June 25, 2007
Ethiopia's biggest export to Sudan...
...must be domestic labour. All the nannies and mamitas here are Ethiopian.
Monthly wages in Ethiopia - almost nothing ("niece" from the country, local employer) to ETB1,000/US$110 (experienced with lots of references, foreign diplomat employer).
Monthly wages in Sudan - US$350 and up (from what I've heard so far).
"I don't like it here. It is so hot," said one Ethiopian woman I spoke to. "But I am staying."
Posted by aheavens at June 25, 2007 6:43 AM
Comments
What? You're already in Sudan. I thought you'd a few weeks to go.
I see you're not going to change the name of the blog - saw the blurb on the side ;-)
Well, hope you like the Sudan kinda hot. When i was last in Ethiopia I thought Addis was a lot hotter than i remembered it. It was almost impossible to function b/n noon and 4pm.
Posted by: Tobian at June 25, 2007 2:55 PM
Dear Andrew
ETB1,000/US$110 is not small money for a servant(may be u call it NANNY). This is better than a BSc holder with an experiance gets at government office in Eth. ( It doesnot mean it is enough for Ethiopians to be paid that but with a BsC holder paid that you can imagine what it means from a certificate from a vocational school and a recommendation mr Andrew or any diplomat or forigner).
Posted by: biiiiii at June 25, 2007 4:05 PM
Thanks Andrew. Please tell us more about Sudan and Khartum. I think it is important to know the regional political dynamics.
Thanks
Posted by: Daniel at June 25, 2007 5:37 PM
Well Andrew, what a two face you are. You 're just back stabing us after all these friendlly treatment you got from Ethiopians. That's typicall of you Ferengi. Any way Ethiopia is on the verge of staring to export Hydro Power to Sudan. Then i'm eager to see your article.
Posted by: LENCHO at June 25, 2007 9:26 PM
You moved already?!!
Anyway, please keep up your blog with news on Sudan (or start one for Sudan). We would love to hear about what is going on in Sudan.
I bet you are going to miss that 3rd month of the rainy season very soon once the heat gets to you :-)
Posted by: safiya at June 25, 2007 9:28 PM
Yes Andrew, two faces and four ears too :)...I just couldn't help my self. Lencho's comment reminds me of your other post where the man at the wedding told you not to tell anyone about the shooting ... oh well, you can't win them all!
Posted by: Abe at June 26, 2007 6:03 AM
Andrew have u noticed that Sudan is called "The Sudan"...why is that?
Posted by: CuriousHabesha at June 26, 2007 8:28 AM
Lencho,
I don't see what it is, you think is backstabbing? Andrew just reported what he saw!! I wouldn't want to read this blog if it was just songs of praise about Ethiopia. So many things go wrong in Ethiopia mostly because we Ethiopians (The Gov at the forefront) only love to see their world in their own rose tinted glasses and anyone who sees otherwise is an enemy.
Posted by: tom at June 26, 2007 11:54 AM
Andrew,
Ethiopia's biggest export to the US seems to be man power too. In the building that I work in there are six Engineers of different trades and one Internist with his own practice along with two nurses and an office manager all from Ethipia.
Posted by: Mamitu at June 26, 2007 1:13 PM
An irrelevant freelance journalist moves to sudan. Big deal. No doubt, you will continue your gutless and peripheral journalism from the Sudan.
Posted by: voe at June 27, 2007 6:41 PM
You left out the independent truck owners/drivers who haul most of the goods in Sudan.
Posted by: eritus at June 28, 2007 6:18 PM
Andrew,
Just started reading your blogs recently. Keep up the work. Would love to hear situation on the grounds of Sudan. We are all brothers and sisters. In Meles words,who said the fire next door won't reach your door?
Ethiopian from NYC.
Posted by: nubienne at June 29, 2007 8:21 AM
It might be good to remember that these women deserve respect for working to improve their lives and that of their families. The offense taken by a few of the comment posters over the visibility of Ethiopian domestic workers in Sudan is ridiculous.
Posted by: adey at July 11, 2007 2:36 AM
Andrew,
I am enjoying your blog very much, although you obviously haven't written in a while. I left Addis Ababa in 2003. I was with my husband at the U.S. Embassy.
Our "mamita" was named Yimignushal Kassa, and I only wish I knew where she was so I could "import" her and her daughter to the States.
Keep writing...
Posted by: Jennifer at June 20, 2008 11:05 PM