We’ve now been in Addis Ababa for a week, and it’s already been quite the adventure. According to the Ethiopian calendar it’s April 28, 2006, and 12:00 international time is 6:00 Ethiopian time. Wrapping our heads around all of it has been a bit of a challenge. There have already been two holidays, Labor Day on Thursday, and Patriots’ Day on Monday, so today will be our first day of teaching. We visited a number of classrooms on Thursday to give our pitch for the Business Decision Making with Cases course, so we’re hoping for a good turnout.
Addis Ababa is drastically different from the stereotypical image of Africa held by most Canadians. It’s a vibrant, bustling city of approximately 80 million people. Yes, there is poverty, but the middle class is obviously expanding. The entire city is under construction. A railway is being built across the city, and an incredible amount of skyscrapers are being constructed. At every corner you can find someone selling prepaid cellphone cards, which makes sense since most people have a mobile device.
The people here are extremely welcoming. When exploring the city on our own, we were joined by a friendly Rasta, who showed us around the city (although he did demand payment at the end). Later that day, the manager of a new restaurant and guesthouse graciously gave us a free buffet lunch at the invite-only grand opening.
Experiencing the Ethiopian culture has been incredible so far. We’re looking forward to an exciting month in Addis