Photo of the Week

Hey World.

My blog's new logo on one of Bahrain's rare beaches...

Peace,

SoulSearch

Arabi - A Poem for Palestine

Allow me to introduce you to "Arabi". The poet who has kindly agreed to publish his poetry on my blog. The first poem I'm publishing today is called " سلمى- أواه يا وطن "

It talks about a Palestinian girl called Salma, who looks for Arab support for her cause, but of course gets no reply. She searches for an identity that has been robbed by the enemy. She longs for her home that was demolished, and for the family she lost.



To Palestine, with love,

سلمى .... أواه ياوطن

إذا جن الليل واستجن وتلحف عشاق الشجن
غني أنت ياسلمى للوطن فنحن لم نسمعك من زمن

قولي ... آواه .. ياوطن واقدساه سيدة المدن
ياوطن السلوى والمن انت في حلمي سكن

في عيني نور عين في أذني جرس أرن
أذان به القلب هدن

ياوطن السلوى والمن باعوني بأبخس ثمن
تناسوني وقالوا سنن غريبة بالديار ياوطن
كميت بالعراء دفن يشتهي ترابك كفن

آواه ... ياوطن حاراتك دروب المحن
حياتك للموت خدن أحزانك لصمتي لحن
ألمك بألمي يتفنن

آواه ... ياوطن

أنت فاء في الفتن

ولام لهفة وحزن
سين سلام قد سجن

وطاء طفل في الوسن
ياء يوم بسهل أغن
ونون نادتنا ... أين نحن؟

أواه ياوطن

ياوطن السلوى والمن إن لم أحبك أحب من؟

آواه ياوطن

-Arabi

Peace,

SoulSearch

Berry Delicious

My parents' house has a beautiful garden, where my childhood memories were made. This garden is well kept and I always love to see my children running around the place, and just chilling there after Friday lunch at my folks.

This year our beautiful berry tree has given us so many delicious berries.

But unfortunately, during the latest bout of crazy Shamal winds, the tree's stump was bent and eventually broken. My dad is trying his best to salvage it.

We even had a banana tree at some point. I even remember some bananas popping out, while my dad was standing in front of it like it was a trophy.

The garden also boasts a beautiful lime tree that gives out a scent more beautiful than any French perfume. Its the season for the flowers in bloom now, and many of these flowers then mature to become full fledged Limes, and they are huge. I promise to post a picture of them when they are ripe.

*On the right is a picture of the berries we picked right before the tree toppled over*

Peace,

SoulSearch

The i-rak

Brilliant. Introducing Apple's latest technology...

Please follow the link below...

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/3/14/202517/398

Peace,

SoulSearch

Photo of the Week

Its sad. Nothing more I can say. Actually, I do. I just might have something to say. But I will save it for another day, and wait for your comments.

Peace,

SoulSearch

Mr. Negativity

Its just one of those days, when anxiety is taking over, a feeling of of failure is eating at me, life sometimes engulfs you and sucks all your energy out. If I didn't have so many commitments and responsibilities I would quit right now. I wish I didn't have to be dependent on an institution to live, I wish I could have my own business which would generate a decent income, and I can be there for my children, for my family, for myself. I wish I could just stay at home and not have to take anyone's shit or anyone's mood swings.

Life sometimes can be overwhelming, and this whole week has been crap, everyone is on the fast lane to destruction. Everyone wants to climb the mountain and go higher and higher, on other people's back, without a second thought for others. I want to break free from the chains that bind me, I want to breath fresh air and be out in the sun. How many lifetimes does a person get to live but the one he/she has.

I can't stand this any longer. If I was my feelings today I would be a big pile of disappointment, anger, failure, resentment, apprehension, and every other bloody negative feeling in the world. I feel like wringing someone's neck, kicking someone's behind, just anything to vent this huge feeling of anger in me.

Arrrrrrggggggghhhhhhhhh

Ok, that's better.

Peace,

SoulSearch

Bahrain's Beaches

Or the lack of them.

It was a beautiful Saturday morning, and my husband and I decided to take the kids for a picnic. We got to Marina Beach near the Grand Al-Fateh Mosque, and we prepared the whole picnic thing for them. They were thrilled. We had a picnic basket filled with biscuits and sandwiches and fruits and it was so wonderful to see the children jumping with joy. They were rolling on fresh cut grass, they played on the swings and when they saw the sea, they couldn't resist but head there. Although I hadn't packed towels or extra clothes for them, I thought what the heck...we're here to have fun so they might as well.

However, I am sad to say that they couldn't even take one step into the water. I'll leave you with the picture below, self-explanatory...

I hope somebody will see this sad picture and do something

about it. Its a small swath of beach anyway, it would only take a few people to clean it for everyone to enjoy. Instead of waiting for someone to do something, my husband and I would love to adopt this beach and help clean it up, any volunteers?

Peace,
SoulSearch

Spring of Culture

I loved it. We had a wonderful time. This would be my idea of a perfect date.

The Arad Fort in the background, the cool refreshing breeze, the performances and the music was great.

Inspite of all the criticism and the appraisals, every person has the right to his own opinion. I missed the Marcel Khalifa shenanigan, but I would have to agree with comments made by the "enlightened" Islamist MP Mohammed Khalid, that this is kind of inappropriate for us at the moment. And as Lulu said, we shouldn't give them the chance to blow the Spring of Culture to pieces, as it is the highlight of the year.

I loved Osaka Dadada's enthusiasm and sense of humor, and Toni Hanna's Lebanese tunes and the Chehade Brothers amazing music was a blast for us. The only drawback of that evening was that we had to leave early as my daughter woke up crying and still in pain from her recent tonsillectomy.

I loved the drive to the fort, on the new Sh. Khalifa bridge, it took us 30 minutes to reach Arad from Riffa. Loved the whole evening!

Last year was a blast as well. We went to some of the shows which were really cool. I really hope this goes forward instead of being cancelled all together, cause fun things like this do tend to be neglected.

Peace,

SoulSearch

Bahrain

Bahrain will always be Bahrain. People here are moving a little faster than before, but it is still laidback compared to other places. When the weather changes in Bahrain, I sometimes feel the need to stop and evaluate life in Bahrain. Its been very dusty the past few days with a hint of rain, if only just a drizzle. Here are a few points I jotted down after reading a cool post by Seroo on her blog :

1. Air Conditioners are now starting to go on. Yes, it is getting stuffy, (and dusty)

2. Traffic Jams can be bad but only around roads that are getting a facelift, quite a few are btw.

3. Prices are a notch up, but you can find many brands that were not in Bahrain a few months ago.

4. Children still play on the streets around neighborhoods, thanks to the lack of proper playgrounds in some areas. But we have to acknowledge that something is finally being done and we do have a few playgrounds.

5. People still honk at coldstore guys and expect them to come out and serve them immediately.

6. Many people drink tea with milk, a strange combination for many people who are not Bahraini.

7. You can now buy Mihyawa in major supermarkets.

8. Burgerland Shawarmas have shrunk but are still as tasty as ever. Also try Tariq Pastries mini pizzas, which have never changed. They're still great.

9. I'm so glad people take off their shoes when stepping into people's homes, my kids play on the floor and I can be freaked out when some people don't!

10. Seef Mall is still THE mall to be. They have a gorgeous new extension, but some major shops are yet to open. Also their carparks are a joke, I swear I'm buying a corolla next time.

11. If you are a Riffa3i or Sitrawi, you would notice that the previously known as Al-Alawi Complex has had a major revamp, and is now known as The Center, and they have a Mango branch in there! Pizza Hut is also in the vicinity of the complex! Hurray, I love Pizza.

12. 24/7 is a really cool "coldstore" in many petrol stations, plus they have really cool decor, and a good sense of humour!!! I love their coin collection proudly displayed on the walls.

13. The GDN is still hilarious to read, and they have a tremendous amount of fashion images in their central page.

14. A new car park building is now open in the Diplomatic Area, near all the ministries and major organizations, but finding parking space is still a nightmare.

15. There are a zillion Costa Cafes, their springing like mushrooms everywhere. There's also a new complex in the making on Budaiya road, and yes there is a Costa Cafe opening there soon!

16. No one can ever be stuck if a dress needs altering or a skirt needs heming. Tailor shops are everywhere.

17. Formula 1 is next month, on the 13, 14, and 15th of April. We are expecting everything to be in a frenzy of speed.

18. Too many private universities. Too many SMS ads.

19. Bahrain will always be Bahrain.

20. Most of the time, I see the glass half full, but I have been accused of being overly optimistic about everything, even in times of crisis.

More on Bahrain, soon.

Love,

SoulSearch

A Formula of Failure=Iraq

People in Iraq keep dying, and they are forgotten in the folds of memory, where they become part of history, and a black page in America's book. People dying in Iraq should not be forgotten, they should always serve as a reminder of the tyrannical decision by the honorable George W. to invade the country, in what was initially called "Operation Iraqi Liberty" or "OIL" for short.

If we try to make sense of what is happening in the Middle East today, if we try to make a logical sequence of events since the September 11th attack on New York's Twin Towers and a simple explanation of why Iraq was invaded, we would have the following formula:

9/11 Attack in New York + Allegedly by Osama Bin Laden (who has never been captured)+ invasion of Afghanistan (and its consequent destruction and the invasion goes on till this day) + a sudden jump from Afghanistan to Iraq + Claim of presence of Weapons of Mass Destruction and Saddam Hussein's involvement (someway or another) with Bin Laden + finally, the quagmire in Iraq that is a result of George W's idiotic decision = The result:

65,000 civilians killed in Iraq alone (and the list goes on and on) + political instability + threat of Iraq being divided + insecurity + car bombs + throat slitting + thousands of gangs posing as Islamic saviors + Anti-American sentiment all over the world + Civil War

But will George W. ever admit he was wrong? Will he ever admit that his decision to Invade Iraq was a dumb one and that he had ulterior motives a.k.a. O.I.L? I wonder.

I wonder how he would react if his house was blown to pieces and his kids drowning in a pool of their own blood and his body tortured to death and be sexually assaulted in Abu Ghraib? How would he react?

Quote of the week

Flags are bits of coloured cloth that governments use to first, shrink wrap people's brains and then as ceremonial shrouds to bury the dead.

Arundathi Roy

Designer Brands

I was recently engaged in an argument with one of my friends about designer brands. She had had her eyes on a designer handbag that cost around BD 400.

I kept trying to talk it out of her head, keeoing in mind that she works hard for the money she earns, and tried to convince her that it would be a total waste of money and effort if she threw her dinars away. So we argued, and argued and I wanted to here comments about this issue.

Would you buy a designer bag for hundreds of dinars, while some people live on that amount for a whole month, in some cases for TWO months?

Would you go for designer bags, designer jeans, designer sunglasses, designer life, if you knew you really couldn't afford it, but wanted to show off anyway, and be seen in a certain class of society?

Typical Work Week

Snoopy, you say it so well. Its Tuesday, and I already feel like dying! Can't take these bloody long hours anymore.

Love,

SoulSearch

Our Dream Home

Update on the construction of our dream home.

The roofing of the ground floor is now in place!! Its so exciting. We now have a roof over our heads when we enter the site.!!! It is so cool. The staircase is also solid enough to climb up and you can see the main rooms upstairs.

Alot of work has to be done. the walls of the bedrooms are taking shape but we have to decide everything. We met with the electrician yesterday and decided where to place sockets and electric outlets. Its kind of difficult to plan everything right now, you have to decide where you want to place the TV set, where you want the light switches, where you want to place the beds, and so on. You have got to have a good imagination and try to visualize how the place will look and to decide where everything goes.

We're going around looking for lights now, next comes the finishing, for the bathroom tiles!

Can't wait to move in...

Love,

SoulSearch

The Orphans Sponsorship Scheme

One of the best services of some Islamic Charity Societies in Bahrain is the "The Orphans Sponsorship Scheme", whereby you basically request a monthly standing order to be deducted from your account. I love the idea as you would help in aiding children in war zones, and get periodical updates about the child, his/her school report card, and his/her photo.

I encourage everybody to try it out, it is a wonderful scheme, very well organized, and you would be aiding in supporting the most vulnerable segment of society. The forgotten victims of wars or poverty and to top it all off, either lost one parent or both, shattering their dreams by disasters and aggression around them.

This scheme is organized by the Human Welfare Committee of AlEslah Society, which currently sponsors more than 3500 orphans inside and outside Bahrain. You can choose the child, choose the country and start supporting him/her.

Call them on 17-333090 ex. 129 for more details. They have a booklet detailing the above information, and a form for the sponsorship scheme.

Go on, do your part for the children of the world.

Love,

SoulSearch

A woman, A hero

The pan-Arab news channel Al-Arabiya interviewed Nawal Al-Saadawi last week. And as usual her views, opinions, and her genius writings, never cease to amaze me. One of her earlier books about her childhood, and about her as a physician in Egypt was one of the reasons why I started reading Arabic books. Her book Memoirs of a Woman Doctor, is one of my favorite books, an honest account of a woman's experience, a woman drowning in a world of men, but at the same time trying to rescue as many people around her as possible.

Nawal Al-Saadawi is a woman with attitude. She has been sued, prosecuted, even threatened with murder, but she always stays her ground. It is women like her that make me proud to be a woman, proud to be an Arab woman, proud to be an Arab woman who is not afraid to speak my mind.

In a world rotting at the core, and run by men, the likes of Nawal Al-Saadawi are a beacon of light, for the future of the world, a slither of hope that will help in restoring some sort of order in a world of chaos.

Its the courage of feminists like Nawal Al-Saadawi that shake up the very foundations of the archaic views put in place a long time ago by men who wanted to quell their egos, and to satisfy their thirst for power, control, and

Can you believe that the Egyptian government actually categorizes Dr. Nawal as "dangerous" and "controversial" simply because she has had the guts to voice her opinions and her thoughts.

One of my favorite quotes of Dr. Nawal is:

"Danger has been a part of my life ever since I picked up a pen and wrote. Nothing is more perilous than truth in a world that lies."

Back home

We're out of hospital and back in the comforts of our home... AlHamdulliah, my baby is safe and sound, a little frightened from all the needles and all the green gowns, but she's healthy and happy and I'm glad.

Nothing could have comforted me in that hour when they took her to the operating theatre. It was traumatic. Although it was a relatively simple operation, I was a nervous wreck. I was shaking up until she was wheeled out of the room.

Thanks to everyone for the support and the phone calls, its nice to have a circle of friends and family around us.

Love,
SoulSearch

Tonsillectomy

My sweetheart daughter is going to be admitted to hospital tomorrow for tonsillectomy.
I am a nervous wreck.
She's only four and a half and I'm her mother, and so I want to get this over with as soon as possible, she snores, and coughs and breathes heavily every night, and she really needs to have her tonsils removed, I was the same age as her when I had my tonsils removed.
I don't know why my folks toook me all the way to India to have them removed, I guess they didn't do this back ini the 80's in Bahrain.

Anyways, my baby also has bronchital asthma and so she has to stay under observation for one day. The operation will be on Sunday.

I pray for her health and well-being always...

Love,
SoulSearch