You know you're in Hargeisa when...

1. Random people on the street know your first, middle and last name. One time a woman called out my name and identifed herself as a distant family (using the term family very loosely as I'm referring to tribal relations) and then asked for bus fare. After I gave her bus fare and asked her not to use our tribe's name to get money, she threw the money back at me and walked away. Lesson: all Somali people have a lot of pride.
2. Hitchhiking is completely normal. I fought the urge to run out of my car after I saw a grown man picking up a group of school girls (they were still wearing their uniforms) one evening. 
3. Little kids jump on top of the back of cars, especially the spare tires on the back of SUVs, while they’re still driving.
4. Your students are surprised to find out Barack Obama only has one wife.
5. The concept of time is very flexible; a person will plan to meet you at 3 pm and show up at 8 pm. Also, no houses have digital clocks, perhaps because electricity is not consistent.
6. Life revolves around the Islamic prayer schedule: the work day starts at 7am, after Fajr (sunrise) prayer and breakfast, followed by a lunch break (during which the main meal of the day is served) at 12 pm, after which all the shops open up in the afternoon following Asr prayer.
7. Electricity is only available from 8 am to 1 pm, and 4 pm to 1 am. Recently, they’ve added an extra hour in the morning for Fajr prayer.
8. Cops stop cars in the middle of the street and ask random questions; one time I got stopped by four cops, surrounded on all sides, and they were convinced I was a waazir (Minister). Police officers also ask for money for shaax (tea).
9. Khat runs everything. The trucks transporting khat even have a special horn so everybody else on the road is aware. It’s not unusual for the trucks transporting these goods to throw their merchandise, in huge plastic bags, in the middle of the street so all cars have to stop until it’s picked up.
10. At first, I didn’t tell anyone I met my tribe. One day, after a co-worker found out, she told the other co-workers and I saw them breathe a huge sigh of relief. I still don’t understand it.
11. As it hasn’t rained in months, there is a draught in the country. As a result, there’s a holiday during which children are taken out of schools to pray a special prayer called Rob Don (searching for rain).
12. People are incredibly ignorant: one day I asked for directions to a store that sells fish and tons of people commented, saying: “Fish makes you go crazy,” “Don’t eat fish!,” etc.
13. Somali people are incredibly blunt. They openly make comments about my clothes (my vintage jean jacket is a conversation favourite), my huge glasses, the way I wear my hijab, etc.

These are only the ones I can think of on the top of my head, but there’s plenty more!