~When we love, we always strive to become better than we are. When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too~

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Saleem:

My Life is like a mysterious movie which rushes the blood upside down with the best ending ever since I got married to Ameerah

Times like this are special Memory builders. When good things happen to a person, the kind of things are remembered forever.

I and Ameerah turned out to be a fun-loving couple with a penchant for adventure

Our honeymoon featured things that are a little bit weird, a little bit different and definitely out of the ordinary. We have been to several countries, but Tokyo hit differently. It's the best so far

Ameerah and some honeymoon planner her father introduced her to planned a whirlwind trip to Dubai, Italy, Japan, the Philippines and finally Hawaii creating a bespoke honeymoon We will never forget.

Setting out from home, we embarked on a journey of adventure. We started with Japan first and Philippines was the last.

We went to places in Japan we have never heard of and planned blind activities that blew us away.

In the buzzing city of Tokyo, I was surprised with a tour of the famous Tokyo Fish Markets, discovering Kyoto by bike while exploring the city of 1000 temples.

I was wowed with a stay at Mt Koya, a sacred place in Japan's holiest mountains that people of all religions have been visiting for around 1,200 years. Here, amongst the beautiful scenery and Zen gardens, we enjoyed the unique experience of residing with monks. which was completely unexpected

Then, to round off our trip and take a break with some well-earned rest and relaxation before heading back to the real world, We spent some time at the breathtaking Atmosphere Resort in the Philippines. This boutique, luxury hotel has everything you could want: a pool, a spa, fine dining options and the ocean. And for one last adventure, we decided to have the ultimate ocean activity, swimming with whales.

It was the trip of a lifetime for us, and we would 200% do it again... I couldn't imagine a more fun experience. It was certainly one of the most fun things I have ever done in my years on this planet. And we just cannot wait to craft our next adventure together

I was foolishly smiling to myself when I suddenly remembered that I need to tell my mother about my accidental marriage and introduce Ameerah to her.

My mother "Hajiya" as we normally call her, is an elderly shuwa Arab woman with two children, that's me and my sister. Our father passed away several years ago and hajiya has been a mother and a father to us since then. She takes care of our everyday needs, and meet up with our daily demands.

Hajiya is a strong woman, but unfortunately she is still clinging on to the days when she was relevant and important, her victory days, days of her youth and absolute beauty, the days when she was on top of the food chain with her husband by her side, the time when she got whatever she wanted without even trying.

She is always looking back to the good old days and reminiscing on the memories she is left with, wishing she could travel back in time and relive those days. She is craving for that same feeling she's had before, she could kill to get those moments back

But unfortunately for hajiya, there is one undeniable fact about age and time, they're never reversible

Hajiya needs a sense of belonging, It feels good to be accepted, loved, and approved of by others. But often, the membership fee to belong to that club she once belonged to is far too high of a price for Hajiya to pay in the recent days.

Hajiya is always looking for a social event or gathering to go to, She attends those events even if she is not invited.

Happiness means different things to different people, happiness to Hajiya means hanging out with friends, partying, clubbing, mingling with the opposite sex, getting money by all means and being extravagant.

Women like my Hajiya seek power, success and most importantly wealth for themselves and admire them deeply in others, and they underestimate what is of true value in life. But I don't blame her, it's a common trait in all Shuwa Arabs. We were all born with it, it's being passed on from generations to generations.

The Shuwa Arabs are commonly referred to as the "Baggara." This name is derived from the Arabic word "bagar", meaning "cow," and refers to the Arab tribes in West Africa who are cattle herders. They are spread from the Lake Chad region eastward to the Nile River in the countries of Sudan, Niger, Chad, Cameroon, Nigeria, and the Central African Republic.

The Shuwa Arabs are of Arab descent and mainly speak the Shuwa dialect of the Arab language.

Marriages among the Shuwa Arab nomad could be very interesting because the parents usually choose spouses for their children, so did my mother to my sister. But I wasn't as lucky, Or maybe I was luckier

Parents start searching for a companion to their sons before they attain the age of maturity. The same applies to the females. Matches are made between relatives, particularly between cousins and social equals.

There is a general belief among the Shuwa that the practice helps keep wealth in the family and dowry could be given in cows. They are predominantly Muslims, thereby following the Islamic rites for getting married.

My mother has successfully married my sister off to a very rich uneducated older Alhaji with two wives.

She has given birth to a strikingly handsome Arabian looking male child, earning herself a more secured place in the Alhaji's heart and house. A male heir to Alhaji's fortune, not a bad idea.

It's safe to say that my only sister is living the life. She often reminds hajiya of herself in those days, Though my sister's life is nothing compared to hajiya's victory days back in the day

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