This week has been and still is an eventful week.after trying to memorize the countries of the world in a song, the highlights of my week are :
i had my first LC teambuilding, and it ROCKED!! that is the happiest i have ever been as LCP! i think it's by far the best AIESEC day of the year!and the great thing about it is that i have a kick-ass LC! i love them, i can finally say they are my babies ( just like jen says about like everyone in AIESEC :P )
The second highlight is that i get to see JEN!! yaaay! jen comes back to egypt for like a week - she arrives TOMORROW! awesmoe huh?
I have died my hair. it's hardly noticible, i have made it darker, from medium brown to dark brown. and i kinda like it. the problem is it has a red feel. i have never died my hair before! this is a first!
as for now i am officially taking a one week break from any serious or meaningful conversations ever. so assem and tamer, i am not participating in your discussions.
any one interested in talking about how hot brad pitt's ass is i am here :)
Tuesday, March 29, 2005
Monday, March 28, 2005
Wednesday, March 23, 2005
Becoming a Ninja ( face veiled)
this is an experience that i remembered because of tamer's discussion about the term ninja.
At my first year in Alexandria University a public uni here, i had a friend called Hanaan. She had recently gotten veiled before entering college, she wore regular clothes, nice scarfs and wore make-up and looked very good, compared to all the others that go there.
The year after, i saw her - i only go for exams and field work, so i only see her a few times every semester - i found her still vieled, but she started to wear very long gowns and extremely loose.
The year after that, i didn't see her for an entire term. So i called her up and asked her where she was, and she told me, i got face-veiled, i keep trying to make eye contact with you so you would recognize me but you never do.
This year i have not seen her yet, maybe she dropped out and is reading koraan at home all day- or i still cannot tell her appart from all those face veiled girls in my department.
On the same topic, my first year the tayaar el eslami ( islamic group on campus) put up posters all over, encouraging girls to get veiled and stating how bad they will suffer in hell if they do not get veiled.
And as a matter of fact, more girls got veiled in the first year, where they were more than the un-vieled girls.
The second year the posters said that the veil is not enough, you should wear loose clothes and not show any detail of your body.
Consequently the amount of girls wearing loose clothes and gowns increased.
The third year, they started attacking the regular veil, calling it just like not wearing it at all, and Haraam etc. , and you should be face-veiled to be a good muslim.
They put being veiled with praying, when praying is a corner stone of religion, you have to do it to be a muslim. and being veiled is "supposedly" something you have to do. But if you do not do it, you are still a muslim.
The point of view now is changing, to be a muslim you HAVE to be veiled!
One of the students once said in a class with half of the girls not veieled (me included): "there are plenty of girl out there not veiled, but they are still good girls" one of the other guys objected.
ouch!
That is the evolution of the Islamic movement.
I bet you this is how it started with Iran.
At my first year in Alexandria University a public uni here, i had a friend called Hanaan. She had recently gotten veiled before entering college, she wore regular clothes, nice scarfs and wore make-up and looked very good, compared to all the others that go there.
The year after, i saw her - i only go for exams and field work, so i only see her a few times every semester - i found her still vieled, but she started to wear very long gowns and extremely loose.
The year after that, i didn't see her for an entire term. So i called her up and asked her where she was, and she told me, i got face-veiled, i keep trying to make eye contact with you so you would recognize me but you never do.
This year i have not seen her yet, maybe she dropped out and is reading koraan at home all day- or i still cannot tell her appart from all those face veiled girls in my department.
On the same topic, my first year the tayaar el eslami ( islamic group on campus) put up posters all over, encouraging girls to get veiled and stating how bad they will suffer in hell if they do not get veiled.
And as a matter of fact, more girls got veiled in the first year, where they were more than the un-vieled girls.
The second year the posters said that the veil is not enough, you should wear loose clothes and not show any detail of your body.
Consequently the amount of girls wearing loose clothes and gowns increased.
The third year, they started attacking the regular veil, calling it just like not wearing it at all, and Haraam etc. , and you should be face-veiled to be a good muslim.
They put being veiled with praying, when praying is a corner stone of religion, you have to do it to be a muslim. and being veiled is "supposedly" something you have to do. But if you do not do it, you are still a muslim.
The point of view now is changing, to be a muslim you HAVE to be veiled!
One of the students once said in a class with half of the girls not veieled (me included): "there are plenty of girl out there not veiled, but they are still good girls" one of the other guys objected.
ouch!
That is the evolution of the Islamic movement.
I bet you this is how it started with Iran.
Tuesday, March 15, 2005
a little something i got from paddy
1. What time did you get up this morning? 8:36
2. Diamonds or Pearls? Diamonds
3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Abu Ali ( Egyptian Movie-sucks)
4. What is your favorite TV show at the moment? Friends
5. What did you have for breakfast? doughnuts
6. What is your middle name? Abd El Salaam
7. What is your favorite cuisine? Italian
8. What do you dislike? the smell of sweat
9. What is your favorite crisp flavor? salt and vinegar
10. What is your favorite CD at the moment? Nancy Ajram
11. What kind of car do you drive? Fiat 126 ( soooo tiny)
12. Favorite Sandwich? turkey, cheese, lettuce, tomato, oviles
13. What characteristic do you despise? Envy
14. Favorite item of clothing? Bra - it's such a great invention
15. If you could go anywhere in the world on holiday,where would itbe? the bahamas
16. What color is your bathroom? white
17. Favorite brand of clothing? uhh..brands, me? no
18. Where would you retire to? uhh.. me? retire? never
19. Favorite time of the day? when i cuddle in my bed and sleep
20. most memorable birthday? 21st, my LC threw me a surprize birthday party - i didn't know at all
21. Where were you born? Alexandria
22. Favorite sport to watch? Soccer/Football
25. What fabric detergent do you use? let me ask my mom
26. Coke or Pepsi? i have converted to coke
27. Are you a morning or a night person? NIGHT NIGHT NIGHT
28. What is your shoe size? 39
29. Do you have any pets? no
30. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share? i may be getting new make-up!
31. What did you want to be when you were little? a stinking rich housewife :P
2. Diamonds or Pearls? Diamonds
3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Abu Ali ( Egyptian Movie-sucks)
4. What is your favorite TV show at the moment? Friends
5. What did you have for breakfast? doughnuts
6. What is your middle name? Abd El Salaam
7. What is your favorite cuisine? Italian
8. What do you dislike? the smell of sweat
9. What is your favorite crisp flavor? salt and vinegar
10. What is your favorite CD at the moment? Nancy Ajram
11. What kind of car do you drive? Fiat 126 ( soooo tiny)
12. Favorite Sandwich? turkey, cheese, lettuce, tomato, oviles
13. What characteristic do you despise? Envy
14. Favorite item of clothing? Bra - it's such a great invention
15. If you could go anywhere in the world on holiday,where would itbe? the bahamas
16. What color is your bathroom? white
17. Favorite brand of clothing? uhh..brands, me? no
18. Where would you retire to? uhh.. me? retire? never
19. Favorite time of the day? when i cuddle in my bed and sleep
20. most memorable birthday? 21st, my LC threw me a surprize birthday party - i didn't know at all
21. Where were you born? Alexandria
22. Favorite sport to watch? Soccer/Football
25. What fabric detergent do you use? let me ask my mom
26. Coke or Pepsi? i have converted to coke
27. Are you a morning or a night person? NIGHT NIGHT NIGHT
28. What is your shoe size? 39
29. Do you have any pets? no
30. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share? i may be getting new make-up!
31. What did you want to be when you were little? a stinking rich housewife :P
Saturday, March 12, 2005
You are now reading the Blog of the MCVP Elect of AIESEC Egypt 05/06
With all sorts of Knots and Butterflies STILL in my stomach, I am Pleased to say,
I AM ON THE MC!!
After more than a month of waiting and convincing myself that it was a sure thing, I headed to Cairo for my Interview.
At exactly 12:35 pm of the 11th of March, I stepped into the AIESEC Office and greeted the 7 other candidates that were running for the MC.
At about 12:40 pm I started to Panic.
There I am with 7 great Individuals who are the Best people in AIESEC Egypt, and we are all running for the MC. Those dudes are as committed as passionate and as qualified as I am; probably even more, to be on this Team.
Suddenly I realized, it's not a sure thing anymore.
I entered my Interview and gave what I fear was one of my worst performances ever, where my face was all red, where I couldn't even force a smile and where my legs were twitching so bad it felt like an earthquake in there and where I went blank like so many times.
But the worst was yet to come, 24 hours of waiting, the 24 hours from hell (as poo would so eloquently put it).
And from exactly 8:14 pm of the 12th of March, till now, and probably for a few more days, I have the biggest most Stupidest Smile on my face - just like the one I had after my first kiss.
I AM ON THE MC!!!!!
It was a hell of an Experience, where -yes Assem you were correct- I learned A LOT!!
I learned not to take things for granted, not to be too sure of things otherwise you could become too big for your own shoes, and I have learned how badly I wanted to be part of this Team and how much it meant to me.
And so I would like to say to AIESEC in the Whole Wide World, Brace yourselves for the Best Team Ever, coz Tamer, Louly, Martha, Maggie, Tarek and Askoura will show you things you never dreamed possible!
I am So Happy :D:D:D:D so i will sing:
I feel Prettyyyyyyyyy oh so prettyyyyyyyy
I feel Prettyyyyyyyy and wittyyyyyyyy and Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay
ha ha ha - i am not i swear, single and looking (for male)
I AM ON THE MC!!
After more than a month of waiting and convincing myself that it was a sure thing, I headed to Cairo for my Interview.
At exactly 12:35 pm of the 11th of March, I stepped into the AIESEC Office and greeted the 7 other candidates that were running for the MC.
At about 12:40 pm I started to Panic.
There I am with 7 great Individuals who are the Best people in AIESEC Egypt, and we are all running for the MC. Those dudes are as committed as passionate and as qualified as I am; probably even more, to be on this Team.
Suddenly I realized, it's not a sure thing anymore.
I entered my Interview and gave what I fear was one of my worst performances ever, where my face was all red, where I couldn't even force a smile and where my legs were twitching so bad it felt like an earthquake in there and where I went blank like so many times.
But the worst was yet to come, 24 hours of waiting, the 24 hours from hell (as poo would so eloquently put it).
And from exactly 8:14 pm of the 12th of March, till now, and probably for a few more days, I have the biggest most Stupidest Smile on my face - just like the one I had after my first kiss.
I AM ON THE MC!!!!!
It was a hell of an Experience, where -yes Assem you were correct- I learned A LOT!!
I learned not to take things for granted, not to be too sure of things otherwise you could become too big for your own shoes, and I have learned how badly I wanted to be part of this Team and how much it meant to me.
And so I would like to say to AIESEC in the Whole Wide World, Brace yourselves for the Best Team Ever, coz Tamer, Louly, Martha, Maggie, Tarek and Askoura will show you things you never dreamed possible!
I am So Happy :D:D:D:D so i will sing:
I feel Prettyyyyyyyyy oh so prettyyyyyyyy
I feel Prettyyyyyyyy and wittyyyyyyyy and Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay
ha ha ha - i am not i swear, single and looking (for male)
Friday, March 11, 2005
The University of Doom and Gloom
For those who do not know I happen to be pursuing 2 Different Degrees.
A Marketing Degree in the Arab Academy for Science and Technology (a private uni) http://www.aast.edu/
And a Sociology Degree in The Faculty of Arts, Alex Uni (a public University) http://www.facultyofarts.com/
Difference? One costs 32.5 Egyptians pounds per year, and one costs 18,000 Egyptian pounds a year.
So which one in the University of Doom and Gloom? It's the Public one!
Why is it the Faculty of Doom?
Well coz if you go there, it means you are Doomed! Doomed to failure and mediocre Jobs that are not related whatsoever to your field, or you become a more appealing bride coz you have a higher education.
The mass that studies there, are people who could barely score anything in their finals, who are one of the worst possible college applicants in Egypt. (Excluding the other lower institutes or community colleges)
Only a few actually go there, to do something meaningful with the precious Knowledge in a faculty like this, Sociology, Anthropology, Psychology, History, Arabic and Islamic Studies, English and French lit.
But generally, if you are in this Uni, you are Doomed till doomsday!
Now why is it the Faculty of Gloom then?
Well it's a place where all the misguided ignorant youth find their way in life, usually they are miserable.
Some turn to Drugs and I ain't talking about a couple of spliffs every day!
Some turn to the Religious Group called El Tayaar El Eslamy (The Islamic Current) http://www.gam3aonline.com/
Those are not Terrorists, they just post posters on how even Hijaab (the veil) is not enough and is as haraam as not having it at all, and how you should cover all of yourself, like a Ninja.
They give girls like me dirty looks, or look the other way while recalling some verses of the Koran.
And they organize protests and put up posters encouraging people to go to/on ( thank you chris) "holy" Jihad with the US and Israel, and to stop eating McDonalds.
They put up the most peculiar (I have no other word to describe it) Slogans, kaate3oo montagan tankezoo mosleman (stop using a product, and you will save a Muslim)
Al Hegaab Al Hegaab Kabl Yom El Hessaab (The veil the veil before judgment day)
They also interrupt classes to read Koran out loud to people and urge people to leave their classes to go and pray.
So they are not actively violent, but they are a stepping stone to becoming a Terrorist or to becmoing an extremist who makes his life and the life of his family a living hell.
Other than that Students can get into other stuff, like Gawaz 3orfy, which is a marriage where two people sign a paper with 2 witnesses that they are married, and once they tear it apart then they are no longer married.
So it's an excuse to sleep well at night while you are doing your girl/boyfriend.
Girls end up pregnant and guys tear up the marriage paper once they find out about the baby, and the girls life is ruined - either suicide, being killed by her family, she runs away and becomes a prostitute or gets disowned by her family.
Now the least of the Glooms is you meet a good guy/girl, the guy becomes a mechanic or opens a shop selling mobile phones, and the girl is a good housewife, who works as a secretary with a sleazy boss and they live on their minimum wage and get 4 kids!
I am not saying people can't become a great success - but the likelihood is a Question.
And that was a glimpse of the Egyptian Life, which I think I am very lucky to have seen and even luckier that I am not actively part of it :)
A Marketing Degree in the Arab Academy for Science and Technology (a private uni) http://www.aast.edu/
And a Sociology Degree in The Faculty of Arts, Alex Uni (a public University) http://www.facultyofarts.com/
Difference? One costs 32.5 Egyptians pounds per year, and one costs 18,000 Egyptian pounds a year.
So which one in the University of Doom and Gloom? It's the Public one!
Why is it the Faculty of Doom?
Well coz if you go there, it means you are Doomed! Doomed to failure and mediocre Jobs that are not related whatsoever to your field, or you become a more appealing bride coz you have a higher education.
The mass that studies there, are people who could barely score anything in their finals, who are one of the worst possible college applicants in Egypt. (Excluding the other lower institutes or community colleges)
Only a few actually go there, to do something meaningful with the precious Knowledge in a faculty like this, Sociology, Anthropology, Psychology, History, Arabic and Islamic Studies, English and French lit.
But generally, if you are in this Uni, you are Doomed till doomsday!
Now why is it the Faculty of Gloom then?
Well it's a place where all the misguided ignorant youth find their way in life, usually they are miserable.
Some turn to Drugs and I ain't talking about a couple of spliffs every day!
Some turn to the Religious Group called El Tayaar El Eslamy (The Islamic Current) http://www.gam3aonline.com/
Those are not Terrorists, they just post posters on how even Hijaab (the veil) is not enough and is as haraam as not having it at all, and how you should cover all of yourself, like a Ninja.
They give girls like me dirty looks, or look the other way while recalling some verses of the Koran.
And they organize protests and put up posters encouraging people to go to/on ( thank you chris) "holy" Jihad with the US and Israel, and to stop eating McDonalds.
They put up the most peculiar (I have no other word to describe it) Slogans, kaate3oo montagan tankezoo mosleman (stop using a product, and you will save a Muslim)
Al Hegaab Al Hegaab Kabl Yom El Hessaab (The veil the veil before judgment day)
They also interrupt classes to read Koran out loud to people and urge people to leave their classes to go and pray.
So they are not actively violent, but they are a stepping stone to becoming a Terrorist or to becmoing an extremist who makes his life and the life of his family a living hell.
Other than that Students can get into other stuff, like Gawaz 3orfy, which is a marriage where two people sign a paper with 2 witnesses that they are married, and once they tear it apart then they are no longer married.
So it's an excuse to sleep well at night while you are doing your girl/boyfriend.
Girls end up pregnant and guys tear up the marriage paper once they find out about the baby, and the girls life is ruined - either suicide, being killed by her family, she runs away and becomes a prostitute or gets disowned by her family.
Now the least of the Glooms is you meet a good guy/girl, the guy becomes a mechanic or opens a shop selling mobile phones, and the girl is a good housewife, who works as a secretary with a sleazy boss and they live on their minimum wage and get 4 kids!
I am not saying people can't become a great success - but the likelihood is a Question.
And that was a glimpse of the Egyptian Life, which I think I am very lucky to have seen and even luckier that I am not actively part of it :)
Saturday, March 05, 2005
The Queen of Poker!
Yep that's me!
Today my LC and i and Chris Bowman ( Salaam Trainee in Cairo) went to spend a day in my Beach House.
We spent our day outside where the weather was great.
We had a great time, so if you didn't come, you missed out.
We started off by Playing Bullshit, which i was okay in ...
Then we moved on to Poker, We played the 5-Card Draw, and I RULED!!
i got a straight, a tripple, 2 doubles, doubles, and i think i got a full house too! and i got ALL their money!! ( well we played with monopoly money coz we were all broke)
Then chris decided to have us play some texas hit 'em or something game, where i completely sucked and lost all my money :)
The highlight of the day, was me kicking Kenny's ASS!! Kenny was a Tae-Kwoondo ( how the hell do you write that)
I have had 5 Lessons of Kickboxing in my Life,
And the Match begun!!
we were as excited as ever, kenny's lungs and my fittness thought differently!
So we ended our 90 Second match - sat in a nice shady place smoking and drinking pepsi.
A great Excercise!
Today my LC and i and Chris Bowman ( Salaam Trainee in Cairo) went to spend a day in my Beach House.
We spent our day outside where the weather was great.
We had a great time, so if you didn't come, you missed out.
We started off by Playing Bullshit, which i was okay in ...
Then we moved on to Poker, We played the 5-Card Draw, and I RULED!!
i got a straight, a tripple, 2 doubles, doubles, and i think i got a full house too! and i got ALL their money!! ( well we played with monopoly money coz we were all broke)
Then chris decided to have us play some texas hit 'em or something game, where i completely sucked and lost all my money :)
The highlight of the day, was me kicking Kenny's ASS!! Kenny was a Tae-Kwoondo ( how the hell do you write that)
I have had 5 Lessons of Kickboxing in my Life,
And the Match begun!!
we were as excited as ever, kenny's lungs and my fittness thought differently!
So we ended our 90 Second match - sat in a nice shady place smoking and drinking pepsi.
A great Excercise!
the eco. development theory!
okay everyone,
the economic theory of development ( check it out in my December Post i dunno how to link it here) is just a theory, not all theories can and are applied.
I believe people should have as many kids as they want as long as they can provide them with good chances and opportunitiest and resources to become good successful citizens and live a good life.
There's no way to enforce that except by educating people, you can't exactly force anyone!
More Educated people understand that concept, and have a bit of a long term view of things, uneducated people usually have many kids without looking at the consequences.
Of course we cannot generalize, but this would be the norm here in Egypt.
So if you educate people, then you got yourself a way to develop economically.
Look at this cenario:
Amm Mohamed El Bawaab ( Mr. Mohamed the doorman) is a man that cannot read or write, he has 2 kids and sends them to a public school, they both finish elementary school then work, therefore they can get jobs that are a bit better than a bawaab (doorman) their kids will go to school and stop after secondary school,( they can do even better than their parents) then they can get their kids all through high school, then their kids go to public college, and the next generation goes to a private school then a public uni and finally the generation after - goes to the AUC!
takes a long time when u start from the bottom but you get there at the end ! and you could jump a step or two.
but if the bawaab has 7 kids he wont be able to afford getting them to a school, and you have a whole new generation of Bawaabs!
so now do you see my point?!!!
the economic theory of development ( check it out in my December Post i dunno how to link it here) is just a theory, not all theories can and are applied.
I believe people should have as many kids as they want as long as they can provide them with good chances and opportunitiest and resources to become good successful citizens and live a good life.
There's no way to enforce that except by educating people, you can't exactly force anyone!
More Educated people understand that concept, and have a bit of a long term view of things, uneducated people usually have many kids without looking at the consequences.
Of course we cannot generalize, but this would be the norm here in Egypt.
So if you educate people, then you got yourself a way to develop economically.
Look at this cenario:
Amm Mohamed El Bawaab ( Mr. Mohamed the doorman) is a man that cannot read or write, he has 2 kids and sends them to a public school, they both finish elementary school then work, therefore they can get jobs that are a bit better than a bawaab (doorman) their kids will go to school and stop after secondary school,( they can do even better than their parents) then they can get their kids all through high school, then their kids go to public college, and the next generation goes to a private school then a public uni and finally the generation after - goes to the AUC!
takes a long time when u start from the bottom but you get there at the end ! and you could jump a step or two.
but if the bawaab has 7 kids he wont be able to afford getting them to a school, and you have a whole new generation of Bawaabs!
so now do you see my point?!!!
Thursday, March 03, 2005
kefaya
I came across this website called www.kefaya.com this is the campaign against having Mubarak be president for another 6-year term and also against having his son as his successor.
Interesting, but rather depressing.
There are several gloomy ways of looking at this "change" , pessimism is the norm while optimism seems minimal.
I have finally gotten a hold of the Egyptian consitution, which was a big surprize for me.
It was really hard to find i must say, has many stupid stuff in there, but it had great news :)
The conditions for being president are
1) Egyptian
2) from Egyptian Parents
3) Above 40 years of age
4) has all civil and political rights
So the president can be christian, and can be a WOMAN!!
In your face kenny :P
I told that fact to 3 of my friends from Uni, one of them - a muslim - comented that she does not want a women president. ( that friend is a female ).
Later on she commented how she would never have a christian president - she did not say that infront of my other 2 friends out of respect for them as they were christians.
If this is how educated people who will soon have a University Degree think like, i wonder what those other 51% illiterate Egyptians think!
Interesting, but rather depressing.
There are several gloomy ways of looking at this "change" , pessimism is the norm while optimism seems minimal.
I have finally gotten a hold of the Egyptian consitution, which was a big surprize for me.
It was really hard to find i must say, has many stupid stuff in there, but it had great news :)
The conditions for being president are
1) Egyptian
2) from Egyptian Parents
3) Above 40 years of age
4) has all civil and political rights
So the president can be christian, and can be a WOMAN!!
In your face kenny :P
I told that fact to 3 of my friends from Uni, one of them - a muslim - comented that she does not want a women president. ( that friend is a female ).
Later on she commented how she would never have a christian president - she did not say that infront of my other 2 friends out of respect for them as they were christians.
If this is how educated people who will soon have a University Degree think like, i wonder what those other 51% illiterate Egyptians think!
funny
if you check out the comments on my previous blog post you'll see that i am probably going to Israel alone.
Wednesday, March 02, 2005
this is where i wana go.
Before i die, i would like to go to
1) France, becuase everyone says if you haven't been to paris, you haven't been anywhere. plus i get to practice my french.
2) Italy, the main attraction there is the history and monuments. The Music, the Opera, the night life.
3) the US of A! well whatever subject you talk about the US comes up, so it's a good thing to speak based on first hand experience. plus i wana see kait and holly :)
4) England - again. My dream is to have my masters there.
5) Ughanda, i dunno why but it's poor and it looks cool in all pics.
6) India, although the food will be an issue.
7) The carribean, okay it's not a country, but anywhere there would be nice!!
8) Israel - out of curiosity.
So who wants to join me on which trip?
1) France, becuase everyone says if you haven't been to paris, you haven't been anywhere. plus i get to practice my french.
2) Italy, the main attraction there is the history and monuments. The Music, the Opera, the night life.
3) the US of A! well whatever subject you talk about the US comes up, so it's a good thing to speak based on first hand experience. plus i wana see kait and holly :)
4) England - again. My dream is to have my masters there.
5) Ughanda, i dunno why but it's poor and it looks cool in all pics.
6) India, although the food will be an issue.
7) The carribean, okay it's not a country, but anywhere there would be nice!!
8) Israel - out of curiosity.
So who wants to join me on which trip?
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