Remembering Ethiopia

Obama, Obama, Obama! Ethiopians LOVE Obama. His image is everywhere: T.V., shirts, bumpers stickers, signs, etc! We are told that Ethiopians partied all night in the streets when he was elected and that they were following our election closely. Another big party is planned for Tuesday after he is sworn in as President. It is a powerful reminder of how the world watches the affairs of the US and how our leaders affect perceptions around the world.

Friendship is HUGE in Ethiopia. People here are very friendly and affectionate toward each other. It is not uncommon to see women (and men) walking down the street holding hands or arms around each other.

Driving in Ethiopia is an adventure in itself! It is a good thing we had a driver for the week we were here! There is no way we could have navigated the crowded roads (crowded with cars, people and goat herds!), numerous potholes, and major intersections with NO street lights or stop signs. It’s a free for all! I can’t tell you how many times I closed my eyes because I thought we were going to hit someone or something! We even drove up on a crowded sidewalk to get around some traffic. Did I mention that there are no seatbelts?

Mornings in Ethiopia begin by prayers announced over loud speakers throughout the city. As we open our blinds and look out of our fourth story window, the air is thick with smoke as people make outdoor fires to prepare their breakfasts. Even our hotel room is fill with the smell of wood burning.

The streets of Ethiopia are filled with people. Throughout the day the sidewalks are filled with people walking, talking, and begging. It is very common to see people just standing around chatting with each other. People on the streets range from those who are dressed in very Western clothing (upper class) to those in traditional garb (upper class and lower class).

Ethiopia is made up of compounds. All homes (tin shacks to stucco mansions) have “fences” around them which usually include a gate of some kind and tall walls made of tin, brick or stone. Many compounds have barbed wire or broken glass on top of the walls for added protection. The main streets are lined with tiny shops (no bigger than 10 x 10) selling spices, meat, clothes, shoes, fruits, etc. The allies are dirt roads that jet out from the main street and are home to numerous families in the city.

74 degrees. Everyday.

Injera (a flat spongy bread, like a pancake) is served at every meal and is used as the main “utensil.” Ethiopians eat with their hand (their right hand) and use the injera to scoop the meat, beans, and sauces like a fork or spoon. A small serving of meat, along with injera and sauces, can feed a group of people easily! It is very good.

There are guards everywhere. Our hotel has guards (inside and outside of the building), our adoption agency has a guard, even the mall had guards. We were “padded down” before entering the mall and when we checked in to our hotel. We have also noticed many police in the streets. That being said, we feel safe here and do not worry about our safety while out and about (especially since we have our driver and guide with us at all times).

Aljazeera TV has news that is very different than we are used to watching in the US. It provides a much more global and “raw” view of news in the world. On the few occasions I watched it, I was fascinated by the stories and coverage, especially about Gaza, Obama, Bush, and the world economy.

Ethiopian women are beautiful. We are both taken by the beauty of the women here. WOW! They are stunning.

Apparently they flush the sewers in our hotel, which means that at least once a day our bathroom is very, very stinky.

There is a holiday coming up in Ethiopia (TImkat, a celebration of the Epiphany) and therefore no one is working to help us get online to “chat” with our family. When people take time off here, what we think of as “basic systems,” break down.

Ethiopia sits at 8000 feet above sea level, which meant that for the first few days we were really dizzy and had a hard time climbing four flights of stairs to our hotel room. Our hearts would pound and we’d try to catch our breath once inside our room. It was really a weird feeling.

Ethiopian dance is amazing! The dancers move and contort their bodies in fast jerking movements of their shoulders while their heads keep totally still. It is one of those things you have to “see to believe!”

Taxis are either private small cars (more expensive) or a camper style on the bed of a small truck. The truck slows down to barely a stop and people hop in and out of the back. Usually other cars are driving on both sides of the taxis as they stop!

There are no lines in Ethiopia. If it weren’t for our guide and driver, I’d still be standing “in line” waiting my turn at the grocery mart. You have to be assertive (not impolite) when waiting your turn for something.

There is English everywhere. Most signs and public writing is in English. English is taught here beginning in grade 7 ( I think).