Enjoying the Ethiopian Get Up Offa That Thing

I must admit that travel to Ethiopia was the last thing I was looking forward to. Not because of Ebola scare or for the fact that project we are doing near the city of Debre Zeit is not in an ideal state. I am just too tired of the travel in recent months but it had become impossible to say no to the project owner.

So finally, I packed a big bag and traveled to Addis Ababa on Saturday. The first impression of clean air outside the airport was a pleasant change from Delhi. I was driven straight to the site and we had long meetings with the client's project team and the general contractor. This general contractor is one big reason for the trouble the project is in. So, I had said to myself that if somehow I can understand what drives this guy, it would be a good trip. No good pointers came out of the meeting...just the routine excuses & promises.

Then yesterday, after  another site visit, we went for lunch by a lake side. That cleared up the head a good bit. I was able to sneak in a 30 minute walk in the morning as well. So, overall, the day was shaping up well. Then, in the evening, we had a good conversation with the project owner. We then went out for a dinner at a crowded loud place. The owner ordered Merlot for all of us and I could not stop myself from reminding him that this was the wine which Sideways killed in favor of Pinot Noir. This gentleman wanted to get us here to see the dance and music....and of course, the Ethiopian food. I must say that the food was exactly like the one I had for my 3 years in Little Ethiopia in Los Angeles and once in Ethiopian Embassy premises in New Delhi. So all good. But somehow, I was not looking forward to the dance & music. I prefer quiet dinners. So, while I would admit that the music was good, once the food was over, I was looking forward to going back.

In comes the James Brown and Haile Gebreselassie packed in one. James Brown for his gibberish, the swagger and the dance and the great Gebreselassie for the stamina. This guy first gets off stage, starts going around with a stick...and for a moment, I was wondering if he was going to hit someone. And while he roamed around, he was shouting things in Amharic, the local language. For all I care, it could have been the great James Brown shouting "Sold me out, for chump change (yes, you did!!). Told me that they, they had it all arranged. You handed me down and thats a fact. Now you're pumped, You gotta get ready For the big payack!!". The guy went around with quite a swagger. And then he stopped at one of the tables. And from that point, for next 30 minutes, what he did just left me speechless. The tapping and the foot movement that he showed would have made James Brown of Get Up Offa That Thing proud. And of course, the moves and the music. Perfect. And not to forget, when you are in Ethiopia, the stamina is never going to be in short supply. So this guy went on doing what sweated out James Brown in 5 minutes for good 30 minutes. No wonder Haile Gebreselassie won  4 Berlin Marathons consecutively (for which his world record stood for 3 years) and 2 Olympic Gold medals. Hailes are all over this country...at least 2-3 of them were on that stage and I don't know how many were in the crowd.

Just awesome. What an experience. Get Up Offa that thing, and dance 'till you feel better. Get Up Offa that thing.