08/01/2025
It’s 11:43 PM, and I Can’t Stop Thinking About This
Right now, it’s 11:43 PM. I should probably be asleep, but here I am, replaying the day in my head. Let me take you back to how it started.
I left school at 6 PM. By the time I got home—maybe around 6:30—I was completely drained. Honestly, I didn’t even check the time. All I wanted was a quick bath and to fall into bed. And the power cut that greeted me as I walked through the door made sure I wasn’t distracted by anything else.
After my bath, I went straight to bed. No thoughts, just sleep. But something woke me up around 11 PM, and I decided to try this thing my boss, the principal, once told me about. He said he likes to evaluate his day before sleeping, just to reflect and learn from it. So, I figured, why not?
As I thought through everything that happened, one moment stood out.
It was a scene from earlier in the day: a Form Three student standing outside my office, waiting patiently because there were other students inside. She finally got my attention and said, “Sir, when did Ethiopia celebrate New Year?”
I froze. Was it because I genuinely had no idea, or was I just too busy to respond? Honestly, I don’t know. Before I could say anything, she smiled and said, “Since you’re busy, I’ll come back later,” and ran off.
That question stuck with me. It made me curious. So, I did some digging. Here’s what I found:
1. Ethiopia, formerly known as Abyssinia, is one of Africa’s oldest countries and the only one never colonized.
2. The Holy Quran mentions Ethiopia as a place of refuge for Prophet Muhammad’s followers when they were under attack in Mecca.
3. Ethiopia uses a different calendar called the Ethiopic or Ge’ez Calendar.
4. Their Christmas is celebrated on January 7, according to this calendar.
5. And here’s the most fascinating part: Ethiopia celebrates New Year on September 11!
Why September 11?
It goes back to Ethiopian tradition. On this day, the Queen of Sheba (or Makeda, as they call her) returned home after visiting King Solomon. Her people welcomed her with gifts of jewels. That’s why the New Year is called Enkutatash, which means “gift of jewels.”
I’m not going to lie—I feel a little silly for not knowing this before. But now, I can’t wait to have a conversation with that student tomorrow.
Sometimes, the simplest questions open the door to amazing discoveries. And this one? It was worth every minute of research.
