second one I bought her was dropped in the toilet, 500 Ferceqo, 500 uncle Qilxa Waqo and 500 Garbushe; I also asked Garbushe to resign from her community health position and take up duties of running our hotel, I promised her to change the hotel business to fit her interests, needs, e.g. the bar ladies will leave, we stop selling alchol, we sell soft drinks, food etc and rent the beds, she didn't sound keep and started arguing, didn't argue back, told her to think over it and I'll ring tomorrow or day after and we discuss then; I promised her that she can do distance learning as well; I AM PRAYING SERIOUSLY THAT GARBUSHE AND GOD WILL LISTEN TO MY PLEAD AND HELP US CHANGE THE DREADFUL SITUATION THAT THE HOTEL IS IN. AMEN!!!

I drove C & Ebs to pool and track, Ebs did his athletics training, C & I swam; after dinner we listened to my interview about reading habits in the UK recorded yesterday and braodcast tonight; Sora Halake from Borana, now, based in Washinton DC interviewed me for VOA Afan Oromo Service; he editted it well and didn't sound to bad my first radio interview in years!

Bath, Obama, bed.