Guides for Habesha life in the DMV
No jargon, no run-around. How to send money without getting burned, what to order and how to eat it, when the holidays fall, and how an equb and idir actually work.
No jargon, no run-around. These guides answer the questions people in the DMV's Habesha community ask most: how to send money home without getting burned, what to order and how to eat it, when the holidays fall and why the calendar runs years behind. Every money guide cites official sources and says when it was last checked.
Sending money home
Licensed services only, what the cost really is, and how the money reaches your family.
How to send money to Ethiopia from the US safely (2026 guide)
A plain guide to sending money to Ethiopia from the US: use a service licensed by the National Bank of Ethiopia, understand cash pickup vs bank and mobile money, know what affects the cost, and avoid unlicensed transfers.
4 min read
Is my money transfer service licensed in Ethiopia?
How to check whether a money transfer service is licensed by the National Bank of Ethiopia before you send, and why sending through an unlicensed operator puts your money at risk.
2 min read
Ways to send money to Ethiopia
Compare the main ways licensed services deliver money in Ethiopia: bank deposit, cash pickup, and mobile money like telebirr, so you can pick what your recipient can actually use.
2 min read
How to choose the best way to send money to Ethiopia
There is no single best money transfer to Ethiopia. Here is how to compare licensed services on total cost, delivery method, speed, limits, and support so you get the most birr home safely.
2 min read
Sending money to a telebirr wallet in Ethiopia
How mobile money like telebirr works for receiving money in Ethiopia, when it is a good choice, and how to send through a licensed service that delivers to a wallet.
2 min read
Food & flavor
Injera, wot, tibs, tire sega and kitfo, and where the DMV's most decorated kitchens are.
A guide to Ethiopian and Eritrean food
New to Ethiopian and Eritrean food? Learn injera, the spicy stews (wot), grilled meats like tibs and tire sega, fasting dishes, and how to eat it all with your hands.
2 min read
What is injera?
Injera is the soft, sour teff flatbread at the center of every Ethiopian and Eritrean meal. Here is what it is made of, why it is tangy, and how to eat it.
2 min read
What is tire sega?
Tire sega is fresh raw beef, an Ethiopian delicacy served with awaze and mitmita. Here is what it is, how it is eaten, and where it fits in a meal.
2 min read
What is kitfo?
Kitfo is minced beef seasoned with mitmita and spiced butter, served rare, warm, or cooked. Here is what it is and how to order it.
2 min read
The Most Recognized Ethiopian & Eritrean Restaurants in the DMV
From a Michelin Bib Gourmand to the first Ethiopian restaurant to win a RAMMY: the DMV's most decorated Ethiopian and Eritrean restaurants, counted down to No. 1.
8 min read
Holidays & culture
Enkutatash, Meskel, Genna and Timket: when they fall and what they mean.
Ethiopian and Eritrean holidays
A guide to the major Ethiopian and Eritrean holidays, including Enkutatash (New Year), Meskel, Genna (Christmas), Timket, and Fasika (Easter), and why the Ethiopian calendar runs years behind.
2 min read
Ethiopian New Year, Enkutatash
Enkutatash is the Ethiopian New Year, celebrated in mid-September when the rains end. Here is when it falls and how families mark it.
2 min read
Meskel and the Demera
Meskel celebrates the finding of the True Cross, marked by the Demera bonfire. Here is when it falls and what it means, a UNESCO-recognized festival.
2 min read
Timket, the Ethiopian Epiphany
Timket is the colorful Ethiopian celebration of Christ's baptism, with processions behind the tabot. Here is when it falls and what happens.
2 min read
More help on TiruList
How an equb works
The oldest savings plan we have: everyone pays in, one person takes the pot each round. Then start yours in two minutes.
5 min read
How an idir works
The fund, the hosting rota, and the payouts for a death, a wedding, or a graduation, kept online.
4 min read
The DV lottery, scam-safe
How the green card lottery really works, the one official site, and the fees and promises that mean it is a scam.
4 min read
Just arrived in the DMV
SSN, license, taxes, health care, schools, and where to get help in your own language, in the order most people do it.
5 min read
Eating for tsom (fasting)Which kitchens and markets keep fasting food any day of the year, and what to look for on a menu.Common questions
How do I send money to Ethiopia safely from the US?
Use a service licensed by the National Bank of Ethiopia. Sending through an unlicensed service is illegal in Ethiopia and leaves you with no recourse if something goes wrong. You can check any service against NBE's official licensed list on TiruList before you send.
What is an equb (እቁብ)?
An equb is a rotating savings circle. A group of people each contribute the same amount every round, and one member takes the whole pot each time, decided by lot. After everyone has had a turn, the circle is complete. TiruList offers a free tool to run one online.
What is an idir (እድር)?
An idir is a community mutual-aid association. Members meet on a schedule, contribute to a shared fund, and the fund pays out when a member has a death, wedding, or graduation in the family. TiruList offers a free tool to track the fund, the hosting rota, and payouts.
Where can I find Ethiopian and Eritrean restaurants in the DMV?
TiruList lists trusted Habesha restaurants, markets, and cafes across Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia, with reviews, hours, and what each place serves, including fasting (tsom) menus.
Cannot find your answer? Ask us anything at support@tirulist.com. We read every email.
Keep reading
All articlesDiaspora Life
How to send money to Ethiopia from the US safely (2026 guide)
A plain guide to sending money to Ethiopia from the US: use a service licensed by the National Bank of Ethiopia, understand cash pickup vs bank and mobile money, know what affects the cost, and avoid unlicensed transfers.
Food & Dining
A guide to Ethiopian and Eritrean food
New to Ethiopian and Eritrean food? Learn injera, the spicy stews (wot), grilled meats like tibs and tire sega, fasting dishes, and how to eat it all with your hands.
Culture & Faith
Ethiopian and Eritrean holidays
A guide to the major Ethiopian and Eritrean holidays, including Enkutatash (New Year), Meskel, Genna (Christmas), Timket, and Fasika (Easter), and why the Ethiopian calendar runs years behind.
The TiruList directory
Everything Habesha in the DMV, in one place.
Restaurants, churches, markets, services, and events, vouched for by the community.