Discovering My Love for Storytelling.

I can’t begin to express how happy the reactions to my first blog post made me. Your overwhelming support has shown me just how much I love storytelling, and for that, I am truly grateful. Thank you for the love and for helping me rediscover this passion. I hope this community grows even bigger!

P.S. If we ever meet in person, don’t forget to say, “Mr. Author, please tell us a story” (giggles maniacally).

First Things First.

One thing became clear from the feedback I received: many of you missed the part where I mentioned that this blog is part of a series. I guess I should have put it in bold! Just to clarify—my story isn’t done yet. And besides, how would I get you to come back if I gave everything away at once?

This is the second post on the series A Year in Algeria

Buckle up, folks—it’s story time!

A Little About My Sister.

Let me tell you something small about my little sister. My relationship with my siblings hasn’t always been the friendliest. I often admired my friends who would talk about how close they were to their siblings, big or small.

With my older brother, our conversations were transactional, and trying to force closeness felt draining, so I left it to God. But I wasn’t about to let my relationship with Faith go the same way. Every now and then, I’d provoke a conversation, confide in her, ask for her opinions, show interest in what she was doing, and offer support when I could. She has a great sense of humor, so it’s no surprise she laughs at almost all my jokes. After all, I’m a funny guy!

When I received the scholarship to Algeria, I suspected she was one of the happiest people in the family—probably right after my parents. Honestly, she might’ve been more excited than I was! While I appreciated the opportunity for a free, high-quality education in a country more developed than Uganda, the idea of being far from home didn’t exactly fill me with butterflies.

Before I left, she jokingly told me, “When you get there, build a snowman and take a picture with it since it’s winter in Algeria.”

I waited for snow in Batna, but the weather had other plans. Every time it rained, I’d raise the shutters on my window, hoping to see snowflakes—but no, just rain. I’ve seen rain before; Uganda is the Pearl of Africa, after all. Rain is nothing new. I wanted to experience something different. How was I supposed to tell people Algeria has winter if I’d never even rolled in snow?

Eventually, I gave up waiting. But they say when you change your perspective, that’s when miracles happen. My birth month, January, didn’t disappoint. It brought two days of serious rain, and on the second day, snowflakes finally appeared! I was ecstatic. I thought, This is it—my sister’s snowman is happening.

But it didn’t last. The snow stopped after one day. In the compound of my residence, all that remained was ice that melted quickly. The real snow was up in the mountains, and no one told me when the students decided to go enjoy it. I wasn’t about to go alone.

Maybe this January, between exams, I’ll finally build her snowman. Insha’Allah.

My 21st Birthday.

Here’s a little secret: January was also the first time in my 21 years that I celebrated my birthday. Growing up, birthdays weren’t a big deal in my family—until my youngest sister came along. Most of my birthdays just passed by.

In fact, on my 18th birthday, my dad was shocked when he realized I’d grown that much. I’m not sure he’ll even remember the one coming up in a few days!

My 21st birthday, however, was special. I was turning 21 on January 21. I was excited, but I’d gotten so used to my birthdays being ordinary that I didn’t plan anything.

Then one of the girls I came to Algeria with called me. She wasn’t about to let the day go by uncelebrated. We gathered all 12 of us at one of Batna’s best restaurants—our favorite at the time, Mr. Yummy. It turned into a joint celebration because Ric, one of my colleagues, hadn’t celebrated his birthday earlier that month.

Julie baked a cake. Elvis prepared some killer dance moves. Ibra’s contagious aura kept the party alive. Cathy played the role of content creator. And, of course, I cracked the jokes.

Looking back, that was the best birthday I’ve ever had.

I promise, we all look better now

As I reflect on these moments, I’m reminded of the complexity of being in a new place, the longing for connection, and the resilience it takes to keep moving forward. I leave you with this piece that captures some of those feelings:

The Path I Chose

The cold creeps deep beneath my skin,
Winter comes without a care,
The winds have stolen my sister’s grin,
No snow, no snowmen to declare.

I dream of simpler joys I’ve known,
The women frown, disdain my shade.
Their gazes cast as if I’ve grown
A shadow they can’t quite evade.

Her heart, a wintered path at night,
She sweats to bend my faith to hers.
She strives in vain; I could never be her knight,
And all my hope for friendship blurs.

I came, unwavered, to this land unknown,
And here I stand, despite the storm I’ve grown.

Next Episode: A Love for Adventure.

Being in Algeria has helped me discover how much I love traveling. My love for adventure often appeared in my high school history answers when migration questions came up, and now I live it! That Christmas break was the only one I spent in Batna. Spring break wasn’t going to find me in the same place.

With Elijah (a.k.a. Kitaka) always coming up with plans, Béjaïa was next up, proudly sponsored by a one, Outa….Tune in to my next blog post to continue the story.

In case you have any comments, tap the email button below and talk to me directly. I’m passionate about growing this community, so don’t forget to register your email and name to join my mailing list for updates!

Have you ever celebrated a birthday that felt truly special, or had a moment where you unexpectedly discovered something new about yourself? I’d love to hear your stories—the email button is yours to use or leave a comment below.