Layover in Ethiopia

on my way to Uganda, I spent a couple hours in the airport of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, a location that i have been to a couple times and one that i will go to in a couple weeks. I jotted down some thoughts.

Immediately off the plane the smells of Ethiopia came back to me, the scents I should come to expect but am always surprised by. They aren’t bad at all, but distinct. Maybe its the injera, spices, the dust, the people, or a combination of all of those things. I’m only here for 2 hours and again my senses will be infiltrated by another set of smells, sights, and sounds. These too are ones that I have been familiar with, but will again be surprised by.

Even in London, the feelings associated with travel in Africa were strong. The International Terminal with outbound flights to Africa seemed to have its own culture already, a stark contrast to the European flights. I even thought I was in Africa for a moment.

I have been thinking about coming back to Africa for some time now. I have developed mentally and have even become more “professional,” but no matter how much I learn or experience, I will always be coming here from the outside. I will never fully now the truth of the people here. I guess I thought I could eventually blend in or know what their joys, problems, and circumstances are, but should that even be a legitimate goal? Who knows, it seems like I am already going to be leaving with more questions than I came with.