An African Love Story (What Happened When She Got Home – Part 2)

This is part 2 of an African Love Story.  If you haven’t read it already, make sure you read Part 1 of this story entitled  “Dating an Ethiopian Man“.  The story how a woman name Jojo journeyed to Ethiopia and met the man of her dreams.

This is a really, really, really long story of what happened in the week after Jojo returned home.  If you want to read the summary and the lesson learned, hit control-F and enter “TL;DR” to go to the summary

JoJo was home for a week and she was excited to get a phone call from Getu.  That meant he had bought a smart phone.  She messaged him the next morning:

Jojo: Message me when you get Facebook messenger

Getu: I miss u I am waiting for you.

Jojo: Wow!  It works!  Great.  I miss you too.

***

Jojo was happy she could communicate with him.  She was looking at airfares for the next time she could see him but decided to wait a little bit.  A day later, she got a friend request and messenger invitation from Hannah.  She recognized the picture – this was Getu’s ex-girlfriend.  Jojo didn’t accept the friend request but she did see what was written in messenger:

Hannah: Hi.

Hannah: Hi sster getoniya wuzi my hazibad ok dote toki agen & donte sedni my hazebadc foto ok & facebook.

Jojo was uncertain what she was trying to write but it was clear when Jojo listened to a short voice mail she left…  “Scuzi… Getu my husband, you understand?  You no talk Getu.”

Jojo messaged back even though she knew who was writing: Who is this?

***

Jojo messaged Getu right away

Jojo: Your girlfriend tried to friend me on Facebook. I deleted the request.

Jojo: Are you married?

No response from Getu

Jojo:  Hannah says you are married and you lied to me.

Still no response

***

Jojo messaged Hannah:  I am sorry.  Getu told me he is not married.  I will not be with him.  Your husband is a cheater.

Jojo sent a picture of Getu and her.  Hannah sent 10 pictures back – pictures of him, pictures of her, and pictures of a sunrise.  None of the pictures were the two of them together.

Hannah: I was married before when i meet him he make me divorce i was feeling in love with him i didnt know he was a player and money person he make my life miserable don’t trust him we have a son if you don’t know.

Jojo: He told me about his son but only told me the mother of the son is married…not you.  He said he was breaking up with you because you lived in Italy and would not move to Ethiopia.

Hannah: OK

Jojo: I’m sorry.  He lied to me the whole time

Hannah: OK.  I work in Italy i buy the car for him we have ring

Take care ur self

Jojo: He said the car is his fathers. I saw the picture of the ring but he said it’s not a wedding ring.

Hannah: Yes we was together for 7 year

Hannah: I’AM SORRY TECAR IZ WIZMI &SON MOTHER MI OK AFTER 10 DY IGOTOO ETHOPIA

Hannah sends a picture of a flower and another picture of Getu.

Hannah sends a voicemail.  With an evil laugh she says “Getu loves me.  Getu hates you.  He crying.  He love me.”

***

Getu called Jojo but she missed the call

Getu:  Haw are you Jojo .to day I am in moyal no charge no net work

Jojo:  Ok.  Are you married?  Please tell me the truth.

Getu: No

Jojo:  Hannah sent me messages…Says you are married to her…You have a son together…She bought you the van

Getu:  I tell you before I have gerlferend no mereg

Jojo:  Yes, well then she is telling me lies.  Did she pay for the car?

Getu:  You don’t talk she ok

Jojo: Ok.  But can you answer some questions?

Getu:  I am tayerd NSW I am slip OK tomorrow I call u

Jojo:  Ok.  We need to talk tomorrow

Getu: Ok

***

Jojo decided to do some research.  Hannah had a public Facebook profile and she clearly had a daughter, around age eight, that was half Ethiopian and half Italian.  Hannah appeared to be married to an Italian guy who had to be in his 60’s.  The Italian guy’s profile has a picture of her as the cover picture and his status showed “Married”.  Jojo concluded that this woman had two “husbands” – her legal Italian husband named Giovanni, and her Ethiopian husband, Getu.

***

Jojo: Are you awake?

Getu: No bet the bed is not good naw in Ethiopia taim 9.34

Jojo: Can you talk?

Getu: In morning

Jojo: Ok

***

In the morning, Getu sends a picture of the sunrise, the same photo Hannah had sent a day earlier.  She has lost patience with Getu.  He’s obviously avoiding her messages.

Jojo:  Hannah sent me that photo.  I think she takes it when you were together.

Getu: Stil Naw She is etali

Jojo: Yes, but she sent me that photo yesterday.  When does she come to Ethiopia?

Getu: I do’t knaw

Jojo: She says she comes in 10 days

Getu: I doknaw

Jojo: Is she the mother of your son?

Getu: No jojo

Jojo: Does she pay for the car?

Getu: No

Jojo:  She said she works hard in Italy to pay for the car…And she comes to Ethiopia and sells the car in 10 days

Getu: No jojo

Jojo: She says many times you are husband and you buy rings

Getu:  Alls you writ is rong

Jojo: This is what she writes to me…How many years have you been with her?

Getu: No

Jojo:  How many years? 1? 2? 8?

Getu:  No years she stay three menthes her for menthes ther

Jojo:  But how many years are you with her?  When do you meet her?  She sent a voicemail laughing at me, saying you are crying and you are saying you love her and she is your wife.

Getu tried to call Jojo but the connection was bad.

***

A day later, Jojo woke up to a message from Hannah:  Askuzmi good morninig

Jojo:  Who is Giovanni?

Hannah: I was married giovani 8 year a go i went Ethiopia

Jojo meant to message to Getu but accidentally messaged Hannah: She answered that the Italian guy she divorced 8 years ago

Hannah: Yes.  Now am free

Jojo:  I thought you married to Getu?  That is not free

Hannah: Yes

Jojo: You can have Getu. I don’t need a driver from Ethiopia.

Hannah: Getu is My driver the car italian guy buy for me and am going to ethiopia december 10 i wil sale the car.

Jojo:  Hahaha

Hannah: You and Your friend are getu

Jojo: What?

Hannah: Are getu lover

Jojo: I don’t love him now

Hannah: Getu call me yesterday and tell me that two of you are in love with me 

(note from the author: it took me days to figure out what she was saying here, but she was saying that Getu told Hannah that both Jojo and her European friend Heidi were both in love with him, as he had friended both of them on Facebook, making Hannah suspicious)

Jojo: I don’t love him now

Hannah:  Ok   Where are you from?

Jojo: USA.  Do you have any picture of your son?

Hannah: No this is my new telphone when go to ethiopia i wil send you the picture of My baby

(note: what kind of mother who daily posts pictures of herself and her daughter has no pictures of her son?)

Jojo: Did you know Getu has a new phone?

Hannah: Yes.  I no

Jojo: Did you buy it?

Hannah proceeds to send random pictures to Jojo of African tribal people.  Jojo does not reply but the pictures amuse her.

***

A day later, Hannah writes again…

Hannah: Hi.  Good morning getu called me yesterday and told me you and your friend are too old i just want to collect money from them only

Hannah send the thumbs up symbol

Jojo: Ok. Soory.

Knowing that Hannah is at least partially lying, she sends another photo of her and Getu in the park.

Hannah doesn’t like this so she sends a picture of Ethiopian Birr (the Ethiopian currency) to make her point that Getu only wanted money.

Jojo gets even more enraged.  She had been playing fairly nice, so she decided to be a bit mean…

Jojo: Hahahaha…guess he didn’t get any money.  How much money did you get from Giovanni? It must be lucrative to have a baby

 Hannah: Getu called me yesterday and told me that is me that he love that he just want to collect money from you and your friend so you have to be careful am telling you this because am woman too

Jojo:  Yes, he won’t get any money

Jojo: You must have got a lot of money from your old husband.

***

Jojo had enough and wanted to end the messages.  She clearly was never going to see Getu again so she decided to say goodbye to Getu and she tried to convince Hannah that she could have him.

***

Jojo sent screenshots of the money message to Getu

Jojo to Getu:  Goodbye

Getu: Ok

Jojo:  Have a good life.  Hannah loves you.

Getu: I also

Jojo: Don’t lie to tourists again and have relationships with them

Getu: Ok

***

Hannah:  Hello my ss 10q ino avertegi naw bet mi iforget my hazibadi ok.  You are my gud sester ok beta getu badi gayes.  Ani was ibirgi may kar &sell iforget getu ez tefi ok tker evin you

Hannah: Hi. Getu called me now and told me that your are 50 years old that you are too old for him

Jojo:  I am 44.   

Hannah: He really loves me I know that

Jojo: Good for you. You can have him. You can both lie to each other for the rest of your lives.

Hannah:  He was just 2 days with you so that will not continue!

Jojo:  Hahaha, is that what he told you?  We spent 16 days together.  We wnet in the car to.Hawassa where we spent 4 days. He took the bus to addis Ababa where he.spent my last 2 days in Ethiopia.

Hannah:  I know that your good person! And I know that he lied to you and to me too so I don’t want him either with just a taxi driver I had enough money to live my life .

Jojo:  He took me dancing in Arba Minch and we see your frienfs and also see your friend st the kake on Sunday afternoon.  He called me his wife. He said we would live in Hawassa.  But i don’t want him. I have a lot of money but i don’t want to share any with him.  He is a liar. You can have him if he loves you.

Hannah:  No.  Thank you very much he is a liar . he told me that he was drunk and slept with you and you dash him and you work with him that you bring tourist to him.  I don’t have any with him

Jojo:  But je loves you, and you are married, and you have son together. Stay together for the son.

Hannah:  I’m really sorry to disturb you ! Your so kind person and I learned a lot about him thank you for everything , I wanted to go to Ethiopia be of him but no more for him . I was there 2 months ago and we were living together but he leid to you and he lied to about you now so I will stay far from him !

Jojo:  Please do it for your son. I didn’t know he was married so forget about me.

Hannah:  Thank you very much my family is important to me

Jojo:  Stay with him and don’t sell the car.  I.don’t talk to him again, I sent him a message : goodbye.

Hannah:  Your are a good person thank you please send me another picture ask evidence so that when i go to police i use to collect all my property that is with him even my house

Jojo:  I don’t have any more.   (author note:  Jojo lied, she had many pictures of herself with Getu)

Hannah:  Thank you very much you are a good person he is calling me now but I listing to him any more because he is a liar and bad person nothing good is coming from him

Hannah:  Good morning you are beset he call me she is old I don’t like you getu false boy

Jojo:  He tells me he loves you. I don’t talk to him again.  Here is my last message…he says he loves you…i told him to have a good life with you.

Hannah:  Thank you very much for your kindness! I highly appreciate your honest about the information!! Warmly thanks

Jojo:  He loves you, don’t divorce him . I don’t even talk with him on phone for many days and never again

Hannah:  Thank you very very very much you are good peorsen &my good sster ok by

 Jojo had enough of this conversation and she decided not to write back and considered blocking Hannah.

***

A day later, Hannah makes contact again.

Hannah:  Hi.  Great babye!!!   Ok bet sedim your oiture i miss you my aer

Hannah:

Hannah:  U know I love you right?

Hannah:

Hannah called Jojo but Jojo didn’t answer.

Hannah: Hey how are you, I am sure that you are doing great. But that guy is crazy and mad dog still he is writing me message and photos even with out clothes. And he is talking about I love you still now he is talking that I can’t be be with others without you I think he is not normal man. But you don’t keep me silent even if I will come to Ethiopia please talk to me we should have to solve it no need of talking to him.

Hannah:  You are a good girl but I am angry for what he told me about you. He said to me that I need only money and and as he hate you. Really I am not jealous about your love but even I finished my money. But you please as much as possible talk to me because you are a good person even you don’t have any problem. I am living in Italy now I have also Italian passport after I will go to Ethiopia I will come to America please say hi to me. Thanks

Hannah:  Still day and night he is calling me day and night even I don’t wanna go to Ethiopia cause my daughter is in Ethiopia that is why I have to see my daughter. I am sure that one day we will meet at America even you will show me your country.

Please don’t give him even your friends telephone number he said that as your friend also loved him and also she said that I will send you money. Please take care for your self and your money he is money lover.

Jojo had enough and immediately blocked Hannah.

***

Jojo remained a Facebook friend with Getu.  A couple weeks later, he started posting pictures of Hannah.  And that was that.

TL;DR – An African Love Story Summary

A few days after she returned, Jojo got a message from a woman claiming to be Getu’s wife.  They messaged back and forth.  “Wife” claimed son was hers and Getu said he hated Jojo and only was with her “to extract money”.   Hannah sent random gifs and even a dirty picture of Getu.  Jojo had to block her when Hannah started sending love notes and saying she wanted to visit her in the USA.

What Jojo Learned

Jojo was sad that she hadn’t met the love of her life, but she was happy she didn’t get more involved in this mess.  Jojo had good memories of her time with Getu.  She had experienced a side of Ethiopian culture she wouldn’t have seen as just a tourist.  She tried many Ethiopian foods that most tourists wouldn’t dare to try.  She hadn’t sent him money or spent over $1,000 on airfare to visit him again.

***

A foreign woman in Ethiopia and an Ethiopian man doesn’t seem super common – Jojo only noticed two such couples while traveling around the entire country, and one was clearly a Rastafarian from Shashamane.  Jojo had been to other places where traveling woman and local man relationships have been much more prevalent so she thought her relationship with Getu was special.

Jojo spoke to another woman who had been dating an Ethiopian Man and there were some common aspects.  Some of these actions may be innocent, but they may also be red flags you’re falling for a love scam:

1. He moves really quick – he holds your hand and kisses you on the day you meet
2. He tells you he’s in love with you in after a few days
3. He is younger and better looking than you
4. He says he wants to be with you forever and suggests you should move to Ethiopia
5. The Orthodox faith is important in Ethiopia and it is customary to wear crosses and pray every time they go past a church.  He acts very religious too, and this helps convince you that he is a Christian man and certainly isn’t a liar or cheat.
6. He constantly pays for meals and drinks – he seems to have an unending amount of money. But he happily accepts money if you slip it to him to pay.  It’s important for men to pay in their culture.
7. He drinks beer daily, but says he doesn’t normally drink.
8. He has Facebook pictures with women – local or tourists – and maybe even a ring that looks suspiciously like a wedding ring but he explains it’s just a plain ring.
9. He introduces you to his family after a short period of time. This is usually in his family home, so you can see how modest they live.
10. He tells you one thing and then the story changes later. This could be for unimportant things.  For example, Jojo was originally told his parents were visiting his sister in the US, but later he told her they had returned 2 months prior.  Jojo may have misunderstood but there were other benign stories where similar discrepancies appeared.

Have you dated an Ethiopian Man?  Or have your own African Love Story?  Leave your comments below.

Love travel stories?  Please Subscribe to this blog – look in the upper right corner or support this blog by using affiliates at no additional cost to you on my Favorite Stuff Tab.

This post contains affiliate links.  This website earns a small commission for items purchased through these links with no additional cost to you. 

<script type=”text/javascript”>
amzn_assoc_placement = “adunit0”;
amzn_assoc_search_bar = “true”;
amzn_assoc_tracking_id = “thehotflashpa-20”;
amzn_assoc_search_bar_position = “bottom”;
amzn_assoc_ad_mode = “search”;
amzn_assoc_ad_type = “smart”;
amzn_assoc_marketplace = “amazon”;
amzn_assoc_region = “US”;
amzn_assoc_title = “Shop Related Products”;
amzn_assoc_default_search_phrase = “dating for women”;
amzn_assoc_default_category = “All”;
amzn_assoc_linkid = “6844bf887d404e8a23eddfe3822a0b4b”;
</script>
<script src=”//z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US”></script>

Sharing is caring!