During that time a lot has changed. Security has improved thanks to al-Shabab retreating from the city. Mogadishu feels like it is finally being resuscitated from the bloody two-decade long civil war-induced coma. There is also a new crowd calling this seaside city of one million people home. Somalis are returning from all corners of the globe โ some moving back for good, others to seek business opportunities.
Depending on the countries the diasporans are returning from, they bring with them distinct behaviours and ways alien to Mogadishu. Somali-Brits โ the serial title collectors They make up the majority of diasporans, and they love titles more than anything. Only Somali-Brits can fit so many titles on such small cards. Titles are not the only thing they love, though. They are also seasoned penny pinchers. They are experts in Qudbosiro secret marriages.
The Americans โ the Tea Party type This bunch is loud, big and in clothes at least two sizes bigger than your usual Somali. From their dress sense it is difficult to tell whether they came from Dadaab or Denver. They are experts in local clan politics thanks to the liberal number of years they spent out of work and in tea shops in Minneapolis. They usually visit Somalia in large numbers after they have received their tax returns โ the only time they can afford economy class tickets from Minneapolis to Mogadishu.
Despite their views corresponding with the Republican Party, they claim to vote for the Democratic Party. This group treats life as a party and Somalia as a dance floor.
They usually arrive with few things โ like a minor criminal record and a Mongolian scripture tattoo they got while under the influence on a night out in Toronto. If you want them to unfriend you on Facebook, tag them in photos from your graduation ceremony. They lack the social skills of the Canadians and have a dry sense of humour. They are the quietest of the diasporans because they speak a language no Somali in Somalia understands.
