cotton swabs

I finally found cotton swabs! Of all the things I decided to bring and
not to bring, I didn't realize how much I would miss cotton swabs. Would
people in Ethiopia be more likely to understand "cotton swab" or should
I say "Q-tip"? I imagined how I would have to gesture this to someone,
but I was surprised at how easily I was able to communicate this to the
guy at the roadside stand near the guest house that sells bottled water
and other odds and ends. I pointed to my ear and then pretended I was
holding a cotton swab and vigorously started moving my hand around in an
ear-cleaning motion. The guy reached over and grabbed something from his
case, then smirked and said, "cotton swabs?"