Today in the “In Country Training” we had some cultural and
language lessons and we learnt some very useful things about the calendar, alphabet,
names and times.
Today is the 23rd Day of the 11th
month and the year is 2005 in Ethiopia.
The Ethiopians use the Julian calendar so each month has 30 days and then there are 5 or 6 extra days...hence 13 months of sunshine! Or so they say - Today we had thunder and lightning storms for the morning then we saw some sun!
The Ethiopians use the Julian calendar so each month has 30 days and then there are 5 or 6 extra days...hence 13 months of sunshine! Or so they say - Today we had thunder and lightning storms for the morning then we saw some sun!
The year is different as the Ethiopians only found out about Christ
when he was 7 or 8 years old and so AD for them starts at that point!
Round bottomed letters
In Amharic there are 32 characters and then all of these can have up to 7 derivatives for the different vowel sounds and these all have slightly different ways of writing them depending on whether they have 1 leg, 2 legs, 3 legs or if they are round bottomed letters. So I guess I have a lot of learning to do in Amharic!!
In Amharic there are 32 characters and then all of these can have up to 7 derivatives for the different vowel sounds and these all have slightly different ways of writing them depending on whether they have 1 leg, 2 legs, 3 legs or if they are round bottomed letters. So I guess I have a lot of learning to do in Amharic!!
Fiona Roger Brian
There is no such thing as a first name and second name – you have your name and then the next name is that of your father and then if it is a coincidence that there is someone in the room with the same combination you go to your grandfathers name so my name would be Fiona Roger Brian. Then you would not change your name when you are married as why would that change?
There is no such thing as a first name and second name – you have your name and then the next name is that of your father and then if it is a coincidence that there is someone in the room with the same combination you go to your grandfathers name so my name would be Fiona Roger Brian. Then you would not change your name when you are married as why would that change?
I will start work at 2 o’clock in the morning!!!!!
When it is 7am here the Ethiopians actually call that 1 o’clock in the morning as they have a 12 hour day starting in the morning and a 12 hour night. As they are so close to the equator there is little change so it makes perfect sense! Also they do not work when it is dark – but I am not sure that the babies know not to come out when it is dark!
When it is 7am here the Ethiopians actually call that 1 o’clock in the morning as they have a 12 hour day starting in the morning and a 12 hour night. As they are so close to the equator there is little change so it makes perfect sense! Also they do not work when it is dark – but I am not sure that the babies know not to come out when it is dark!
I have a feeling that name is going to stick Fiona Roger Brian! Hope you are enjoying it xxx
ReplyDeleteCan you write your name in Amharic yet?????
ReplyDeleteLove from Mum - via Anonymous
Mum - not a chance!! It's hard enough trying to speak it!!
ReplyDeleteCaz - what and replace previous names!!?!?