Comments | tribal_thrash: Playing Catch Up

tribal_thrash

Playing Catch Up

Jul 06, 2009 09:41

Ok it's been so long since I posted I really feel like I need to get into the habit of a little often than a lot infrequently. We'll see if that happens, but to be honest I've just had so much to get on with that it's been impossible to sit down and type for any significant period of time. So in short this is what I've been up to since I came back ( Read more... )

parents, surfing, gliding, colmar, iceland, deevon, drinking, moving in, job, orrell

Comments 4

purp1e_magic July 6 2009, 12:59:15 UTC

Thank you very much. It seems I have more willpower than I thought ;) I demand a rematch of Tikal sometime when I'm not writhing in pain!

tribal_thrash July 21 2009, 14:22:33 UTC

Ha! I'll give you a rematch and I'll kick your butt twice as hard this time! :D

anonymous January 13 2010, 08:48:16 UTC

I wonder just how much of your salary you spent in Ethiopia to "develop" the country. If you didn't spend that money in Ethiopia, how long would you live on that money in France? Would you really be also to live by your own? I'm just curious cos most expats do not spend all their salaries in the countries they work in. Or (am guessing this is your case) - you did not get as much salary as other expats. You know, at the end of the day no real expat salary can be entirely spent in Ethiopia, unless you buy some properties. And in that case, you did not spend the money. You bought stuff for yourself....

tribal_thrash January 13 2010, 12:33:49 UTC

Hello anonymous caller.

I spent 100% of my salary in country. Well not actually, I still had 3 Birr remaining in my pocket as I boarded the plane, but that's pretty negligible. You're right I didn't have an "expat" salary, I received a $500/month stipend which allowed me to live very comfortably. I spent all the cash I had remaining at the end of my stay taking my girlfriend on a trip around the north of the country, so apart from a little coffee and an icon for my parents it was all spent on services. However, even if I HAD spent the money buying stuff for myself, every purchase would be money going to entrepreneurs in the country and it is all subject to tax, which does help the economy regardless of whether I spent it on goods or services.

I realise that it is not a huge amount to help "develop" the economy, but at least I didn't leave the country and add to the amount of aid money that flies back to the country of origin... unless you're going to judge me for 3 Birr?