Moving to Somalia!

[Miramonti]

No. That is absolutely incorrect.

Somaliland was a independent country before the Union with Somalia.
Somaliland has a separate history to Somalia as the colonial country of the British and most importantly it was given Independence by the British and the world within those borders and recognized as separate from Somalia.
All Somaliland has now done is gone back to the original borders of it's country.
Very different to just setting up a Government in your backyard.
Legally Somaliland should be recognized as it has followed international law down to the T and even has held many elections but we all know law means very little when it comes to Africa when countries interests and politics plays a role

Sounds good, thanks for the info. It's news enough to most people, including me, that the northern 1/2 of somalia has been at peace for a couple decades. All we hear about somalia is government-less anarchy and ship pirating.

 

[Elganja]

Be safe and good luck... keep this thread updated so we all know you are doing well!

I look forward to your pictures and the experiences you share with us!

 

[GTaudiophile]

Somaliland doesn't pretend to have a Government. It has one. A democratically elected one at that. Which is more than our neighbours

I'm sorry, I stumbled onto this topic and the OP was so lovely until I started reading the replies has made me register to correct some misconceptions.

There is a massive difference between Somalia and Somaliland. Somalia (and no doubt everyone always assumes only Mogadishu is Somalia) and only the Southern half is in anarchy. The Northern half has been quite peaceful for 2 decades.

Somaliland is no more dangerous than our neighbours to the North and educators are highly respected.

You will be fine in Somaliland, the only difficulty I can see is your vegetarianism. We Africans love our meat and I am honestly stumped at what you can eat when you are there :$
I hope you visit our mango fields and visit Berbera. If you have time I hope you can also visit our prehistoric paintings in Somaliland.

I wish you the best of luck OP and I hope in a few years when I finish my studies, I'll be helping my home country as well.

I am sure she will be honored to know you registered to share your sentiments.

Rill22 just got done traveling to Australia, New Zealand, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Indonesia for the past 18 months or so.

And when she travels, she doesn't take the typical touristy route. She forges her own path, usually alone, based on her own personal interests and shoe-string budget.

Case in point, here is a village she stayed in while in Laos. I believe she over-nighted in the type of hut you see in the background.

She's no stranger to going it rough.

 

[Farang]

Good luck on your trip. Remember its not where you go but what you do when you get there.

 

[xanis]

Good Lord. I felt my IQ drop a few points while reading some of the responses to this thread.

Anyhow, best of luck OP. Sounds like quite the adventure and it's nice to see that you found a way to integrate helping others and your love of travel. Make sure to post pics; I'm very interested in travel-related stuff.

 

[halik]

Well I'll be the first negative nancy and say that's a terrible idea - I'm pretty sure the sharia law that the militant groups are trying to establish includes a ban of girls going to school. So right there you're putting yourself in the crosshairs.


Are you a white middle class girl that grew up in a burb somewhere? The whole idea just sounds incredibly naive.

 

[magomago]

OP I support your actions and hope you enjoy it there. Life is going to very very different in ways we don't imagine. You'll quickly find the differences... for example, the bathroom is different and not just from a 'sit or squat' perspecitive (I nearly threw up the first time I stepped in one; if you can, try to go at night when the heat doesn't make the stink 100x worse). You'll also find that most of your meals will consist of bread and beans; although they'll bring out the meat for guests, it really comes down to bread and beans; occasionally you'll get some veggies in there, but its more of a token appearance rather than something you can really chow down.

I actually wasn't in Somalia; I was in Sudan - but in Sudan they talked about how bad Somalia was (which took me by surprise). While Somalia is different for sure, I wouldn't be surprised if there were a lot of similar experiences~

Anyways I wouldn't put much trust in everyone with such strong polarized opinions; things over there are blown out of proportion.
It can be very very bad (especially politically), and many people over there know its bad (they just don't talk about it out loud), and it will probably hurt you very much the first time you see a lot of sad things, but the way people try to help eachother is just incredible...honestly I felt more welcomed there by the people than I would in any random city in the USA (Again not sure how Somalia will be).

Oh and just FYI: the whole "women have zero rights and are just beaten day in and day out" is overblown. For sure the man ultimately has power and I would have loved to see more gender equality, but its not as extreme as certain individuals here have written it [you'll find within the family - and by family you include not just the nuclear family, but all the cousins (Which can be HUGE because of the large number of siblings they have) on both sides - there is a lot more gender equality where the women can challenge the man a lot, although the final authority/choice does rest with the man. And if they want to argue and yell day and night about how I'm wrong day and night...I've been there, they haven't.

Stay safe though and take all the advice of people who have been working there and have experience - don't try to draw attention (although honestly that won't be hard. In Sudan I stuck out like a sore thumb and people literally stared at me 24/7 everywhere...and I'm not a female; however, surprisingly, you might have a slight advantage in that sense if you wear a hijab because then it will be EXTREMELY inappropriate to stare at a female...with a guy, no one cares) to yourself at all. Basic precautions can make a HUGE difference, but remember that sometimes it won't help at all (I nearly had my camera permanently confiscated by some army assholes).

 

[adlep]

Rill22 just got done traveling to Australia, New Zealand, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Indonesia for the past 18 months or so.

These countries are not exactly known to be dangerous.

 

[Miski]

Sounds good, thanks for the info. It's news enough to most people, including me, that the northern 1/2 of somalia has been at peace for a couple decades. All we hear about somalia is government-less anarchy and ship pirating.

My pleasure, I enjoy educating others about my country.

It's understandable many assume all of Somalia is in anarchy or somehow some sort of pirate-land. After all, since when does peace sell newspapers or boost up ratings

The anarchy is limited to the South and even there it is largely fueled by the AU Soldiers and Islamists fight for control. The rest of the country has largely created it's own governance system and is pretty peaceful.

 

[Miski]

I am sure she will be honored to know you registered to share your sentiments.

Rill22 just got done traveling to Australia, New Zealand, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Indonesia for the past 18 months or so.

And when she travels, she doesn't take the typical touristy route. She forges her own path, usually alone, based on her own personal interests and shoe-string budget.

Case in point, here is a village she stayed in while in Laos. I believe she over-nighted in the type of hut you see in the background.

She's no stranger to going it rough.

I'm sure she will be fine. Especially as she is visiting near the city.

I wish I had the guts to travel like that but I get scared easy (which I'm sure sounds very stupid as I have spent months at a time in Somalia)

I must have skipped the comments of the hijab but wow at the reaction over just a piece of cloth and the insinuation that women have no rights in Somalia and are somehow oppressed and beaten is very overblown and the hijab and dirac (Female dress) is just mainly a cultural dress.
I doubt the OP will have to wear a hijab all the time. Probably just for the first few days and then she can take it off. I did

 

[Rill22]

Took a break from my own thread for a few days while traveling between cities and packing up my things. Figured this thread would be buried by now, waiting for its resurrection in a while, but lo and behold!

Just wanted to say thanks to Miski for pointing out the differences between Somaliland and Somalia a bit more eloquently than I've been able to achieve. Nice to hear from someone who has actually been there!

You will be fine in Somaliland, the only difficulty I can see is your vegetarianism

As for this, the school is mainly run by foreigners, and they are accustomed to dealing with "specialty diets". I won't be the only vegetarian, and while I can't say I'm excited and looking forward to my options, I know it's doable. They do their best to accommodate the staff, so they buy lots of veggies from the local farms. The plan is to just do the best I can.

I hope you visit our mango fields and visit Berbera. If you have time I hope you can also visit our prehistoric paintings in Somaliland.

I can just about guarantee this! I know the staff travels quite often to the mango fields with some of the kids as part of the Agricultural Club, and Berbera is an often frequented town for a weekend holiday (and possibly the town I might be flying into). Seems like every staff member has been to Laas Gaal, so I'm sure myself and the other new staff members will check it out as well, it really looks amazing.

the bathroom is different and not just from a 'sit or squat' perspecitive (I nearly threw up the first time I stepped in one; if you can, try to go at night when the heat doesn't make the stink 100x worse).

Not necessary. I'll have a western toilet where I'll be living. And truth be told, I've experienced some pretty awful toilets (or holes in the ground), so I have no problem dealing with it when I have to.

Thanks for everyone's continued support, I never expected this thread to blow up quite the way it did. Keep on kickin' ass GTaudiophile, and thanks for the backup, as always. Looking forward to that day our paths cross again!

Pics incoming a bit on down the road...

 

[SZLiao214]

I was expecting this to be a troll thread.

 

[Drako]

hopefully we won't hear about you on the news. Stay safe! Country were they make women wear hijab is tot really on my "places to visit" list.

:thumbsup:

Good luck OP, and keep us updated.

Godspeed.

 

[amicold]

I think rill may be dead now

 

[nick1985]

lol.

Pirates got the OP

 

[feralkid]

There are thousands of kids in this country that need tutoring and mentoring... and yet you fly halfway around the world?
I guess the slums in america don't have camels. Enjoy your African vacation.

Most would prefer camels to a hamar like you.

 

[Spikesoldier]

too early she said she was leaving aug1

OP: GL, its too late to say but there are safer places than somalia that little kids need to be taught english.

 

[olds]

I recognize that to many of you, I'm overly idealistic and naive.

But I've been considering this and researching it for at least 6 months now. I've talked to current educators living there (particularly the women) as well as previous educators, I've read a thousand articles and statistics and everything everyone has dredged up on the internet so far, and I think I most likely have a more accurate idea of what life is like there than most on this forum.

I know that this is not without danger. I know what the risks are. I recognize that I will most likely have to be more vigilant than remembering not to walk down dark alleys alone at night. But like I've said before, if I truly and honestly felt as if my life were going to consistently be in danger, I would not consider it.

I am curious how old you are and how your parents feel about this?

 

[olds]

.... There's nothing any more indecent about her hair than there is about my boobs, except that culture makes it so. ...

You know the drill...

 

[IAteYourMother]

Why are you vegetarian?

 

[halik]

I think rill may be dead now

this

 

[BabaBooey]

Sounds pretty shitty.

This.

 

[Doppel]

Yeah, you might need some time to get acclimated to the food, weather and water. Make sure to get your shots, though I don't know how long they're good for and how long you're staying.

He'l get his shots, just not the kind that are good for him.

Somalia intrigues me, though, it's very much a total hell hole, so to spend time there should be interesting. I'm sure you're right that there are parts that are pure crap and parts that are only mostly crap, though.

 

[OlafSicky]

http://www.care.org/newsroom/articles/2011/07/CARE-Somalia-Famine-Food-Crisis-Dadaab-20110720.asp

Famine was declared in Somalia the warring factions won't allow international aid.

 

[Rill22]

I've arrived! Updated OP. Hate to burst anyone's bubble, but no, I haven't been shot yet.