Happy New Year or Enkutatash (Amharic) or What I originally Said!

No, I'm not trying to be the first to say Happy New Year and being in Africa has not affected my ability to read a calendar.  The problem is what calendar are you referring to.  I really never gave it much thought as my assumption was that the World followed the same calendar and we were basically differentiated from one another by time zones.  Not so. The Ethiopian calendar (Amharic: የኢትዮጵያ ዘመን አቆጣጠር yä'Ityoṗṗya zämän aḳoṭaṭär), also called the Ge'ez calendar, is the principal calendar used in Ethiopia.   It is based on the older Alexandrian or Coptic Calendar.  The Ethiopian calendar like the Coptic calendar has twelve months of exactly 30 days each plus five or six "extra" days, which comprise a thirteenth month. So, and this is when it gets a bit convoluted,  the sixth "extra" day is added every four years on August 29, thus the first day of the Ethiopian year is usually September 11 or September 12th on our leap year.    No, what?? Yeah, I hear you, I can not understand how adding some 5 or 6 extra day gives you a 13th month or even understanding that, why it follows that September 11th is Ethiopian New Year's Day.  Okay, so "assuming" some of you have made the logical leap and get why September 11th would be Ethiopian New Year can anyone (anyone at all) explain why we in Ethiopia are celebrating 2006?  Yes indeed, Paul and I went to sleep September 10, 2013 (in our reality) and woke up 7 years younger.  Have to say I felt the same, but there you have it Happy 2006 New Year!!  Apparently and feel free to roll your eyes in disbelief, but the 7 year discrepancy between the Ethiopian Calendar and our Gregorian Calendar originated over an alternate calculation in determining  the actual date that Jesus was conceived (Annunciation of Jesus).  Now I'm no expert here and can only lay claim to the fact that I did carry and deliver two babies, but last I checked the time frame from conception to birth is 9 months. I have never claimed to be a math whiz, but what "alternate calculation" was used to arrive at a 7 YEAR difference??

My head hurts and it's not because Paul and I toasted in the New Year with a nice French Merlot. As the old saying goes, "when in Rome, do as an Ethiopian does" HEY, they can change a calendar, so grant me some leeway to change an expression.  Paul and I decided to go out and stop trying to understand the meaning behind celebrating New Year's Eve in September.  We went out to what is fast becoming our favorite restaurant:  The Four Seasons.  The restaurant serves menu choices from Japan, Pakistan and my personal favorite, Thailand.  The Chef is from Pakistan and thus far everything we have sampled has been wonderful.  I know Paul is laughing because each time we go he tries something new, but alas, Four Seasons had me at Pad Thai.  I keep promising to try something else (we've been there 5 times) and each time I order the same words come out, "Spring rolls and Pad Thai  please."   

 Most Ethiopians spend New Year's Eve at home with family so it was no surprise to us that all the patrons in the restaurant were ferenji.  The table of 16 beside us were still there, eating and imbibing, when Paul and I finished our meal and wine.

 New Year's Day is an official holiday so it was nice for Paul to have the day off.  Again, most Ethiopians spend the day with family so Paul and I spent it with each other.  That was until, Temesgen (our wonderful gardener and jack of all trades) invited us for what we originally thought was to enjoy a coffee ceremony. It ended up being a wonderful and delicious Ethiopian meal, followed by the traditional coffee ceremony.  It doesn't take long to realize the generous and kind nature of most Ethiopians.  Temesgen lives in a small space within our property, but he hosted quite the spread.  It was traditional fare so needless to say there was no available cutlery.  Hey, when in Rome you just have to make do.  So using my injera I ate, perhaps less like  an Ethiopian and more like a Canadian looking for a fork and it was delicious.

It was a nice way to spend our first Ethiopian New Year's Day.  It's also nice  knowing that this year we celebrate New Year's twice.  I guess the only down side is that when January 1, 2014 arrives in 4 month's time Paul and I will look back at Ethiopia 2006 and marvel at how fast time flies. 

  

All Dressed Up and Ready to Go To Dinner

Did Lexxie photo bomb this picture, again?