"Mariam! Are your bags ready?!" My mom screamed to me across the stairs. We were moving to Canada today and I was procrasinating on purpose. I didn't want to leave! I loved my home! I was in my room getting my red and yellow suitcase filled with my clothes and belongings I wanted to bring with me. My mom called for me again. "I'll be right down Mama!" I yelled back to her. I groan and flop on my bed. Just then, my 5 year old brother, Ahmed comes running in my room. "Ahmed! You're supposed to knock and you know it!" I scream at him. He jumps up and down on my bed like the monkey he his and says, "Mama needs you! Mommy needs you now!" I raced him down the stairs, but I let him win. I knew he'd be upset if I won. I mean afterall, he is a 5 year old! My mom, Suhayla is Sudanese so in the morning she always makes us Chai belaban 'milk tea' in the morning. It is kind of a part of our culture to drink it with biscuits. Ahmed and my little sister, Tala who is 7 don't get some because they're 'Under Age' Just then, my older brother, Mohamed and my older sister May, who are 18 year old twins come racing down to the kitchen because Mohamed took May's purple Morphe lipstick. That earns those two dumb dumbs a scolding. My mom orders us to come sit at the table to drink our tea and tells us to drink quickly because dad will be coming soon to pick us up and we'll head to the airport right away. My dad's name is Ayman and he's Egyptian. My mom does most of the ordering though. When you are born into a Sudanese household, Mom's word is what goes. She's the legit meaning of BOSS. I drink my tea really slowly and make an annoyed look on my face, upset at their decison to move. I didn't want to! "Mariam?" my mom starts. I dart my head up. "Fix your face before I fix it for you." She concludes. My siblings laugh. Except Mohamed because he's closest to me. He pats my back instead. We're like bestfriends. But May, she's just RUDE! We argue all the time. We're complete opposites! After I finnish up with my tea, I head back upstairs to get my suitcase. Then my phone beeps. It's my aunt, Maymuna! She's my favorite aunt of all time. She even lets me call her by her first name, which is disrespectful in many Arab cultures, but she doesn't mind. She's my mom's sister.

Maymuna

Maymuna: Hey Girl! Wassup?

Me: Tbh nm. Just packing for z big move :(

Maymuna: It'll be ok. Ik dat u'll be far from home n me but don't worry! I went to Canada for university and it was AWESOME! ;))))

I remembered the day she left the UAE for univeristy. It was five years ago. I was 10 years old and I was so upset that she was leaving! But she bought me something special with her. It was a snowglobe. I still have it. I remembered that it was on my desk and that I should pack it in my bag so that I don't forget it here. I put it in a tiny bag by itself so that it wouldn't break. I heard my phone beep again and felt guilty I didn't reply to her messages.

Maymuna: Hello?

Maymuna: Helloooo

Maymuna: R u there?

Me: Yea srry. I gtg k? Bye ilysm! Salamzzz!

Maymuna: Ok salam! Text me when u get there if u can!

Salam means 'Hello' in Arabic. I turned my phone off and sighed. I put my white hijab on, slipped on my pink and blue converse trainers, grabed my bags and rushed down the stairs, to see dad putting our bags in the van. I helped him with a few bags then headed into the backseat. I connected my airpods to my phone and turned on Surat Al Kahf, a verse from the Holy Quran. This was going to be a long ride.