Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Malkam Meskal
Last Sunday night was a special celebration in Ethiopia. It was the day of the New Cross. Despite the fact that I still don’t really get why there was a party, Ben and I had loads of fun. We went to Mescal square (the Ethiopian equivalent of Place de la Concorde in Paris, or may be Trafalgar Square in London) on Sunday around 4.30. It was packed with people, may be 100,000, may be more. Loads of policeman to ensure security, a few religious dignitaries, some politics, and a sea of people on the other side. We had to fight our way to the top of the hill to try to see the street (I could not see a thing), but here we were, at the heart of the Ethiopian community, hearing speeches in Amharic (apparently translated into English, but may be not the same English than you and I spoke), hearing people clapping and singing every so often and really wondering what on earth this was all about.
After a good hour and a half of speeches, the music started. Music? I am not sure that is how to best define what we heard, someone singing/screaming with a very high pitch Pepe de la Matronne voice, with no instrumental background. But as I was thinking what on earth am I doing here (lämin, lämin? = why in Amharic), the magic started to happen. As the sun went down, hundreds of people lighted up candles and the square just illuminated itself. People started singing and clapping, and people sat down. The Ethiopian around us tried to move around to make sure we could see the stage (where nothing really exciting happened), but I was fascinated by the sea of lights (see pictures). A very small fire work lit up the sky, and Ethiopian got very excited. Of course, it was not Guy Folk or a 14 of July, but I felt emotional faced with the small, one by one fire work. I realised what it represented for all the people here, the immense joy they felt, the feeling of communion and regeneration: may be this year would be a better year. People around us were so nice, trying to help me take pictures, smiling and excited that foreigners assisted to their national party. I think they were very proud.
The apogee of the party was the lighting up of the bond fire. After 20 minutes of screaming, it was a real show: a huge bond fire illuminated the square with people screaming and dancing. We left with every body else in a complete chaos (as you would expect), and saw on our way home that the party was only starting. Every 20 meters, neighbours were preparing their more modest bond fire, singing and dancing around the fire.
What an evening! I really enjoyed the simplicity yet the strength of the event. I felt really happy and touched by the pride of the Ethiopian people. I wished I could describe the evening better, but it is a one time experience which is hard to depict. I hope it made you curious and that you guys want to come next year to celebrate the new cross with us!
After a good hour and a half of speeches, the music started. Music? I am not sure that is how to best define what we heard, someone singing/screaming with a very high pitch Pepe de la Matronne voice, with no instrumental background. But as I was thinking what on earth am I doing here (lämin, lämin? = why in Amharic), the magic started to happen. As the sun went down, hundreds of people lighted up candles and the square just illuminated itself. People started singing and clapping, and people sat down. The Ethiopian around us tried to move around to make sure we could see the stage (where nothing really exciting happened), but I was fascinated by the sea of lights (see pictures). A very small fire work lit up the sky, and Ethiopian got very excited. Of course, it was not Guy Folk or a 14 of July, but I felt emotional faced with the small, one by one fire work. I realised what it represented for all the people here, the immense joy they felt, the feeling of communion and regeneration: may be this year would be a better year. People around us were so nice, trying to help me take pictures, smiling and excited that foreigners assisted to their national party. I think they were very proud.
The apogee of the party was the lighting up of the bond fire. After 20 minutes of screaming, it was a real show: a huge bond fire illuminated the square with people screaming and dancing. We left with every body else in a complete chaos (as you would expect), and saw on our way home that the party was only starting. Every 20 meters, neighbours were preparing their more modest bond fire, singing and dancing around the fire.
What an evening! I really enjoyed the simplicity yet the strength of the event. I felt really happy and touched by the pride of the Ethiopian people. I wished I could describe the evening better, but it is a one time experience which is hard to depict. I hope it made you curious and that you guys want to come next year to celebrate the new cross with us!
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
What is it to do when it rains?
The rainy season, I have mentioned several times already, is a pain. You wake up, it is bright, sunny and warm, by lunch, clouds of rain have accumulated in the sky, and you can be sure that in the afternoon, it is going to become very very dark and rain is going to fall from the sky. This is exactly what has just happened. i just came back from some shopping when it started. I know have understood that there is no point going out under this type of rain, you get wet even under an umbrella. So I cuddle up on my coach, in a primark cover, light up a fire (yes, all by myself!) and except that I am missing chocolate (especially M&Ms at present), I feel pretty cosy!
Monday, September 20, 2010
Travelling in Ethiopia
Two weeks ago, I arrived in Addis Ababa, and I seem to settle in just fine. I already can’t wait for the rain to stop, I eat injera at least once a week, and I don’t even look at the giant turtles with amazement anymore! I have already learned crucial lessons about Ethiopia and Ethiopians and I spent last weekend travelling in the countryside. So here is what I learned and feel free to have a look at the pictures for more details:
1. My worse enemy, like in India is needing the loo. Toilets are mostly disgusting. They are what we called Turkish toilets with no flush and basket on the side for your used toilet paper. They stink horribly and shelter weird bugs. In addition, they are often completely in the dark which does not help. So, tea drinkers, well don’t before to travel! Funny thing is that toilets are called Shinte bet which I think sounds lovely!
2. Ethiopians are really smiley and polite people. When you meet them, you should always ask how they are, how their family are and also shake their hand. You shake with your right hand or wrist if your hands are dirty. When they give you some money back, you should collect it with your right hand whilst holding your wrist with your left hand.
3. Begging is illegal in Ethiopia. Ethiopians seem quite generous and always give to beggars but you can get fined for it. It is better to buy food for them and when you go out of Addis, take pens for the kids. Poverty is less overwhelming here than it was in India because beggars insist less than in India and you see a bit less kids. People try to sell something rather than just ask for money, it is still overwhelming at first and you should get used to see people sleeping in the street, way to skinny and kids that should be in school trying to make a few birrs in the street.
4. Whatever nationality you are, you are a forenge for Ethiopians and they happily shout it at you in the street with a huge smile. The best answer is to shout Shabitats at them, which apparently means Ethiopian. They also shouts (I strongly believe they think we are all deaf) every sentence they know in English. So the other day, a young boy came to me to say very proudly: “Why, that is not your business”!
5. Have your camera ready. Some amazing things happen on the road: cows on the highway, several monkeys crossing just in front of the car, amazing faces, even if you should avoid taking pictures of Ethiopians unless they agree, woman or kid carrying several time their weight in wood or leaves…
6. Ethiopians are proud, very proud. I like that because, well I am French so I understand the feeling!
7. Don’t drive if you can avoid. Roads are chaos and they are dangerous potholes on every road. Ethiopians have no idea that cars kill and cross whenever they want. It is the same rule than in India, the bigger you are, the more power you have. So priority works as follow: the normal car yields for the 4X4 which yields for the bus, which yields for the truck which can do whatever it decides!
8. Don’t eat anything you are not sure the provenance of and wash your hands before you eat (I haven’t felt sick yet, touch wood, so it works!).
9. Don’t trust Ethiopian’s maps or people indicating you the way, they have no idea but will tell you to go straight, just in case.
Once the rules are learned, travelling in Ethiopia is easy. People are really nice and proud of their country and happy to give you a tour and information. It is surprisingly green because of the rain, and there is amazingly beautiful thing just an hour from Addis.
1. My worse enemy, like in India is needing the loo. Toilets are mostly disgusting. They are what we called Turkish toilets with no flush and basket on the side for your used toilet paper. They stink horribly and shelter weird bugs. In addition, they are often completely in the dark which does not help. So, tea drinkers, well don’t before to travel! Funny thing is that toilets are called Shinte bet which I think sounds lovely!
2. Ethiopians are really smiley and polite people. When you meet them, you should always ask how they are, how their family are and also shake their hand. You shake with your right hand or wrist if your hands are dirty. When they give you some money back, you should collect it with your right hand whilst holding your wrist with your left hand.
3. Begging is illegal in Ethiopia. Ethiopians seem quite generous and always give to beggars but you can get fined for it. It is better to buy food for them and when you go out of Addis, take pens for the kids. Poverty is less overwhelming here than it was in India because beggars insist less than in India and you see a bit less kids. People try to sell something rather than just ask for money, it is still overwhelming at first and you should get used to see people sleeping in the street, way to skinny and kids that should be in school trying to make a few birrs in the street.
4. Whatever nationality you are, you are a forenge for Ethiopians and they happily shout it at you in the street with a huge smile. The best answer is to shout Shabitats at them, which apparently means Ethiopian. They also shouts (I strongly believe they think we are all deaf) every sentence they know in English. So the other day, a young boy came to me to say very proudly: “Why, that is not your business”!
5. Have your camera ready. Some amazing things happen on the road: cows on the highway, several monkeys crossing just in front of the car, amazing faces, even if you should avoid taking pictures of Ethiopians unless they agree, woman or kid carrying several time their weight in wood or leaves…
6. Ethiopians are proud, very proud. I like that because, well I am French so I understand the feeling!
7. Don’t drive if you can avoid. Roads are chaos and they are dangerous potholes on every road. Ethiopians have no idea that cars kill and cross whenever they want. It is the same rule than in India, the bigger you are, the more power you have. So priority works as follow: the normal car yields for the 4X4 which yields for the bus, which yields for the truck which can do whatever it decides!
8. Don’t eat anything you are not sure the provenance of and wash your hands before you eat (I haven’t felt sick yet, touch wood, so it works!).
9. Don’t trust Ethiopian’s maps or people indicating you the way, they have no idea but will tell you to go straight, just in case.
Once the rules are learned, travelling in Ethiopia is easy. People are really nice and proud of their country and happy to give you a tour and information. It is surprisingly green because of the rain, and there is amazingly beautiful thing just an hour from Addis.
What altitude does to you...
A very small blog between two job applications on altitude. Addis Ababa is between 2300 et 2500 meters above the sea level, and the compound must be closer to the 2500 (at least I hope so), as a result, I am loosing my breath every time I go to the stable and I can’t talk and walk. Yeast does not rise the same way and my only attempt to make bread was not a success, I will leave this delicate task to Almaz, my great cook. Things cook a lot faster here, but they don’t grill, which is quiet surprising. Altitude also keeps you awake at night first ( or may be it is the Ethiopian coffee?), so most night, I wake up around 2am and can’t get back to sleep, which is unusual for me. So I wake up fine and then suddenly in the middle of the day, I feel very tired, and then I am fine again.
When my luggage finally turns up, I need to start running, how funny is that going to be if I can’t even walk slowly? I will let you know soon (hopefully). By the way I am running a 10K in November. Apparently, everybody in Ethiopia does it (even the ambassador), and there is so many people that you can’t really run (good news!) at the start and at the end.
When my luggage finally turns up, I need to start running, how funny is that going to be if I can’t even walk slowly? I will let you know soon (hopefully). By the way I am running a 10K in November. Apparently, everybody in Ethiopia does it (even the ambassador), and there is so many people that you can’t really run (good news!) at the start and at the end.
Friday, September 17, 2010
My driver Abel
I know I am late in my postings and I should try to keep it chronological, but I have to do a small posting on my driver Abel. Recommended by the driver of a friend of mine, Abel is pretty much unique. He is a cameraman (or may be that is the only job he knows in English so he says so, who knows...). He is 29, married with one son of 4. His English is as good as my Amharic and let me tell you, our conversations are very amusing. He perfected the art of saying OK at the right time like if he actually understood what I said. He is a great teacher and already taught me to count, the day of the week and we are on small sentences such as I live in Addis, or we can meet at 3.30 (I haven’t perfected these yet!).
Abel is a real Ethiopian, he speaks in Ethiopian time, so if I want him to pick me up at 10am, I have to translate it to 4 Ethiopian time. First time I got it wrong and had to wait for an hour, not fun. He was late on our first meeting, so he always completes my schedule by a “OK, 4 sharp” which is hilarious when he says it. He does something funny with his eyebrows at the same time which makes it a really serious business. When I stupidly asked him what his name meant, he looked at me like if I am a complete ignorant and asked me: Do you know the bible, old testament? Yes, of course, Abel and Cain, silly me. But now, every time I asked him what a name means, he has the same answer and I am pretty sure that “Tadhu” does not come from the bible!
I got to say I was not a big fan of him. First he was late, then he really can’t speak English and he does not know much about Addis. But he is growing on me, because he tries hard and I would be really lost in Addis without him. Today, we met at 8.30 ethiopian time, sharp; we did 3 times Bole road (a huge huge street) to find a art gallery to print some pictures that I could not find after what he took me to the place where he goes… which appeared to be just under the gallery, we had a good laugh. And then came a unique moment. Michael Jackson came onto the radio and we sang together Billy Jean!!!! You can’t imagine how I felt. I don’t know the lyrics, he does not know English but we were both mumbling at first and then frankly singing. Ah, Michael Jackson, internationally renowned and I felt a bit less lonely. He just won a one month contract with the Embassy!
On another note, thank you so much for the one reading me and for your lovely messages, it means a lot for me (Papa, maman, je suis super impressionée!!!)
Abel is a real Ethiopian, he speaks in Ethiopian time, so if I want him to pick me up at 10am, I have to translate it to 4 Ethiopian time. First time I got it wrong and had to wait for an hour, not fun. He was late on our first meeting, so he always completes my schedule by a “OK, 4 sharp” which is hilarious when he says it. He does something funny with his eyebrows at the same time which makes it a really serious business. When I stupidly asked him what his name meant, he looked at me like if I am a complete ignorant and asked me: Do you know the bible, old testament? Yes, of course, Abel and Cain, silly me. But now, every time I asked him what a name means, he has the same answer and I am pretty sure that “Tadhu” does not come from the bible!
I got to say I was not a big fan of him. First he was late, then he really can’t speak English and he does not know much about Addis. But he is growing on me, because he tries hard and I would be really lost in Addis without him. Today, we met at 8.30 ethiopian time, sharp; we did 3 times Bole road (a huge huge street) to find a art gallery to print some pictures that I could not find after what he took me to the place where he goes… which appeared to be just under the gallery, we had a good laugh. And then came a unique moment. Michael Jackson came onto the radio and we sang together Billy Jean!!!! You can’t imagine how I felt. I don’t know the lyrics, he does not know English but we were both mumbling at first and then frankly singing. Ah, Michael Jackson, internationally renowned and I felt a bit less lonely. He just won a one month contract with the Embassy!
On another note, thank you so much for the one reading me and for your lovely messages, it means a lot for me (Papa, maman, je suis super impressionée!!!)
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