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Background: Unique among African countries, the ancient Ethiopian monarchy maintained its freedom from colonial rule, with the exception of the 1936-41 Italian occupation during World War II. In 1974 a military junta, the Derg, deposed Emperor Haile SELASSIE (who had ruled since 1930) and established a socialist state. Torn by bloody coups, uprisings, wide-scale drought, and massive refugee problems, the regime was finally toppled in 1991 by a coalition of rebel forces, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). A constitution was adopted in 1994 and Ethiopia's first multiparty elections were held in 1995. A two and a half year border war with Eritrea ended with a peace treaty on 12 December 2000. Final demarcation of the boundary is currently on hold due to Ethiopian objections to an international commission's finding requiring it to surrender sensitive territory.

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By refugee girl
September 22nd 2008

Harer

Africa » Ethiopia » Harari Region » Harar

The Flat Tire en route
Abdi Ibrahim doing a great job fixing our flat

After 3 weekends at home and everyone cooking their special dish…as the American, I claimed meals of convenience and made scrambled eggs, pancakes (not easy) on open coals and tuna salad with mayonnaise, raisins, and apples. A strange combination but enjoyed by most. Thanks mom! We decided we needed to get out of town. Luckily, two UNHCR vehicles were available. We left at 7am and would have been in Harer by 9am if it hadn’t been for the flat tire and then the small nail in the spare which delayed us around an hour. But during the delay we stopped in [View Full Entry]

By refugee girl
September 22nd 2008

New Found Happiness

Africa » Ethiopia » Somali Region » Jijiga

Washing Macka
Oh how he loved his bath!

In the beginning of August, we decided to get a cat to help us get rid of the rats. We had not seen any rats in our kitchen but we had seen the droppings --in our silverware drawer and various cupboards. So on the 13th of August, while we were in Kebribeyah, Mary Kate and I were discussing the need for a cat with our colleagues. At the end of our meal, we were given a small, orange kitten and then the woman at the restaurant we ate lunch at gave us another black and white kitten to keep the orange [View Full Entry]

By Kim309
September 21st 2008

Weekend in Weliso

Africa » Ethiopia » Oromia Region

Meskel Flowers

The sun shone, ants bit and the lone hyena, out in the daylight, skulked in undergrowth. The first stop on the Wildlife Society trip to Weliso was the ‘National Fishery and Other Aquatic Life Research Centre’ at Sebeta. Apparently the half-empty pool covered with green algae is where Emperor Haile Selassie used to come to bathe. The fishery tanks didn’t seem particularly cared for, but we did see a few Tiger Fish (at least, I was told that was what they were). This spot was probably best remembered by the group for the hyena (seen by some) and the large ants [View Full Entry]

By Do It Like The Locals
September 20th 2008

Faces of Ethiopia

Africa » Ethiopia

Working the docks at Lake Chamo

Pictures speak volumes when words don't suffice. With my new Canon SLR at hand, we snapped away, attempting to capture the different faces of Ethiopia. Here is a photo collage of Ethiopia. [View Full Entry]

Happy priest at Debra Meriam in Lake Tana

By GoKulbisGo
September 19th 2008

Arrival

Africa » Ethiopia » Addis Ababa Region » Addis Ababa

We have arrived safely in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia! Yay! After traveling for 28 hours from Chicago via London and Aman, Jordan, we arrived in Ethiopia at around 3am. It is amazing how the video entertainment can shorten the feeling of the long travel time. Our kids were thrilled with their individual travel consoles and watched about 6-8 movies, slept, and ate. At the airport we were greeted warmly by the Volunteer Services Overseas (sponsoring organization) staff and driven to the training center where I (Ruta) have been in training since arriving. Upon leaving the airport and stepping into [View Full Entry]

By GoKulbisGo
September 19th 2008

Kissed by an Ethiopian

Africa » Ethiopia » Addis Ababa Region » Addis Ababa

The VSO training had us take public transportation into the city to do some simple errands today. The objective was to try out our basic Amharic language and to start navigating the city on our own. Living in Addis,or perhaps anywhere in Africa, is not straightforward. The training is teaching us the many safety precaustions that we need to take (e.g. Don't walk alone, be careful of pickpockets, avoid buses, negotiate fares with taxi drivers, boil and filter your water, haggle ferociously with market vendors, don't eat anything you can't boil or peel, etc) It sounds easier than it is and [View Full Entry]

By GoKulbisGo
September 19th 2008

Ethiopian Food

Africa » Ethiopia » Addis Ababa Region » Addis Ababa

In the Red Cross Training Center at our introductory training, we have been eating very well. At every lunch and dinner, the sour pancake, injera, is served. You are supposed to only eat with your right hand and mop up the stews and curry sauces with the injera. The stews and curries are flavorful without being too spicy. We are also getting batter dipped vegetables, tomato salads, beans, white bread, rice, and noodles. Ethiopia was occupied by the Italians ealier and noodles seem to have stayed behind as a popular food. To drink, we're offered bottled water, Coke, Pepsi, 7up, and [View Full Entry]

By Ralph2006
September 16th 2008

Welcome to Ethiopia

Africa » Ethiopia » Addis Ababa Region » Addis Ababa

Why Ethiopia The reason why we are in Ethiopia starts with a visit to a Colombia shop a few years back. In this store I stumbled over the bored husbands section where the shop provides a few seats, a coffee table and a coffee table book. Not being a bored husband but curious I picked up the book and you guess right it was about Ethiopia. It looked like a great country (as all countries do in those kind of books) full of old stuff to look at. Just what I like and I decided then that I will go to [View Full Entry]

By Do It Like The Locals
September 15th 2008

Historic Ethiopia

Africa » Ethiopia » Amhara Region » Lalibela

Lalibela priest studying the bible

030 - Africa - Lalibela 09/15/08 - 09/20/08 Historic Ethiopia Imagine walking along rural Ethiopia a few centuries ago, flanked by green fields and farmlands, mountains in the distance, small stones digging in to your bare feet. You stop and have a vision of a church that doesn't exist. A church built out of rock. Not only that, but built out of one piece of rock, and built from the top down, by removing the earth, not adding to it. And not just one church, but a community of churches, each one carved out of rock, and each one unparalleled in [View Full Entry]

By Al and Sara
September 14th 2008

Inkou-tar-tash

Africa » Ethiopia » Benishangul-Gumuz Region » Asosa

Let sleeping dogs lie...
...and sleeping Ferengi

(child's sweet whisper) Inkou-tar-tash (tap, tap) (child's voice) Inkou-tar-tash (tap, tap, bang) (child's annoyed voice) Inkou-TAR-TASH (bang! bang! bang!) (child's shout) INKOU-TAR-TASH (BANG. BANG. BANG. BANG) (gang of children chanting & banging the gate) IINNKKOOUU-TTAARR-TTAASSHH!!!!!! (BANG-BANG-BANG-BANG-BANG-BANG...) Oh no. Please no. It's 6.45am on Ethiopian New Year's day. Last night was our New Year party and we got to bed at around 3am. It's OK . Ignore it and dig them (allegedly [View Full Entry]

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Travel Blog » Africa » Ethiopia