Ethiopia – first part

Despite sun protection factor 50, the skin turns red after a few hours. In the middle of winter the invitation from Viva con Agua Following them, coming with them to the plateaus of Ethiopia, might not have been a good idea after all. Yes, she was! Ethiopia is a very interesting country and is in the midst of an exciting new beginning, also because of the new prime minister. I've been here for a week now. Time for a few pictures and a few impressions.

Of course, I cannot be an expert on Ethiopia after this short time. After all, the country is three times the size of Germany. And I had just gotten used to saying አመሰግናለሁ (Amharic for thank you, roughly pronounced Amazegenalo) somewhat correctly, when after a 2-hour bus ride it suddenly says Galatoma (Oromo for thank you).

It's currently around 25° during the day and at night the temperatures are in the upper single digits. This makes life here very pleasant. The heat is not so oppressive because much of Ethiopia is on a plateau. The capital Addis Ababa at around 2340m altitude. Therefore, shortness of breath is your constant companion and your lips keep getting dry. The official population of Addis is 3 million, but current estimates are closer to 4 to 7 million.

Instead of a knife and fork, you eat injera. With this flatbread, you bring the food to your mouth with your right hand. And that's where the problem lies: the dough is made from teff flour. This only grows in Ethiopia and Eritrea. Because it is gluten-free and rich in essential fatty acids, it is becoming increasingly popular abroad - and therefore more expensive in Ethiopia. The "stunting rate" is already over 40%. You've never heard of "stunting"? I hadn't either. If children under 5 years of age are behind the norm in their development, they are classified as "stunting". In Germany, the rate is just over 1% - Germany is the country with the lowest rate.

Ethiopia is a country with – from a European perspective – great poverty. The sophisticated Addis Ababa initially hides this. After all, there is a tram, four-lane roads, rush hour traffic, club life - and of course coffee everywhere. By the way, this is sold here unroasted. The beans are first roasted for consumption, then ground (sometimes crushed by hand or just) and only then brewed. It is usually very strong, but still easy on the stomach. A very special treat. The Ethiopians know this too, celebrate their coffee and the way it is prepared means there is always time for a chat. Around 50% of the coffee grown remains in the country. In the poorer districts in Addis you pay 5 birr, in the better areas (or (Ethiopian) chains) you pay 16 birr - i.e. between €0,15 and €0,50.

Further impressions are explained by the pictures…

When I get back, I'll write to you about why I was in Ethiopia in the first place...