Ethiopia is developing remarkably fast. In 2010 March there were no regular bus lines to nearby cities. During the rainy season it was impossible to go to different cities. It took a minimum of 6 hours to cover 150 km. There were chickens under the benches and there were far too many passengers on one bus. Today all this is different. The Chinese have built good roads to connect the cities, after every 20 km there is free medical help. Now the educational sector is waiting to be developed. The house where I stayed 2,5 years ago is my home this time as well. How nostalgic! I remember how hungry Laura was all the time and how she missed simple Estonian food. There was no food which would uplift her mood. Coffee with salt and butter and chopped onions which have been boiled for 6 h in a very spicy chicken broth(with whole eggs in them) are some examples of Ethiopians hosting culture and ultimate respect. You could count on one hand the foods Laura thought to be eatable. Obviously it wasn’t enough to cover 2 months. Hildana, in whose parents house I’m staying for a week, is a health center manager. I visited a health center 20 km out of Soddo with her last Saturday. Malaria, HIV, tests for tuberculosis blood tests and health care are for free there. The teach family planning. To limit the number of children, they have the same methods as we in Europe. All this has taken off only in recent years. There are areas where the local traditions have slowed down the phenomenon, especially if it has anything to do with family planning. In Ethiopian culture children are their parents guarantee for the future and if you have no children, your life will be more difficult in the future. The most important part in raising your children is being hardworking, thankful and respectful to your parents.
