Learning Miles with Daniel: Shohan: The Friend Who Inspired This Blog

This is my very first blog post—and I owe it to someone special.

My friend Shohan, who might just be the most energetic person I’ve ever met, became the spark that motivated me to finally start this blog. For a long time, I viewed content creation as too time-consuming. I used my daily commitments as an excuse not to begin. But then Shohan came into my life and made me realize that I wasn’t making the most of my 24 hours.

At Mumbai Hayat Regency Hotel

I met Shohan in India in 2024. He had come from Kazakhstan to pursue a PhD in International Relations, while I was there for my Master’s in the same field. We became friends through Mandefiro (Mofasa), Shohan’s roommate and my fellow countryman. Our connection deepened quickly, largely thanks to a shared love for sports. That was the first thing we discovered we had in common. We started exercising together at least three times a week, and that gradually led to something more: shared meals, long conversations, mutual support.

Shohan found Indian food a bit too spicy, though I noticed some similarities with Ethiopian cuisine—especially the stews. That actually made me feel more comfortable using the campus mess (cafeteria), since the flavors weren’t entirely unfamiliar. But Shohan still preferred cooking his own meals in the hostel. He’s actually a great cook, often inviting me to join him for food and his signature green tea, which he enjoys daily. We’d spend hours walking, shopping, having coffee at the mall, and even going to church together—despite him being Muslim.

What struck me most was his commitment to routine. Shohan had a packed daily schedule, but he still found time to write about his experiences—and he genuinely enjoyed doing so. That inspired me deeply. I began to admire (and envy, in a good way) his discipline and decided it was something worth adopting in my own life.

There’s so much more I’ll share about our time together with Shohan & Mofasa in future posts. But today, as I kick off this blog, I want to thank Shohan for his friendship, for the moments we shared, and most of all, for the motivation he gave me.

This blog will be my space to share learnings, reflections, and insights from my journey through life, across countries, and into myself.