Among East African countries, Ethiopia is incredibly unique.
The culture, the landscape, the clothing, the food, it all stands tribute to a
country that isn’t quite like any other. An interesting combination of Middle
Eastern and African influences, visible in the facial features, hair texture,
and style of dress, stepping off the plane in Ethiopia was the beginning of an
experience like no other.
With landscape remarkably similar to the American Southwest,
only with a slight, almost imperceptible, color change, Ethiopia is dry, arid,
and sparsely populated outside of the capital city of Addis Ababa. And outside
of this bustling city, you find a country that relies on agriculture, where
farm animals clatter down cobblestone streets or sleep in the shade of gas
pumps; where donkeys and camels laden with crops, water, or cargo often outnumber
motor vehicles.
The food itself speaks of strong tradition. The brewing of
coffee is ritualized, complete with a ceremony. The staple bread, a pancake
called injera, is made from a grain only available in Ethiopia (which, lucky
for me, happens to be gluten free). Topped with any variety of sauces or stews
(currently without meat, as we are here during their Lenten fasting period),
injera is eaten using only the right hand.
Even time works a bit differently here. Okay, more than a
bit. Following the Ethiopian (Coptic Christian) calendar, it is currently
August of 2005. And when it comes to telling time of day, a bit of
clarification is necessary. Our midnight and noon (12 a.m. and 12 p.m.), are
instead placed at sunrise and sunset. So, for the Ethiopians, what we consider
7 a.m. is 1 a.m., as you have had one hour of daylight. It can all get a bit
confusing.
Men and women walk cloaked in long pieces of white fabric,
many women keeping their heads covered; though this seems more about keeping
the strong sun at bay than about strict modesty. Religious tattoos can be seen on
hands and forearms, necks and jaw lines, cheeks and foreheads.
And, though it is such a unique and different culture, we
have (for the most part) been welcomed with smiles and warm greetings.
