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Travelling to
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Africa
Some Facts
There is over 8000 km of ocean between Australia and Africa. This is well over twice the distance of Sydney to Perth (which is about 3200 km).
Current Exchange Rates
There is
a whole section on Money in the AACASA
Support Package ... re-read this when organising money issues and budgeting
for your trip.
There are several on-line currency converters... you simply select the country you want to convert from and to and it does the rest for you.
Remember that the Exchange Rate between countries is always changing - so if you check now - it might be different in 6 weeks when you travel!
Some websites to try.
o
http://au.finance.yahoo.com/currency
http://users.hunterlink.net.au/~ddpay/currency/fullversion.html
Cultural Responsibilities
Reprinted from 1995
Report of Intercountry Adoption. Written by Latin American Parent Association.
Modified for Australian, and Ethiopian culture. The guidelines follow, but first
you must know that it is very important to speak by telephone or in person to
several families who have travelled recently to the same country that you will
be visiting, and have used the same source, if possible, because they will have
the most up-to-date information on customs and other practical
matters.
To Do
- read up on your host country before you travel (check with your
local library for reference and travel books),
- be patient with the process and be courteous at all
times,
- be considerate and aware that you are a guest in a different
culture,
- remember that you are a visitor and a guest in their country and
behave accordingly,
- if possible, stay with locals who have been recommended and who may
know the adoption procedures,
- listen to the advice of your guide or host,
- show an interest in the host country's customs and culture and try
to adapt to those customs or at least respect them,
- go sightseeing if possible (and take plenty of photographs but be
aware that locals may not want their photo taken so ask
first,
- Bring small gifts (chocolate, lollies, soap, etc.) for guide,
administrators. etc,
- dress your child nicely when meeting social workers or other
special persons involved with your adoption,
- be flexible about your length of stay,
- remember, when there is a setback, that with patience and
persistence, it will pass and you will go home with your
child,
- make apologies for mistakes you may make,
- learn some of the language before you travel and use it: your
efforts will be appreciated,
- try to learn more of the language while you are
there,
- remember that others will adopt through your source after you.
- Try to leave the country with a favourable impression so as not to
make things more difficult for those following you,
- humour is the best way to deal with minor irritation, delays and
changes rather than being angry, assertive or aggressive,
- dress and behave in a way that is culturally
sensitive,
- be aware of the limitations on resources - turn off light, conserve
water, etc,
- get out and meet the people.
Not to do
- be impatient, time has different importance in other countries and
people are usually not in a hurry so you need to slow down,
- be inconsiderate, loud, noise, or argumentative,
- overdo on alcohol,
- put yourself on a time schedule and/or deadlines that your host
either cannot meet or will have no inclination to try to
meet,
- try to "buy" your way to faster service,
- seek or expect to find your culture in the foreign
country,
- form a clique with others from your country and shut out
other,
- be afraid to socialise with your hose,
- make demands and expect everyone to cater to you,
- indulge in political conversation with people in your host country
(unless you know them very well, maybe not even then),
- expect a foreign bureaucracy to work any more efficiently or
swiftly than one of ours,
- complain about or criticise different customs and attitudes found
in the host country,
- take a colonialistic attitude, complain about or criticise
political events or social conditions in the host country
argue if you are told return tomorrow by the orphanage or passport office, etc, - be afraid to ask question, but phrase them
carefully,
- expect sterile condition, but remember your child made it this far
and will survive even if conditions are not up to your standards of
cleanliness or newness,
- take offence if you are treated rudely or brusquely: the best way
to handle such situations here or there is to rise above the, stay calm, and
not respond in kind. draw cultural inferences from the behaviour of
individuals,
- over barter - the 20 cents you are saving may be someone's
meal.
Some airline hints
There is a whole section on Travel
Arrangements in the AACASA Support Package, re-read this before making your travel
arrangements.
Mozzies
on board the plane
Take some RID or Aeroguard with you on the plane. the
rumours that lots of mozzies come on board at some airports is
true.
However, take care with the new security measures regarding on-board luggage for flying into and out of Australia
Cots
Ethiopian Airlines does not have cots but if you get the
cot-seat there is more room for the kids to lie on the
floor.
Comparing Air Costs and Airlines
Check websites for airfare costs. Keep in mind that some airlines restrict the amount of luggage allowed for Aid (see below), some airlines do not have cots for babies, and some airlines are reputed to give better service on the long flight.
As a starting point, the following are some websites you might like to look at to compare prices...
-- Best Flights
-- Web Jet
Aid allowance
Most airlines
will allow 10 kg of excess luggage for Aid; some airlines will allow this 10 kg
to be stretched a little. There are
some exceptions. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines have "world wide ban on any waiver of
excess baggage under any circumstances" which includes no excess luggage for
Aid. Also, South African Airlines
were going to be very strict on the aid baggage allowance, and may cease the free
10kg limit if the 10kg is not adhered to.
What to pack
There
are pages of pointers of what to take and not to take in your AACASA Support Package, here are some things people recommend in
particular.
First Aid and Baby
supplies
- Leukosilk tape from your pharmacy (about $6) (white cotton type
tape on a role) - is very helpful if on arrival you find your son/daughter has
molluscum.
- Take RID or aeroguard or lavender oil (or similar) on the plane
with you - it is true that mozzies come aboard the plane on some stops on the
way over and back.
- A torch and a Birko kettle would also be handy for those night
feeds as it does take a while to heat up the bottle with the water from the
tap (or alternatively lighting the gas stove and waiting for the water to get
sufficiently hot) which isn't much fun in the middle of the night with a
crying baby!
- If your little boy/girl is on solids pack a vegetable masher as
trying to do this with a fork takes a long time!
- Babywipes
Toys and
things
- Take some toy planes to help explain and help your son/daughter get
used to the idea of the airplane.
- Crayons and some drawing paper.
- Bubble mixture is cheap, easy to carry and fantastic
fun.
Language
helpers
If your child is old enough to be speaking Amharic the following ideas should help a lot...
- Make these to help yourself in Addis as
well as in the first few weeks back at home - write up a list of Amharic words
and stick up on the wall, each list specific to the room (ie common words for
the bathroom, kitchen, bedroom etc). Is very handy to be able to glance up at
the wall when we were stuck for appropriate words.
- Include pictures/drawings (i.e. next to the word 'bed' put a picture/drawing of a bed) to help her son/daughter while she/he is still learning English.
Other
things
- A blanket would also come in handy for those night feeds when you
both get a bit chilled sitting up.
- Some camping shops sell a small pack called a Stuff Pack. The idea
is similar to the vac bags but you use straps to slowly squash the contents
instead of a vacuum (a vacuum can be hard to find while you're away from
home).
- Camera, spare batteries, film or storage discs.
Travel Insurance
There is a section in the AACASA Support Package on Travel Insurance,
re-read this when planning your trip.
Not all Travel
Insurance will cover your child if she/he did not "leave
Australia".
A few weeks before
you are due to leave Australia, check that your Travel Insurance will cover your
child from the time that you pick him/her up until you arrive in
Australia.
There have been
adoptive parents in the past who find themselves (and or their son/daughter)
sick while they are overseas and then discover that their son/daughter wasn't
covered by their insurer.
Travel Advice
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs has a website where people can subscribe to be notified by email if there is any change in Travel Advice.
Simply fill in the on-line form to subscribe, including your email address what country (or countries) that you want to be notifed about.
If you wish to be removed from the email list, you can also easily unsubscribe.
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- To subscribe or unsubscribe to be notified by email about changes in Travel Advice: website
- For information about Travel Advice: website
Accommodation
For Australian families travelling to Addis Ababa, Bole House is a possible alternative to staying at a motel/hotel.
The home is situated within an easy walk to mini-bus transport.
For booking information and details about Bole House see the "Notices" section of each AACASA newsletter (towards the back of the newsletter).
Some Websites
The following websites for further information on travelling...
Ethiopian Languages
This webpage is meant only to give some basic examples, and is not meant as a comprehensive guide to any particular African language.
I would be happy to add information regarding other languages. If parents have information and some basic examples of words for these other languages pleae email the website editor.
The main languages in Ethiopia are Amharic, Tigrinya, Oromigna, Guaragigna, Somali, Arabic.
There are other local languages as well.
English is the major foreign language taught in schools.
Amharic is the official language and is used for the government's adminstration.
Amharic Words
When you purchase your copy of the AACASA Support Package you will receive a copy of the Lonely Planet Amharic Phrase Book.
Also included in the Support Package is a Language CD for you to practice pronunciations of many essential words and phrases.
Please note that different English-Amharic dictionaries and phrase books often have slightly differing spelling for the Amharic words.
Some basic Amharic words
English |
Amharic |
(to a male) |
(to a female) |
(plural) |
| goodbye (formal) | dehna hun | dehna hu-nee | denha hu-nu | |
| what is your name? | simh man-ew | simesh man-ew | ||
| please | i-ba-kh | i-ba-kesh | i-ba-ka-chu | |
| hello (informal) | seu-lam | |||
| hello (formal) | te-na yis-tllign | |||
| goodbye (informal) | chow | |||
| my name is ... | sime .... new | |||
| ok / yes / go on | i-shi | |||
| yes | ow | |||
| no | yellem | |||
| thankyou | ammesegnallehu | |||
| sorry | az-nalehu |
Relatives
| mum | E-ma-ye | aunt | a kest | |
| dad | a-ba-ye | uncle | a got | |
| mother | innat | grandmother | set ayat | |
| father | ab-bat | grandfather | wend ayat | |
| daughter | set lej | grandchildren | yeu lej le-joch | |
| son | wend lej | |||
| brother | wendim | |||
| sister | iht | |||
| husband | bal | |||
| wife | mist |
Counting 1 to 10 Days of the week
| 1 | and | Sunday | ihud | |
| 2 | hulet | Monday | segno | |
| 3 | sost | Tuesday | maksegno | |
| 4 | arat | Wednesday | rob | |
| 5 | amist | Thursday | hamus | |
| 6 | sidst | Friday | arib | |
| 7 | sebbat | Saturday | qdame | |
| 8 | simnt | |||
| 9 | zettegn | |||
| 10 | asir |