Celebrity

I strongly recommend Ethiopia to anyone who has self esteem issues as its done wonders for mine. This may hold true in other nations. By being foreign and living in Ethiopia I've joined a select group of people who form a celebrity clique whose actions are closely followed by the people of Gondor. I did not expect everyone in town to recognize me before my arrival, but since coming here most people seem to have figured out who I am. Including a lot of people I've never met formally. Foreigners activities are closely followed.

For example myself and a few other younger volunteers were assisting Kate (who has baboons!) move furniture because she had switched offices. Once everyone got over the fact that we didn't want to pay them to help they just watched us with amused expressions on their faces. After we'd taken a few loads we ran into someone we knew on our way back. He then asked if it was true that we'd been carrying furniture. Apparently a few blocks away this had been the topic of conversation. He had details down to who was carrying which piece of furniture. (I was carrying a chair, so was Matt, Avi and James were carrying a desk).

Simply by being foreign you reach a level of minor celebrity in town. Your doings are reported in great detail among the locals to the point that they'll sometimes report what you've been doing to you more accurately than you can recall it.

Children regularly shout at the sight of you and rush up for the opportunity to shake your hand. Anyhow yeah... I gotta get going to ummm... hang out with Kevin Bacon.