12 Things You Only Understand If You Grew Up In Hargeisa, Somaliland

March 22, 2018

Hargeisa Capital City of Republic of Somaliland Photo credit Yusuf Dahir

Hargeisa is a colorful city with insanely moderate weather. It’s never too hot, it’s never too cold, and the sun is always shining. These are 12 things you only understand if you grew up in Hargeisa, Somaliland.

1. Land of entrepreneurs.

You know you grew up in Hargeisa, Somaliland if entrepreneurship is like buying candy for most people. It has become the mundane so people don’t even think much of it when their parents, family members or neighbors own small businesses or are self-employed. Hargeisa is the city of poets and business men. Therefore, seeing medium to small scale businesses on every corner such as graphic design companies, bakeries, construction businesses, restaurants, shops, and barbers are a thing growing up. Here, it is much more convenient to be self-employed than to work for some else because finding employment with someone else is extremely difficult. Hargasians are innovators.

2. People can build things from scratch.

You know you grew up in Hargeisa, Somaliland if your 15-year-old neighbor decides to start a side hustle and makes a wooden swing from scratch. Then, kids pay a price to play with it when Eid celebrations roll around.

3. Laxoox for breakfast.

You know grew up in Hargeisa, Somaliland if you always have Laxoox (which is pancake like food item) for breakfast all the dang time! If you have something else for breakfast you feel like you haven’t consumed food yet. When you live in Hargeisa you think you hate Laxoox and you want to live in a country where people have anything else but Laxoox for breakfast. However, when you do leave Hargeisa you realize that you miss Laxoox so much. You end up binge eating it to make up for lost time whenever you return.

4. Grandma’s stories were your social media.

You know you grew up in Hargeisa, Somaliland if in the early 2000’s or basically anytime without the advent of the internet and social media, your source of entertainment was your grandma’s stories. Kids before Instagram had a world of historical data due to the verbal tale telling of events that occurred in the past by the elderly especially grandma’s. The internet and social media are great, they’ve opened up a lot of doors for us humans but one thing they sure replaced are grandma’s stories.

5. Bananas are everything.

You know you grew up in Hargeisa if you eat bananas with literally everything. From beans, beef, rise, spaghetti you name it, if it is food it is compatible with bananas!

6. No one eats alone.

You know you grew up in Hargeisa if people always eat in groups. Almost no one eats by themselves and sharing food is a common habit. The inhabitants of Hargeisa believe that sharing food is a blessing.

7. Eid and henna tattoo’s.

You know you grew up in Hargeisa when Eid celebrations roll around and salons are filed with kids getting henna tattoo’s. If you can’t afford salons, you hire your neighbor who is a rookie henna artist to do your henna for half the price because who wants to be without henna on Eid in Hargeisa?!

8. There’s no such thing as a small family.

You know you grew up in Hargeisa if your family is so extended you lose track of how many aunts, uncles and cousins you have.

9. Telenovela’s.

You know you grew up in Hargeisa if you rigorously followed Telenovela’s as a teenager. Their story lines were so compelling that missing an episode was like missing the Oscars. You start to worry about how you’re going to find the content of the episode.

10. University of Hargeisa.

You know you grew up in Hargeisa if you, your siblings, your cousins, friends and pretty much two out of every three people in your life went to the University Of Hargeisa UOH. You can’t live in Hargeisa and not know someone who when to UOH, you just can’t.

11. Men are always gentlemen.

You know you grew up in Hargeisa if men always give up their seats for women in public transportation like buses. When women are late for something and a bus that is full, stops, she gets in anyways and says “it’s OK I’ll stand” knowing that some man is going to give up his seat. They always do. Thanks guys!

12. Quran & Arabic Institute

You know you grew up in Hargeisa if you went to a Quran & Arabic institute before you started school. Most kids in school at Hargeisa are already well acquainted with a language other than their own. Most of the residents in Hargeisa either speak and understand or only understand Arabic to a large degree.