Dear Prof N,
I actually taught a summer school for a few expat familirs for a week in bahir dar, and my impression is that it is good for families with young children. my nextdoor enighborus there had kids aged 2 and 5 and there were several other families nearby with kids similar ages. bahir dar is quite a quiet and green place to live, and with boat rides etc i imagine it's a place kids would love grwoing up in.
there is a sschool for expats but the expat families i taught were unhappy with it, had started a tiny one-room school and were looking to set up a proper school - i think this is happening as i speak actually. but i don't know if their opinion is just a minority view - don't really know much im afriad.
there are mosquitos, and when i was there in the rain season, there was a threat of malaria - being lake-side, im rpety sure it's higher here than in other places in ethiopia ie addis.
sophie
