Nomad Diaries

[Allamagan]

Excerpt: ‘Nomad Diaries’ By Yasmeen Maxamuud

 

 

Nuptial Jumble

 

Warsan wondered, like other married women who find themselves in less than idealistic

marriages, what has happened to her dream life. What went wrong? She and Hannad had been

madly in love when they first got married. They carefully handcrafted their life—or at least she

thought they did. She went into it with literal seriousness. She thought she had it all. A good

American education afforded to her by her parents, back in the day when her father was a big

shot government official, a well paying job as an investment banker and an amazingly fulfilling

life. When she met him, she thought Hannad was the epitome of a good man. Charming,

handsome and hard working, even her friends thought Hannad was a good catch. Warsan’s

dilemma of meeting a compatible man has become a concern. When she was finally ready for

marriage, the streets were not exactly paved with accomplished bachelors she could choose from.

The war and its aftermath created a dry spell of suitable bachelors. The likes of her were shunned

for their education, opinion, worldliness and obvious rejection of war-produced bachelors whose

soul and sanity were lost at war. Her status and education limited her chances of marriage.

Somali men detested women like her. They said she was opinionated, aggressive and self-

assured. As the pressure to get married mounted, the choices appeared limited. She would have

to remain single or marry an American?

 

To marry an American was totally out of the question. She’d seen enough mixed-

marriage misery with Deeqa Ladan, and her marriage to Steve Dobson was not at all what one

would call ideal. Deeqa Ladan was a close friend who struggled with her marriage. Two kids and

a plethora of problems later she was alienated from her family, as Steve felt at odds with an un-

accepting Somali culture. Awkward and lonely Deeqa Ladan often came across as defensive,

while she attempted to explain away her marital choice. She was far gone into American culture

as a soccer mom who was busy chauffeuring kids from one after-school activity to another while

her family members, mostly recent comers were struggling to decipher the required curriculum

to go from middle school to high school. She would almost always require someone to decode

Somali culture when she was around her family, appearing pretentious. As young lovers and

their ideals meet reality, the result could often be an ugly episode of uncompromising life with

daunting consequences. Steve and Deeqa Ladan attempted to fit their college puppy love and

social activism into the challenging reality of their mixed lives, one utterly haphazard and

Somali, and the other over-planned and American. There was a plethora of refugee family to

consider, two baffled kids who often felt unwelcome by both families, extended family in

Somalia who were in dire need and then of course American parents in nursing homes. All and

all from the look of things the life Steve and Deeqa Ladan planned in their respective dorm

rooms at Georgetown University, she in business school and he in medical school, appeared

difficult. Back in the day when everything appeared a possibility while hand-in-hand protesting

Apartheid in front of the South African Embassy, or in front of the Supreme Court to stand in

solidarity with one group or another, they thought their love would transcend their background.

On their wedding night they danced to Tupak’s “Letter to the President” not anticipating

the difficulty multicultural marriage would bring into their idealistic lives. They never thought

the huge divide that existed between the two cultures would ever cut into their lives. But it did,

and when Steve announced he was no longer in love with her, Deeqa Ladan would spend many

tearful evenings with Warsan, discouraging her from ever marrying an American.

 

Although Warsan already knew that it was never an option for her. Imagine exposing a poor

unsuspecting American man to the unrelenting trauma of her family—having an American man

under the same roof as Nadifo. Whatever sanity Nadifo had, if one could actually argue she

possessed any, would surely be further traumatized by such a predicament.

That is not to say Warsan had not had her share of trial encounter with Americans both

black and white. In fact the idea of marriage to one Connor O’Donnell presented itself with

urgency more than once when viable Somali prospects dwindled. Sometimes she wondered if she

were destined for the confusing matrimonial of Steve and Deeqa Ladan until she met Hannad.

Warsan made no excuses for desiring a man with a high intellect. She did not want an

ignoramus man who had no knowledge of worldly issues, politics, social issues, art, music and

culture. Most dismissed her desire as irrational, alluding to the fact that she was a pompous

educated woman who wanted to use her knowledge as a weapon. Indeed, she did not hide her

desires for a person who could discuss Picasso, Tolstoy and the Othman Empire. Most Somali

men were shocked by her quick intellect and immediately felt intimidated by her knowledge, and

awareness. A very beautiful cordial encounter would end up in an argument where the man

would accuse her of intellectual snobbery. One went as far as accusing her of competing too

much with males, as if books, newspapers and issues of intellect were a male domain. The men

she met expected her to show obedience, when she defied them she was compared to Arraweelo,

a mythical queen who neutered all the men under her reign.

Then came along Hannad, whom she referred to as her halyey, in a manner of speaking

her prince charming. When she first met him in her eye he defied all the misconceptions she

stereotyped about Somali men. He was romantic, kind, giving and thoughtful. He was an

engineer by profession and was gainfully employed with an engineering firm, and for Warsan

that was a plus. Theirs was a love at first sight. They met at a friend’s picnic and were married

six months later.

 

As they prepared for their life together, Hannad was part of every aspect of the

preparations. He accompanied her to wedding halls and caterers. He even helped pick the dress,

which was costumed made. Warsan just couldn’t stop talking about her charming fiancé. He was

generous and refined. Being part of the elite that run the country and having being exposed to

western beliefs at an early age, Warsan’s philosophy was not typical; she possessed a western

outlook on life. Hannad seemed to accept that, although it was a bit foreign to him. She loved the

fact that he went along with her ways, never expecting her to assume a typical Somali wife

arrangement.

 

Before their children were born, they took vacations to places she fanaticized as romantic

location where they could rekindle their love. Brazil, Morocco and Jamaica in one year, Ireland

and Istanbul in another. They reserved one night a month as their special night to rediscover and

renew their love for each other. These rituals meant nothing to him, but he went along to

harmonize his life with her and she adored him for that. But suddenly, here he was, clumsy, lazy,

rude and unromantic. The Hannad she had married, the kind, romantic, loving husband, had

suddenly become someone she was unable to recognize let alone accept.

[Indhoos]

You forgot to include where to find it.

[5]

Nomad Diaries: A Romantic Thriller by Yasmeen Maxamuud

 

1970s Mogadishu. Political parties, beach parties, assassinations and a tragic love in a fading country.

 

Now that would sell.

 

On a more serious note, the synopsis is too long.

 

Has anybody read Ignorance is the Enemy of Love? Someone gave it to me as a gift, but I've never had the time to read it. Any good? Thoughs, comments?

[Jacaylbaro]

HERE

[Paragon]

I am looking forward to Yasmeen's thriller. It sounds very promising.

 

Originally posted by G G:

Nomad Diaries: A Romantic Thriller by Yasmeen Maxamuud

 

1970s Mogadishu. Political parties, beach parties, assassinations and a tragic love in a fading country.

 

Now

that

would sell.

 

On a more serious note, the synopsis is too long.

 

Has anybody read Ignorance is the Enemy of Love? Someone gave it to me as a gift, but I've never had the time to read it. Any good? Thoughs, comments?

It's the translation of Aqoon darro waa u nacab jacayl'... possibly one of the best books ever writen in Somali. It was a classic in Somalia and its an amazing story. In Somali that is. I don't know about its translation.

 

If you had the original copy (Somali) I wouldn't mind mugging it from you.

[Allamagan]

Originally posted by Indhoos:

You forgot to include where to find it.

Got it thru my FB. You can read more here

[5]

J11, actually I received the copy from the translator herself (from a European country), so it's in a language you probably don't know (shock horror I'm "eurotrash"!)

 

Is Yasmeen's novel a thriller? I thought it sounded quite Revolutionary Road.

[Cara.]

^Have you read Nuraddin Farah? I'm pretty sure he wrote the manual on thrillers featuring political assassinations against backdrop of 1970s Xamar, with generous helpings of intrigue and torrid affairs.

 

Just cannot get into his prose though...

[FatB]

lol who needs to read the book know... thanks AL.

[SeeKer]

Just FYI for MN peeps, Yasmin is in town signing books at the LOFT literary center on Washington Ave, Sat (5/22/10) at 3 pm. Hope you all take the time out to come and support her

[Allamagan]

Support ku lahaa....somali aqoon! somali maxaan cunnaa mooye maxaanu qabanaa ma yaqaanin. Soo xisaabi bal intii timaada oo gadata bal inay 20 gaaraan. Wishing her good luck!

[SeeKer]

^So cynical my friend. She did do an informal read at a somali owned cafe and the place was packed over the capacity. I believe it was about 45-60 people there.

[Allamagan]

^did they buy the book aanan ka ahayn inay gabadha kusoo xoomen?

[SeeKer]

Haa noh they bought the books and contrary to what you said there were no females present except for two other women. They also asked pointed questions to the author. Any other cynicism and doubts you want to cast on the events? lol.

[Che -Guevara]

^What's world coming to when you have Faraxs coming out in droves to support Xalimo while the Xalimos skipped the whole thing.

 

Kodus to all Faraxs