WIKIPEDIA: According to the Bible, Galilee was named by the Israelites and was the tribal region of Naphthali and Dan, at times overlapping the Tribe of Asher's land.
Beau Sia Asian Invasion on HBO Def Poetry Jam.Raise the bar, and we'll beat it. https://t.co/DLDBkHYwyk
— Goth Samson (@hamburgerboogie) July 14, 2017
What happen to the african leaders...are they numb? https://t.co/qJmqsGDMT0— GOSPEL CONNECTION (@STUDIOSOUND2) October 27, 2017
Jerick Aguilar: I arrived at the Bole International Airport, I noticed how more modern and much bigger it was than our Ninoy Aquino. In the capital of Addis Ababa, I was surprised to see a lot of buildings – important ones
Little did I know that Addis Ababa is 2,400 meters above sea level so I was surprised to see how the weather there was much like the one in our Baguio City with the occasional showers. I ended up wearing the pair of jeans I arrived at the airport with everyday for the whole duration of my stay, had to put on socks whenever I wore my sandals, and crossed my shoulders all the time to feel warm.
I was surprised not to see a lot of hungry, or make that starving, people as I had expected. Yet we do have a lot more homeless people and shanty towns than those in Addis Ababa.
I was also surprised not to see "kababayans" there. I assumed, or make that knew, that there were. But, for some reason, I just couldn’t come across them and it somehow made my trip quite incomplete. I stayed in the capital for a couple of days and did the usual tourist thing, but still no sight of Filipinos. Until I went to the town of Lalibela (where there are 13th to early 14th century rock-hewn churches) and heard of two other Filipinos – one responsible for administration and the other for logistics, and both are based in Ethiopia.
In Gondar (where there are medieval-like castles and palaces that date back hundreds of years ago), my taxi driver, after figuring out that I am Filipino, told me of an English teacher in the town’s university who is also Filipino. (As a side note, I make it a point to tell everyone, or sometimes let them guess, that I am from the Philippines).
And speaking of tour guides, in my final destination of Axum (where there are huge monolithic granite obelisks that date back even before Christ), my guide instantly knew that I am Filipino because he knows one from an international NGO who is assigned in the vicinity, and he said we both shared the same physical features. He also stated that he (or she) did capacity-building work in several villages in and around the area. Unfortunately, he didn’t know where this Filipino was currently at so we couldn’t give this "kababayan" a surprise visit.
Back in the capital, I was kinda sad that I didn’t meet any Filipino as I usually do wherever I go. It just wasn’t enough that I heard of them. But on my last night in a popular restaurant, after having dinner and before heading out the main door, my "Pinoy-dar" registered someone with an Ethiopian at another table. Without hesitation, I approached him and asked if he is Filipino to which he answered, "I knew you are Filipino too!" We exchanged pleasantries and were excited at each other’s company that he didn’t finish his dinner because we were too busy talking. He amiably invited me to the university grounds where I met two of his colleagues, one of whom is the priest leading the management team. Both, of course, are Filipino.
Alas, this chance encounter made my first (and surely not the last) trip to this part of East Africa complete. Next I am off to Somaliland and I might be surprised to see that the place is notas dangerous as everybody thinks. But I won’t be surprised to hear and hopefully meet Filipinos working there and making a big difference in the country and for its people as they are presently doing in Ethiopia.
Mabuhay ang Pilipino nasaan man kayo!
Louis: Some of you might think, "where in the hell is Addis Ababa?" Hmmmmm… for a start I only heard Ethiopia during the time of the 1986, "We Are the World" national anthem for the famine, drought that devastated Ethiopia which was a news item around the world. That was it. But if some of you are geeks, you would know that "LUCY", the first human fossil excavated, was found here in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
New Flower is the literal English translation of the Amharic word, Addis Ababa.July to September are very chilly months here in Addis Ababa. In addition, this is high altitude place which is about 2,500 meters above sea level
I arrived on a Friday chilly noon. When I arrived at my pad which they call condominium which by our term is just a tenement, I just unpacked my things, took a shower and rested the rest of the day.
Sunday I was asked to meet Filipinos for lunch—a Filipina working in Sheraton Addis for 15 years, like an institution here in Addis Ababa, and another Filipina married to an American who is executive chef at Sheraton Addis. They don’t have the fast food chains that you can always have when you needed them. They have their own imitation of each fast food – the famous pizza, the famous coffee, to name a few. But in saying that as, what they are famous for is their buna (coffee). I am not fond of drinking coffee but as what other people say, they have one of the best coffees in the world. Another trivia: one of the famous coffee chains that created multibillion bucks gets its coffee here, but they don’t have a chain here – only an imitation.
The people are definitely different. They have their own way of being hospitable once they know you. This is a place where you need to pace on their time. And in saying so, they have their time zone – as in literally a different time from the usual GMT time. Even their calendar is different. As for their time, I still don’t get it but all I know is that their midnight starts at 12noon in usual time and they call it European Time. The local time which they use is called Habesha Time: if the time in European (GMT +3) is 12:00 noon, theirs is 12:00 midnight. Regarding the date, I don’t know what they are following: for us it’s Gregorian, the Muslim has lunar and for them I don’t have any idea. Their days in a month are also different. I have to learn about it. If in our date is 10 October 2011 theirs is 01 (month) 2004, which they have at least 7 years behind the Gregorian. Funny thing is I am seven years younger here. If you want to be 7 years younger then you may come and experience it here. Filipinos here in Ethiopia, I am happy to say, are being looked up to. Until then to my next journey in the NEW FLOWER.
