Fah and Abdiwahab hood; Virginia, MD and DC areas are the same. Not much has changed. Relatively, few somalis in these areas compared to MN and Ontario. Somalis in these areas appear to have succeeded but there are still some that love the fadhi-ku-dirir. Had dinner at an Ethiopian restaurant; difficult to get a parking space and you might need a strong intake of 70-90% liquor to digest the heavily yeasted anjeero.
Ohio; Colombus; the usual mall, maqaayad and Menace. I had two lunches at Paradise restaurant and I am sure, I met a somalinetter. The somali men, who sit idly outside the nearby bar are funny (even funnier than those who play cards inside). They will approach every newcomer in town and pose the question; adeer, waan kuu jeedaa Ohio waad ku cusubtahaye ee xageed ka timid? The best answer, I discovered, is to tell them “waxaan ahay geeljire, ee geelina xagguu degaa”?
The food was ok, the hygiene was ghastly and the waiter (possibly a somalinetter) was great. I tried to tip him but he said no.
Minneapolis; I was longing to see MN. The expectation was high. I have been there awhile back. I was not impressed then. I am not impressed now either. For a starter, MN is billed as being home to nearly 100 000 somalis (according to the department of statistics, fadhi-ku-dirir nation) and that Somalis have done exceptionally well. I visited the UOM, the Cedar area, all the way to Rochester and Duluth. I have not done any census but it soon became clear that the 100 000 figure is grossly exaggerated.
The Cedar area appears to be a crime ridden area, people live in rundown flats/low cost public housing (they call it apartments and condos in Canada) and there is an atmosphere of fear. In MN, you will find the real reer baadiyos; no, no, not original reer baadiyas like your correspondent Lamagoodle, but fake ones. I ate at three somali restaurants and I was not impressed. Hygiene was bad. Too much sugar in the tea and the same old suqaar, beer, bariis and baasto.
I visited a clinic for low-income families and it made me understood that I was visiting a nation of haves and havenots.
I saw many somali businesses but, most of it is what maybe termed as survival entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship by imitation.
Ka soco.
Toronto (Torono). I have been to Toronto several times before. It has changed a little bit. There are relatively few somalis living in the Dixon/Albion/Weston areas. Very few somalis on Jane/Finch. Businesses are still in the Weston-Lawrence area.
Small business owners. I visited the mall in Rexdale where there is a cluster of xusul baruurs selling dirac. If she is over 40 she is there. It seems that every garoob is there. They should rename the mall “Garoob Mall”.
Most somalis have climbed the housing ladder. They have moved to the suburbs, but still there are some problems.
But in order to meet the real xusul baruur, nimcatul fashuuq (kuwa nabiga uu u duceeyey, anigana aan u duceeyey), you have to visit the somali “restaurants”; Xawaash (new), Istar, xamarweyne etc in the evening. They sit in groups of 3-4s showing off the latest dirac/dahab not to mention the kub. The female fadhi-ku-dirir is quite entertaining. They talk about the upcoming xaflad; they talk about buraanbur and they talk about politics More importantly from the perspective of your correspondent, they talk about love. Your correspondent was approached several times and he soon realised that Laba qaawan isma qaado. HALAQ(os) vs Halaqos.
Tim Horton (or Tim as the locals call it) is a meeting place. If you are a shrewd lad, you should try your luck in the drive in area; xusul baruurs and young women will drive through and to break the ice, all you ask is “ walaal/inadeer qaxwo/café meesha laga gato ma meeshaanaa?”.
If you are interested in somali politics, male version, visit the fadhi-ku-dirir hub, Banaadir (Biljard). It is in this area and Tims that village states are created and made. LALALAnds
Toronto (Torono) is fascinating. English is the official language but make sure to add “ee” after every sentence.
In conclusion;
a)Almost all somali restaurants have poor hygiene. It seems that the fly is a companion of somalis. I saw a chef visit the washroom and there was no soap.
b)The food is great. Except in MN where they use too much sugar/salt.
c)The people are nice in MN, Ohio and Toronto. Behind the veil of tribalism, there is still somalino.
d)People love eating out. In Europe, dinner is expensive. We have a generation of somalis brought up by eating junk food and ordered food. Who will cook for these kids when they are married?
e)Tim Horton is an institution in Canada. I am not impressed by the coffee.
f)The somali language is rarely used by the young as well as the old
g)Xusul baruurs are everywhere but these are xusul baruur ala cannibals. Adigii baay rabaa inaay ku siibtaan!
h)The waan-daadshe mentality is everywhere. You will find somalis who mock your intelligence by claiming nonsense
i)There is an evolving middle class in MN, Ohio and Toronto. Professionals
j)There is an atmosphere of entrepreneurship but these appear not to be sustainable
k)There are many somalis with mental problems
l)Teeth problem (mainly in the USA)
m)I realised that there is an intellectual emptiness amongst the somalis in the USA. They hardly read newspapers and watch good TV programmes ( it is BBC, Somali TVs and junk TV).
n)The Torontonians are better. But, here it seems there are two kinds of somalis; the well-off and those who still are mentally in Somali.
o) Conspiracy theories are made, spread and sold to you
I will be visiting BC; Quebec and Seattle soon. I will also visit the American south.
subtlety is out the window.
Personal reflections? Look i just asked you simple questions of what you meant by the things you said.