Falling in love with Konjo Habesha, our trip to Jimma

In August 2012, Konjo habesha and I embarked on a trip to Jimma, unknowingly at the time, this trip would change everything.  This is when I was to fall in love with him.  

Click here, to read how we first met.

In south-western Ethiopia lies Jimma, situated in the Kaffa region, according to history it is home to Kaldi and his goats, hence the birthplace of coffee (buna).

'Jimma the Origin of Coffee' Roundabout

I wanted to visit some of my Ethiopian friends whom I had met in my first trip in 2007 with Habitat For Humanity to Jimma, very beautiful people dear to my heart, the very people who endeared me to Ethiopia in the first place.  We were lucky to have the companionship of two robust habesha boys we befriended on one of our adventures (konjo habesha and I) in Megenenya (ampharic translation: meeting place), a bustling transport epicentre/sub-city in Addis Ababa.  

Scenes of bustling public transport hub Megenenya, meaning 'meeting place' -  a sub-city of Addis

Soon after, we became friendly with their family, especially their grandmother who was their main caregiver.  We told 'grandmother' our Jimma plans and asked her permission to take her two grandsons as our companions on our trip.  She gave us her blessings, probably happy with the prospect of having a quieter house and bewildered that we would want to take her two active grandsons with us to Jimma, a rough 300km away or 4-5hours on the road by car or 7-8hours on a public bus, south-west from Addis!  We thought it would be fun - the four of us, and it was!!!!  
R O A D  T R I P!!!!!!!

Left: Ethiopia map - Jimma lies south-west of the capital Addis Ababa
Right: The winding and undulating Addis-Jimma road

The Addis-Jimma road takes you on a visual feast from the highland of Addis Ababa slowly through Ethiopia's south-western plateau which reveals rich greenery, breath-taking views at times from jaw-dropping heights, with the all-too-occasional encounter with livestock and their famers along the way.  It's road sharing at it's finest!  

Left: Young herders with livestock on the Addis-Jimma road, a common sight
Right: Ethiopia's countryside of rich greenery and clusters of huts

Ethiopia's agricultural lifestyle is on full display as groups of isolated round thatched huts and livestock are a common sight.  Young cattle herders learn to contribute to their family's work by tending to their family's livestock from a young age, often seen carrying long sticks.

Our two active habesha companions: Kidus (glasses), Dagim (orange shirt)

Kidus, 10years old (at the time) is exuberant, social and stubborn.  A real hand-full!  Although he was deaf, this disability did not hinder him one little bit, it actually ENABLED him to use his other senses to the max!  He played hard and got into mischief like any other 10year old young boy.  

Dagim, 7years old (at the time) pocket-sized, wise and charismatic beyond his years.  He could talk the pants of anyone, even though talking the pants of anyone a common trait of the Ethiopian people, Duggam could find an argument to back up the most minuscule point.  I would often hear him and Yonas debating over some topic (a favourite Ethiopian pastime) and I loved to just listen to him talk, mesmerised by his wisdom and charm.  I often told Yonas that he would be the next prime minister of Ethiopia. 

Main pic: Jimma's bajaj's
Surrounding pics: Scenes from Jimma

I love Jimma.  It is a special place for me - the original buna (coffee) region of Ethiopia, hence the world, we had the time of our lives.  We dissected the town, discovering and adventuring on the local blue bajaj, bikes, the blue public taxi vans and by foot, visiting some of the boys family members and my dear Ethiopian friends.  

Reuniting with friends in Jimma after 3years

We enjoyed getting to know the boys better through countless conversations and day-to-day dealings, most of it good and then of course we experienced our obligatory "other moments" of looking after kids.  There was one interesting time, one of the boys had an all-consuming melt-down/tantrum which totally caught konjo habesha and myself off-guard, having NO IDEA how to calm him down IN PUBLIC and then behind closed doors, which quickly turned into two fighting brothers!  

Weyneeee!!!!! What did we get ourselves into?  

It was a crash course into what having children might be like and working together.  What a wonderful crazy beautiful time we all had together.  It was during this trip that I had a heart shift and started to see konjo habesha in this beautiful paternal light, a most illuminating yellow 'halo' light.  He would make a wonderful father I thought to myself. 

Jimma, now with more reason, continues to hold a special place in my heart as the region where I fell in love with Ethiopia AND with the man of my heart.

I fell in love with konjo habesha unsuspectingly and unexpectantly.  Just as the sun rises each day and the seasons change from spring to summer, from autumn to winter and back to spring again, my love developed so very naturally, with each season of our relationship, love growing and laying a meseret of friendship ripe for love to crystallise.  

Yene (My) Ethiopian Story

• First trip to Ethiopia - Sept-Oct 2007 (five weeks)

Habitat for Humanity House Build in Jimma

“I’m going to Ethiopia to lead a team for Habitat for Humanity (HfH) to build mud houses for the local people” says Marty Van der Burg.  A builder and an Ethiopian heart-stung man.  After little coaxing I say “I’m in”.

September 2007.  The inaugural New Zealand (NZ) Team Kiwi fly to Ethiopia under the HfH umbrella.  An oddball group of 18 “kiwis” of all ages, sizes and ethnic backgrounds.  

Team Kiwi 2007 (and a few Ethiopian children), Habitat for Humanity Ethiopia build

Clockwise from Left: Habitat for Humanity Ethiopia Mud house construction Jimma site; Team Kiwi member Kevin at the entrance of a house mid-construction; and me (Kim) practising my squatting skills at the bottom of a freshly dug-out to-be latrine pit.

Under the blaring Jimma sun we work with locals (and the local village children) to construct mud houses (chika bet-oche) in various stages for two weeks.  Each day we eat lunch in traditional Ethiopian fashion, with our hands, consisting of injera and various complementing food made by local women paid by us - team kiwi, and shared with all - young and old, chika bet contractors, villagers, house recipients and us - team kiwi.  

Left: Team kiwi at the building site having a coffee break;
Middle & right: Lunch time! Ethiopian chika bet constructors and Team Kiwi members tuck into lunch.

Each day for morning and afternoon tea we drink traditional Ethiopian coffee (buna) freshly roasted and prepared by one of the local women.  The smell is intoxicating and fills our senses with delight on a daily basis.  She delicately pours from a jabena (Ethiopian clay coffee pot) into small china cups, each sweetened with sugar, ranging between 1-3 teaspoons depending on the receivers preference, usually complemented with a snack of freshly popped and sweetened popcorn or roasted barley and peanuts.  Three cups of coffee are always offered at each setting.  

Coffee Coffee Coffee!!  From left to right: an Ethiopian woman pounding freshly roasted coffee in a mortar and pestle;
Me in traditional Ethiopian cotton clothing on coffee serving duty; coffee poured out from a jabena.

A captivating little village boy captures my heart.  His name is Fikadu (see photo below) and my guess is he was aged about 7-8 at the time, it is hard to estimate the age of Ethiopian children with the lack of optimal nutritional sustenance factoring in many cases resulting in sizes unparalleled with their ages.  Each day he finds me and assists me wherever I am working.  It’s hard not to make a heart connection with at least one of the village children, they are heart tuggers.  

Top from left-right: Fikadu and his brother Tamrat (Fikadu is the younger/darker one on the right); Fikadu and his family outside his house;
Bottom left-right: These are the rambunctious Ethiopian children in Jimma who greet us each morning at the building site; friends

I return to NZ changed - intrinsically, spiritually, emotionally; internally something happened.  From then on my heart started to beat for this beautiful east african country.

• Second trip July-Oct 2009 (three months)

Volunteer English Teacher at English Alive Summer School in Nazret.

Collection of moments of students and teachers during my teaching season at English Alive School in Nazret in 2009.

After spending three months volunteer english teaching at English Alive summer school in Nazret from July-Sept 2009, I return to Addis to fly back to NZ.  What will turn out to be my last evening in Addis on this trip and possibly the most important day of my life.. I ride the elevator of KZ hotel on Bole road with who would be at the time - my future husband.  

KZ Hotel on Bole Road

A well-suited up Ethiopian man and the only other occupant in the elevator, who happened to be the hotel’s manager on duty, was possibly the most handsome man I had ever seen!  I couldn’t look away.. I was mesmerised.  “Konjo Habesha” I said.  Translation: Beautiful Ethiopian.  

I have been known to lavish my appreciation of beautiful Ethiopians on them, male or female - they are all aesthetically stunning, and this time was no different from any other.  A half smile was given in return and not much else.  And that was that.

Konjo habesha in his suit

• Third trip - 2011-2012 (one year)

Elephant Walk Cafe on Bole Rd (exterior and interior)

Fast forward to one fine Addis Ababan day in Easter April 2012, around midday I walk into The Elephant Walk cafe on Bole rd.  “Are you Kim?” a bewildered Ethiopian man seated at an outside table with a lady friend questioned.  It was the Konjo Habesha looking a little older but still konjo.  “Yes” I replied, not recognising him at first until I walked closer and had a better look at his face.  

Talk about lifes' synchronocities!  There are four million residents in Addis Ababa and the universe places this man in my path twice in two consecutive trips four years apart … and to top it off he still remembered my face!  

Bole Road - a bustling arterial road in Addis Ababa

We were like magnets drawn to each other by a larger force.  It also seemed the universe was adamant our courtship be hosted by Bole Rd in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.  We exchanged numbers.  And that was that.

From Left to right: Macchiato and Cake at Saay Pastry on Bole Road; Taitu hotel exterior; and interior

We meet up for macchiato and cake a week later at Saay Pastry cafe on ….Bole road (you guessed it!).  We make plans to meet up later that week on Thursday at Taitu Hotel, one of my most favourite places in Addis to chill, in crazy-wonderful Piassa, where I was staying and later in the evening to head to Jazzamba, situated in Taitu Hotel’s compound, for some tantalising soul-energising live, old-skool, big band Ethio-jazz music.  And so we do.  

We have a fine time enjoying pizza, listening to live Ethio-jazz music, dim yet invigorating ambiance, an impromptu ampharic lesson given by Konjo habesha under the influence of two bottles of very sweet local Axumite wine and then we head to my room for the night.  And that was that.

Jazzamba vibes

"Ambassel" by Addis Acoustic Project live at Jazzamba, Addis Ababa,

Konjo habesha

Konjo habesha is respectful, sweet and calm.  He vibes off a peaceful harmonious homeostatic energy and takes everything in his stride with a contented disposition firmly rooted in the present.  A beautiful, pure, untainted soul.  

Kim (me)

I am a dream-lover, a treasure-hunter, a soul-seeker driven by visions and goals, forever blowing in the wind, changing and redirecting in rhythm with the whisperings and stirrings of my heart and soul.  A wild card.  Unpredictable, complicated and spontaneous.  My energy rooted in ideas and possibilities - abundant and overflowing.

Yin and Yang symbol

We are polar opposites.

Like night and day.

Like yin and yang.

Like faranje (foreigner) and habesha (Ethiopian).

Needless to say our energies clashed or balanced, however which way you looked at it, or however which way WE looked at it.  

During our courtship I pushed Yonas away numerous times feeling frustrated and underwhelmed by his energy.  We continued this way on and off for months, blurred lines - friends and occasional lovers.  Most importantly during this time Yonas, despite our tumultuous relationship, continued to support me by coming and supporting me in my dance endeavours.  

Little did I know at the time I was becoming to appreciate him emotionally.  His presence, not needed but felt and cherished.  His love, strong yet boldly humble, helped build a strong foundation (meseret) of friendship between us.

"Kass pa kass enkolal begrua tehidaletch"

Slowly slowly the egg learns to walk.

Amharic translation: things take time.

Ethiopian proverb

Click here, to follow our story of how I fell in love with konjo habesha on our trip to Jimma.

Contentment

It's a crisp Saturday night in Addis Ababa, I'm sitting across from my *Habesha in Avanti, a plush Italian restaurant near Bole Bridge, sipping on red wine and having just ordered dessert.  My tummy feels contentedness and my heart bursting at it's seams.

I look deep into my Habesha's beautiful big brown eyes, feeling stupidly happy and wonder-FULL and spontaneously blurt out for the first time in my 31 years of life "I feel content". 

My Habesha (Ethiopian)

Alongside the fact I was living in Ethiopia, a country that I love, I was lucky enough to keep up my passion of dance through - teaching Zumba, breakdancing (b-girling) and writing monthly dance articles for an Ethiopian magazine.  I had acquired my own humble abode in a quaint one-bedroom guesthouse adjoined to an Ethiopian family's house in their tiny compound in Gerji Subcity - a family I thoroughly enjoyed the company of and with whom I enjoyed the simplicities of everyday Ethiopian life such as drinking *buna 2-3 times daily, practising my amharic and even Eskista dancing! Also giving me immense pleasure was riding the blue public taxi-vans around Addis, meeting like-minded people everyday in beautiful serotonin-giving sunshine-filled days.  

I was not making near enough money in my Zumba work to make ends meet yet my heart and soul felt a deep profound peace I had never experienced before.  






Ethiopia has So. Much. Beauty.

I feel extremely blessed and fortunate to have found my spiritual home in Ethiopia and cultured a life that feeds my soul and nurtures my spirit.  

I wait in hungry anticipation of returning next year in 2016 to resume my Ethiopian journey.

What feeds your soul?   

*Habesha = the name given to Ethiopian locals in Amharic (the national Ethiopian language)
*buna = coffee in amharic

Living with Maza - my Ethiopian mother

Maza (my ethiopian 'mother'): A strong Ethiopian woman, the matriarch of her family of two daughters and husband.  

Short, staunch and always with a mischievous twinkle in her eye is how you will find her.  An endearing character who can talk your ears off (an ethiopian characteristic), infectious humour and laugh, smart (turned one part of her house into an adjoining guesthouse which gives the family decent consistent money to live off), an educated woman with good english.  I miss her wisdom, wit and charming character.  

I have so many fond memories of this woman!! 

Maza

"Keeeem!!"  The daily endearing cry of Maza calling out my name, usually to drink *buna with her.  

For nine months in 2012, I lived in a quaint guesthouse adjoined to Maza and her family's main house in their tiny compound containing a small front porch and outside kitchen in Gerji - a subcity in Addis Ababa (the capital city of Ethiopia). 

Maza and her family
top left-right: Seble and Twaris
bottom left-right: Jonny and Maza

A good way to fully embrace the culture and local people, in this case Ethiopians, is to live in close proximity to the people; to hear amharic, to ride the public transport, to witness their blessings and struggles, to immerse in the deep-imbedded social ways and to get a good understanding of a functioning family.  

• After Zumba some days I would buy meat from the butcher and Maza would cook us *tibs and we would gobble it up with freshly-made injera followed by buna.  I cherished those times with her.

Tibs and Injera
a traditional and delicious ethiopian meat dish

• I remember when I was pregnant in my first trimester suffering from extreme nausea and heightened smell and the strong smell of cooked onions and *berbere that Maza and the girls never failed to cook everyday was nauseating...not just once in a while but every. single. day.  2-3 times daily!!

Our engagement - hosted by Maza and her family, Nov 2013.
From left to right: Myself, Jonny, Yonas and Maza

• Our engagement at their house with Maza, Jonny, Twaris and Seble.  They graciously hosted us with traditional food and drinks.  Maza and the girls made this huge traditional round bread made for special occasions, appropriately named 'Diffo dabbo' meaning 'big bread' in amharic; all the traditional dishes for special occasions i.e doro wat (chicken stew), tibs (chunks of meat cooked in spices), vegetarian dishes and of course freshly homemade injera.  So much love went into this meal....Delicious!!!

Traditional Ethiopian food and drinks Maza and the girls prepared for our engagement

Video of me washing coffee beans with Maza and Twaris in the compound.

• Maza taught me how to prepare and serve an Ethiopian coffee ceremony for my 31st birthday, right from buying the green beans at our local shop, cleaning, roasting, grinding to serving.  I practised preparing and serving many times before I was happy and ready for my big coffee-making debut.  Even now, while I await my return to Ethiopia whilst living in New Zealand, I prepare and serve Ethiopian coffee the traditional way for my husband and I every Saturday and Sunday.  It's my way of keeping in touch with the country I miss so dearly.

Collection of moments from my 31st birthday at my place in Maza's compound
top left-right: Cake!; Maza providing me moral support during my birthday coffee ceremony (I was extremely nervous because I wanted to get it just right!)
bottom left-right: serving coffee; traditional dress

• Power would go out often and I would light a candle and have my dinner outside on the little concrete front porch that adjoined the main house and my place.  Sometimes the girls would join me and we would gossip and talk nonsense, under the moon and stars.

• Practising my zumba tracks and dancing Eskista with Maza and the girls.  Learning Amharic.  Seble would help me translate popular Ethiopian songs that I loved into english so I could understand what they were singing about.  I particularly loved Fiorina by Teddy Afro and Helen Berhe.  

Twaris clearing hail from the front porch of the compound.

The energy in Maza and her family's compound was lively, spirited and affectionate and they lived simply in contentedness and humble abundance.  What a blessed human experience I had spending nine intimate months with them.  

*buna = coffee in amharic
*tibs = a traditional and popular meat dish
*berbere = spicy Ethiopian spice

ESKISTA - The shoulder-shaking traditional Ethiopian dance

Eskista means “dancing shoulders” and is performed with head, neck, chest and shoulders shaking in specific ways.  Dancers are dressed in traditional attire from the indigenous tribes of the Northern parts of Ethiopia i.e. Amhara, Wollo, Gondar etc. Today Eskista is still performed and has also manifested itself in modern culture such as the Harlem Shake and in Beyonce's video 'Who run the world (girls)'.  Eskista is one of the more popular dances synonymous with Ethiopia.

I lost my eskista-watching virginity in 2007 in a traditional Ethiopian restaurant in Addis Ababa (the capital city of Ethiopia) on my first visit to Ethiopia. 

Watch Eskista

Not a stranger to dance, this style of dance was so different to anything I had ever seen; powerful, animalistic, raw, exciting, visually heart-pounding and not to mention extremely hard to do!  Furthermore, the accompanying music transfixed me and transported me to my happy place, somewhere out in Africa's tribal wilderness; in this case Ethiopia's Amhara region.  I had never witnessed anything so sensually extraordinary.  

Ethnic regions of Ethiopia, Amhara region in light green
the region in which eskista has it's roots

As a dancer, for me, when I watch such powerful and unique dances such as Eskista, it makes me wonder of the origins.  How did it come to be?  What is the intention behind the movements and what ideas is the dance trying to convey? Which qualities of cultural history e.g heritage, events, environment, ancient stories, customs and rituals, religious beliefs, ideas, emotions and thoughts; interweave to manifest a particular style of dance?   

Ethiopia is a widely diverse country with over 80 different rich ethnic, customs, cultural and linguistic groups and over 150 unique dance movements across her regions.  The music and dances are dating 3000 years back in the African history. To delve into Ethiopia's dance ancestral lineage and evolution piques my curiosity.


Some of Eskista's influences are (and not limited to):

• Orthodox Christian and Muslim motives play the role of shaping the culture and traditions of this ancient nation. 
• Typical body movements performed mainly with the head and shoulders to express certain emotions and impressions from life dating back to the people of Ethiopia's Amhara tribe.
• Relationships between genders, hence love songs; the variety of war songs, hunting songs, shepherd songs, and work songs all have a collective influence on Eskista's  movements.
• There is one theory of how Eskista was inspired by snakes.  Ethiopian people often observed the movements/"dances" of the snake, the way they would shake their neck.  Additionally, it is said that the sound the rattlesnake produces when it shakes it's tail had an influence on Ethiopian music and the style of singing.
• The music played during the dance is often produced with traditional Ethiopian instruments like krar, flute, drums and mesenko - which to some extent play an influence over the dance.

• The different areas in Amhara i.e. Wollo, Gondar or Gojjam shows some variations on the dance.
• Expressing religious rituals in the Ethiopian and Jewish deep cultural roots.

Eskista's manifestation in modern culture:

• Beyonce - Who run the world (girls) video clip

At the beginning of superstar Beyonce's 'Who run the World (girls)" video she makes an Eskista-like dance, hands on her hips and shaking her shoulders, which looks unbearingly similar to the shoulder shaking of the Eskista.  

Beyonce visited Ethiopia in 2007 and performed a concert to bring in Ethiopia's New Millennium.  Who knows...perhaps she was inspired by the Eskista on her visit!  
Check it out for yourself Beyonce's Eskista Inspiration

• The Harlem Shake

According to sources, the 'Harlem Shake' dance originating in 1981 in the streets of Harlem, New York, by a resident called "Al B" has it's foundation in the Eskista. Watch Harlem Shake

One of the best ways to experience the Eskista first-hand is at an Ethiopian wedding!  Everyone is in a celebratory mood, and everyone lets loose!!  Watch out as one-on-one spontaneous Eskista battles usually ensue and it's utterly enthralling.








Dance is a universal language and a wonderful medium of preserving heritage and culture that resonates with all generations.  The next time you get down for a boogie or participate in your weekly dance class, take a moment to think, what are the origins of this dance?

One will never fully apprehend the exact context to the evolution of the Eskista without the impossible realm of having paid witness to the ancient times to present.  One can hope to gain a firm grasp of Eskista's roots by visiting the Amhara region and talking to the people, elders in particular, and witnessing the culture firsthand; and/or by obtaining a deep understanding of the history and customs of the region.

12 reasons why I love Ethiopia, a land of Ancient Culture

I fell hard in love with Ethiopia in 2007 while building mud huts in Jimma (south-western Ethiopia).  I have returned four times since - 2009, 2012 and 2016, 2018 respectively - with future plans to make her home, exhavier yawkhal.  

This list is by no means exhaustive, here lies in my heart an abundance of reasons but these are the ones that speak to me foremost.



1. Ethiopia makes me FEEL

To quote the great Maya Angelou “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” 

Above all the human experiences on earth, one that sits highly on my list is to feel validated and Ethiopia does that for me. Ethiopia makes ME FEEL HUMAN.  She nurtures my spirit, tantalises my senses, cultivates my human experience and validates my existence. 

She is yene (my) spiritual home.


2. Culture and history

Faithful pilgrims gather at the Rock-hewn churches in Lalibela

Rich, unique and mysterious are a few adjectives that come to mind when I think of Ethiopia.  Mother nature was in a playful mood when she created her!

See why Ethiopia was voted the worlds best tourism destination for 2015 here.

• Cradle of human mankind.

• More than 80 ethnic groups and up to 200 different dialects spoken.  The official national language is Amharic, a complex yet beautiful sounding Semitic language.

• A deeply religious country, Christianity and Muslim are the two major religions, roughly two-thirds to one-third respectively. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church is the oldest Christian church in Africa and dates back to the 1st century AD.

Ethiopian food

• Food - the spices, the fresh fruit and veges, the injera, the meat stews, the vegetarian food, the way food is eaten and the dishes synonymous with holydays.  All of it utterly delights my senses. The smell of Berbere, a spice consisting of a number of ingredients makes a tasty and hot spice common in Ethiopian dishes, fills my senses with Ethiopian-living nostalgia.

• The birthplace of coffee and beautiful coffee ceremonies - see reason 11.

• The only uncolonised country in Africa to successfully fight of the European and the oldest independent country in Africa with 3000 years of independence.

• Ethiopia has 9 UNESCO World Heritage sites, the most in Africa.

• Ethiopia, then called Abyssinia has beckoned adventure seekers, writers and explorers for thousands of years.

One of my favourite ways to get a hit of Ethiopian culture is to spend an evening enjoying delicious Ethiopian food, drinks and coffee whilst absorbing a showcase of different tribal  music and dance. My personal recommendation is Yod Abyssinia Cultural restaurant on Bole rd.

Dancers in Amhara tribe traditional attire at Yod Abyssinia Restaurant

3. The people

He aha te mea nui o te ao

What is the most important thing in the world?

He tangata, he tangata, he tangata

It is the people, it is the people, it is the people

- Maori proverb (indigenous people of New Zealand)

When I think of Ethiopian people, one visual that stands out for me are the elaborate friendly customary greetings...the ritual three kisses (sometimes more) and endless greeting phrases - dana nesh, endet nek, minamen.. and the usual answer - dana exhavier yimesgen (for christians) meaning - fine thanks to god.  The way they greet one another is the way they do life - affectionately and un-rushed.  To me, It is undeniable that their faith allows them to embrace the concept of living consciously through being grateful for each day and encounter.  Ethiopians are grace personified.

The kindness the middle to upper-class Ethiopians show the less fortunate beggars and shoeshine-boys, the respect for elders and affection for children makes one's heart smile.

Friends greeting one another affectionately

The culture and history is something beholding, but ahh the people, now.. they are something else entirely.  A people with a deep sense of identity, grace, beauty, deep patriotism, funny, friendly, respectful, hospitable, tenacious strength, they know how to enjoy the simple things, minamen...I could go on.  

It was the children first, then the adults - on my first visit to Ethiopia in 2007 building mud huts in Jimma - it was then that I lost my heart to this country and the rest is history, and now, my future.  

4. The way Ethiopians speak

I would often just sit in a blue taxi van (the public transport in the capital Addis Ababa), surrender to the present and let the culture fill my senses.  I particularly love the way Ethiopians speak and express themselves orally and I would often find myself passing many hours this way, watching neighbourhoods go by and listening quietly to the van's occupants speaking to one another or on a phone call. 

The soothing eloquent linguistic quality of Ethiopians speaking Amharic has an effect on my soul much akin to a symphony orchestra to a musician -  affectionate, expressive, the titillating undulating tones, the quality and speed of the many sounds are so exciting to listen to, the kkker sounds that originate from the back of the throat, which is near-impossible for the farunge (foreign) mouth; the informal cries of ende! araa! weyee! weynee! abet!  I especially enjoy hearing 'Abet' coming from an obedient childs' mouth, oh so sweet!  

Their humour is all about language.  Deep-embedded oratory familiarity with witty innuendos, sayings, metaphors, allusions and puns that one day I hope to master. 


5. They love to talk!

It's like they lavish everything wonderful about their culture, juice all the goodness and deliver it through their oratory. Ethiopia Telecom is a monopoly and they must make a killing because Ethiopians LOVE TO TALK ON THEIR PHONES all the time!!  Numerous times I encountered this experience of just meeting someone and after one or two days of no communication they would call me and say "Selam nesh Kimiye (greetings Kim), what happened? You disappeared".  I think they just wanted to talk.

6. Haile Selassie

If I could meet any Ethiopian - dead or alive - it would be this man, the late Haile Selassie, the Lion of Judah, born Tafari Makonnen Woldemikael - the last emperor in the 3000-year-old Ethiopian monarchy, defining figure in both Ethiopian and African history, the inspiration and namesake behind the Rastafari Movement and my son Ambessa's namesake (Ambessa means Lion in Amharic). 

Upon living in Ethiopia for one year, after talking to many Ethiopians and learning more on the happenings during his 44-year reign, I found myself guilty of being innocent to the once-revered emperors' prestige and power and all that he did for his country, among those his modernisation efforts i.e he had an instrumental role in establishing Ethiopian airlines (the most profitable African airlines), Addis Ababa university and the African Union to name a few, it became evident that views on Haile Selassie were divided, nevertheless I remain on the 'for' side, taken by his charisma, intensity, strength of character and vision.


7. Weyelas in the blue public taxi vans

Blue taxi van Weyela on the job in Ethiopia

Bole bole bole!! Megenanya megenanya!! Gergi gergi gergi!! Just some of the destinations heard from the deep throated cries of weyalas hanging half emerged out of the sometimes near-defunct taxi van doors and windows, a crazy and wonderful sight!  They also do a pretty good job keeping tabs on all their passengers comings and goings.

8. Remnants of the Italian occupation

Ethiopian Shoeshine boy or 'listro' with his work materials on the streets of Addis Ababa

• One of the best things the Italians left behind is their legacy of food.  Addis Ababa boasts some of The BEST Italian restaurants - simple and freshly made pasta, pizza etc and the quality and freshness of ingredients almost always of fresh organic quality.  

• Shoeshine kids or formally known as 'Listro' derived from the Italian word 'Lustro' meaning 'to make something shine'.  Being a Listro is a stepping stone for many rural migrants into an urban life.  Row after row of shoeshine boys and girls (usually boys) line the busy city streets with their wooden cans filled with kiwi shoe polish, brushes and assorted other instruments.  They are apart Ethiopian society effecting their part in making some money for themselves, their education, family or sometimes all these reasons.  I loved how each kid was in effect a "business owner" and learning valuable ways of the "street" yet in essence just children thrust into an adult life.

• Piassa - A chaotic yet charismatic Italian-inspired part of Addis Ababa, an area I would often find myself.  The name is a legacy of the Italian occupation era where you will find Italian cafes and restaurants and my most favourite place to chill, Taitu Hotel - the first hotel in Ethiopia. It has character in spades.

9. Meaning-full names

My self-given Ethiopian name is Tigist, meaning Patience.  I named myself this after living in Ethiopia for sometime, I was feeling challenged and felt it was a virtue I wanted to culture within myself.  

Names are given to children for one reason or another, for virtuous qualities the family wants bestowed upon thee e.g. Tigist; or a circumstance the child has been born into e.g Kasahun meaning replacement, usually following the death of a previous sibling; or the significance of the child to a loved one e.g Setota meaning gift or Desta meaning happiness; or derived from Christian or Islamic roots e.g Kidus meaning blessed one in Christianity.  

I got into the habit of always asking someone upon meeting "What does your name mean?" in amharic "yanchi seme menden new?"  (to a female).  Ethiopian names always piqued my curiosity.  Isn't this method of naming so precious and intriguing? 

Once the childs' name is chosen she then takes the fathers first name as her surname.  Many Ethiopians, such as my husband Yonas, can recite their lineage up to ten or more generations back! Let me use my husband as an example, his name is Yonas Taye Seifu, three generations in his name - his given name is Yonas, his fathers' name is Taye and his grandfathers' name Seifu, and so forth.

10.  No McDonalds or KFC!

Recently, Ethiopia has been coined the "Dubai of Africa" due to the developmental boom she has been and is currently experiencing.  Nonetheless she remains undiluted by large food chain corporations such as McD's or KFC, and more importantly the local small businesses are sustained, this means the backbone of society - the people - are supported and this agrees with me.  For this reason she radiates the feeling of being a foreign faraway land untouched from the gluttonous so-called "developed" world and I hope this never changes.  

Coffee being poured from a Jabena

11.  Coffee ceremonies

I always cherish a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony, so very intimate and usually performed by a female.  

Holding a coffee ceremony is a way of welcoming and showing a guest hospitality and is probably one of the most celebrated Ethiopian traditions and a lifestyle - in which most Ethiopians can identify with.

The care and attention that is put into each step captures my imagination.  Often I've been invited to someones home where they would spend their meagre earnings on buying coffee beans from the local shop, popcorn and a fanta or sprite.  Hospitality is a well-known quality of Ethiopians and one that will never be lost on me.

12. My Sunday morning ritual 

Macchiato and Ethiopian gazettaoch (newspapers), in particular Reporter, Capital and Fortune.  I always favoured Capital because the other two were more political and business based.  I would find a newspaper vendor boy around Bole Delde (bridge), pay the 5birr and simmer for 1-2hrs in a cafe sipping on the best coffee in the world whilst divulging on local news.