One day, I woke up and saw my mom sitting outside. It was 7 am and cold. We were in our house in Burco, Somaliland. l sat next to her and we talked. She told me that we were moving to the U.S.A. l was shocked. l couldn’t believe what I was hearing. l had mixed emotions: a little happy, a little scared, a little sad. The shock of these emotions. I felt cheerful because I would be getting a better life. I felt scared because I was starting a new life and I felt sad because I was leaving my country and my father.

After many hours of travel from Somaliland to Dubai to New York, we arrived at Boston Logan Airport.  After a long drive, we finally arrived in Lowell. Those first days in Lowell, I noticed many differences between Somaliland and Massachusetts. In Somaliland it was always hot and sunny and in Massachusetts it was cold. The house was different from Somaliland. In Somaliland houses were smaller than in Lowell.

After three months of arrival l started attending Sullivan Middle School. l was 11 years old. The first day of school was scary, everything was new and l did not speak English. But l met three girls who became friends. They helped me locate the bathrooms, my classes, and the lunch room.

But, after three weeks the three girls started ignoring me. They always made fun of me. I just thought they were joking in a positive way because I thought they were my friends.

In class I was the only student wearing a hijab. And soon many students started calling me “the Hijabi Girl.” It made me feel different. I wasn’t sure how to feel, many mixed emotions.  One day these girls started asking me if l could show them my hair. For three days I said no. I had started wearing the hijab only recently and I did not want to take it off. They started telling me that I must have no hair, that was why my head was covered.  After four days l gave in, and showed them my hair in the bathroom to prove to them that I have hair.

l took off my black hijab. They said, “Oh you don’t need this,” pointing to my hijab. “Your hair is beautiful.” Then one of the girls took my hijab from my hand and ran out of the bathroom with it.  l was scared and started crying. if I went outside the boys would be able to see my hair. l was confused and did not know what to do so I stayed hidden in the bathroom. After two hours my gym teacher came to the bathroom and heard me crying. She asked me what I was doing there and why I was crying. l explained to her what happened and she called the three girls and they brought my hijab back.

The four of us were taken to the principal's office. When the principal asked them why did you take her hijab and run, they said, “We were just playing, we are friends.” Because my English was low I could not explain to the principal my side of the story. But the principal called for another student that spoke Somali who helped me with translation. I told the principal my story. The principal called all of our parents and also the police. When the police came they asked me if I wanted to report them. I was very upset, but I said no, because I felt bad that they were now crying, and I remembered that they had helped me when I had first arrived in the US. The principal called my mother to apologize for what happened to me. The three girls were given detention and I didn't see them for three weeks.

Everyone comes from different cultures. And that is a good thing, because we learn from each other. And it's important for me to value my culture and to stand up for myself.

© Umelkayer. All rights reserved. If you are interested in quoting this story, contact the national team and we can put you in touch with the author’s teacher.