Edinburgh

" the entrance to Edinburgh Castle"

The last two weeks were easter holiday.. my baby was nagging all the time about going out then she asked me a surprise question : she wants to go to the zoo !! ... since she learnt about the story of Noah and his animals back in school and Dania is becoming more and more obsessed with animals. this is how the whole idea of Scotland came into our mind... Edniburgh is about 1 hour and 25 minuts away ( by train) and it has a zoo!!...

we surfed internet .. got a good hotel offer .. bought train tickets and off we went to the highlands.....

the city is huge with lots of hills and lots of ups and downs roads ( my legs are still aching !!!) ..scotish flags are everywhere .. as if they want to make sure that u don`t mistake it to any other british city ( coz honestly it is not much different) ...

although you are surrounded by many modern buidlings but still you can feel and breath the medivel atmosphere especially when you look over that famous castle ( it just reminded me of Brave Heart the famous movie !!) ..

" Dania infront of the castle with the princess !!"

the second day was Zoo day !! Dania was up really early.. very excited, she begged us to hurry ... we changed our clothes ..ate our breakfast and off to the street ... took the bus and few minutes later we were inside the zoo... I will never forget my daughter`s expression when she saw the first animal ( a sea lion ) swimming in the water.. she started to jump from one cage to the other .. as if she was afraid that animals will go away.... she would name each animal and ask me if she didn`t recognise one.... she enjoyed the monkeys ( we enjoyed watching them too !!) .. she was very excited to see the lion ... very afraid to see the snake ... but most of all very happy to see the pinguinis ( my favourate animals ) ...

the zoo is well equiped .. animals are maintained in their natural enviroments ...and facilities were excellent .. the only problem was the weather .. it was freezing cold .. most animals were hiding .. we had a hard time trying to find the tiger or the kuala !!

the day in the zoo was finished with a very funny ending .. the pinguins parade .. yes people it was a real parade .. we were standing on specific lines and peinguinis were marching infront of us looking at us in a very funny way ... I laughed really hard at the scene ... it was unbelievable...

here are some photos from the zoo:

"Dania at the entrance of the zoo"

in the evening we headed back to the hotel .. took our bag and went to the station.. Dania was exhausted ( so do we !!) she slept all the way back to Newcastle ..

it was a good short break .. we enjoyed the whole trip .. Dania is still talking about the zoo and about the castle with the princess in it !! ..but she realised today that Edinburgh zoo has no Giraffes or Elephants ... !!!! she was right .....

Best regards
Um Dania

If you`re still there !!

It`s been a while I know.. I must admit that I feel very guilty towards my blog .. it is like adobting a child then abandoning him in the middle of the road.. the guilt is intense that sometimes I would rather prefer to delete it than having it infront of my face whenever I open my PC..I would avoid checking it whenever I`m online.. i sometimes wonder what was the reason behind opening this blog.. and why the flame that led me to open it had faded gradually .. I must confess that alot of what is in my mind is hard to be poured into words.. not because it`s hard or something ..no .. it is just the courage to express myself more freely.. and the invisible bounderies that ban me from being more sincere ..
my blog was supposed to be about our family and our daily challenges... yet I found it really hard to give a record of what we see and experience on a daily basis.. maybe the language is a barrier since I decided to write in English ... the language choice was -maybe- because I felt that my own language will expose me .... hiding behind a second language was one of my ways to creatre a new space of freedom ... " they will never know who I am " I would tell myself.. then I will ask myself why am I hiding.... and from whom... I never opened a taboo topic .. and most of my posts are simple day-to-day records without any details..
I`m a free spirit who believe in equality .. justice and peace.. I have my strong opinions that lead to endless debates and discussions .. I don`t take life for granted.. I appreciate every single drop of water I dring ... every molecule of oxygen I breath.. I question everything in life .... yet , I never opened those topics with you guys.. prefering to be a normal working -now student- mother with a normal family ( what is the normality anyway?) .. hiding behind the safety of normality and anonymity..!!
I need to reflect on my blog.. it has to be changed.. I may consider changing the language or even writing in mix .. I love the Arabic language... mama and baba spent a good part of their lives teaching us how to use this beautiful language in a perfect way.. they believe that you would never master any language if you don`t express yourself correctly in your own language.. I think they`re right...
I may consider changing the title ... it is not about only my family... it is our lives and the lives of others...it is about the concept of life...
i need to take more time to think .. then I `ll decide what to do.. and for you who are still there .. wait for me .. I`ll be back soon

Long time..!!

Hey everybody, it`s been a while ha !!... well I`ve been really busy lately..with the studies and other stuff .... while I finished all my modules, I still have some work to do with my dissertation .. this is number one on my long list of must do for this year..!! the list is long, and it is getting longer day by day..!!
my days in Libya were awsome.. it is always great to spend some quality time with your family .. although weddings are not a perfect way to get some private time with mama and baba since the house is always full of people.. but the overall atmosphere was fantastic with all the gatherings and "gurmah" and fun...
I was back to Newcastle on the Christmas eve.. the following days were really dull .. untill last week when everything returned to normal .. first day of Dania`s school after christmas was really a big day.. she was really excited .. she got a big reception on her arrival (as she was off from the first week of December) .. with teachers hugging her and children shouting out her name.. I was happy to see this distinguished social development in Dania`s life...
as for me... I`m resuming my studies starting from next week .. the past few weeks were a good period to prepare myself and to research properly before meeting my supervisor.. it will be some stressful few months .. may allah help me..
here in Newcastle there is only one subject on people`s mouths : Newcastle United is without a manager ... you can`t imagine how these people are obsessed with their club.... my husband is one of them..!!!... the football club website have even provided a job description for the suitable candidate ... I hope that this problem will be solved as soon as possible.. I went once to the Stadium and it was one of my greatest experiences .....I would really like to do it again...

see ya
Um Dania

wedding bells !!!

Hey..

I`ve been out and about recently preparing myself for my brother`s wedding... Dania likes it when we go out everyday..but for me it is really hard..the wedding will be on the 13th and 14th of December.. and I`m off to Libya next week.. so ... I`m and will be sooooo busy in the next few weeks...

In sha`allah everything goes as we planned .. ya rabb

best wishes to everybody

Um Dania

Dania`s Treasure chest..!!!

The other day I was invited to attend a meeting in dania`s school.. they sent a letter with Dania telling me that a box is to be given to her.. and that this box is full of story books , coloring pencils, drawing book and a guide book to the best of three year old kids books .... i was really amazed reading this paper.. i phoned my mum telling her of how the government here is so caring about young generations and how they would encourage reading from this very young age.. and so and so .. and reminded her that she did the same when we were young except that mum was doing all the effort on a personal basis .. she would buy the books , she would read for us when we were children and would encourage us to draw and imagine.. it wasn`t a national programme or something ,, it was my mum personal work with dad`s help (having an enormous library!!) .. and it worked .. we grew up loving books...


but I would never imagine that this box would be a real joy to my child ... it wasn`t a normal box.. and it wasn`t a normal meeting..I entered the meeting room and was overwhelmed with the hospitality and the warm reception the teachers gave us.. they offered hot drinks and helped us to choose where to sit.. and then they started their presentation,.. infront of them , there were some fabulously decorated boxes (in the shape of treasure chest.. you know,, the one pirates search for!!) .. one of the ladies opened the box and started to explain to us the idea of this box and benefits kids will obtain by using it efficiently.. guys.. i was really impressed.. i mean .. reading is becoming an aging hoby in our societies .. we are growing with this idea that books are for old fashioned people .. or a luxurious habit that need money and time..most of our people will laugh at the idea of reading a book to a three years child mind giving him a box full of books to read and enjoy..
anyway.. after an hour or so .. we finally reached the end of the meeting.. they gave us the boxes in bright bags .. and started to collect the names of the parents who volenteered to enter in a 5 hours course to udnerstand and learn how to make home made toys (to help these children understand the stories in these books .. see !! ahhh) i added my name (not coz i`m an angel but because i want to see and learn really) ... we waved goodbyes to eachother and headed home..

at home, I opened the box and started to enjoy what was there.. and imagining the reaction of my little princess when she sees this gift .. she has always been fond of books and children stories .. and i was sure that she will be so happy...

the teacher told us that there is someting in that box that would add more interst in it .. can you guess what is that .. look down here,,

yes... it is a secret place inside the box.. the parent could put something beneath it and let the child guess what it is.. believe me ,,, it added up all the excitement and joy..


i filled the secret place with other stuff .. some children magazines, a writen story book of Ratatouille the rat .. and some cookies..

Now .. you can imagine what my daoughter`s reaction was when she came in the living room.. i can`t describe the joy .. i was overwhelmed.. i love to see the joy poping out of her eyes.. and it was really simple to make her happy .. a bunch of babies books and some coloring pencils... isn`t a simple idea .. !! is it so hard to do so in our societies.. i guess no.. so what we lack??



P.S: many of you who lived here or still living would propably take these things for granted .. but i couldn`t help not talking about it .. it is an amazing idea .. and by the way ; this is the third set of books to be recieved by kids , first one in the first year, then second , then this one.. aaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!!

thanks mama and baba for giving us this everlasting love for books .. it was our gate to knowledge..

Um Dania





by the way: the box is part of a national programme that started in 1992 called Book start .. encouraging the nation to read from young age .. check it out

It is Eid time ..

Kol 3am w intu bekheir.. we had a wonderful time here in Newcastle .. my brother came to spend the Eid with us .. which was great .. and since the weather is great, we headed to the river Tyne side .. actually we crossed the river and ended up on the other side of the town.. the area is called Gateshead. we took wonderfull pics and enjoyed the weather to the full ..

Dania and dady

then we turned back to the town .. we ended up in the Gate .. ate our lunch in an Italian restaurant (my favourate!!) .. then , it was time to watch a movie so we headed to the cinema( in the same building) and enjoyed Rataouille.. really the movie was wonderful.. and emotional as well ..

this was our first day.. today we are planning to go to Durham a historical village full of castles and churches ..

i will post about our trip .. in sha`allah ..... again kul sana w intu taibin..

Um Dania

Ramadaniyat ... and many more..!!!

Hello everybody

it`s been a long time since i last post anything.. i missed many anniversaries : my blog first birthday, my actual birthday,and many more... i have alot of news to tell and alot of stories to share.. it was a lovely summer with all the family gatherings ( my whole family visited me during the summer) .. and now our lovely Dania has started her school or should i say nursery.. it is indeed a new adventure for our little family... and we are enjoy it to the full..

Ramadan is about to finish.. between me and u : Ramadan is to be spent in our homelands ..!!!! I mean it is so ironic to be thirsty to death while somebody next to u is drinking his chilly coke ..

and after sunset .. the whole area becomes so quiet .. people are already in their homes preparing themselves to sleep .. while our fellows in Libya are filling the streets and the air with their noises and voices.!!!!.... anyway.. Ramadan Kareem...

during this month, we became hooked to a lovely (and annoying) musalsal named : bab el7ara باب الحارة .. it is not about the story (as i feel it is totally nonsence) but it is about the details of the family lives in this 7ara .. the food , the houses, the furniture, people`s behaviour towards each other, and the whole atmosphere ...

but after this musalsal .. me and my hubby usually find nothing to do really.. we usually reach to our PC`s to open internet .. or we just randomely watch whatever it is in the TV.. REALLY BORING..!!! ( i already finished about four books during this holy month .. which is a good thing really!!.. but still boring ..ahh!!)

anyway.. Ramadan is about to finish.. life will return to normal .. on December, i will go in sha`allah to Libya for my brother`s wedding...

what else..!! nothing really.. oh yeah!! i decided to write in both English and arabic... i have alot of things to be written in arabic.. but i will never stop writing in English as it is part of my learning ...

i hope i still have visitors ... it is been a long time ...but i will promise to keep up the posting.. i`m not as busy as i was before .. so no excuses!!!

thanks

see u

Um Dania

Hibernation!!!!

Looks like I`ve been hibernating or something.. well the reality is that I `m soooooooooooooo BUSY with my studies that I don`t have time to anything litteraly!!
I would like to thank Faouzia (Global Voices) coz she was wondering where am I .. and Fauzia: Dania is fine thank you..
i noticed lately that a lot of new bloggers are joining our small world and I`m too excited to read their blogs ( when i finish my assignements in sha`allah ) .. anyway.. i`ve been following the news lately and seems that the world is now a better place to live since there is nothing to talk about but Paris Hilton prison break!!! ..



here is what i found













































see you soon...
Um Dania

STOP THE WAR..

Four years since the invasion of Iraq .. four years since the first lie begun.. providing people with security and peace.. what a big lie !…
Here are some numbers* which shows the reality of what become of a glorious country now torn into pieces…
1) 1,700,000 – Estimated number of Iraqis who are internally displaced. Up to 2,000,000 are refugees in neighbouring countries. (Source: Amnesty International)
2) 25% of Iraqi primary school children kept at home due to threats of violence and general insecurity. (Source: World Bank)
3) Over half the population of Iraq is under the age of 14. (Source: Save the Children)
4) 130/120 – Child mortality rate m/f (per 1,000). (Source: World Health Organization)
5) 134 – British Armed Forces personnel have been killed. (Source: Ministry of Defence)
6) 3,188 – US service personnel who have been killed on active service in Iraq since the start of the military campaign in March 2003. More than 22,000 have been injured. (Source: Iraq Coalition Casualty Count)
7) 1,500,000 – Barrels of oil exported each day. (Source: CIA Factbook)
8) 18 % of Iraqis said they had confidence in US and coalition troops (Source: BBC/ABC News poll)
9) 51 % of Iraqis thought attacks on coalition forces were justified. (Source: BBC/ABC News poll)
10) 0 – Weapons of mass destruction found in Iraq following the 2003 invasion. Most weapons inspectors now believe that the Iraqi WMD program did not proceed after the early 1990s. (Source: Iraq Survey Group final report)
11) 21,500 – The number of extra troops President George W Bush plans to send to Iraq, mostly in an effort to secure Baghdad..!!!!
Stop the war... Save Iraq... SAVE THE CHILDREN …

Um Dania
* Numbers taken from www.msn.co.uk

Travelling Alone??.. Always..!!!

* Floris Jespers1889–1965 BelgianThree Seated Women*

I was raised by free minded parents who always believe in women`s rights and gender equality.. i never felt inferior to any male member in the family.. my parents have always encouraged us to follow our dreams regardless of our genders.... this is was the enviroment i grew in..

My dad is a lawyer.. he would always say that Libya has the best laws regarding gender equality... and that women are privileged to live here because they will always know that they are protected by the means of law....and that they just need some knowledge and information about their rights and duties...

yesterday i read an article in a website saying that Libya will ban women from travelling alone... hello..!! i always travel alone..!!!.. it really shocked me .. it is like returning million years back.. i really hope that this in not true.. women in Libya had achieved alot .. it is just so humilitating to hear this ..

so to go to visit my family i need my husband to take me there...and since his holiday time is differnet from mine.. he will have to return back for his studies ,, then come back again to Libya to take me back.. as if i`m abag...or a piece of furniture..and what about my friend who lives in Germany alone for study purposes (sent by the goverment) is she banned from comming home untill she gets married or ask her father to pay unneccessary tickets to pick up his daughter.. !!!! this is total craziness.. i really hope that this is untrue.. I`m just praying that it is not true...

as usual..Um Dania

Stars!!

Sometimes, I like to look at a certain star in the night sky wondering how many persons are staring at the same star this very momment... a poet who is looking for inspiration.. a women in Iraq hiding her tears and remembering the people she lost .. a baby starving in Africa.. a lover trying to write a letter to his beloved woman.. a sailor in the middle of the sea missing his homeland...

Sometimes I just wonder how many people in this very moment died.. got married.. graduated.. cried.. laughed .. born..

Sometimes I just keep staring at the sky wondering what are people doing in America, Venezuela, China..Lebanon.. we are all under the same roof .. yet we are ways too different...we are friends, enemies.. relatives .. strangers.. white.. black.. women ..men.. kids .. adults..muslims .. jews.. so much differences in such a small world...

These are some of my weird moments that usually resulted in a severe headache..but I can`t but keep imagining this whole world as a one piece and us as some game pieces that are related to each other in a certain way..I don`t know.. I just wonder how could we make it work.. how could we overcome our differences and work together to prevent wars, hanger and poverty...

These are some thoughts to share.. I hope I didn`t bother you..

Um Dania

Welcome Meedo...!!!

Meedo with his mum(my sister)

welcome little sweetheart..it is nice to have you with us in this world ... it is a strange feeling to know that you arrived but not being available to hold you.. to kiss your hands .. to touch your tiny feet..
i didn`t see you yet ... but i`m already missing you.. you became part of my heart... this physical distance don`t stop me from feeling your presence inside my heart .. i just have to close my eyes .. and you`re there between my arms...

meedo .. welcome to our world..

your aunty
Um Dania..

It`s me again!!!

Dania after bath in her redecorated room

hey people ... finally i got the time to write down ... i was extremelly busy with my studies and assignements that i couldn`t even look at my blog...alot of events happened here and there..actually .. i was shocked to know that this is my first post in 2007 .. first one after two months from the new year.. waw .. long period!!
Anyway...i was checking the other blogs and i was so happy to see this growing number of libyan bloggers.. i even added some of them to my favorites..i liked Maisoon`s blog and her sister Damoon`s they really rock..the list is growing guys ,, this is fantastic.. i feel like if i have a seperate world apart from my daily stress and pressure .. this is my virtual oasis.. if i can call it this way.. people ..i`m addicted to blogs ...and it is beautiful.. reading others stories .. memories and funny moments.. it is so beautifull..
in the last few months, many happenings took place around the world and on a personal basis..i will try to catch up with some of them..

• Saddam`s hanging .. it was an extraordinary way to say Happy Eid...!!! few seconds in this man`s life changed his status from the ultimate monster and war criminal to a hero and a man of honor ... thanks America...


• a big new year`s eve party here in Newcastle Upon Tyne had been cancelled due to the extremely bad windy weather.. typical!!


• i had to write some assignements during the month of January .. and it was an arround the clock hard work.. i barely slept.. i`m not used to this kind of study ,, people.. give me exams and i will be great!!


• we had to buy a new small TV to Dania because she gave us a hard time playing her DVD`s ALL THE TIME!!! really all the time.. starting with Madagascar and ending with Shrek 2 .. every single day .. now we r in heaven enjoying watching normal programs while our little princess is watching her favourate films in a seperate room...


• My Husband started his studies at University.. we had a difficult time finding a place to Dania in one of the nurseries around us.. here in the old beurocratic Britain, children must complete three years old to go to nurseries ,, Dania is three now but would only go next september .. don`t ask me how ,, these are the rules!! we found a baby sitter or as they call them here: child minder..Dania is doing great with her.. i`m so glad that our hard time searching for a suitable nany ended up in a good way.. now we are both full time students in the same uni.. it is exciting.. thanks huppy ..for your patience throughout the last year taking care of our daughter .. you`re an ideal dad..


• there was this most talking about reality show that i was addicted to... yeah .. it is Celebrity big brother.. it was a worth watching with all the problems and bullies.. not that i`m a freak enjoying watching people being bullied by others.. noooo .. i was envying this Indian actor " Shilpa Shetty" standing to all this bully with dignity and self respect .. she won the hearts of all british people .. good for her.. i really respected her for her self respect... i also enjoyed the long cnversations between the two american celebrities.. Jermain Jackson and Dirk Benedit... by the way people .. Jackson was holding his Sebha all the time (you know he is muslim) and was putting his sallayah on the bed .. i really like this beautiful image of a moderate ..normal just normal muslim ..


• talking about Big Brother .. now in Italy there is a new series of big brother and guess what .. yes people .. me again watching the every day brief and waiting for the weekly nominations.. and go on .. definitly ..sings of addiction..!!!


• hey i was just watching a program in Italia Uno about big brother... they showed some infrared videos of the BB house at night ... where is the news? well apparently they discovered throught this footages that there are other happitants inside the house ... not only the contestants... but small ugly creatures running under their heads during the nights .. yes.. RAAAATS... three rats according to this program are running freely in the corridors and rooms of the big brother house... i don`t know if they cleaned their house after these videos leaked ,, i just felt disgusted to see these poor guys locked in this filthy house.. yackeeee!!!


• on the sixth of this month we celebrated the birthday of my Dania.. she was so happy with her cake and so excited that she almost burnt her fingers trying to remove the candles while still hot... i had to explain to my sister and mum why she was crying hard in the photos...!!!


• dania know all the numbers in arabic and english .. most of the colours and almost all of the animals even the Racoon !( one of her DVD`S had a character leader as a racoon called RJ) I`m soo proud of her as she didn`t learnt it from me .. nooo.. it is from a baby channel in TV..which is speicalized in babies from 0-3 ...


• my sister is expected to give birth to our new addition in our growing family within the next few days..i`m really puzzled .. mixed feelings are growing inside my mind.. happiness , excitement .. fear.. sadness to not be near my only sister... i`m just glad that mum made it and is now near her daughter with my other causin to look after her... i`m waiting for you little meedo.. i pray to god that you come to this world a healthy and loving baby..


• as usual i`m missing my mum more than ever.. she keeps assuring me that she will come as soon as she finished with my sister issue.. but i can`t but miss her...


• waiting for dad.. he is supposed to come in the next few days... i can`t wait to see him...


• proud of my borther Aladdin who is taking care of my family home during my mum absence.. he even cook for dad..and take control of the daily issues... Alaa..you`re unique ..


• we redecorate Dania`s room and now it is a Winnie the Pooh inspired room,,, she really like it and hardly leave the room now.. the new TV is there as well..


• is it me or this post is quiet long...and ...what`s wrong with Britney Spears..!!!

hope that i can go on posting regularly.. i really enjoy your company.. it is a wonderful feeling being part of this little libyan community...

Dania`s mama

Am I a Good Mother ??

Two years and ten months ago my little angel came to life, to change mine completely .. the wonder of the motherhood was overwhelming ,,i remember the first days of her life ,, the sleepless nights,, the feeding ,, changing nappies ,, the first smile .. and the guessing !!: does she looks like me ,, oh! she has her dad`s color of hair but she do look like me ..oh no she looks like my sister ,, she has Aladdin smile ..
months later i noticed a little white sparkling thing in her mouth ,, a tooth ,, waw subhanallah ,, it was such an amazing moment ,, later on, there was the hard food stage ,, mixing the vegetables and fruits and taking less milk...and so on ,, my dania `s growing process was (and still) a journey of joy and happiness.
i was working at the time so my mum was her actual mother ,, Dania would spend the whole day in my family house with mama ,, sometimes she would even spend the night there.. mum was amazing with her as she was with us when we were kids ... i was rest-minded knowing that who take care of my daughter was my lovely mum .. needless to say that by the time i started to depend on mama more anad more on dania`s care ...
one night last year i was preparing myself to come to England emptying dania`s stuff in boxes and folding her bed for storage ,,when i suddenly realized that i`m taking dania from her actual mama: my mama ... at the time my daughter was so close to mum that she would call her mama .. and i think to this date that Dania thinks that i`m her closest sister or something and that mama is our mum (both of us) and that sister and brothers are her siblings along with her dad !!!...
well back to that evening, i was puzzled ,, wondering if taking Dania with me would be the right decision ,, this will definitly break my mum`s heart ,, but i can`t live without her she is my soul ,, the hard decision was done ( with alot of support from mama herself) i took her away ..
first days in UK was as hard as anybody could imagine ,, it was my and Abubaker first contact with dania ( without family surrounding us) ,, i remember her callings to mama ,, her sleepless nights asking about mama , dad, brothers and sister.. her crying asking me to go to mama.. i was heartbroken,,crying most of the time ,, trying to hide my weakness from hubby ,,i was missing mama as well ..and dania was not there for help..
two months later i was just adjusting myself to this new life with our sweet spoiled dodo ..covering her with new clothes , new toys ,, and lots and lots of sweets and chips ,, it was my desperate way of saying i love you,,,,,
mum came to visit ,, mama was missing dania tremendously , but i was amazed by the reaction of little Dania ,, she jumped to hug mama and throughout the next days she was glued to mama as if she didn`t want her to go again...this visit was so important to me, mama and dania..
mama`s departure was so painful ... i always blame her for her unconditional love , her looking-after-each-person-attitude that makes us so dependent on her,, her non-stop-giving ,, and her hugs and cuddles it just makes us soo in love with this beautiful lady ,, and here again my baby was falling in love with her ...
after few months of struggling with dania`s mood ,, trying to mimic my mum`s food to please her ,, singing the same songs .. i reached a point where i started to ask myself : Am I a Good Mother? ... yes i`m trying but did i do what was expected from a mother? ,,, my mum dedicated her life to us .. mum was always there for us ,, she was and still over protective ,, she bought us our first books ,, she cooked our favourate food ,,, and to date mama is always there even for our cousins and family kids ,,
mama abandended her master studies because of us ,, she was accepted to study at the university of Rome to study philosophy ,, but for our sake she just withdrew her studies to take care of us ...
i`m not like her ,, i`m studying my masters leaving Dania for hours -to fulfill my dreams!- ... i go to gym which means extra hours away from her,, i use computer alot for study and for internet ,, leaving dania for hours playing alone ...
i may not cook today coz i`m tired ,, heating a ready made pizza would not impress mama ,, this is not how you treat your family... she may say..
i`m so lazy in training her on potty cause i`m busy with studies ,, prefering to wrap her with nappies (thank you pampers for size 5!!!) ...
i would arrange a day out to myself to see a movie or something prefering to leave dania with her dad coz ,, i just want to enjoy!!!
well ,, i love her to bits ,, she is my little angel ,, i really became addicted to her ,, when she is ill ,, i just feel heartbroken,, i hate seeing her crying,, i adore her smile... i like to sing with her uncle barnie`s song:
I love you.. you love me
we are happy family..
i like building lego houses with her ,, watching Madagascar movie with her .. dancing on the zamzamat songs (she is addicted to زمزامات و مصطفى بتير ) ,, reading her night time stories ..
i cherish every second spent with her ,,,she is the light of my soul .. it is just my inner guilt that makes me wonder whether i`m a good mother or not ,, a good mother.. just as mine...

love you mama

Dania`s mum

Take That - Patience

nice video and great song

Places around the world

create your own visited country map
or write about it on the open travel guide

these are the places i visited or lived in ... thank you Aladdin ( http://aladdin-of-tripoli.blogspot.com/ ),, i really injoyed it

your sister
Um Dania

Books Books Books...!!!!

I like books ,, i always have a book to read ... i usually read before sleeping but when in gets interesting especially in the final stages i end up reading all the time ...i can`t stay without a book to read, it makes me feel that i`m alone without my imaginary world , without the characters that i fell in love with,, or hate ,,
but what kind of books do i like most: well.. i like mostly the books with a story line ,, even if it is a historic book( like the WILD SWANS by Jung Chnag- thank you tears from heaven to remind me of it-!!) ,, i prefer to have a story inbetween to injoy it ,,,
recently i started to have interest in the biographies,, so during my stay in Libya (in summer) i read Gabriel Garsia Marquez `s book "Vivir para contarla" or in English: "live to tell"which was one of the best books i ever read.. so amazing and full of live...
before coming back to UK i took a book from my dad`s big library to read on my way home and again ..i fell in love with the book: " Daughter of Fortune"by Isabel Allende,,the story will turn you back to the early years of the ninteen century in the latin America and a love story of a lady who follows her heart to san fransisco (in the age of Gold craziness!!!) ... ok just read the book and tell me....
later on i started with a book named (حارث المياه) i don`t know how to translate it ! the auther `s name is Huda Barakat and the story is about Bairut during the civil war ,, so emotional and touching ,,
these days i started reading Ibrahim Alkouni ( the most famous libyan writer) `s (Alrubba Al Hajariya) "الربة الحجرية" ,,, a collection of short stories that will take you to the magical world of the desert in south libya with the supra-natural world of ghosts and jins and mysteries .... very interesting..
i like reading the arabic books ,, and arabic writers ,,, like نجيب محفوظ, صنع الله ابراهيم , انيس منصور , محمود السعدني,حنا مينة,محمد شكري,and many many more ... and i recomend everyone to read for these people ,, they are telling our stories ,, our lives..
there are alot of books that i read recently really but there are two books that i advice you to read and then to tell me what do you think of them :


1. "Memories of two hostages " about the french reporters christian shinto and george malbrunot who had been kidnapped for four months and released in late december 2004 ...their book is kind of a diary ,, a day by day diary to give the full image of how bad is the situation in Iraq ,,
2. " المشوهة" by the Saudian journalist and tv presenter Rania Albaz who had beed brutally abused by her husband ,, her story was all over the news last year , she even appeared in Oprah `s show in an contraversial episode about the women around the world ,, i remember that Oprah ended the report by saying that women in USA must be proud to be born in the country of liberty!!!
just read these two books if you have time, you will injoy it..

finally i must admit again that i`m one of the addicted fans of Harry Poter books ... and i`m inpatiently waiting for the final one to be released .... can`t wait....
well i know that this post is kind of boring ,,, but since i`m in the middle of my studies and all i see around me is books ,, therefore i got this idea of posting about books ,,, my ultimate passion!!!

see you

Eid Mabrouk to all of you,,

TAKE THAT (yes.. the band!!)

do you remember this band "TAKE THAT " used to rock the world back in the ninties with their hits.. i was in the university when they first reached the fame ,, i was collecting the new songs and it was a challenge for us students to have the newest .. i used to listen to their music on my way to the university.. they were representing us ..with their soft music and full of feelings words.. i still have all these memories rushed over to my mind when i listen to any of their songs..
so when we heard about Gari Barlow"the leader of the band" coming to our local supermarket to sign his book .. we were "me and Abubaker " like kids excited and over the moon .. preparing our camera and talking about our long distance memories back in the university when this band was a legend...
so we went on that day .. bought the book( i started to read it today)..got into the "q" then tah taaah.. here we are infront of him ....ooops ... he is short ... normal blond english man ... (and what do i expect!!!!) anyway i started to take the pictures of abubaker anad dania with the singer ,,i guess i was sooo excited that i was shaking (thus blurred photos!!)..
well i guess all of us have this beautiful memories of an old song or singer that you cherish so much ... and whenever you listen to this certain song or singer the memories keep rushing to your mind reminding you of that period of your life that you thought you forgot... that `s what happened with us. we ended that day talking about our memories back in the unviersity...trying to remember the songs and the words ...
we had his signature on the book (to Dania).. we waved good bye to him and we went back to our daily groceries to buy .. and with a smile on our faces .. we went out of the market looking happy and satisfied ... how nice it is to see a celebrity every now and then..

Ramadaniyat!!!

"Dania in her PJ before sleeping!!"

well this is what we do on an ordinary ramadan day here..:

• first my little angel will wake up at 9:00 o`clock and she will start her battle to wake me up too..
• then after i surrender we go to the living room to open the cartoon channel..
• prepare breakfast to dania which is usually toasts with butter and honey
• if there is no university i just open the internet to see the updates and to read the latest blogs
• at 4:00 straight to the kitchen to wonder what to cook for today
• before sunset the marathon starts to finish all the cooking , frying, baking ,,ect on time
• after iftar .. television television television television......

well i see alot of musalsalat"soaps"in ramadan,, especially this ramadan with nowhere to go after sunset ,, so we start with "Bab alhara" a syrian one with a lovely story of an old hara in damascus ,, i like the syrian atmosphere and the food is just amazing ,, but this musalsal is still without a story line (everything is still ideal and perfect ) and i think that this is the problem of ramadan programs they must stick to this number of episodes (30 ) so the story is stretched just to fulfill this period ,,

another musalsal is "7adaek alshetaan" by jamal sleman which i think that he performed the sa3eidi man so good (don`t you think) although he is not egyptian..again this musalsal has the same problem : no story yet..

then there is this musalsal of yaheiya elfakharani "seket alhelali" which i think is soo good and amazingly the story started already with a lot of events and suspence ,, i recomed it for you..

after.. i just wait for the cartoon "Alfereej" in Dubai to start ..a hilarious cartoon taking place in dubai ..by the way Dania is addicted to it ..

then it is 11:30 long night to go..we just start again to change channels without concentration..then suddenly dania annouce (notice that she is the one deciding when to go to sleep!!!) that it is time to sleep ,, so i follow her ,,wait her till she sleeps ,, then turn back to the kitchen to prepare su7ur to Abubaker who is always nagging about eating too much with no exercise.. well hubby it is ramadan !!!

then it is sleep time ...

good night

Dania`s mama