Wadaeaan Hamar!

Kenda says goodbye to Mogadishu.

Kenda took one last look at Mogadishu. It was beautiful and sun-washed and dotted with the proud, green palm trees lining every street.

All beauty is secretly dangerous, Kenda thought bleakly.

Still, she loved Hamar greatly. Despite every thief and killer hiding in the city, there were flower gardens and good children and kind market vendors. The stray dogs that wandered through alleyways and dusty paths were friendly to her. Kenda also had a large group of friends. Her best friend, Safa Haddad, had thrown Kenda a going-away party yesterday. It was fun; Safa promised to keep in touch. Kenda promised to visit as soon as she got a chance.

Initially, Kenda was against leaving, but Safa told her that she would have a great time. She could work on English and make connections and find new friends.

“I don’t need new friends,” Kenda complained.

“You make friends everywhere you go,” Safa reminded her, which made Kenda smile. Before Kenda boarded the plane with her family, Safa said, ku qabso ― Enjoy it. Kenda blinked away tears and made a quick prayer to God to watch over Safa and her family and all of Kenda’s friends and family in Somalia. She said goodbye to Mogadishu and all of the thieves and killers and small children and stray dogs in the marketplace.

In Canada, she would be in grade ten. Kenda had never been the new kid at a school. For her whole life Kenda had gone to a private school in Mogadishu, and had grown up with all of her friends. Kenda’s younger brother Mehdi was excited to move because he heard that everyone in Canada eats pancakes with syrup every morning.