EXTRA BLOG

One of my local papers asked for a short blog from me. I sent this yesterday but thought I should add it into this main blog page as well.

CONTRASTS UK AND TIGRAY

8 a.m. in the UK: people are showering, watching TV, eating breakfast, driving to school and work and talking about Big Brother. Stand still outside and you hear a great hubbub of traffic on the road and in the air.

8 a.m. in Tigray: people are walking to collect their water, eating a small lump of bread, walking to school (if there is one near enough) and talking about how their crops are doing. Stand still outside and you hear - nothing - except chattering people and animal footsteps. The silence is deafening.

Life here is stark, but it is improving, although more can be done. I am going to learn a lot more about this whilst here. And yet you see a lot of smiling faces - on poor but very attractive people. Who's to say that we are actually better of in the UK.