Somalia

My country and my home, theres very little i remember about living there but there are memory’s that just stuck like playing hid and seek with my cousins at night as our parents sit out side and watch us. then laying down and watching the stars shoot across the sky. i remember sleeping then being woken up at like 4 am to go to our Islamic studies class and the whole class standing around a big fire reciting our quran for the next day then going back home to sleep and coming in later in the day. i remember going down to the water well with my mom and playing with my grandmother. i don’t know if life seems less harder when your younger because i dont remember hardships aside from fleeing the war into Kenya. i hope to go back next summer.

Deeply disturbing experience. Active Military, Bag and Tag. War. Death. Fear. Filth. Wish I had not thought about it while checking off the places I’ve been. Ouch. Memory best forgot.

It was lovely in the Autumn.

Don’t let it be forgot
That once there was a spot
For one brief shining moment that was known
As Camelot.

It’s a nice place to visit as long as you have Kalashnikov with you and a bullet proof vest. Just in case. They sell some adorable handy crafts in Mogadishu. I wrote true based story about it, even better than Black Hawk Down, and different. I need only some essay editing to complete it.

I’ve been thinking about joining up with Amnesty International and giving aid to the people who are in this war-torn place. Lately, I haven’t been able to get this country and others like it off of my mind. I want to help somehow.

But i was there. ‘93 – ‘94 good times with Uncle Sam. Not really! :)

And everyone wants to know why the rest of the world does not recognise the country when it is peaceful and has had three democratic elections.

Somaliland obtained its independence from Britain in June 1960 but then entered into an ill-fated union (which was never officially consecrated) with former Italin Somaliland. It broke fre ein 1991 after a bitter civil war.

The Somalilanders are a friendly lot and made my travelling companion and I feel very at home, amongst the sand, the camels, sheep and goats, the hills, teh mountains and beaches of this sun-drenched country.

And everywhere colour!

I’ve heard good things about Somaliland, the breakaway region in the north which is apparently a lot safer than the rest of the country.

...more than people usually do. Again, with the Army.