Millennium Madness
The Ethiopian Millennium is almost upon us - September 11th, Tuesday next week, is New Year's Eve (the last day of the year in the Ethiopian calendar). Which means New Year's Day is on Wednesday, one of the weekly church fasting days. Normally, a big feast day like this means doro wat, a spicy chicken stew, is eaten ....but as Wednesday is a fasting day, I don't know if that'll be allowed this time - I wonder will the Orthodox Church give a dispensation for the Millennium! Though not everyone fasts every Wednesday and Friday, so I'm sure it'll be cooked anyway.
Much like it was at home 7 years ago, the Millennium is everywhere now. You can't miss it in Meskel Square (as shown in the photo here). ETV is talking about it alot (my Amharic is improving but I still can't understand much of what they're staying, though they are using the English word Millennium rather than the Amharic word for it), I get impromptu 'welcome to Ethiopia for the Millenium' greetings from strangers on the street, businesses are advertising Millennium sales and there are decorations popping up on the streets of Addis.
There also seems to be Millennium inflation - the price of food staples like berbere (the hot blend of spices used in Ethiopian cooking) and cooking oil has gone up, while accommodation costs have also gone up. This includes rent and hotel rooms. Many hotels have put up their prices in anticipation of the Ethiopian diaspora who are expected to visit for the Millennium. Official estimates say that there will be 300,000 diaspora visiting. But reports in the media are also saying that hotel bookings and other tourist reservations are not bearing this out, at least not yet.
Landlords across the city have been increasing rents - I have one Ethiopian friend who has been paying Birr300 for his room per month and has now been told it's gone up to Birr400, because the landlord would hope to get that from a visitor for Millenium. Whatever about rents for houses going up, which would affect the many ferenjis living and working here (or their NGOs who pay their rent) and the more affluent Ethiopians, this seems very unfair to average Ethiopians, who hardly earn more than that per month.
Some public events that were due to take place in Addis have been cancelled or postponed due to 'security' reasons. There was to be a 'Taste of Addis' festival in Meskel Square and the annual Great Ethiopian Run (10km) was to take place in September rather than in November. Not very helpful for athletes who were training with September in mind. Again, it's the average Ethiopians who are hit - the events that are taking place are things like the Sheraton party, where the cost excludes normal Ethiopians.
And the Millennium is being used as an excuse for lots of things - I've applied for an internet account and ETC are saying it's still pending because of...yes, you guessed it, the millenium! Not quite sure why or how, but it's a useful excuse for them.
Despite the inflation and whether the diaspora arrive or not, there is a buzz in the air. D and I not sure yet what we'll be doing, but maybe we'll be out partying with friends in the bars and clubs of Addis, perhaps around Kazanchis, shaking shoulders and dancing till the wee small hours! And then we'll spend the first day of the new year with D's family, probably eating lots, be it meat or not!
Much like it was at home 7 years ago, the Millennium is everywhere now. You can't miss it in Meskel Square (as shown in the photo here). ETV is talking about it alot (my Amharic is improving but I still can't understand much of what they're staying, though they are using the English word Millennium rather than the Amharic word for it), I get impromptu 'welcome to Ethiopia for the Millenium' greetings from strangers on the street, businesses are advertising Millennium sales and there are decorations popping up on the streets of Addis.
There also seems to be Millennium inflation - the price of food staples like berbere (the hot blend of spices used in Ethiopian cooking) and cooking oil has gone up, while accommodation costs have also gone up. This includes rent and hotel rooms. Many hotels have put up their prices in anticipation of the Ethiopian diaspora who are expected to visit for the Millennium. Official estimates say that there will be 300,000 diaspora visiting. But reports in the media are also saying that hotel bookings and other tourist reservations are not bearing this out, at least not yet.
Landlords across the city have been increasing rents - I have one Ethiopian friend who has been paying Birr300 for his room per month and has now been told it's gone up to Birr400, because the landlord would hope to get that from a visitor for Millenium. Whatever about rents for houses going up, which would affect the many ferenjis living and working here (or their NGOs who pay their rent) and the more affluent Ethiopians, this seems very unfair to average Ethiopians, who hardly earn more than that per month.
Some public events that were due to take place in Addis have been cancelled or postponed due to 'security' reasons. There was to be a 'Taste of Addis' festival in Meskel Square and the annual Great Ethiopian Run (10km) was to take place in September rather than in November. Not very helpful for athletes who were training with September in mind. Again, it's the average Ethiopians who are hit - the events that are taking place are things like the Sheraton party, where the cost excludes normal Ethiopians.
And the Millennium is being used as an excuse for lots of things - I've applied for an internet account and ETC are saying it's still pending because of...yes, you guessed it, the millenium! Not quite sure why or how, but it's a useful excuse for them.
Despite the inflation and whether the diaspora arrive or not, there is a buzz in the air. D and I not sure yet what we'll be doing, but maybe we'll be out partying with friends in the bars and clubs of Addis, perhaps around Kazanchis, shaking shoulders and dancing till the wee small hours! And then we'll spend the first day of the new year with D's family, probably eating lots, be it meat or not!
posted by Terri at
1:27 PM
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