Writing prompt – peaceful places
Peaceful garden in the grounds of the fistula hospital in Addis Ababa
In the bustle and hustle of modern day life, peaceful settings to do our writing is sometimes an elusive thing. Over the centuries many writers have sought refuge in gardens, both private and public. I certainly find that the peaceful environment can be conducive to writing in the generation of new ideas, the consolidation and development of existing ideas or even as places to actually write new material.
In today’s photo I’ve shown a very peaceful garden in the grounds of the Fistula Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. My wife and I were fortunate enough to be able to have a tour of the hospital when we were in Ethiopia a few years ago. You can read about our experience on my travel site here.
The women who come to this hospital have suffered terribly because of this horrible condition. A simple operation usually solves the problem and their lives are transformed. The peaceful hospital facilities, including the wonderfully kept gardens, are a vital part of their rehabilitation and healing. It was amazingly serene in these gardens considering the noise, smell and turmoil of life outside of the hospital grounds.
Writing prompts:
- Write about a garden you know well, and explain how it impacts your writing.
- Visit a favourite garden, take pencil and notepaper and record your feelings, or even write a poem about what you see.
- Visit a well-kept garden – private or public – and take a camera to record what you see. Use some of the photos to inspire your writing.
Good writing.
Peaceful garden in the grounds of the fistula hospital in Addis Ababa
Writing prompt – dealing with illness
My family visiting the leprosy hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Most people suffer from a variety of illnesses during their lives. I’ve certainly had my fair share of them over the last twenty years especially. Some people experience multiple illnesses and at different stages of life. Other people have a severe disability of some sort. Coping with prolonged illness or a lifelong disability can have many challenges, disappointments and frustrations.
On our visit to Ethiopia a few years ago we took the opportunity to visit the craft shop in the grounds of the leprosy hospital. All the craft work on sale was produced by leprosy victims as a part of their therapy and rehabilitation. These ladies in particular were proud to show off their wonderful handiwork. I wrote about our visit here on my travel site.
How do you cope with illness? Or a disability?
Writing prompts:
- Write about a time you were very ill.
- Write about caring for a loved one with a serious illness.
- Write about how you would cope with a disability?
- Write about a friend or family member suffering a severe illness.
- Imagine dying from a serious illness. Write your own eulogy or obituary.
Good writing.
Writing prompt: Donkeys and other animals
Donkeys in the streets of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
When one travels to other countries, your eyes instantly pick up interesting contrasts to what you experience in your home town. I don’t ever see too many donkeys roaming the streets of my home town, Murray Bridge here in South Australia. Sure, the odd kangaroo ventures down the road past our home but this is quite rare. The occasional fox, hare or rabbit will make an appearance quite often, as well as the usual snakes and lizards. Even a sheep or two and horses pass by – I’ve even seen a riderless horse gallop by.
But never donkeys. Though there is one living in someone’s paddock about a kilometre away from our home; we sometimes hear him braying.
So when we went to visit Ethiopia and Morocco last year we were interested to see so many donkeys in the streets, on country roads and in farm yards. They are a very common beast of burden in those countries and are frequently seen in the streets of the large cities. Drivers have to be particularly careful to avoid colliding with them.
Writing Prompt: write about the animals you have as pets, or animals you see in your region. If you are writing a short story, incorporate one or more of these animals in your story to enhance the setting. If what you write is only a few hundred words, you could even post it in the comments section for other readers to comment.
Good writing.
Shopping in Addis Ababa
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
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