Writing prompt: the colour of spices
Colourful spices for sale in Fes, Morocco
In December 2011 my wife, daughter and I travelled extensively through magical Morocco. One of many interesting experiences was wandering through the medinas of the old parts of cities like Fes. The huge variety of things for sale was overwhelming, as were the sounds, aromas and the thronging crowds everywhere.
Such vibrant and exciting places. I wrote a great deal of poetry during our visit, along with an extensive daily journal.
Writing prompt: write about the foods you love, including the colours, aromas, textures and tastes. It could be in journal form, or poetry or even as a backdrop of a fictional piece, such as a short story.
Good writing.
Writing prompt: responding to bad news
I had some unwelcome news from my doctor yesterday. I’d been in for a routine check-up a few weeks ago and he ordered some extra tests. Yesterday I received the bad news that one condition I have has deteriorated markedly in recent months. I’ve had this condition for some 15 years and it has always been under control and quite manageable. It didn’t really impact my life at all, except for the requirement for daily medication.
It’s not really life threatening at this stage, provided I do all the right things and start seriously looking after myself. I thought that I was doing that, but it seems not. So how have I responded to this setback? I felt a little down at first, but, like all setbacks in life, one adapts, you think through what you can do to help the situation improve and then get on with living life. Take each day as it comes and live it to the full, acknowledging that you’ve been blessed with another day. Putting it in its right perspective also helps, because millions of others are far, far worse off.
One action that I know helps me to cope with setbacks like this is to write about it. So here I am doing just that. Usually I only write about private things like this in my journal, but I am sure many of my readers will identify with the therapeutic qualities of writing through a troubled time, serious situation or crisis that life throws in our faces from time to time.
I might also write a few poems or even a short story in response to this news, working out my emotions through the writing. One thing I won’t let it do is to freeze me into not writing at all. So I guess that there really is a silver lining after all.
Good writing – despite whatever life hurls at you.
Shopping in Addis Ababa
3 Comments »19th February, 2012; Category: Journal Writing
The following post is an excerpt from my journal written while on holiday in Ethiopia last December. We were visiting our daughter who was teaching at Bingham Academy, an international school in Addis Ababa. After leaving Ethiopia we travelled to Morocco and Spain. I’ll write about those countries soon.
Saturday 10th December 2011: Addis Ababa
We are becoming acclimatised to the altitude here. Both my wife and I had the best night’s sleep since arriving. Our daughter also slept well after getting little sleep the night before due to her pain.
We were able to sleep in for a while and didn’t go for a walk before breakfast. After eating I wrote several long emails, including a newsletter to family and friends.
At 9:45am we all bundled into a school van to go shopping for the day. One of the staff members was the designated driver. His wife and two of their three children came too, as well as another of the teachers.
Mat maker at ALERT Leprosy Centre
Our first stop was at the ALERT Leprosy Centre. Our main interest was to visit the shop to buy some of the craft work made by the patients. We also watched some of the people doing their craft work, including an endearing man weaving mats despite having no fingers. My wife bought several items but had to leave some things she wanted due to not having enough cash. We decided to hire a driver next week to return to the shop.
Women doing crafts at the ALERT Leprosy Centre
From there we visited a silk shop attached to a very nice private house with a magnificent garden. I took a few photos of the garden and several birds while my wife bought herself a silk scarf and a bead necklace for her birthday.
In a private garden in Addis Ababa
Despite much confusion and several phone calls to other teachers, we eventually found Sishu, a lovely restaurant near the centre of the city. Our hamburgers were great despite waiting a long time due to many customers.
We then drove the short distance to the craft shops near the main post office. These catered for the tourist trade and were amazing for the variety of things sold, from T-shirts to swords. We bought several carry bags while our daughter managed to find several items on her Christmas shopping list.
A visit to the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital
1 Comment »8th February, 2012; Category: Journal Writing
The following post is an excerpt from my journal written while on holiday in Ethiopia last December. We were visiting our daughter who was teaching at Bingham Academy, an international school in Addis Ababa. After leaving Ethiopia we travelled to Morocco and Spain. I’ll write about those countries soon.
In the garden of the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital, Ethiopia
Thursday 8th December 2011: Addis Ababa
We were up again at 6am this morning for a walk. During the night I had the best night’s sleep I’d had since arriving. One of the problems we have faced acclimatising to the altitude. We are gradually getting there. After staff devotions this morning we were invited to the senior assembly. The main focus of this assembly was to watch the K – 2 classes perform the Christmas story. This was both charming and delightful; we were privileged to have been invited.
In the garden of the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital, Ethiopia
At 10 o’clock our driver for the morning arrived. Rose arranged for her regular driver Alemu to take us to the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital. The son of the CEO is in Rose’s class and she managed to arrange an appointment for a tour of the facilities. We were made to feel most welcome by one of the office administrators.
Our visit to the fistula hospital was most inspiring, bringing tears to our eyes as we realised the extent of the work and how a simple, inexpensive operation can transform the life of a young woman who has a fistula problem. We came away convinced and convicted that we must help raise awareness of this work. We quickly thought of ways of helping the hospital and the patients in practical ways, not just with donation of money; simple things like encouraging people to make quilts or knitted rugs for the patients. If you’d like to help this wonderful hospital click here for details.
In the garden of the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital, Ethiopia
At the end of the tour we spent time talking to our guide Feven. We exchanged email addresses and website URLs. She is in the process of setting up a tourist business. Her clients will have a tour of Ethiopia, including the participants spending up to a week giving hands on volunteer work at the hospital. We are keen to assist in promoting this as well because it would help the hospital, assist local people with jobs and see some profits channelled into the hospital. You can check out her website here.
In the garden of the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital, Ethiopia
The Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital, Ethiopia
Camera troubles while in Ethiopia
No Comments »29th January, 2012; Category: Journal Writing
The following post is an excerpt from my journal written while on holiday in Ethiopia last December. We were visiting our daughter who was teaching at Bingham Academy, an international school in Addis Ababa. After leaving Ethiopia we travelled to Morocco and Spain. I’ll write about those countries soon.
Wednesday 7th December 2011: Addis Ababa
This morning we went for a walk again at 6am, had breakfast and joined everyone for morning devotions in the teachers’ lounge. Later in the morning I did some reading, sent some emails and went back to the lounge for morning tea. We had a long conversation with a couple of staff members (both about 5 years older than me) who have been at Bingham Academy for 3 years. Some 40 years ago they came from Meadows which is a small town about an hour’s drive from our home.
Most of the teachers left for class so we sat down so Corinne could finish her cuppa. One of the teachers who started the Horizon Boys programme, came in to chat with us, mainly about its history over the last 6 years, but also about her own call to teaching, her interesting social and family background in Scotland and how she is committed to Bingham. Her family – she has 7 siblings – all want her back in Scotland, none of them are Christians.
Earlier in the morning I started to head out to photograph some birds. I took several shots near Rose’s apartment and then the camera played up. There was a ‘lens error’ message on the screen. It wouldn’t close the lens at first but after a few tries it did. Then it wouldn’t switch on.
In desperation I searched online for a solution without much luck. This appears to be a common glitch with this model and most who had commented on this online suggested returning the camera to Canon. That wasn’t an option for me while travelling in Africa and Europe over the next 5 weeks. Another concern was that the one year warranty runs out before we return home. My son emailed me some fairly drastic solutions but I took the simplest and softest option; change the batteries. That seemed to work and since then have taken over 50 photos without any further problems. [Postscript: I didn’t use that set of batteries again during the trip and had no further problems, taking nearly 3000 photos during our trip.]
My daughter's apartment on the campus of Bingham Acade