Traveling in Kililka 5ad

[Tallaabo]

Ms Safferz, I strongly advise you to ditch your camera for your security sake and never go alone to places especially at night. Make sure you have got locals to accompany you at all times. This is not North America but an unstable part of Africa.

[nuune]

Ok, let me give you some guidelines, since you said you will spend all your time in Jigjiga, I would advise you also to visit Harer and Dire Dawa, my two most favorite cities of all times.

 

What you can take, a camera for photos(no need for this since your smartphone can do the job), a smartphone, a laptop,a small camcorder is also ok, but be careful, I say ok but watchout for big camcorders you might carry, they will ask you about them in Addis Ababa airport on arrival.

 

You can travel alone anywhere, even in Jigjiga, but watch out the Liyuu police in Jigjiga, if they talk to you, iskaga dhoola-caddee iskana sii soco, hadey isku kaa sii waalaan, tell them inaad dhiyaaspora tahey, nowadays they respect people who come from the diaspra.

 

There is no harrasment of women around Jigjiga, but if you go deeper, say into Wardheer, Danood, Gaashaamo, Awaare and other areas, then be careful and make sure family members always travel with you

 

What you can wear, it is a Somali city, and Islamic, so you are expected to be modesty, goono yixaas waa ok iyo topkeeda sagaaro, cambuur maroodi isna waa ok, madaxaad ku dadato qamaar ama shawaal garanuug isna waa ok.

 

You can wear you califallaax as well if for partying purposes, but I won't advise that.

 

internet in and around jigjiga is limited, but you can get limited 3g on your smartphone and make sure you get a simcard from Addis(needs personnal informatisiyoon to be given), at some major hotels in jigjiga, wifi is available, but pretty much you can do everything with youur smartphone 3g browsing, it is cheap.

 

mobile phones communications in major towns and cities are available, specially the places you mentioned.

 

Language, no Amharic in the kililka 5aad, Somali is the main language, even the signs are in Somali, you will be lucky to find amharic in signs even as a second language.

 

you will hardly see any amhaar o xabashi, welcome to the Liyuu-police.

 

If your intentions are for research purposes on particular field and not related to tourism, then you will need to tell this your embassy in your country, this way they will give you some pass to manuufar around, if youdon't mention that your sole purpose of travel is for research, then they will held you at Addis Ababa airport, and confiscate nyour equipment, and tell you to go back and get proper visa arrangement if youu are lucky, otherwise they will put you into jail even if you are from the USA.

 

So be careful, you said you will be there next month, what visa do you have, and if tourism visa, don't you ever mention the word research.

 

 

 

Everythinng I said WATCHOUT and be CAREFUL, you can do and free in Addis Ababa, Dire Dawa, Harer and any other places such as Habashi regions, Tigranaya regions.

[Cambuulo iyo bun]

It would also help to drop the Boston feminism attitude. Shekada Africa magashaqenayso. Full tent hijab is a must.

[Mad_Mullah]

The Ethiopians aren't the problem it's the disgusting Faaraxs (Liyu police) they'll do anything to satisfy their Habashi masters.

[Safferz]

nuune;944605 wrote:

Ok, let me give you some guidelines, since you said you will spend all your time in Jigjiga, I would advise you also to visit Harer and Dire Dawa, my two most favorite cities of all times.

 

What you can take, a camera for photos(no need for this since your smartphone can do the job), a smartphone, a laptop,a small camcorder is also ok, but be careful, I say ok but watchout for big camcorders you might carry, they will ask you about them in Addis Ababa airport on arrival.

 

You can travel alone anywhere, even in Jigjiga, but watch out the Liyuu police in Jigjiga, if they talk to you, iskaga dhoola-caddee iskana sii soco, hadey isku kaa sii waalaan, tell them inaad dhiyaaspora tahey, nowadays they respect people who come from the diaspra.

 

There is no harrasment of women around Jigjiga, but if you go deeper, say into Wardheer, Danood, Gaashaamo, Awaare and other areas, then be careful and make sure family members always travel with you

 

What you can wear, it is a Somali city, and Islamic, so you are expected to be modesty, goono yixaas waa ok iyo topkeeda sagaaro, cambuur maroodi isna waa ok, madaxaad ku dadato qamaar ama shawaal garanuug isna waa ok.

 

You can wear you califallaax as well if for partying purposes, but I won't advise that.

 

internet in and around jigjiga is limited, but you can get limited 3g on your smartphone and make sure you get a simcard from Addis(needs personnal informatisiyoon to be given), at some major hotels in jigjiga, wifi is available, but pretty much you can do everything with youur smartphone 3g browsing, it is cheap.

 

mobile phones communications in major towns and cities are available, specially the places you mentioned.

 

Language, no Amharic in the kililka 5aad, Somali is the main language, even the signs are in Somali, you will be lucky to find amharic in signs even as a second language.

 

you will hardly see any amhaar o xabashi, welcome to the Liyuu-police.

 

If your intentions are for research purposes on particular field and not related to tourism, then you will need to tell this your embassy in your country, this way they will give you some pass to manuufar around, if youdon't mention that your sole purpose of travel is for research, then they will held you at Addis Ababa airport, and confiscate nyour equipment, and tell you to go back and get proper visa arrangement if youu are lucky, otherwise they will put you into jail even if you are from the USA.

 

So be careful, you said you will be there next month, what visa do you have, and if tourism visa, don't you ever mention the word research.

 

 

 

Everythinng I said WATCHOUT and be CAREFUL, you can do and free in Addis Ababa, Dire Dawa, Harer and any other places such as Habashi regions, Tigranaya regions.

Thank you nuune. I will also be in Dire Dawa and Harar but didn't mention that because those cities are technically not kililka 5aad, and I wanted to ask about that region specifically.

[Alpha Blondy]

Saffz,

 

i might be in Ethiopia around the same time. do you want to meet up? my itinerary is fairly flexible.

[Alpha Blondy]

i've been this region about 6 times now....... and to be quiet honest, i wasn't impressed by what i saw. its a boring place and there is not much to do...in terms of activities. the people are not friendly and i found to be very rude and overtly aggressive. i suppose that's what happens to people who are.......to all intent and purposes, in a state of influx and confusion. 4 centuries of enslavement, occupation and loss of political and religious will......to Ethiopian hegemony has robbed the somali people of this region of their self-respect, of their capacity for self-guidance and mostly importantly their self of self. its a pity, really.

 

a few pics of jig-jiga.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

for all the facades and artiful displays of development, there are huge income disparities and unequal distribution of wealth in this region. for all the hyperbole of modernity, i found the people disorientated at best...... with respect to time, place, and the identity of persons and objects and hostile at worst......

[Safferz]

Alpha Blondy;944643 wrote:

Saffz,

 

i might be in Ethiopia around the same time. do you want to meet up? my itinerary is fairly flexible.

Part of safe traveling is to avoid predators dee

[Alpha Blondy]

^ i was hoping to give you the seal of verification. but we live in hope., you know.

[Safferz]

Verification of what?

[Wadani]

Ur looks dee.

[SomaliPhilosopher]

you think my shukaansi has reaped no fruits? I can verify that. no need for a trip to jigjiga alpha.

[Alpha Blondy]

Safferz;944770 wrote:

Verification of what?

off whether you're real or NOT. cos i reckon, you're a script shared communally between wadani and adams.

[Safferz]

Alpha Blondy;944779 wrote:

off whether you're real or NOT. cos i reckon, you're a script shared communally between wadani and adams.

 

 

Do I get my seal of verification?

[Wadani]

loooooooooooooooooooooooool