A Global Citizen

The Last Post

2008-11-20T15:51:00.003+03:00

Today, I come to the end of my journey. Thank you all for being a beautiful part of it.

The Art of Generosity

2008-11-04T20:06:00.005+03:00

During Ramadan, I first came to know about this community service project called Baity Baitak (My Home is Your Home). Established in Jeddah, the project basically aims at helping families in need through providing home furnishings and renovations. You can think of the project as a Saudi version of the popular TV show Extreme Makeover-Home Edition, yet with two differences. First,the generous efforts behind this project are not aired on a TV show. Second, the Saudi project, ironically, seems to lack the sufficient financial support that it obviously needs in order to fulfill its noble cause.

The main mission of this charitable project is to provide a healthy, safe environment for less-privileged families in Jeddah, in addition to raising public awareness about the importance of social solidarity. Mohammad Malaekah (22 years old), founder of Baity Baitak, ambitiously aspires to expand his project to cover all areas in the Kingdom. Although Mohammad seems to inwardly laments having poor people in a country that is widely known for its wealth, he is determined and very enthusiastic in putting a smile on those people's faces and making an enormous difference in their lives.

The creativity of Baity Baitak, I believe, doesn't limit its fruitful outcomes to helping those in need but proudly sets itself as an inspirational example for all Saudi youth to follow.

On Dreams

2008-10-26T13:15:00.002+03:00

I have been happy, tho' in a dream.

I have been happy- and I love the theme:

Dreams! in their vivid coloring of life,

As in that fleeting, shadowy, misty strife

Of semblance with reality, which brings

To the delirious eye, more lovely things

Of Paradise and Love- and all our own!

Than young Hope in his sunniest hour hath known.

~ Edgar Allan Poe ~

Blog Action Day 2008

2008-10-15T14:14:00.009+03:00

Today, October 15, bloggers world wide unite on the second annual Blog Action Day to raise awareness and exchange viewpoints on poverty. The nonprofit event strongly believes in the power of the blogging community in making a difference in the world. Therefore, the major aim behind this event is to initiate interactive discussions in which bloggers share ideas, opinions and solutions regarding the global dilemma. This is my humble contribution.

Since this year’s theme is poverty, I thought pictures speak louder than words.

I mentioned in a previous post that I found this picture the most heartrending of all. I still do.

Global Poverty Fact Sheet:

- 1.2 billion people live on less than U.S.$1 dollar a day.

- Over half of the world's population - 3 billion people -lives on less than U.S.$2 per day.

- Every year, 6 million children die from malnutrition before their 5th birthday.

- Over 11 million children die each year from preventable causes like malaria, diarrhea and pneumonia.

Ways to Help:

Now cynics might sneer but there are actually several ways in which you can contribute and take action against poverty. Here are some of them just to put you on the way:

- The FreeRice.com site (previous post here) is a creative way with which you can help reduce world hunger by simply playing word games.

- The Hunger Site has a similar idea. By clicking on the yellow "Click Here to Give - it's FREE" button, you help provide food to those who need it the most.

- Donate! The UN WFP , for instance, mainly depends on voluntary donations that effectively help feed deprived people worldwide. Don't be held back thinking that only big amounts of money can make a difference. You would be amazed how small donations go a long way in fighting poverty and hunger worldwide.

- Help raise the awareness, educate people, especially children, about the issue of poverty and its destructive aspects and motivate them to be part of the change.

* The first two websites are totally free.

Activism is required, change is possible.

Indecisive Rambling

2008-10-06T02:41:00.005+03:00

It all started with a quote I read on SubZeroBlue:

" Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary. "
Steve Jobs

How do you find courage to make a life-changing decision? How do you avoid all the hesitation, the sense of bewilderment, the fear of future regrets in addition to people's opinions and simply follow your inner voice? How do you win the battle of mind vs. heart without eventually getting trapped in between and watching life slipping away in front of you?

Happy Eid

2008-09-30T19:24:00.001+03:00

Die, Mickey! DIE DIE!

2008-09-16T23:56:00.007+03:00

"Mickey Mouse must die" . That's what Muhammad Al Munajid, a well-known Saudi cleric, recently said when answering a viewer's question regarding mice. In his defense, Mickey Mouse is " a corrupting influence" and accordingly must be killed.

But he warned that depictions of the creature in cartoons such as Tom and Jerry, and Disney's Mickey Mouse, had taught children that it was in fact loveable.

Poor Mickey, he'll be soon heartlessly beheaded. But the question remains; how can you actually kill a cartoon character?

Any thoughts?

My Morbid Fear

2008-09-12T23:02:00.003+03:00

Source of Picture

“You’re phobic!” my sister intolerantly uttered. "No I'm not", I firmly replied. “This is just ridiculous. How can you be so afraid of elevators?" she added.

Shortly after receiving the bad news that my aunt has suffered a mild stroke, I and my family rushed to the hospital to see her. On the way, my mother was murmuring some incomprehensible prayers. My father, as usual, was silently pondering. My sister, on the phone with my cousin, was getting the latest on my aunt’s health condition. On the other hand, and as selfish and silly as this might sound; the dark, upsetting and horrifying picture of the elevator was the only thing to conjure up in my mind.

After reaching the hospital’s entrance, I could see my father’s eyes hurriedly scanning the place in search for that dark, nerve-racking box aka the elevator. Unluckily to me, he found one and immediately rushed to take. My family, as expected, went inside one after another. However, I pondered for a while before realizing that my feet felt almost glued to the ground.

Dad: Yallah ya benty! (Let’s go, dear!)
Me: It’s ok. I prefer to take the stairs. You know, they say it’s healthier and ….
Sister: Hey, don’t you start lecturing now. Are you coming or not? Don’t stand there like a total idiot.
Mother still whispering the surprisingly now-more-comprehensible prayers.

It took me several seconds of thinking, deciding and finally yielding to their imperious demands. Reluctantly walking toward the dark box, I helplessly stood watching the elevator noticeably slowly shutting its door, as if giving me a final chance to escape. I tried to gather my strength and kept telling myself “Don’t worry. It’s just gonna take a few seconds. You’ll see. Just think of something positive”. “Hmmm, something positive, you say?” I inwardly mocked myself.

I found a space at the end of the elevator, stood nervously staring at the door and impatiently waited for my moment of freedom. Wiping the sweat on my forehead, unsuccessfully trying to hide my breathlessness as well as shaking hands, trying to avoid the angry look on my sister’s face, I found myself completely detached from reality. I desperately struggled to shun the morbid idea of getting stuck, to cast off the thought of crashing, and ultimately suffocating to death.

Finally, the door slightly opens and I hurriedly skip everyone to joyously embrace my salvation.

My irrational fear of elevators has always been a dreadful, as well as shameful, secret of my life. Although, I never personally witnessed a bad experience with elevators, somehow they just give me the shivers. I intentionally avoid elevators at all costs and deliberately ignore listening to others’ explaining their horrific incidents with elevators in unpleasant details. When I first saw You’ve Got Mail, I became anxious and almost panicked while watching the scene in which Tom Hanks, his girlfriend and a couple of other people get stuck in an elevator. I was shocked at the calmness and inappropriate peacefulness in which they dealt with the terrifying situation. Or so I simply thought.

The fears of entrapment, of total isolation, of losing power in case of crashing, of seeking help but never finding any, of having to endure the blinding darkness seem to oppress me. I never spoke openly about it before, but the fear of elevators increasingly grew inside me, dictated my life and controlled my actions. Regardless of the several times in which I seriously tried to pull myself together and put an end to this absurdity, I found myself easily giving in to my inner fears and eventually losing the battle.

I think my sister was right after all; I am phobic.

Play, Learn & Donate

2008-08-31T02:59:00.017+03:00

Do you think word games are fun? Do you wish to be more articulate? Are you always after enhancing your vocabulary? Are you interested in providing a meal to a hungry person somewhere in this world? Do you simply have a lot of free time?

If your answer is yes, then FreeRice.com is what you're looking for. This online initivate was launched by UN World Food Program in a creative attempt to reduce world hunger and provide rice for those who need it the most.

The rule is simple; with every correct answer, you donate 20 grains of rice to the UN WFP. Now you might be wondering, if they already have the rice, why don't they just give it away?

FreeRice is not sitting on a pile of rice―you are earning it 20 grains at a time. Here is how it works. When you play the game, sponsor banners appear on the bottom of your screen. The money generated by these banners is then used to buy the rice. So by playing, you generate the money that pays for the rice donated to hungry people.

So basically, no ads, no rice.

Go ahead and enjoy the game. And remember, that while you're having fun and improving your vocabulary, a starving person somewhere is provided with food.

As of 30th March 2008, the FreeRice has donated 24,678,910,210 grains of rice.

WARNING: I can't be held responsible in case you grow insidiously addicted to the game.

Ramadan Kareem

2008-08-29T12:11:00.003+03:00

" O Allah, You are our Helper, and You are our Victor, and You are sufficient for us, and the best guardian.

O Allah You are the Truth, Your Promise is True, Your Speech is True, Your Meeting is True, Paradise is True, the Hellfire is True, the Hour is True, the Prophets are True and Muhammad (PBUH) is True.

There is no God worthy of worship but You, Glory be to You,Truly we have been of the wrongdoers.

O Allah, to You have we submitted our souls, in You have we believed, upon You have we relied, for You have we argued, to You have we taken our judgement, so forgive us all that we have done and what we have not done, what we have hidden and what we have disclosed. You are the Promoter, and You are the Delayer, there is no God but You.

We seek refuge in the Light of Your Face for which darknesses shine, and with which the affairs of this life and the Hereafter become good, from Your anger or displeasure fall upon us. You have the right to admonish until You are pleased, and there is no power and no might except in You.

O Allah, Grant us Heaven and save us from Hellfire."

Amin.

The Shunned Hazaras

2008-08-23T07:14:00.005+03:00

Under the anciently fixed gaze of the Buddhas, and particularly in the stunning region of Hazarajat, lived the Afghan Hazara tribes for centuries and centuries. Easily distinguished by their pure Asiatic features, in addition to belonging to the Shiite sect of Islam, the Hazaras have perpetually suffered extreme discrimination and oppression, especially during the Taliban era. Before the 19th century, the Hazaras have constituted more than 67% of Afghan population. However, today they are only 9% of Afghanistan’s 25 million people due to the massacre in 1893 in which half of the Hazaras were heartlessly murdered.

In Bamyan, the capital city of Hazarajat (or Hazarestan), the Hazaras carefully looked after their precious cultural heritage for many generations. The grand human civilization of Buddhism, demonstrated in two of the world’s tallest & ancient statues, has continuously attracted Buddhist pilgrims worldwide. Being Shiite Muslims, as well as the caretakers of Bamyan’s valuable cultural site (which the Taliban considered to be "idolatrous"), the Hazaras weren’t only referred to by the Taliban as infidels, but have also endured extreme prejudice and subjugation during the ruling era of the extremist Pashtuns. In May 2, 2001 the Taliban have set up explosives in the ancient Buddhas, completely obliterating the 2000-year-old monumental Buddha statues and flattening them to the ground. It was an unjustifiable barbaric crime against history that has left the Hazaras with nothing but rocks and sand remaining of their once ancient cultural heritage.

Taliban weren’t the only oppressors of the Hazaras, though. Hardliner Pashtun leaders have tortured the Hazaras throughout the history of Afghanistan. During the 19th and 20th centuries, the Hazaras have suffered severe political, social and economic discrimination under brutal governors such as Emir Abdur Rahman Khan and his successor Habibullah Khan. Suffering from public executions, exiles, ethnic cleansing, village burnings, displacement, confiscation of lands, enslavement of women and children, unnecessary taxes as well as horrifying massacres, the Hazaras have also experienced religious repression and were forced to join Sunni Islam and abandon Shiism. Uzbeks, on the other hand, are believed to have performed slave raids on the Hazaras as well.

The Hazarajat is the most underdeveloped region of Afghanistan. It has always been neglected by the Afghan rulers and left with no serious efforts of economic or educational development. Hazaras mainly work in herding sheep while literacy rates are shockingly low especially among women. "The Hazaras were always economically weak and politically excluded," says Qasim Aghar, a Hazara intellectual and educator. "We were separated by religion and geography. No one ever even tried to build a road to Hazarajat."

Hazaras still struggle and hope of a better future including a political control in their home town, better economic and educational opportunities and mostly freedom of religion. Alexander Burnes, a 19th century traveler, once wrote describing the heartrending life of the Hazaras: “They are oppressed by all the neighbouring nations, whom they serve as hewers of wood and drawers of water. All the drudgery and work in Kabul is done by Hazaras.”

Have a Rat!

2008-08-19T01:22:00.004+03:00

The rising food prices have recently become a global dilemma. This Tsunami of inflation has left the poor and the hungry in some sort of a collective starvation. While this worldwide crisis has fallen on some governments' deaf ears, India, on the other hand, has found its own method to combat the high food prices.

As the food prices (such as rice) go high, Indian people are highly encouraged to eat rats "in an effort to battle soaring food prices and save grain stocks." And if you're still wondering, NO this is not a joke!

"Eating of rats will serve twin purposes -- it will save grains from being eaten away by rats and will simultaneously increase our grain stock," Vijay Prakash, an official from the state's welfare department, told Reuters.
Officials say almost 50 percent of India's food grains stocks are eaten away by rodents in fields or warehouses.

Who knew that rats were the solution to the increasingly-high food prices?

Bonne appetite, everyone!

Masculine Tears

2008-08-10T06:10:00.002+03:00

I’ve always found it somehow too complicated for me to understand why men usually tend to avoid crying (especially in public) and hold back their tears. Admittedly, and unlike women, men are usually taught, from an early age, that crying is a girly thing, that tears were meant to fall on the softer cheeks, that men simply don’t cry and accordingly they’re trained not to break into tears in front of others. Growing up with that conviction, men would most likely claim that crying is a sign of vulnerability, an undesired human need; something they intentionally avoid, throughout the course of their lives, in order to preserve their image of mighty manliness.

On the day my uncle died few years back, I kept attentively observing my father, almost feeling the intensity of his grief in the air around me and hoping to see him drop a tear or two over his brother’s death that I thought might help provide him with at least some comfort. But my hopes were shattered every time I looked at him strongly pulling himself together. However, and on that same night, after everyone was gone, I ran accidently into my father, sitting alone in a dim-lighted room, his hands covering his face and a horrifying sound of weeping seemed to shake my world. I, carefully, walked out of that room surprisingly smiling and relieved that my father has finally surrendered to his inner, irresistible urge to cry, and accordingly found some relief through it.

Just last week, on the other hand, I was in a hospital’s waiting area. As I was tediously waiting for my name to be called, a lady with her two children sat next to me. I couldn’t help but to notice the way she furiously scolded her almost five-year-old son every time the poor child cried out loud. Despite the irritated mother’s several attempts, the young boy was annoyingly crying non-stop. Then, as soon as the mother spelled out the magic words; "dear, men don’t cry! Don’t you already know that? You’re a MAN. Only girls cry” and peace finally found its way back into the room.

Whatever be the reason, we all know men just can’t cry (or at least not in front of others). But surely they do cry, probably not to the world, but behind closed doors, to themselves. However, the question remains, why men are burdened to meet the social or cultural expectations by being ‘tough as a rock’? Why men are supposed to shield themselves against all human emotions and avoid those transparent drops to fall down their faces? Why the teary eyes are a source of unforgivable disgrace according to the incomprehensible laws of men’s world? And why men strongly believe that “one who cries is not a man” ?

Three Cups of Tea

2008-08-04T17:27:00.006+03:00

I can only think of adjectives like “captivating” & “inspiring” to describe this book. The phenomenal and remarkable tale of Greg Mortenson’s mission to promote peace and empower education is simply fascinating. Three Cups of Tea is all about one ordinary man and his noble, peaceful endeavor & admirable determination to overcome differences and accordingly change the world.

Greg Mortenson, a passionate mountaineer, fails to climb K2- the world’s second tallest mountain- in Pakistan and is later found ill and almost dying by the people of the Pakistani village of Korphe. Accordingly, Mortenson is received with overwhelming generosity by the impoverished village and is sheltered and nursed for several weeks. Mortenson, overwhelmed by the locals’ kindness and endless support, promises to come back, return the favor and build a school for the children of the village. The project becomes the corner stone of the establishment of Central Asia Institute (CAI) and is the first of a series of more than 50 schools which were constructed across Pakistan and Afghanistan in over a decade.

Mortenson’s humanitarian campaign is derived from his profound belief in peace and the power of education. In a place of gender segregation, of social and religious extremism, girls’ education is simply not allowed. However, Mortenson envisions a better future to that part of the world through the empowerment of young women. Those girls will certainly instill the importance of learning and intellectual freedom in the coming generations.

The eloquent and uplifting Three Cups of Tea is all about patience, generosity, overcoming obstacles, and keeping promises. But above all, it is a solid proof that one man can actually make a difference in the world.

* The book’s title “Three Cups of Tea” is directly derived from a traditional custom of greeting visitors in Pakistan. Haji Ali, Korphe Village Chief further describes the tradition: “Here (in Pakistan and Afghanistan), we drink three cups of tea to do business: the first you are a stranger, the second you become a friend, and the third, you join our family, and for our family we are prepared to do anything- even die.”

I am a Muslim

2008-07-29T11:02:00.002+03:00

In the Lucidity of a Solemn Silence
by: Hisham Mahmoud

In the lucidity of a solemn silence
The night overtook those who transgressed.
Nations we conquered and others we built
As shelters for masses oppressed

Our hearts resounded with a hungry pulse
To make real what was already instilled;
And then His Will became our own
Potentiality, sought and fulfilled.

Souls that were owned by the Owner of all
Yearned to disrobe their outer attire.
Where martyrs lay sleep on the mattress of war
Haunted no more by the nightmare of fire

As 'Umar lay snoozing in the shade of a tree
The Crown of Persia was swept.
Then one of her leaders addressed you and said,
"With justice you ruled and safely you slept."

"Lie down and roll over, "O dog of Rome!"
Wrote Mu'tasim once upon a time,
In defense of your sister who called out his name-
An army prepared to punish the crime.

That was a time when men were men,
Who lived solely to die in battle
What moves you, then, but food, drink, and sleep'
(So much in common with sheep and cattle!)

Now do you hear the screams of torture
A six year old boy sent to the slaughter
Have you not seen twenty three soldiers
Each take a turn with Abdullah's daughter

Bosnia, Kashmir, Kosova, Iraq-
Meaningless slogans, "Injustice must stop!"
A billion sleepers, the dormant giant-
Til when shall the Muslims be so compliant?

Heads that prostrate to Him, the Most High
Now, by the sword, they are chopped,
While you snore in your slumber, comfy and snug,
Rock-a-bye baby on the tree top.

One more is killed, another is raped-
The Ummah drowns into a panic.
Yet only one wall divides you from them-
That great blue wall, the Atlantic

Each wave splashes forth with news of sorrow
Upon rocks as hard as your hearts.
Where death becomes life and life becomes death,
Where the dead from the living depart.

How will you fare when that Day seizes all,
As, now, you refuse to do what you can
Then be not suprised when you look down and see
The blood of Muslims on your two hands.

Justice Has Been Served

2008-07-23T14:32:00.007+03:00

War criminal Radovan Karadzic was arrested on Monday. The 'Butcher of Bosnia' is known for his barbarism, inhuman crimes and horrific massacre against civilians. Back in 1995, Karadzic committed what is described as 'Europe's worst slaughter since the WWII' killing 8000 Muslims and burying them in mass graves in Srebrenica. Karadzic is also responsible for the ethnic cleansing during the war against Bosnia and the siege of Sarajevo (in which 10,000 innocent civilians were heartlessly murdered).

After 13 years of hiding and escaping justice, Karadzic was finally caught by the Serbian Security Forces and found disguised with a long beard. His arrest comes as a historic moment for the families of the victims who have impatiently waited too long for this to happen. Muslims have actually gathered in the main square of Sarajevo to celebrate the happy news.

Soon after his arrest, Karadzic was taken to the War Crimes Court in Belgrade where he will be brought to justice.

Help Fill the Cup!

2008-07-14T11:32:00.005+03:00

The United Nations World Food Programme works constantly against global hunger and poverty. As a result of the high food prices worldwide, as well as the increasing poverty in several areas of the globe, the UN WFP depends mostly on the generous voluntary donations that help the organization in its mission to deliver food to those who need it most.

Your donation, whether small or big, will certainly go a long way in fighting poverty and hunger worldwide. However, and most importantly, it will put a smile on someone's face somewhere and make a difference in their lives.

Donate Now!

Madain Saleh

2008-07-09T15:02:00.003+03:00

I've constantly thought about it; why is this valuable cultural site never made it to UNESCO's World Heritage List. Well (FINALLY) now it's official. The northern ancient city of Madain Saleh has been recognized by the World Heritage Committee of the UN's Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, and accordingly been added to UNESCO's global list of heritage sites.

The King & Global Interfaith

2008-07-08T15:23:00.003+03:00

The Saudi government has announced earlier that a three-day interfaith conference will be held later this month, specifically on July 16 in Madrid, Spain.

This remarkable, useful initiative (which was first brought to light by King Abdullah after his meeting with Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican last November) mainly aims at bringing Christians, Jews and Muslims together of all various religious sects. The conference agenda also includes, according to ArabNews, discussing highly-critical contemporary issues such as "human rights and peaceful coexistence".

I believe if the conference turns out to be a success, several benefits can be earned:
1. Clearing out misconceptions usually associated with Islam.
2. Presenting a better image of the true peaceful Islamic teachings.
3. Establishing bridges of communication and understanding that work mutually among the followers of these monotheistic religions, and accordingly fight evils such as war and terrorism.
4. Reinforcing the value and importance of faith in common people's lives and emphasizing on its role in confronting challenges that face mankind at large such as corruption and crimes.

Groomed for Sex

2008-06-30T17:44:00.002+03:00

Child marriage has always been deeply rooted in Arab and Muslim countries alike. This hideous disregard to childhood innocence, obvious violation of human rights and absolute misinterpretation of fundamental Islamic teachings usually result in nothing but physical, sexual and emotional abuse and maternal mortality. For it is a well-known fact that girls between the age of 10 and 14 are more likely to be subjected to death during pregnancy/child birth more than older women.

Thousands, if not millions, of girls in these countries are forcefully compelled to marry older men. The motivations behind such degrading practice may be derived from traditional, societal or even financial backgrounds. Accordingly, these child brides are deprived of their rights in education, healthy wellbeing and ordinary childhood joys.

Young girls, mostly under 18, are not viewed as children or teenagers, but as devoted housewives and responsible mothers. This practice only dictats young girls' lives and often lead to exposing them to marital responsibilites and health hazards (mainly due to bearing children at an extremely young age) that are normally too much for them to handle.

In April, a 10-year-old Yemeni girl named Nujood Ali made it to the news agencies worldwide for her courageous attempt to file a divorce against her husband (22 years old her senior) and protested against this type of abusive marriage. Luckily, the judge decided to terminate the marriage.

In Afghanistan, things are not any better. Roshan Qasem, 11, shares Nujood's agony as she was forced to marry Said Mohammad, 55, and accordingly will join his other family soon (first wife, 3 sons and one daughter at Roshan's age).

In Saudi Arabia, though, the problem seems to take a whole new dimension of social sadism. Back in 2006, a 100-year-old man was married to a 19-year-old girl. The old man claims to be in a perfect shape due to the healthy diet he has been following for years.

Possible Solutions:

1. Educating young girls about the power of learning and knowledge and raising them to be future leaders.

2. Increasing the public awareness on the essential human rights and the dreadful, revolting outcomes of child marriage.

3. Improving both the educational and economic systems in these countries to provide young women with better opportunities and independant life styles.

Look At Me, Look At Me

2008-06-25T22:05:00.009+03:00

Obviously, the minister of labor finds it easier to put on a waiter uniform and serves costumers in Jeddah's Fuddruckers than to actually find constructive and effective solutions to problems like low wages and increasing unemployment in the country. I guess what he does best, afterall, is urging Saudi women to work as house maids.

Still, I wonder if he bothered to spend sometime in the kitchen to make those burgers. Interesting, don't you think?

A Letter From Me

2008-06-16T13:19:00.003+03:00

Dear Global Citizen,

I want you to know that it's ok to make mistakes sometimes. Who doesn't anyway?. However, the most important thing is that you learn from those mistakes. For I think you quite agree that it would be stupid if you keep doing the same mistake over and over again.

You must realize that mistakes are the core essence of life experiences. They are magical in ultimately modifying your behavior and work as eye-opener for you. Never ignore them, never repeat them & you'll be a much better person eventually.

Dear Global Citizen,

Yes, love can be confusing sometimes. There's the pain of love, but there's also the ability to fall in love again. It can be also hard to find. However, patience is a virtue. Don't become obsessed about it. Live your life to the fullest and the right man will certainly come anyway. Don't push yourself too hard and make hasty decisions & surely never invest your precious heart in something that will bring you nothing but pain and misery.

Dear Global Citizen,

The world is full of silly people. I'm sure you realize this by now. But you must know that you can do nothing about it. You can't change it. So just live with it. Find some peace through it. But never surround yourself with superficial people. For superficiality can be infectious, sometimes.

Dear Global Citizen,

Life can be sometimes hard & tough on you. The road might not be always smooth and easy. Obstacles will certainly appear in your way every now and then for the purpose of stopping you and preventing you from following your dreams. However, be determined, be persistent, be strong. Don't let anyone, or anything, takes total control of you. You came to this world as a free spirit and you don't want to be controlled. Keep fighting and never get intimidated by those who wish to destroy you.

Dear Global Citizen,

Value your friends. For they are the true blessing of life. You're a good friend, but surely you can be better. Work hard for the betterment of your friendships. Believe me, you don't want to blame yourself in case your frienships ties fall apart. For attempting to mend the broken glass afterwards would be hopeless.

Dear Global Citizen,

Be a good listener. Give people a chance to express themselves. Listen carefully to what they have to say. You get to learn a lot through this. Think twice before uttering a word. If you don't know what to say, then just remain silent. You don't have to bug yourself in every discussion or conversation. All in all, listen carefully, think wisely and speak beneficially.

Dear Global Citizen,

Life is a blessing. Live it to the maximum. Life moments are too precious to be wasted on silly things. Yes, you might not have everything in life, but you're certainly have much more than thousands, or billions worldwide. Be thankful, be grateful. And remember that life can end in a fraction of a second. So work hard to fulfil the reason behind your existence in this world.

You have fallen many times, but that shouldn't pull you back from accomplishing what you've always dreamed of. Keep falling, again and again. For someday you will be able to stand up.

Dear Global Citizen,

I know you're afraid of me. You don't want to talk to me. You don't want to confront me. For you know that I know you better than anyone else. But I'm here to help you understand life, overcome obstacles and keep your secrets. I don't understand why do you always rush for others to sympathize with you while I'm always here for you. Come to me, talk to me. I won't take advantage of your fraustration and will never enslave you to be under my mercy.

Take sometime for yourself and talk to me. That's not instanity. Or if you claim it is, then insanity is the best representative of human intelligence.

Dear Global Citizen,

You live in a backward, rigid collective society. Strict ideologies are forcefully imposed on you with no regard to your individual differences. Don't worry, things will change. They always do eventually. It is the cycle of life; nothing remains the same. And when that positive, constructive change takes place, I'm sure you'll be a major part of it.

You need to remember though, that complaining and whining will take you no where. So be strong and always fight back.

Dear Global Citizen,

For God's sake, stop eating chocolate. You'll either get fat or diabetic.

With all my love,
Yourself.

Her Little Shadows

2008-06-13T23:44:00.003+03:00

I saw a young mother

With eyes full of laughter

And two little shadows

Came following after.

Wherever she moved,

They were always right there

Holding onto her skirts,

Hanging onto her chair.

Before her, behind her-

An adhesive pair.

"Don't you ever get weary

As, day after day,

Your two little tagalongs

Get in your way?

She smiled as she shook

Her pretty young head,

And I'll always remember

The words that she said

"It's good to have shadows

That run when you run,

That laugh when you're happy

And hum when you hum -

For you only have shadows

When your life's filled with sun."

~~ Author Unknown ~~

A Glimpse of Hope

2008-06-10T18:34:00.002+03:00

Finally, the Saudi Shura Council has come to the realization of the various issues and problems that confront the Saudi working woman. According to Alriyadh Newspaper, a law is soon to be issued aiming at protecting the Saudi working women from sexual harassments and improper actions that might occur in working places (especially in those which have a mixed nature).

The law is basically created to set specific rules and punishments for its violators and accordingly create a better, much safer working environment for Saudi women. Such constructive laws that we need in order to create a better, more developed social, professional & political environments for Saudi women. Restricting the professional options for women and banning mixed working places and the ideology of segregation will not positively contribute to the development of this country. If we want to work for the ultimate progress and betterment of our homeland, then we must not limit the rule of women in certain typical areas, but we must enable them to be part of all professions & working fields (as long as it doesn't contradict the basic Islamic concepts).

I believe if this law is taken seriously and assertively applied, then this will be a remarkable step on the way of achieving women's rights in this country.

Way to Go, Jeddah

2008-06-03T13:03:00.005+03:00

The tallest building in the world, The Mile-High Tower, is currently under construction in Jeddah. As the name suggests, the tower will be a mile in height. Apparently, the project is being planned by The Kingdom Holding Company which is based in the Saudi capital, Riyadh.

Click Here for Source

Dubai people, and you were braging about Alburj? :D