Summer in Algeria

My summer holidays started a little earlier than everyone else’s because I only had one exam to finish my French class. By mid-June 2024, I was ready to hit the road again. I can’t stay in one place for too long; it feels like prison. I’m always looking for a way to escape.

Skikda.

My first stop was Skikda, where I would be participating in a church activity called SKIK-NABA. Networking was quite important since I had plans to sell copies of my book to whoever I was to meet. This was my first time in Skikda, and I was excited to visit because that’s where Kitaaka lives.

He had visited Batna earlier in December of 2023, and I was looking forward to returning the visit.

I stayed at his Residence until the event started, then moved to church. There were other Ugandans there: Daniel (my senior who has since returned to Uganda), Faisal, Marvin, Ashley, and Don.

When I’m with the guys, all you hear is witty banter. They’re so creative with their jokes. We always have a lot to talk about because we don’t see each other often. Stories about how silly someone was when they first arrived in Algeria, amazing discoveries, and comparisons between our residences. It’s a great time to bond.

I didn’t see the girls as much because the residences are gender-specific.

A few days later, it was time for the event. I grabbed some ice cream on the way to the church, where I was warmly welcomed by early arrivals: Nigerians, Zimbabweans, French, Ashley, Don, and many more nationalities.

More Ugandans joined us later, including four seniors: Solomon, Julius, Leo, and Ivan Peter. It was my first time meeting some of them.

I hate being around other people named Peter, especially since it’s a common name in Uganda. Grace and Catherine from Batna were also there. You probably remember Catherine from my first blog post.

Father Michel always leads an activity where we introduce ourselves in a circle. Besides the people I already knew, I could only remember one Nigerian girl who had caught my eye. I won’t mention her name because I don’t have her permission, but let’s call her Little Birdie.

I was determined to get to know her, and luckily we were in the same group. It felt like it was meant to be. I won’t say much about her because I might get emotional and lose track of the story.

The event was fun. I learned how to play UNO, ate cake, and got a chance to see Skikda.

Anaaba.

After four days, we relocated to Anaaba at St. Augustine Basilica for the remaining four days of the event. Anaaba was more colorful than Skikda. There was an activity where everyone had to entertain the crowd in their respective nationality groups. The Ugandans, Nigerians, and Zimbabweans danced, there was comedy, singing, and more.

Whenever it was time for a meal, we would sit together as Ugandans and eat while making jokes in a language only we understand. I thought I was funny until I sat with these guys. They were the epitome of hilarious.

If you ever meet Patience Grace, ask her about the spaghetti incident.

Anaaba was great because I got to bond with Little Birdie more than I had ever bonded with any other girl since I arrived in Algeria.

Batna.

When the event was over, I went back to Batna. It was time to refill my pockets, and it was convenient that the Ugandan government had paid us a handsome stipend.

Little Birdie’s birthday was approaching, so I went shopping for a gift. I love buying gifts for my friends on their birthdays, but most of the time the economy makes it impossible. Luckily, that wasn’t the case this time.

I wanted to surprise her, but I learned that surprising someone can be really hard because you can never be sure what they’ll like. I took a wild guess and went with it. Spoiler Alert: she loved it.

Alger.

Back in Batna, the temperatures were approaching 40°C, and I didn’t want to stay there for long since I don’t have air conditioning in my room.

I took public transport to Algiers for a graduation party for my seniors. I brought the wrapped gift with me, and it was so big that I had to pay for an extra seat.

Patience Grace and Cathy were already at the venue, and they gave me a warm welcome, but mostly they wanted to know if I had bought the gift for Little Birdie or one of the graduates. Those two girls were just teasing me.

Ivan Peter was my host, and we stayed at the church house. We partied at the graduation party, and at the end of the event, I bought the phone I’m currently using.

I had been waiting patiently for this, and I was quite excited.

Béjaïa.

It was time for my next journey. I traveled with Kitaaka, Kobs, and SR. Corporate, and the gift to Béjaïa. These journeys usually take at least three hours by road.

Summer was filled with events, and the Ugandan community reunion was happening in Béjaïa. How beautiful is it that Little Birdie happened to be from Béjaïa? I was excited to spend time with her again, even though I was there for the reunion.

I was early for the event, but that wasn’t a problem. I shared a room with Kitaaka, and we were under the hospitality of our seniors: Corporate, Derrick, JB, and to some extent, Kobs.

During this time, I gained some weight because there was plenty of chicken.

Batna.

I was working on publishing my first poetry collection, making necessary payments, and making calls. This was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do.

I realized that I needed a certain amount of concentration to achieve the best output, so I decided to return to Batna temporarily to finish the process.

On August 23, 2024, my book, “I Feel It Too,” was published, and I was officially an author. I had achieved one of the items on my to-do list from my first blog post.

I urge you to check it out on Goodreads and leave a review when you’re done.

Béjaïa.

Before I knew it, Kitaaka was telling me that people were convinced that I had gone back to Batna early because Little Birdie had broken my heart.

One night, Derrick and the guys video called to mock me because I was lonely in Batna while they were having a party without me. That was a wild night that I missed.

Since my book was out, I had no reason to stay home. I got a bus the next day and went back to Béjaïa.

I also wanted to prove a point: my heart was still intact. The date of the reunion was approaching, so I was justified in going back because I wasn’t about to miss my very first one.

During the reunion, every day was a party. I remember one party where we had to travel for more than an hour on the road in a bus that was crowded with party animals. I think it’s fair to call it a zoo.

Honestly, I don’t remember much about what happened there because I was wasted. As a matter of fact, I don’t even remember where we were.

But I’ve heard some people call it the “Woo Dang Mountains,” probably named after the owner of the cabin we rented, a very problematic man. I doubt he can willingly drink scorpion beer again.

When some people decided to return to their respective provinces, the few of us who stayed behind decided to keep the party spirit going. We would eat together.

The food was often prepared by SR. JB, SR. Vianney, SR. Derrick, Patricia (who’s now back in Uganda), and Gloria. I would sometimes chop the ingredients.

We would use big plates that we called “kyombo,” and there was a group to notify people when the food was ready. We would eat, then play games, and later the party would start at midnight until everyone passed out or decided to leave. This went on for about a week.

I won’t say much about what happened there except that I learned some dance moves from SR. Megatron, like the Sandwich and the Mantis. You should be blessed to see the Mantis.

I remember visiting Cape Carbon for the first time. Kitaaka really wanted to see the place, but if I’m being honest, it was full of hiking, and I’m not a fan.

The second time we went, it was just the three of us and me. At this point, we had all gone broke, but my mom says money is made to be eaten, so even if I’m in my pre-broke stage and I crave something, I’ll have that something.

Now, I don’t know if you know this, but if we go out, we must talk trash about all the friends who haven’t come with us.

The beach was a hotspot almost daily. I went pedal boating, and I had my first night at the beach. It was a beautiful experience that I would wish for everyone.

I guess that’s the most fun holiday I’ve had in my life, and for that reason, I could never be an introvert, even if it could save my life.

Conclusion.

I’m so glad that we’ve come to the end of what I consider to have been a great insight into my year in Algeria. I’m so happy that my blog was met with love from the beautiful community of people who dared to subscribe, and I thank all of you for your support.

Our community has grown, and I hope it expands even more.

If you enjoyed reading about my summer adventures in Algeria, please share with those who have not yet subscribed to the mailing list.

You might be wondering: is this the end of my blog post? The answer to that is no. Moving forward, I will write blogs in the field of poetry.

Not the life I imagined as an international student was meant to let you know something about the author of I Feel it Too, and I truly hope it has fulfilled its purpose.