The Waiting Years

Yemenat

Mohammed Al-Mekhlafi

On one of Aden’s warm nights, in February 2004, I lived my last evening in the city that had sheltered me for years. I had just completed my university studies and earned a bachelor’s degree in English literature.

That night, my friends and I gathered in the apartment of my companion, Mutasem Al-Aodaini, in the Triangle Building in Khormaksar district. The room brimmed with friends; we shared conversations, chewed qat, and relived our most cherished university memories. We spoke of the past and painted visions of the future, yet beneath the laughter a quiet sorrow of farewell stirred within me.

I knew I was on the brink of leaving the city that had opened its doors to me when I first arrived from my small village in Mekhlaf Sharab, north of Taiz. In Aden, I studied and worked—serving as a media officer at the Office of the Security Director, as a journalist for The Yemen Times, and briefly as a media officer at the French Cultural Center. In this city, I forged unforgettable friendships and experienced my first love beneath the trees of the college campus—a love that never reached its completion, yet left an indelible mark upon my heart.

I left Aden for Sana’a, though my heart remained behind. In Sana’a, I worked as a translator and editor for Akhbar Al-Youm, then moved to Al-Liwaa newspaper. Later, I became a tour guide with the Universal Touring Company, a role that allowed me to journey through most of Yemen’s cities.

During that time, I wrote a reportage titled “From Hajjah to Hadhramaut: Landmarks That Speak the Legacy of Yemeni Creativity” It explored archaeological sites and tourist destinations, while shedding light on wedding traditions across the diverse cities of Yemen. Those were radiant days, brimming with experiences and