Xaawo

To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.

-Oscar Wilde

Three months went by, and Xaawo has learned a heap about herself, her obstacles, and her new home. Her English language skills are becoming a crowd-pleaser, she's been getting straight A's, and she's developing a strong bond with Samara, an American-Russian girl who attends the same school as her. Since she immigrated from Mogadishu to Minnesota, Samara hasn't left her side; she's walked every step of a dark, scary, and lengthy trek every single day. If it weren't for Samara, Xaawo would be a martian walking mindlessly and fearfully in the complex world.

On one April morning, Xaawo told herself something key. She reminded herself, "I'm worth being an integral part of American society, even if my clothes, my skin-colour, my accent, and my religious/cultural beliefs don't align with American values".

Those were her final words before she quietly and nonchalantly walked out of her ivory-painted bungalow for a productive and positive day at school.

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Authors notes

Xaawo (pronounced HAA-WO), is the Somali version of the name Eve meaning "life".

Mogadishu (locally known as Xamar or Hamar): The capital and most populous city of Somalia.