Ethiopian Roads + My Shoes = Jacked Up Shoes

If there is one thing I have learned while living here that is DO NOT wear your good shoes while walking through the streets of Ethiopia. My 3-month-old shoe now looks like it has been through five years of hell thanks to the uneven, poorly constructed streets of which I walk every day. The type of paved road varies, for roads that go into neighborhoods they use chiseled rocks and just pack it with dirt, which is good for cars, but for walking it's not a flat surface so it just cuts up your shoes. Now I know why there are so many listros (children who clean shoes on the side of the road for 2birr) in this city. It's the perfect business. 

Although they have come a long way from dirt roads, the roads they call asphalt are not up to par. During the rain, most of the streets flood really bad and that’s due to the fact that there are no drainage systems. Seriously?! You would think that a country starting to industrialize would look back at history and fix the problems they endured or even build something better but no, we have to make the exact same mistakes.

The Day I Forgot My Umbrella

Today started off with the sun shining and not one gray cloud in the sky, but that soon changed. I left the house prepared for anything, or so I thought. I had tights beneath my jeans, an undershirt under the flannel, doubled up on socks, and wore my coat just in case it got cold. I was right to where all of these garments, but the one thing I needed on this day was the one thing I forgot; an umbrella.

Today I was running a little late at work and got off at 6 pm, an hour later than usual. Usually catching a taxi from Kazanchi's to Mexico is a headache and hassle, but today I didn’t have to wait, shove, get trampled or throw bows (elbows).

It was after this that my day turns sour.

The taxi I caught stopped short of Mexico and said they were to continue in another direction so I paid it no mind, got off and walked to the next stop. The good thing about taxi's here is that there are at least three spots where you can catch a taxi for one neighborhood. I was waiting patiently for my last taxi home, Gabriel/Sarbet, but as time passed there was no taxi so I moved on and walked a little further to the next stop. It was during that time that I can tell the sprinkle of rain had grown harder, so my walk turned into a sprint. I get to the next stop only to find out that all six taxis waiting for passengers were all going to Makanesa (not in my direction) AHHHHH! The rain was pouring at this point and I don’t have an umbrella so I'm just standing there in frustration at the fact that not one taxi was going to Gabriel. I said forget it and ran across the street to the next stop, but I was left in the same predicament; no taxi, no umbrella, still raining. There was no building that I could duck into or even a tree to take cover so I just stood there, drenched, as the rain grew harder and harder. It was one of those moments when you realize that there is nothing you can do because you have no other option. To make matters worse as I ran to the last stop, I stepped in a puddle that was ankle deep. So now I'm wet, cold, and swimming in my socks. Rain water back in the states isn't the cleanest, but at least it's clear, the water here is murky brown. In Addis it's common for people to urinate on the side of the street, in a puddle, on a construction site or where ever they feel like, making the thought of rain water even more disturbing especially since I had just stepped into a puddle of unmarked rain. Finally, the rain starts to calm down after five minutes and of course, a taxi pulls up, my hooptie hero, ending the story of the day I forgot my umbrella.

Ethiopia So Far

Ethiopia, Ethiopia, Ethiopia, so far the most interesting place I have ever been. That's not saying much since I've never been out of America, but nonetheless interesting. I still haven't gotten over the fact that drivers share the road with the hundreds of cattle being herded through the city. I personally think no one can drive in this country and adding animals to the equation doesn't make it any better. Also, it is not illegal to drink and drive, shocking. Some people start their Black Label Saturday morning and continue drinking until Sunday night, but surprisingly I haven't seen as many car accidents as I would have expected. Hopefully, it stays that way.

After thorough analysis of the data I have collected over the past three months, I have arrived at the conclusion that the top two most used conversation starters are: 

1: Inde Wufershe/Kusashe! (meaning: omg you got fat/skinny what happened?!) and;

2: Bal alesh? Mecha tagebyalesh? (meaning: do you have a husband? When are you getting married?).

I'm not exaggerating by any means, these are real facts. Every older woman I have had the pleasure of meeting/running into has asked me this question and follows this question with, 

"I have a son" (wink, wink). 

Great! Every old woman in Ethiopia thinks they are a certified dating service. 

I always respond with,  

"What about my education, you know continuing to get my masters?" 

All of their responses have been the same, "Ha ha ha ha ha!"

Walking through Mexico on a Sunday afternoon can be both eye opening and overwhelming. They sell everything from scarves, shirts, boxers to pens, combs, and mafakya's (a piece of tree branch that is used as a toothbrush). My favorite is the guy who stands out there with his scale charging 20 cents to folks who want to weigh themselves or their goods. Then there are those who don't have an inventory of things to sell, so they are out there hustling to sell ONE jacket or ONE scarf.

Currently Ethiopia is going through it's winter otherwise known as Krumpt meaning everyday, all day, it's raining non-stop. Yay me! I didn't bring any boots or raincoats, so as far as weather goes I'm not in the ideal situation.