East Africa - People of East African

Best thing about traveling outside the country…the people

During my international travels I enjoy escaping the tourist trappings and having the chance to learn about the people and their local culture.  Most of my time in Tanzania was spent with tour operators out of necessity which limited the type and amount of interactions, but while in Kenya and Ethiopia I took advantage of traveling independently and engaged in fascinating conversations.

 

Elegance of the Maasai

The semi nomadic Maasai people were familiar sights as we traveled throughout the countryside of Tanzania and Kenya. They have special permission to live in the Tanzanian Ngorongoro Conservation area and allow their cattle, goats, sheep and donkeys to graze on the land.  In recent years the government implemented laws that mandate all children attend school but it is not unusual to see young children moving the animals to greener pastures. 

Many marriages of the Maasai in rural areas take place at a very young age, girls get married around 12-14 years old and boys pay a dowry when they are about 14-16yrs.  Most men are encouraged to be married by age 24.

We stopped at a small Maasai village outside of the Serengeti in Tanzania.  The chief’s son who was educated in Arusha led a tour of the village after a welcome dance ceremony in which I participated. Yes, these guys "Ladies" can "jump".

The Children

The kids were adorable. Children attend class in the local village until they are old enough to go to the city to attend and graduate from school.  Because the children are responsible for taking care of the animals they take turns attending class.  While we were there they demonstrated that they have learned some English and can perform some math equations.

School House

 The huts are small and consist of three rooms.  The kitchen, the parents rooms and the kids room separated by twigs.

Parents Bathroom

Kitchen

Other Tanzanians

Between Arusha and the Serengeti is a small town called Karatu where we changed a flat tire.  A man stopped and helped changed the tire which was very difficult to get off.  In addition to politics Tanzanians in this part of the country seemed to like fashion.

 

Near the edge of Arusha there is an organization under large beautiful acacia trees that support disabled people called Shanga (beads).  The artwork displayed and sold is created by those who are deaf, blind or suffering some other disability. We had Tanzanian and American food on the lovely grounds.  The bead, glass and other artwork is amazing.

Arusha Market

Serengeti Park w/Marabu Storks

Ethiopians

   

    

Wedding Procession

Ethiopian people seemed to love to discuss politics, business and current events.  I had pleasant conversation with an Israeli gentleman who was working in Ethiopia as a government official. My conversation with members of the South Sudanese reconciliation delegation was the most interesting.  It was very difficult to hear about the dangers they were experiencing but they maintained hope and  persistence to live in peace.

There is a major difference between those who live in urban areas and those from the country side. In Tanzania, those in rural areas marry earlier than those in the city and I was lucky enough to see two wedding processions.  I was told that weddings usually take place during the week after the harvest. 

It was also refreshing to see Ethiopian owed and operated businesses which wasn't the case in Tanzania where many of them are owned by those from India. 

 

Traveling in Ethiopia is affordable.  A visa that can be purchased at the border for only $20 and food is cheap.  My lunch from a small grocery store was only $2.50 (freshly made sandwich, chips and coke) and dinner at a hotel restaurant for about $6,  much much cheaper than Tanzania!  Hotels were around $25-$50 for a decent and clean place.  They don't like to take credit cards but if you are really nice to them they will accept them with a surcharge.  Transportation is the biggest expense but still reasonable, flights if you purchase in advance.

Travel to Tanzania is much more expensive because of the Safaris and outdoor trekking sports but the food is great. If you fly in directly from the US you don't need the yellow fever shot but if you come over land or from another country you may be asked for the yellow fever certificate. Visas can be purchased at your point of entry for $50 US clean crisp bills 2009 and newer only.

Me and the Chief's son

East Africa- Kenya

Kenya, Modernization meets Tradition!

Modern Kenya

Kenya was my travel hub while I was in East Africa. I entered the country by land and air and each experience consisted of tension and waiting.  Entering Kenya on a bus from Tanzania required a visa which I purchased at the border after I turned in my exit documents on the Tanzanian side. Standing under the hot sun in a crowed line that forced its way through a narrow door of the small building took about an hour.  The cost for a visa is $50 unless you are just passing through then it is only $20.

Within the last 10 years the number of automobiles have increased along with the wealth but the transportation infrastructure hasn't been able to keep up which is why there is so much traffic.

It can take an hour to travel 10-15miles during rush hour

Where you buy your underwear

In many developing countries vendors sell undergarments, shoes and other items on the street much cheaper than in the malls. The next time you visit DC or NYC you may be able to pick up some socks on the corner next to the DVDs.




On the weekends downtown there is a craft market where someone assigns themselves as your personal shopper to bargain for you.  You can come away with handbags, paintings, masks, baskets or a number of other gifts. While enduring the scorching sun I was able to ditch the personal shopper and come away with my own treasures.

The guys provided awesome
history with each mask

                                                       

                                                            

                  Traditional Kenya

 

Outside of Nairobi there are still a number of people who live in mud huts but slowly that is changing.  In the past, families often lived on a small plot with about 5 huts. Men often had more than one wife usually averaging 3 according to my guide.  The first wife had the biggest hut, the largest granary and selected the other wives for her husband.  Once the boys reached a certain age they sleep in their own hut.

The first wife's hut was really nice!

The animals often shared the
hut  for warmth

These are the bathrooms

On the way back from the village we stopped at a shop that sold beautiful African wood carvings. Outside the large shop I chatted with the carvers that made many of the gifts. They mentioned that they were not able to make large pieces anymore because of the limited availability of wood.

Did you know:  In Kenya the poor spend most of their income on Malaria prophylaxis?

Kenyans are required to learn Swahili and English in school.  Some of the newscasts are in both languages which is really weird. The anchor speaks English while the person they are interviewing may speak Swahili.  Women are also very successful in Kenya, many of them in the communications field hold anchor and TV host roles.  The presence of westerners and international workers in Nairobi has created economic challenges for those native to the country because they have increased the cost of living. Not only does it impact their ability to afford the basics but it creates security disparities. 


                                                          Departing Kenya
Flying in and out of the airport was an adventure. There were giraffes grazing on the other side of a fence that surrounds the airport.

The international terminal was housed in a converted parking deck after a fire last summer (before the mall incident)...I was given multiple versions of how it started. Security was tight at the entrance with dogs and car searches. On one trip through the airport the computers were down so they had to manually check us in and write out our boarding passes which took hours. It seemed as if they never used the jet bridges instead we boarded the planes from the tarmac.

If you fly into East Africa check into using Nairobi as your port, it is usually cheaper because it is one of the largest airports in that area.

East Africa - Ethiopia

Yellow Containers, Armed Guards and Ancient Religious Sites...

Ethiopia is one of the few countries in Africa that maintained its independence and wasn't colonized by Europe, a fact of which they are very proud.  One of the reasons why I passed up the seashore in Dar es Salaam to go to Ethiopia is its place in history and possibly the origin of human kind.

A visa is needed to enter the country but you can purchase one at the border or airport for about $20USD.  Just make sure the bills are not older than about 2006 and that they are in great condition...no tears, writing or wrinkles or they will not take them. I would recommend converting dollars to their local currency or using the ATM machine at the airport for local currency. Many times they will not take credit cards or they will charge you a fee for use.  Travelers checks are RARELY accepted so don't take them

If you leave the country to go to Kenya or Tanzania you WILL need a yellow fever card or you will have to take the shot at the boarder or you can't get in.  I witnessed someone who was not allowed in Kenya without there yellow fever card.

Traveling in Ethiopia is more economical than in other E.African countries.  Airfare is expensive but accommodations and food is very cheap.  I will write a blog about Food and Accommodations in a few weeks.

 What I didn't realize when I made my plans was that the African Union meeting was taking place in Addis Ababa along with the South Sudan Mediation talks.

Addis Ababa
the capital of Ethiopia.  Many people are in western dress
but Muslims will wear head coverings
while Christians cover their heads when going to church

The Capital
There were guards (w/large weapons) everywhere even around my hotel. A guide and I were speaking  outside of a museum when he abruptly ended our conversation but I figured he felt he should get back to work.  While walking back to my hotel I noticed many more armed security on the street and on top of the buildings.  My heart skipped a couple of beats when I realized that the very busy boulevard was suddenly void of vehicles.  I considered turning down one of the side streets in case something unexpected was about to take place but just as I was about to I noticed people were stil on the side walks.  Then a motorcade came into view and it occurred to me they stopped traffic for the prime ministers and presidents.  Talk about being relieved!!

Private Jets of the Presidents
We were not allowed to be dropped off at the departure terminal at the airport
because the government officials were also parting on the same day I was leaving.

There were not enough vacation days to travel everywhere I wanted in Ethiopia but I did have the opportunity to visit Lalibela, the 2nd Jerusalem, with 11churches carved out of rock around the 11th and 12th centuries.

The Other Jerusalem
The flight to Lalibela was short but it requires traveling to several other cities before arriving at the Lalibela airport which is only about 40 mins from the capital by air.  If you decide to go you will want to make sure that you pay attention to which airport the plane has landed so that you deplane at the right airport. You may or may not receive a boarding pass showing the various stops.

Lalibela

St. Mary Church

The holy city of Lalibela has no more than about 20,000 residents with more than 800 priest and deacons from the Christian Orthodox Church.  If you want to visit the churches carved from rock it will cost you $50! Not a backpacker's price but they say the proceeds support the priest and they community.  Perhaps they should consider a model with a better priest to resident ration :-)

The 11 churches carved out of rock are centuries old and some as old at the 11th century!  This is a very holy area where there is some sort of religious ceremony going on every day. 

St George

Each morning I was awaken around 4am by chanting on the loud speakers thinking that there was a Muslim mosque nearby but they were ancient Christian chants.





Ancient Monasteries
This holy area is also home to ancient monasteries and one of the oldest is Ashetan Maryam, built inside of a cave and is an architectural template for some of the churches in Lalibela. It was such an honor to touch walls around 1000 years old. It was worth the hike!

Monastery in the Mountains

These leaning sticks come in handy for long sermons

Not Used to Seeing People of Color in Ancient Religious Art

Worship Center and Housing

Devoted Followers
from  Europe & other counties, made a
special request to have their
bodies buried here because of the holiness
of this area. 

 

The Countryside
I love getting a chance to take in the countryside to see how people live everyday.  In this area many people are farmers and the women and children gather wood.  The region is also know for making beer and raising bees for their Honey Wine which is tasty.  While traveling I witnessed several wedding processions that we stumbled on.  The bride rides piggy back on someone's back and the groom rides a donkey.

Wedding Procession - Groom

Hops for Beer

Homes in the Country made of mud and Straw

Honey Wine

Benjamin wants to be a lawyer

I loved the Ethiopian people!  The were warm, loved to talk about current events and were very curious about me.  The kids were absolutely adorable and had beautiful smiles. Benjamin was my 15year old tour guide who took me around his neighborhood and gave me the inside scoop on the "going ons".



Many of the priest's kids do very well in school because they learn to read the scriptures at an early age before they actually have a chance to attend school.  Those in rural areas have to attend boarding schools in the larger towns and cities away from their families.

The people of East Africa LOVE Obama often greeted me by asking about him.  There was one gentleman who wants me to send Obama a picture of his shop. From my conversations Ethiopians like the US for its pop culture, wealth, power and humanitarian support but they don't totally agree with capitalism, strings tied to humanitarian aide, excessive live style and "superiority".   Having an American in their home gives them a certain status among their friends and peers and it can also be financially beneficial.  They recognize that saying positive things about Americans can result in good tips and increased business.  That is a good business strategy!

One individual asked, "can the US peoples' views be much different from the the government's when the people are the ones who vote them into office?"...insightful. 

Yellow Water Container

 Interesting Sites
I noticed these plastic yellow containers everywhere especially being carried by children. These are water bottles that children are required to take to school because there is no running water.



Also, transportation here is expensive and public options are limited so if anyone is going your direction you catch a ride.

Taxi Service

                                   

Rural
The landscape during this time of year
is dry but still beautiful.
Warm Days very chilly nights

City View
 from my hotel

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One of My Most Memorable Moments
One of my most memorable encounters was at my hotel in Addis, the capital.  I was able to speak with someone from South Sudan who was part of the mediation team.  It was fascinating and sad hearing first hand about what was going on in the new country and how they were trying to resolve the issues. Even though I enjoyed our discussion I was a little uncomfortable that I was staying in the same hotel as the delegation and realized why there were so many guards around.

Hopefully, one day I will be able to come back to visit the southern part of the country and some of the other religious cities. It was a very enjoyable and unique experience!!   One of my best trips.