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Published: January 24th 2011
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Ethiopia is in Africa.
This is something almost everyone knows (I hope!). However, Ethiopia, or perhaps more specifically the Ethiopian highlands which constitute a large chunk of modern Ethiopia and which are the source for much that is considered “Ethiopian”, is a world unto itself - an island floating above the rest of Africa and the nearby Middle East. It is connected to the rest of the world, but does its own thing.
For example, Ethiopia is, perhaps tellingly, a place with its own sense of time, following a different calendar than that of most of the world. Specifically, it follows a version of the old Coptic calendar, which has 13 months (the 13th month being only 5-6 days), the new year falling around September 11 or 12. In Ethiopia, it is now 2003, so I am happily 29 years old there (if one ignores the fact that I was born in 1974 according to the Georgian calendar!). Besides the unusual calendar, Ethiopians have a different way of referring to the hours of the day. Hours are counted from when the sun comes up - this means, roughly, that 6 o’clock Ethiopian time equals noon (I think!). Thankfully, most
Ethiopians who deal with foreigners are proficient in the “western” calendar and clock.
Then there is the national language, Amharic. It is a south Semitic language, descended from languages spoken in the south of the Arabian Peninsula. It, and the related Tigrinya language (spoken in northern Ethiopia and in Eritrea), use a variant of the ancient Ge’ez script, the only “native” African script still in common use (most others are written in Latin or Arabic script). The Ge’ez syllabary looks as ancient as it is, somehow more comfortable looking on antique animal skin folios than on modern billboards or computer screens.
Culturally, Ethiopians go their own way, too, often listening to indigenous forms of music that are little beholden to global pop sounds, dancing dances that are otherworldly (how do those northerners move their shoulders like that?), eating foods that are endemic to the region. Even injera, the ubiquitous spongy, sour “bread” known to anyone who has been to an Ethiopian restaurant, is made from a grain, tef, which grows only in Ethiopia. Then there’s the Ethiopians’ love of raw meat….
I have already more than intimated in my previous posts that Ethiopian history, religion, and myth
are also inextricably blended together, giving a peculiar flavor to any exploration of the country’s historical and religious sites – of which there are many!
All this made for a more than fascinating three plus weeks of travel. Nothing quite prepared me for this Ethiopian-ness. How could Sudan’s next-door neighbor be so utterly different?
***
Traveling in Ethiopia definitely had its challenges, particularly outside of Addis. There were the typical difficulties of traipsing about a developing country, such as the sometimes horrendous roads (though the Chinese are fast helping to improve that situation) and the frequent water shortages and electrical outages. Few hotels were what might be called “comfortable”, even in the midrange category.
Being a desperately poor country, there is of course lots of begging. However, at times the aggressiveness of some of the beggars startled me. While not an everyday occurrence, I was sometimes physically held or cornered by someone asking for money. Perhaps even more disconcerting – especially coming from Sudan, where I am generally treated as part of the scenery – tourists often are thronged by children shouting “You, you, you! Faranji, faranji, faranji! (Foreigner, foreigner, foreigner!).” I have traveled in many countries
where kids will swarm around you, asking for pens and the like. But I don’t think I’ve ever been in a place where my otherness has been so baldly called out. Although I learned to have a sense of humor about this – often calling back “Habesha, habesha, habesha! (Ethiopian, Ethiopian, Ethiopian!)”
But for all these annoyances, the good far outweighed the bad. For every annoying punter, there were at least two earnest guys just wanted to practice English. There were the little girls who shyly came up to me to say: “Hello! I love you.” There were the people who went out of their way to help me when I got stuck (as did the hotel manager in Gonder who helped me get a room in fully booked Lalibela). Overwhelmingly, I found most Ethiopians warm, open, and hospitable.
Other big pluses for traveling in Ethiopia: Some of the most fascinating historical sites in sub-Saharan Africa, some stunningly beautiful scenery, beautifully temperate weather, and some extraordinarily cheap food and drink, including really good coffee (a macchiato = $0.25!).
***
I rounded out my stay in Ethiopia with a few pampering days in the capital, Addis Ababa. Although
perhaps not the most beautiful of cities at first glance, and lacking a clear, coherent plan (it’s rather a spaghetti of streets and neighborhoods, with few distinct landmarks), Addis quickly worked its charm on me. Perhaps it’s because I am coming from Khartoum, but Addis seemed remarkably cosmopolitan to me. For one, the range of eating options compared more than favorably to most American or European cities, often with even better food and at a fraction of the price. Having had my fill of injera and wat for a little while, I indulged in French, Italian, Portuguese, Swiss, Thai, even American food in a span of a few days (ok, and some Ethiopian, too!). I even found myself jealous of the shopping and entertainment options. Bookstores! Grocery stores fully stocked with reasonably priced goods! Cinemas (showing both Ethiopian and foreign films)!
Somehow I think I will have to come back soon to enjoy Addis’ quite salubrious environment. This "Island in the Sky" is only a couple hours away!
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Pat Hazard
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I got your blog through my sister, Pam Rybus. It sure is wonderful to travel with you.