Forgiveness is a virtue of the brave

Albert Einstein said, "He who joyfully marches to music in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would suffice," in reference to the promotion of war and defining ones patriotism by the barrel of a gun.

Open market in Hargeisa

Whenever I visit Somaliland, I'm always struck by the political choices this small autonomous region made in the past 25 years to keep the peace and build a nation in the midst of endless violence in Somalia. As a student of international relation and political affairs, you learn that one of the key factors of achieving peace is forgiveness of your enemy through 'truth and reconciliation'. 

Those who educate children well are more to be honored than those who produce them; for these only gave them life, those the art of living well

From right: Nimo, Zahra, Ubah, Nimo II, Deqa, Suad and Zulekha

Powerful words by Aristotle, which speaks to my experience touring an orphanage in Hargeysa, Somaliland this summer. It was just two years ago, on September 2011, when I started this blog as an outlet for my love of travel and photography. Its been a struggle to find a meaningful focus that motivates me to turn this little blog into something that not just speaks to the reader/visitor, but also to me. I just did not see the point in posting mere pictures of my travels, a privilege few of us in the world can boast about, when many young women and men in 2/3 of the globe are struggling to access basic needs. So in the spirit of my blog's anniversary, I will be focusing more on what I find politically and globally engaging and interesting. Whether its my fieldwork in Africa or upcoming mini documentaries on Somaliland child labor, primary education (girls education in particular), I would like to profile a world, few of us in the West are privileged to witness and hopefully, a voice for the many who cannot speak for themselves. So, I hope those of you who have enjoyed my blog or follow it, can join me in this new journey of mine. Don't worry thou, I will still post fun and interesting pictures I take, there are plenty of architectural and historical shots from the Middle East coming up in the next few months.

War does not determine who is right - only who is left.

Happy belated 2013, hope everyone had a safe and joyous holiday season. Mine was spend relaxing and having fun in Cuba with friends.

I thought to start the new year with a topic I always wanted to write about, without getting too political. Let's call it.....Vintage Somalia, before violent conflict destroyed the land and caused so much horror and pain for millions of Somalis around the globe. I hope you enjoy these beautiful pictures from my parents home country. Somaliland, northern region is where my parents were born and raised, but they lived many years in Xamar Waayn (Mogadisho), aka Somalia familiar to most people. So to them it hits home when they see these snap shots of bygone time in Somalia, the horn of Africa.

Somalia Gulls -Mogadishu beach, 1979.

A Nation Under Construction.....Part II

While touring The University of Hargeisa and meeting with its sitting President, I came across this sign and thought how profound.