From my desk, I see bright red gladioli, the waving guava tree, a bright blue bird. Every few minutes, Hima props herself up against the windowsill to check on me; I can't see her wagging tail, but the force of it makes her wriggle all the way up to her ears. I can hear the monotonous song of a plastic bottle collector as he plods down the street. The faint hum of traffic from Bole Rd, the occasional donkey braying. The sun is bright, the sky is blue. I have horrifically itchy flea bites up and down my right thigh. I am eating a banana that tastes like fruit punch.

Yesterday I sold the furniture. this is the beginning of the end of my time here.

11:10 a.m. - 2010-10-18