Addis Ababa - Post Report Question and Answers
Knowing what you know now, would you still move to this city?
Absolutely not. I did not want to move here in the first place, I had to. - Dec 2023
Maybe... - Aug 2023
I can live anywhere temporarily, but I wouldn’t want to come back. I am thankful for the experiences. - Aug 2023
Never again in my life will I live in Addis Ababa. - Aug 2022
Absolutely!! - Jul 2022
ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!!!!!!!!!! - Jun 2021
I will not be prioritizing my return to Addis. I was glad that I served there, it set me up for success at subsequent posts. - Feb 2021
Yes. I enjoy living in Ethiopia immensely. - Aug 2020
No. The people here have made this place bearable. With a different crew, I don’t know if I could have stayed. - Mar 2020
Nope. - Feb 2020
We love a challenge and adventure. We would not move here if we knew what we know now. - Feb 2019
Yes, I loved our time there, despite the hardships. It's a great country, and I'm so happy to have experienced it. Our fellow expats were quite wonderful, as it takes a certain type of person to move here (crazy and/or great). Two or three years is enough though. - Oct 2018
No. Largely due to work-related issues. - Aug 2018
No, unfortunately. Three years was good for me. - Jul 2018
No. - Jan 2018
Absolutely. I like it here so much I extended. - Sep 2017
No. - Aug 2016
Most would not be this honest, but probably not. That sounds like a "diva" response, and indeed the old AF hands are quite critical of this kind of honest response. Dealing with the Ethiopian context is one thing. Dealing with it, with no acknowledgement or appropriate support from the mission is another.
Living with hardships is a part of the Foreign Service. But there are mechanisms to compensate for this for a reason. It does not reflect well on this mission that those mechanisms are not in pace at this post. We've heard from a number of people that a posting to Kabul or Baghdad is easier.
We came, hoping to really explore the unique culture. That's difficult to do, with no/limited language, security restrictions and no real tourist infrastructure. - Aug 2016
Yes. But I would cut myself some slack over the first three months' adjustment period and I probably wouldn't stay for more than two years. - Feb 2016
Yes. - May 2014
Yes, but you have to maintain a good attitude with driving. My patience started to wane after about a year with the increase in traffic, so I have to really try to keep calm on the road. - Jan 2014
No. - Nov 2013
Toss a coin. - Jun 2012
Yes. - Aug 2010
Yes. - Jun 2010
Absolutely. Yes! - Mar 2008
