Ethiopia ኢትዮጵያ
Ethiopiaኢትዮጵያ
Ethiopia AIESEC in Ethiopia The Culture Calendar / Holidays Currency Transportation Climate Activities to do in Ethiopia
This Booklet Contains
Visa Information What we provide In case of emergency Security What to pack Contacts
First of all, we would like to congratulate you on successfully getting this internship. You will soon be arriving in our Historic Land. We are very honored to have you choosing to embark on
your life-changing experience with us, we hope that you will continuously be enchanted by the kaleidoscopic colors, contrast,
cuisine and cultures that are present here.
May this internship provide you with opportunities to discover your potential and may it be as enriching for you as it is
for us. Together we can achieve the vision of “Peace and Fulfillment of Humankind’s Potential” and be the positive
change that you want to see in yourself !
Yours sincerely
AIESEC Ethiopia
Dear AIESEC Ethiopia Intern,
ኢትዮጵያ
Ethiopia, officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic
of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is
bordered by Eritrea to the north and northeast, Djibouti and
Somalia to the east, Sudan and South Sudan to the west, and
Kenya to the south. With over 93,000,000 inhabitants Ethiopia
is the most populous landlocked country in the world, and the
second- most populated nation on the African continent. It
occupies a total area of 1,100,000 square kilometers (420,000
sq. mi), and its capital and largest city is Addis Ababa
Ethiopia has rich cultural heritage and
is one of the best-kept secrets in the
world. Being one of the oldest
countries in the world, Ethiopia’s great
geographic diversity encompasses a
land of rivers and deserts, mountains
and lowlands. Today it is Africa’s
second-most populous nation and
home to 80 ethnic groups who speak
84 languages.
AIESEC is the world`s largest youth run organization and was established
in 1948 after the World War ΙΙ. AIESEC’s vision is the “ Peace and Fulfillment
of Human kind potential.” We are present in127 countries and territories
and with over 90,000 members . We provide a platform for youth
leadership development. AIESEC offers young people the opportunity to
be global citizen, to change the world by being problem-solver as local
citizen and get experience and skills that matter today.
AIESEC in Ethiopia is one of the East African entities and founded in 2008 by cooperation between AIESEC Italy and KPMG Italy, with the support of GTZ and various AIESEC Alumni from AIESEC
International Network in Ethiopia. We began official operations in Ethiopia in 2011.
Local Committees and Expansions
• LC Addis Ababa University
• LC EiABC
• LC Exp School of Commerce
• LC Unity ( Helico, Admas , Unity University)
• LC Hawassa University
• LC Mekele University
Ethiopia is a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic country Ethiopia has a diverse
mix of ethnic and linguistic backgrounds. It is a country with more than 80
different ethnic groups each with its own language, culture, custom and
tradition. Religion is a major influence in Ethiopian life. Nearly half the
population belongs to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church but there is also
large Muslim population. Others adhere to an ancient form of Judaism.
The Feast of the Epiphany ("Timkat") is the largest festival of the year.
FOODSInjera; a spongy unleavened bread made from teffgrain, is the staple of every Ethiopian. All food is eatenwith the hands, and pieces of injera are ripped intobite-sized pieces and used to dip and grab stews (wat )made of vegetables such as carrots and cabbage,spinach, potatoes, and lentils. The most common spiceis “berberey”, which has a red pepper base. Meat,specifically beef, chicken, and lamb, is eaten withinjera on special occasions. Beef is sometimes eatenraw or slightly cooked in a dish called kitfo. Traditionally,this is a staple diet.
COFFEE CEREMONYThe coffee ceremony is a common ritual. The serverstarts a fire and roasts green coffee beans while burningfrankincense. Once roasted, the coffee beans areground with a mortar and pestle, and the powder isplaced in a traditional black pot called a “jebena”.Water is then added. The jebena is removed from thefire, and coffee is served.
LANGUAGEEthiopia has many indigenous languages (84 according to the Ethnologue, 77according to the 1994 census), most of them Afro-Asiatic (Semitic, Cushitic, Omotic),plus some that are Nilo-Saharan. The official language of Ethiopia is Amharic, a Semiticlanguage which is spoken by about 27 million people (2.7 million expatriate). Amharicis written with the “Ge'ez” script, which derives its name from the ancient Semitic“Ge'ez” language. The second largest language in Ethiopia is the Oromo language, aCushitic language spoken by about 30% of the population. The third largest language
in Ethiopia is the Tigrinya language, related to Amharic but mostly spoken in northernEthiopia in the state of Tigray. English is a working language as well as the most widelyspoken among the youth and is the medium of instruction in secondary schools anduniversities.
Date English name Local name
January 7 Orthodox Christmas Day Genna or Lidet
January 19 Feast of Epiphany Timket
March 2 Adwa Victory Day Ye'adowa Bä'al
April 10 Orthodox Good Friday Siqlet (Crucifixion)
April 12 Easter Fasika
April 13 Easter Monday (public holiday)
May 1 International Workers' Day
May 5 Patriots' Day Arbegnoch Qen
May 28 National Day; Derg Downfall Day
July 17 Eid – al - Fitr
September 12 Ethiopian New Year Inqut'at'ash
September 23 Eid al - Adha
September 28 Finding of the True Cross Meskel
December 24 The Prophet’s Birthday
Calendar
Holidays
Like the Coptic calendar, the Ethiopic calendar has twelve months of exactly 30 dayseach plus five or six pagome days, which comprise a thirteenth month (all of which is apublic holiday). The Ethiopian months begin on the same days as those of the Copticcalendar, but their names are in Ge'ez. The sixth epagomenal day is added every fouryears without exception on August 29 of the Julian calendar, six months before the Julianleap day. Thus the first day of the Ethiopian year, 1 Mäskäräm, for years between 1901 and2099 (inclusive), is usually September 11 (Gregorian). It, however, falls on September 12 inyears before the Gregorian leap year.The current year according to the Ethiopian calendar is 2007, which began on September11, 2014 AD of the Gregorian calendar.
Updated on September 12, 2015, Click here to see the current currency exchange rate.http://www.combanketh.et/More/CurrencyRate.aspx
Currency Exchange
Updated information : http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/country_result.jsp?country=Ethiopia
There are three common types of transportation in
Addis Ababa.
MINI-BUS, which costs about a minimum of 1.5
birr($0.072) and a maximum of 7 birr($0.34) and also
work from 6 am to 10 pm
HIGER-BUS, commonly known us "higer", which costs a
minimum of 1 birr($0.05) and a maximum of 5 birr($0.24)
and also work from 6 am to 9 pm
CONTRACT - TAXI, It roughly costs minimum of 30
birr($1.44) and a maximum of 400 birr($19.17) and
works 24 hrs
• Of the three modes of transportation, the most
comfortable and the fastest one is the contract-
taxi but it is also the most expensive.
• Of the three modes of transportation, the one
that is recommended based on comfort, cost
and speed is the mini-bus.
Transportation
ClimateThe climate in Ethiopia varies tremendously depending on elevation.
Before you come to Ethiopia, it's a good idea to check the averagetemperatures of the region you plan to spend time in. You can go from 60 -95 Fahrenheit (15 C to 35 C) in a matter of hours when you travel in Ethiopia,so bring layers! Scroll down to find temperature charts, average sunlighthours and rainfall for: Addis Ababa, Dire Dawa and Mekele.
In the highland areas of central, eastern and western Ethiopia, it getscool very quickly at night. Frosty mornings are common so you'll want topack a jacket. In the far south, far west and far east of the country, averagedaily temperatures reach 85 Fahrenheit (30 C) and over. The closer you getto the borders of Ethiopia's neighbors the hotter it gets because the elevationtends to be much lower. This is the "hot" zone, known locally as kolla.
Activities to do in Ethiopia
One of the most fascinating things about Ethiopia is that we have avery ancient culture. Our language, Amharic, is one of the oldestwritten languages in the world. Add on the fact that Ethiopia hastourist attractions like feeding hyenas, the city known as the 2ndJerusalem, African Safaris, and even a real world Camelot, youhave quite a country & culture to experience. And also Ethiopia isone of the cheapest places to travel in Africa.
Best Areas to Explore?• Addis Ababa• The Northern circuit; Axum, Gondar, & Lalibela, SemeneMountains• The Southern Circuit: Awasa, Omo Valley, Rift Valley Lakes• The East: Harar & Somaliland (Somalia)
Addis Ababa is home to Merkato which is one of thelargest markets in Africa and the largest open air market on thecontinent. Traveling around the country is very cheap, if you’regoing over long distances we would recommend that you fly. Youcan buy two round-trip tickets to three different cities which cancost you only $210, the roads are atrocious between cities so it isbest to fly since the prices are so cheap.• The only thing that Ethiopia does not have is good Internet
access, after the war with Eritrea their access to the coast wascut off along with its Internet access. The only place to find goodInternet access is a large hotel chains and Internet Centers andCafes.
You will love Ethiopia because _______?Ethiopian culture resembles no other and being such an ancient civilization it’s extremely interesting and fascinating to get to know.Supposedly, our history descends directly King Solomon. It is extremely cheap, the people are friendly, open to new cultures and people, and the women are beautiful.
አዲስ አበባ
Addis Ababa is known as the capital of Africa due to
it hosting the headquarters of the African Union, of
which all but 1 country in Africa is a part of. If you
need a visa for any country in Eastern Africa, or any
country in Africa for that matter, you should come
here. It is home to the largest market in Africa, has
gorgeous churches, cathedrals, and mosques to
see, and incredible nightlife (there is salsa in Addis
Ababa!).
You can also find the museum that houses the oldest
humanoid in the world, Lucy. Addis Ababa is one of
most favorite places to live while living overseas, it
has a perfect combination of safety, great people,
and cheap living.
AIESEC in Ethiopia , Have weekly hangouts every
Thursday starting from Evening 5:30 Local Time.
Addis Ababa
Axum (Aksum)
Axum happens to be one of the oldest cities in
Africa and home of the ancient Aksumite
Empire. There are ruins around the entire city and
you can find some of the best relics and artifacts
in the center of the city. Axum also is the
supposed location of the Ark of the
covenant. The city has so much history
Bahar Dar
Ethiopia’s 3rd largest city gives you access to Lake
Tana which feeds the Nile where you can see some of
the countries oldest monasteries. One thing you should
see is the Blue Nile Falls which is very scenic.
Feeding Hyenas in Harar
One of the most popular tourist attractions in Ethiopia,
most people would be absolutely mortified to do
this. At two different locations in the city you are able
to feed the Hyenas every single night. The city of Harar
is also extremely interested being the 4th most holy city
for Muslims; great museums, food, but not much
nightlife.
Lalibela is a must see for the attractions in Ethiopia. A
city designed and built to be the 2nd Jerusalem, many
Ethiopians from the city still claim that fact. It is home to
an extremely impressive array of churches that are
carved out of stone including the famous St. Georges
Cathedral you see on the left. There is also a variety of
monasteries in the region that you can visit.
The Omo Valley is a very interesting cultural
experience as they are one of the lower parts of the
world that haven’t been influenced by the western
world.
Ethiopia is the only place you can
access Somaliland (Somalia), the real-life Camelot
can be found in Gondar, the second Jerusalem in
Lalibela and the history of a powerful empire in the
city Axum.
Visa InformationVisa Information
Argentina ,Germany ,Mexico, Sweden, Australia, Greece ,The Netherlands
, Switzerland , Austria , Ireland, New Zealand , Thailand, Belgium , Israel ,
Norway , United Kingdom , Brazil , Italy , Poland , United States , Canada ,
China , Japan , Portugal , Denmark Republic of Korea , Russia Federation ,
Finland , Kuwait , South Africa , France , Luxembourg , Spain
Countries that are eligible for visa on arrival
EPs who come to Ethiopia require visas. You may also obtain a visa on
arrival. For tourist visas, the fees are as follows: USD 20 (one month, single-
entry); USD 30 (three months, multiple-entry); USD 40 (six months, multiple-
entry). Only visitors of Ethiopian origin are able to apply for the six month
tourist visa. Work visas are also obtainable, but are probably best organized
in advance. Note that entry into Ethiopia is only allowed from Addis Ababa
International Airport, unless the Government has granted prior permission
for another point of entry, and a visa has been pre-organized . A yellow
fever vaccination certificate is required to enter Ethiopia, if arriving within six
days of leaving or transiting through an infected area. NOTE: It is highly
recommended that your passport has at least six months validity remaining
after your intended date of departure from your travel destination.
Immigration officials often apply different rules to those stated by travel
agents and official sources.
What we Provide Organizing cultural events and tours
Practical and cultural orientation
Exchange of cultures
Cultural outings City guidance
Ethiopia is one of the most safest country, However ,
It is advisable to be with Local AIESECers while you
are moving or Visiting and also keep your phone with
you in all times and save contacts Numbers of your
EP Buddy , Project manager ,Reception Teams or EB
members. You must have Insurance to guarantee
that you will most definitely have a pleasant stay
and experience..
Ambulance
Fire
Police
992
993
991
Security
What to Pack If your Internship is in summer , its rainy
season so warm cloths are recommended
Formal outfits for work, depending on your
project
Plug socket: a round two pin ( 220 V)
Towels
Your personal laptop
Items that represent your country’s culture
Bed sheets
EiABC l Administrative Block - International Relations Office Phone/Fax: +251.11.276.7605
AIESEC in Ethiopia
Contacts
www.aiesec.org/ethiopia
LCVP iGCDP Contacts
Sofonias Solomon LCVP iGCDP [email protected] +251912351680
Anteneh Tesfaye LCVP iGCDP [email protected] +251912419794
Milliyon Teshome LCVP IGCDP [email protected] +251921337211
Emnet Endihnew LCVP IGCDP [email protected] +251913206216
Shewit Wores LCVP iGCDP [email protected] +251920024797
EiABC
AAU
Unity
Hawassa
School of Commerce
MCVP IGCDP
AIESEC Ethiopia AIESEC in Ethiopia
Kweku Boatin MCVP iGCDP [email protected]
+251929380498
+233249292589
Thank you For Choosing AIESEC Ethiopia
Welcome aboard