Somalia

After finishing my final year of undergraduate studies at the University of Miami, I decided it was time to venture to some of the world’s more remote destinations. Somalia was high on my list, but given the security situation, I wasn’t yet comfortable visiting the capital, Mogadishu, known as one of the most dangerous cities in the world. Instead, I chose to visit Somaliland, a self-declared independent territory internationally recognized as part of Somalia.

On my flight from Dubai, I happened to be seated next to a Frenchman named Benjamin who, like me, stood out among the passengers. We struck up a conversation, and I learned he had moved to Somaliland with his family to start a sustainable farming business. Seeking a quieter, simpler life, he had bought a home there with his wife and two children. After we arrived, he even invited me to witness a traditional halal slaughter at his farm. It was undeniably difficult to watch, but I also felt that if I was going to eat meat, I shouldn’t be completely disconnected from where it comes from.

By chance, I was also visiting during Ramadan. My local guide, Guled, invited me to his family’s home to break the day’s fast at iftar. Sharing a meal and spending the evening with his family became one of the most memorable parts of my time there and exemplified the hospitality I encountered time and time again throughout the region. Beyond those experiences, I wandered through bustling camel markets and visited the ancient cave paintings at Laas Geel, estimated to be around 5,000 years old. Somaliland was fascinating, but when I left, I still felt I hadn’t truly experienced Somalia without visiting Mogadishu itself.

Two years later, as a more experienced traveler, I returned to visit Mogadishu. On the day I arrived, three rounds of mortar attacks struck near the presidential palace, prompting the international airport to shut down. Military vehicles rolled through the streets as security forces responded, and the U.S. Embassy warned that additional attacks were possible. My original flight to Ethiopia was canceled, but I was eventually able to leave the country on a domestic flight to Somaliland. Despite everything, what stayed with me most was the resilience of the Somali people. Watching them carry on with their daily lives despite the constant threat of violence was one of the most powerful lessons of my entire journey.