Acclimating to Addis Ababa

Last time I was in Addis Ababa, I spent all my time with Ethiopians. It spoiled me. Navigating the city by myself or with other foreigners is absolutely exhausting, between the cultural and language barriers, the smog, the altitude, and incessant heckling from people on the street.  One of the current Fulbrighters who has worked extensively in Africa says that the begging culture here is among the worst she’s seen on the continent.  My Amharic tutor insists that I’ll develop ears for Addis Ababa that will filter out the distractions and annoyances.  I hope so.

Arriving in late October means that I benefit from the pitfalls and tribulations of the other Fulbrighters who arrived about two months before me. Shawn Mollenhauer, a Fulbright student studying Oromo music, invited me to stay with him and his wife Jill, who is currently writing her dissertation on pre-Columbian Mexican art. The house near Bole Rd is a quiet reprieve from the bustle of the city and the stress of getting things done in an unfamiliar culture.  I’m living with satellite TV for the first time ever.  Only two of the channels are Ethiopian.  The rest are from the Middle East.  Everything is subtitled in Arabic, and all the kissing scenes are cut out.

One thing I certainly cannot complain about is the food. This plate of “fasting varieties” consists of various vegetables served with injera, a flat bread used to eat food much the same way as tortillas are.  Eating with your hands is only part of the delight.  Everything tastes awesome.  And, macchiatos are cheaper than regular coffee.