Jambo Ambo
on Tara's Ethiopian Adventure (Ethiopia), 15/Oct/2010 15:04, 34 days ago
We had a very silly experience the other lunch time at a local bar/cafe. All we wanted was 2 Ambo (local mineral water) and a tagabino (local spicey chickpea paste served with ingera) to share...however...due to some spectacular miscommunication it seemed the establishment thought we were impatient and rather indecisive alcoholics! This is how the situation unfolded....Me:Hulet Ambowa afalegalu[I would like two Ambo]Waiter:Hulet Ambowa?[two Ambo?]Me:Awo[yes].5 minutes passed and I was really thirsty so I went inside to investigate the delay in bringing the water... the waiter didn't appear to be doing anything. I asked 'Yane ambowa yet now?' [where is my ambo?]. He nodded and made an indication to suggest he was on top of the situation so I sat down.5 minutes later a waitress came out with two Jambo (draught beer) and placed them on our table. Huh?! I was confused 'Jambo alfalegum. Yane Ambowa yet now?' [ I don't want beer, where is my ambo water?].Waitress: 'Yihi draught beira'[this is draught beer]Me: 'Awo, gin biera alfalegum. Hulet Ambowa afalaglu.' [yes, but i don't want beer. I want two ambo.]She looked totally confused and took the beer away.5 minutes later and I feel like I am dying of thirst I go inside to investigate what is happening. Again I find the waiter and ask about my water. He doesn't seem to understand so in desperation I walk to the fridge and point to the Ambo water. Finally something clicks and he seems surprised that this is what I want. I wait for him to take the water out of the fridge because I don't want him to get distracted and forget. I'm SOOOO thirsty. He takes it out. I feel relieved and head back to my table and smile about the fact that he feels the need to put the water on a silver tray. I know the water is out of the fridge. I know the water has made it to the silver tray and yet we still sit there for another 3 minutes. Why? He was waiting for the waitress to come back so she could bring it to us....sigh.So, finally the waitress presents us with our two ambo waters and I take this opportunity to order our food.Me: 'And Tagabino afalegalu'[I would like one tagebino]Waitress: 'biera?' [beer?]CAN SHE BE SERIOUS?!!  Oh the joy of miscommunication!!