THOUGHTS OF A SOMALI GIRL

Road Trip to Baadiyo Visiting baadiyo or the bush/savanna/rural area - or whatever you want to call it - was the best part of my trip. I absolutely loved it! With my three maternal aunts, some of their children (all couldn't go with us, there's too many!), and maternal grandmother, my family decided to spend a day visiting my cousin and her family. All together, there was 20 of us visiting my mother's niece. We all managed to fit in my second cousin's minibus. Along the way we were stopped at several security checkpoints (where you have to pay to pass through) before we could finally get to my cousin's home which was actually close to the city. It was just mesmerizing. There was no pavement, just dirt, which was a reddish-brown colour and some patches of grass here and there. My cousin's home was fascinating. It looked like something straight out of a National Geographic magazine. She lived in a small compound that was enclosed by a fence made of t

Ramadan in Somalia Several things to say about fasting during Ramadan in Somalia. There's the good and the bad as with all things. The good thing about Ramadan in Somalia? It's easier to fast in Somalia than in Canada: the fast is shorter with the sun setting earlier (around 6 pm instead of around 9) and there is no temptation to eat; everyone is fasting and if they aren't, they're not open about it. In addition, all the restaurants are closed until it's time to eat so you won't see anyone eating when you go outside. Furthermore, there isn't any food in the house to tempt you - people buy fresh food everyday from the market. I also love hearing the multiple aathans (call to prayer) at every prayer from the mosques in the area. There's no need to check the time to see if it's time to pray or set an alarm to wake up for Fajr. I found that I'm able to pray on time more. On the flipside, despite being in a Muslim country, I don't feel

Hello world. Peace be upon you all. So last night we went to visit my cousin's cousin (I know, a bit of a mouthful huh?). Her 6-year old daughter was sick. For 2 days, the little girl had diarrhea and was vomiting everything she ate or drank. We went into her room to see her. She was on a mattress on the floor shivering. When she saw us, she whispered hello and weakly lifted her hand for us to shake, despite her frail state. It was a strange sight to see her like that. Usually full of life and energy and a great help to her mother around the house, my cousin's niece was now quiet and aside from her shivering, lay still. When we were leaving, I shook her warm little hand and said, "Mac salaam, Illaahay ha ku caafiyo".   Goodbye, and may God heal you . She gave me a little smile and went to sleep. When the family was eating suhuur (meal eaten before dawn when fasting) her condition seemed to have improved and she had the strength to go to th