I found this on somnet
My trip to Galkacyo, Puntland State, Somalia 2014
I was raised with really strict parents. So strict that I began to rebel against them quite quickly. At that time we were living in Minneapolis. I was 15 years old sneaking out of my home and going to clubs with a fake ID. That year,6 of my friends also were sent to Somalia by their parents. At the time I was convinced our parents plotted against us.
4 of them went to Hargeisa. 2 of them went to Mogadishu. And that left little old me, all alone, headed to Galkacyo. My first month was terrifying. Mosquito bites, food I would never want to eat, scary animals, aggressive people, and rude comments from people who considered me to be a reject.
You see, in Galkacyo, if you are diaspora who return and its not for work purposes, as far as they're concerned you're either a crackhead or a murderer. Later on, I would find out they weren't so wrong. But in the beginning I stayed in my bubble. I sat at my uncle's home, living off a diet of 7up & snickers bars.
After a month, I stopped tweezing my eyebrows, started eating canjeero, started exploring the neighborhood & socializing. But i was still bored. My friends in Mogadishu were smoking shisha and having fun, my friends in Hargeisa were at parties every night and living like Westerners. Meanwhile i was stuck, sitting in the neighborhood.
One day, i walked to the grocery store to grab some essentials. And by essentials, I mean junk food. While in the line i see a beautiful young man Infront of me. He's buying all the same snacks as me. He then speaks in a English accent. Not only is he handsome and tall, hes from the UK. I stood behind him, trying to think of a way to spark conversation. I quickly pull out my ugly phone and pretend to be on it.
"Yo. I will call you when I get to my uncle's house. Im busy". That got his attention. (I know. sneaky) He smiled at me and introduced himself as Abdi. Abdi asked where I was from. "Twin Cities." ."Huh?", he responded. I clarified that it was Minnesota. "Ahh" , he replied. "Youre very beautiful Masha Allah". I was blushing. At the compliment. We exchanged info and he promised to call me. That very night he did.
I couldn't hear him because of his noisy background. Loud rap music blared. I asked him where he was. "Just about". "Where at?", I pressed. "Would you like to come and find out?". I asked him to pick me up. I quickly changed into an outfit and put on my abaaya over it, then my jilbaab, finally completing my look with indho shareer. I didn't want to wake my cousin and tell her I was leaving. So I called Abdi and described the very complicated path to my family compound. Once his Land Cruiser lights flashed in front of the home, I quicky climbed the gate and slid into his vehicle. That night i would learn about the wild side of Somalia.

My trip to Galkacyo, Puntland State, Somalia 2014
I was raised with really strict parents. So strict that I began to rebel against them quite quickly. At that time we were living in Minneapolis. I was 15 years old sneaking out of my home and going to clubs with a fake ID. That year,6 of my friends also were sent to Somalia by their parents. At the time I was convinced our parents plotted against us.
4 of them went to Hargeisa. 2 of them went to Mogadishu. And that left little old me, all alone, headed to Galkacyo. My first month was terrifying. Mosquito bites, food I would never want to eat, scary animals, aggressive people, and rude comments from people who considered me to be a reject.
You see, in Galkacyo, if you are diaspora who return and its not for work purposes, as far as they're concerned you're either a crackhead or a murderer. Later on, I would find out they weren't so wrong. But in the beginning I stayed in my bubble. I sat at my uncle's home, living off a diet of 7up & snickers bars.
After a month, I stopped tweezing my eyebrows, started eating canjeero, started exploring the neighborhood & socializing. But i was still bored. My friends in Mogadishu were smoking shisha and having fun, my friends in Hargeisa were at parties every night and living like Westerners. Meanwhile i was stuck, sitting in the neighborhood.
One day, i walked to the grocery store to grab some essentials. And by essentials, I mean junk food. While in the line i see a beautiful young man Infront of me. He's buying all the same snacks as me. He then speaks in a English accent. Not only is he handsome and tall, hes from the UK. I stood behind him, trying to think of a way to spark conversation. I quickly pull out my ugly phone and pretend to be on it.
"Yo. I will call you when I get to my uncle's house. Im busy". That got his attention. (I know. sneaky) He smiled at me and introduced himself as Abdi. Abdi asked where I was from. "Twin Cities." ."Huh?", he responded. I clarified that it was Minnesota. "Ahh" , he replied. "Youre very beautiful Masha Allah". I was blushing. At the compliment. We exchanged info and he promised to call me. That very night he did.
I couldn't hear him because of his noisy background. Loud rap music blared. I asked him where he was. "Just about". "Where at?", I pressed. "Would you like to come and find out?". I asked him to pick me up. I quickly changed into an outfit and put on my abaaya over it, then my jilbaab, finally completing my look with indho shareer. I didn't want to wake my cousin and tell her I was leaving. So I called Abdi and described the very complicated path to my family compound. Once his Land Cruiser lights flashed in front of the home, I quicky climbed the gate and slid into his vehicle. That night i would learn about the wild side of Somalia.
Last edited: