Oniandon Agnon

ESL 100

Sept 14 2013

Nostalgia for my Holidays

              Holidays are the happiest days for families. There are two kind of holidays in the religion. For the Muslim, we have the fasting Holiday called Ramadan, and the New Year holiday, which is Tabaski, where everybody everywhere, should come and meet with families and friends if have opportunity to do it. Even though Islam is everywhere, and there are Muslims everywhere, the holiday are not the same as in Togo, in West Africa where I was born. Since I came to the United States, I have had a great nostalgia for my country’s holidays.

              My first nostalgia for my country’s holidays is the fact that I live in the U.S. by myself.

I actually moved to the US since almost two years. All my family is in Togo, West Africa, and I am here to build a better future by going to school. As a Muslim, when we have to celebrate holidays, we used to do everything together. We went to the mosque together and at the mosque, we pray and thank God for our lives and health for that great day. After the mosque, we went to visit our friends, and we also ate together at home. Last year for the Ramadan holiday, I went to the Masjid Al Farooq at 89th and Stony Island in the morning. The worship there was the same in Africa because we did the same thing, thank God for everything, but it was different because I was by myself without any friends from my country. After going to the mosque, I ate rice, spaghetti and chicken. This meal was the same as in Africa because I cooked it exactly like my mother used to do it, but different because the Africa vegetables are natural unlike what I find here in the typical supermarket of the city.

            I also have nostalgia for the soccer traditional match for the holiday season. Soccer is Togo favorite sport, so my friends and I used to play soccer every evening for fun. During the holidays, we chose ten areas to have soccer competition and see which area will be the best of all. My area used to win the cup because we had good players in the team. In the US on the other hand, although I can play sometimes with friends in Chicago, I don’t feel same kind of fun like it used to be in Africa, playing soccer in the US makes me bored.

               Finally, furthermore, I miss the party my family, friends and I used to go every holiday. After praying in the morning, visiting each other, eating, and playing soccer competition in the evening, we used to spend the rest of the day at the party we organized for the day. We hung out with friends, had a good time and went back home by three in the morning. In my current city, Chicago, I can’t do the same thing I used to do because my friends and I don’t have the same schedule for everything. When I think about all that I used to do in Africa, I feel nostalgic, and I sometimes feel sorry for myself.

                Therefore, the way I used to spend my holidays in Africa and the way I have been spending them over here in the US is so different. For my being alone, and for the lack of time, I can’t enjoy my holidays like I used to. I can’t pray with my family and my friend anymore, I can’t go see my friends after praying anymore, I can’t play soccer with my friend evening anymore, and I can’t party with them anymore. However, maybe in a couple of years after I finish my studies, have a good job, get married, I will be able to make friends with many people and find my own community in this foreign city.