Some unfinished houses near the college


The usual afternoon storm about to engulf the college.

There are some aspects of Ethiopian culture I never stop admiring. One of them is the boundless and unconditional hospitality of Ethiopians. You can interrupt a meeting, a social gathering of friends or a lone person busy with a task and never be made to feel you are intruding. If I go to the staff lounge at college on my own I will either be invited to join somebody or I can sit at a table with other people and be instantly included in their conversation. I have never felt that people here tolerate my presence just to be polite. There is a deep and long established culture of hospitality towards visitors. All visitors are “guests” and are treated as if they were personally invited by each Ethiopian. Of course, as a ferenji I am treated with respect almost by default, but dropping in on people unannounced and being entertained is a normal part of life here, in a way that would be unacceptable to most people at home.

I wandered to the lounge this morning on my own, and joined Nigatu and Abayneh, who are both HDP candidates. We talked about the new degree courses, the recently announced news that the college will start evening classes, the weather (Ethiopians must think we are obsessed with the weather, which of course we are) and their knowledge of Gondar. After blethering for a while I tried to pay for our coffees. The custom here is that guests do not pay and are automatically considered to have been invited by the people you join and drink with. I always find this a wee bit embarrassing, as if they must be thinking “this bloody ferenji is free-loading on us again”, but Ethiopians are very proud of this custom and always insist on paying.