Travelling without moving

A writers greatest fear is having nothing to write about - which is precisely what concerns me when I'm no longer in an Ethiopian context. What possibly can I write about in the UK? Perhaps periodic surf trips but even this is vastly overestimating my meager bank account! 

How can Birmingham compare to the, dirt, dust and beauty of Addis Ababa? I certainly think my ego is going to miss the heckles off my sub city, people don't tell you your beautiful everyday in the UK, neither do they cheer your pathetic jogging attempts on with words of encouragement. The subtleties of this African capital is what I'll miss the most, the way heterosexual men hold hands in public, the Bob Marley stickers in the always crowded line taxis. 

I'll miss the pleasant greetings and the way people share food or donate to beggars whenever they can. 

Conversely I won't miss the public urinating and on a more serious note the endless suffering played out in the lives of some of Addis's residents. Like I said it is dirt, dust and beauty. 

Traditional Ethiopian Eskista Dance :)

So dear blog reader, here it is, my soul laid bare. I'm frightened that on my return to the UK I'll forget about the people I swore I'd help, I'm scared of sinking into mediocrity because its the easiest option. Above all I'm terrified of being ungrateful when I know I have such a lot to be grateful for. 
And then the my mind reverberates and I realize actually this fear is good, its fodder for my dreams. This fear will spur me into action, it will make me live a life that is interesting as thus far this fear has driven me to accomplish the things I have already. 

Human beings have so much potential, we have taken our mortality as a blessing and built things beyond ourselves. Our ability to have visions have meant we fly, we swim underwater, we make impossible things possible. Our only enemy is time, not having enough time to achieve all the things we aspire to do. 

In the last few days of the GX placement I'm a flurry of activity trying to buy the leaving presents I need to get, doing debrief training to evaluate my time here and above all saying goodbye to the people who I'll cherish for several lifetimes. I hate this part I'm always rubbish at goodbyes. That being said my wonderful family, supportive friends who've sent me letters (big thanks to Michelle, Rosie and Emma) and of course my beautiful man fellow are all reasons to get my butt back home asap! 

See in you in a little while England :) 

x x x