Somaliland:The computer class and the guest sheep

By Nouri

I was never a big fan of technology or animal sacrifice, yet they bothseem to have found me in Somaliland. Interesting things are always happening here which I’m enjoying very much. So when all of a sudden I’m taking a computer class, using the internet more than ever I find myself saying words like, wireless, Wi-Fi and Skype. .I also I find in my position of a cell phone with all kinds of gadgets that I would normally never be interested in

In this class I find a lot of unexpected pleasant benefits, one of them being the fact that it is very cheap and the instructors are very eager to teach anyone that is welling to learn. I also have to admit that these guys are surprisingly qualified. Some of them have studied in India and others are home grown, probably educated by former school teachers.

Mornings are a challenge trying to get to class, since my mother has to check if I’m dressed properly with the head scarf and all, and then we get to the discussion of bus or car. This is mostly due to my mother’s worry about the crazy and ignorant way people drive in Hargeisa . Another reason for this daily discussion is her fear that I might be hassled by men and little boys for being a women driver. To my mother’s dissatisfaction I mostly win the battle by reminding her of the fact that I would be more harassed by these people while walking and when I get off the bus.

Once I reach the city center there is the small matter of the street boys who as soon as you park all at once run at you asking to clean your car, or protect it. These guys are very persistent so I personally take this as a treat so I let them wash the car even if it was just cleaned by Abdi our gate dude (watchman), you know what they say “Better safe than sorry”.

In one of those faithful mornings, while sitting out in the veranda sipping my coffee, in drives my cousin yasin and I notice that Abdi (our gate dude) was sitting in the passenger seat which rarely happens. They both jump out of the car and head to the back trunk where they pull out a sheep with a struggle. I look to my mother and in return she answers my questioning look with a verbal “Oh yah the sheep is for sacrificing tomorrow morning” and then goes on to explain that she is going to feed some needy people with the meat to give blessing for my home coming, and her safe return home from travels to Europe.

The boys proceeded to take animals to the backyard to graze; luckily since rainy season began a week ago the grass was growing fast and green. The sheep didn’t look well fed so they sprang to the grass feeding hungrily. The next morning while looking out the kitchen window I noticed that all the grass was cut real short Since the sheep must have went at it feeding the day before, mowing that grass better than any lawnmower that I have ever seen.

I went to my mom and begged her to let the sheep live a few days longer, so they can eat their fill of grass. Some of you might think that I’m being soft hearted and trying to prolong their lives.Sorry to say that my reasons were purely selfish. To be honest all I wanted was to fatten them up for more and better meat when the time comes. This is Africa guys; it certainly is not for the faint of heart. You all know that we all got to eat weather the slaughtering is done at the butchers or your own backyard. Needless to say a lot of people ate well that day when the deed was done including yours truly.

SomalilandPress.com