This is Africa

I had the wonderful opportunity to travel to Ethiopia this week. I can tell you –it left an impression. I have been to a lot of places, all amazing in their own right, even Fresno, no really even Fresno, but I’m sure I will never forget Ethiopia. It is so different than any other part of the world I have yet visited.

If you grew up in the United States or a similar type culture, your preconceived notions about Africa, will not be what you experience. Starting with Ethiopian food. Yes, they have their own cuisine and it is delicious. This is embarrassing to tell you, but it’s so good I actually gained weight in Ethiopia. Jokes on me. And not just one or two pounds, more like five, it’s that good. I don’t actually know how much because scales aren’t really something they care about having around. They value different things.
Ethiopia is a poor country, really poor. But this doesn’t mean they are not happy. They are very quick with a smile, generous, and appear to value the relationship more than things. Life is not easy on many levels, starting with they live among wildlife that can kill you. In one day alone, I saw wild boars, baboons, crocodiles, and hippopotamuses. I am grateful to have made it through my stay without encountering any scorpions or other deadly insects or reptiles. I was however, sitting in a restaurant and a baboon pounced into my lap, they actually have baboon guards to keep this from happening, but this fellow slipped by. I will never forget this experience. Here they accept the wild life and live among it.
I bought these shoes with me knowing I would be performing in Africa, I love these shoes, purchased online, like a good first world shopper. But I ended up leaving them in the suitcase, it just didn’t feel right, Africa’s beauty is subtler, more earthy and less manufactured. Thank you Ethiopia for expanding my worldview and being a haven of a refreshing alternate culture, a place where the Kashdashian’s are virtually unknown. Ethiopia this makes me happy.
Laura