By my watch or yours?

Time is measured a little differently in Ethiopia. Days start at dawn rather than at midnight, and the year has 13 months (twelve months with 30 days, and one month with 5-6 days). To add further confusion, Ethiopia goes by the old Julian calendar, which they are almost seven years behind the West.

According to an article from IOL Africa, this difference in time can cause travel confusion. Some companies close their books according to the Gregorian calendar, while others prefer to use the local calendar. Even meeting a friend for coffee can be confusing depending on how you measure the time of day.

One of the benefits of the local calendar is that the new millennium hasn’t happened yet. Ethiopia is now counting down to September 12, 2007 date. Major celebrations are being planned throughout the country.