Category Archives: Shopping

Diplomatic weekend

Posted on 10 Dec 2013 by lornaofarabia

Last weekend was a busy one for the family. The ICS Model United Nations club hosted the PanAfrica ADDMUN conference. The first of the 260 participating students to arrive flew in from Austria and Kenya on Tuesday night. In his … Continue reading →

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Mushroom farmers v. 2

Posted on 26 May 2013 by lornaofarabia

Mushrooms are not a part of the traditional Ethiopian diet.  I base this assertion on 30 years’ experience eating in Ethiopian restaurants in the US; 10 months in Addis Ababa have not revealed mushrooms as a component of Ethiopian cuisine … Continue reading →

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Sole Rebels

Posted on 15 May 2013 by lornaofarabia

My new kicks: Sole Rebels shoes are made in Ethiopia. They’re fair trade, and comfortable, too. The company is owned by a woman, Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu, who employs only other women. She pays them a living wage. The materials are … Continue reading →

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When life gives you lemons

Posted on 23 Apr 2013 by lornaofarabia

There’s no substitute for fresh lemons. Where I grew up in California we always had a lemon tree in the yard.  After I moved to Oregon, we ended every visit to my in-laws in LA by loading the station wagon … Continue reading →

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Box of wonders

Posted on 22 Mar 2013 by lornaofarabia

My daughter Alice in the US packed up a box and sent it here. It was mostly stuff I’d asked her to buy for us, but she tossed in a few much-appreciated surprises (mainly of the chocolate variety). In case … Continue reading →

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The commissary

Posted on 11 Feb 2013 by lornaofarabia

The commissary. The place Americans in Addis love to hate. US embassies around the world run commissaries for their employees.  These places are shops, usually on embassy grounds, offering American consumer goods (food, toiletries, and alcohol) for sale to soldiers, … Continue reading →

Posted in Addis Ababa, Expat experience, Food, Shopping | 2 Comments

A faranji Thanksgiving

Posted on 26 Nov 2012 by lornaofarabia

We had to go to work on Thursday – it’s an international school, not an American one – but we had the day off Friday for mid-quarter.  It was a fine day for cooking, visiting with friends, and generally being … Continue reading →

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Stuck in Djibouti again

Posted on 18 Nov 2012 by lornaofarabia

This is our car. Nice, eh?  It’s a brand new 2013 Toyota Hilux, Africa’s most popular car. Ours is the extended cab model, loaded with plenty of features including a bed liner and canopy. If you’ve met me in person … Continue reading →

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The NGO bazaar

Posted on 23 Sep 2012 by lornaofarabia

The NGO bazaar is the reason most faranji homes look alike on the inside. On the last Saturday of every month, a group of NGOs holds a bazaar at the Evangelical International College in the Sar Bet neighborhood.  NGO stands … Continue reading →

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