Somewhere in Addis there must be a big warehouse full of bunting. Red yellow and green bunting. And hundreds of Ethiopian flags. You can tell “Timket” (Epiphany) is due because suddenly bunting and flags appear everywhere. Its strung across roads, beside roads, all over roundabouts, even up the middle of the half-constructed railway lines on the poles holding up the (hopefully not yet live) electric cables. When driving home from church last Sunday we were held up briefly on a couple of occasions by committees of young men stringing up the bunting.  With no-one apparently in charge, no seeming order or structure, it all still gets done.

The annual Field Days have taken place this weekend. There has been a carnival atmosphere as special food has been served, music has been playing and the whole school body has been excited at the prospect of a variety of athletic pursuits. According to a longstanding parent at the school, I’m reliably informed that there is one tortoise who really likes field day and sure enough he made himself part of the proceedings. One child couldn’t resist putting a winners ribbon on his shell. Our Kindergarten team ran in the staff relay and appropriately used a teddy as a baton.