Let me tell you about Ethiopia…

It’s one of the most ancient and culturally rich places on Earth.  Ethiopia’s history includes tales of Sheba and Solomon, the hidden Arc of the Covenant, Haile Salassie, Rastafarians, Ethiopian Jazz, Italians, Live Aid, the first human skeleton (her name is Lucy), and a Jewish population that was spirited to Israel on El Al jets in the 1980s and 1990s.

It’s a beautiful country with a very diverse landscape.  The Blue Nile Falls lie in the north, the desert in the east, the Simian Mountains in the west, and the Great Rift Valley takes over the center.  

My first trip to Ethiopia was in 1992 shortly after the country was introduced to democracy for the first time in its history.  My last trip was two weeks ago.  The changes that have taken place in the last  18 years are remarkable.  It’s still not a robust economy, but it’s growing fast.  Kids who would have begged me for money years ago are now too busy texting buddies to be concerned with a tourist; the country is wired for cellular and internet access–it’s pretty amazing.

There is always beauty in imperfection.  Ethiopia–rough and raw– is a safe place; it the strongest case for proving  that poverty and crime do not go hand in hand.  It’s not the easiest place in the world…Day-to-day life does not always cooperate–roads are rough, electricity disappears on occasion, etc.–, but locals learn that acceptance is a great way to protect your happiness…words to live by anywhere on the planet.

Ethiopia is stimulating, challenging, and it makes you a better person if you let it.

How does this relate to HazelMail?  Well, I think I was the only customer from Ethiopia that week, the site itself was a really nice touch of home, and my postcards arrived long before I returned home–that in itself was a BIG difference from 18 years ago.

Make your people feel loved…send some postcards via HazelMail.