First Glimpse of Addis

Because it was dark when we arrived in Addis Saturday night, we could not visually take in the city as we were driven to the hotel in the AGCI vans. I woke up Sunday morning when the Muslim call to prayer started around 4am. It was raining and hazy. This is what I saw when I looked out the window of the hotel room.

Still in an American mindset, I assumed at first the tin roofed structures were storage sheds but quickly figured out each one housed a family. I noticed that the people coming out were disappearing around the back wall. I was startled realizing most of these shelters have no running water, including toilets. I should note we stayed at a nice hotel in Addis. What we were surrounded by was that much more startling because of the contrast with where we were staying.

I felt awkward as the little boy and the woman at the end spotted me videoing them. I stopped the camera and waved. With one hand in his pocket, the boy waved back and kept waving for several minutes.

I cannot figure out how to turn my blog playlist off, so please just click on pause at the bottom of the blog to turn off the music. Then turn your volume up while you watch the video and you will hear the chanting in the background. The loudness of the chanting ebbed and flowed through the morning. It was faint when this video was taken. Because the chanting is broadcast throughout the city, it becomes part of the fabric of morning routines and rituals and set the tone for a first glimpse of the city.