Ok so this is probably the penultimate blog entry I will do. It’s now Monday and on Wednesday I will be getting on the plane and doing the long journey back to the UK. Once back I plan to write almost a summary of my feeling and what is happening out here in Addis. In some ways I am looking forward to returning to the UK, however there is a strong part of me that is upset that I will be leaving this amazing place.

These past few weeks have been exciting and have seemed to of flown past. Something that has made the weeks even more exciting is that my father has been here to help and to see what has been happening out here. This is his 3rd time out in Addis and he was very eager to see the changes to the city. It’s been great with him here and it’s felt like a bit of home here with me.

For my last week at the project he joined me and worked with me. It has been great as he’s a great photographer and he has taken some amazing pictures of the project and the future extension project. We’ve also been doing extra work for a video we hope to use in promoting the extension project.

Well on the second day of my dad visiting the project we wanted to view the project again for some photo opportunities and some extra filming. We were told a group of Americans who are Bob Geldof’s friends would be visiting the project and we could go around with them. This is nothing unusual and there are always people visiting the area.

So after a 4x4 arrived we thought nothing of it. However it was soon followed up by increased activity at the project and people were hurrying about all over the place. When discussing with someone about walking around Mekdes came up to us and asked if we realised who was here and we would be walking around with. Due to the vacant expressions on our face it was quick followed with the name “Brad Pitt”.

After approx 2 seconds of deciding whether it would be worth going around with such a movie star, we decided what the heck it’s an experience. Sure enough after leaving a briefing of the project we were greeted hello from an all too familiar face.

It was a bit different to walk around the project with someone this famous and being a young white English boy, I caused a bit of interest. Brad seemed very friendly and we had a few chats. The whole time video cameras were flying around filming what the star saw and did. (If you’re in the US on June 6th watch ABC television and see if you see the short bit about Brad & DATA in Ethiopia and possibly record it and show it to me!).

While walking around Brad’s PA asked whether I’d be interested in a photo with him and I thought it wouldn’t hurt, I was told to wait till after lunch and I’d be given a chance.

So then we had lunch with Brad and the team who was with him. He explained that he was in Addis a very short time. He would be going to South Africa and then getting on another plane to Morocco to do some filming.

He had to leave early from the meal and I was asked to follow. So I got up from my lunch and Brad said thank you to me and said that the project looked amazing and I got a quick opertunity for a photo. Check the gallery in the download section for the photo and some other shots

So that was quite an exciting day at the project and only slightly surprising ;) .

Yesterday was Easter (yes, 5 weeks after the international date) here and people in the Orthodox Church have been fasting for 56 days and it was there day for breaking fast. We knew this from a few reasons, the main one being the sudden increase in animals that appeared in the city. There were hundreds lining the street. It was kind of grim, especially as we knew what would be happening to them. The other reason we knew it was Easter was, on Saturday night the two churches next to us decided that it would be a good idea to have a service that started at 10 o’clock at night and to finish at 4:30 in the morning. This kept everyone awake, except me for some unknown reason. It wasn’t a quiet service though cause even at 10 there was singing shouting and praying!

However it was nice to experience Easter in a different way, we did have some stashed away chocolate which was nice. We also had a big meal and I think most of were stuffed all today as well.

Sheep skins are now selling on most street corners which isn’t too good. Henrietta has survived the ordeal though and is living to see many another day.

So now I’m preparing to get ready to go back to the UK and leave behind the friends that I’ve made and the experiences that I’ve had. There is so much to show and tell and I hope to put a few more things on the blog once I arrive back in the UK. I hope to also include way that you can help with the project.

Anyway I hope you are all well and I’ll see you in a few days!