First days in Addis Ababa, first negative records...

After a never ending flight, we finally came to Ethiopia. A UN driver came to pick us up, and we had no problem with bags and luggage, even tough we exceed the weight limit. We went directly to the Atlas Hotel, where 2 comfy room were waiting for us.
The following morning was dedicated to the discovery of the city: t-shirt, snickers, shorts and our unchanghable white skin. A taxi driver took us to the University and then we followed walking without a direct target... just willing to know how the real Africa was. Well, unfortunately all what people say about it, seems to be true. People begging for money every 50 metres, old people lying on the sidewalks, a noisy and smelly traffic jam... we went down the menelik road where the Ethiopian white house is, and we got lost in a `favela` where everyone was looking at us. But I have never felt in danger, people seemed to look at us but not to hate us because we were "whites" . They were smiling us, and that was leaving us astonished. We recover our way to tha Mezkal square, where some young guys were playing soccer. Normal traffic, but no shadow, no refuge from the African burning sun. We ate a sandwich, but our skin was already read, and that, lately, would have been a big problem.
We accidentally found the only internet point open at sunday, and we had the chance to say hi to our families with a text message from the vodafone web site. Then, burned and tired, we got home to take a shower. My face was completely red, my neck as well. My head was spinning, and my legs were tired. We had a brief dinner and then I tried to go to sleep... but i could not.
I did not sleep at all, i was so fricking sick! So thew following morning we went to the office, but before anything I asked to go to the CLINIC inside the compound. Diagnosis: fever (38.5) and gastrointeritis. The nicest wasy to begin. But after a shot in the bottom and some salty water I recovered my energies and I was ready to face the first day. The compound is gorgeous, an oasis in the desert with offices, shops, gym, conference rooms (Prodi came here 2 weeks ago) 4 restaurants, 5 bars...... its like a (rich) city in the (poor) city. It makes u thing about the words UNITED NATIONS, when you see a 3-metre-wall and beyong house made by wood and mood...

But still.... so during these days we are arranging all the burocratic stuff: UN id, UN passport, Bank account and research of accomodation. Yeah, that will be the major point.
On Friday, tomorrow, we will have the first contact with our agencies (UN/AIDS for me, UNFPA for Valentina, my experience buddy). I'll you guys know. I took some pictures, Ill post them tomorrow. In the meantime a huge hug from Addis......