Do not travel there now - there is danger, starvation, and horror. Yet, there remains fascination and fantasy: no country is more diverse, enigmatic and surprising. It is home to Lucy, “mother” of hominids, and to a Christianity 2000 years in the making (with the Ark of the Covenant and churches hewed into rock downwards). Amid 70% of Africa’s mountains, the source of The Blue Nile lays to the west; from beneath the surface of the earth (Danakil Depression), massive lakes of molten lava lay to the east. Beyond Addis Ababa’s skyscrapers, concentrations of unique flora (coffee’s origin) and fauna (profusion of primitive tribes) beckon. The only African country never colonized, its recent history is stunning, eruptive, and tragic. From the murder of Haile Selassie (worshipped by Rastafarians) to civil war today, few places have comingled so much change, hope and despair. As traveler, not expert, permit me introduce you to Ethiopia.

Dr. Herbert Gooch is Professor Emeritus of Political Science at California Lutheran University. He formerly served as Director of the Masters in Public Policy and Administration program and Assistant Provost for Graduate Studies at Cal Lutheran. A graduate of U.C. Berkeley in History, he holds a M.B.A in Management and both masters and doctoral degrees in Political Science from UCLA. He has written extensively and is a frequent commentator on political affairs locally and statewide. He has been at Cal Lutheran since 1987 and lives in Newbury Park with his wife. His interests include politics, film and travel.

Fifty and Better was designed to offer university-level courses and lectures (no tests, no homework) taught by experts in the field, and to host social engagement activities for individuals age 50 and older.