Christina Patterson on having a rich and fulfilling life whatever the circumstances
As the dance ended, we clinked glasses one last time. I was in a nightclub in Addis Ababa with two young Ethiopians and a young Nigerian after a week of working together. We’d just been served a slap-up feast and watched some very vigorous traditional dancing, including a group of women in tight cardigans who vibrated their torsos so their breasts bounced. I laughed so much I had to wipe away tears. The young Ethiopians were laughing too.
The call had come out of the blue. Would I go to Ethiopia to interview some coffee farmers? A couple of weeks later, I was sipping freshly roasted coffee while gazing down at a pack of hyenas. The next day, I was eating a local delicacy with a family in their mud hut.
This was four months ago. I’ve since been to Tuscany and Dubai. I can do these things because I don’t have a husband or a family. I’m free to drop everything and just take off.
The dating years
This story is from the June 2018 edition of Woman & Home.
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This story is from the June 2018 edition of Woman & Home.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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