1. The
Minnesota International Middle School’s Summer School News Magazine
INTERNATIONALTIMES
Features Inside
INTERNATIONAL: President of Puntland
State of Somalia visits MIMS
CULTURE: Ethnic languagues, food,
fashion, lifestyle, celebrations, arts
and more
ADVICE: Life Lessons from Adults
to Students
PROFILES: Seven Students
ShareTheir Stories
FEATURE:TenTips for
getting better grades
Fromarou
ndtheglobetoyourfingerti
ps
Issue 1: July 9, 2009
2.
3. Editor & Advisor
Liala Helal
Copy Editor
Nasra Abdi
Photographers
Abdullahi Gessod
Liala Helal
Reporters
Nasra Abdi
Muhuba Ade
Abdullahi Gessod
Hussein Hussein
Samia Osman
Najma Warsame
Ruqiya Warsame
Contributing Writers
Megan Abdirahman
Rami Shaker
Sammy Shaker
Editor’s Desk
Minnesota International Middle School (MIMS) has
a history of teaching youth of many diverse backgrounds
and cultures. To showcase the diversity of life experiences,
interests, and successes in the school, we created this news
magazine. This is the place to get exclusive news, opinions,
and features relating to MIMS, and the people who work
and study in it.
We needed a name to relay the wealth of diversity and global
representation of the school. Thus, we came up with The
International Times. The name not only refers to the
countries students have come from, but also the global
lessons and knowledge accumulated on a daily basis.
Our goal was also to make young authors out of the
students at MIMS. For most of the students staffing this
news magazine, this was the first time they worked on a
school publication. There were many firsts for them as they
learned about the world of journalism, reporting, and news
writing. There were many successes and times of excitement,
including an honorable visit from the president of Puntland,
State of Somalia. We are proud to share our end-product
with you, which is a culmination of many days of hard work,
dedication, and perserverence.
We hope you enjoy and most importantly learn something
new from this news magazine. Our mission is to provide you
with news you can’t get anywhere else and to educate and
inform you along the way. It is with pride and excitement
that we give you over to the very first issue of The
International Times.
Liala Helal
1
4. Religion
affects culture
for some
Muslims and Catholics share
their perspectives
MIMS summer
school a success
By Nasra Abdi
Summer school at Minnesota International
Middle School (MIMS) is different than many other
summer programs. Throughout the halls are motivated
students who are excited to learn.
It is said that some people think of the word
‘dumb’ when they hear the word ‘summer school’. And
other people think of the words ‘knowledge thirst’
because they know that not all people go to summer
school because they have to, but simply because they
want to gain more knowledge through the experience.
The purpose of summer school at MIMS is to work
with students with their academics and to keep them on
track, said Abdirashid Warsame, director of Minnesota
International Middle school. Students can forget all they
have learned during the regular school year if they don’t
have help studying for at least a part of the summer. The
summer program helps students to be prepared for their
next grade and remember some, if not all, that they have
learned the year before.
“One thing that makes the program successful is
the eagerness the students have for learning and also
the helping hands,” Warsame said.
Summer School continued on next page
In what ways does religion
affect your culture? Some say it
doesn’t because “to a Muslim
person, culture and religion should
be the same,” said Ms. Suhair
Khalil, Summer School Coordina-
tor, who is also Muslim. “To me,
religion is like an umbrella, you
live under it. It influences how you
dress, what you do for fun and it
even affects what you eat. It
basically affects your whole
lifestyle.”
Mr. Abdirashid Warsame
agrees. The Minnesota
International Middle School
Director, who is also Muslim, says
in Islam, your religion
automatically affects your culture.
“It definitely influences it.”
Some people of other
religions, however, view it differ-
ently. Mr. Joel Weingart, a grade
6 math teacher and a Catholic,
says his religion affects his culture
through holidays. “During some
times of the year, I celebrate differ-
ent holidays, one of them is Eas-
ter.” He also participates in Lent.
Some Catholics feel religion
affects their culture more heavily.
Ms. Andrea Kolstad, a Catholic
and a grade 5 math teacher, says
her religion affects almost
everything in her life. “It affects
what I am exposed to, how I dress,
where I am comfortable going, and
the food I eat,” she said.
By Samia Osman
2
5. Summer School continued from previous page:
Something else that makes the summer school
program successful is the dedicated teachers and the
fact that administrators monitor the program’s prog-
ress, said Nicole Nelson, assistant director of MIMS.
“And the motivation of the students to work on their
skills and getting better also makes a difference,” she
said.
There are approximately 120 students invited to
the summer school program, however, all of them do
not participate. All types of students participate in the
program. There are students who want to learn more
and get a good head-start in high school. There are oth-
ers who need more attention and help with basic skills.
Those basic skills can include anything from math to
reading and writing.
Each group of students has different skill sets, so
the summer program caters to them by providing many
different activities. Some groups need individual
attention so there are small class sizes so teachers can
give students all the attention they need, said Suhair
Khalil, Summer Program Coordinator at MIMS.
There is also a test that all students have to take
at the beginning of the program and again at the end
so teachers can compare the results. One group that is
exempt from taking this test is the Gifted &
Talented group, which is in a class that focuses on
different things every year, with the goal of improv-
ing communication skills. Last year’s group focused on
public speaking and speech skills and this year they
focused on journalism and writing skills.
Nelson said the dedicated teachers also make
the program a success. Expectations of the teachers of
summer school are to improve students’ English, help
them acquire good study habits, especially in reading
and math, said Nelson. In addition, Khalil added that
teachers will teach students to love continued learning,
and help students with test-taking skills.
“My hope for summer school in the future is
that we continue every year with many successes,” said
Khalil.
Ten Tips for
getting better
grades
By Muhuba Ade
1. Study hard
2. Stay after school if you need
help
3. Always remember to rem-
edy any conflict you have with
homework
4. Go to the library to get help
5. Turn in all your homework
6. Concentrate in class
7. Spend more time studying
and less time watching TV
8. Go to bed on time so you
can refresh your mind
9. Go over your work
10. Always let your parents
know how you are doing in
school, and always believe in
yourself!
3
6. Mr. Abdullahi Aly
What makes Mr. Abdullahi Aly happy is when
his students have an ‘aha!’ moment when
discovering something new in math. The
Minnesota International Middle School summer
program grade 8 math teacher
loves to see his students
understand what he is
teaching. His advice
to students involves
respecting others.
“If I could change
something back in
middle school, it would
be the way I learned
and the way respected
my teachers.” He hopes his
students also understand the impact of what they
are doing now. “If you’re successful in middle
school, you shall achieve more in high school and
throughout your
lifetime,” said Mr. Aly.
Mr. Eric Brandt
“Be yourself, have a positive attitude and work on
building your friendships,” said Mr. Eric Brandt,
a summer school teacher who wants to change
many students for the better.
Following your heart
is not what many
students in middle
school do, but they
don’t know where
this simple advice
can lead them.
A person can do
whatever he dreams
if he follows this advice. Mr.
Brandt’s dream was to get a college
degree. “A college education is something that I
value the most because if I didn’t have it, I would
have people telling me what to do,” said Mr.
Brandt.
Mr. Ahmed Gedi
Prepare for high school,
because it’s something
that is difficult, said
Mr. Ahmed Gedi
an Educational
Assistant at Minnesota
International Middle
School. “If I could go
back to middle school,
I would go and study and get
ready for high school so it wouldn’t be as hard,
especially in math,” said Mr. Gedi. He never
wants to stop pursuing knowledge. What makes
him happy in life is being able to keep learning
and staying educated. “Even though I am very
old, it doesn’t stop me from learning, because I
learn something new everyday,” said Mr.Gedi.
Ms. Mary Groff
What would make
her happy in life is to
make a difference in
the world, said Mary
Beth Groff, 6th grade
reading teacher at
Minnesota International
Middle School. “I think
that is why I am here,” she
said Ms. Groff also has some advice
for those who will listen. One piece of advice she
had for students at MIMS was to find things they
like to read, weather it is books or magazines,
that are interesting to improve their reading
skills. She also advises students to have a good
night’s sleep so that you’ll be able to come to
school ready to listen in class.
Life Lessons...
4
7. Ms. Groff is giving this advice from her
experience, of course. She is giving this advice
to anyone who will listen so you won’t have any
regrets later on. According to Ms. Groff, if she
had a chance to go back to middle school, she
would work harder in math. Learn different ways
to do it, “because I didn’t understand it back then.
It is important and I could have done more things
if I were better at math.”
Mr. Roger Hanson
One piece of advise Mr.
Roger Hanson, a social
studies teacher at
MIMS, gave to his
students is to come to
school prepared. He
said that if he could
go back and change
something about his
middle school experience,
“I would listen to my teacher
more and get all my homework get done. And I
would also be nice to everyone.” What makes Mr.
Hanson happy is his family, friends, religion, and
teaching his students. He also likes playing and
watching sports. Mr. Hanson loves learning new
things everyday. He strongly believes in respect,
because people might not like you, but they have
to respect you. “Treat others the way you want to
be treated,” he said.
Ms. Asha Hassan
Ms. Asha Hassan, the
cook for Minnesota
International Middle
School might as well
have a list of advice
for students at MIMS.
For a student to respect
their elders is the most
important, along with being a good student,
holding on to their beliefs, and not to give in to
peer pressure. A student to treat people good and
with respect no matter what their race or religion
is another piece of wisdom from Ms. Hassan.
Also, it isn’t good to have a bad temper, she said,
and students should be able to do what is good
for them. “It is important for students to make
good choices and also for a person to be likeable,”
she said. To Ms. Hassan, nothing can compete
with having a good family and being healthy.
“Family and health are important to have in life,”
said Ms. Hassan.
Mr. Ali Issa
Mr. Ali Issa’s advice to
middle school students is
to have good behavior
and work hard on your
school work. And to be
calm and disciplined
because it is easier for
students to learn and
for teachers to teach this
way. When Mr. Issa was
asked “What would you
have changed if you were given a chance to go
back to middle school?” He said, “I would have
changed my effort because I didn’t work very
hard in middle school and if I had I could have
done many things.” What makes Mr. Issa happy
is having a good education and for his children to
have a good education. Mr. Issa would like to add
that you have to respect your elders, your family
and your teachers because “disrespect gets you
nowhere.”
Life Lessons continued on next page
5
8. ...from adults to students
Mr. Abshir Isse
“Work hard and be
responsible through your
years in middle school,
high school and col-
lege,” said Mr.
Abshir Isse, Parent
Liason and Transpor-
tation Supervisor for
MIMS. If Mr. Isse could
change something back in
mid- dle school it would be the way
he learned and how he respected his teachers. “If
you build the background of your education in
middle school, you will be tough in high school
and in college”. One of the many things that Mr.
Isse enjoys is to be educated and work hard.
“Learn forever and you will be educated forever,”
he said. He also
advises students to be proactive. “Remember,
God helps those who help themselves.”
Ms. Suhair Khalil
Love each other; we will
not live forever, said Ms.
Suhair Khalil, Summer
Program Coordinator
at Minnesota Interna-
tional Middle School.“I
believe that when
students are friends
to each other, they will
never have any conflict such
as fight- ing and bullying,” she said. What
makes her happy in life is to be close to God. She
also values education.“I want to tell every stu-
dent: do not stop learning. Keep trying to learn
and make sure you get the highest degree,” she
added. She also advises students not to take any-
thing for granted.“Appreciate everything around
you, appreciate the air you breathe in, the street
you walk in. Appreciate the friend you have and
the friend you talk to,” she said. “So please appre-
ciate everything around you even if it’s storm or
rain.”
Ms. Jennifer Koerner
“Try as hard as you can and do your homework,”
said Ms. Jennifer Koerner a grade 5
reading teacher. She said
that doing these things is
a sure fire way of getting
through middle school.
If Ms. Jennifer could
go back to school be-
ing nicer is something
she would work on. “I
would be nicer to every-
one because as an adult I
don’t feel well about that,”she said.
What makes Ms. Jennifer happy is making a dif-
ference and having friends and family.
Ms. Andrea Kolstad
One of the lessons Ms. Andrea Kolstad, a grade
5 math teacher at MIMS, wants to pass on to
middle school students is to
work hard and not always
follow the crowd. When
asked if there was
anything Ms.Kolstad
would change, she
said “I wouldn’t care
so much about what
others thought.” What
makes Ms. Kolstad happy
in life is to be educated, to
make a difference, to have a family, and
to be healthy.
6
9. Ms. Hodan Mohamed
Our students at MIMS
have to focus on their
studies and make sure
that they achieve their
goals in life, said Ms.
Hodan Mohamed,
Middle School Office
Manager. And these
goals have to stick with
them throughout middle
school, high school and even in college,
she said. “If I had a chance to go back to school,
I would have focused more on my education and
the way I respected my teachers”, she said. Ms.
Mohamed would like to see the students at MIMS
focus and keep on learning, no matter what hap-
pens in life.
Ms. Nicole Nelson
Keep a good attitude no
matter what happens,
work hard, and sur-
round yourself with
positive attitudes, said
Ms. Nicole Nelson,
Middle School Assis-
tant Director. Growing
up shy, Ms. Nelson advis-
es students to try to be more
outgo- ing. “Try getting to know new
people,” she said. Her advice to middle school
students is: “Middle school can be an exciting or
stressful time, but it depends on how you look at
it and how hard you work,” she said. What makes
Ms. Nelson happy is to make a difference in the
world and to be healthy.
Mr. Paul Naegeli
“Treat others the way you
need to be treated,”
said Mr. Paul Naegeli,
MIMS Maintenance
Engineer.Be a dili-
gent student in school
because later in life it
will aid you, be ready for
high school, study a lot,
and make sure you read, he
said. Be yourself no matter where
you are. Believe in yourself and be a confident
person. Do what your heart tells you to do, added
Mr. Naegeli. He said if he could go back to middle
school, he would not change anything because
he had a good time in middle school and did his
work. What makes Mr. Paul happy is to be edu-
cated, to make difference in the world, to have a
family, and to be healthy.
Mr. Mohamud Samantar
Mr. Mohamud Samantar’s
advice to middle school
students is to learn and
focus on there educa-
tion; to attend school
every day. When the
MIMS Educational As-
sistant was asked what
he would change if he
was given a chance to go
back to middle school he said, “I would
change my behavior because it got me into a lot
of trouble.” Mr. Samantar says that what makes
him most happy is to be educated. He also says he
hopes that his students will be great students who
focus on their education. “Without education, you
can’t help the world, your family, or even your-
self,” he said.
7
10. Mr. Abdullahi Salad
“The advice I would give
middle school students
is that they have to be
willing to go to high
school and it means
that they need to
do what needs to be
done,” said Mr. Abdula-
hi Salad, a MIMS Edu-
cational Assistant. If he
had a chance to go back to middle
school, he would participate more in sports so
that when he got to high school, he could get
more involved. When he was in middle school, he
wanted to become a pilot as an adult. “I graduated
from high school and I got into college to learn
piloting. I’m still trying my best to accomplish my
dream,” he said. “In life, you have to follow your
dreams and follow your heart.” What makes him
happy is having a family. “ I love my family and I
love my daughter,” he said. “She means the world
to me.”
Mr. Nathan Starks
“One thing I want to see
from the middle school
to high school transi-
tion is maturity: to
know that whatever
you do affects you
in someway, positive
or negative,” said Mr.
Nathan Starks, a grade 7
reading teacher, when
asked his advice to middle school
students. If Mr. Starks could change something
about his time in middle school it would be to
participate in more sports and be in more stu-
dent groups and activities, because you only have
so many years in school and it’s good to make
the most of it. What makes Mr. Starks happy is
simple things in life like friends, going to movies
and playing games. Mr. Starks says “the harder
you work now, the farther you will go in life.”
Mr. Abdirashid Warsame
One of the pieces of wis-
dom Mr. Abdirashid
Warsame, Middle
School Director has
for students is to think
about college now
because it might be too
late in high school. “I
wish I knew what was
ahead of me when I was
go- ing to high school, because I
would have changed my thinking toward it.” Mr.
Warsame also advises his students to seek good
friends and role models that can help you through
your success. “Your friends have to be on the
same page as you, they have to have their minds
on their education,” said Mr. Warsame. He is
happy to be working with middle school students,
“because I see they are a group of young adults,
who teach me something new everyday. Every-
thing they do is interesting,” he said. What makes
Mr. Warsame happy is to be educated, healthy,
and to have a family. “Having all those things, I
can change the world for the better.”
Mr. Joel Weingart
What somebody says about you today will not
mat- ter tomorrow, said Mr. Joel
Weingart, a grade 7 math
and reading teacher at
MIMS. “If I could go
back and change some-
thing in my middle
school years, I would
not worry as much
about what others
thought of me,” Mr. We-
ingart said. His advice to
mid- dle school students is to start
doing your work now, because it only gets harder
from here. What makes him happy in life is his
family. “I think a good family makes you healthy
and rich inside,” he said. His career also makes
him happy. He urges his students to remember
those who helped them along the way. “Never
forget those who made you what you are.”
8
11. Mr. Jama Mohamed
If I had a chance to go back
in time to when I was
teenager, I would have
taken any opportunity
to seek education, said
Jama Mohamed, a
volunteer at Minnesota
International Middle
School, also known as
MIMS. Mohamed didn’t
have many opportunities to learn
back then in Somalia.
When the opportunity to learn presented
itself to Mohamed, he didn’t have money and
couldn’t afford to go to school and he was a man
with a lot of responsibilities. Today, Mohamed
wants to give advice to the students of this gen-
eration around the world. “My advice is for the
teenage students around the world to seek knowl-
edge because knowledge is the light, and without
knowledge is to be in a dark place”, he said.
What would make Mohamed happy in life is
for there to be peace in this world, to have good
health, and to be with his family. According to
Mohamed, if you are from somewhere other then
America, you should learn both the cultures of
where you came from and were you are as well as
the languages. And also to keep your culture and
religion, and to respect those around you.
Ms. Lindsay Fulmer
“Work hard and take time
to play,” said Ms. Lind-
say Fulmer a substitute
teacher. This is not
typical advice a teacher
would give, but Fulmer
said that it would be
something that is nice
to do for yourself. When
asked what she would do if
given the opportunity to go back to
middle school she answered “making new friends
and not hanging around the same crowd.” Some-
thing that is very important to Ms. Fulmer is her
family, friends and being outdoors.
Reach Your Goal
A poem by
Najma Warsame
I try I try
But I always cry
I read I read
But the teacher tells me to speed
I try my best
But I never rest
They think they’re so cool
So they drop out of school
They think they’re smart
So they don’t work with their
heart
They think they’re strong
But they’re totally wrong
But I stay in school
Cause I’m not a fool
I’m so cool!
Now I have reached my goal
When they come to me for help
they trust me with their soul
9
12. President of Puntland State of
Somalia visits Minnesota
International Middle School
Guest makes surprise appearance in classroom
By Nasra Abdi
Cameras flashed and students were in awe as President Abdirahman Mohamed
Mohamud, current president of Puntland State of Somalia (a regional autonomy)
made a surprise appearance in the Gifted and Talented Journalism classroom. School
administrators announced that a distinguished guest was coming to visit, but did not
reveal his identity until the President walked into the classroom himself.
“I was shaking,” exclaimed Muhuba Ade, a grade 7 student. “I was not expect-
ing him to come.”
President Mohamud was originally visiting Washington, D.C., and extended his
visit to Minnesota. According to Abdirashid Warsame, Director of Minnesota Inter-
national Middle School (MIMS) the President wanted to see the Somali community,
as Minneapolis is home to the largest Somali population in the country. President
Mohamud was in Minnesota for three days.
The president was glad to see future journalists in MIMS Gifted & Talented
classroom. He even offered to give one of the students, Najma Warsame, his daugh-
ter’s contact information so that they may become pen pals. His daughter’s name is
also Najmo.
President Mohamud’s visit to MIMS was an unscheduled visit. The president was
amazed to see the large number of Somali students at the school and was even more
amazed at the fact that most were here for a long time and hadn’t forgotten their na-
tive tongue.
“It was good to see him coming to visit an educational institute,” said Abdirashid
Warsame, “I felt honored that he came.”
The president was originally here for various business meetings, said Randal
Eckart, principal of Twin Cities International Elementary school, where the Presi-
dent also visited.
“There were things that obviously impressed the President, like the large num-
ber of students in the school, things that the summer school students have been
studying, and how all the students haven’t forgotten Somali,” he said.
After his visit to the school, the president headed to a meeting with the Mayor
of Minneapolis.
”I know that this visit to our school is a good will,” said Eckart. “In turn, we are
expressing our good wishes for him with his time in service to the people in Punt-
land.”
10
13. Student Profiles
Basketball
Lover Wants
Memorial
By Sammy Shaker
Rami Shaker, an 11-year-
old avid basketball fan, wants a
Mount Rushmore style memo-
rial built for him after he dies.
He claims that if he gets what he
wants, everybody will know who
he is.
Shaker has always had a
reason for wanting to shine. Born
in 1998 as the youngest of six,
Shaker’s accomplished brothers
and sisters seem to have cast him
in the shadows, but he still man-
ages to not be left behind. He is a
great student, his teachers claim,
with a thirst for knowledge that
is far greater than any other stu-
dent’s.
But Shaker still likes hav-
ing fun every once in a while.
He enjoys watching and playing
both basketball and football, and
he loves playing video games.
He also likes to predict cham-
pionship chances. When asked
his thoughts on the Cleveland
Cavaliers’ chances in the 2010
NBA Championship, he replied:
“They have no chance, and the
[Los Angeles] Lakers are going
to win.”
Basketball Lover continued on
next page
Young Girl; Big
Dreams
By Samia Osman
“I want justice to be sought
out for the right people.”
What Muhuba Ade, 13,
in Minneapolis, Minnesota is
talking about is her dream as a
lawyer. Ade’s favorite job is a
lawyer and she is doing every-
thing she can to become one, like
paying attention in school. Ade
wants to get into criminal law.
She recently decided this when
she saw someone on T.V judged
unfairly and she wanted to make
sure that never happened again.
She says her happiest mo-
ment was when she was born.
But Ade isn’t always happy. She
says that she hates it when death
occurs in the family. Ade grew
up in Kenya to escape the war in
Somalia. She would like to visit
Saudi Arabia. She is an inge-
nious, pretty, and confident per-
son who knows what she is doing.
Her friends say she is loud, kind,
and brave. Ade loves spending
time with her family. Her par-
ents are the ones who had the
biggest impact and her grandma
is her hero.
Big Dreams continued on next
page
Teen Yearns
to Visit Disney
Land in Other
Countries
By Muhuba Ade
Ruqiya Warsame, 13,
would die to go to Disney Land
and Disney World in other coun-
tries. She would like to learn
about how an American fun-spot
is done in other countries.
“Other countries are so
different than this country,” she
said. “It’s so interesting to see.”
She also wants to experi-
ence something different in her
career. After watching shows
about doctors and the E.R ,Wars-
ame wants to live the dramatic
life she sees on T.V. She also
likes to save others.
When Warsame grows
up, she wants her career to be a
nurse in the Emergency room.
“What I really want to
be doing is helping people,” she
said. “People really deserve it’’
Warsame was born in
1996. The people who influenced
her the most are her parents.
Disney Land continued on next
page
11
14. Loss Leaves
13-year-old
Optimistic,
Independent
By Ruqiya Warsame
Her stepfather left her at
the age of five. Soon after, Samia
Osman, now 13, was forced to
leave war-torn Somalia, the
country she loved. But those
things haven’t set her back. In-
stead, they have made her cou-
rageous and competitive, and
optimistic.
“The happiest moment of
my life was when I was born,”
she said.
And the saddest, she re-
calls, was when she didn’t see her
stepfather for eight years. “I was
sad when my stepfather left, be-
cause I didn’t know where he was
going,” she said. “I didn’t know if
he would ever come home.”
Osman, now a Minnesota
resident, was born and raised in
Somalia, and she had a very dif-
ficult time leaving the country
she called home. Osman says
it was necessary because of the
war that took many unfortunate
peoples lives and Osmans family
didn’t want to leave anyone be-
hind or dead.
Her life experiences have
molded her into a person who
counts on herself.
“I want to be independent
and don’t want to count on peo-
ple for what I need,” she said.
Independent continued on next
page
Basketball Lover
continued:
For the past 2009 NBA Finals,
Shaker was also with the Los An-
geles Lakers against the Orlando
Magic. His love of basketball was
mostly influenced by his older
brother, Tamer Shaker, an avid
fan for the Houston Rockets.
As much as he likes play-
ingsports,hedoesenjoyacadem-
ics. His family has very high stan-
dards for education, and Shaker
consistently meets and exceeds
those expectations. Shaker’s fa-
vorite subject is mathematics;
however, he does enjoy read-
ing and science to some extent.
His career choice is becoming
a Chemical Robotics Engineer.
Shaker has just passed into sixth
grade, and he has been accepted
into the University of Minnesota
Talented Youth Math Program
(UMTYMP), where he will take
high-level math courses at the
University of Minnesota.
Shaker isn’t an ordinary
11-year-old in other ways, too.
Born in Robinsdale, Minnesota,
to Palestinian parents, Shaker
has been to many areas in the
United States and the outside
world. He has been to Kansas,
Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Okla-
homa, Texas, Wisconsin, Illinois,
New York, Amsterdam, and Jor-
dan, visiting relatives and seeing
the sites of these many, diverse
areas. He has yet to see the coun-
try of his origin, Palestine (Isra-
el), or the many cousins he has
who live in Palestine (Israel).
We may never know if
Rami Shaker will achieve his
goal. Hard work, perseverance,
and skill will help him get to it.
The rest lies in the hands of the
metaphysical. One thing is for
sure: Rami Shaker will always
have many reasons to shine.
Big Dreams continued:
This Minneapolis resident is a
political fan because Bill Clin-
ton is her favorite person. She
wants to be remembered as a
loving person. The reason why
Ade wants to be a lawyer is be-
cause “I love bringing justice to
people,” she said. These are the
facts about a young girl with a
huge heart for justice.
Disney Land continued:
Her favorite teacher is Mr. Samer
because she likes his disciplin-
ary attitude. One of her favorite
books is the Beach House and
in school, her favorite subject is
language arts. When it
comes to shows, the show she re-
ally likes is American Idol. Wars-
ame the sport she really likes is
basketball.
The happiest day in her
life was the day she was born.
Warsame wants to visit Dubai
because it looks nice and there is
dapper fashionable clothes.
Warsame is perfection-
istic, confident and ingenious.
She likes spending time with her
family, going to the park, and
just having fun with her family
and enjoying herself. One day,
she hopes to enjoy herself at Dis-
ney Land in other countries.
12
15. Future Leader
paves his own
way
By Rami Shaker
He wants to become a
football player. Or, an environ-
mental scientist. Abdullahi Ges-
sod, 14, knows they are two very
unusual jobs that each have their
own advantages and disadvan-
tages. Wanting to be remem-
bered as a leader, he claims to
“go my own way.”
“I always do the right
thing,” he said. He describes
himself as being full of life, ev-
eryday. His leadership style is
leading by example.
“I show people the right
way” he said.
Gessod has three broth-
ers and three sisters and he is
the middle child. Like most peo-
ple, Gessod has had his share of
sad and happy times. The time
that he was saddest was when
his 19-year-old cousin died, but
the time he was happiest was the
first time he ever went to Valley
Fair when he was ten years old.
Gessod has many favor-
ite things. His favorite sport is
football, his favorite subjects in
school are Science and Math be-
cause he thinks that science goes
with math and math goes with
science. His favorite movie is X-
men Origins, his favorite book
is The Giver, and his favorite TV
show is Wipeout.
Future Leader continued on next
page
Curious Girl
wants world
change
By Nasra Abdi
Megan Abdirahman grew
up in Canada after her parents
fled the war in Somalia. Today,
she is the kind of girl that can’t sit
still and is curious about what is
out there and around the world.
She wants to visit Brazil one day
because, “I want to see the cul-
tures, sites, and beaches”. Her
growing curiosity also brought
her to California for a vacation
that became her best ever. Three
adjectives that describe this 12-
year-old are crazy, nice, and very
smart.
Megan, like any other 12-
year-old, has role models. Her
mother is her #1 most important
influence because of her strength
in being able to flee the war in
Somalia while still managing to
hold her family together. Megan,
herself, has gone through hard
times and made it through. One
of her hardest time being when
her beloved grandfather had
died. On august 30,1996, five
years after her mother fled the
war Megan was born and raised
in Canada.
Megan has other role
models besides her mother. One
ofthemisDr.MartinLutherKing
Jr., and another, Maya Angelou.
These two are of important influ-
ence to her because each of them
did or said their own different
things to change the world. Dr.
King went out there in the open
to speak for his people and did
the ‘I have a dream’ speech in a
time of darkness. Ms. Angelou is
also Megan’s role model because
her poem, ‘still I rise’, had an ef-
fect on her.
“No matter what I do, still
I rise,” she said.
Despite wanting to be re-
membered as the crazy girl, she
wants to change the world like
her role models have.
“I want to be as great as
them,” she said.
Independent continued:
Now in America, Osman
is an active and fearless teen-
ager. Like many teenagers, Os-
man’s favorite movie is Step Up,
which is about dance skills and
competition.
“I love this movie because
it’s competitive, like me,” said
Osman.
Osman favorite book is
Breaking Dawn, by the New
York Times bestseller Stephanie
Myers. Her favorite subject in
school is math. And like most
people, Osman has pet peeves.
“My pet peeve is when I
ask people to kindly be quiet but
they don’t listen.” She said
Friends know Osman as
confident, but nice and gregari-
ous person. Osman wants to go
and visit many places especially
Sweden
“I want to go to Sweden because
I want to be closer to my stepfa-
ther, and have a good father and
daughter relationship,” she said.
To Osman, a perfect day
is spending time with her family,
reading millions of books and
doing absolutely no chores.
“I am unique because I
count on myself and no one else,”
she said.
13
16. Rockets Lover
Shares his Story
By Abdullahi Gessod
The year of 1995 was a
great year for the Rockets and
Hakiem Olajuwon but it also
was the birth of Sammy Shaker.
Shaker, like his brother, grew up
loving the Rockets and Hakiem
Olajuwon: one of the first Mus-
lim pro basketball players in the
USA.
His parents had the most
influence on Shaker. Shaker was
born in Minneapolis along with
his five siblings. One of many
heroes he has is the Prophet
Mohamed and this 13-year-old
wants to be remembered as a
philanthropist.
“I’m happy, smart and
tired,” he said, “Well I think that
all geniuses need to get a rest
now and then.”
Shaker loves action mov-
ies and his favorite is Gone In
60 Seconds. Shaker’s parents
expect him to succeed through-
out his lifetime. One of his favor-
ite things to do is sit down and
open his favorite book which is
Red Wall by Brian Jacques. One
thing he would like to succeed
in is watching the Rockets win
an NBA championship. Even
though Mr. Olajuwon doesn’t
play the game anymore, Shaker
will still stick with the Rockets
no matter what happens.
When he grows up, he
wants to be a doctor because he
likes handling medical things.
Interestingly this young man has
no pet peeve.
Someday, Shaker will try
to visit China, but he also doesn’t
want to forget about the amazing
trip when he had gone to Jordon,
where he has family. Shakers fa-
vorite sport is soccer and he also
likes math. He also likes to play
basketball when he gets time to
play it. As a Rockets fan, Shaker
feels that they come closer and
closer to the Championships ev-
ery year.
“I always feel sad when
the rockets play in the playoff
because I know in the end they’ll
lose,” Shaker said.
Future Leader continued:
Growing up in Minneapo-
lis, Gessod was influenced into
leadership by his parents and
favorite teacher, Mr. Andrew his
8th grade teacher.
“Mr. Andrew was fun and
exciting,” he said.
The person Abdullahi
would like to meet the most is
Dwight Howard, a center on the
Orlando Magic Team.
“He is a very tall, strong
man, he is a beast,” he said. “And
one of the best players in the
NBA.”
Gessod would like to go to
Arizona, because he has family
there. He spent his best vacation
ever in Illinois where he visited
cousins and played in parks.
Doing things his own
way, his ideal day is to wake up,
eat, sleep, wake up, eat, then
play outside. His friend Hussein
Hussein, knows Gessod will con-
tinue to be a leader throughout
his life. Even on the playground,
his leadership can be seen.
“Outside, he throws the
ball instead of catching it,” Hus-
sein said.
Who Am I?
A poem by
Samia Osman
I seem to be afraid
But I really am brave.
I seem to be coy
But I really am the
center of fun.
I seem to know
But I really am lost.
I seem to follow
But I really am the
leader.
I seem to be happy
But I really am in a grave
of sadness
I seem careful
But I really laugh at the
face of caution.
Nobody knows who I am
Not even myself.
14
17. Countries from around the world
Somalia
By Abdullahi Gessod
A land filled with majestic hills and a port that
controlled the Horn of Africa, this is the land of
my father’s father. It is the land that cries with
beauty and dances with the wind that blows
above our heads, The name of this land is spo-
ken about a lot on TV, you may have heard it or
you may have seen it. This is my home, where I
come from. It may not mean a lot to you, but it’s
all I have known. It’s the land of my family and
my friends, a land torn by a war that has been
going on for a long time, a land with history and
has pride for its people. How did it get to a point
where the people of this land ran away to seek
peace on a country that’s 3000 miles away? This
land that I speak of has history and pride, it’s
called Somalia
Somalis have suffered at one time or
another but the Somali culture still lives on the
United States of America especially, in Minneso-
ta. Minneapolis has the largest Somali population
in the United States of America.
Somalia continued on page 18
Ethiopia
By Nasra Abdi
Ethiopia is a land-locked nation surrounded by
Eritrea to the north, Somalia to the east, Kenya
to the south, and Sudan to the west. Ethiopia is a
country where there are lots of languages, its of-
ficial language being Amharic. Some of the other
languages are extinct like Woy and geez, and oth-
ers still used, like English. There are also others
such as Tigrigna, Sudanese & Arabic. Ethiopia’s
capital is Addis Ababa. Its literacy rate is 23.4%.
Ethiopia was the first independent African Na-
tion. The red, green, & yellow of Ethiopia’s flag
have been adopted as the pan-African colors and
symbols of African unity. In Ethiopia, farming
is the real key to change. Since approximately
80% of Africans live on rural areas, agricultural
is what most Ethiopians depend on. In Ethiopia,
the TESFA Foundation provides early childhood
education for disadvantaged children, where no
public pre-school or kindergarten is available.
Ethiopia Continued on next page
15
18. Sudan
By Sammy Shaker
The second largest country in Africa is Sudan.
Sudan is located south of Egypt on the Red Sea. It
has been nicknamed “the elephant trunk of Afri-
ca” for its unique shape and geographic location.
Although people now know Sudan for the Darfur
conflict, Sudan has had an interesting culture and
history since the beginning of time. Understand-
ing Sudan’s history can assist any search into the
culture of Sudan.
Sudan’s culture is based upon its history. Sudan
was known as the Kingdom of Nubia in the time
of the Ancient Egyptians. Gold, ivory, hides,
timber, and slaves could all be traded from Nu-
bia. After living in a Dark Age-like period, Sudan
was conquered by the Muslims of the Rashideen
Caliphate. Many Arabs moved into Sudan and
married into the locals. Sudan flourished under
peace and prosperity until the 19th century, when
Britain colonized Sudan as Anglo-Egyptian Su-
dan. Kept under strict laws similar to those of the
South African Aparteid, Sudan’s people grew into
ignorance and filth.
Ethiopia continued
Let’s now see to Ethiopia’s lifestyle. It isn’t like
any other you see in America, Canada, England,
or any western civilization. Ethiopia’s most popu-
lar sport is football. And I don’t mean American
football. I mean literal football. Ethiopians be-
lieve in eating healthy and spending their leisure-
ly time at home. Ethiopians traditionally fallow
the Coptic calendar, although business is con-
ducted using the western calendar. Most Ethio-
pians celebrate Christmas at the beginning of the
year, rather then the end. Ethiopians, however,
have different cultures. Some celebrate Christ-
mas, while others, like Muslims have their own
beliefs. Ethiopians traditionally eat dietary food
like lamb, goat, & fowl. Ethiopians do not usually
eat pork, turkey, or ham.
Common food includes INJERA, or fermented
bread made of native grain & WAT, a spicy stew
made of beef or chicken. Strict religious dietary
and fasting customs also influence the diet, espe-
cially for Muslims.
There is also education in Ethiopia
even though it might not be as rich as it is in some
other places. Ethiopia has been dominated by the
Ethiopian Orthodox Church for many centuries
until secular education was adopted in the early
1900s. The elites, mostly Christians and Amhara
population had the most privileges until 1974
when the government tried to reach rural areas.
The current system follows similar school expan-
sion schemes to rural areas. There are education
facilities for Foreign Residents though foreign
nationals are not accepted in the public schools of
Ethiopia.
Last but not least, there Is this uncommon
country’s unique arts. Ethiopia has very unique
arts. It is truly something one should see for
themselves and witness its magnificence. It is not
just art, but an art that tells tales. It is mostly a
story that is basically telling itself. A story that is
really a reminder of what there once was, not just
in Ethiopia, but around the world.
16
19. Palestine
By Sammy Shaker
There are very few non-island composed coun-
tries that are made up of two parts. One of these
countries is Palestine. Palestine is composed of
two parts, the Gaza Strip bordering Egypt, and
the West Bank bordering Jordan, separated from
each other by the State of Israel. Palestine has
been the center of many conflicts since the begin-
ning of time. However, Palestine has a unique and
interesting culture that will certainly catch your
interest.
The first aspect of Palestinian culture is
history. Palestine has been ruled by many peoples
for thousands of years. These peoples include: the
Canaanites, the Phoenicians, the Israelites, the
Romans, the Byzantines, the Muslims, the Turks,
and the British. In 1948, the British Mandate of
Palestine was abolished, and the State of Israel
was formed. The Palestinians owned only two
areas of land: one governed by Egypt (Gaza Strip),
and one governed by Jordan (West Bank). In
1967, the State of Israel occupied these two areas
as well. This was the birth of the Israeli-Palestin-
ian conflict. Ongoing aggression from both sides
have slowed peace processes, but many countries
are working together to end conflicts on both
sides.
The second aspect of Palestinian culture is
geography. The size of Palestine is 6,220 square
kilometers, about the size of the State of Dela-
ware. The largest body of water that Palestine bor-
ders is the Mediterranean Sea, on the coast of the
Gaza Strip. The Dead Sea, a lake named for the
high salinity percentage, borders the West Bank to
the east. In contrast to its desert neighbors, Pales-
tine has a temperate climate that allows for great
agricultural opportunity. Amazingly fertile land
and natural gas reserves are also found in Pales-
tine. The Dead Sea is the lowest point in Palestine,
at 408 meters below sea level. The land in the east
of the West Bank is the most rocky and rugged of
all of Palestine.
The third aspect of Palestinian culture is
government. The West Bank is governed by the
Palestinian Authority, the main party of which is
Fatah, and their president is Mahmoud Abbas.
The official name of the West Bank is the West
Bank. The Gaza Strip, by contrast, is governed by
the Hamas party, the president of which is Ismail
Haneyi. The only official language of the Gaza
Strip is Arabic. Officially, the real name of the
Gaza Strip is Qita Ghazzah.
The fourth aspect of Palestinian culture is
economy. The GDP per capita of all of Palestine
is $2,900, ranked 166 on a worldwide scale. Most
Palestinian workers either work in industries
or services; industry makes up 68% of the GDP,
while services make up 15% of the GDP. Electric-
ity is bought from Israel, and West Bank under-
ground water reserves are being used by Israel, in
violation of a past treaty.
The fifth and final aspect of Palestinian
culture is people. Almost 83% of people in Pales-
tine are ethnic Palestinian Arabs; the 17% left over
are Jewish settlers. There are 4,013,126 people in
all of Palestine. About 80% of all Palestinians are
Muslim (mostly Sunni), 13% are Jewish, and 7%
of them are Christian and follow other religions.
The most common languages are Arabic, Hebrew,
and English. Almost 92.4% of all Palestinians can
read and write. However, many Palestinians fled
Palestine as refugees, and large numbers of Pal-
estinians live in foreign countries. In fact, half of
the population of Jordan is composed of refugee
Palestinian Arabs. Beef, goat, lamb, and fowl are
commonly eaten. Cheese and milk are eaten at the
beginning of the day. Heavier courses of vegetable
and meat stews and sauces served over rice are
common for lunch and dinner. Tea and coffee
are the most popular drinks, and are brewed and
drunk at many times of the day.
Palestine is a very diverse country with
many different traditions and customs. However,
people are not very open to Palestinians as con-
flicted has clouded over their amazing culture. As
more people learn about Palestine, more people
will discover its great people and interesting cul-
ture. It has been said that the hardest thing to see
is the future. That is certainly true.
17
20. Saudi Arabia
By Rami Shaker
Saudi Arabia is a special country because
of many things, one of those things are that its
name is not Saudi Arabia its real name is al-
Mamlaka al-‘Arabiyya as-Su’udiyya. Also it is the
largest county on the Arabian Peninsula. Saudi
Arabia is bordered by many countries these coun-
tries are Jordan on the northwest, Iraq on the
north and northeast, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and
the United Arab Emirates all on the east, Oman
on the southeast, and Yemen on the south. Saudi
Arabia is bordered by to bodies of water on the
northeast lies the Persian Gulf on the west side
lies the Red Sea.
Saudi Arabia’s main method of income is
through selling oil, because the land is so rich in
underground oil. Saudi Arabia has so much oil
that it was proven to have 24% of the worlds oil
reserves.
Somalia continued
The Somali culture is filled with tasty foods
such as sambusa. Sambusa is made of a breaded
food filled with, veggies and meat like fish, chick-
en and beef. That’s only the start of the tasty food
we have in our culture. Many of our foods are
sweets or easily made foods.
There are three Somali malls in Minneapo-
lis, Minnesota that are visited by everyone in the
community. They are packed with clothes, food,
entertainment and more. All kinds of people
come and visit the malls. One interesting thing is
that the malls are very far away from each other
and sometimes you see the same person at every
mall. The Somali community continues to posi-
tively impact the Minneapolis and St. Paul area.
The Somali community is very strong and tightly-
knit. Now that’s what I call a community.
Madagascar
By Hussein Hussein
Madagascar is an island in the middle of
the Indian Ocean. It is part of the continent of
Africa. Madagascar is the forth- largest island in
the world. Madagascar once had a large supply
of trees, but it has been mostly cut down for farm
land. Madagascar has many rare species and they
are becoming endangered. Madagascar is located
on the Mozambique Channel.
Madagascar’s president is Andry Rajoelina and
its prime minister is Monja Roindefo. In 1960
Madagascar became independent. Madagascar
largest city Antananarivo .Its government type
is multi government republic, and its currency is
the Malagasy franc.
Madagascar people are a mix of Malayo-Indo-
nesian and African-Arab ancestry their people
eat fish and fruits such as mango, bananas, and
beans. The people of Madagascar work as fisher
and as farmers. Most of the people in Madagascar
speak Malagasy.
18
21. Turkey
By Ruqiya Warsame
The Turkish people had paved way for
folktale; their stories include The Wicked Girl,
and The Double-headed Eagle. The language in
Turkey is Turkish which is taught to the children
at a very young age. Ninety-nine percent of the
Turkish people are Muslims and a small percent-
age of them are not.
Wedding ceremonies are held in the town
or at city hall; receptions are private and have
food, dancing and music.
To the Turks it is considered impolite to
kiss or hug someone of the opposite sex. A hand
shake to hard is considered rude. While the Turks
walks down the street they either hold hands or
walk arm n arm.
The Turks eat meals such as shish-kebabs,
pieces of lamb grilled on skewer. They also con-
sume Kofte, which is a piece of meat shaped like
diamonds which is cooked. Turks also are famous
for their appetizers which always; fish, meat, and
vegetables.
Turkey faces a housing shortage that is
very serious. Many Turks construct temporary
housing called gecekondus. By the late 1980s
their was an estimate that half of the Turkish
people lived in these houses. Many say it a hu-
manitarian concern, because the houses lack sew-
ages, electricity, and running water.
Turkey continued on next page
Kenya
By Muhuba Ade
People describe Kenya as the world as it
was in the beginning. A recent find near Lake
Turkane indicates that hominids lived in the area
2.6 million years ago.
From October 1952 to December 1995, Kenya was
under a state of emergency arising for the ‘’mau
‘’mau’’ rebellion against British colonial rule.
During this period, African participation in the
political process increased rapidly.
In December 2002 the people of Kenya elected
Mwai Kibaki receive as the country is third presi-
dent. Kibak AS 62 percent of the vote, and his
15 party group, the national rainbow coalition at
also won 52 percent of the parliamentary seats.
Farming is a big part of Kenya’s economy. 50 per-
cent of export earnings are attributed to agricul-
ture products with cash crops such as coffee, tea,
tobacco, cotton sisal, pyrethrum, and cashew nuts
leading the way. Kenyans speak in Swahili.
In Kenya, current issues are water pollution from
urban and industrial wastes; degradation of water
quality from increased use of peptide and fertil-
izer, water hyacinth infestation in lake Victoria;
deforestation; soil erosion desertification; poach-
ing in. In Kenya, the kind of sports they play are
soccer and running. Art is fascinating. One can
find a wide variety of art and crafts in Kenya,
mainly aimed at the tourist market.
Kenyan people eat fruits and crab and they eat
beans.
One of their holidays is Independence Day on
December 12 1963.
19
22. Turkey continued:
Many women face discrimination, especially
those who live in the rural areas of Turkey. Many
women are not required to wear the veil like
many other large Muslim nations. Many changes
have happened to the way Turkey looks at its
women; Tansu Ciller became the fist women
prime minister in the country in 1993, but sadly
the government collapsed one year later.
The tourist industry accounts for half the
jobs in Turkey, agriculture is the rest, and fami-
lies in rural areas kids that don’t help are pun-
ished.
The most popular sport in Turkey is soc-
cer. Matches are held in September through May.
Skiing is also loved in by Turks; the oldest ski
resort is on Mount Olympus, home of the Greek
Gods.
In 1990 the adult literacy rate was eighty
percent. Small schools that are created in small
villages are allowed to kids, but only to age 8 to
10.
Modern western style clothes have been
worn in the country since it was founded in the
1920s. In small areas the clothes is very different.
There is the salvar, baggy pants which are worn
by men and women.
Turkey is known for its handmade carpets.
Tiles and ceramics are made in turkey, because
they are used in Mosque walls.
Egypt
By Samia Osman
Egypt is a country with diverse cultures and
traditions. In every major city, you will find
the remains from the time of the pharaohs or
kings. This country is known as the most attrac-
tive country in the region because of its remains
from the tribal customs. That’s one of the many
reasons why Egypt is a country of many cultures
with many different traditions.
Egyptians were one of the first known
civilizations who invented most of the sports to-
day. Some of those sports are swimming, hockey,
fishing, long jump, rowing shooting, and various
other sports. Egyptian kings and princes were
known for attending sport competitions. They
were also known for encouraging and providing
the equipment needed for the sports.
Egyptians have many kinds of foods. Most
which are fish, bread, and beans. They don’t have
a lot of beef but they do have chicken. “Egyptians
eat lots of sweets like pies, sweet sauces, cakes,
and many more” said Ms. Suhair, the summer
school coordinator, who is from Egypt. They
have meat once a month because it’s expensive.
In Egypt, if a guest came to your home, you have
to serve them a meal with meat. But other than
that, their daily meals are mostly made up from
beans and bread.
Egyptian clothing is very diverse because
the country has very diversed cultures. They wear
both modern and tradition clothing. Their tradi-
tion clothing usually is colorful and exotic. Their
modern clothing consists of the usual jeans and a
shirt. But they still wear their traditional clothing
from time to time, on holidays and festivals.
Egyptian are known for their arts and
graphics. People come from all over the world to
see them. Egyptian arts are one of the oldest arts
ever. Their arts showed a orderly life and never
anything about old age, or middle-age spread.
Everyone seemed happy in the graphics. The
Egyptian pyramids are one of these fabulous arts.
They went through so much just to build these
pyramids. Inside the pyramids are most of this
arts. They usually show the history of the king
who is buried there and the history if his people.
20
23. United Arab
Emirates
By Megan Abdirahman
The cities in UAE are unique because they
have multi ethnic composition with segregated
housing areas for nationals and the immigrants.
Housing is subdivided further according to class,
social, power, ethnicity, and nationality. Emirati
society is divided in two social categories the
nationals and the foreign immigrants. Citizens
are subdivided into four main social classes. The
ruling sheikly families whose members hold the
highest political positions and power and have
immense wealth and prestige. The merchant
class, known as traditionally pearling merchant,
now sell international consumer goods. The new
middle class represented by increasing numbers
of professionals who have benefited from Free
State education. The low-income groups are rep-
resented by newly settled Bedouin nomads and
former pearl divers and oasis farmers.
United Arab Emirates supports writers,
painters, actors, and folk dancers. The city of
Sharjah is particularly active in promoting cul-
ture and was chosen by UNESCO as the Arab
cultural capital 1998. Many women participate
in performing arts. The first theatre arts opened
in Sharjah in 1999. Emiratis rely on theatre and
television. The tradition of story telling and
poetry remains strong, and they have events like
poetry reading. Written literature is increasing in
popularity in the United Arab Emirates.
The official language of the UAE is Arabic.
They have other languages such as Hindi, Urdu,
Farsi, and Filipino. The most common food in
United Arab Emirate is fish, rice, bread, dates,
yogurt, vegetables, and meat from sheep, goats,
and camels. Lunch is the main meal they eat at
two o’clock. They mostly eat fish, rice, meat, and
vegetables.
Sports in the United Arab Emirates are
horse riding, camel racing, football (soccer),
cricket, golf, tennis, rugby and other more sports.
People play these sports when they aren’t work-
ing or doing other chores. These sports are the
most favorable hobbies. The game of cricket came
from the country India, and golf and rugby came
from Europe. These two games came from the
European people when they moved to UAE.
Jobs in UAE are commonly male nurses,
managements, architect, engineer, legal advisor,
chef, salesmen, mechanical engineer, accounting,
beauty cosmetics, construction, and operators.
These jobs are mostly found in the city of Dubai
or Abu Dhabi. These jobs pay a lot of money.
Arts and crafts are playing an important
role in UAE. Abu Dhabi and Dubai are two signif-
icant places for craft lovers. Crafts that are made
are woven bags, shawls, rugs, boats, pottery, and
jewelries. UAE is home to art museums and craft
centers. These amazing sites of museums and
craft centers were found in 1976.
Education is very imperative in UAE. The
educational system of UAE has burgeoned since
1971. Classes and subjects are segregated as fe-
male and male. Schools provide uniforms, books,
equipments, and transportation. There are over
259,509 pupils and 16,148 teachers in primary
school.
Usually men go to work and the women
take the children to school. When the father
comes home the mother makes a meal and then
she might go to work. Then the kids come back
from school and they eat a meal as well. The aver-
age mother might go shopping for her family and
her home. This is the lifestyle of an average fam-
ily.
Short sleeves and shorts are not fashion-
able in UAE. Something appropriate to wear is
long sleeves and something that covers your legs.
Women should wear long skirts. Pants are to be
worn by men only. These are common clothing
customs.
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24. Obituaries
Earl Naegel,
father of Mr. Paul Naegeli
By Ruqiya Warsame
Earl Naegeli, who was respected and
loved by many, died last month. He was
95.
Naegeli along with his wife owned
two ice cream shops and he was co-owner
of a meat market. He also took part in
serving the army.
“Something that kept me and my
father really close was hunting, ice fishing,
and sports,” said Earls’ son, Mr. Paul Nae-
geli, MIMS Maintenance Engineer.
Mr. Paul had always loved his father
but “ It had not been a surprise when my
father had passed away because he had
been so ill and suffering so badly that I
was peaceful when he passed away,” said
Mr. Paul.
Earl Naegeli’s only dream in life was
that everyone got along and to take of the
family.
“My father was very friendly,” said
Mr. Paul Naegeli. “Everyone always re-
spected him and loved him.”
Hassan Warsame,
father of Asha Hassan
By Nasra Abdi
Hassan Warsame, who taught the
Islamic religion and was known as Sheikh
Hassan, died last month. He was 65.
He left behind 16 children. Among
his children is Asha Hassan, Chef at Min-
nesota International Middle School. Wars-
ame was a farmer in Somalia.
Warsame’s father died when Wars-
ame was 5-years-old, so he had no one to
teach him Islam, which is when he took it
upon himself to learn it. Everyone knew
Warsame to be a good, kind man. His
dream in life was to learn and teach Is-
lam. Everyone that knew Warsame was
described as an extremely smart man who
loved nothing more then to do good deeds
and spread the Islamic religion.
Warsame loved for people to learn
and not be ignorant. He especially loved
for people to learn to read the Qur’an. He
read the Qur’an all the time and was read-
ing it on the afternoon he died, said Has-
san.
“And his biggest accomplishment
was teaching all his children Islam,” she
said. “He always loved it when I visited
him and I always prayed for him to go to
paradise.”
She and her father were very close
and loved each other deeply, she said.
“The day he died was the saddest
day,” said Hassan “And every time I
thought about him after that, it was like I
became another person.”
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