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Ethiopia Travel Blogs

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 Al and Sara
May 28th 2009

Left For Dead Africa » Ethiopia » Benishangul-Gumuz Region » Asosa

Sorry for the silence! We've been in Addis for a one-day workshop that resulted in a pretty stressful 9 days away. While we were away it was my big 4-0 birthday and I'll cover that one in the next entry - hopefully later this weekend, power permitting (it has got pretty damn bad lately - one day on, one day off). We flew to Addis on Saturday 16th and had a birthday lunch planned the next day, followed by a farewell party for Jackie at Kev and Izzie's house. The day went pretty well (see next entry pics) but the following [View Full Entry]

By GoKulbisGo
May 15th 2009

Say What? Africa » Ethiopia » Addis Ababa Region » Addis Ababa

Ruta and Hamer woman

(Ruta writing…) Part of the fun of travelling or working abroad is encountering completely different perspectives from one’s own. Because Ethiopia is so different from our home, we encounter many such situations. For example, Ethiopia uses a different calendar system (e.g. the current year is 2001 EC). When my coworker asked me “What date is it in your world?” I paused a minute, but quickly understood her question. Here are some additional situations that cause me to pause to ask, “Say What?” Road Signs for Foreigners Despite being a city of about [View Full Entry]

By Al and Sara
May 8th 2009

On the Move in Ethiopia Africa » Ethiopia » Benishangul-Gumuz Region » Asosa

Drinking Sign

Yo Yo Yo homies! (sorry, been watching too many episodes of The Wire) Herewith Dave's second and (I am guessing) final guest blog entry from Ethiopia. It's a good one :) Remember - you too can take advantage of Al & Sara Tours Ethiopia Inc. and make a guest blog entry... On the move Our plan, or ‘programme’, is to do a week of tourism with Al n Sara, so it’s back to our friendly Fokker for the flight to Addis. Not many airports offer shoeshine service in the departure lounge, but Assosa does. I call it the lounge; in fact [View Full Entry]

By JohnnyLamoney
May 7th 2009

A Story of Sorts... Africa » Ethiopia » Southern Nations Region » Awasa

Peace Corps has a very strict policy about traveling within country but without taking vacation days. This is a policy I that I adhere to without reservation. Did you know there are two Mexican restaurants in Ethiopia? One in Debre Zeit and one in Addis. On a side note I want to tell you a story. A Peace Corps Volunteer had a friend come into town the other day. They had a great time and when it was time for her to leave, he decided that it was in her best interest not to let her ride the bus alone. This [View Full Entry]

By JohnnyLamoney
May 3rd 2009

Happy Belated International Labor Day!!!! Africa » Ethiopia » Southern Nations Region » Awasa

Hello Everyone, I am sure you all have forgotten about me since my last post. Let me catch you up-to-date. If you remember, I was volunteering at the HIV/AIDS NGO Forum. The newsletter I put together went to the printer. The coordinator is getting a lot of complements from it. Anyways after all that was finished, I went in to ask about starting a new project. Getnet(coordinator) had an idea for a health service mapping project which sounds pretty extensive. The goal is to survey every health service organization; community based organization, foreign NGO, as well as all faith based o [View Full Entry]

By Al and Sara
May 3rd 2009

They will make good soldiers... Africa » Ethiopia » Benishangul-Gumuz Region » Asosa

The Master

The Drums that roll upon my Soul... It is early morning. I feel like I have been asleep for a total of 20 minutes. My head is thumping. Not because of a large quantity of rather nasty, on-the-turn, cheap red wine - mixed with white wine when the red wine ran out - that passed my lips the night before; but because our neighbour has put on her holy drum music yet again. BONK-BONK-BONK (pause) BONK-BONK-BONK (pause) bink! (pause) bink! (pause) bink-bink-bink (pause) BONK-BONK-BONK (pause)..... This goes on over and over again for hours. During the ru [View Full Entry]

By Al and Sara
May 1st 2009

The Barefoot Women Engineers Africa » Ethiopia » Benishangul-Gumuz Region » Asosa

It's a road Jim

We're back! Our holiday with Dee & Dave in Addis, Awassa, Wondo Genet, Arba Minch, Konso, Addis (again) and Wenchi Crater is finished; but what a holiday it was :) The trip reaffirmed to us (and confirmed for Dee and Dave) how wrong the western perception of Ethiopia is. It really is NOT some arid desert full of animal carcasses and fly-covered children. It has mountains, lakes, grasslands, forests, scrub plains. Jungles as well as deserts. It has rivers, gorges, hot springs. Because of it's isolation from foreign influences - it was never colonised properly, though the Italians [View Full Entry]

By Tigist
May 1st 2009

On our way home! Africa » Ethiopia » Addis Ababa Region » Addis Ababa

It is May Day, a holiday here in Ethiopia, and just as everyone is in a celebratory mood, so is the Mannelly family: we are just minutes away from Yayu picking us up at the Hilton and getting us to the airport (albeit 5 1/2 hours early). We intend on eating at the airport, and burning off any of Tigist's anxiety by running around the airport. Hopefully, a full belly and blowing off some steam will tucker her out for the 22 1/2 hours of flight time. Today was a good day. We ALL had a full night's sleep, had full [View Full Entry]

By Tigist
April 30th 2009

Ready to come home! Africa » Ethiopia » Addis Ababa Region » Addis Ababa

Dressed up for the day

Tacoma seems so far away right now. Katrinka, Tigist and I have enjoyed our last full day in Addis Ababa. We accomplished quite a bit for having a relatively simple day. We had a bit of a late start. Our little princess decided that she would wake up at about 2am and call it a night of sleep. Nothing would really console her; I took the first shift. We tried looking out the window and pointing at things. That is usually good for about 30 minutes before something captures her attention. An hour later, I think her eyes were actually open [View Full Entry]

By Tigist
April 29th 2009

A Very Big Day Africa » Ethiopia » Addis Ababa Region » Addis Ababa

Feeding Time

Today was a day FILLED with many new and exciting things. In the morning, Tigist mastered the sippy cup, went swimming, and had her first full nap at the hotel. I think we are on to a program, here. In the afternoon, we took our first stroller ride. In fact, she is in the business center with us as we blog, sitting in her stroller and guzzling/playing from/with the sippy cup. Lunch consisted of a full container of Gerber peas (strangely delectable), an entire bowl of rice cereal, a dinner roll, and parts of mom and dad's sandwiches. If we had [View Full Entry]

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Ethiopia Travel Blogs, page 8

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