Businessmen, chickens, babies and me all coming together

So today I witnessed a first: a boy
brought 2 live chickens into the taxi with him. I thought they were dead for
the entire ride (they only moved with the movement of the taxi), but when we were
leaving, they made a noise! I about had a heart attack. He held them by their
feet, upside down. I don’t know how this works to keep them quiet (or maybe
they were drugged?), but I had NO idea they were alive.

          From this experience, I thought it
might be cool to write a blog entry about the “taxis” we take to get into town.
The taxis are actually small buses/vans. Think of That 70’s Show. Those very
old school, hippy vans that are rounded on all sides. That is a “taxi.” They
fit 11-12 people, and are white/blue.

          Here is how it works. You are standing
on the side of the road. You can stand anywhere, or you could be walking along
the road. A taxi will pass and the “caller” (I don’t know what they are
actually called) will put his head out of the window and begin hollering where
the bus is going. The places he calls are the major stops. If you are going
that same direction, you nod and he hits the side of the van, signalling the
driver to stop. You get in and try to find a real seat. When the caller is not
yelling at someone, he will ask you for money (I have never seen a female
caller, or a female driver). It is cheap to ride these taxis. From my suburb
all the way to the Piazza of Addis, it is 4 birr, which is about 25 cents. This
is about a half hour drive total. However, halfway between my suburb and Piazza,
I have to get off of the van and find a new one that is calling “Piazza!
Piazza!” Although you can just be walking along, there are also a few major
stops, especially in Piazza or in the town half-way.

          I hope I didn’t confuse anyone with
that description. I ride these at least twice a week to get to the feeding
center. We take them all the way to Piazza and then walk about 15 minutes to
the center. But I think the most fascinating part about them is the fact that
EVERYONE rides them. It is not reserved for lower class or for commuters, it is
everybody! I really like being on a taxi that has a student, a very
wealthy-looking businessman, a baby and, maybe if I’m lucky, a boy holding two
live chickens.

          There are two other main forms of
public transportation. The first are HUGE buses, about the size of Greyhound
buses. These are cheaper than the taxis that I take, but they shove so many
people into them. The home where I’m staying prefers it if we don’t take these
because they can be unsafe, due to the amount of people. The last form is
“cabs,” which are the type of taxi we have in America; small blue/white cars with
a driver. The difference is that you negotiate your price with the driver. They
are notorious for ripping off tourists and it is advisable to not get into the
cab until you reach a fair price. From Piazza to my suburb would be closer to
150 birr (instead of 4). So although it is easier, it is not the most
economical way to get around.

           When I rode the taxis by myself last weekend,
I felt very accomplished. It is a very local thing to do, and I love knowing
where I need to stop, how much it should be, and when I need to switch taxis.
Definitely a sign that I am becoming a pro!