Lasting Impressions From Around the World

I moved to Somaliland with my family in the summer of 2006 . We lived there for nearly two years.I saw little difference between things that I heard before. The whole country has a bit improved within three years that I was gone from there. Not everything has changed but still I saw some changes, when I landed at the airport in the capital city called Hargeisa. The airport was quite roomy and the area was surrounded by white gates.

While  I was going to my new home, the taxi passed by the downtown. There were  booths along the streets and  nice buildings that caught first my mind like lightning which were built like classy mosques where their windows were shimmering through my eyes. I gladly wanted to live there, but it was surprise to me what my own home was going to look like.

A view of the downtown - west side from the top of Barwaqo Hotel

Apart from the buildings, people seem normal, courteous and their standard of living was enough good, but they still needed more improvement.There were also the homeless, whom I gave my spare changes, when I sometimes see them begging for money twenty-four seven.

During about two years of life  in there, I realized that Hargeisa is  much more besides for comparing it to other developing countries. Education was not that low and they keep strong hold  for their Islam religion and schools were public and private. Also economy has improved well. And  exactly when looking at the population, I’ve seen that the city is growing very fast and unfortunately too bad that there’s  no functioning government to control the urban planning. People seem to build houses wherever they please and it’s done with on some paved roads too.

I think that my biggest thought from Hargeisa before and compared to now didn’t really match each others. By the way  my life in Hargeisa was awesome in many different ways, I never felt homesick, but I really missed The Solero ice cream in those hot sunny days. And the gorgeous memory was my new friends that I still keep in touch with on the internet.

By  Hibo Mumin

TRANSLATIONS:

1. surround                         =  ympäröidä
   
2. area                                      =  alue
   
3. booth                                  =  koju
   
4. building                            =  rakennus
   
5. standard of living        =  elintaso
   
6. the homeless                 =  kodittomat
   
7. twenty-four seven     =  24 tuntia joka päivä
   
8. much more besides  =  on paljon muutakin
   
9. education                         =  koulutus
10. population                       =  väestö