Baghdad: a shadow of the city I once knew, 8 years on

Today the Baghdad of old is unrecognizable after the impact of an invasion; Being the 'organizer' of your friend-group has its drawbacks; How Beirut trumps Dubai in at least some departments; and while a baby's gender is the product of accident, our gender discrimination is relentless nonetheless; and celebrating working women who pioneer the bendy road to equality.

Baghdad, whose name signifies 'God's Gift', once an oasis of learning and enterprise, and always a beautiful city scape as shown pre-destruction of the 'invasions'.

Raed In the Middle East [2]

Baghdad: 8 years later

Is this the city I once knew? "I can't recognize this city anymore. What a sad sad reality. I can't recognize streets because of the concrete walls, and I don't know anymore here anymore. All my friends, family, colleagues, neighbors, and coworkers have fled the country."

This is Beirut [3]

The logistics of friendship

Self-nominated or otherwise, this side-line vocation as the organizer can grind you down: "For some reason or another, I’ve always been “the planner.” When it comes to my group of friends, anywhere I go..I’m always the working out the logistics involved in getting people together..be it for dinner on a Friday night, or for a semi-spontaneous weekend in NYC. I’ve always enjoyed this role (probably cause I’m slightly controlling ),.. but I have to admit, that it’s not without its frustrations."

Mich Cafe [4]

Back on the streets of Beirut

From Dubai back to Beirut: "What I mainly miss in Dubai is walking the streets and running errands on foot. The weather doesn’t help, neither do the distances."

Breath Notes [5]

A Baby's Gender is not in our Hands

"If the majority of all the people on earth know for a fact that people have no control over a baby’s gender…how come they vigorously discriminate?! It beats all the rational thinking i could come up with even in my wildest imagination…and lets agree…i have a WILD head! Is it human cruelty…stupidity or what?! I look around and i see some sexists putting rules and applying systems that is about to make women apologize each day that they were born with a V instead of a P…come the heck on!!" In Saudi Arabia…they ban women from….DRIVING!!

Dhofari Gucci [6]

Working Women Rock!

"So.....my dear readers (haters, fans and silent observers alike) As many of you know, I am passionate (sometimes too passionate) about women's issues and women's rights in Dhofar, Oman, and the Middle East."