Although this country is one of the more well-known African countries, it is still unfamiliar to many of you. As I get ready to live in this country for 2.25 years as a Peace Corps Volunteer, I am fascinated by the history, culture, dynamics and overall interesting facts I've found. Although a country isn't made up entirely of facts found on the World Wide Web, they're a great scaffold to base further experiences and knowledge. By understanding and learning about a country's broad dynamics I will be better prepared to interact with individuals who will teach me more than I could ever research. Learning should be a community event. Here is what I've learned so far.
The Peace Corps In Ethiopia
In September 1962, 279 secondary school teacher PCV entered into Ethiopia for the first time. For the next 15 years this program grew to be the one of the largest. However, in March of 2000 the program was suspended due to hostilities between Ethiopia and Eritrea. After a throughout assessment process in October 2007, 43 health Volunteers returned to the county reopening the program. Approximately 3,500 volunteers have served in Ethiopia living in the Amhara, Oromiya, Southern Nations or Tigray in either education, health or ag-environmental projects.
Geography
Ethiopia is a land locked country in the Horn of Africa slightly less than twice the size of Texas (Ethiopia 437,600 square miles. Texas is 268,580 sq. ft.).The Great Rift Valley, one of the landmarks able to identify from space, splits the high central plateau diagonally. It's on this high plateau where Addis Ababa, the capital, resides at a towering 8,000 feet (2,400 meters) making it the highest capital city on the African continent. Muslims tend to inhabit the lowlands while Christians live in the highlands illustrating how geography can impact religious and cultural tendencies.
Language
Amharic is the official language of Ethiopia. Tigrinya, Orominga, and Arabic are other primary languages for different states in Ethiopia. There are 89 individual languages listed; however, two of them are extinct and five are dying. In 2007 there was a 29% literacy rate according to UNESCO. In 2009 the Education for All (EFA) posted that 42% of men over 15 are literate while only 18% of women are. A large reason this could be is because males (on average) go to school for 8 years while women only go for 6.
Education
Four comprehensive Education Sector Development Programs (ESDPs) were established in 1997 as a 20-year kick-off to education reform. They are currently on ESDP IV which goes from 2007-2015 (part of the time I will be there). More than 1/4 of children drop out before completign first year of school. Approximately 3 million children remain out of school while 15.8 million are enrolled in the 8-year primary cycle. However, completion rates are increasing. In 2009 only 44% of students completely primary school. In 2010 that rose to 48%. Out of these 79% finished secondary school.
Government is stepping up to combate this issue, too. In 2011, 27% of their overall budget was designated for education. The Global Partnership for Educaton (GPE) provided $168 million to strengthen Ethiopia's General Education Quality Improvement Program (EGEQIP) who focuses on teachers, textbooks and other activities to help students succeed.
Cultural Etiquette
Some things are the same (offer to assits, great others, respect elderly), but here are some fun new ones .
- It is impolite to decline a cup of coffee. You will always be offered a cup.
- Use only the right hand while eating.
- Eldest person takse food first from the communal plate .
- Meals end with the ritual of handwashing and drinking coffee.
- Gifts are given with two hands or the right hand only; never the left hand.
- Never rush greatings.
- Customary to bow when introducing someone who is obviously older
Coffee:
According to legend, coffee was founded in Ethiopia. As the story goes (summarized version), a shepherd, who was taking his goats out in the field, noticed that when they ate red berries they would get energized. When he ate it he no longer was tired. This red berry soon got roasted and into hot water where we get coffee. Ethiopians love and are very proud of their coffee. Here are some interesting facts about this world wide bean:
- The Kaffa province in Ethiopia is renowned for its coffee.
- Coffee is a national drink and its drinking is a ritualized process that generally takes at least an hour.
- If invited for a formal coffee you may be seated on pillows or grass and flower-strewn floor with frankincense burning in the background.
- A woman or young boy enters the room to wash and roast the beans over charcoal.
- The roasted beans are then hand-ground and added to boiling water.
- Sugar is put into small cups without handles and the water/coffee mixture is added.
- Inhale the aroma of the coffee before sipping.
- The first round (called "awol") is served, starting with the eldest.
- When the first cup is finished, the "jebena" (coffee pot) is refilled with water.
- The second round (called "tona") is then served. It is weaker than the first since the same ground beans are used.
- The third round (called "baraka") is served after boiling water is again added to the jebena.
- Always sip the coffee slowly
Although I do not currently like the taste of coffee (much to the disgrace of my family), I can only imagine how this is going to change in the next two years. The Peace Corps empathizes the importance of taking part in local culture and customs. Coffee drinking is one of those that might take time, but I will learn to accept and delight in.
More Info At:
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/et.html
