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More than a quarter of a century ago, when I attended State University of New York, College of New Paltz, I have never imagined that this day will come, a day (memorial weekend) that I traveled back with my children to trace the roots of my past –
this is among one of my planned undertakings, aimed for my children to give them the opportunity to learn the history, the past of their parents, their Somali origin and experience as a normal childhood, which they were deprived by the ongoing conflicts and civil war for the past 15 years. New Paltz is a small university town located in upstate New York, 90miles north of Manhattan at exit 18 of the thruway (87 N). Although it is a rural town; but it has a flavor of urban city, created by the presence of the College with more than 10.000 students, who came from different part of New York and other states and over fifty countries of the world, including 15 Somali students during my early days in New Paltz.
New Paltz has the most beautiful scenery I have ever seen; which unfortunately as a student back then, didn’t appreciate. To the west, about 5 miles, are lake Mohonk & Shawangunk Mountains with steep slope and long cliffs that beckons thousands of mountain climbers each year. My odyssey to New Paltz When I first arrived in this small town 25 years ago, four years after I completed my Secondary education in Somalia of which two years I spent in Odessa (Ukraine) – former Soviet Union at the black sea for military academy and the other two years was employed as civil servant by the defunct Somali Airlines – both endeavors ended prematurely for reasons beyond my control. My military officer’s training in Soviet Union ended in 1977, when Somalia severed both political and military relations with Russia for the Ogaden war and the leaders of the communist Russia expelled us from their country. My subsequent attempt with Somali Airlines was also terminated after inept and hostile management forced me to quit and leave the country. This time, getting university education in America was another struggle I didn’t want to squander.
After two setbacks, I began my quest for higher education and in so doing; I traveled and adventured to Germany without resource and assistance with the intention of enrolling a university. A previous trip to Germany in 1979 provided me ample information about ways of obtaining scholarship. The German authority has provided numerous scholarships under the Somali-Ethiopia war refugees program. Six months later, I was out of luck and decided to proceed to USA. With few thousand dollars from my families’ last saving and student visa, I traveled to New Paltz. NY. Not knowing that a group of fellow Somalis are already living and studying in the University, it took me three days before I met the first Somali – I was welcomed and offered to share an apartment with two them. I associate few historic, but tragic events with my arrival to United States that year – some of events I still remember were the attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan, the Turkish gunman Ali Agca attempted to take the life of late John Paul II and the death of Bob Marley, the king of reggae. At the end of my second semester, I run out of all resource and began to suffer economic hardships. To some point, I didn’t have anything to eat, let alone pay tuition and room and board. The USA was in a deep recession, the worst since the great depression. We were unable to find work and if we find any, we were paid $3 for an hour for hard labor. For help, we haven’t had anywhere to go. By the time I decided to leave the school, an Ethiopian friend took me to New York City and introduced to me a program that made me qualified for financial aid and loan. Places we visited State University of New York – New Paltz: The SUNY is the largest comprehensive university system in the nation, educating more than 414,000 students in 64 campuses. We went to some of the buildings, which have great memory for me, including the administration building, where the foreign student coordinator’s office was located, the student union building – inside, a cafeteria (a popular meeting point); also visited the library and different faculty offices. For all these years nothing has changed. We took pictures on the same spots that I took similar picture 25 years ago. When you compare the two pictures, you will not recognize my face from the old pictures. I was emaciated and young. Plaza Diner: Friday, 26, when we arrived at the hotel, we went to eat at Plaza Diner, the only restaurant open 24 hrs in town. While inside, I spoke to the manager and he showed me & my children the kitchen, where I have worked as dishwasher and saw the same big dishes I used to wash when I was student. Colonial Arms Apartment: I have lived in building #3 Apt C for all the time I stayed in New Paltz. I shared with (Omar, Mohamud & Dahir). We took some pictures in front of the building.
Lake Mohonk: A historical hotel with breathtaking views. A natural lake for swimming and boating, and gorgeous flower gardens. It has beautiful walking trails through majestic rock formation. Huguenot Street: This is the oldest street in America. New Paltz is the location where the French Huguenots settled in the latter years of the 1600s. The Huguenots were French Protestants who had fled to Germany from persecution in France and then came to settle here in New Paltz.
Albany, NY: We traveled 80 miles further to the north to meet with a long lost friend “Fadal A. Talib” – Fadal was my former roommate and best friend and have not seen him since I left New Paltz – he was born and raised in Hargeysa and now teaches physics at Sienna University. He has a great passion for the Somali literature and songs. We eat wonderful meal and met with his wife and children. Fadal took me a quick tour to the city’s landmarks and his university – it was delightful to meet with my friend and his family. We left around mid-night back to our hotel. New York City: the next morning, we drove to Manhattan for sightseeing. We went to the top of Rockefeller center, took ferry to Staten Island and enjoyed time in New York’s Central park. By Abdisalam M. Garjex “camey”
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