Ramadan Sensation in Amman

During Ramadan Amman vibes are transformed. It is a different routine than the rest of the year.

During the day streets are jammed with traffic (much more than the normal days), shops and supermarkets are crowded, endless line of people in the bakeries. To be honest, until this day I can't figure out the least crowded period to shop in!

People at home laying down with a TV remote control in their hands, flipping from one channel to another to catch up with the marathon of Arabic series. People in the office have a daily serious discussions, of what they going to eat today; how the food is prepared; where they are having their food.

As the day advance, and sunset approach … streets become empty. Most people are gathered sharing their food with friends, family, neighbors. Endless discussions start about the series which one is better, how is that one introduce a new social problem, or a historical, and so forth.

Menu will consist of dates, soup, salad and a main dish(s) followed by Arabic sweats and combined with Ramadan beverages Sous (Liquorice), Kharoob (Carob), Amar Eldeen & Tamer Hindy (Tamarind). I am already full :-)

At night, restaurants caters for Ramadanyat and people hang out playing cards and enjoying music. Most of the time meals are not served, without you ordering, a list of dishes will start appearing on the table, Baleela (Cheakpeas); Foul (Brown Beans); Tormus (Lupine) and a plate of mix Arabic sweats; Layali Libnan, Tmaryeh, Um Ali, Baklawa, and most importantly, Qatayef!

This doesn't mean that I don't see any negative side but I close my eyes on them. I do love Ramadan if not for any reason but spending nice time with my family & Qatayef.

Ramadan Kareem

Anthem of Bread & Flowers

Here is an attempt to translate to English the lyrics of "Anthem of Bread & Flowers" a song by Marcel Khalifeh

You have enough of bread,

But

Not enough for all the people

And the earth is full of spikes of wheat

Uprise

And fight

You have enough of love

But

Not enough for all people

And the earth is flowers and letters

Uprise

And fight

You have what is sufficient from land and house

But

Not enough for all the people

And the earth is full of sand

Stand Up and struggle

Uprise

Don't keep prisons,

Uprise

Don't keep chains

Stay

Between the torches a torch

What & Where Is Home?

There are certain subjects/issues people want to understand and it captures their attention to extent it becomes a quest in their life. Some are puzzled to know what is: love; death; after life, God. Me, I have been always puzzled about home...
I have been asking many people to tell me what do they consider a home. I heard a lot of descriptions. I guess as most things in life, home is a relative concept and feeling.

Is it a place we belong to! is it just a place where we have our stuff in! is it a place that is arranged in a comfortable way! is it a person! is it where we grow up! is it where we have precious memories! is it where we want to go back to when we are sick/tired/down!

I don't Know...

What puzzles me is not just the definition of a home but why no place feels like home! That's why I look for home definition because I believe if you don't know what you are looking for how you will recognize it.


But, do we need to feel there is a place we call home? If we don't have a place called home would we go in life loose? Floating around without a sense of belonging. Why do we need to belong? Is home a place we start from & go back to!

Monday Party Time in Amman

Since my twenties I have been puzzled why do we party in Amman on Mondays. It doesn't make sense! Mid of week. Partying on Thursdays is logical as we have the next day off, so why Monday?

While I was surfing the internet today looking for cultural events I came across an article titled "Leisure Time in Amman" that explained this mysterious day. Off we go:
"A British Airways crew from the 1960s has left a mark on Amman nightlife, maybe. Some believe there is good reason for the Monday ‘big night out’ phenomenon: Back in the ’60s, there was one flight a week from London to Amman. It would arrive on Mondays and the British Airways stewardesses and flight crew would stay in Amman’s Shepherd Hotel. The crew would always drink in the hotel’s pub that night and soon word spread of pretty women drinking there. So the crowds began to arrive, with locals from the capital arriving in their throngs. Soon, the Shepherd pub became so popular and full that the overflow started going to other, new pubs.

And so the Monday night phenomenon was born, some would say, and continues to this day."

Source: http://emaj2008.wordpress.com/the-academy-day-to-day/emaj-articles/leisure-time-in-amman/

Sumud Resembled in The Palestine Youth Orchestra

Watching The Palestinian Youth Orchestra playing for two hours in Alhussien Theater yesterday was overwhelming. I was not watching only young Palestinian musicians playing music, I was watching 60 family overcoming occupation, suffering, land confiscation, separation wall and hundreds of checkpoints and diaspora. They are an example of the Palestinian Steadfastness in Arabic Sumud; a word that I personally love. A word that could describe the Palestinian culture of not giving up, and hanging on to all possible means to stay alive in Palestine and in Diaspora for 61 years.

The Orchestra resembles the Palestinian culture and reflects it very well; a mix of Palestinians coming from Palestine and Diaspora. A mix between Men and Women; a mix of Christians and Muslims.

I am not into discussing their performance or evaluate it as I am a mere listener. I did enjoy the three types of music they played; classical “Beethoven”, Arabic “Marcel Khalifeh” & last “Palestinian” accompanied by Reem Talhami singing.
They are a source of pride for every Arabic person.

Request for action
I checked the orchestra website it is outdated http://ncm.birzeit.edu/pyo/about.htm, it would be great if there is a company that could approach the institution to sponsor the development of their website and branding.

Ithaki of Constantine Cavafy

This poem has dazzled me with its simple meaning; what is really important is not Ithaka (the destination), but the journey itself; because this journey help us to evolve to become a better human beings.



As you set out for Ithaka
hope the voyage is a long one,
full of adventure, full of discovery.
Laistrygonians and Cyclops,
angry Poseidon- don't be afraid of them:
you'll never find things like that on your way
as long as you keep your thoughts raised high,
as long as a rare excitement
stirs your spirit and your body.
Laistrygonians and Cyclops,
wild Poseidon- you won't encounter them
unless you bring them along inside your soul,
unless your soul sets them up in front of you.

Hope the voyage is a long one.
May there be many a summer morning when,
with what pleasure, what joy,
you come into harbors seen for the first time;
may you stop at Phoenician trading stations
to buy fine things,
mother of pearl and coral, amber and ebony,
sensual perfume of every kind-
as many sensual perfumes as you can;
and may you visit many Egyptian cities
to gather stores of knowledge from their scholars.

Keep Ithaka always in your mind.
Arriving there is what you are destined for.
But do not hurry the journey at all.
Better if it lasts for years,
so you are old by the time you reach the island,
wealthy with all you have gained on the way,
not expecting Ithaka to make you rich.

Ithaka gave you the marvelous journey.
Without her you would not have set out.
She has nothing left to give you now.

And if you find her poor, Ithaka won't have fooled you.
Wise as you will have become, so full of experience,
you will have understood by then what these Ithakas mean.


Here are some explanations that helped me to enjoy the poem more.....
Ithaka is the island off the western coast of Greece to which Odysseus returned after the Trojan war. Odysseus’s journey was a long and difficult one. It was ten years before he was able to rejoin his wife Penelope in Ithaka.

The poet mentions three of the obstacles that Odysseus encountered in the Odyssey. First are the Laistrygonians, who were half-men and halfgiants, who devoured many of Odysseus’s crew. Second are the Cyclops, who were giants with just one eye, placed in the middle of their foreheads. The last obstacle is Poseidon, who was the Greek god of the sea.

Gaza Children Didn't Break Guinness World Record in Flying Kites!

On the 30 of July 2009, 3,000 kites were seen soaring Gaza's sky breaking Guinness World Record in Flying Kites. This event took place just after 7 months of Israel’s attack on Gaza leaving 320 children dead and scores injured or maimed for the rest of their lives. Many thousands have lost their loved ones.

1.5 million Palestinian kids carry heavily the emotional and physical scars associated with death, killing, arrests, humiliation, spread of the terror acts, destruction of homes and schools, military incursions, movement restrictions, and poverty.

Gaza children did not break Guinness world record in flying kites; they broke Guinness world record in pleading for their Human Rights.

Kids gazing to the sky; kites soaring the sky; symbols and messages sent to the whole world requesting one thing: the right to LIVE in freedom, security and dignity.

What an example of Sumud (steadfastness)!