A great way to pass some time while waiting to travel is to do some reading about the sights and activities in the Addis area and plan some things that you would like to do. Most people choose to do some shopping. You can read about bargaining here. I found a beautiful mesob that I was able to bring home. There are also museums, restaurants,... more

One of the things that people really like to be able to do from Ethiopia is to e-mail family and friends and tell them how things are going in-country. However, the vast majority of Addis has only dial-up. This can make even a short note from Addis take a ridiculously long time to send. And if you are trying to send pictures, you'll most likely really be frustrated.

However, there are a few tricks that make internet use a little less painful in Ethiopia. First of all, before you go to Ethiopia, set up a Yahoo email account for whomever is traveling. Other travelers to Ethiopia have reported that yahoo had been the most reliable email.

Make sure that you know your password,... more

If you’re planning to go pick up your child, you may be wondering what kinds of things there are to do while in Addis. You’ll probably want to pick up the Lonely Planet Guide to Ethiopia as it is a helpful resource. Some internet places you can visit include: www.gondarlink.org.uk/guide www.whatsupaddis.com www.ethiopiatravel.com

The National Museum is a very popular tourist destination in Addis.   This famous museum, close to the University of Addis Ababa Graduate School,... more

Restaurants-- Center Of The City

Breezes Location: Poolside at the Sheraton in Addis Type of food: Mexican, American, Asian. Iced Coffees. Other: more expensive than average ($11-$20 USD) ---------- Ghion Traditional Restaurant Location: in Ghion Hotel, Menelik Ave Type of Food: Ethiopian Other notes: Traditional dancing most nights after 7 pm. ------------- Cottage Restaurant & Pub Location: near Harambee Hotel and Ghion Hotel on Desta Demtew Ave Type of food: Swiss food and pizza. Other notes: Affordable prices ($5-$8 USD) --------------------... more

In planning to go to Ethiopia, I have been trying to decide what might be the best way to carry our 28 pound 2 year old. She can walk, but in strange situations she insists on being carried, and does not have the stamina for walking long distances. In Addis the roads are rough (and often muddy)making a stroller an impractical option, except maybe for wheeling around in a hotel.

Over my years of parenting I have tried a variety of carriers. In the next two posts, I'll be giving you my impressions of the NoJo sling, the Snugli frame-style backpack, the Hug A Bub, the Hip Hammock, and the Ergo. All of these are decent carriers with plenty of good points. I'll try to explain what I... more

One of the things that American tourists may not be familiar with is the practice of bargaining while shopping. Except in the case of yard sales or big ticket items, in America most people assume that prices are non-negotiable. But in Ethiopia no shopkeeper will be suprised if you haggle over prices. In fact recently I read somewhere that in Africa a person is sometimes insulted if you don't bargain a little. Bargaining in Africa is a form of sociability and the feeling is, 'What? You don't want to talk with me?'

However, there are definitely two schools of thought among tourists. The... more

When waiting for the referral of a child or for news that finally they can travel to get their child, many parents like to spend some time learning a little bit more about Addis. Recently I found a website called What's Up, Addis? that is a nice resource for adoptive families.

The website features pages about many different topics. There's a page of frequently used phone numbers. Here are some of the ones most likely to be useful to adoptive families.

HOSPITALS (in case of illness) Black Lion 001-5511211 Hayat Hospital 001-6624488 (This... more

Sometimes, despite your best efforts at caution in Addis, you succumb to the dreaded stomach crud. Because of this, it is wise to come to Ethiopia prepared.

When your stomach starts rumbling, your first line of defense should probably be something like Pepto-bismol or Tums. If the stomach upset is mild, this treatment along with very cautious eating and maybe some lemon-lime soda will probably get you back to normal within a few hours.

Imodium?

If... more

I was excited to hear about two families currently in Ethiopia who are blogging their trips. The Henn family is there adopting two little boys, and the Waal family is adopting a pair of girls. They arrived in Addis on the same flight, have already each picked up their children, and will be heading back home soon.

The Waal family has already shared lots of detail about their experience. They took a couple of fun pictures at the airport in Addis that brought back fond memories. I've mostly seen that airport at night, so it was different to see it in daylight.

An especially... more

The other day at the clothing store I spotted two adorable little green and pink sleeveless dresses for my preschoolers. They were on the clearance racks for $6 each. I brought them home, happily imagining the girls looking utterly adorable wearing them at their big sisters' embassy appointment in Ethiopia.

But then I remembered what our agency had told us about clothing in Ethiopia. No shorts. No dresses that show off the knees. No tank tops. Nothing sleeveless. Ethiopia, you see, is a very conservative country, and all of these things are considered immodest-- on adults anyway. Suddenly wondered if the adorable dresses would really be okay. I tossed off a question to our... more