Travelling to Africa On this page... some facts Exchange Rates . Cultural Responsibilities . Some air travel tips . What to pack . Travel Insurance . Travel Advice . Accommodation . Some websites Languages. On this page... . Ethiopian Languages Amharic words

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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

-- Airfares Flights

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.

What you take is of course going to be greatly influenced by how old your son/daughter is - i.e. if she/he is a baby, toddler or young child.

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...

• http://www.ethioguide.com/
• http://wn.com/s/ethiopiafm/index.html
• http://allafrica.com/ethiopia/

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

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Relatives

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Counting 1 to 10 Days of the week

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