Visa Regulations In The Arab World

I’ve always believed that it’s such a shame for Arab countries to request visas from each other. I mean, we call for an Arab union, we dream of an Arab unity on all levels of life, but while dreaming and calling, we still stick to every single separation factor that helps only spread more division among us.

One of the most effective forms of separation is the request for a VISA; since it highlights borders and empowers the barriers that were created by imperialism. Yet for some reason, Arabs insist on holding to the annoying demands of visas, making them a must to legally seek permission for entering another Arab country. And by that, Arab countries –with the exception of really FEW countries- are treating each other as foreigners not as countries of brotherhood “dying” for unity.

Today I came across some news about Visa regulations in Jordan. Apparently, an Interior Ministry regulation requiring nationals from several East European and Mediterranean countries to obtain a visa before entering the Kingdom was rescinded. [Source:The Jordan Times].

Now my main concern revolves around the part regarding the “Mediterranean” countries, Tunisia being one of them.
Jordan requires no visas from Tunisians BEFORE entering the Kingdom. Tunisian nationals are issued visas upon arrival (i.e. at the airport of Jordan). Which I consider an extremely friendly gesture. I mean if visas have to be requested, they might as well be –relatively- easily given if we really want to show our tendency towards unity.
And therefore I’m relieved that Jordan will stick to its policy in this regard.

Anyway, to make sure to stick on the safe side, my husband always requests a visa before flying to Jordan. He submits his demand, and he gets his visa by noon of the same day with no complications whatsoever.
While I, on the other hand, even though I’m married to a Tunisian, and even though I have my residency papers all legally and officially defined, would go through an amazing deal of trouble just to get my own parents a visa to visit me for a short while… if they were finally given the visa that is!
I don’t claim it’s unjustifiable or wrong, because I know the horrible time we’re living and the security measurements each country has to take to protect itself and its civilians from any form of threat or danger. I’m just wishing, if we still insist on this whole visa thing, that when a person has provided all requested official paper work and it turned out to be all legally approved and correct, that this person will get the same treatment his/her country provides for the nationals of the country (s)he resides in…

Category: Arab Societies, Jordan, Tunisia | Comments Off

March 3 2007

Erfolgreicher Blogkarneval

Der erste deutschsprachige muslimische Blogkarneval war -wie erwartet- sehr erfolgreich. Viele Blogger/innen haben daran Teil genommen. Die Beiträge waren echt interessant und haben verschiedene Themen diskutiert.
Die Karnevalszusammenfassung war seit 2.Februar online gestellt, und da sind auch die originellen Beiträge verlinkt, wenn man die Beiträge im Detail lesen möchtet.

Ich muss sagen, dass den Blogkarneval mir eine sehr klare Idee über die Situation der Muslimen im Ausland gegeben hat. Und ich bin mir sicher, dass Nichtmuslime sich für die Beiträge auch interessieren würden. Denn diese Beiträge drücken die Meinungen der Muslimen aus und diskutieren die Probleme, die sie im Land der Nichtmuslimen haben.
Und wenn Nichtmuslime die Hauptprobleme der Muslimen kennenlernen, glaube ich dass es eine grössere Chance geben würde, die zwei Gruppen zusammen zu arbeiten, um diese Probleme zu verstehen und vielleicht auch lösen.

Der zweite Blogkarneval deutschsprachiger Muslime wird am 6.April 2007 stattfinden, Thema ist : Identität. mehr…
Ich hoffe, dass mehrere Blogger/innen Teil an diesen Blogkarneval nehemn würden.

Category: Posts in German, Religion | Comments Off

February 25 2007

Go Ajrami’s!

Yesterday we watched The Ajrami’s on Take It Or Leave It, a very interesting TV game show on Dubai TV.
Other than the fact that it’s always fun to watch someone you know on TV, especially being in a challenge, competing in a game show, we were thrilled that they actually WON.

Congrats Dalia & Duri, it was really really great watching you two.

Category: Entertainment | Comments Off

February 21 2007

The Burning Globe

I still can’t believe I didn’t wear my winter jacket except for once! I can’t imagine that I didn’t have my and my husband’s winter clothes taken out of storage and put in the closet until my husband had to leave to Europe!
Ice melting here and there! Creatures dying every now and then! Ah!

I’ve been always aware of the environmental disasters our kind has been causing –nonstop- making this poor planet Earth suffer this way, and therefore, I’ve always tried to do whatever I could to stop or at least limit the harm we’re causing, either by direct actions, or by spreading awareness and urging others to approach a more environment-friendly lifestyle.
I’ve been always very positive and optimistic, I almost believed that we’ll salvage our planet and also rescue our neighboring planets from the damage we’ve been causing throughout the years by constantly interfering in them and their balanced surroundings.
But I have to admit that this year is different! You can say that 2007 has given me this “wake-up-you-fool” slap and succeeded in turning me into an environment- pessimist.
I no longer believe that people are actually aware of the size of damage they’re causing. Even those who are aware, I don’t believe they care enough, and if they care enough, I guess they’re not trying hard enough to take action against the catastrophes humanity is “proudly” creating!
I mean I can’t believe that there are still people who throw their garbage from their car windows into the streets.
And I fail to understand how a lot of people don’t seem to manage throw their trash-bags inside (not above, neither beside, nor between) public trash-containers!
And it simply gets on my nerves, and makes me feel I’m getting a heart attack when I come across a car washing station and see an employee holding the water hose, while it’s ON, not to wash cars, but to –stupidly- point at NOTHING in the middle of the street, just wasting water, a huge amount that could water a whole backyard.

Today, I took Adam and went to buy some fresh vegetables, weather was beautiful, I was so full of energy and Adam was as calm as he could be. I spotted water flowing out of the watering hose, which the gardener uses to water the plants and trees of our building. I traced the source and there were 3 big holes in the hose. So on my way, I looked for him and told him, so that he can fix it and save the water, his reply was: I know, it must be because of the pressure! Don’t worry, and thanks anyway!
Eman: that’s it? What about the water? It’s such a waste!
Gardener: what do you want me to do?
Eman: fix the damn hose, tell the ones in charge to get you a new one, we all pay the service fees, they should be able to cover the cost of a new hose.
Gardener: will tell them about it, but they wont bring a new one right away, it might take a while.
Eman: I don’t see why it should take a while, anyway, until then we must do something.
Gardener: how, stop watering and letting trees die I guess?
Eman: (hahaha, so funny!) just wait, I’ll be right back.
I went back home, got a tape that might just do, it’s water-resistant, and it’s so thick, got it a while ago to fix something in the balcony. I went to the gardener and together we covered the holes and decreased the pressure of the flowing water . It took a lot of tape, but it did just great and I felt SO DAMN GOOD about it I actually feel like I’ve rescued the planet, or saved the world or something…I might not have become a big pessimist, after all, but well, as long as I’m writing this in FEBRUARY with all windows of the apartment wide open, wearing a light spring cotton shirt and one of my summer trousers and I still feel it’s warm, I guess I’ll never stop worrying.
May humanity start serious actions to save what’s left to be saved!

Category: General | Comments Off

February 14 2007

Baby Laith

Yesterday my brother and his wife were blessed with the birth of their first baby, whom they named Laith; a beautiful Arabic male name that means lion.
Congrats Bro!
God bless and protect you and your little family.
I can’t really express the happiness I feel right now but I can express the overwhelming sadness for being too far away and not being able to share my family those good moments.
Needless to say that I still have no idea how my new nephew looks like, and I can’t wait to be sent a pic of him.
And of course I can’t speak of Laith and not mention my 2 other adorable nephews Mohammed and Omar, whom I miss like hell…

Category: Just Personal | Comments Off

February 10 2007

Crimes Against Al-Aqsa

Despite the happy news about Palestinian fractions signing the unity government deal, one can’t but feel humiliated and heart-broken for the miserable crimes committed against Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Again and again and again, Israel is crossing all limits terrorizing Palestinians and destructing their land with the exception of nothing, not even the holy sites.
Once again, people are being attacked during prayers in Al Aqsa mosque, this sacred place which is supposed to be respected and protected by anyone belonging to any religion, anyone believing in God, or at least anyone who believes in humanity.
Jewish extremists believe that its their responsibility to dig for “the temple”, which they claim is under Al-Aqsa mosque, letting it be a matter of religious duty, and have been digging and constructing underground bridges putting the foundation of Al-Aqsa Mosque at stake.
Few years ago I watched this interview on one of the international news channels with a rabbi and a Jewish historian, both giving proof that the whole Temple Mount thing is based on no logical or historical or religious grounds. I wish I recalled the names, but I don’t, and I promise to publish the names on my blog if I succeed to find them.
Anyway, and suppose we wish to argue that it’s a religious matter, what kind of religion calls for the destruction and elimination of other religious sites? what kind of religion gives itself the right to humiliate and mistreat other religious groups while justifying their actions as “saving/protecting” their own religious principles?
I truly doubt that Judaism, a religion we believe in and respect as being the first known to humanity, would ever call for such inhuman actions! so who’s to blame? it’s the extremists and Zionists for sure!

I personally believe that, regardless of the endless lists of reasons Israel gives to justify their diggings, one fact remains as clear as can be: attacking unarmed people who are causing no threat is an act of terror; shooting people gathering inside a holy place is an act of terror; digging under or around a holy site in a way that jeopardizes its foundations is an act of terror, i.e. Israel proves ONCE AGAIN being a state of terror… one would only wonder: till when will Israel be given the right to punish and never get punished for whatever it does!

Jordan urges world powers to stop Israel’s Aqsa excavations.

Category: Arab Societies, Media, International, Palestine, Religion | Comments Off

February 5 2007

Sleepless…

Today my husband left to Paris on a business trip. As happy as I am for him, I can’t help feeling so lonely.
This is the second time he travels after the birth of Adam, who decides to get sick every time daddy leaves! few days before my husband’s trip to Manchester, Adam had to catch cold! Now, only a couple of days before the Paris trip, he gets seriously sick.

At 8, Adam fell asleep, I put him in his bed and decided to watch some TV till I feel sleepy. At around 9 he woke up -really angry- and started crying and coughing. After giving him his medicine he went to sleep, only to wake up 15 minutes later -really hungry- crying and screaming. After taking his milk he went back to sleep. I got extremely sleepy, but I put him next to me in our room this time, and just like that, I fell asleep. 15 minutes later, a tiny hand slapping my face wakes me up, Adam’s nose is bothering him. After getting it cleaned up we both fell asleep. 20 minutes later I feel this weird thing grabbing my throat… it was Adam again, he was grabbing my throat and twisting its skin, lol. Turns out he woke up because of the coughing and couldn’t get back to sleep, so decided to “play” with my throat!
After waking up several times I couldn’t get back to sleep anymore…you must know this annoying feeling when you’re tired and sleepy but you can neither sleep nor do anything else, so you end up staring at anything like a retard! this is what I was going through before deciding to write this post.

Anyway, if I don’t rest well I wont be able to take care of Adam, so I need to force myself to sleep… after reading a bit maybe!

Sweet dreams everyone.

Category: Just Personal | Comments Off

February 1 2007

The Yummy Fatafeat

A while ago I discovered Fatafeat. It’s a delicious satellite TV channel dedicated to nothing but food and cooking 24 hours.

I can’t tell you how great I felt when I first found out about it. It became one of my favorites just like that. I’d sit literally mesmerized in front of it, whenever I have the time. I’d even see the reruns the next day. I became obsessed with it, telling people about it and spending most of the time in which I bottle-feed Adam, watching it so that even my husband got annoyed, lol!

What can I do! with all the beautiful international cooks telling their cooking secrets and working their magic, watching Fatafeat has become a delicacy by itself.

I love Fatafeat!

Category: Entertainment, Media, International | Comments Off

February 1 2007

Vorurteile Gegen Araber/Muslime

Als ich in Deutschland war, erfuhr ich was das Wort “Vorurteil” eigentlich bedeuted. Eine einfache kleine Frage wie: “woher kommst du?”, hat mich am anfang gefreut, denn ich
dachte, dass die Antwort zu einem positiven fruchtbaren Gespräch führen wurde, in der ich stolz von meiner Kultur und Religion sprechen konnte.
Stolz war ich immer, aber ein positives fruchtbares Gespräch war nicht immer das Resultat meiner Antwort.
Weil trozt diejenigen, die echt daran interessiert waren, meine Kultur und Religion kennenzulernen, und die negativen Ideen, die sie von meiner Kultur und Religion haben, mit mir zu diskutieren, gab es viele andere, die mir nur mit vielen Vorurteilen bombardierten, ohne mir die Chance zu geben, von meiner Religion und Kultur zu sprechen und diese Vorurteile zu diskutieren um die Missverständnisse zu erklären.
Ich hatte kein Problem mit der Vorurteilen, selbsverständlich gibt es eine große Lücke zwischen uns: die Mentalität, die Art und Weise auf die wir unser Leben führen. Auch die negative Rolle, die Medien spielen wenn es um die Araber und Muslime geht. Und vor
allem die einigen Araber/Muslime, die in Deutschland oder anderswo leben und ein schlechtes Bild von uns präsentieren.
Also war ich ok bei der Vorurteilen, was mir aber Weh getan hat, war die Tatsache, dass
viele mich nicht hören wollten!

Ich erinnere mich noch an einige der Vorurteilen, die ich stets gehört habe: Araber/Muslime sind zurückgeblieben, sie würden alles machen um in unseren Länder zu leben, sie sind idiöt, schmutzig, ihre Frauen leiden unter Diskriminierung, sie sind entweder Kriminelle oder Terroristen.
Außer Bauchtanzen, ihr gut schmeckendes Essen,ihre schöne Frauen, ihre Wüste und ihr Meer, gibt es einfach nichts interessantes an Araber!
Viele waren eigentlich darauf schockiert, dass ich eine Emailaddresse hatte!
Also im laufe der Zeit, wenn ich “woher kommst du?” gefragt war, wusste ich bereits, dass es entweder eine nette Diskussion, oder einen sehr unfreundlichen Vorurteil-Angriff fügen wurde!

Wie gesagt, man versteht die Ursache dieser negativen Eindrücken, man hofft aber, dass
man die Gelegenheit hat, gehört zu sein.
Araber und Muslime sind nicht alle gut, aber gleichzeitig sind sie nicht alle schlecht. Sie sind wie irgendeine andere Gesellschaft der Welt.
Deshalb ist es unfair wenn man verallgemeinert. Man muss immer hören was anderen
dazu sagen haben, denn es liegt an uns, die Menschen, unsere Welt friedlicher zu machen, und um das zu verwirklichen müssen wir die Unterschiede der anderen akzeptieren und ihren Versuch zum Integration respektieren… ohne Akzeptanz und Respekt verliert die Menschheit ihre wichtigste Eigenschaft: Toleranz.

Category: Posts in German, Religion | 2 Comments

January 31 2007

More Sophie Kinsella

So now you know that I’m addicted to Sophie Kinsella’s writings. You also know that I was able to buy only few of her books: “Shopaholic & Sister”, “Can You Keep a Secret?”, and “The Undomestic Goddess”. I was dying to get her other published books, especially the Shopaholic series.
Now I can proudly say that my dreams came true. In his recent visit to Manchester, my dear husband bought me all the ones I wanted , although I told him that after having Adam, I didn’t have this reading appetite, besides lacking the time of course. But amazingly enough, once he opened his suitcase and handed me the books: “The Secret Dream World of a Shopaholic”, which I discovered -only recently- goes also by the title: “Confessions of a Shopaholic”, “Shopaholic Abroad”, which I also discovered -only recently- goes also by the title: “Shopaholic Takes Manhattan”, and “Shopaholic Ties The Knot”, I couldn’t wait to put Adam to sleep so that I could start reading right away.
I’ve decided to start reading her first book in the shopaholic series:”The Secret Dream World of a Shopaholic”, and I must say it’s as good as I thought it would be and I’m enjoying every page.
I read whenever I have the time, so after I’m done with my daily housework, when Adam’s asleep, or when he’s playing in his rocking chair, or when he’s sitting quietly in my lap (while happily pulling out my hair and squeezing my cheeks).

Now the great news I heard from my husband was that a new book of Kinsella is coming out in February, now that is part of the news, the other rather more interesting part is the fact that it’s another shopaholic book, and the last most interesting bit of the news is the title of the book: “Shopaholic & Baby”.
As I earlier said, it’s so easy to relate to Kinsella’s characters, and now that I have a baby and been through the preparations stage of having one, I must relate to the character more and enjoy this specific book of hers so much.
My husband told me that Kinsella was to sign copies of her latest book for her fans in February, but unfortunately he missed it… imagine if the timing of his visit was otherwise! I could’ve gotten a copie with my dear Kinsella’s signature on it!
Hard luck Eman!

Anyway, one must always look at the bright side: I have the full shopaholic series (except for the one to be yet released in Feb.) and her other 2 books, i.e. I have all her books, how great is that for a fan!

For more info about the writer or her gorgeous books click here.

Category: Art & Literature | Comments Off

AquaCool

Drops of dew to tickle your senses.