Ethiopia, ‘Trip of a Lifetime’

When it comes to Ethiopia, many think of extreme poverty, hunger, and desert. For Jane Burns, “it was the trip of a lifetime.”

Burns dreamily described her trip to The Sun days after returning to The States. She said the south* African country is very diverse and beautiful. She compared the country’s diversity to that of the United States.

To appreciate the country and what it has to offer, visitors must take off their “Western eyes,” said Burns.

“The people are stunningly beautiful, happy, nice, and proud of their country in a humbling way,” she said. “They are a happy, wonderful people.”

Burns describes a country with amber fields of grain, miles of breathtaking mountains and lakes, and the bustling city of Addis Ababa, a huge city of 6 million people.

Burns spent three weeks exploring the northern part of the country, leaving Feb. 1 and returning Feb. 21. While there, she trekked the Semien Mountains, known for their beauty.

“It was very cold at 13,500 feet,” she said, “and very beautiful.”

She began the journey solo, but travelled with a group once in the country. During her journey, she stayed at hotels and in thatched huts without electricity. She also camped in the countryside.

“Ethiopia is a very poor country and its hotels are extremely different from what we are used to expecting, but they did have running water,” she said.

Burns found that when she took her “Western eyes off,” she saw happy children who played in the streets without high-tech toys, but were content to occupy themselves with games like dodge ball. She also found very good food.

As a vegan, Burns appreciated that the people she encountered fasted a couple of days a week and also a couple of months out of the year.

She discovered injera, a flatbread Ethiopians have with most meals, which they use as “utensils.”

“Beyanatu is a large tray with injera covering the bottom, with fist-sized servings of chickpeas called shiro wat, lentils, gomen, which is greens smothered in seasonings, mixed salad and several other vegetarian options. You tear a piece of the injera off, scoop up a mixture of the offerings and it is wonderful!” she said.

In anticipation of meeting some of the locals, Burns carried with her small bottles of bubbles for the children, which she said fascinated them.

What she brought back were necklaces made by locals, wonderful Ethiopian coffee, a bedspread, and a lot of good memories.

Burns works in South Walton as a financial advisor with Edward Jones. She is already planning her return to Ethiopia next year to explore the southern part of the country.

Source: The Walton Sun

* Correction: Ethiopia is located in east Africa, not South.