To show you Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee.

In early June, at the invitation of Taiwan's World Vision Association (Vision), I visited Ethiopia. It took nine hours to fly from Tao to Dubai, waiting for a connecting flight for about six hours, and then four hours to arrive in the capital Addis Ababa. Before I set foot on the soil of the country, most of the things that came to mind were poor, barren, skinny children, but when I stopped for four days to see everything, I found that this was not the case.

Ethiopia is the fourth largest economic country in Africa, with more than 3.6 million people in Addis Ababa. The capital Barbolai Airport is one of the largest terminals in Africa. It is a runway about 3800 meters long, the hall is brightly lit, and modern equipment such as customs clearance and security checks are available. After customs clearance, the car headed for the city center. Along the way, nearly one million Japanese imported cars could be seen, and many passers-by were holding smart phones and wearing trendy clothes. The scene completely subverted the old impression and was surprised that they were "not so backward."

However, the "urban sense" only ends in the city center, and the more cars go to the suburbs, the more dishevelled people drive cattle, sheep, horses or donkeys, or those who are prepared to go to the market to sell in exchange for a meagre price for the family; or those who barter for survival, compared with the prosperity of the capital, the gap between the rich and the poor is obvious.

Suffer from drought for many years

Ethiopia has a total area of 1.13 million square kilometers, which is 30 times the size of Taiwan, with a population of about 100 million. More than 10% of the people are suffering from chronic famine, children are severely malnourished and water resources are insufficient, and less than 40% of the population has access to clean drinking water. only 20% of the people have clean sanitation facilities; except for the capital, most people live in thatched huts and go to the toilet in the open air. In recent years, the climate is abnormal, the southeast of the country has been dry for four years, and the crops have almost failed, resulting in the growth retardation and near death of children under the age of five.

Agriculture is the foundation of the country, and more than 80% of the people work in agriculture, but they have been suffering from drought for many years. In recent years, the harvest is simply not enough for the whole family, nor can they buy other necessities of life. In addition, important measures such as schools and hospitals have been built in the capital. Many people simply cannot receive normal medical care. There is little electricity outside the capital, and most people rely on firewood to cook food. In case of rain, more than half of the country's roads are unable to drive vehicles because the streets are muddy without asphalt and the environment is bad.

Taste the authentic Ingera.

Ethiopia is the "birthplace of coffee". There is a local custom that no matter how poor people are, they must have a coffee pot and a charcoal stove at home to cook coffee at any time. When you come here, it is not difficult to find that a waiter will hand over coffee after every meal. Compared with the taste of coffee in Taiwan, the aroma here is not strong, bitter but not astringent, mild and refreshing to drink, not a general flavor. In addition, local people's traditional staple food Injera (Ingera), which looks like a spongy pancake, can wrap meat, eggs or beans in the cake. It tastes sour and tastes like lemon juice sprinkled on the crust, which is deeply loved by locals, but almost all outsiders are not used to it. If you have a chance to visit, you can try this authentic taste.

Africa is a red earth that many people have never set foot on in their lives, full of fantasies and legends, perhaps because of national conditions and folkways, covered with a mysterious veil, waiting for outsiders to explore the truth. If you can afford it and are well prepared in advance, come to Ethiopia to see how the local people show their strong vitality in a harsh environment and simply pull out the river of life for survival and nature. Maybe after this journey, your ideas and values will change, and you will cherish all the people and things around you more.