It was December, 2020 throughout our trip in Africa. Me and my partner were traveling within the south of Ethiopia, in a region known as Omo-valley, specifically notable for its tribes and traditions.
That day we took a minibus to reach Turmi, a small city far from the massive cities and modernization, as we wanted to get in touch the real Africa and the cultures that are not yet (or just a few…) touched by the thus known as „civilization“.
We were, as usual, on the rear seats, looking for the nature outside the windows.
After a short while the minibus stopped - within the middle of nowhere!!! - and jumped-in one guy from the front door: he was with the typical dress and costume jewelry from the pastoral Hamer tribe. Ok, nothing uncommon here, the bus continued his way to Turmi.
After a short while, once it was asked to pay the ride, everyone paid, apart this Hamer-guy: he had no money! After some discussions, some individuals weren't quiet, and there was no manner for him to pay the ride… We were about 20 km from Turmi, so… I chose to do something: I decided to pay him the ride!
THAT CHOICE CHANGED MY LIFE FOREVER, IT ALL STARTED FROM THAT...
…as I paid his ticket, he was thus incredibly happy, he couldn’t avoid to telling it to me somehow! He was almost crying! But he was speaking only his local language, no way to talk!
Nevertheless, once we arrived in Turmi, Colle Schari (this is his name) invited us to his home!!! I was so curious, I believed “I can never have such an opportunity in my life again” so we accepted!
We walked with our backpacks first throughout the crepuscle, then underneath the moonlight: with no artificial light up to the horizon, the atmosphere is thus quiet and magic, like in a fairy tale… After one hour of walk we reached his village, I was extremely tired however absolutely energized!
We were welcomed by his wife Colle Anna with a warm “Paìia”: in the local language it means “hello” and “nice”. She offered us the native food, we played shortly with the super-curious children, and so everyone went to sleep, we in our tent, and they, well… over a cow-skin, on the ground, underneath the stars.