Spread love everywhere you go.

Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.

– Mother Teresa

Female Slam Poetry in Jordan

Nadine, as per usual, writes a compelling piece about Jordanian women in Amman’s Spoken Word scene.

Its further proof of Jordan’s confusing identity; the reality of so many different types of people and lifestyles darting across this region that make it impossible to speak about Jordan – the Middle East – or Arabs in any sweeping generalizations.

As tonight’s poetry reading draws to a close, Aysha speaks her own manifesto of youth. The emotion is raw, but no one looks away as her piece crescendos.

“It was my friends who hugged their canvases and wept for brothers killed in the doom of Arab revolution, and guilted over the fire exit of their breath,” she raps, her words echo within the narrow walls.

“But I still have my dictators falling, as the Arab Spring fireworks into a festive autumn. So for all I care me and my friends are the sunrise.”

Read all here —> Jordan’s Underground Female Slam Poetry Scene

“Few will have the greatness to bend history; but each of us can work to change a small portion of events, and in the total of all those acts will be written the history of this generation … It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is thus shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.”

Nizar Qabbani

 

I love her when she drinks her morning coffee,

and she drinks me

I love her more when she assures me she’ll take over the world,

and she takes over me

 

“I always go back to William James,” he said. “ ‘The greatest use of a life is to spend it on something that will outlast it.’ A big part of it is being remembered.” Besides, relaxing stresses him out.

 

Is Giving the Secret to Getting Ahead?

“Because really the only story to tell in war is how to live without fear. It all could be over in an instant. If I knew that, then I wouldn’t have been so afraid to love, to dare, in my life; instead of being here, now, hugging myself in this dark, rancid corner, desperately regretting all I didn’t do, all I didn’t say.

You who tomorrow are still alive, what are you waiting for? Why don’t you love enough? You who have everything, why you are so afraid?”

– Woman’s Work: The Twisted Reality of an Italian Freelancer in Syria

As soon as we are fully conscious we discover loneliness.

We need others physically, emotionally, intellectually;

we need them if we are to know anything,

even ourselves.

– CS Lewis

Come Alive

How did I just find out about this website?

http://www.panarabiaenquirer.com/

Go check it out, immediately. Its an satire news site (like the Onion) but based on the Middle East. Its actually hilarious.. here are a few headlines to give you a taste:

– Obama Promises Syria Intervention Should Assad Use Death Star

– Israel to Gift Obama Villa in West Bank Settlement

– Fresh Middle East Crisis as Guyana Declares Jerusalem its Capital

– Man Wraps Up Successful Mission to Regain the Trust of People to Which He Gives 3 Billion a Year

Right? Classic. Again I’m reminded how clever satire is – how aptly and effectively it points out the ridiculous things about our society. Needless to say, their is plenty of room for that in US/Middle East politics!

Radiant

Radiant.

That’s actually the only word to describe how absolutely beautiful Nisreen was at her engagement party last weekend.

It was an amazing evening.. and she looked so happy with her fiance, Musa – who I met for the first time (aside from Skype hellos) last week. He is a great guy and they are adorable together.

Above, posing for the camera –>  “i7na bidna eyaha… wa hou bidu eyaha”

Below, me and Marah – easily one of my best new friends from this year in Jordan. “My student” turned friend :)

This was a really special engagement party because Nisreen is one of my best friends.. I’ve been to a handful of engagement parties/weddings in Jordan and in the States; yet this is the first one for a best friend. It is of course, all the more beautiful.

Plus, this time I had responsibilities! Responsibilities that I would have never imagined undertaking in any other circumstance.. Really, it was comical to have Nisreen turn to me as an “engagement party planner” – ba3rifish! – i actually can’t imagine someone who knows less about these things than me. YET, for her.. I said yes to everything.

Really, it just follows that general trend where I do random things here … and usually receive great compliments … even though in general these things are the OPPOSITE of “who I am” in the States. ( example: Julie! You are such a good dancer. …. Julie! You have a beautiful voice ). It just goes to show if you do things with enough confidence/gusto… people just believe that you must be good at. ( Well, she is singing in front of the class.. she MUST have a good voice ).

So anyway, here were the two big / random contributions…

1) Can you make a unique guest book for me?

—> Of course! I am so creative… #thingsineverthoughtiddoinamman

2) Can you choreograph and perform a dance for me?

—> Of course! That sounds easy and right up my alley. #thingsineverthoughtiddoinamman

See below clip of 1/2 of our dance. If you were wondering, yes we did dance to Pit Bull. And yes, we did pull her cousins onto the dance floor. And yes, the freestyle bit of the song was later done with a strobe light.

#thingsineverthoughtiddoinamman