Ethiopia is one of the most culturally rich and diverse countries I have ever visited. They have so many interesting ways of doing things and it is always worth finding out a bit about the culture before you visit. Let’s start with my first day at the hospital, with me wishing I was a little more prepared. I first went to meet my paediatric students and I was introduced to Eshetu, who is the group rep also and he held his arm out at an obscure angle so I had to shake his wrist and I thought to myself ‘Oh God he’s got some kind of limb deformity, how does he manage in nursing?’ however due to my huge ignorance it turns out this is cultural etiquette for handshaking if your hand is not clean. I think this a great idea and shows a lot of respect (as well as detail to hand hygiene). It was also when I started talking to Eshetu I discovered another thing about Ethiopian culture and first of all I thought ‘Oh my God he’s got some kind of upper airway disease’ as he appeared to suck air in a bit like he was about to hiccup and then said yes. After enquiring to some people from the UK, it turns out that how Ethiopian people agree and say yes;  which I’m rather relieved by because by the end of the day I thought several of my students were suffering from the same respiratory condition. I was reluctant to ask an Ethiopian person as I didn’t know what kind of response I’d get, however I think they would’ve laughed their heads off at my lack of understanding. Oh I’m getting perfectly used to it now but I’ve decided not to add it to my vocabulary as I’ll probably inhale a fly and choke to death!

I was quite concerned about making a cultural faux pas regarding Ethiopian culture as it is such a religious country with mostly Ethiopian Orthodox Christians and Muslims; but people are very understanding and no one takes offence, they just laugh at the white faranji. I thought I would be expected to cover up and had especially read I should cover my shoulders up, but in Gondar this is not a problem, it is a very religious town, but it is very modern and many of the girls wear the same sleeveless and trendy clothes as in Europe.

Amharic is an absolutely fascinating language; of which I’d love to spend more time on, but I’m trying to get by with the basics and it’s just about working out ok. Ordering food would be a lot easier if all places had menus, so what you have to do is quickly learn the names of Ethiopian dishes you like and say them in order of preference until they have something you say, or sometimes they say yes but don’t actually have it and just bring you something different, or worse nothing at all!! I do feel food is important, because I’m greedy so I can just about complete my transaction in Amharic, but I would like to add a few more polite words.

Another interesting thing about Ethiopian culture that I again rather ignorantly wasn’t aware of is that a lot of young men hold hands whilst walking along the street. Now I can only assume it is accepted in male friendship as homosexuality is not legal in Ethiopia. The only people wanting to hold my hands are the; gorgeous, filthy fingered, snotty nosed kids on my street.

One of my favourite things about Ethiopian culture is the sincere hospitality offered by people you have only just met or people that have a lot less than you. It is tradition in Ethiopia if you are invited out for dinner that you do not pay; it is an insult to your host so don’t try to protest. I felt awkward when my students invited me to have lunch with them and as I’m slow on the Amharic they paid for me, it’s hard not to feel guilty when you know they are students and don’t earn as much as you. It’s happened to me so many times now I feel I almost owe half of Gondar a free dinner.

When I was travelling back from Bahir Dar I met two chaps from Addis and a day trip I did and just by luck I organised a minibus to take us all the Gondar, because I had organised it for them and got it to collect them from their hotel they paid my bus fare to Gondar. People are so unbelievably generous here it makes me want to be more giving.

I have heard a lot about Ethiopian shoulder dancing, it sounds fun to watch but the only issue with this is the locals always want the faranji’s to join in as it’s hilarious. I have so far managed to avoid it, but curiosity may get the better of me.

Oh dear what am I thinking? I can’t believe I’ve left it this long to talk about the time and date in Ethiopia!!! Firstly let’s not forget that there is only one thing Ethiopia shares with the rest of Africa with regards to time and that is ‘special African time’ where punctuality is irrelevant (even to work at the hospital  it turns out despite me trying to get my students to be punctual) so let’s just not worry about it!! (No local transport has a time either, it may appear to but don’t be fooled).

Where it gets interesting is Ethiopia separate from the rest of Africa and the rest of the world actually, Ethiopia runs on its own time and calendar (ok some other neighbouring countries may use the time). Time in Ethiopia runs from sun up so 0600 is around sunrise so it is 00:00 hours and 07:00 is 1 and so on and runs on a twelve hour clock, so the easiest way I’ve worked it out is you’re either six hours behind or ahead.

The calendar is my favourite quirk, the Ethiopians still use the Gregorian calendar so there are thirteen months of the year, so rather excellently it is still June 2004 here and I am 20 years old again a whole eight years younger, just lovely! The big tourist slogan for Ethiopia is ‘Ethiopia 13 months of sunshine’ which I think is pretty awesome myself.