Croatia also won the world cup

Posted on 18. July 2018 by Eva Hirschi

It was a pure coincidence that I happened to be in Zagreb during the final of the world cup – which, to the surprise of everyone, France was going to play against Croatia. Even the Croatians themselves hadn’t expected to reach the finals (for the first time in history) and so the preparations were spontaneous, almost hesitant. Only on the morning of the big game did the main square get transformed. The balconies were wrapped in flags and the big statue of Ban Josip Jelačić on his horse got dressed with a huge flag around his shoulders.

Ban Josip Jelačić

Contagious euphoria

We had to change our initial plan of watching the game at the main square Ban Josip Jelačić as it was already packed with people a couple of hours before the start of the game. Nobody wanted to miss this event, not even those who couldn’t care less for football. The city was full of people in Croatian shirts, from the grandma to the new-born.

Many people were wearing red and white ties – not because they wanted to be formal, but because Croatia actually claims to have invented the tie. Ironically, during the Napoleonic wars it was the French who became intrigued by the unusual, picturesque scarves distinctively knotted at the Croats’ necks and adopted it. The word “cravate” in French is apparently a corrupt French pronunciation of the word Croate. And of course, on this particular weekend not only locals were dressed like this, but also Asians and other tourists – the euphoria was contagious.

“Proud to be Croate”

Even though the colours of the two teams were the same, it was obvious that only Croatian supporters were here thanks to the emblematic red and white checkerboard, which you can also find on the middle of the flag. “I really hope Croatia wins today, it would be so much more than just a victory for the football team but also a victory for the whole country, a sign of unity and hope for the future”, said Kristina, a 29 year old Croatian.

“We are a very young country and with our difficult past and the challenging current economic situation, a victory would bring us more together.” Croatia indeed has had a difficult past, having seen a change of regime many times in the last years, from being part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Habsburg Monarchy, the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, Socialist Yugoslavia and finally becoming independent in 1991. Kristina’s words made us hope for a Croatian victory even more.

The main square of Zagreb

Ćevapi, pivo and football

Having realised there was no chance to watch the game from the main square, we bought the typical Ćevapčići (minced meet with bread and onions) and a few Ožujsko beers (Croatia’s most popular beer) and went to Zrinjevac park instead, one of the big parks in the heart of Zagreb. We found a spot where we could see more than two thirds of the screen – not too bad.

Traditional Ćevapčići

I had expected to be able to tell the course of the game just by watching the fans – which turned out to be a wrong assumption. Even though the two goals for Croatia provoked loud screaming, lightning colourful fires and starting chants, to my big surprise I almost didn’t notice the first goal for France. Sad faces, for sure, but no boos or angry shouts as I’ve seen in other countries. The fans seemed very fair, even though with every following goal of Les Bleus, the hope of the Croatians faded noticeably.

Therefore, the surprise at the end of the game was even bigger: only a few minutes later, the Croatians were smiling again and started singing and shouting. “We are still proud of what we achieved”, a Croatian told me. The streets were packed, in every corner there seemed to be a party. We joined happily and couldn’t stop smiling as we watched fireworks being lit in the middle of the street, people waving enormous flags, and passing cars being shaken by the crowd. Even two police officers couldn’t hide their emotions, so people ended up taking selfies with them to the amusement of everyone.

Party in the streets of Zagreb

The next day, we walked around in the city, and even though it was Monday and not the weekend anymore, there were way more people in the streets than I’ve seen on Saturday. It was a day of celebration and if we hadn’t known better, we would have believed that Croatia won the world cup. At 2pm the national team would come back home from Russia, so everybody wanted to welcome them.

Unexpected wait

I wanted to head South instead and took the bus at 4pm to Zadar – a huge mistake. After only ten minutes of driving, we had to stop. The crossing in front of us was blocked, thousands of people were standing there and the whole traffic stood still. We waited and waited. After one hour, I lost hope and started thinking whether I would have to stay another night in Zagreb.

Two hours later, a police helicopter arrived, flying close above us. Many people left the bus to go and have a look, and since the bus couldn’t go anywhere anyway, I did the same and approached the crowd. Just in time! The bus with the national team just passed, the guys standing on the roof, waving flags and celebrating. Our long wait got compensated! It was a fun experience to be part of this and I didn’t mind that we arrived 2,5 hours late in Zadar.

Croatia’s football team on top of the bus

The owner of the sunset hostel I’m staying at in Zadar, Marina, told me that she’s been watching the game at the hostel and that many of the guests were actually from France! So she ended up wearing a French t-shirt while a French guy wore the Croatian t-shirt. “It was such a great night – full of joy and mutual respect!”, she told me. “We are so happy we became second – and to be honest, it’s much better that France won, because they would have been very sax if they’d have lost. Like this, everybody is happy!”

Two years on the road – and hungry for more!

Posted on 18. May 2018 by Eva Hirschi

When you transform your hobby into your lifestyle.

I started my trip around the world two years ago. After almost 30 countries on all the continents (except Antarctica), I have seen so many nice corners around the world. From the active volcano Telica in Nicaragua to the wild mountains in Lesotho, the stunning Amazonas in Colombia to the Sulphur lakes in New Zealand, and the bustling streets of New York to the starry sky in the Himalaya.

The active volcano Telica in Nicaragua

Somehow, I have honed the art of inserting myself into authentic situations everywhere I go. I danced cumbia with an old guy in a sombrero at a wedding in Mexico, slept on the concrete floor of a monastery in Myanmar and cooked momos with Nepali girls. I got my car broken into in South Africa and bitten by a street dog in India, ending up in a public hospital where no one spoke any English.

I drank tea with Bedouins in the mountains in Jordan and ate biscuits with old Chinese men who were playing a board game in the courtyard of a house. I got drunk on sake and sang karaoke in a bar in Japan, and on tej and danced at a reggae festival in Ethiopia. I got to drive a minivan in Senegal, a taxi in Palestine and a tuk tuk in India.

Eating biscuits with old Chinese men who don’t speak any English.

As a journalist, I also got to write a lot of interesting stories. I wrote about my nude experience in a traditional spa in South Korea where I was the only foreigner, and about the ritual of a tribe in Ethiopia where women are being brutally hit by men. I wrote about why Australia’s government is killing kangaroos, and why the trendy turmeric latte is nothing more than an old Indian coughing syrup. I wrote about a Palestinian refugee who became one of the most successful Arabic teachers of the Middle East, and why an Australian family is living in camping sites instead of a house for seven years now.

(To have a look at all my articles I wrote during this trip, check out my map or my list)

My British travel buddy and me drinking tea with a Jordanian Beduin.

I’ve also learned a lot of useful (and useless) things. I’ve learned the difference of solitude and loneliness and I’ve learned that richness has nothing to do with money. I’ve learned that hand signs are not universal but facial expressions are. I’ve learned the one and only word to respectfully shake off a street vendor in Senegal (and no, it’s not «No thank you»), and how to confidently use every different kind of toilet on this planet. I’ve learned that the best gift is time and that the best weapon is a smile.

I lost two phones, a laptop, a camera, a hat and my comfort zone.

I found hope, love, confidence and cheap flights.

I’ve eaten my way through all kinds of different cuisines but I’m still hungry for adventure and thirsty for the unknown.

Not all who wander are lost.

Want to know what kind of blog post I wrote exactly one year ago? Then read: «One year on the road – and still not enough»

The other side of Beijing

Posted on 5. March 2018 by Eva Hirschi

When we think about Beijing, famous landmarks like Tiananmen Square, Summer Palace or the Forbidden City come to our mind. But there is much more to see in Beijing, and it is relatively easy to discover the local life off the touristic path.

Imagine an industrial area with old warehouses and shacks made out of red bricks which now host galleries, museums, studios, bookstores, craft shops and cafés. Strolling along those buildings, you find artistic sculptures, charming patios and colourful flower pots, and you see fancy dressed women asking their husbands to take pictures of them in front of the graffiti walls. It feels like being in hipster Soho or Berlin Kreuzberg, but with an Asian touch. This is 798 Art District, my favourite part of Beijing.

Courtyard in the art district

It bears a certain irony though that the art scene decided to settle down in the former working area, in the old buildings of factories from the times of the Cultural Revolution when culture, art, creativity and individualism were oppressed. On some walls, you can still see the old Maoist slogans and some shops sell vintage Maoist junk and t-shirts making fun of the former chairman (but also Hitler or even Trump…).

798 Art District in Beijing

Hidden old town

Who is rather looking for traditional places in Beijing needs to know how to find them. While the centre of many European cities still lies around the carefully preserved old town, in Beijing and many other Asian countries this is rarely the case as old areas often got torn down in order to build a modern part of the city.

In Beijing, there are still some parts of what used to be the old town, but they are mostly hidden behind stylish buildings, cut off the main road. The government felt shameful for those less fancy and less shiny parts of the city and cleaned up big areas, which means either they renovated it or completely destroyed it so they could build a new neighbourhood.

A renovated hutong

To find the real old town in Beijing, you need to look for hutongs. Hutong is the name for the old, narrow alleys with traditional courtyard residences, formed by single-story, concrete buildings. In the past, there were more than 3000 hutongs around the Forbidden City, but today only about 1000 of those still exist.

But this is where the local life takes place, especially outside on the streets, since the buildings usually are very small. Walking through these neighbourhoods you might find kids running around, cats sleeping in the sun, families sharing meals and old men playing the traditional Chinese game Mah Jongg.

Daily life in hutongs

I was surprised by the large amount of (clean!) public toilets in those areas, but thanks to a Chinese girl I met through Couchsurfing, I learned that these toilets were not built for tourists – many of these old houses simply don’t have its own bathroom, so public restrooms and showers in the streets serve as common bathroom, still today.

Even though hutongs are becoming the more the more popular amongst tourists (national as well as international) it is still relatively easy to find some streets in which rarely a tourist passes by. Yet, some of these neighbourhoods seem to go with the time and get commercially oriented, opening rooftop bars and having cafés with patios and offering fancy hand drip coffee. No surprise that this is a place where mostly local hipsters and expats hang out.

Green lung

Another part I really liked in Beijing are the parks, like Beihai park or Jingshan park. From the latter you have a nice view on the Forbidden City and modern Beijing. Even though you don’t really escape the smog in those parks neither, it is at least a nice possibility to bypass the traffic and rumble on the main streets.

Green spaces in Beijing

The locals as well enjoy their green spaces, not only for a walk but as a multifunctional gathering place. Picnics with the multigenerational families seem to be the main activity here, couples rent small boats to row on the lake, and you will also find people doing exercises, Tai Chi or running, or groups singing and dancing together – something which wasn’t possible a few years back.

Dancing in a park in Beijing

#EvaMeetsWorld – Dawid: Holidays that changed his life

Posted on 27. September 2017 by Eva Hirschi

Dawid was looking for a new job when he found a volunteering trip to Nepal. While the data analyst was mixing cement for a new school on the top of a mountain during his holidays, he realised that this trip was about to change his life.

I met Dawid in a small town more than 140 km outside of Kathmandu. Dawid is a 29-years old Polish guy living in England. He was part of a project which aimed to rebuild a school that had been destroyed by the recent earthquake. My friend and I went to see their project and to give a hand for the day. Quickly I realised that for Dawid, this was not just an interesting way to spend his vacation, there was more to it.

Looking for a job and finding a trip

Travelling has always been part of Dawid’s life, up to four times a year he tries to go somewhere he’s never been before and be it just a different town in the UK for a long weekend. He loves to discover new places, especially in his own way: «I don’t like to visit a city by taxi or rickshaw, I usually run», he says. He doesn’t use a precise map but just runs through different streets. «I love getting lost because then I find myself.»

But actually, Dawid was not looking for vacation when he found this trip to Nepal: «My main drive is knowledge», says Dawid. «In my job, I haven’t learned anything new in one year, so I was browsing for a new job, without any specific idea in mind, more a bit like window shopping…»

While looking for different job offers, he happened to stumble upon a Canadian organisation that was looking for volunteers for a school-building project in Nepal. The earthquake of April 2015 had destroyed many schools, one of them in a small town on a mountain close to Gorkha where the epicentre of the earthquake was. The plan was to work on the school for two weeks, and to do some sightseeing on a few days, to see the Himalaya and Kathmandu.

No fear of challenges

Dawid got interested. He liked the idea of combining travel with volunteering. This trip was quite expensive, even the flight itself. «But I wanted it really bad, so I made it happen.» This is a Leitmotiv he follows in his life in general. «I hate standing still.»

When he was 19, he left his home country Poland to go to the UK in search of work. He was not afraid of arriving in an unknown country, no, he was hungry for the unknown. He found a job, an apartment, friends. He realised he had managed to build himself a new life in a completely different environment. When the company proposed to send him to the branch in Singapore, he happily accepted this challenge, too.

So Nepal was his next big adventure. Used to work on a computer as a data analyst for a behavioural marketing company, he found himself in a sleeveless shirt mixing cement with water under the burning sun. And surprisingly, he felt satisfaction. «Volunteering for an NGO is much more rewarding than working for a company where you are just a small fish in a pond», he says.

Doing something good while travelling

This experience made Dawid discover that there was something in his mind that had been sleeping for years: «I don’t want to make money, I want to do something that matters.» His first decision was: «No more two-weeks-on-the-beach vacations: I want to do something good when I travel.» There are many NGOs who are in need of volunteers, and at the same time, it would allow him to discover a new place, a new culture. «Anyway, it is not possible to say which projects deserve more attention, so I just pick the ones which are in a region I’d love to discover.»

Soon, he realised that this would not satisfy him. Why only doing good when travelling? «I decided to quit my job and look for work in an NGO», Dawid says.

Meanwhile, he found a job in an NGO in Honduras and left the UK for good. A new life is awaiting him.

And he’s sure to go back to Nepal, too. A freshly made tattoo on his leg keeps a permanent reference mark of this experience on his skin: a volunteering-travel trip which had literally changed his life. His advice to other travellers: «Don’t think too much, but have an open heart.» And: «Don’t take a cab. Just walk.»

One year on the road – and still not enough

Posted on 19. May 2017 by Eva Hirschi

I started my dream – a trip around the world – exactly one year ago. Time for some reflections.

So here I am, in a coffee shop in Japan, publishing this blog post while thinking about all the things I’ve seen and experienced in the past 12 months. It’s incredible. I’m probably as surprised as you are that it has been already one year since I started my trip around the world. It feels like I left only a few months ago, yet if I think about all the experiences I made I feel like I must have been on the road for years, so intense and rich has my trip been so far.

So here are a few thoughts about my trip, travelling alone, what’s the best part of a trip around the world – and what the worst.

Why a trip around the world?

Some people ask me whether this is a self-finding-trip or even if I am running away from something. The clear answer is: NO. As unspectacular as it sounds, I just love to travel, to explore unknown countries, to learn more about a new culture, to meet strangers and become friends. I am very curious and I learn more by experiencing things on my own than just reading or hearing about them.

I have travelled a lot in Europe during my studies. Because Europe is small and compact, I was able to spend a long weekend every now and then in another country. I had not seen much outside of Europe, so now I wanted to discover the rest of the world. Also, it was the perfect moment to go on this trip: I had finished my studies, gotten some working experience (and saved some money), had no apartment, no kids, no dog.

Why not?! Street art in Morocco. Photo: Eva Hirschi

What were my favourite countries so far?

This answer is very subjective because I feel it’s mostly due to the people I met during these trips and the experiences we share. Therefore, I’d say Ethiopia and Myanmar because these are the countries where I had the most magical and intense moments on my trip. They were also by far the less touristic ones. Also Nepal, India and China, as well as Senegal and the US (well I’ve just been to New York on this trip) were amazing. But every country I’ve been to so far was a great experience, I don’t regret visiting any of them.

What is travelling alone like?

First of all, I’m not alone all the time. Either I am lucky to have friends joining me for a lap, or I visit friends in their home country. I consciously picked most destinations according to where I have friends. But there are a few countries on my way I want to see even if I don’t know anybody there. Also, my local friends can’t spend their whole time with me since they have to work/study, so sometimes I travel on my own.

I am a very sociable person, I love to spend time with people. I’m definitely not a loner. To be honest, I am still in the process of learning how to be alone without feeling lonely – sometimes I manage better, sometimes not. But travelling alone definitely has its advantages too, I am incredibly spontaneous and more careless because I’m only responsible for myself and don’t need to have a bad conscious if something goes wrong or not as planned. Since I have a very optimistic attitude, I try to consider unplanned things and mistakes new adventures.

Graffitti with the words "Make your own luck"

Street art in New York. Photo: Eva Hirschi

What did I learn?

Honestly, I feel like I learn something every day. Sometimes it’s just small things like different perceptions about life, little cultural customs, different social behaviours. Sometimes I feel like I add huge pieces to my picture of the world, the global context, for example when I talk to someone about the history or politics of a country. I feel like – even though I studied International Relations – I have learnt more about the world in the past few months than I did in the three years of my Bachelor’s degree. Then again, it’s valuable to have some basic knowledge and theory from university that allows me to put new experiences or findings into perspective and think about them critically.

Sometimes you find the answers on the street. Photo: Eva Hirschi

Also, I learnt a lot about myself. That I am able to find my way in a completely different country without knowing the language and without internet access. I learnt trusting strangers, listen to my intuition, be spontaneous and flexible, be open-minded and uncomplicated. I learnt not to take things for granted or consider them to be better at home than in other countries, but to understand different lifestyles, economic orders and social standards.

What is best about a trip around the world?

I love the freedom. I can go wherever I want and do whatever I feel like. I am dependant on much fewer things than back home. I can change plans spontaneously or just go somewhere without any plans. I love meeting new people from different backgrounds and hearing their stories. I love learning and discovering. I love experiencing the local culture and trying to get involved as much as possible. I love facing challenges and adventures, and, to a certain extent, even being vulnerable.

A bag tag my dear friend Lorène offered me for this trip. Photo: Eva Hirschi

What is the worst on a trip around the world?

I discuss this topic too because I feel like I only showed the shiny side of a trip around the world until now. Of course, not every day is a crazy adventure and I’m not happy and smiling every minute of this trip (even though I am maybe 90% of the time) – which is totally normal. The worst is being sick, as it is much more stressful in a foreign country than back home. The worst is not seeing my godson growing up. The worst is not being able to be fully there for my friends and family, not to be able to help or support them, and to see them taking big steps in their life without me participating. I sometimes feel like I miss out a lot.

Only the compass always points in one direction… Photo: Eva Hirschi

Also professionally by the way: I miss many interesting events, conferences, networking occasions, working experiences, job offers. And there is this uncertainty about how potential employers will consider my long trip around the world, even though I manage to work part time at the same time.

Oh and one thing I consider really annoying meanwhile: small talks! Really. I feel like I explained to about a thousand people where I am from, what I do, to which countries I’ve been and where I go next. Of course, these are totally normal questions to ask someone who’s on a trip around the world, but I almost want to print the answers on a sheet and give it to new people to read so I don’t have to repeat them every few days…

Do I miss home?

No. Not home. Nor Switzerland. I feel comfortable wherever I am, I can adapt easily and I realised that I don’t need any material things to be happy. Already as a kid, I was never homesick so I guess I have the wanderlust in my blood. What I do miss incredibly: My family and my friends. Not that much in the beginning to be honest, but now I miss them more every day.

At the same time, I’m incredibly lucky that some of my closest people are joining me for parts of my trip. My brother came to Canada, my two best friends joined me in Morocco, Senegal and South Africa respectively in Nepal, and my mother will visit me in Australia in two months. And I believe my late father is accompanying me as my personal guardian angel.

Mes cheris joining me wherever I am…! <3

But also all my other friends back home do a great job staying in touch with me, integrating me as far as possible in their daily life by sending me messages, pictures, videos, calling me regularly and making me feel still being a part of their life, even though I am so far away. You don’t know how important this is for someone on such a long trip. Small shout out: Guys, I love you!

The sweetest digital but actually non digital message ever! From a Dutch girl I was travelling with in China and who saw me writing a bunch of postcards… Thank you so much, Floortje!

When will I go back to Switzerland?

Honest answer: I don’t know. I don’t have a ticket back home (yet). I used to say «when I’m fed up with travelling». But then I met this Japanese guy in Myanmar who wanted to become a monk, and when he asked me the same question and I answered «I don’t know», he added: «so when you’re satisfied.» And this is so much of a better answer.

Trying to conquer the world… Photo: Eva Hirschi

Solo travelling in India as a woman

Posted on 14. May 2017 by Eva Hirschi

There are many horror stories and prejudices about travelling in India as a woman. I travelled one month from the North to the South of India, most of the time on my own, and had an amazing time. So I thought I might share my experiences with you and give some recommendations.

When I told people I would travel to India alone, many were very surprised, sceptical or even shocked. «Alone, as a woman, really?», is a phrase I heard often. Many told me to be careful and talked about all the stories they had heard about girls getting robbed or raped, if not even killed.

After all those stories I thought I would better ask someone who definitely knows whether travelling through India as a blonde European girl was a big risk or not: My (female!) Indian friend who is living in Ahmedabad. Her answer: «It usually not a problem (given that you practice caution)»

Train rides in India.

So I started my journey in November. The first two weeks I travelled with her and her friends, then I visited the touristic part (Rajasthan, Agra and Delhi) on my own, spent another few days with her and then travelled alone down to Kochi. And I must say: It was absolutely fantastic! I had no bad experiences, neither with men nor with women (okay, one bad encounter was the one with a street dog who bit me, but I doubt it was because I am a blonde European girl travelling alone….).

Of course, I cannot tell whether I was just lucky or if I was just very careful. Also, I must say I travelled in touristic places only (on purpose, as it was my first time in India and on my own, I felt it would be more secure to go to places where they are used to see tourists). Anyhow, here are my few basic rules I followed during this trip:

Dress properly – as conservative as this may sound, it is important. I do not say that it is the ultimate protection and that only lightly dressed women get stared at or raped. You can be sure that as a (very) blonde woman I got a lot of attention anywhere anyhow. But it is important not to provoke either. And even if a girl does not mind having men staring at her, in my opinion, it is also a sign of respect to dress appropriately to the culture. In hot and not very clean India loose and wide pants or a long skirt are more comfy anyway than hotpants. Instead of tank tops, I wore long thin blouses which would also prevent me from getting sunburnt so there are several reasons which speak for such an outfit.

Travelling to Taj Mahal

Hitting the bed early: I always tried to reach my accommodation before sunset, so I could see the surrounding area during daylight. If I felt secure I would maybe just go grab a bite close by, but not going out wandering the streets in the dark on my own. As a tourist, it is hard to know which areas are safe or not, so I preferred to stay in my room, read a bit and most of the time I would fall asleep early anyway, exhausted after a long day. And – theoretically not being a morning person – I started enjoying the early hours of the morning when the city just wakes up.

The thing with the ring: Many people recommend to wear a ring and to pretend to be married. Actually, an Indian guy I met on the street told me if someone annoys me, I should just tell this person that my husband would not allow me to talk to strangers. This seemed to be a good answer, especially coming from a local and male person. In the end, I did not wear a ring but I felt like every second person I was talking to would ask me anyway sooner or later whether I was married or not. It is not necessarily because I felt safer when I started replying with «yes», but because I actually got a bit annoyed by their surprised, even shocked reactions when I told them I was not. 26 years old seems to be rather «old» for getting married for some Indians, so I prefer to say «yes» anyway.

Indian marriage: The groom arrives on an elephant.

Taxi/Rickshaw drivers: When I would take a rickshaw or taxi, I would usually either write down or take a picture of the license plate of the vehicle (in a way the driver sees it) or call my hostel/guesthouse and hand over the phone so he could explain the way to the driver who rarely knew the small, cheap places I stayed in – and in this way he would also know there was someone waiting for me and knowing where I was. I also used Uber a lot, which made me feel more secure, too.

Look for female accomplice or families: In public transportation, I tried to sit next to women, old couples or families because I felt more secure that way. And not only foreigners risk getting stuff stolen from a train ride, so sometimes families showed me how I could tie my backpack to the metal pole underneath my seat to be sure it does not get stolen while I would be sleeping.

Women only waiting room in Goa at the train station

At the train station in Goa.

Special lines for women only – actually, not only foreign women take care in India but also local women. In train stations or at the subway, the lines for the security check were usually separated for men and women, which was a big advantage because fewer women than men take the subway in India, so the line was moving quicker for the girls – finally the opposite to the bathroom lines… Also, waiting rooms are separated by sex which was very comfortable. At the subway in Delhi, there is even one waggon reserved for women only at the very beginning of the subway. But do not think it is easier to get into this one than into the common ones – Indian women are really good at pushing their way through, too. 😉

At the subway in Delhi

So after travelling one month through India on my own, I can say it is an amazing country definitely worth a visit – also for the female solo traveller. I met many amazing people and had a great experience. Talking with many Indians I actually got the impression that Indians seemed to feel sorry for this bad image India has gotten, and they wanted to show that it is just a minority that treats women disrespectful or is only interested in your money.

The good side about this whole polemic is that it raised awareness for solo female travellers. It is not only important in India to be cautious when travelling alone, but also in other countries. I recommend being rather safe than sorry, stick to a few basic rules and also listen to intuition. With this mix, travelling in India – and in other countries – as a woman is definitely a great experience!

Travelling as a woman in India? No problem!

Travel hacks Ethiopia – things you should know before starting your trip

Posted on 14. February 2017 by Eva Hirschi

Ethiopia is the only African country that has never been colonised and maintains its own distinct culture. Here are the Do’s and Don’ts of Ethiopia. These travel hacks will help you navigate Ethiopia like a local.

Why you are China

Despite my blonde hair and blue eyes, the people of Ethiopia regularly pointed at me and shouted «CHINA!». It isn’t that Ethiopians can’t tell the difference between Europeans and Asians rather that most of the foreigners that Ethiopians typically see are Chinese construction workers doing road work. Sometimes, you will also be called ‘ferenji’ which comes from the word ‘french.’ This is because the French were the first Europeans to drive in Ethiopia.

Travel hack: If someone calls you Ferenji or China, point at them too and say «Habesha!», which means Ethiopians. Laughter and surprised faces are guaranteed.

A picture of me with my blond hair next to an Ethiopian

Habesha & Ferenji 😉

Hidden juice bars

One of the most amazing things about Ethiopia are the juice bars. At most of the fruits stands, you will find an entrance to a back room. There, you can order fresh salads with avocado and bananas, or get freshly pressed juice.

Depending on the size of the fruit stand, you can get orange, mango, banana, guava, papaya, strawberry, or, my favourite, avocado juice. It is served with a spoon next to it because it is more of a thick smoothie than a liquid juice. Because of the thick texture and the fresh fruits and vegetables used the juices tasted amazing. The juices are often served with syrup as a sweetener and a lime on the side which is dripped into the juice.

Travel hack: If you can’t decide which juice to take, then order a «spris». It means «mix» and is not simply a multifruit juice but is presented in nice layers for each fruit.

Fruit stand in Ethiopia – Picture: Eva Hirschi

Eating with the right hand

I could probably write a book about the gastronomic culture of this country, but let’s just get the basics. Ethiopians eat with their hand, therefore before you start eating you must go to the «hand wash», an outside sink where you can clean your paws with some soap. In fancy restaurants, they will bring you the water and a small bowl to wash your hands.

During the meal, you will only use the right hand. This is accomplished by taking some injera, or flatbread, and wrapping it around some of the toppings which include fish, meat, lentils, vegetables and salad. If you’re a pro, you can manage to make something that looks like a little package even though I’m still far from this.

Travel hack: Licking the fingers is not well seen during the whole meal since it’s not very hygienic when you stick your licked fingers back in the common plate. Makes sense, right?

Travel hack II: It can happen that someone at the table wants to put a handful of the food directly in your mouth. This feeding is called «gursha» and is a sign of hospitality and respect. Usually, a gursha is always given three times during a meal. You can also give a gursha back to your host, but you don’t have to.

Typical Ethiopian dish – Photo: Eva Hirschi

Intimate bus rides

There is a surprisingly big amount of people that fit into an Ethiopian bus. In the city of Addis, you will often find mini-busses. Designed for 12 people, they can easily fit twice as many passengers in there. If you need a comfortable seat and privacy, then just don’t take the bus at all. It is absolutely normal to squeeze three people into two seats or let them sit on boxes on the floor.

You pay the (very small) price directly in the bus, a guy called assistant collects the money from all the passengers and shouts the direction or final destination of the bus when there is a stop. There are no bus stations indicated, so you just tell the assistant where you want to get off.

Travel hack: Try to get one of the two front seats next to the driver, they are way more comfortable and less bumpy.

Like a local: Public bus rides in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia

Like a local: Public bus rides in Addis Abeba – Photo: Eva Hirschi

How to greet

In Ethiopia, you shake hands to greet each other, often followed by a short touching of the shoulders, as you would bump into each other. This is followed by a series of questions about how the person is doing, how the family is doing, how work is doing etc. By the way, not to look into the other’s eyes can be a sign of respect, contrary to what we are used to.

Travel hack: Support your right forearm with your left hand while shaking someone’s hand, it strengthens the gesture.

This handshake shows how Ethiopians greet each other

A typical Ethiopian handshake – Photo: Marwan Abdalla

Telling time

If you travel by bus, you might think the clock is wrong, showing a completely different hour than it actually is. But even though it’s true that Ethiopians don’t take being on time very strictly, the clock in the bus is correct – Ethiopia just uses a different system to count the hours than the rest of the world. The day starts with the sunrise, so when it’s six o’clock for us, for them it’s 0 o’clock. Ten o’clock in the morning would, therefore, be four o’clock for Ethiopians.

Travel hack: If you fix an appointment with an Ethiopian friend, don’t forget to ask whether the indicated time refers to the Ethiopian time system or the western one.

Is this Swiss or Ethiopian time? – Photo: Eva Hirschi

Move your body

In Ethiopia, everybody can dance. Women, men, babies and grannies. And they do it all the time. If you are in Ethiopia, sooner or later someone will teach you how to dance. This doesn’t need to be in a club or in a bar – sometimes when there is nice music in a restaurant, people would spontaneously stand up and start dancing, so don’t be surprised.

Travel hack: Don’t be shy and try to dance as well as possible – it will make the Ethiopians happy.

Example of some random dancing in a restaurant, performed by a cute little boy

Get coffee addicted

Ethiopia is the origin of the green gold. So it is no surprise that in Ethiopia, people don’t just drink coffee – they have a traditional coffee ceremony which is an integral part of the daily life (check my blog post about how to perform the traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony).

The coffee is served in small cups, but since it is a stronger coffee than the one we are used to in Europe, it’s perfectly fine. And traditionally, you get three «rounds» of coffee; the first one being the strongest coffee, the last the least strong one.

Travel hack: Tell them in the beginning that you don’t want any sugar in your coffee, since Ethiopians put the sugar directly into the cups before pouring the coffee.

Ethiopian coffee – Photo: Livia Röthlisberger

Chewing plants

Even though I never tried it, «chat» (khat) is very important to some Ethiopians, so I am briefly going to explain why you might often see chewing Ethiopians. It’s not chewing gums they have in their mouth, but a plant called «chat» which grows in the South. It has a mildly stimulating effect and is totally legal.

Some Ethiopians swear that it increases concentration, so it happens that students eventually chew this plant while studying. The leaves taste bitter so often the Ethiopians take sweet soft drinks and small snacks with them to get a better taste.

Travel hack: You can find «chat» all over the country, but make sure an Ethiopian friend helps you with finding some good one. Prices do reflect quality, and the youngest leaves are supposed to be the best.

How to perform the traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony

Posted on 7. December 2016 by Eva Hirschi

Coffee originates from Ethiopia. However, one does not just brew coffee here, no, there is a special ceremony for it. I got the honour to make coffee for Ethiopia’s New Year, so here is an introduction on how to do it the Ethiopian way.

In Ethiopia, a small sign reveals the presence of a place where traditional coffee is prepared: fresh green grass on the floor. This is said to keep away bad spirits. Also, Ethiopians put some incense on the fire on which the coffee is cooked, which envelops the room with a very nice smelling smoke. This is believed to stimulate the men when they see the wife preparing the coffee. However, once you smell this odour, you will quickly recognise it from a time when you were in close proximity to a coffee place.

Traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony

The traditional coffee is served like an espresso, with two spoons of sugar, and is called «buna». Usually, it’s the women who prepare the coffee. For special occasions, they wear the traditional white dress with coloured woven borders. My Swiss friend, currently living in Ethiopia, put me in contact with two friends. With them by my side, I learned how to do the traditional coffee ceremony. These are the steps:

1: Washing underneath the skin

Ethiopian coffee is made with fresh coffee beans. First, you have to wash them. Not because they are dirty, but because you want to scrub off the skin of the beans. Therefore, you put a little bit of water on the flat pan and scrub the beans together until the skin comes off.

Washing the coffee beans

2: Roast it over (incense) fire

So far, the beans are still green so you need to roast them over a tiny charcoal stove. Move them constantly on the flat pan so they are roasted equally and regularly. They will become black and shiny because the heat coaxes the aromatic oil out of them. Once they have all reached the same colour, you’re done.

Roasting coffee beans for traditional Ethiopian coffee

Can’t forget the intensive smell…

3: Small workout for the arms

Now comes the tricky part: you need to make a powder out of the coffee beans. Therefore, you need to grind them with a pestle and a mortar. It takes a lot of effort, so prepare yourself for this task. Note: modern families nowadays use electric coffee mills, but we want to do it the traditional way, right? Keep on!

Workout for the arms: grinding the coffee beans for traditional Ethiopian coffee

Making everyone laugh because of my soft technique…

4: Boil and wait

Before you boil the coffee, you first have to boil the water in the «jebena», the traditional Ethiopian coffee boiling pot. Once it boils you add the coffee powder. Usually, it’s one spoon for two people. Let it boil for a couple of minutes. Soon you’ll get to smell the awesome fresh coffee!

Waiting until it's done: Traditional Ethiopian coffee

Enjoying this Ethiopian coffee tradition.

5: Rest (in peace)

Once you have boiled the coffee, you can’t drink it right away. Be patient. Put the jebena away from the fire and let it rest. This makes the coffee powder go down to the bottom so you’re not going to swallow small pieces. This is similar to how Turkish coffee is made. Some families strain the coffee through a fine sieve several times instead of waiting.

6: Don’t forget the extra cup

After a few minutes, it’s finally time to taste the coffee. Put sugar in the small, handleless cups (Ethiopians usually drink it with two or three spoons of sugar and can’t believe I prefer mine black…) and carefully pour the hot coffee from as high as possible into the cups. On the countryside, they add salt or traditional butter instead of sugar sometimes. Don’t forget to put an extra cup on your plate – this is for spontaneous guests or for God – but don’t pour any coffee in it. After all, it is meant to be symbolic, right?

There is always time for a coffee break in Ethiopia.

The first cup goes to the oldest person in the room. Don’t forget to serve popcorn or peanuts with the coffee, this is how it is done in Ethiopia (and you won’t drink your coffee without popcorn anymore afterwards, I promise!) This is rather new, however. In the past, they used to serve a homemade pastry called him bash, but the coffee ceremony also goes with the pace of the modern times so popcorn is prepared instead because it is easier and quicker.

7: Three heavens

If you think that was it, then you’re wrong. Coffee is always served in three rounds in Ethiopia, yay! The first is the strongest one, the second is less strong and the third is the weakest. The third round is considered a blessing. After all this hard work, it would be a pity just to have one small cup of the precious green gold, right?

Meskel – Ethiopians most holy holiday

Posted on 12. October 2016 by Eva Hirschi

The most important Ethiopian holiday – Meskel – took place last week and we went to Dorze in Southern Ethiopia in order to celebrate this special day. A glimpse of one of the craziest days in my life.

One good way to learn more about a culture is to celebrate a holiday. In Ethiopia, the national holiday, Meskel, was the perfect occasion to do so. The region of Dorze is known for its traditional celebration of Meskel, so we decided to go there with our friend who is originally from a town there.

Beautiful Dorze

From Addis Abeba we took a public bus to Arba Minch, where a friend of his picked us up and drove us all the way up to Dorze. This region is composed of 12 villages at a altitude of 2600 meters above sea level, which is 600 meters higher than where I usually go skiing in the Swiss mountains…

Orthodox celebration

The main part of the population belongs to the Ethiopian orthodox church. On Meskel, the discovery of the holy cross is celebrated. According to a legend, in the year 326 Queen Helena discovered the cross upon which Christ was crucified. The celebration takes place over several days and starts on September 26th.

Women dress in white when they go to church

During these days, you even have to greet each other in a special way in Dorze. When you meet friends, you have to jump and shout «Yo, yo, yo!» and then all the people reply with a long «Yooooooo!», hugging each other. We tried to apply it on this day and it worked perfectly – whether young or old, female or male, everybody greets like this and was highly amused by us doing so too.

Bloody field

The most important event of the celebration is the slaughtering of the bulls. On a big field where the market usually takes place, about 700 to 1000 bulls get killed on this one day! When men bring a new bull to the field, people will assemble around and watch them slaughter the animal. To do so, they tie its legs together and make it fall to the side. Then, a guy cuts the neck of the bull with a big knife and it dies within several minutes from bloodloss.

The slaughtering of the bulls

If you walk over the field – as we couragesely did – you’ll find a dead bull lying on the ground every three meters. Or sometimes just parts of it, like a leg, the head or the tail. You need to be careful not to slip on the small lakes of fresh blood, and if you here people shouting «suts suts», watch out, because it means they are carrying a big piece of meat through the crowd, so make sure to get out of the way.

Singing, dancing and drinking

Admittedly, the slaughtering was not my favorite part of the celebration, even though it was very interesting. After this experience, we felt like we needed a beer or two and so we went to a bar close to the field with seating outside on the grass, in the shade. Quickly, people started talking to us, interested about the white foreigners. After a few beers, people started singing, usually with one guy shouting some headlines, and the crowd replying in a choire. They also started showing us some traditional dances.

Meskel celebration in Dorze

A group of four people sat there too, with a big piece of fresh meat. They had brought injera (the sour dough flat bred) and some spices, and started eating the raw meat. I got the honour to try some too, and to be honest, it was delicious! People drink a very strong liquor called Araki with it, to «calm down the concert in the stomach» after the raw meat.

My two cents

I’m not a big fan of slaughtering – not at all, actually – but since its part of the culture and I do eat meat, I felt like I should see it. And to be honest, it was a really interesting experience. Even if on first sight it might seem brutal, it’s actually more natural than the methods employed in Europe. Also, the animals lived their whole life in the nature on the fields, and not in metal cages as in Europe. So even if we are not used to it, we should learn about the slaughtering instead of just buying nicely cut pieces of meat in the supermarket without questioning ourselfs on where it comes from.

Typical scenary of Meskel

Highlights of Morocco

Posted on 9. October 2016 by Eva Hirschi

Morocco is the perfect introduction to the African continent: a bit slower, a bit less organised and a bit more colorful than Europe, but yet not as chaotic and crazy as the rest of Africa.

Morocco is a very diverse country: from mountains to beaches, from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic, from forests to deserts, from Arabs to Berbers – you’ll find a lot of variety in this country. That’s the reason we decided to do a road trip and see as many different things as possible within our two and a half weeks here. We visited nine different places (Casablanca, Meknes, Azrou, Ouzrou, Marrakesh, Essaouira, Oualidia, El-Jadida, Rabat) so here are the highlights from our trip.

Calm Meknes

Meknes is the sixth biggest city in Morocco. Since the city of Fes is a bit bigger and in the same area, most tourists tend to visit Fes, so if you want a less touristy experience, you should go to Meknes – and it’s no less beautiful!

Meknes

The medina – the old town – is like a small labyrinth: it’s not easy to find your way through the countless small roads and paths, but it makes the exploration of the city even more stunning and exciting. Also, in literally each corner you’ll find a cat taking a nap or chasing some flies… Make sure to drink the traditional peppermint tea or go for some fresh juices like mango or avocado – delicious!

Wild Ouzoud

This was probably my biggest highlight of this trip: the waterfalls of Ouzoud. At first sight, and especially if you walk down the main road with the stairs, you might be disappointed by this place. There is this very nice waterfall, yes, but many many tourists around and not that much nature. But don’t stop here, walk all the way down and continue your way along the river that comes from the waterfall. You will find many different camp sites, the one I recommend is called «Le panard». The owner was one of the first ones to open a campsite next to the waterfall and he has a lot of stories to tell about how the area has changed the past 30 years.

Waterfalls of Ouzoud

This place is especially nice since you can also sleep outside without a tent. Actually, there is a kind of a terras with thin mattresses, roofed by plants. For only 30 dirhams you can grab one those mattresses and sleep outside – in summer this is perfect, just take a sleeping bag or a thin blanket since the temperatures might fall a bit in the middle of the night. Even with the ceiling, you’re able to see a bit of the surrounding mountains and the sky with its stars, which is truly beautiful. The next day you can get a delicious breakfast.

Sleeping under the stars

Instead of going for a swim next to the waterfall, like most of the tourists, you should walk down the river even further and you’ll find different places where you can take a perfect bath, sometimes next to mini waterfalls. The owner recommends the place where this river joins another one, which is about a one to two hour walk away from his camp site, but we never managed to get there because we were already struggling enough with the 40+ degrees during the day. You can also get dinner at his place, I definitely recommend the Berbers omelette (which doesn’t taste like a European omelette, but is served in a tagine).

Crazy Marrakesh

Marrakesh

Marrakesh is the most famous destination in Morocco – and even if I usually don’t like touristy places, I definitely recommend Marrakesh. Very distinguished from the other cities of Morocco, it feels like entering a different world: more colorful, louder, crazier than everything else. Especially on the souk – the big market – the ambience is vibrating and energizing. Still, Marrakesh is more than just the souk. We did Couchsurfing and stayed with a lovely Moroccan family. They showed us the local life in Marrakesh – for example, we had a night picnic in the park and walked through the very animated streets of a suburb of Marrakesh without seeing any other Europeans.

Another authentic experience was the hammam – not the touristy one for 400 dirhams, but the small local one for 10 dirhams. It was a crazy experience to find yourself topless and only with the bikini sitting on the wet floor of a very simple hallway, pouring hot water on your skin and rubbing it with a special exfoliating glove (kessa) and black soap. And – as our host had predicted – an elderly woman approached us and asked «Madame ou Mademoiselle?» – We were wise enough to answer Madame, not wanting to get her marriage recommendations in Arab.

Beautiful Essaouira

From Marrakesh, we went to Essaouira, a very nice – and in Europe not yet that known – harbour city on the Atlantic coast. Moroccans call Essaouira the windy city, and we can confirm this. Better bring a small jacket or sweater with you, even in summer. Also, the Atlantic is very cold at this place so we decided not to go for a swim. Still, the city has a lot of other things to offer. There are many nice restaurants and bars (check out the Pirate’s Zion, they have a café in the city center and a hostel a little bit outside the center if you are looking for an alternative, artsy place to be) or go to one of the cafés next to the busy main street and sip your tea while watching the people pass by.

Essaouira

Also, make sure to be at the harbour from 3pm on. This is the time when the first fishermen come back from the Sea and sell their catch on the quai. I discovered sea creatures I’ve never seen in my life before. They even sell shark, if they happen to catch one by accident. Our favorite spot was on top of the wall that surrounds the harbor; from there you can overlook the whole place and take nice discrete pictures.

Royal Rabat

After having checked out some beaches on the Atlantic coast, we drove north all the way to Rabat. You’ll realize very quickly that this is the capital city, the city of the king. The streets are cleaner, the buildings taller, the people more chique. The mausoleum of Mohammed V and the Hassan tour were nice, but I found the Kasbah of the Udayas (Kasbah des Oudaïa) even more impressive. This ancient fortress is part of the UNESCO world heritage sites. On top of a hill, you have a nice view on the beach, the neighbouring city Salé and a bit of Rabat. You can walk through narrow paths between blue and white houses, seeing cats and kids playing. Behind the houses, you’ll find a small paradise: the Andalusian garden. Take a coffee and enjoy the smell of the different plants and the sun on your skin.

Daily Life Highlights

Eva around the world.

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