Sign in to follow this  
Holac

Safferz, have you landed yet?

Recommended Posts

Safferz   

<cite>
said:</cite>

hi Saffz,

 

i know we're no longer on speaking terms but if you come to Hargeisa, i'll make it up to you, ruunti. come through
and who knows maybe your poor Amharic gag reflexes would improve.

 

I was in Hargeisa for a week, and I'm sure it's no surprise that I did not want to see you.

 

In other news, I was on the same Hargeisa-Addis flight with Edna Aden and we had a lovely chat sitting next to each other at the airport. She was on her way to receive an award and honourary degree at the University of Pennsylvania. I was too shy to ask for a photo with her, but we did exchange cards :)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

<cite>
said:</cite>

I was in Hargeisa for a week, and I'm sure it's no surprise that I did not want to see you.

 

 

LOOL Alpha just give it up dude. :D

 

Go on a long quiet walk through the streets of Hargeisa and then cry yourself to sleep Alpha

 

Hahahaha

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Holac   

<cite>
said:</cite>

Hehe, I wish! I'm in Addis Ababa and unfortunately bila internet for the most part, so checking in today from an internet cafe in my neighbourhood, Mekanisa. On the plus side, not having internet means I am going out and talking to people a lot more, so my Amharic has improved quite a bit. What's good, SOL? It's been a busy last few months so I haven't been around so much.

 

lol@Bila Internet. Is that the local ISP?

 

Enjoy your trip girl. I need to try Ethiopian Airlines. Everyone is saying it rocks.

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Holac   

Saffz, what is the Somali population in Addis? Is it big? I would be nice if you could tells us some of the intriguing things you find there. I've never been to Addis, but I heard all adults there take a piss on the roads. Could be Somali propaganda.

 

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Safferz   

Saalax, like any flight it depends what time of year, peak travel periods like July and August likely cost more ... my roundtrip was around $400something (Canadian), I believe.

 

<cite>
said:</cite>

Saffz, what is the Somali population in Addis? Is it big? I would be nice if you could tells us some of the intriguing things you find there. I've never been to Addis, but I heard all adults there take a piss on the roads. Could be Somali propaganda.

 

I forgot one A in bilaa, I meant I'm 'without' internet :P Ethiopia is far behind Somalia and Somaliland when it comes to telecommunications technology. Most people use the crappy connections on their phones to surf the web, wi-fi spots are virtually non-existent and poor where you find them, and banks regularly close early for the day because their systems are down. I go to a slow broadband internet cafe a few times a week to catch up on my emails and news. I think a lot of it has to do with the government monopoly over these industries and not wanting its population to have full access. When I was in kililka (outside of Jijiga), mobile networks would regularly shut off in the late evening, I'd imagine out of fear of whatever organizing/activity may take place among anti-government groups at night.

 

There's some truth to the pissing in the streets -- I've seen it, but I don't think it's widespread. Addis is an interesting mix of urban and rural, modern and traditional... you have light rail construction taking place and roads that look like some of the highways we have in Canada and the States, but at the same time someone will try and cross that highway with their herd of goats and cows. The city also has a very different vibe from a place like Hargeisa, it's just overflowing with people and people you can't trust, even when you think you know them. I've never had to feel so on guard in any other city I've been to. It's been great that I blend in perfectly and don't have to deal with the BS most foreigners (ferenj) deal with here.

 

The Somali population here is quite large, mostly concentrated in an area called Bole. I think there are also historical Somali areas that I'll have to do some digging about... I pass by one daily called Somali Tera (tera means area/neighbourhood), near the Piazza. The oldest mosque in Addis is located there as well.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Safferz   

Mooge, I'm back for research but this time I'm focusing on learning Amharic well, so I'm mostly in Addis.

 

<cite>
said:</cite>

Shirkadda diyaaradaha ee Jubba now has a semi-modern airplanes. At least the ones that serve Nayroobi to Xamar to Berbera waa diyaarad weyn oo wanaagsan, inkastoo aanan raacin.

 

shirkad

 

That's the plane that flies from Dubai to Djibouti, then over other long distances like Djibouti-Xamar-Nairobi. It still isn't a great plane but it's not the one from Djibouti-Hargeisa/Berbera, which is an old turboprop that's been retired from the civilized world for decades.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Mooge   

Subaxwanagsan my safy. well i didn't know you left for ethiopia. so are you eating injera daily? loool.

 

how long you staying there?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Safferz   

Injera three times daily, to be exact :P I'm ticketed to leave August 27th, but I think I may leave a month earlier than that since I've decided not to go to kililka shanaad late in the summer like I initially planned. We'll see.

 

Also, I take back what I said about adults not peeing in the streets. I see it several times a day in Addis.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

<cite>
said:</cite>

ok. why didn't you tell me?

 

Maybe it's because you anger and annoy everyone you meet online. (Me, Tallaabo, Tillamook, others)

 

And you creep out anyone you meet in person (Safferz)

 

 

I guess human interaction isn't something you're very good at

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

<cite>
said:</cite>

Maybe it's because you anger and annoy everyone you meet online. (Me, Tallaabo, Tillamook, others)

 

And you creep out anyone you meet in person (Safferz)

 

 

I guess human interaction isn't something you're very good at

 

this is virtual bullying. you can't say things like this. i will not hesitate to report you.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Sign in to follow this