His Blood is not Good Enough

A problem I never wrote about in Somalia is the phenomena of Murder based on Stature . The More successful you are , the more your chances of being killed . Cliche? Behind every Successful man is a pack of haters ? . But see the difference is you are not dying because they are hating on YOU per say . It's not personal you see. It's simply tribal business.
Let me Explain
I remember when my Father [allah yir7amu] first brought me to Somalia, though he wanted to visit his hometown , he would say it was too risky and he would probably be killed as pay back for a crime someone from the same tribe committed years ago .At that time it seemed like another exaggerated fairy tale  and there was no way people could be so unreasonable .
But a few days ago I heard of 2 similar stories . A man who was killed for a crime his brother committed . The problem is the brother who committed the crime wasn't hiding or on the run , he was living just like everyone else , Like he was a man with no blood on his hands - No one wanted him , because his blood wasn't valuable enough.

"He's a Looser , his blood is not equal to my tribesman, No one will mourn his death" .

So instead in the middle of the night , the innocent brother who was minding his  bussiness was dragged out of his house and shot dead .
A Bussiness Man for a Bussiness man , A Doctor for a Doctor , A Sheikh for A Sheikh .
that's the rule .

And what else would make people act so barbarically and irrationally but the mind numbing , ego stroking ideology of Tribalism .
And no matter how many successful people of our nation are born , the laws of tribalism will keep our nation tied down and forever in the shadows of poverty, barbarism, and illiteracy .
You would think Religion ,common sense, and humanity would protect one from shedding blood so  easily , so intentionally , so righteously but it is heartbreaking and frustrating to see how our nation has crumbled to it's knees because of a name - Reer Hebel.

Make A Difference

I remember a few months ago , My friends and I were introduced to a man who would push us to make a difference . A man who forced us to look at things from a new perspective regardless of what the norm was .
I would love to mention his name but I would have to make sure it is okay with him . So for the time being let's call him Prof. A .

Prof A had a philosophy . In arabic: "إن لم تزد شيئا على الدنيا فأنت زائد عليها "  [If  you do not add anything to this world , then you are simply an addition/burden on it] and then he would ask you 

Are you simply an addition or do you have something to add? 

it's a simple statement yet so profound in meaning and very much true . After a 2 hour long conversation over dinner with prof.A . We were all very much inspired to make a difference , to leave something behind in a city that we had no tribal/family ties to.
After much thought we decided the best addition one could ever make was that of knowledge . like the famous quote " Give a man a fish and you have fed him for a day , teach a man to fish and you have fed him for a lifetime" . At the time we were 5 girls , so we decided to each financially support a child who could not afford education. Surprisingly we did not have to go far to find such children . a few doors away from our own house we found 3 familes with 8 children, all of which were staying at home yet of school age, and some loosing a parent.
Our initial plan was simply sponsoring 5 children , soon we had 2 other girls in and now we could sponsor 7 kids . At the time it was almost the end of the school year , so we decided to enroll them into a Quranic school . After explaining to the dugsii teacher what we wanted to do , he offered to take in the 8th kid as well free of charge .

I know it might seem like a very straighforward , easy to execute kinda plan right ? WRONG!!
In a Country that has been over exposed to NGO's and free handouts , the parents of the children were very skeptical of our intentions and in no time news was spreading of "These Arab girls who were working with an NGO and were offering to pay for tuition".  and as people estimated how much of the funding we were slipping into our pockets and how many thousands of dollars we were selfishly holding back , the clan ideology came into play : on more than one occasion we were told to help our Clan's needy instead of those we were not related to. - "Your people need it first" .

A few months later ,On eid we were able to give out a humble sum of money to the families of the children [3 families in total ] and an exceptional woman who herself raises 4 children by picking up trash from families for less than 25cents per pick up.
 Now we are planning on adding another 5 children to the Quranic School and this time an aunty from Saudi Arabia has taken up their sponsoring and paid an advance for 5 months.

In my opinion this is a very humble addition to a community that has given us personally the chance at a higher education. It is only fair to give back and hopefully InshAllah those of you reading this will be inspired to make a difference as well regardless of how big or small it may be . And in time I hope these very kids grow up and in turn give back to their communities and so forth .
- Contribute within your means , any way you can to your communities . Do it not for the love of fame , or for a name , or even with the expectations of an applause . Do it simply for the sake of leaving good behind and making a difference
 

Breast Cancer Awareness

the Adenoma after it was removed surgically [ larger than a fist]

Earlier this year , my cousin had a "Breast Cancer Scare" . She had had this lump on her right breast for over 6 months but had kept it a secret from the family . Eventually it got worse to the point where walking or even bending forward was painful .
Alhamdulilah it wasn't breast cancer but a benign adenoma .

If there is one thing I want to pass out through this post , it has to be the importance of a Self Breast exam . Some of us might be lucky enough to learn about it in schools and other public health education programs but most of us have simply heard of it or we've never been bothered enough to do it .

Please do check these video out [CLICK HERE] for how to do a proper self breast exam. it's only a minute long and I promise you it will be helpful. 

You might think well I'm not really at risk for breast cancer so why bother right? . WRONG !!!
the simple fact that you are a woman puts you at risk for breast cancer aside from all the other risk factors.


What Can you do to Lower your chances of getting it? 

Unlike your gender, there are certain things you can modify to lower your risk of getting cancer.
One that would be relevant for many of the younger generation is Smoking !!! . And No, smoking does not only mean cigarettes. It includes Shiisha, cannabis and whatever seems to be out there that involves lighting up and inhaling .

To the Women with Children - BREASTFEED if you can !!!!. it's been proven that breastfeeding for over a year can lower your risk of getting breast cancer . Subhan-Allah is it not amazing how the Holy Quran mentions breastfeeding for 2 years  .

there is a famous saying that goes like " You are what you eat" and that couldn't be anymore true.
A healthy lifestyle not only lowers your risk of breast cancer but also Hypertension, Diabetes, Strokes, etc etc etc .
A sedentary lifestyle is not a lifestyle!!! it's a highway to illness and painful death.
So, Eat more Bananas with lunch , go for a walk or Dance it off GANGNAM STYLE. Switch your sodas for a home made fruit cocktail and
PLEASE DO NOT RE-USE THE FRYING OIL even if that means getting into an argument with hooyo  [it's been shown to increase your risk of cancer]  

If you do notice any of the changes mentioned in the picture , Do make an appointment with your doctor ASAP !! and get it looked at [ that does not mean next month or 6 months later - the earlier the better ] 

And Finally Breast Cancer is not an exclusively women's only disease . Men can get breast cancer as well . so to all the brothers If you TOO notice any changes , go see a doctor immediately.  

For those of you interested in reading more on it : Do check out BreastCancer.org

Africa through my Lens

My Long Feud with The Evil M's

If there is one thing I will never come to terms with . It has got to be the M family .

Over the years since we've first met . My hate for this family has increased to the point where I dream of slowly and painfully debilitating their limbs one at a time - Gross ? . I KNOW !!
I might as well confess that in the past 5 years I have mercilessly killed a few elders in that family [Only because they are the weaker , noticeably easier to catch off guard members]
And this is coming from the girl who screams at the top of her lungs against violence and what not .

Now I know you're probably wondering what has this family done , to earn all my cursing and my SAW like fantasies of mass murder . and this is my story with the M's

Our very first encounter must have been my first day in Borama. After a Long bumpy car ride from Hargeisa . Lying down in the "7osh"[ a version of a backyard]  to enjoy the breath taking weather of the city seemed like such a great idea. But little did I know that I would be brutally attacked , only to wake up to my very first bruise not inflicted by hooyo's flip flop or a WWE match with my siblings [ John Cena fan ^_^ ] . And to make things worse I had no idea where I had gotten it .
So being my superstitious self I blamed it on Jinn and the Evil eye [ Seems reasonable right? ] .

A few bruises later and A trip to the hospital I finally noticed the demonic beings that devoted their life to suck the very blood out of me and leave me with nothing but deformed skin and a bad case of allergies.
I was outraged, frustrated and in tears - Imagine having to face an entire army of blood relatives alone. How could I ever win ? .

Well a few years later and a few 100 battles , I can proudly say I am now a Mosquito fighting Ninja Assassin.
See I'm sure you're all familiar with the Mosquito repellent sprays and creams , But that has definitely got to be tiring and hard to keep up [Considering how hard it is to find them in the first place ] . My repellents would always run out half way through the year and my only way of getting more was begging hooyoo to send me some with the next person heading over to Hargeisa or Borama .

It was then that our maid introduced me to the power of "Foox"/Foo7 [Punt] . See I learned that lighting a little bit of it , not only keeps the M's away but is a blessing on those chilly nights by working much like a heater . [Talk about effecient energy saving and smaller electric bills]
Another Secret is Black seed oil [ 7abat Soda] , let me just mention there is no black seed oil like the ones in Burco [Works perfectly against muscle sprains, colds, allergies - anything basically ] .
I promise you rubbing that on before you sleep will keep the M's away all night .

And finally Don't take your Mosquito Nets lightly . I consider it my safe haven literally . My first 3 months in Borama, I lived inside one and the only time I would step out of it was for a quick dash to the bathroom . God Bless the Maro Kanee3o/Mustakar/Shandarama !!!

And the Most Peculiar method of Killing these tiny Vampires is by getting one of these 

Rubbing any kind of oil all over it and using it much like a shield .
See when you hear that horrible buzzing noise near you , do a swift hand move around you and BAAAMMM - they are trapped .[Make sure you don't hit yourself in the head - that makes you look really dumb and you loose all ninja cool points ]
At this point it is up to you how you would like to end their miserable lives . I personally go for breaking off their needles :) .


Have you met the M's yet and if you did How do you deal with them  ? 

Why I've been missing and My Year

So a few days ago , I finally remembered I had a blog that I loved so much from once upon a time and as I was going through it I realized I haven't been blogging as much.
 (understatement for 3 posts over 9 months hehe)
So here I am flexing my fingers , dusting off my grammar and punctuation to put together a semi decent post on why I've been MIA. 

2012 has definitely been a very tough year for my Family and I . Apart from the regular stresses of Uni and hospital rounds and what not . My dad was diagnosed with a stage 4 Esophageal cancer last Ramadan .

As a medical student we're always throwing out differential diagnosis on rounds and one of the answers you can never go wrong with is Cancer. The resident asks you what's your differential ?
Safest Answer : TB, Cancer. Infection. . Overtime we become desensitized and such horrible diseases are just answers to us .
 We don't really completely understand how devastating it is , not only to the patient but also to their entire family .

I remember once having a patient whose symptoms were so similar to my dad's. Diagnosing him was like diagnosing my father , and I kept subconsciously avoiding esophageal cancer even though his symptoms were classic for the case. 
 I knew that would mean there was a big chance my dad had a similar condition .I was in denial  

How Did I find Out ? 

 Just after Eid ('011) , my family decided to move to kenya after spending 6 months with us ,and I wasn't about to miss the trip so I  tagged along for what was left of my summer break. 
A day before we left to Nairobi , my mom was just going through the luggage and she found my Aaboo's medical reports . Like most moms she just passed it to me and my cousin (also a med student) to look at and maybe learn a thing or two from it .
A chance to test my skills and showoff what I've been learning for 4 years . We walked over to the other room , stood by the window and stared at the X-rays and CT Scans. Instantly my heart dropped but I wasn't about to jump to a disease that meant my dad was dying . So I stayed calm , pulled out the medical report and read what the radiologist had to say . - It was Cancer . 

Fast Forward to May 25th '012
My Uncle calls to let us know that Dad passed away .
After a 9 month battle with stage 4 esophageal Cancer, 2 rounds of chemo, and 2 stent placement surgeries .At the age of 54 Aabo was no more with us. 

So that's been most of my year summarized in a few paragraphs , Oh not to forget being suspended twice from Uni . But that is a post for another day ^_^  

PS: just a quick note I might as well squeeze in . I know how most Somalis neglect their health and avoid check ups and all.  But  I just want to emphasize how important and live saving that hour or two you take out of your day to get a check up could be . 

- Dont take your Health for Granted , It's a Blessing so cherish it ;)





  

  

How Many Camels is Your Girlfriend Worth ?

So I am finally back again after my really long hiatus . I wonder if any of you still read this hehe
But to those of you who do I ran into this website that actually calculates how many camels, goats and sheep your girlfriend is worth !!!. - That Should be interesting to check out
Ofcourse for the ladies , you could check out how much you think you're worth too . 

http://camels.evilsun.org

 I SHOULD CALL UP MY UNCLES AND COUSINS IN BADIYO and tell them about this , it would make their life so much easier !!!!!


PS: I was worth 40 camels, 4 goats and 9 sheep !!!! 

Fanatic Feminism And the Hijab Drama

When people want to brutally criticize Islam and how it mistreats women , They usually fail to see the bigger picture . They are quick to jump on how women are treated in Afghanistan and how they cannot attend schools. Or In Saudi Arabia and how women there do not vote or drive .Or how In Iran women are so brutally stoned for adultery, Or the entire muslim world and the enormous number of Honour killings and Child brides.

OH MY GOD , ISLAM IS SUCH A SEXIST, MALE DOMINANT RELIGION !!. Lets Ban the Niqab and the Hijab , Lets Ban praying in Universities, Lets Ban everything Islamic and The women will be free !!!! I bet the only reason they wear that rag is because of their husbands, brothers and fathers, I bet the only reason they’re praying like that is because they must be forced to do so . OH POOR LITTLE THINGS!!!! POWER TO THE WOMEN!!! …. 

 And I laugh at the irony : Oppression under the name of freedom

Have you asked yourselves why the things you call Islamic change from one muslim country to another ? How is it that other muslim girls go to school in other muslim countries ? and how is it that muslim women around the world drive and vote? Did you consider that these were all different cultures and traditions ?
OH MY ,DID I JUST BLOW UP YOUR LITTLE BUBBLE OF FANATIC FEMINISM ?

There is no such thing as Honour killings in Islam. It is Forbidden and should be treated like any other murder, it does not exist in the Quran or the Sunnah and carrying out such an act should be punished!. There is Nothing in the Quran or the Sunnah that prohibit women from gaining knowledge from school or Universities. On the contrary the very first words of the Holy Quran revealed were “READ” . The prophet’s wife Aisha was one of the greatest Scholars of her time, Men and Women went to her for Knowledge and advice. She was the equivalent of today’s Harvard University. There is no Obligation for muslim women to wear the Niqab , it is a matter of choice . So the next time you see a muslim Ninja female, Do not be quick to blame her husband, brother or father .Islam is a choice , you can choose to follow it or you can choose not to -Only God will judge you on it . However Culture and tradition is  often NOT a choice , if you fail to follow it - Society will judge you 

Let’s scream for women’s rights together, Lets Help victims of rape and domestic abuse, Lets put our efforts into getting better work and schooling opportunities for women . But please Lets not blame Religion for the Ignorance of some fools.

Have you heard of Xagaag Xalimo ?

It started out as a random statement that came out of nowhere "I hope I do not marry a man from clan X" . Interested I asked " why not ? "
And the response was one of the strangest story I've heard over the years:

Well haven't you heard of the phrase "Xagaag Xalimo (Summer Halimo) " . As I waved my head in response, she said ; See in that part of Somalia , when it get's really hot in the summer, women go to cities where it's cooler, taking their children along and leaving the husbands behind since they're working. While they're gone, some of their husbands marry a second wife and settle her into the first wife's home. Just before wife one comes back from her summer holidays he either divorces wife 2 or settles her in a home on the other side of town , keeping her a summer secret never to be known by his "Formal wife" . Hence the name Xagaag Xalimos - they're a Summer fling.  

Over the years I thought I had heard every kind of Strange Somali story. But this was one that I've never imagined of hearing over my 20 years of living. Naturally my mind started imagining if I was in place of any of those women who went on a summer holiday only to come back and find another woman walking through the halls of their living room. Of all the emotions I imagined feeling, rage would be the one to take control. The absurdity of that situation would be beyond words, and what would follow would range from simple name calling to the death of a man who could not control his lust, and in the most extreme of cases it would include the death of a Xagaag Xalimo as well.

For the Sake of the men in that city , I hope that story is simply gossip mentioned over afternoon teas for a good laugh.
Have you heard of Xagaag Xalimo ? and Do you think it is based on true stories ?