I have always dreamed of visiting Dubai, the city of skyscrapers, luxury, and opportunity. I heard stories of how people from different countries and backgrounds found success and happiness in this cosmopolitan hub, and I found myself wanting to be one of them. That's why, in November of 2016, I decided to take a bold step and travel to Dubai from Kenya, where I was living, in search of a job.
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Moving Away From the Cliff’s Edge: A Mum’s Story of Her Child’s Mental Health
It is no understatement that the last few years have been difficult for various reasons. It's almost too obvious to state that we, in the West, consume a lot of environmental, social, and political information that clogs up our web browsers and mental state.
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A Connecticut Snowflake Comes Out to Play
As far as I can remember, I have not liked cold weather. And I have my own reasons for it. My birthday falls in the summer, so you can say it's in my DNA.
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Who Am I?
If someone asks “Who are you,” how would you answer? Could you even answer honestly? Would you even answer in the first place? “Who are you?” A simple question I’ve been very familiar with growing up.
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Wandering, Wondering
Imagine being lost in a large bookstore when you were little. You are surrounded by pictures, puzzles, book covers, and other unfamiliar things. It's a strange place, where so many stories live, including magic, mystery, and science. This array was what caught your attention when your parents were only there to buy some paper. After a while, you lose sight of your parents or they lose sight of you. You think for a moment, about what to do and run around; the place seems so significant to you. After thinking for a while you give up the fight and wait by the entrance.
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I Have Killed a Dozen Butterflies
I have killed a dozen butterflies… Had their powder dust my fingers As I grasped my hand tighter and tighter Afraid to let them fly away
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Misery Loves Company
“People who are hurting tend to hurt other people,” my mom says while holding me close and listening to me cry about the day's events. “Why?” I ask in between sobs. “Because they are just unhappy with their own lives and feel miserable, they choose to make other people feel bad about themselves. It’s a vicious cycle, and misery loves company.”
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A Diagnosis
There was something off; I knew it. I couldn’t quite name it. But it was deeper, darker than what had previously bothered me. I was diagnosed with depression at fifteen and generalized anxiety disorder at seventeen. Depression, being familiar to me, seemed like a well-worn jacket weighing me down. Anxiety seemed like a scarf, too tight, wrapped around my throat, restricting my breathing. I learned how to manage and to wear them. But this… this was different.
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Falling into Your Orbit
I’ve thought about The way the wind would whip my hair Away from my face just seconds before I find my end there On the rocks below Before your very presence brought A kind of happiness I wasn’t aware existed The kind I thought was mythical, you know?
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Get Well Soon
The echo of heels and dress and shoes, fills the silence outside my room. I will meet the doctor tomorrow.
