Robert Hillman - Shining: The Story of a Lucky Man

In a classroom, the world begins. Even in a school such as mine, a very poor school in a very poor country.

Listen to me, children, says Macallin Yousef, our teacher. Who knows of a country that has more animals than people?

Macallin Yousef s question has come out of the blue. There is no reply. The students in the classroom with me, maybe fifty of them, boys and girls ten and eleven years old, are thinking of an answer that will please Macallin Yousef rather than one that can be found in a textbook. This is Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia on the Horn of Africa, and here all geography is local. Macallin Yousef knows something of the neighbouring countries of Ethiopia and Kenya, something of Yemen, Oman and Saudi Arabia across the Gulf of Aden. The rest of the world? Not so much.

Now, a country that has more animals than people is a prosperous country. In Somalia, since forever, the ratio of beasts to humans has been used to show a communitys wealth. A thousand beasts, fifty people good. A thousand people, fifty beasts a problem. So the answer that Macallin Yousef is seeking is probably Saudi Arabia many more beasts than people, very wealthy, and a great favourite of our teacher.

But:

Yes, Abdi?

I have raised my hand, willing to attempt an answer.

Macallin, I say, standing beside my desk in my white shirt and khaki shorts, the uniform of the school (with a long skirt in place of the shorts for girls), Australia is such a country.

Giggles break out all over the classroom. Australia? What is it? Where is it? Ridiculous!

Macallin Yousef says: Australia?

Macallin, yes, I say.

Macallin smiles with all of his white teeth. He has barely heard of Australia. Who in the Horn of Africa has, other than me?

It is mostly empty, I volunteer.

Mostly empty? says Macallin Yousef. No people?

Yes, people, of course, I say, but more animals than people.

More animals than people, says Macallin Yousef. Indeed. And Abdi, you are sure of that?

The other pupils, sensing that I am on safer ground than our teacher, begin to warm to the exciting idea that Im losing my mind to be telling Macallin Yousef that I am right, even if he says I am wrong. Unheard of.

I say: Sir, I am sure.

And I am sure. I read it in a book my mother, Aalima, gave me. My mother is an educated woman and she would expect me to stand up for the facts. I have no intention of changing my answer to Saudi Arabia.

Macallin Yousef holds back. Hes thinking I might be right. But if he accepts my answer, hes saying its okay for every other student to come up with information that might take the class to all sorts of ridiculous places.

In the end, he gives in. Its the best thing to do, and a big relief for me. Yes, he says. Australia. Of course. More animals than people. Australia.

I sit down again at my desk, dizzy with pride. A question has been asked, an answer given. It pleases me that Ive been able to match the two. Ill tell you the truth: knowledge delights me. Im bursting to get home and tell my mum. A question has been asked, an answer given.

Knowledge.

There are moments in our lives maybe almost forgotten that much later begin to shine so brightly that they throw a light over everything weve ever done. A day is coming when I will have the good fortune to speak for hours about Australia and Australians; a day when I will become an Australian citizen, buy a house and start a family in one of my new countrys great cities, win some praise for the work I do in migrant communities. But on the day of Macallin Yousefs question, a life in Australia is as far from anything I can imagine as living on the moon or the bottom of the sea.