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Back in Addis, goodbye and good riddance!

Posted on , Updated on by Elias Kifle

A sad but not-far-from-the-truth observation about the current state of things in Ethiopia by a couple of American tourists.

By Kevin and Kirst

We spent the weekend at the Sheraton in Addis Ababa the capital of Ethiopia. I was glad to get out of the countryside as most of Ethiopia is so sad and full of begging. I knew from stopping at the Sheraton that it was much nicer than the Hilton and actually cheaper. This is where the NGO’s and government agencies send their people to stay in luxury and waste your contributions. From reading Lords of Poverty, I now know that so much of aid money goes to keeping people traveling or living in style.

We had tried to stay at the Sheraton when we got back from the Omo river valley but that night involved all sorts of soldiers, police, and militia running around like something was going on on the road in front of the hotel. Our driver said that sometimes the president (prime minister) stays there as he moves around a lot to keep from being assassinated. He had rescinded the election results and then killed a lot of protesters. What a guy, i hadn’t known about this before i came.

Here’s my wrap-up of Ethiopia. The people are as bad as Indians at hassling you and stare at you in much weirder ways. They want to rip you off as much as they can and no one is friendly without an agenda. They lie to you less than the Indians but beg a lot more, which is saying a lot as India has professional beggars. It’s just that it’s more prevalent.

We, meaning the West, have turned Ethiopia into a nation of beggars. Or, they have turned themselves into beggars as they have suffered through various man-made and natural disasters. The UN, Save the Children and other agencies have a big presence in the country. It’s their industry and they need more and more money to get things done. The problem is there are often little results or the aid is misappropriated through corruption.

This is a nation with little charm, and even less pride. That’s ironic since Ethiopia is supposed to be so proud of their ancient adherence to Christianity and the fact that they were never colonized. But children, many teenagers, and even some adults are totally willing to beg from you. All the children shout at your car, dance to get your attention, and run after it with their hands open expecting some handout. We’ve never seen anything like it anywhere else in the world.

People will randomly come up to you and think that you will give them money since you are white and therefore rich. Children will walk beside you and harass you to give them something. One time when when were camping i was walking by a hillside looking at a little river when two dirty shoeless children approached me to talk about what they were studying in school. Then, it turned into a begging session with them insisting ‘you give me pen’ saying this over and over again, chasing me and getting in my face until i just started walking up the hill vertically and they couldn’t keep up.

Other annoying things are the complete insistence that you answer them if they see you no matter where you go. People will shout ‘hello’ at you and keep raising their voice and pitch as if to force you to acknowledge them, since that is obviously why you are there, to recognize and validate their existence.

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Before Kevin and Kirst reach the above conclusion they had travelled through Ethiopia and posted the following blogs:

Arrival in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Rift Valley, Omo River Valley, and the Tribes!
The north: Bahar Dar and The Blue Nile Falls
More Bahar Dar and Lake Tana
Gondar, the castle city (and baths too) of Emperors
Simien Mountains, Trek of Rain
Back to Gondar to cool our heels and kick some butt
Lalibela Ethiopia and the Rock-hewn Churches

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31 thoughts on “Back in Addis, goodbye and good riddance!”

  1. What do you expect from ferenjis. They will come to your country to tell you the negative things that they see around. But I tell them one thing, WE ARE PROUD TO BE ETHIOPIANS AND NO MATTER OUR PROBLEMS, WE WILL OVERCOME IT ONCE WE HAVE GOOD LEADERS. AND IF YOU DON’T LIKE ETHIOPIA, THEN GET THE HECK OUT OF ETHIOPIA, SINCE ETHIOPIA DOES NOT LIKE FERENJIS IN THE FIRST PLACE, IT WOULD BE GOOD IDEA IF YOU GET THE HECK OUT OF ETHIOPIA.

    LONG LIVE ETHIOPIA.
    ETHIOPIA THE HOLY LAND.
    ETHIOPIA THE MIRACLE NATION.
    ETHIOPIA THE WONDERFUL.
    ETHIOPIA THE BEAUTIFUL.
    THANK YOU ETHIOPIA FOR GIVING BIRTH TO ME.

  2. ONE THING FERENJIS NEED TO GET THROUGH THEIR THICK SKULLS IS THAT NOT EVERYTHING WILL LOOK THE SAME NO MATTER WHERE YOU GO. DIVERSITY IS THE WORD I AM LOOKING FOR. YES THAT IS THE WORD.

    SO GO TO SEYTAN BET IF YOU DON’T LIKE IT.

  3. Kebin and Kirst,

    could you spare some birr!?

    I am just kidding!

    I live in N.America and see street kids begging for money…but I noticed out of 100 people pass only few give them money… but the same white people come to Afirca start give money as if they are rich..

    I just wonddring why white people give more in Afirica street the in NY street where you kind live and begg.

  4. “The people are as bad as Indians ”
    “This is a nation with little charm, and even less pride”
    “two dirty shoeless children approached me”
    “They ( ethiopians) want to rip you off as much as they can and no one is friendly without an agenda.”

    Is this what we deserve as people. No one invited these rascal, insensitive and cruel tourists to go to Ethiopia.What they should have done is to use their brain and ask why what they saw is happening.What I read from these ferenji chronicle is a cruel heart and a vile mind.

  5. Seems that these ferenjis are talking about another country. Ethiopia has been registering double digit economic ‘growth’ over the last several years, (regardless of which direction it is growing).

    The news that come from Addis does not tally with what the ferenjis are telling us. It is all about the decline in unemployment and cost of living, prosperity in general. Teff is 60 birr per quintal, butter 6/kg, chicken 5 birr, etc. Besides, the cost of transportation and house rent is at an all time low now.

    Given these ‘facts’, I will be surprised if they are indeed speaking the truth, if they had seen a single beggar in Addis!

    I remember a ‘priest’ praised the PM for his ‘endeavour and success’, comparing the poverty level in Ethiopia (if at all there is any) with that of Germany.

    BUT SERIOULY, IT IS NOT FAR FROM THE TRUTH. THE INFORMATION I HAVE IS THAT MORE AND MORE PEOPLE, INCLUDING OME IN MY OWN DITRICT, WHO WERE ONCE HARD WORKING AND ON THEIR OWN HAVE NOW BECOME BEGGARS.

    I DON’T KNOW WHOM TO BLAME: KEBIN AND KIRST, THE BEGGARS OR ???

  6. yes, this story makes sense. too many beggars – yet, more than india and scary in that they are persistant and seem not to be bothered by their being beggars. Amazing – they follow you as discribed above, little, young, old, doesn’t matter, they stair at you till you give up. Not physically violent but mentally disturbing that they don’t want to work or anything to help themselves – may be they are too tired but it is beyond belief or not to be compared how they stare at ferenji or even ex pats, begging for anything.

  7. Kevin and Kirst,

    Actually you could have stayed home and toured every major and minor urban are in the US and found ragged beggars, many of them white. I once recall a family trip to Nashville where a raggedy white beggar asked my dad for money and he cursed him out and told him how he could get a job before he could because he was white. As an African American married to an Ethiopian with children I find your tirade about both Ethiopians and Indians disgusting and shameful. If this is your attitude towards others who graciously allowed you to travel in their country keep your behinds home!

    Ever stop to wonder why conditions are they way they are for some and your role in perpetuating those conditions? I happen to love Ethiopia-the people, the landscape and the diversity of cultures. If you can’t appreciate the beauty, integrity and gracefulness of the people in both countries–rich, poor and in-between then it is quite simple–save your money and tour the US and see the same conditions you sought out in Ethiopia and India.

    Both of you are huge embarrassments and your ignorance is astounding.

  9. Though I didnt like the comment coz I am an Ethiopian, but that is the reality for the most part. I was in Ethiopia 4 monthes ago and i’ve seen it all myself. why are we denyin? aren’t people impoverished in Ethiopia? have you ever stop at a traffic light in Addis? yeah it’s true unfortunaltely. What do you think it’s a result of? the good governance of Mr. Zenawi.. building roads and 10 story buildings( surprising that most of them have cafe patios, Cafe business is a boom in the city..lol)

    Studpid, come up with an economic policy that trickles down to the majority of the people and then you will have less of such comments!!

  10. The truth hurts. why we Ethiopians are so defensive when presented with fact-based opinions and observations??? instead of acknowledging the problem and find a practical solution to it, we rather erect a bogus resistance wall that we all know can crumble with the softest touch. what Kevin and Kirst experienced in our country is nobody’s secret. the question should be how regardless of our poor economic situation and bad leadership, are we going to change the behavior and culture that normalizes begging and prostitution…call me naive headless bull but we are a society of headless hypocrite in perpetual denial…

  11. Headless BULL….u hit the BULLS EYE…no pun intended. Starting from my self…we are all living on “perpetual denial”!!! I have heard denial was a first stage, i now have acceptance…what comes next is either anger or pity :).

  12. Dear Kevin and Kirst
    Thank you for writing an entertaining narrative about Ethiopia. I have read all of them and I liked the way you use vivid words to descibe situation or people(for example the two shoeless,dirty boys or the blind beggar. I wasn’t offended by any part of your writing.)
    When I visited Ethiopia six years ago I have noticed merchants or street vendors ask three times more than the normal price for their merchandise if they notice you are a tourist. My brother tought me to negotiate by offering one-third of the asking price and most of the time this strategy works well. The most important thing to remember is that even though our country is poor economically we have a welthy culture and history. One day with freedom and justice, we can econmically and socially grow as a country.

  13. Thank you for visiting Ethiopia. But it seems you had little if any idea about the country before you went there. Even worse, the travel into a sociocultral setting different from yours has not taught you the wisdom not to judge others based on your culture. Next time you go to another country learn to accept that you are different from others but by no means superior or inferior (not that you would entertain this possibility).

    If we all use our own culture to judge others, living together in this increasingly globalized world would be impossible. For example, if I were to use the moral standard I was taught as a child in Ethiopia, I could easily lump the majority of white North Americans and Europeans into a heap of selfish, and rude idiots who do not care for no one but self. But I know better and would not make such a stupid group labelling. All continents and countries have their share of genius and idiot, compassionate and heartless, and modest and arrogant citizens.

    It is true that there are many who beg in Ethiopia. But does not the fact that the kids ask for a pen tell you something that deserves praise? Would it have been better if they had asked for a toy? Do you know how many people in North America depend on food bank, soup kitchen, and the salvation army? Do you know how many elderly, and young girls and boys are forced into homelessness and sleep on the street in the middle of winter? Do you know how many kids go to school hungry? Would you also accuse this people of not having a shred of pride in them because they ask for help or to use your language ‘beg for handouts’? Or is it more dignified here because we have institutionalized the begging and giving charity? As you kindly pointed out, the alms collected in the name of those ‘annoying poor Ethiopians’ is spent hosting at Sheraton and Hilton the dominantly white NGO officials. So the poor had to go to the street.

    Although you sound surprised by what you learned about this monster Meles Zenawi, all you had to say about him was “what a guy”. It is this man with help from his foreign backers that has been turning the country into a nation that can be easily insulted by people like you who become authorities about the country after spending few days in Langano. If you read a little about Ethiopia you will learn that the country is in fact very proud and rightfully so.

    Next time you travel outside of your country pack a little more openness and modesty. Then your trip will be a life changing experience. And finally, please learn that when you insult others the way you do you degrade yourself as well.

  15. This guy who called himself “Dave” is infected with false self and inferiority complex.Or he is mad.Readers,please look at the comment by so called “Dave” #14.He is a trash can….isn’t he?
    Kibrom

  16. Dear Kevin and Kirst,
    This is fact that we have a problem but you are using immuture litreature review to explain about Ethiopia. It is good for you to put both the positive and negative part of this country.

    As usual i am not surprisied as Ferinje don’t want to tell African good news specaillay Ethiopian. You know very well how much you spend during you stay in Ethiopia, very little money. You get everthing here in Ethiopia with minimum cost, but you are sick to tell these.
    Almost all feringe are same and igonere the Ethiopian good things. Feringe count himself/herself as Proffesional ,well educated , good Politican, Resarcher, Journalist etc…. when they come to Ethiopia. I am sorry to tell this i don’t think most of them are normal . They are crazy, layman and talkative and wish distrubance throghout the region.

    we have different ideas , we are living with different ethincs gooup, we have different Religon. May be we complian our government etc….we are living in good compsiton as the same a other world.

    long live Ethiopia and our people.

  19. Elias, why do you propagate such insults on our people and country.shame on you.Give us their eamil addresses and let us reply to them.Have some notion of pride and decency please Ato Elias.

  20. dave please zip your big mouth. we are proud ethiopians living in unison.so u needn’t compare people with their religion because the existing government is doing the same for you.
    By the way is your real name Dave?or Salah Ahmed?

  22. as per the article,thanks for the honesty this is the issue we Ethiopians never address to our people,I had happen to be visiting the Ethiopia 2 month ago ,vertually all part of the country became a bigger, speaclially those one who has littile more.every one is trying to be rich over night by somebody’s expense, this is wrong and has to stop.

  23. Selam all,
    By nature, we Ethiopians are defending everything that hurts our culture, dignity and pride. Although these tourist described our nation wrongly, we Ethiopians should accept the presence of our chronic problems which are induced by foreign and domestic leaders. However, we Ethiopians don’t deserve most of their conclusion.
    I don’t know the reason why some of us writing unrelated topic which infuriate our anger. For instance, #6 Martin, you wrote artifact ” … but people mentally disturbing that they don’t want to work or anything to help themselves “. Why you say so because who gave these people a chance to work.
    #5 Nebiyou and #14 Dave – I am sorry but you are stupid.
    I appreciate #13 Andinet, #19 Almeu and others for your genuine comments.
    Ato elias, although you are contributing positive things, I strongly believe that you need to write your comment with regard to Ethiopia and Ethiopians when fernjis wrote such tarnish artifacts. Opposing the government is one thing (as we all do) but posting paper that infuriates our anger without giving your comment is another. Please feel Ethiopianism in such occasion.

  24. You dam ass tourist, where is the Prime Minster more safe, in the Menelik Palace or Sheraton? After all Sheraton is public place and the palace is probably 10 times bigger.

    But the problem is not with those ignorant US tourists. They don`t even know what is going on in their country, let alone Ethiopia`s problem which is more complicated.

    So the problem is ER`s, to quote two unknown US tourists to tell us how our people are suffering from sever poverty. Shame on you Elias.

  25. Hey, Kevin and Krist you better grow up, I do not think you have a very good perspective of our tiny minny world. You may have bad experience while visiting Ethiopia but to generalize it and painting it as if it is the worst place is not acceptable it shows your short sightdness and immaturity. In the first place we Ethiopians are proud and beautiful people we respect our visitors and give the outmost hospitality for any one foreign origin but we also are very straight people in avoiding and sending empty people like you who live in their shadow of selfish western life.
    One thing I agree with your comment is that it is true all NGO’S are there parasites who needs to be expelled as soon as possible we do not need any one to manage our resources we have enough educated and skilled man power to lead the country. Ferenj get out of Ethiopia!!!

  28. This is areality that we cannot deny,these people
    visited Ethiopia had written what the fact that
    existed for long time and got worse in the recent
    years with the richest people way on the top and the
    poorest at bottom of the pyramid.The tourists who
    to visit Ethiopia are given the false introduction
    before going to the country.So we should not get so
    angry when they give us the real first hand-
    introduction about our country’s reality.
    What these tourists are saying are true,and therefore,
    explainig to them why this is occuring while the
    govrnment is receiving the biggest aid from the wold
    especially the West is not reaching the needy people
    in Ethiopia is the question we should ask orselves …
    The answew is simple,the corruption , embezzelement,
    and one party rule with others as a second citizen
    will ofcourse lead to a country’s failure to
    feed,educate,and reduce poverty.The blame goes to the
    the regimes failure to correct such the above
    mentioned points,the west should know that the
    democracy we enjoy here is does not exists there,
    but on paper to get aid from the west.

  29. It is true for that part of the country. However, Ethiopia is not all about Gonder and Bahir Dar. It is a bad generalization. There are millions of hard workers and good mannered people in Ethiopia. They should have seen that too.

  30. I was really disgusted by these 2 people. Any proud Ethiopian should be outraged by these simple minded, xenophobic and mostly ignorant article.

    Let us all flood their e mails and phones with calls and show them how wrong they are!

    Kevin – [email protected] (cell: 415-378-2487)
    Kirst – [email protected] (cell: 415.577.4350)

  31. All the bad things they have seen and said is true, but it is so disappointing not to read few good things on their blogs about their visit in Ethiopia.

    After reading all of their blogs, I come up to these conclusions about these duo travelers, the article was written by Kevin, He complains a lot just about every thing; in a tiny airport in Ethiopia he complained that the plane was late for 20 min, but in JFK or LaGuardia it is not uncommon the hear that flight are delayed for hours if not canceled.

    He is a very cheap traveler, last but not least the duos are not good looking and approachable (Look at their pictures) I suspect the two must be hog farmers from North Dakota.

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