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One of the things I enjoyed most in Ethiopia was the shopping. I am a penny-pincher at heart, and had no trouble finding lots of bargains while there. The traditional dresses my little girls are modeling in this picture can be found for $10-$15.
The background fabric in both pictures is a large tablecloth that came with 12 napkins and cost around $40. Other textiles available include gorgeous hand-woven headscarves which come in stunning colors and patterns and are often worn by Ethiopian women.
Other things that are affordable include baskets (in the $3-$10 range for a medium-sized basket), and carved wooden items such as salad tongs and ornate Ethiopian crosses.
The largest basket next to my daughter is called a mesob. It is actually a table with a cover that comes off. This was my biggest splurge my second trip to Ethiopia and set me back about $45.
I was pleased to find little drums that made great souvenirs for some of my younger kids. And simple bead necklaces can be found everywhere for only a couple dollars.
Then there are the food items. if you’re a coffee-drinker, you’ll want to bring back some Ethiopian coffee. Abyssinian is best, a local informed me, so that is the brand I have bought both times. I also bought shiro (chick-pea flour) and of course berbere, the spice found in so much of Ethiopian cooking.
As you shop, keep in mind that you’re going to have to tote this stuff home. Make sure you have enough room in your luggage. Remember, your child will have a luggage allowance as well on the way home, so part of his/her lugggage can be the souvenirs you bring back. But you may want to pack an extra soft-sided bag in your luggage on the way over, just in caes your luggage is filled to capacity on the trip home.
Each time I go to get a child, I try to find at least a dozen or so small items that will make good birthday gifts over their growing up years. These little gifts on our kids’ birthdays are a nice way to remember and honor the culture from which they came.
What we found worked good was to take all our childrens clothing as aid (except for their coming home outfits). This way we were able to leave 3 suitcases empty for souveniers to come home as well as maximizing the amount of clothing we could give to our childrens orphanages and to children on the street. After all, our new kids (and our old ones) did not need to be wearing brand new clothing in Ethiopia, and I think I would have been a bit embarresed had they been.
The mesob is beautiful. How did you get it home?