Blogs from Addis Ababa, Addis Ababa Region, Ethiopia, Africa

Geo: 9.02274, 38.7468Now we have four hours before we head to Paris. Walk along checking things out. When we were here last year, it seemed to be much smaller and did not have all the shops and restaurants we are seeing. Think we landed in the area where planes flying around in Africa were and not the international terminal. Not sure but there were several places to eat or sit around. We decided on a place and sat at the bar. Were waited on and ordered a typical Ethiopian dish and a large glass of beer and a glass of wine. Started talking to the guy next to us.....is Italian and told us how to say "I do not speak Italian!" Had a pleasant visit with him and really enjoyed the food we were served. A ... read more

After 6 weeks in the Southern Africa region, it was an exciting prospect to be changing things up. Daniel, Phil and I were on our way to Ethiopia. Granted every country in Southern Africa was unique in several ways, but at the same time there was still a regional constant between them all. Aside from the fact that we were still in Africa, this constant was no more upon our arrival to Ethiopia. Daniel was the catalyst for this leg of the trip as his parents live in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, and his mother is the number-2 at the Swedish Embassy there. Graciously, Daniel and his parents invited Phil and I to stay in their home for a week and we gratefully obliged. Typically, Ethiopia wouldn’t be the luxurious stretch of one’s travels, ... read more

Geo: 9.02274, 38.7468... read more

Farewell to Gondar My morning has started off on rather the wrong foot. Something I ate last night disagreed with me. In the classic traveler’s manner. For some undetermined time since the dawn, I’ve been up continually, stumbling over bags, bumping into corners, apologizing to my poor and very kind roommate, and heading to the bathroom and then going back to collapse into bed to fall half-asleep until the next bout. It’s not terrible and I feel fine otherwise. At least it’s the last morning and at least I still have energy and excitement enough to carry me through. In fact, when the alarm finally does go off, I can feel the sagging ache in my body, craving more sleep, but I’m moving quickly with bleary purpose. No birdwatching for me this morning. I’ve gotten up ... read more

Welcome back I walk out of the plane to bouncing metal steps leading down to the tarmac and as I take in the view, two pied crows fly overhead. And I know I’m back in East Africa. A surge of excitement courses through my tired, bedraggled body. I will have to count on these second (third, fourth, fifth…) winds to carry me through this long day. I’m in Addis Ababa, on the first day of a week-long sojourn in Ethiopia on the first group trip of my life. I’m traveling under the auspices of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) in a program called Entwine which seeks to encourage young professionals (like myself and my twenty-some-odd hand-selected compatriots) to become more involved in JDC’s humanitarian endeavors. I have certain wishes for this trip but few ... read more