First Interview

   What is your name?

Aj Boton

    Where are you from?

Somali

    Please describe the education system of your country.

As everybody know we had  a local war 30 years ago. For that reason, our education is so week. Our government is poor and it could not offer us a good education. Now for example: I used to live in the capital city in Somali which called magdecho for me as a high school student there was only two good schools and the others were so bad. Usually tanagers in my country think about how they can get money in order to them to survive. In the poor nation, so, they try to do other alternatives rather than education. The problem, the government does not guide them to the right way. And there parents are busy with the war.

What’s the reason that pushed a lot of somales to come to the United State?

That’s is the hard question

Eid: Why?

I would say that they came here to have a better living.. officially, they came here to survive and to have all the necessity of life. They want to raise their children in a good human way with a better education, welfare and all a good things in life.

    How has your culture influenced your people/family values?

I think we took the good things of our cultures and we forget the bad things. Actually, all our culture came from islam. And Until now, we still are holding our culture. and there a lot of Somalian people who are trying to use the American culture.

   What is the form of government in your country?

Oh my god it is hard to tell. But I would say that we do not have a real government. Yes we have a president who we did not elect but he does not have power in our country. I would call our government form a fake democracy in which we do not elect the president and he used the power from other countries to control our nation. I am feeling terrible that we do not have a real government. Our big three tribes fight each other and there is no real government that can stop them.                                         

   Tell me one thing that makes you proud of your country?
   Islam. Even though we have a local war that has no end, we still have the value and the culture of Islam which is great in my opinion. These people who fight in our country, do not have the real Islam view. They think that they are doing the right way of Islam, but they are not. Islam means peace and I wish they know that.          

   What places /sites would you recommend to tourists?
   Hhhhhhhhh(lughing)At least not at this time unless you want to be killed J . In fact we have many good places to visit but not at this time. I hope that everybody would be able to visit us in the next future. What festivals do you celebrate in your country?

    Actually we do not have two religious celebrate which is Eid Alfiter and Eid Aladha. But we do not have any nation celebration different that the main Islamic celebration. 
What's the weather like in your hometown?

  hhhhh for sure it is not like the weather in Minnesota. It is pretty hot in my country. It is what we call a desert weather which usually brings hot and sand storms. Our land is dry, once we have a rain we go out in the streets and enjoy cause it rarely happens in my nation. In the winter the weather changes to a very very cold which usually cause diseases for us at the beginning. 

 What is a type of sport in your country?

    Well there is no formal sport, but the sport we prefer is soccer. Some people love to go hunting and it is a big problem in my country cause there is no laws to protect the animals. And there are some prefer swimming.

 What's a traditional food in your country?

We always eat Goat, Beef, lamb and sometimes chicken is fried in ghee. And we like to eat these meats with a rich especially in lunch.

 What do most women do after they get married in your country? (House wife, working?)

we have our traditional way of life in which the women stays with her children and take care of the house while the man goes out to find a money for his children. But now as life become very complicated in Somalia, women starts to go out and help their men to find a living for their children. Some people thnk that it is not fair that women stay at home and work for her husband but we believe that the women keep their own values when they stay at home. The women is a golden gender in my country, we treat them in a special way.

 What is your ideal job or what you want to do for the future career?

I’m almost graduated from Hamlin University. Any job can give me more money.

 Which country you'd like to go if you want to travel? Why?

I would like to go to Saudi Arabia because I want to make Omrrah and stay in Makah.

 What do your parents believe? Do you follow the same religion as your parents?

We all believe in Islam.

 How long have you been in Untied State?

I have been here more than 10 years

 Can you tell me some of your hobbies?

I like to watch a TV, and play video game, and listening to the Somalian Music and hung out with my friends.

 What will you do after you go back to your home country?

I’m not going back to my country until the war is end.

 Before we finish this interview do you have any word or advice for international students?

They should respect the American culture and they should work hard to get what their want in their future

  Do you think the other country should support the government to stop the war in your country?

I hope the war will stop than I can go back to my home.