Things I Like About Addis

Its ridiculously cheap!

                I offered 5 birr (about 30 cents) for a minibus ride and got 3.60 birr back in change.

                I handed over a 100 birr note (about $6) for some barbecued chicken, with spicy sauce, bread,   rice and a Fanta, and got 40 birr change.

                A coffee in the hospital costs 3 birr, about 20 cents

The people

                By and large they are gracious and friendly. Watching people as they meet on the street, they are so pleased to see friends, and give them a handshake and hug. My current resident is especially outgoing, and cannot walk down the hospital corridor without having to stop a couple of times to great people and kiss them on both cheeks at least twice. Most of the people who shout out “Hi man” or kids who say “What your name?” only want to be friendly and practice their English.

The street life

                Want to buy an electric power bar? Some shoes? A pack of pens? A tie? A book? Someone on the street somewhere will sell it. Want your shoes shined? Your glasses fixed? No problem.

                People live on the street and take it over for their own use. Need a washing line? Just string your laundry up between a couple of sidewalk trees. Fix your car? The road beside a spare parts shop is just the place.

The mannikins

                Every clothes shop has a bunch of mannikins outside displaying the latest fashions. However, the clothes are usually too small to fit properly, so most of them display jeans with the zip halfway down in a very suggestive manner!

The weather

                As long as it only rains a little bit, and not a huge downpour.