So – there is little time left. It's Tuesday, may twenty-third; I depart may twenty-seventh. One last attempt to visit Somaliland this time, by going to Boorama. Berbera and Hargeisa are too far for such a short window, for Africa.

Next time, more time. And probably next time, an easier time. The horn fascinates me, as well as central africa. But it will be a long time before I return. I know that; Mogadishu must be stable for my next visit, and when that happens is anyone's guess. Only when Somalia becomes not entirely unsafe to visit shall I return to the horn.





Somaliland has a house in Addis Ababa that's probably their only embassy in the world right now – since they pulled their consulate from Djibouti. But getting here, and getting my visa issued instantaneously, is only the first hurdle; the second hurdle is making sure that I can re-enter Ethiopia to get the hell out.
So do I go in anyway? I wonder what the border guards would do if I didn't have an exit stampt from Ethiopia, and they stopped me. I have no clue.

But as far as I'm concerned, I've visited Somaliland already. And I've seen Somali culture already – Djibouti is a prime example of how African borders mean almost nothing to the people of Africa. Djibouti's countryside is fluid tribal land, leaning to either Ethiopia, Somalia, or Eritrea. Only the city itself can be said to be the country. So this trip has taught me that, most importantly – the borders of these African countries will surely change before things are stable. Somalia is a good example of this, but Djibouti and even Ethiopia are countries which will shift over the decades. Or even the weeks, if Ethiopia persists into Eritrea.
Africa is still fluid, as any continent would be if it harbours as many nomads and bandits as this one. As colonialism ends, the new era of sovereignty begins – and the African people, left to their own devices, are simply following in the paths of their ancestors.
Therefore the country concept in Africa is little more than formality at times. Counting countries is stupid, as I know. But this trip to Africa has proven to me just how futile some African borders are.

And the American influence; how far does it extend in Africa? All Africans are brothers; you'll hear Destiny's Child as often as you'll hear anything Ethiopian in Addis Ababa. Are these people dreaming, will they become lesser Ethiopians if they adapt this American culture?
Lately I have been obsessed with fluidity. Both politically and culturally. Things must adapt, alter, be influenced, and influence in turn. If Ethiopians, and all of Africa becomes westernized, does this matter, or rather – is it bad?
Tourist dollars have changed culture, and we will see fewer of them obliterated outright; at least the facade of culture will remain intact to draw tourists. But as we move more toward a global culture, and all peoples become closer, we must expect that people like the Ethiopians will change.
It may be so that they slowly lose themselves to westernization; but in that I also see them moving back to their own culture in time. Just as a teenager buys new clothes and throws out old clothes, and then moves into a more balanced approach to their own identity – so will these African cultures.
...But it must be their own choice to adapt. Forceful change is the wrong way. The book I'm reading opened my eyes: Into Africa. All cultures change, and things must change. It is an amazing thing that at our lightning fast pace of change that any of these illogical colonial republics still exist. But countries are one thing; business is another. As Africa stabilizes, trade unions are reformed, cultures intermix, the nationalist obsession will slowly disappear. Perhaps we will all eventually become provinces of a worldwide trade union. It is then the decision of the people of each country to find what makes them unique – and what they want to define them. Africa is so young, though, in its current state that you have to expect it to change. Most of these country are less than fifty years old, from independence. If the world as a whole does not allow these countries to change, then how will they grow? How will they ever eliminate the need for such dependence upon western aid?

A souvenir seller approached me on the street, and he had some interesting things to say. "At our current birth rate, by 2016 Ethiopia will have the highest population of any country in Africa."
"But even now you cannot feed yourselves."
"Yes. That is the problem."

To Jijiga, and Beyond

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