How Ethiopian Dating Culture Plays Out In Online Dating -

Online dating in Africa has become more and more prevalent recently. So, no one was surprised how many African singles can be seen on countless online dating sites. That being the case, Ethiopians are one of the people on top of the list when it comes to African Online dating. If you are thinking of dating someone from Ethiopia, it is crucial to understand the Ethiopian dating culture.

It is a vast and diverse country, so you need to know some of the essential facts before setting foot in the dating scene.

Are you eyeing Ethiopian singles, especially Ethiopian girls? Don’t worry, TrulyAfrican has your back. Here’s an informative guide about Ethiopian dating culture to help you succeed.

A Brief Look Into Ethiopia

The country of Ethiopia is found in the Horn of Africa, which is the eastern region of Africa. It is close to the countries of Sudan, Kenya, Somalia, Djibouti, and Eritrea. After Nigeria, Ethiopia has the second-highest population among all the African countries.

Ethiopia has a variety of regions, ethnicities, and religion that is scattered throughout the country. Each of them varies from each other, making Ethiopia an exciting country to find love. Regardless of the citizen’s diversity, Ethiopia is full of people who love their country, which transforms Ethiopia’s culture to be unique and exciting.

Ethiopian Dating Culture

Dating casually in Ethiopia is not a thing that the citizens do. They usually date to marry. When they are in a relationship, they expect to get married to their partners in the future. Most of them don’t want to play around when it comes to dating.

Though Ethiopia has a rich culture, the arranged marriage tradition is not that common. Each Ethiopian has the freedom to choose who they want to date. But, you should remember that most of them have the urge to let their parents know when they date someone.

Ethiopian Marriage Culture

As we mentioned, Ethiopians expect marriage even if they are still dating. For many of them, it remains one of the most significant events in one’s life. It represents two families, merging as one as the woman moves into the home of her husband.

Marriage also symbolizes the emotional stability of a couple and the total transformation to social adulthood, and it is crucial that before marriage, the bride and groom’s parents approve of each other’s families. In some instances, two families that want to get together can arrange a marriage.

Greeting an Ethiopian

In Ethiopia, greetings are essential. People are likely to recognize each other courteously, even though they do not live in the same country.

Here are some things to take note of:

Rushing through a greeting or walking by someone without even quickly acknowledging them is disrespectful.
Always greet the oldest person in the room first as a sign of respect.
Also, the elderly are greeted in a special manner.
Some Ethiopians kiss their hands, whereas others give a slight bow or lower their head.
Children are frequently kissed on the forehead by the elderly and can accept a kiss on their knee or leg in exchange.
Shaking hands to welcome strangers is common. You should use your right hand or both hands. Also, during a handshake, you have to make eye contact. Ethiopians grip one another’s hands very lightly.
Close friends frequently kiss one another about three times on the cheek. This is one of the favorite things that Ethiopians do. It is called the “The Three Kiss Greeting. They may even kiss four or five times and embrace for longer if it has been a long time.
Lastly, for Ethiopian men who are close friends, they have a unique way of greeting. They do it by pulling one another into an embrace. Simultaneously, they are also shaking hands and using their other hand to rub the person’s back.

Conversations

Ethiopians are fond of laughing and enjoying jokes. So, you don’t need to overthink your first date. In the early hours of your conversation, you still need to avoid sarcasm and irony. It may be misinterpreted. Earn a good time first before incorporating subtle humor into the conversation. It is best to wait until you have gotten to know your Ethiopian date first.

Moreover, during conversations, Ethiopians considered being extremely considerate towards others. They refuse to say anything that may be viewed as humiliating to others. In an attempt to stay respectful and harmonious, it is common for them to downplay their views. Once they’ve been offended, it can not always be apparent. So, you have to know and learn about their non-verbal cues.

Physical Interaction with an Ethiopian

Approaching and interacting with an Ethiopian can be distinctive from the one you are used to. So, if you are meeting your Ethiopian online lover, these are the things you should keep in mind.;

With many embraces and kisses shared, greetings are always affectionate in Ethiopia.
However, public display of affection should be held to a minimum since it is not common to see people getting too romantic on the streets.
Also, do direct eye contact when you are meeting your date. If you try to avoid looking them in the eye, it might raise suspicion.
Do not prolong your stares. Just look away naturally.
Usually, Ethiopians are somewhat interactive people. Through their facial expressions, their thoughts are freely shared.
Pointing with a finger or foot, or pointing directly at a person, is inappropriate. It is obscene to point at someone with the left hand.
Quick head nods indicate agreement, whereas slowly nodding can indicate reflection or sorrow.
IDon’t put your hands in your pockets or do cross arms, keep them at the side when conversing with your date.

Conversation Starters for Ethiopian Online Dating

Ethiopian dating culture is full of surprises. Its culture is undoubtedly something that you can get a great conversation from. If you are struggling to know the topics to talk about with an Ethiopian on an online dating site. Here are some of the trivia that are great conversation openers with an Ethiopian;

Ethiopian time begins at Sunrise. This means that locals record 7:00 as “1:00.” A simple way to note is to add or subtract 6 hours at any time. So 2:00 is 8:00, and, in Ethiopian words, 11:00 is 5:00.

Ethiopia follows the Julian calendar, and most part of the world is on the Gregorian calendar. In the year 2020, it is actually in the year 2012 in their time.

Ethiopia is the “Land of the 13 Months of Sunshine.” That is because Ethiopia has another way of counting months. The Ethiopian calendar has 30 days in 12 months. Instead of having 30 or 31 days long. Then the 13th month has only five days or six days (if it is a leap year.)

It is one of the two countries in Africa that have never been colonized. You can imagine how pure their culture is by this fact.

Ethiopia is where coffee was first discovered. It would be a great first message to ask an Ethiopian to have a cup of coffee with you. Then, you can talk about how amazing Ethiopians have discovered coffee.

Why Ethiopian Dating Is So Great

Ethiopians are hospitable

When you travel to Ethiopia, you will indeed witness their hospitality, and you can conclude they are the most hospitable people on Earth. Just like the other countries in Africa, they are welcoming and friendly to the people they meet.

Traveling to their country means that you don’t need to hesitate to ask for directions. They will be happy to assist you if you have questions. It is said that Ethiopians see it as an honor to show kindness to people they love and even to the people they do not know. Even if they do not have resources to help or the person arrived at an inappropriate time, they are likely to go out of their way to accommodate a tourist.

Ethiopians are respectful

In Ethiopia, it’s traditional to show high respect for the elders. When an older individual enters the room, they usually bow their head slightly.

Ethiopians are enthusiastic people

Ethiopians are always smiling. Many of them want to socialize, and they appreciate warm greetings such as handshakes. They usually show positive body language to show appreciation.

Ethiopian women are modest and patient

If you meet an Ethiopian, you will see that they are modest and well-mannered. It is also seen in the manner in which individuals can be very forgiving of inconvenience. Ethiopians can be hesitant to express negative feelings, such as hostility or boisterousness, to avoid violence. Ethiopians tend to be very patient and understanding until a situation escalates to a point where they have no choice but to respond.

Conclusion

As you reach this stage, you have to establish that Ethiopia is a country that has a strong and firm culture. Not only in dating but also as a whole. Culture is everything for them, so you need to show respect and value for the things they do and love. It is safe to conclude that Ethiopian dating culture surely plays a big role in online dating. It is a beautiful country to find love, and you have to have the right information to get through it successfully.

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