Discover Addis Ababa—a vigorous city where hospitality meets courage
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It’s been almost three weeks since I came back from Addis Ababa, the largest and capital city of Ethiopia. I only stayed in this country for eight days, yet I still feel the effects of this unexpected trip.
I have become bolder in my everyday undertakings. The inspiration came from Ethiopians themselves. They are active hustlers and do the best they can with grace.
Addis Ababa means ‘New Flower‘ in Amharic, one of Ethiopia’s 80 languages. The city is also dubbed the political capital of Africa as it houses the headquarters of the African Union. Its population is estimated at 2,800,000.00 inhabitants.
Ethiopia, which lies in the Horn of Africa, is considered to be one of the oldest countries in the world. It is also home to Lucy and Ardi, famous hominid skeletons who are believed to be the earliest ancestors of modern humans.
Another astounding fact about Ethiopia is that it has never been colonised. The Ethiopian military defeated the Italians in the Battle of Adwa in 1896. Ethiopians are very proud of this victory and do not hesitate to narrate this incredible story to visitors.
Lastly, Ethiopia is the birthplace of Pan-Africanism. Under the rule of Emperor Haile Selassie, Ethiopia was instrumental in founding the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which later became the current African Union.
If someone had told me that I would come back to Poland as a changed person after visiting Ethiopia, I would not have believed this person. Yet, the truth is that I have been transformed. The transformation is barely physical. The change has occurred inwards.
Let’s turn back the hands of time
When I arrived in Europe, strangers often asked me if I were Ethiopian. I used to laugh and tell them that I came from Malawi, the warm heart of Africa. They in turn would be surprised and join me in my laughter. However, Ethiopia and Malawi do share some similarities. Both countries are landlocked and are located in the Great Rift Valley. Furthermore, like it’s counterpart Ethiopia, Malawi is one of the rare countries in the world where remains of our first ancestors were found.
In the past, one would not have dared to make a parallel between these East African countries. When I was growing up in Blantyre, Malawi, Ethiopia was synonymous with war, poverty and hunger. We listened to the radio and heard spine-chilling stories about children like us dying because they did not have enough food to eat. At that time, one would never have dreamed of visiting this country for pleasure let alone live there!
Then came Ethiopian Airlines and the story of its staggering success. We started to see Ethiopia in a different light. We boarded its Boeings and cast fleeting and admiring glances at Addis Ababa as we transited to Lilongwe, the capital city of Malawi. Ethiopia was on par with Kenya and those images of hungry children were obliterated.
I, too, knew that Ethiopia had changed for the better since those terrible times. What I did not know was to what great extent it had developed and was still developing. Previously, I had only thrown hasty glances at the sprawling city of Addis Ababa. This time, I was able to experience this amazing city from within.
And what an experience!
Make hay while the sun shines.
Before leaving Warsaw, I had religiously read several warnings about how unsafe Addis Ababa was for tourists. Honestly speaking, I was afraid because the picture they painted was not bright at all.
Yet, we left Warsaw all the same on Saturday, the 9th of November and arrived at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport in the wee hours of Sunday. We were fetched by a driver from our hotel and headed straight to our destination.
After a hearty breakfast, we decided to start our visits immediately in order to make good use of the little time we had. We left all our valuables in our room and took little cash since handbags can be easily snatched. My husband has already been to Ethiopia so he was able to guide me through the city.
Hospitality means primarily the creation of free space where the stranger can enter and become a friend instead of an enemy. Hospitality is not to change people, but to offer them space where change can take place. ~Henri J.M. Nouwen, Dutch priest and professor
Addis Ababa—a City of Many Contrasts
We started our walk on Bole Road which is safe to walk for tourists. It is advisable to stay there if you do not want to get any unpleasant surprises. I remember that we walked very fast that morning so as not be mugged. The information I had previously read made us very paranoid, so to speak.
As the day advanced, our fears gradually started to evaporate. We were disarmed by the friendliness and hospitality of the majority of people we met. We did not let down our guard though but allowed ourself to open our eyes and ears and be receptive to the welcoming mood of the place.
We were able to enjoy some expensive coffee at the Hyatt Hotel and taste a cheaper version at Meskel Square. How amazed we were by the attention to details in both places! The coffee ceremony was impressive to watch and we were won over by the woman’s smile and warmth.
Later on, we met Kinfa, a young man who told us that he was a tourist guide. He did not ask for a fee but he looked knowledgeable, so we gave him a chance. As we continued our walk, we passed Unity Park and other illustrious places and buildings. Kinfa gave us valuable information about those places and we let him guide us.
However, the turning point came when he decided to leave the main road and use the back streets in order to take us to Saint George’s Cathedral. We alternated between trusting this guy and distrusting him completely.
I am happy that we did not surrender to our fear because we were able to see one of the most beautiful Orthodox churches in Addis Ababa. The church’s grounds were stunning and we came across some ancient turtles that left us utterly enchanted. Inside the church, we discovered stained glasses, beautiful artwork and the mausoleum of Menelik II. At the end of the visit, we paid 20 dollars, which was an exobirtant amount for Ethiopian standards. This somehow ruined the taste of our visit but with hindsight, this remains one of best things we did in Addis Ababa.
I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear. ~Nelson Mandela
Goodbye Fear! Welcome Courage!
Monday and Tuesday saw me not getting out of the hotel because I was nursing a cold that I had caught the previous week back in Warsaw. i took advantage of this time to work on the website. On Wednesday I started to venture out of the hotel on my own. First, I just toured the neighbourhood and did some shopping.
The following day, I learned to use the Ride App which enabled me to go the National Museum of Ethiopia and the Ethiopian Ethnological Museum while my husband worked.
I was amazed by how helpful people always were even if you did not ask for any help. Sometimes I even felt like crying because I felt that I did not deserve such benevolence and generosity.
The food was equally prepared with a lot of love. It was healthy, delicious and abundant. Oftentimes we had to share a meal because of the copiousness.
Every evening we trained to prepare for the Ethiopian Great Run International 10 km and mingled with locals. During such walks, a group of street kids that could have been no more than six years old started asking us for money. When we did not indulge them, some started crying and some shouted at us. One of the kids even pushed my husband. We had to cross the street in order to get away from them.
This experience was quite disconcerting but we did not let it get to us. On the day before the run, on Saturday, we visited Mercato Market, Africa’s biggest open-air market. We did not see any other tourists in the area so we were quite apprehensive but we did not let this deter us. We discovered a sprawling market full of different types of goods. On our way to the market, we had done a detour to visit Malawi Street where we had quite a good laugh.
Courage is not the absence of fear but rather the assessment that something else is more important than fear. ~ Franklin D. Roosevelt
Precious Advice for Future Travellers to Addis Ababa
- Be receptive to people’s hospitality. Ethiopians are very friendly people. They like to chat and will help you in the majority of cases.
- Try the injera, Ethiopia’s staple food. It is a pancake which is made from the grains of teff, that is mostly found in the Horn of Africa. The injera is a rich source of iron, protein, iron and dietary fiber. Besides, it tastes divine.
- Take a local Sim card so that you can have access to the internet while in the country. This will come in handy when you are using the Ride App. At Bole International Airport there is a safari.com desk where I managed to get a week-long high-speed internet package for 10 dollars.
- Addis Ababa is the world’s third-highest city as it lies about 2,355 m above sea level. High altitude affects people differently. I felt it on our first day there when I took the lift and felt dizzy. Doing physical exercises was also hard for me as I had shortness of breath. As the days adviced, my symptoms got much better.
- Try as much as possible not to walk around with valuables as there are incidents of theft.
- Pay attention when you cross the treet as there are very few traffic lights. We were impressed when our Ride drivers were going through the vast roundabouts. It was a real jungle out there!
- Eat cooked vegetables and meat, especially if it’s your first time in Africa. Fruit is all right as long as it is washed.
- Don’t venture out alone at night!
If you pay attention to these details, you should enjoy Addis Ababa as much as we did.
The story of Ethiopia is one of hope. It shows that hard circumstances are not set in stone. I could not help it but make a parrallel with a country that I have chosen to call Poland.
During World War II, Warsaw, the capital city of Poland was almost completely destroyed by the German Nazi. Today, a few vestiges in the city remind us of that terrible past. Warsaw with its inhabitants rose from its ashes and became the bustling city that it is today.
I admire the resilient nature of both nations. Ethiopia is one of two countries that never lived under the servitude of a colonial master. On the other hand, Poland never colonised another nation while many European countries were fighting to a get a piece of the African cake.
Perhaps Polish people and Ethiopians share more human traits than meets the eye. We have so much to learn from these nations. Food for thought.
“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.” ― Anais Nin
Listen: Addis Ababa—A Vibrant City that Infused Me with Courage!
Audio Transcription:
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Further Exploration: Addis Ababa—A Vibrant City that Infused Me with Courage! My Experience was Life-Changing!
Read:
- English Grammar—Ethiopia! (Lesson 1): I Participated in the 2024 GREAT ETHIOPIAN RUN International 10 Km (with SHOULD and SHOULDN’T), Level A2-B1-B2
- A thorough and mesmerising description of the city of Addis Ababa by African Informant
- This is one of the videos that helped me to take my final decision about visiting Addis Ababa
Watch:
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About the Author
Thandi Ngwira Gatignol is the founder of Learn English With Africa. She was born on June 11th, 1981 in Blantyre, Malawi. When she was 19, she left her country of birth for France. She currently lives with her two daughters and husband in Poland.
Thandi holds a Bachelor’s degree in English studies obtained at the Université Paris X Nanterre in France and a Certificate in Journalism from Malawi. She has taught English as a French Ministry of Education certified teacher both in France and in Poland. She speaks six languages fluently, including French, Polish and Italian. She is now learning Kiswahili, German and Spanish. Salt No More is her debut novel and you can find her other books here on the website or on Amazon.
Course Title: Addis Ababa—A Vibrant City that Infused Me with Courage! My Experience was Life-Changing! (Level B1-B2) 🇪🇹 © Learn English With Africa, December 2024
