Dream World

I’ve been working out in the gym this week.  The girls raced on the weekend so they’re having an “Active Rest Week”, which is fantastic!!!  This is a big deal because Active Rest isn’t a thing in Ethiopian culture; either you run or you are weak.  The girls run a ridiculous amount, but then everyone does here so it’s not a big deal.  For me running every day and even doubling is/ was unheard of.  My coaches will tell you how difficult it was to get me to run even 6 times a week- looking back, they must have been so frustrated with me.  But the more I ran during the week the more running became a chore, so for me, it was better to kill a few hard workouts and pump out a couple easy runs a week, and then take a couple of rest days.  Anyway, the point is- I’ve been working out in the gym and I’m loving it.  This way I can work hard to catch up to the girls’ fitness, without them witnessing me sweating!

My room is the one at the end of the second ledge on the right!
Habesha Home!

SO after today’s gym workout and delicious breakfast of Peanut Butter porridge, I thought I’d treat myself to a little nap.  To be honest my brain was dying, so having a nap was the only option.  So off I popped to my room and flopped down on my bed, promising myself I’d only have half an hour as I rolled into my sleeping bag... Half an hour turned into an embarrassing three hours- BUT I will say, my dreams were amazing and I’m still not convinced it wasn't real life.  In the first dream my best friend flopped down onto the bed next to me, and we just talked.  She asked me how the English classes were going and if she could help me prep for this afternoon’s class.  I told her it was all done, so I had time to nap- and we were just going over the homework I gave them on Past/Present/Future Tenses and the 5 W’s.  Just a causal chat.  And then I woke up to the girls giggling in the next room.

See I can do my own washing Mum & Dad!

In my second dream I was transported to my parent’s kitchen, and I stood next to my Mum as she made lunch and my Dad sat at the kitchen table, and chatted my head off to them as I always do.  I told them how the girls had told me yesterday that my calves were fat, and I had flexed one and said “No.  All muscle”, and they all laughed (they've told me I'm fat a few time now- in a loving way, of course. But the shorts I'm wearing tell me quite the opposite).  I told them how yesterday I washed all my clothes by hand but it took me ages!!  And when I finally hung them up to dry it was the early evening, so after dinner (when it was dark) I went to check on them- and while replacing a t-shirt I glanced into the bushes ahead of me to see two set of glowing eyes.  It’s not even that scary anymore, hyenas are literally always watching us. The novelty is wearing off, and I don’t think I’ll be scared until I actually see the body attached to the eyes (which means we’ll be quite close to each other).  I told them how it’s a whole new world here- there is Habesha (Ethiopian) Running, Habesha Food, Habesha Music/Dance, Habesha Time and just the Habesha Way.  I told them about my Ferengi (Amharic word for Westerns) friends, and how my last one left this morning.  My parents laughed when I recounted my night out in Addis with Xavier & his girlfriend, their friends Kal and Raj, the hotel owner Joseph and Ian, a 1500m runner from Cambridge.  My Mum shook her head when I told them we went dancing, and she said “What did I say about being out at night!”, but I explained that it was fine because Joseph, Ian, Kal and I stuck together- and we’d literally danced any alcohol we’d had out of us.

My Mum kept asking me questions, encouraging me to keep up the chat- and it was lovely.  Having been sick for the past two weekends I’ve been fairly homesick- so to feel like I was at home with my family and hangout with my bestie was exactly what I needed.  But again I was awoken by the sound of giggles and the girls swapping answers to their homework.  So I made an effort to move, but gave in to my still heavy eyelids…

In my final dream (that I can remember), I was in the back seat of a SUV, driving through a snowy town with two friends.  I can only recall them laughing and thinking how pretty everything looked. And I woke up again- and couldn’t believe the time.  As I walked towards the kitchen, one of the hotel staff asked if I’d slept, and I sheepishly said I had accidently.  He smiled and replied in Amharic; I smiled back and asked what he meant- he said I looked terrible, so I playfully pretended to give him a smack around the head.  Well deserved, I believe.

Yaya Village Gardens

After lunch, a massive plate of pasta, the girls and I headed out into the garden for English class.  We usually sit at a table in the garden, but today they wanted to sit underneath a shade hut thing on the grass.  We all sat down, and after a hour long revision class (where I marked their homework) we crawled out of the shade and into the sun.  As I was lying on my front, thinking of what a pretty picture I could take of the gardens, Tigist squealed, “sTEFF, foot!” I rolled over to see my foot covered in ants.  For those of you who know me well, you’ll know I HATE ants, but I’d never met Ethiopian ants before... Suddenly these little monkeys started biting me, and it seemed like they all agreed to have a go at the same time.  But had they just taken over my right foot?  No.  I began jumping up and down, doing a little jig as ants began biting my back, arms, and my neck!! Between laughs the girls chased me trying to swat them off and pulling them out of my hair.  Meanwhile the hotel staff began to gather and soon my jigs and screams had everyone laughing.  Finally, Asnakitch removed the last of them and Tigist suggested we go home and change, but I still feel them on me!! GAH

So I’m off to the gym for round two of calf and quad blasting, and I hope to dream some more tonight! How great is that? I get to live in Ethiopia and dream of home- amazing!

Look for updates TOMORROW; I’m just about to launch my fundraiser for the Yaya Girls! And I have plenty more stories for you. See you in my dreams (aww! cute.)

Steph x