Sleepless in Addis

This is the second night in a row that I'm wide awake in the middle of night despite going to bed a few hours earlier. So far though, I've enjoyed these couple of days with my friends in Addis. They live in a lovely home just down the street from  Little Mogadishu, a small, bustling shopping area where one can get lamb burgers and stylish clothes from Somalia, but also in the vicinity of the embassies of Rwanda and Kazakhstan. One can see that the city itself is in an accelerated state of development, with many buildings under construction, as well as a brand new metro that began to operate last year. I've also met some really people from the expat community involved in development work, and they all have said positive things about this country, which is encouraging. But they are also shocked that I will be living for five months away from the capital! So while the sights, sounds, and tastes have been a delight to absorb, tomorrow my journey continues further south to Dilla, which is an 8 hour drive from Addis. God willing we arrive safely to our destination. Until then, I hope to catch a couple of more hours of sleep!