Looking back I realize these Ethiopian traditions are not so different from traditional Indian practices. My parents described equally close-knit community networks when they told me about growing up in India. And when I used to stay at my great-grandmother’s house in Bangalore as a child, spontaneous drop-in visits from friends and extended family were daily occurrences. Most of the visitors lived nearby and, whether or not we were related to them, my sister and I were encouraged to call everyone “uncle” and “aunty.” This made it seem as if we were all part of one enormous family. Later, as
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