Friday, February 18, 2011

My first poem in Arabic...


 
ازدواجية

تلك الشجرة ليست قديمة
انها متعب فقط...
لقد مرت سنوات عديدة,
أوراق عديدة...
فلا عجب من فروع لها فارغة.

الرجل ليست كبير السن ذلك
لقد مرت سنوات عديدة,
آلام,
سعادة,
دموع...
فلا عجب أن التجاعيد على وجهه.

إذا كنت ننظر إليهما من وراء الأفق
الشجرة والرجل
كنتما واحدة ونفس.
فهما ليستما قديمان
 انهما متعبان فقط...

Dualitate

Copacul acela nu e batran,
E doar obosit…
Au trecut atatia ani,
Atatea frunze…
Nici nu te mai miri de crengile lui goale.

Omul acela nu e batran,
E doar obosit…
Au trecut atatia ani,
Atatea dureri,
Atatea bucurii,
Atatea lacrimi,
Nici nu te mai miri de ridurile ce-i brazdeaza fata.

Copacul si omul,
Sunt una si aceeasi fiinta,
Daca-i privesti de dincolo de infinit.
Ei nu sunt batrani,
Sunt doar obositi…

Ikilik

O agac yasli degil
Sadece yorgun…
O kadar yil,
O kadar yaprak gordu…
Onun bos kollarina
Sasmana bile gerek yok.

O adam yasli degil,
Sadece yorgun…
O kadar yil,
O kadar aci,
O kadar sevinc,
O kadar gozyasi gordu…
Yuzundeki kirisiklara
Sasmana bile gerek yok.

Sonsuzlugun otesinden onlara baksa,
Agac ve Insan
Ayni ve tek varliktirlar.
Onlar yasli degil,
Sadece yorgun…

Duality

That tree isn’t old,
Just tired…
So many years,
So many leaves have passed…
No need to wonder
Of its empty branches.

That man isn’t old,
 Just tired…
So many years,
Pains,
Gaieties,
Tears… He has seen them all…
No need to wonder
Of the wrinkles on his face.

The tree and the man
Are one and the same
If you look at them from behind the universe…
They are not old,
Just tired…





 

The story after - versiunea in Lb. Romana

Si acum, povestea de dupa…

“It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.” - Charles Dickens “A tale of two cities”

Revolte, criza, lupte, arme, razboi, ironie, agonie, teama, persuasiune si manipulare, totul a lovit si s-a dispersat precum un lant de Domino sau precum “o furtuna perfecta” - Hillary Clinton.
Valul de proteste care s-a pornit in Tunisia pe 17 Decembrie, a continuat in alte parti ale Orientului Mijlociu, cu intensitate ridicata in Algeria si Libia. Egiptul a fost lovit mai tarziu, iar raspunsuri s-au auzit si in alte regiuni precum Iordania, Iemen, Liban. Conform analistilor politici, nimic din ceea ce se intampla nu este surprinzator. Toate aceste tari impartasesc caracteristici fundamentale precum saracia, agravata de criza economica, si regimuri autoritare mai mult sau mai putin brutale care detin monopolul asupra resurselor tarii.
Presedintele Mubarak a fost in ultimii 30 de ani atat o figura centrala in Orientul Mijlociu, cat si un aliat-cheie al Occidentului. Avand in vedere ca Egiptul este una dintre cele doua tari care au incheiat acorduri de pace cu Israelul, Mubarak este cunoscut ca singurul lider arab ce se bucura de toata increderea evreilor. Frica lor cea mai mare este ca fara el, pacea rece- dar rezistenta- cu Egiptul ar putea fi in pericol. Nimic gresit, tinand cont de popularitatea de care se bucura Fratii Musulmani mai ales acum. Este cert insa ca renuntarea la functia de presedinte a lui Mubarak poate deschide un fel de Cutie a Pandorei si nu numai Israelul isi face griji pentru ce va urma.
Orientul Mijlociu este intr-o continua schimbare… un adevar general valabil. Dar in spatele lui se ascund multe intrebari cheie:
Cat de favorabila este aceasta schimbare in contextual politic actual? In ce directie se indreapta tarile Orientului Mijlociu? Vom fi oare martori la transformarea Egiptului dupa modelul Iranului sau Turciei ? Ce se va intampla cu celelelalte tari din regiune precum Iordania, Liban, Siria, Irak, Iemen, Libia, Bahrain? Si care vor fi urmatoarele etape in nesfarsitul conflict dintre Israel si Palestina?
Cu toate acestea, in ultimele saptamani am avut sansa de a fi martori la puterea poporului, puterea vointei, puterea exemplului si, cu siguranta, puterea unitatii. Astfel am avut dovada certa ca masele sunt aduse impreuna de catre un ideal comun, nu neaparat de catre un lider.
Asadar, ii felicit pe cetatenii Egiptului pentru ce au reusit si am incredere ca vor continua sa lupte pentru drepturile si libertatea lor. Egiptenii se pregatesc acum pentru toate schimbarile ce se vor petrece in urmatoarele luni. Ramane de vazut daca aceste schimbari pe care ei si le-au dorit vor deveni realitate. Aceasta numai timpul o poate spune.
Iar eu imi rezerv dreptul de a considera acesta doar un prim pas, lupta adevarata fiind abia la inceput…

In acelasi timp, am un respect deosebit pentur munca jurnalistilor care au riscat totul pentru a ne prezenta realitatea de acolo, indiferent cat de greu, periculos sau chiar imposibil ar fi putut fi. Ei au jucat cu siguranta unul dintre cele mai importante roluri alaturi de egiptenii adunati in Tahrir Square. Este insa rusinos ca in lumea anului 2011, libertatea de opinie este inca barata, iar jurnalistii sunt inchisi, batuti si chiar omorati doar pentru ca isi fac meseria.

Iar de aici inainte, cred ca numai timpul ne poate spune restul povestii despre Orientul Mijlociu de astazi…

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Egipt - Versiunea in Lb. Romana


Dupa ultima mea postare, cineva m-a intrebat pentru cine scriu. Raspunsul meu este un proverb chinezesc:
“Daca arcasul tinteste doar pentru placerea de a atinge tinta, atunci isi foloseste cu adevarat talentul. Cand tinteste pentru scor, mana ii tremura si respiratia ii este ingreunata. Cand tinteste pentru un premiu in aur, devine nebun si orb. Nu talentul sau a scazut, doar viziunea asupra tintei  l-a schimbat.”
Asadar, nu scriu pentru cineva.  Daca as face-o, atunci as pierde acest dar divin –  viziunea asupra tintei m-ar schimba. Scriu avand convingerea ca aceasta este propria mea expresie a divinitatii si a vointei Sale. Scriu pentru ca sunt constienta de puterea extraordinara a cuvantului, caci El este inceputul.
Iar acum scriu pentru ca acesta este modul meu de a fi alaturi de cei ce sunt  pe strazile Egiptului, aratand curaj, patriotism, unitate. Ei dovedesc ca  “individul este cel ce conteaza” (St. Teresa de la Avila), nu regimul sau figurile politice.
“Suntem aici ca egipteni, nu ca judecatori.” Acestea sunt cuvintele unui judecator egiptean ce s-a alaturat astazi protestantilor. Declaratia sa a fost urmata de cea a unui doctor, martor la uciderea prietenilor lui, partasi alaturi de el la protest. Indurereat, gaseste insa puterea de a spune ca soldatii nu vor trage in oameni, pentru ca si ei sunt tot egipteni, si sunt in slujba tarii, nu a unei singure persone,  isi iubesc patria si cetatenii ei. Cu totii au asadar acelasi scop, aceasi tinta, exprimata extrem de simplu si expresiv: “ Suntem cu totii egipteni!”
Scriam despre puterea cuvantului… Cata incaractura emotionala, cata putere si cat adevar se regasesc in aceste cuvinte: “”Suntem cu totii egipteni!” Acesta este adevaratul simbol al unitatii.
In postarea anterioara  vorbeam despre sentimentul lipsei de putere al arabilor, citandu-l pe regretatul jurnalist Samir Kassir.  Acum sentimentul acela s-a transformat intr-o lectie incredibila de curaj si nu pot spune decat ca sunt mandra  sa fiu martora la aceasta istorie in timp real. Cu atat mai mult cu cat nu a fost nici macar nevoie de ceea ce noi numim indispensabila tehnologie: internet, telefon mobil, media. In fapt, programele  de socializare precum Facebook, Twitter, Skype, You Tube au fost barate inca de la inceputul saptamanii, iar internetul si retelele de telefonie mobila au cazut vineri dimineata. Dar nimeni si nimic nu-I poate opri pe oameni sa se adune pentru Iaum al-Juma, mai ales intr-o tara preponderant musulmana. (Iaum al-Juma este,  in traducere,  Ziua Adunarii, ziua in care musulmanii se aduna si se roaga impreuna in moschee) 
Cu siguranta, nu este nimic pozitiv in razboaie, lupte, conflicte, revolutii, arme, atacuri. Dar toate acestea fac parte din natura noastra umana. Si, totdata, oricat de greu ar fi de acceptat si ele sunt un mod de a marca o evolutie…sau, mai bine spus, un mod de a evolua. Dar totul sta in puterea noastra  de a ne controla frica sau curajul, inversunarea, furia, dorinta de putere si comanda.
La 13 ani, scriam pe prima pagina a primei mele carti:
“Dumnezeu ne da putere sa mergem mai departe, pentru ca noi sa mai facem un pas. Dumnezeu ne daruieste un gand bun, pentru ca noi sa  mai talmacim o vorba.  Dumnezeu ne sadeste in suflet speranta, pentru ca noi sa visam. Dumnezeu a trimis pe pamant o noua lege – legea iubirii!”
Si acum totul sta din nou in mainele noastre…

The story after...


“It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.”  - Charles Dickens “A tale of two cities”

Revolts, crisis, fights, arms, wars, irony, agony, fear, persuasion and manipulation, all has hit and developed like a row of dominoes or like “a perfect storm” quoting the American Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
The wave of protests, which began in Tunisia on the 17th of December, continued to spread to other parts of the Middle East, with riots rocking Algeria and Libya soon after. Egypt was hit next with many responses in Jordan, Yemen and soon all over the region. This, according to analysts, was not a surprise. These countries share some fundamental characteristics such as poverty, severely aggravated by the economic crisis, and more or less brutal authoritarian regimes that have always monopolized the wealth.

President Mubarak has been in the past 30 years both a central figure in the Middle East and a key Western ally. As Egypt is one of the two countries in the region that signed peace treaties with Israel, Mubarak is known as the only Arab leader that Israelis have trusted.  Their biggest fear is that without him, their cold - but so far resilient - peace with Egypt will be in danger. And now, after he stepped down not only Israelis are wondering what is going to happen next.

Middle East is changing … this is already common knowledge. But there are many questions behind it:  How is Middle East changing? Which direction is heading towards? Will we witness an Islamic Egypt governed by the Muslim Brotherhood or things will take the path that Turkey took long ago? What is it going to happen in the other countries in the region, countries like Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen? What about the Israeli – Palestinian conflict? 

Besides all this, in the past weeks we had the chance to witness the power of people, the power of will and, of course, the power of unity. And we had the real proof that masses are united by demands, not by leaders.  
Therefore, I congratulate Egyptians for their achievement and I strongly believe they will continue to fight for their rights and for their freedom.  They are now bracing themselves for all the changes that will follow in the next few months. Whether the changes they are calling for will happen, only time will tell.
I still reserve myself the right to tell that this was just the first step as the real fight is just at its start…

At the same time, I appreciate the work of the journalists who risked everything to show the reality to the outside world regardless how hard, dangerous, impossible it must have been. They definitely played an important role. It’s a shame that in the world of 2011, the freedom of speech is still banned; journalists are still taken into prison, injured and even killed.  

But from now on, I believe only time can reveal the answers about today’s Middle East.

God’s Justice


Long time ago a poor human dared to blame God for being unfair. In response to man’s blaming, God sent him one of His angels. As soon as the man saw the angel, he asked:
“How can God be so cruel and unfair? He should be Justice, but how can justice take from me what I have loved the most?! “
The angel responded:
“ Do you want to see God’s justice? Come with me!”
And he took the man to a poor village where ten souls where living in an old house with just one-room.  As soon as they arrived the angel started a fire and burned the whole house. The family was saved, but the little that they had was now lost.
Nearby two neighbors that had been enemies all their lives were just making peace and one of them was offering the other a cup of wine. The angel took the cup and gave it to a child. The child died as soon as his lips touched the cup.
After seeing all this, the man hardly found the power to ask:
“Where is the Justice then?”
 And the Angel answered once again:
“After the fire, the poor family wanted to build a new house and, while digging the ground, they found a treasure. Therefore the house they build now is going to be big enough for all of them and they are never going to suffer of hunger anymore. On the other hand, the two neighbors were not going to make peace because hate is in their veins hidden in their blood. There wasn’t just wine in the cup, there was poison together with the sweetness of the grapes.”
“Now I start to understand, says the man, but how can God call the killing of a child justice?”
Then the Angel answered while fading away:
“The child would have killed his mother and sisters if it wasn’t for the wine cup.”

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Egypt...


After my last post someone asked me who I am writing for. As an answer, the following Chinese quote:
“If the archer shoots just for fun he has all his skill. If he shoots for score, his hand trembles and his breath is uneasy. If he shoots for a golden price, he becomes mad and blind. His skill was not lessened, but the vision of the target changed him.”
 Therefore, I am not writing for someone, because in this way I would just waste an amazing gift – I would be changed. I am writing because I feel that this is my own expression of God and God’s will, because I am aware of the power of words as everything began with a word.
And right now, I am writing because this is my way to support the ones that are on the streets of Egypt showing what courage, patriotism, unity and love means. They prove that “it is the person that matters “ ( St. Teresa of Avila) not the regimes, nor the political figures.
“We are here as Egyptians, not as judges.”  These are the words of an Egyptian judge who joined the other protesters today. His words followed the ones of a doctor who was defending the Egyptian military by saying that the soldiers will not shoot the people, because they themselves are Egyptians, they themselves are in charge to protect their country, and their country means the citizens. They all have the same aim and this is so simply expressed: “We are all Egyptians!”
I was writing about the power of words…The most simple sentence reveals an amazing truth and gives the power to step further.
The Arabic “sense of powerlessness” I was talking about in my other post quoting Samir Kassir has become an incredible lesson of courage and I am proud to witness amazing history in real time. Moreover, there was not even need for what we call the “can’t live without technology”: internet, mobile phones, media.  In fact,  Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Skype were banned at the start of the week, followed by the stop of any internet connection all over the country on the Friday morning.  But no one can stop people from gathering especially on Iaum al-Juma in a mainly muslim country (Iaum al-Juma means in Arabic the day of gathering).
There is definitely nothing good in wars, revolutions, conflicts, fights, weapons, attacks. But they do make part of our nature as human beings. And they do help us evolve whether we accept it or not. Still everything relies on the way we learn to manage all these, to manage our fear or courage, our angriness, our wish for power and command.
When I was 13, after my grandfather’s death,  I was writing on the first page of my first book:
“ God gives us the power to go on, so that we can make another step. God sends us a good taught, so that we can say the right word. God leaves in our soul the hope, so that we can dream. God sent to the Earth his only law – the law of love.”  
And everything stays again in our hands and hearts…

Friday, January 28, 2011

Pulsul unei saptamani incredibile

Din cauza lipsei de timp si a conexiunii instabile la internet (nu pot spune cu exactitate care ma afecteaza mai puternic) nu mi-am mai putut posta gandurile pe blog pentru o lunga perioada de timp. Si am sentimental unei imense pierderi, mai ales cand se succed evenimente, trairi si experiente extraordinare.
Asadar, astazi mi-am propus ca nicio saptamana sa nu mai treaca fara ca cel putin un articol sa fie publicat.
Aparent nimic mai mult decat o zi de vineri obisnuita… In timp ce-mi savurez cafeaua intr-o cafenea  rusinos de occidentala de aici, din Damasc, am sansa sa ma gandesc la saptamana ce se sfarseste.  Nu resimt nostalgia stilului de viata european si nici nu sunt aici pentru mediul international sau pentru compilatia de melodii de pe fundal.  Sunt aici pentru savoarea extraordinara a cafelei indulcita cu miere si pentru bautura orientului: Polo – limonada cu menta. Totodata, am sperat ca voi reusi sa ma conectez si la internet, dar nu am avut noroc. Mi-au raspuns zambind: “Nu e internet in Egipt, trebuie sa fim solidari.” M-am resemnat in fata noului meu Notebook, scriind aceste randuri si reflectand asupra cascadei de evenimente din ultimele zile.
 “…trasaturile istorice cele mai importante ale Orientului Mijlociu nu sunt marginalitate si simplitatea,  ci  centralitatea si diversitatea.”  (Politics and Change in the Middle East: Sources of Conflict and Accommodation, Roy R. Andersen, Robert F. Seibert, Jon G. Wagner)
Mi-am amintit de acest citat in timp ce urmaream stirile de pe canalul Al Jazeera si il consider simbolul perfect al evenimentelor din aceasta saptamana. Inca de la inceputul sederii mele in Siria am realizat ca totul are o importanta si un impact diferit atunci cand traiesti aici, atunci cand poti lua pulsul evenimentelor din discutiile in soapta de la fiecare colt de strada, dialoguri scurte, dar extrem de incarcate de insemnamant. Si nu este necesara  o extraordinara cunoastere  a limbii arabe sau, mai exact, a dialectului sirian, pentru a intelege ceea ce se spune.  Ai nevoie doar de o inima si o minte deschisa.  
Negocieri secrete privind soarta Palestinei, revolte in Tunisia, Liban, Egipt si Iemen, inundatii fara precedent in Arabia Saudita, lansarea noului film turcesc “Valea Lupilor – Palestina”, atac terorist in aeroportul din Moscova, totul se petrece atat de repede incat nu ai sansa sa constientizezi cu adevarat anvergura evenimentelor.  Poti urmari 24/24 dezbateriile nesfarsite dintre diversi lideri ai Orientului Mijlociu, motivandu-si propriile actiuni si declaratii, aratand cu degetul si invinovatind intotdeauna cand subiectul nu mai este atat de comfortabil. Si din cand in cand stiri de ultima ora dau nastere la noi si noi controverse, declaratii, dezbateri incoerente. Incoerente pentru ca nimeni nu poate avea acces niciodata la imaginea completa asupra a ceea ce se intampla. Din pacate chiar si ochiului de vultur ii sunt ascunse cele mai adanci secrete in intunericul din inima padurii.   
Insa, ultima saptamana a dovedit din nou ca cei lipsiti de vina sunt sacrificati pentru “o singura lege si o singura arma” (imi permit aici sa citez un lider Palestinian in timpul negocierilor secrete cu Israelul) , si inca cei saraci, tineri, simpli, idealisti ies in strada luptand pentru ceva ce noi consideram a ni se cuvine – democratie.
Inainte de asasinarea sa in 2005, Samir Kassir, unul dintre cei mai cunoscuti jurnalisti si istorici libanezi, de origine palestiniana, scrie in cartea sa “A fi Arab”:
 “Cetatenii arabi sunt bantuiti de sentimentul lipsei de putere, inflamat in permanenta, fiind unul dintre manifestarile malariei lor. Lipsa de putere pentru a fi ceea ce crezi ca trebuie sa fi. Lipsa de putere pentru a actiona sa iti afirmi existenta, chiar si teoretic, in fata Celuilalt care iti neaga dreptul de a exista, te dezbina si isi reafirma dominatia asupra ta.  Lipsa de putere pentru a suprima sentimentul ca nu esti mai mult decat un pion singuratic pe tabla de sah globala chiar daca jocul se joaca in gradina ta.”
Mi-e teama ca evenimentele din aceste zile confirma, dar, in acelasi timp, paradoxal, contrazic vorbele lui Samir. Din punctul meu de vedere, din propria cunoasterea  inca nu de ajuns a Orientului Mijlociu, cred ca arabii au puterea de a schimba tot ceea ce necesita schimbare, au puterea de a-si atinge telul, dar reusita poate veni numai din unitate. Cu cat sunt mai uniti, cu atat impactul actiunilor lor va fi mai puternic. Ca atare,  am incredere ca puterea de a fi uniti a cetatenilor arabi face parte din insasi natura lor, din pasiunea lor comuna pentru libertate, pentru tara, pentru propriile drepturi.
 Nascuta la un an dupa  dupa revolutia din 1989, am crescut cu povestile tinerilor ce s-au sacrificat in acele sangeroase zile de Decembrie pentru un viitor mai bun al tarii lor. In consecinta, intensitatea la care percep evenimentele  curente este cu totul alta. Si cu siguranta este amplificata de existenta  unui grup de prieteni extraordinari din toate aceste tari si de sentimentul de solidaritate cu ei. Tragedia lor devine, inevitabil, tragedia mea si a oricui gandeste si vede mai departe de granitele tarii. In mai putin de o secunda, toate preocuparile minore ale tinerilor de varsta mea din Romania nu au nicio insemnatate in comparatie cu adevarata realitate de aici. Este o dulce si dureroasa constientizare ce ma face sa vad totul cu alti ochi decat ochii ignoranti ai occidentului.
In incheiere, consider potrivit sa citez un proverb arab de o mare insemnatate:  “Am trei prieteni si trei dusmani. Prietenii mei sunt: prietenul meu, prietenul prietenului meu si dusmanul dusmanului meu. Dusmanii mei sunt: dusmanul meu, prietenul dusmanului meu si dusmanul prietenului meu.”
Acum imi pun la loc in jurul gatului esarfa palestiniana,  parasesc  internet café-ul  sau, cum I se spune aici  المقهى , si pasesc  spre casa multumindu-I Domnului pentru toate lucrurile incredibile din viata mea.  Cu siguranta, acum sunt mult mai constienta de valoarea unei noi zile, si ma rog Lui pentru pace, liniste si dreptate in lumea noastra. Dumnezeu a fost intotdeauna doar Unul, numai perspectivele noastre sunt diferite.


  

Taking the pulse of an amazing week...

Due to the lack of time and poor internet connection (I can’t say exactly which one affects me more), I haven’t been able to publish my thoughts on the blog for a long time. And I do have the feeling of a great lost, especially when I realize how many events, feelings and experiences are here to write about.
Therefore, today I decided that no week should pass without at least one article on my blog… I hope time and circumstances will help me to keep my promise.
Apparently more than usual Friday morning…As I am enjoying my coffee in a very western coffee place here in Damascus, I get the chance to think about the past week. I’m not here for the nostalgia of the western lifestyle, neither for the international customers that pop in everyday or the amazing international music, a compilation of best French, American, English, Spanish old, but so contemporary hits.  I’m here actually for the amazing taste of the Coffee Americano served with a teaspoon of natural honey, that you can hardly find any elsewhere. Or for the amazing lemon with mint Polo.  To be honest, I was also dragged in by the hope of a good internet connection that can facilitate my Arabic translation. I found none, but I can still have a good time in front of my new Notebook, writing these lines and reflecting over the events.   
This quote from one of my last year Politics books came to my mind while watching the Al Jazeera   news. I strongly believe this perfectly symbolizes the events that have happened in the past week.  Since my stay  in Syria I’ve realized that everything has a stronger impact and importance when you live here, when you can feel the pulse of the events even in the restless rumors in the street, short dialogues that do not request an extraordinary knowledge of  Arabic or, more exactly, Syrian dialect… They rather request an open heart and mind. 
The Palestine Papers, revolts in Tunisia, Lebanon, Egypt and Yemen, inundations in Saudi Arabia, the new Turkish film “The Valley of Wolves – Palestine”,  bomb in Moscow’s airport,  it feels as if you don’t even get the chance to realize what is actually happening. One can watch 24/24 the long debates on TV with different leaders of the Middle East arguing, defending their words and actions, pointing at someone else every time the topic becomes uncomfortable. And from time to time astonishing last minute news take the place of the tiring unfair debates. Unfair because one can never have the whole image of what is happening, one can never see everything from an eagle’s eye just because most of the important details are hidden in the darkness of the forest.
The past week has showed that still the innocents are the ones sacrificed for the sake of “one rule and one gun” , and yet the poor, young,  simple people go out in the streets fighting for what we take for granted – democracy.
Before his assassination in 2005, Samir Kassir, one of the best-known journalists and historians of Lebanon, of Palestinian origins, writes in his book “Being Arab”:
“The Arab people are haunted by a sense of powerlessness, permanently inflamed, it is the badge of their malaise. Powerlessness to be what you think you should be. Powerlessness to act to affirm your existence, even merely theoretically, in the face of the Other who denies your right to exist, despises you and has once again reasserted his domination over you. Powerlessness to suppress the feeling that you are no more than a lowly pawn on the global chessboard even as the game is being played in your backyard.”   
I’m afraid the late events tend to confirm, but at the same time, paradoxically, disagree with Samir’s words.  From my own point of view, from my little knowledge of Arabs and the Middle East, I believe they do have the power to change everything that needs to be changed, they do have the power to achieve their goals, but this can only come from their unity. The more unite they are, the biggest the impact of their acts. Therefore, I trust the power of the Arabs and their passion for liberty, for their homelands and for their rights. As a Romanian born after the ’89 revolution, I was raised with the stories of the youths that died during that bloody days of December for a better future of their country. As a consequence, there is something that makes me more sensitive to all this events taking place now. This is amplified by the luck of having a group of amazing friends from all these countries and the feeling of solidarity to them. Their tragedy becomes somehow my tragedy and vice versa.  In less than a second all the minor things that preoccupy the minds of people my age in Romania become piece of cake in comparison to the real world. There is a sweet painful awareness that makes me see everything with other eyes than the ignorant western eyes.
 To sum up, I would like to quote a very old Arabic saying: “I have three friends and three enemies. My friends are: my friend, the friend of my friend and the enemy of my enemy. My enemies are: my enemy, the friend of my enemy and the enemy of my friend.”
Now I put back my Palestinian scarf as I leave the internet café or المقهى as people call it here and I thank God for all the amazing things in my life. I believe now I appreciate more the value of a new day and I pray for peace, rest and justice in our world. God has always been just one, only our perspectives have been different.
   


Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Back on the blog...

Haven't been writing for a while...I can say I've been completely lost in Damascus, somewhere in between the new and the old city, trying to become part of such a mixture of everything, trying to be me and at the same time to respect the rules of a completely different world, trying to understand and act alike.

What have I learned so far? 

Firstly, every time you are trying too hard to do something it's never going to work as you like...so you just have to be more relaxed, to enjoy the process and not think too much of the result. The process as it is might be much better and useful.

Then, you need to be a very good observer...especially here. Listen...watch...try to understand... try to pick up words that sound familiar...try to learn new words and use them every time you get the chance.

Thirdly, enjoy your time...enjoy being lost... enjoy the struggle to have a normal dialogue in a language you've never heard before, a language that sounds like something you've been studying but it is nothing like that... enjoy being different and respect the differences you see in the people around you...never judge! This might become your biggest mistake.

No matter how far you are from home, you can always find a family that can make you feel like home no matter the language they speak, the culture they come from or their religion.

However, I think the most important thing that I've learned in the past two months is  how to treasure my independence and my freedom. And this has nothing to do with religion, politics, family, rules, government, society...this is all about myself!

The song that ends my article is composed by one of my best friends, Fadi G. Al-Naji. It is probably the best symbol of what the past two months have taught me. Thank you Fadi!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkYlra0IURQ