Dichotomy lobotomy

24 September 2012

After 24 years in one culture it’s difficult to make sense of another, especially one that seems so backward and illogical at times. True integration in Ethiopia requires a lobotomy of sorts, someone to stir the contents of your brain, to mix things around so you don’t think you “know” anything. Determining “right” from “wrong” or “bizarre” from “normal” is not as straightforward if you don’t have a dramatically different basis to compare it to. Making judgments by using such simple adjectives is not constructive and certainly doesn’t help with adjusting to life in Ethiopia. Instead, asking questions and being curious is more practical than deciding you comprehend and have a firm oppinion on something immediately. Below are some observations I have made about Ethiopian culture that I can no longer have a clear verdict for. This is life from a different angle, but life none the less. Ask questions before you determine the answer:

In Ethiopia we don’t rely on nutritious meals to help our children grow strong, we let the strenuous labor take care of it.

In Ethiopia we don’t bother to remove the litter from the streets, the road kill from the highway we let the hyenas take care of it.

In Ethiopia we don’t let the burden of life weigh us down or convince us to make a change; we let god take care of it.

In Ethiopia we don’t expect our government to provide us with safety and security; we let foreign aid take care of it.

In Ethiopia we don’t worry about the long term affects of our actions and inactions; we hope the next generation will take care of it.

Lomii wearing a leaf to protect her hair from the rain.