A lot of our time we are driving around the city. We have a driver, Danny. He is very nice, laughs a lot and humors all of our questions. He is full of great information and has taught us a lot! It is so hard to put this city on paper. Even the pictures can not capture the feel of it. I will try though. Through out the city, whether a busy road or side streets, are filled with little shops. Most of
them are made of tin, even the roof. The owners might sit on a rock or box in front of the shop. These are not shops you walk into but look through a large window and point to what you want.
Maybe like a magazine stand in big US city…All private buildings and homes have gates. Most gates are just tin doors. They all have guards that open the gate when you honk. You usually can not see the building behind the walls. Some walls are cement with a real gate. Some houses are very large, but most are small, made of the same tin or plywood. Maybe one room.
Dogs, cats, cows, goats, sheep are everywhere, even the busiest of streets. There are very traffic signs or lights. In fact I have only seen 2 lights and no signs. I do not think the driving is bad compared to other cities I have been in. Jill on the other hand is a little
nervous. Our driver is very cautious. People walk everywhere and will take taxis or mini busses. The best part of the bus system is that they have a man who is hanging out of the window yelling where the bus is going so that pedestrians can flag the bus down if they want a
ride. It is ironic to me that you can have men hanging half way out windows, sitting in the back of trucks, or standing on bumpers, but there are laws about talking on cell phones while driving. There are no highways here. Main roads are paved, but very bumpy, lots of pot holes. Side streets are all dirt or mud as the case was today. Lots of holes.
Lots of rubble everywhere. Everything is done by hand. Shoveling rocks and dirt.
There are many beggars. They are not supposed to approach cars, but some do. There are people laying on the street. Sitting on the ground in rags with children running around. The hardest was a woman sitting in the mud near a nice hotel breast feeding her baby with an empty look on her face. Like she had even lost the will to beg.
Despite the dirt, the rubble, the desperation, Addis Ababa is a wonderful city. The people are engaging and happy. They love to smile, talk, practice English. They have hope, they are content. I love the attitudes here. The slower pace, the need to connect with
people. To sit and have tea or coffee and talk, get to know each other. They hug and kiss, hold hands and drape arms around shoulders. It is a picture of friendship. I am starting to wonder if I was supposed to be African. I have always had this unfounded reason to go to Africa and I think I am starting to understand why. It is a culture to be admired, we have so much to learn.
A lot of our time we are driving around the city. We have a driver, Danny. He is very nice, laughs a lot and humors all of our questions. He is full of great information and has taught us a lot! It is so hard to put this city on paper. Even the pictures can not capture the feel of it. I will try though. Through out the city, whether a busy road or side streets, are filled with little shops. Most of 
them are made of tin, even the roof. The owners might sit on a rock or box in front of the shop. These are not shops you walk into but look through a large window and point to what you want. 
Maybe like a magazine stand in big US city…All private buildings and homes have gates. Most gates are just tin doors. They all have guards that open the gate when you honk. You usually can not see the building behind the walls. Some walls are cement with a real gate. Some houses are very large, but most are small, made of the same tin or plywood. Maybe one room. 
Dogs, cats, cows, goats, sheep are everywhere, even the busiest of streets. There are very traffic signs or lights. In fact I have only seen 2 lights and no signs. I do not think the driving is bad compared to other cities I have been in. Jill on the other hand is a little 
nervous. Our driver is very cautious. People walk everywhere and will take taxis or mini busses. The best part of the bus system is that they have a man who is hanging out of the window yelling where the bus is going so that pedestrians can flag the bus down if they want a 
ride. It is ironic to me that you can have men hanging half way out windows, sitting in the back of trucks, or standing on bumpers, but there are laws about talking on cell phones while driving. There are no highways here. Main roads are paved, but very bumpy, lots of pot holes. Side streets are all dirt or mud as the case was today. Lots of holes. 
Lots of rubble everywhere. Everything is done by hand. Shoveling rocks and dirt.
There are many beggars. They are not supposed to approach cars, but some do. There are people laying on the street. Sitting on the ground in rags with children running around. The hardest was a woman sitting in the mud near a nice hotel breast feeding her baby with an empty look on her face. Like she had even lost the will to beg. 
Despite the dirt, the rubble, the desperation, Addis Ababa is a wonderful city. The people are engaging and happy. They love to smile, talk, practice English. They have hope, they are content. I love the attitudes here. The slower pace, the need to connect with 
people. To sit and have tea or coffee and talk, get to know each other. They hug and kiss, hold hands and drape arms around shoulders. It is a picture of friendship. I am starting to wonder if I was supposed to be African. I have always had this unfounded reason to go to Africa and I think I am starting to understand why. It is a culture to be admired, we have so much to learn.
4 comments:
Loved your description of the Ethiopian people. How beautiful they seem.
Thanks for sharing your trip!
We read all your posts today. Glad things are going so well. Very interesting accounts of the cultural differences. And interesting to note how 'at home' you seem to be with much of the Ethiopian style. Could we grow that attitude over here? I could use less stress.
Lots of love,
Mom and Dad
oh, you're making me miss Ethiopia! I loved the slower pace and sense of real community too. Despite all the poverty, there's a richness of relationships there, isn't there? Enjoy it! :)
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