Lately I've been feeling somewhat homesick and missing my family, today more so than the others.
Although I'm settling in nicely and for the most part of my experience so far in DC I've been in an euphoric state of mind, it can get lonesome at times.
I'm particularly close to my family so I tend to feel the absence of my mum and siblings more than anything else (hint hint to Ebyan, if you're reading this send me a virtual hug girl) I miss about home.
Work has been thoroughly enjoyable but very time consuming, especially since I have to spend a lot of time familiarising myself with the topics the service covers. For the most part this has actually been helpful as I'll feel less homesick. I'm feeling it today though..
Friday, February 13, 2009
Friday the 13th..
is the date of today! I wonder if society still believes in the myth of 'all hell breaking loose' on this date. My boss made a funny announcement earlier where he warned us to be careful today (hint hint). Apparently a young Somali girl killed a guy some years ago on this date here in DC! Here I was thinking we should merely watch out for walking underneath ladders.
In Somali politics the new prime minster was selected today. Omar Abdirashid is the son of the former Somali president Abdirashid Ali Sharmaarke, who was assasinated in 1969. The guy has a lot of credentials including undergraduate and postgraduate education in the West (rather than some made up qualification back in Somalia!) and has held several positions with the UN. Let's see what he brings to the table in terms restoring Somalia.
On a more personal note, I did my first phone interview yesterday in Somali (which aired in the evening show). I interviewed a Somali journalist about the comments UN envoy Ahmedou Ould Abdallah made, where he compared the Somali media to Radio Rwanda, that incited and blew Rwanda's genocide out of proportion. I wanted to find out his views. I actually enjoyed the interview (though it was bordering a regular conversation with my uhuhs and aha's lol).
I'm looking forward to more hands-on involvement in Somali broadcasting.
In Somali politics the new prime minster was selected today. Omar Abdirashid is the son of the former Somali president Abdirashid Ali Sharmaarke, who was assasinated in 1969. The guy has a lot of credentials including undergraduate and postgraduate education in the West (rather than some made up qualification back in Somalia!) and has held several positions with the UN. Let's see what he brings to the table in terms restoring Somalia.
On a more personal note, I did my first phone interview yesterday in Somali (which aired in the evening show). I interviewed a Somali journalist about the comments UN envoy Ahmedou Ould Abdallah made, where he compared the Somali media to Radio Rwanda, that incited and blew Rwanda's genocide out of proportion. I wanted to find out his views. I actually enjoyed the interview (though it was bordering a regular conversation with my uhuhs and aha's lol).
I'm looking forward to more hands-on involvement in Somali broadcasting.
Monday, February 9, 2009
the arrival of a summer breeze..
has put a smile on a lot of faces here in DC including meself! The weather has been absolutely gorgeous compared to the aweful forstbite we had to endure over December and January. I spent most of my weekend days launching in my balcony, enjoying the Capitol Hill scenery. Good times indeed.
Fun galore chez Idil continued on Saturday night as I went to Babylon, a Middle-Eastern sports cafe/shisha bar with a dancefloor and a decent DJ spinning some joones! I got to catch up with the premier league on the wide screen, a well-missed trip down memory lane. Good old Premier league! Expectedly I spent most of Sunday chillaxing. I looked forward to work this morning.
When I came in to the office this morning, unfortunately suicide bombing and more killing were headlining the news. The latest news being an Afghani female suicide bomber who killed 49 civilians and injured more when she ofloaded in a public area. As much as it is condemning and absolutely unacceptable what these suicide bombers are doing, I can vaguely understand their reasons behind it. They have virtually nothing to live for with no source of income, nothing to eat or drink, women especially are anyone's prey prone to catching all kinds of deseases with no healthcare in place nor anywhere to give birth if they fell pregnant. There is no family unit as most people's family members are either killed or imprisoned. Joining a militia group that provides them some form of belief to stand for gives them, I suppose, a reason to die (since they're most likely to die, held captive or be killed anyway).
We live a saddening world.
I'm still in the office at 5pm. need to shoot off, been here since 5am!
A bientot, mes amis :)
Fun galore chez Idil continued on Saturday night as I went to Babylon, a Middle-Eastern sports cafe/shisha bar with a dancefloor and a decent DJ spinning some joones! I got to catch up with the premier league on the wide screen, a well-missed trip down memory lane. Good old Premier league! Expectedly I spent most of Sunday chillaxing. I looked forward to work this morning.
When I came in to the office this morning, unfortunately suicide bombing and more killing were headlining the news. The latest news being an Afghani female suicide bomber who killed 49 civilians and injured more when she ofloaded in a public area. As much as it is condemning and absolutely unacceptable what these suicide bombers are doing, I can vaguely understand their reasons behind it. They have virtually nothing to live for with no source of income, nothing to eat or drink, women especially are anyone's prey prone to catching all kinds of deseases with no healthcare in place nor anywhere to give birth if they fell pregnant. There is no family unit as most people's family members are either killed or imprisoned. Joining a militia group that provides them some form of belief to stand for gives them, I suppose, a reason to die (since they're most likely to die, held captive or be killed anyway).
We live a saddening world.
I'm still in the office at 5pm. need to shoot off, been here since 5am!
A bientot, mes amis :)
Thursday, February 5, 2009
steppin up a gear..
So my workaholicness is finally paying a teeny bit off in the form of me preparing my first correspondence report all by myself. Now the fact I'm particularly happy is for two reasons; 1 our company software that we use to edit audio in is somewhat difficult to figure out especially finding where the different themes and actualities are that I need to mix in and mixing itself, 2 I managed to finish it 20 mins early! I'm actually listening to my piece now as I write this, very exciting (although my voice still sounds like a 14 yr old school girl) I'm patting my back here lol.
Moving on to a more social note I'm getting to a point where I can safely say I've figured out most of the hot places to go to in DC (hint hint to friends of mine who still need to come visit lol). The areas that are specifically rubbing me the right way are Georgetown (they have a really cosy shisha bar that has a certain friend of mine hooked to the bone lol!), Dupont Circle, which is the upmarket trendy type area and Gallery Place Chinatown, their very own version of our West End where the only Nando's in the country is located.
I can't help but like the fact most movies come out here a lot earlier than back home so I've appointed myself to be a part time cinema attendee/critic. The last film I saw was New in Town with Renee Zellweger. She plays a high-flying city worker on her way up the career ladder when she is asked to relocate from Miami to a tiny village in Minnesota to build up a factory there. She finds herself in a modern-day version of frostbiting Skandinavian medieval times populated with nosy old ladies where they eat a weird mixture that looks like rice pudding for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I think it was called Yapotzel or sumthin pfff.(apparently folks in Minnesota are literally like that!). Anyway to cut a long story short she finds herself freezing her ass off but remarkably finds love in between the icebergs in the form of Harry Connick Jr and they live happily ever after. Not too bad a story for a romcom especially if you fancy a light giggle but quite predictable.
Back to moi I'm slightly saddened as there are a lot of tragedies happening simultanously as of late. A colleague of mine has recently endured a sudden stroke whilst travelling on a plane back to DC and had to be hospitalised in Philadelphia. Another incident was one of the reporters in Mogadishu who reported for us from time to time has been shot dead in bright daylight two days ago for no reason. My prayers and thoughts are with them. May Allah bless them.
Moving on to a more social note I'm getting to a point where I can safely say I've figured out most of the hot places to go to in DC (hint hint to friends of mine who still need to come visit lol). The areas that are specifically rubbing me the right way are Georgetown (they have a really cosy shisha bar that has a certain friend of mine hooked to the bone lol!), Dupont Circle, which is the upmarket trendy type area and Gallery Place Chinatown, their very own version of our West End where the only Nando's in the country is located.
I can't help but like the fact most movies come out here a lot earlier than back home so I've appointed myself to be a part time cinema attendee/critic. The last film I saw was New in Town with Renee Zellweger. She plays a high-flying city worker on her way up the career ladder when she is asked to relocate from Miami to a tiny village in Minnesota to build up a factory there. She finds herself in a modern-day version of frostbiting Skandinavian medieval times populated with nosy old ladies where they eat a weird mixture that looks like rice pudding for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I think it was called Yapotzel or sumthin pfff.(apparently folks in Minnesota are literally like that!). Anyway to cut a long story short she finds herself freezing her ass off but remarkably finds love in between the icebergs in the form of Harry Connick Jr and they live happily ever after. Not too bad a story for a romcom especially if you fancy a light giggle but quite predictable.
Back to moi I'm slightly saddened as there are a lot of tragedies happening simultanously as of late. A colleague of mine has recently endured a sudden stroke whilst travelling on a plane back to DC and had to be hospitalised in Philadelphia. Another incident was one of the reporters in Mogadishu who reported for us from time to time has been shot dead in bright daylight two days ago for no reason. My prayers and thoughts are with them. May Allah bless them.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
snowmania!
I hear my little island of Britain has come to stand still due to intense weather conditions. The schools were cancelled along with suspended public transport and closed shopping centres! All in the name of health and safety. (I personally think any excuse to have a few off days will do for them lol). It hasn't been this cold for the past 18 years. Mind you it was just as bad here over the inauguration period. I felt like my bones were ready to pack up and give up on me.
I have recently grown fond of the NY Times' online version thanks to a recommendation made by a close friend of mine. They have section called the most searched packed with all sorts of newsy and entertaining items that I have particularly taken a liking to. One of the articles I read left my head pondering on 1 question; how would you explain the difference between 'we're seeing each other', 'we're hooking up' and 'we're going out'? Or better yet under what circumstances would you use each phrase? hmm..
I'm planning to google and put together a list of some of the museums, historical libraries and attraction places here in DC I can visit. I figured I'm a bit more settled now so I can stop pretending to be lost and slowly wiggle my way into becoming a permanent Washingtonian (sniff sniff at the Londoner tag).
I have recently grown fond of the NY Times' online version thanks to a recommendation made by a close friend of mine. They have section called the most searched packed with all sorts of newsy and entertaining items that I have particularly taken a liking to. One of the articles I read left my head pondering on 1 question; how would you explain the difference between 'we're seeing each other', 'we're hooking up' and 'we're going out'? Or better yet under what circumstances would you use each phrase? hmm..
I'm planning to google and put together a list of some of the museums, historical libraries and attraction places here in DC I can visit. I figured I'm a bit more settled now so I can stop pretending to be lost and slowly wiggle my way into becoming a permanent Washingtonian (sniff sniff at the Londoner tag).
Saturday, January 31, 2009
a new era for Somalia
As some of you may know the elections for Somalia's new president has recently taken place with Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed being crowned the new president of Somalia late last night. The event was probably one of the most archaic but transparent event in political history. I was pleasantly surprised as Somalis have long befriended war and anarchy over peace and negotiation. I do hope this marks a beginning of a peaceful era where my people can have some sort of hope in regaining their nation.
That's my political thought for the day out of the way :) I'm off to catch 'New in Town'! (Have you guys noticed I'm becoming a cinemaholic?! lol).
That's my political thought for the day out of the way :) I'm off to catch 'New in Town'! (Have you guys noticed I'm becoming a cinemaholic?! lol).
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
thoughts to share
I came into the office this morning and was having my daily catch-up with some colleagues. It suddenly occurred to me every pressing news we discuss to either include in the news is almost always about fightings and attacks that are constantly taking place in Somalia. We discuss which group has taken over which city and who's the leader of the day in any given area. And we do so without a blink of an emotional eyelid. Civilians dying, religious and social groups fighting each other, the slaughter of young men and women has become the norm of a daily routine in Somalia. It baffles me how people who share the same religion, race, language and culture can be so inhumane towards each other. Nevertheless it seems that when tragedy occurs on a daily basis, the frequency numbs our emotions.
On a more lighter note, I found a Safeway six blocks from where I live last night after walking around for what seemed like an eternity! I managed to buy me some fruit and veg though :)
P.S. did you guys know that pharmacies here sell everything but human flesh? Americans love their one-stop convenience. lmao
On a more lighter note, I found a Safeway six blocks from where I live last night after walking around for what seemed like an eternity! I managed to buy me some fruit and veg though :)
P.S. did you guys know that pharmacies here sell everything but human flesh? Americans love their one-stop convenience. lmao
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