ETHIOPIA!

 When I run in Ethiopia, I look out and see eucalyptus trees and rivers. – Haile Gebrselassie

Because Ethiopia has been discussed in two of my previous conversations (Mebrahtu Waits for Snow and The Curious Mind), I thought it would be worthwhile to share some of my experiences as a traveler in the country.

I went to Ehtiopia during the Easter week of 2011.  There on break from my teaching job in Ghana, I had time to spend two days in Addis Ababba, and a few days each in the lake town of Bahar Dar and the fascinating city of Harar.

Vibrant religious images on a monastery in the middle of Lake Tana

Easter Sunday at the monastery

As Alem and Mebrahtu both acknowledge, many Americans fixate on images of poverty and strife when they think of Ethiopia.  I certainly went with some long-held notions of famine in mind, but it didn’t take long before I came to appreciate the beauty of both the people and the place. 

My week included an Easter morning tour of monasteries on Lake Tana, amazing meals in Addis, and an unforgettable journey through a town visited as much by hyenas as it is by tourists. 

Market Day in Harar

I traveled alone and on a restricted budget without any trouble.  It was easy to hop in vans that went from city to city, and once you've arrived, there is an adorable little vehicle called a “bajaj” that gets you anywhere you need to go.  And, if you want to take to the skies, you can book in-country flights through Ethiopian Airlines from Addis to some of the larger towns for a reasonable price.

I loved Ethiopia.  It’s unlike any place I’ve ever traveled before.  The history is complicated and gender inequities are undeniable, but there is so much more to the country than what the headlines would have us believe.

HARAR, ETHIOPIA: 

A multicultural and remarkable town

A girl in the Harar market

A Meat Market in Harar, Ethiopia

The crowded meat market

Sorting coffee beans in Harar

Where to stay when you visit Harar:  Rewda Guest House.  

This is a beautiful B&B.  You’ll need to consult Lonely Planet to get a working number for the place and you must book ahead.  Be prepared to encounter reservation problems.  Be open to staying at her sister’s place (Zubeyda Waber Harar Cultural Guesthouse) if your room is (for whatever reason) no longer available.  Cost: about $20 per night. 

Where to stay when you visit Bahir Dar: Kuriftu Resort 

This is where I highly recommend splurging on a fancy resort.  For $100 I got a gorgeous room with a view of the lake, a feather bed, a huge shower, access to the pool, three meals, a massage and mani-pedi.  It was heaven. http://www.kurifturesortspa.com

Where to stay when you visit Addis Ababa: Harmony Hotel: Good location, provides a free breakfast, and is within walking distance of some great restaurants. About $65.00 a night.  http://www.harmonyhotelethiopia.com

The Curious Mind

This interview introduces Alem, a passionate scientist and mathematician from Mekele, Ethiopia.  Raised and educated within the SOS Village of Mekele, Alem is funny, ambitious, and kind.  He has an incisive mind and an open heart.  

What excites you about math and science?

Both the theoretical and the practical applications of math and science have always fascinated me. Through Math and Science I was able to understand the logic behind the nature of the universe and how we can make the best out of it. I have always been very curious about why things behave the way they are and science was always there to provide me with satisfying answers.   

What thoughts, hopes, or fears did you have about leaving Africa for your university studies?

The idea of coming to the US to attend college education has been my lifelong dream; so you can imagine how excited I was about leaving Africa for University studies. I knew this could be a major life change that could shape the course of my life and I was so keen to make the best out of this golden opportunity.

However, it was not still easy to leave home, family and friends. And there is also the fear of culture shock. But I was able to embrace my fears by realizing how leaving home can mean new adventures and new friends.

Thus far, what has been the most difficult challenge of adapting to life in North America? (Food? Language? Culture? Etc)

Adapting to life in the US was not as much a challenge, not at least to the extent I expected.  I found it fairly easy to integrate with the society as the people are used to tolerating differences in culture and language. Well, I, of course, encountered a bit of culture shock but was not that difficult to handle.

What (so far) seems to be the biggest difference between life in Ethiopia and life in the United States?

One of the major differences is the extent of complexity of the society. Here in the US, life is highly influenced by technology and the society is somewhat sophisticated and more organized. On the other hand, life in Ethiopia is a very simple one in its kind and the system lacks organization. And, Ethiopians give more value to social life than their American counter parts.

What do you miss most about Ethiopia?

I miss my family and my best friends, who never failed to make me smile every day.

What do you (or would you) tell Americans about Ethiopia that they don’t seem to understand?

Not just Americans but most people of the world seem to have a wrong perception of Ethiopia. They usually perceive it as a model of war, famine and draught, which was the picture of the country two or three decades ago. While I can’t deny the fact that Ethiopia is still one of the poorest countries in the world; I can’t also negate the fact that my country is one of the fastest growing countries and one of the most stable, peaceful countries which could be a model to many African Nations.

Why did you choose to come to the US for your university studies? 

I choose to study in the US because of the Educational system of the country. I have been specially intrigued by the prevalence of liberal arts curriculum in most of the US Colleges, which is not the case in many countries including my country Ethiopia. I always wanted my college life to be a time to acquire diverse knowledge and experience from different endeavors, not just to be trained for a career.  I wanted to be taught the skill of learning itself and through the liberal arts education that many US Colleges offer I can have all this. And, thanks to God I have already started to taste the fruits of this kind of education.

Were you always motivated to succeed as a student?  If not, who/what inspired you?

I would say I was, because education was the only way I could see the bright future, the way to fantasize my dreams. And my passion to turn my dreams to reality motivated me to succeed as a student.

What are your goals as a student?

My goal as a student is to make the best out of my four year college life. I want the next four years to be times when I will be well trained to tackle challenges and obstacles. I also aim to pass at least three or four Actuarial exams during my 4 year period. 

"They have left home, they are going"

Sometimes standing still is a challenge.  To stay home when everyone else seems to be scampering away can make us feel a little bereft.  In my life, I’ve often been the first to dash off on a new adventure.  Maybe that sense of mobility is my way of trying to outrun loneliness.

The following submission was written by one of my former students from Accra, Ghana.  Phoebe is a 2012 graduate of the Herman Gmeiner International College (HGIC) who has decided to take a gap year to stay home and work.  She is an outstanding student who took top honors in History at a school that prides itself on excellence in academics.  She’s also a voracious reader and an ambitious writer. 

Never afraid to speak her mind or share her feelings, she is an undeniable force of nature.  One day during our 11^th grade English class, she dropped and broke her laptop.   I don’t think the machine had even hit the ground before poor Phoebe went apoplectic.  Were it not for the immediate intervention of almost everyone in the room, the computer and the girl would have been down for the count. 

Phoebe sent me this poem after reading my blog’s introductory remarks about seeking new adventures.  By offering this differing point of view, she provides an important perspective on our increasingly mobile society . 

In her desire to see her classmates someday return to their homeland, she echoes the motto of HGIC – “Knowledge in the Service of Africa”.  It takes great faith to educate people who will take their learning elsewhere, but maybe that faith is a hopeful element of our global culture.

12^th August, 2012:

“Wore fe fie, worekoo”

(~They have left home, they are going)

One day they will leave the land of their birth,

Then, the sun will grieve; she will refuse to set,

She will scatter her sons all about the earth,

And she will know not of their return; not just yet.

The sower will sow seeds as the parable tells,

On paths, in good soil, in rocks and in thorns,

They will find themselves in a world so new,

And so different from where they were born,

Can these seeds so accustomed to our warm red earth,

Thrive and bear fruit in this strange, foreign man’s land?

Can they, through the perilous journey to their peaks

and biting cold and cruel winters stand?

Yet they will be thrust into the thrills of orientation, and college greek life,

House parties, stimulating lectures, and freshmen events,

Most importantly they’ll take on ambassadorial roles,

Their countries, and the entire African continent to defend

These are seeds of no ordinary kind,

They are a rare breed of genius, straight from the Master’s mind,

Planted in fertile soils, in the milk and honey land,

They will sprout, and bear fruit to the pride of their homeland,

Maybe Christmas, summer, or four years later they shall return,

ushered back by the rhythms of Osibisa’s “Welcome home”

the motherland awaits our service, seedlings

let us come back and unravel our manifold of blessings.

Mebrahtu Waits for Snow

If you've ever wondered what it would be like to move from northern Ethiopia to midwestern America - well, the following entry will provide a few answers.

The subject of this interview is one of my former students from the SOS-Herman Gmeiner International College (HGIC) in Tema, Ghana.

Mebrahtu studied at HGIC during his 11th and 12th grade years of high school.  He and five other students arrived in Ghana two weeks into the academic year and they hurridly tried to adapt to the culture, the language, and the West African heat.

One of my lasting memories of Mebrahtu is that he often forgot to bring his school supplies to class, and when I would ask the group to write in their journals he would fake it...with an invisible pencil.  Sometimes I actually thought he was writing.

Mebrahtu grew up in an SOS Children's Village in Mekelle, Ethiopia.  Mekelle is one of the northernmost villages in Ethiopia and it is an area known for beautiful terrain and equally beautiful people.

Now studying at Ripon College in Wisconsin, Mebrahtu has some fascinating things to say about his new life:

What thoughts, hopes, or fears did you have about leaving Africa for your university studies?

I was actually afraid to leave home for the first time because I have never had life experience with white people. I had also fear about my language, from what I heard about the US people, I thought people wouldn’t have time to ask me to repeat what I have said if they didn’t get it. From the information I had about American people, like they are always busy, they don’t want to waste their time talking to people and so on. They don’t even have time to seat and eat their meals; they just buy foods and eat walking to their business. I had a fear if I would make friends with such kind of people. So the wrong information I had made me to fear the situation in US.

What were your first thoughts/impressions upon your arrival in Wisconsin?

I first arrived in Chicago and I was really surprised by the airport especially by the security agents. I was surprised how Americans pay attention for the security of their country and their people. I understood not far from the airport that American people are friendly and ready to help. Since I came from a developing country I was almost impressed by everything I saw. When I first arrived at Ripon College, my heart was pumping, I was really scared.

What (so far) seems to be the biggest difference between life in Ethiopia and life in the United States?

Oh, hmmmm there is a very big difference if we look at the quality of life. I can start from the basic needs, water; most people do not drink clean water in Ethiopia. When I came here I realized the water I have been drinking for many years was somehow not clean.7000 people live at Ripon, but everything is full for the 7000 people, like roads, water, super markets, trains, etc.. I bet if it was in Ethiopia the government would have known them.

What do you miss most about Ethiopia?

I miss a lot of things, my family, my brother and my little sister and my lovely friends. I also miss “enjera” (Ethiopian food).

What do you (or would you) tell Americans about Ethiopia that they don’t seem to understand? 

I am really surprised that a lot of people in my college do not know Ethiopia. Some of them only know that Ethiopia is one of the few poorest countries in the world. Moreover, most people think Ethiopia is in the same situation right now as it had been in the past 20-30 years. Almost most of my friends here do not know about our culture and languages. They were really surprised when I told them that we have a different calendar, and we celebrate Christmas one week after them. I really enjoy telling my friends different things about Ethiopia like our foods and cultures, the bads and the beautiful ones. Some of my friends had the chance to eat enjera and I am very glad they really liked it.

Why did you choose to come to the US for your university studies?

As far as I know US is one of the best countries in the world which have very good educational system. Moreover, it is also good to explore different country especially the developed countries like USA; as you would be able to see and understand how they become developed countries and the value they give to any job.

You have one classmate from HGIC with you in Wisconsin. Is it nice to have someone from home with whom you can commiserate?

Yeah, sometimes you miss home to the maximum and you really want to remember your friends and the crazy things you did together. So if you have someone you know very well, it will be easier for you to chat with about those things. Moreover, once a while it is inevitable to feel lonely, so it is really important to have someone from home with whom you can sympathize.

Do you have a class or a professor that really excites you?

Yeah, my history professor excites me. She knows I am from different country and English is my third language; so she calls me to her office once a week and helps me with my difficulties; and I like when she asks me every week “in what language are you thinking now?, Have you started thinking in English?”

What are your goals as a student?

My goal is to be a chemical engineer, now I am in liberal art college, to enjoy education from every direction, science, social sciences, religion, music etc.
I have a plan to finfish my education in US; I want to finish my first degree at Ripon College, and move to another university for masters. But before masters I will work in Ethiopia for one year, just for free to help my people. After finishing my masters, I will go back home and help my country with everything I can.

Never Been to Montreal

"I imagine what adventures might await me even though I know that the journey is never what we plan; it's what happens between the lines." - Mary Morris, Nothing to Declare

On this, the 1st Monday in October, the frantic feelings of summer are well behind us and autumn seems so cozy by comparison.

My September adventure took me to Montreal, Canada.  I went for wonderful jogs up Mont Royal, ate lobster poutine, admired beautiful men in a colorful outdoor market, and listened to my friend deliver a lecture about Quebecois theatre at the Univeristy of Montreal.  I also had the opportunity to visit two of my former students from New York who attend (and LOVE) McGill University.  I'm happy to say that I went without much of a plan...and yet, as the intrepid traveler, Mary Morris states knowingly, a lot happened between the lines.