Things i wanna do in 2010

1. Spend Easter in Macedonia :)

2. Visit 5 new countries... that i haven't been before.. for the sake of it. (Preferably : Italy, Malta, Russia, Norway and UAE )

3. Visit Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Nazareth.

4. Oh Ya.. Explore Petra entirely! (i know!)

5. Enrich my home library with 25 New books (novels).. and read them.

6. Master the art of making cakes :D

7. Blog more..

8. Relationship? am still thinking about it :D

9. Surprise my mom and dad with sth they have both wanted from a long time.

10. Make a stronger impact on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.. as well as the Greek-Macedonian dispute.. to break down the sterotypes connected to both issues.

Eid Mubarak

Eid Mubarak everyone.. May this joyful occasion bring peace.. tolerance and joy to your hearts.. and bring all your loved ones around you to celebrate with laughter and happiness.

كل عام وانتو بخير

Just when you think this couldn't get any more ridiculous! Greece surprises.. this time with Iceland!

Greek-Macedonian spat splatters Iceland

The ongoing Greek-Macedonian dispute has spilled over to affect Icelanders…in Washington DC and Norway.

The issue came up when Hjalmar Hannesson, Iceland’s ambassador to the USA decided to screen the new film by Norway-based Icelander Sigurjon Einarsson.

Einarsson’s film is called ‘A Name is a Name’ and is set in Macedonia and explores the country’s relationship with Greece, which claims the name Macedonia is already in use by a region in Greece and cannot therefore be used by the nation of Macedonia. This seemingly minor issue has soured relations between Skopje and Athens since Macedonian independence in 1991 and has even stalled Macedonian intentions to join the EU and other organisations.

Macedonian sources claim that Athens threatened to hinder Iceland’s own EU application procedure if Hannesson decided to show the movie. The proposed date of the private screening and whether or not Hannesson has chosen to go ahead are not yet known.

From MINA, the Macedonian International News Agency:

“On October 21, Icelandic Ambassador to the United States, Mr. Hjalmar Hannesson, invited a select group of invitees to his Washington, DC residence for a screening of a film by Icelandic filmmaker Sigurjon Einarsson.

“Upon hearing of this, Greece’s foreign ministry via its Embassy in DC had sent a communique to Iceland’s US Ambassador not to showcase the movie, hinting Athens could made life difficult for Reykyavik’s application for EU membership.

““A Name is a Name” movie was being shown as a part in spreading Icelandic made culture in the US. This may be the first time a foreign Ambassador is told what movie he can’t show at his private residence by a foreign country. Pesky Athenians.”

via

نفسي في ... وتفو عليه

Last week.. i watched "The Ugly Truth".. and two days ago i watched another movie titled "he is just not that into you" - i know pretty long title.. am not sure if its the exact name of the movie.. but hey focus on the meaning.. Anyway, both movies are discussing similar topic : "Rules of Dating"... they are both interesting.. and informative.. though the first one is funnier.. the second one is more realistic..

Many of you already think.. ya right.. another romance - comedy movie.. that has nothing to do with reality.. but in fact..i find those two focusing on real issues.. on painful moments.. happy ones.. things almost everyone is ignoring or pretending they don't exist.

Let me draw you a picture there... you meet someone that you like.. u wonder how shall u call him/her out.. or lets get more specific.. if u r a girl.. how should u make the guy ask u out.. or if u r a guy..how should you ask her out without being rejected.. is there really a rule that the guy should ask the girl out? can't the girl ask the guy out? or does that make her look desperate and needy?

Lets imagine you did manage to ask her/him out or get his/her phone number one way or another.. and the date goes well..you enjoy your time.. have good laugh... flirt.. joke around with some sexual associations maybe.. but then what? the date ends.. who will do the first step? who will call the other.. and ask him/her on a second date.. maybe a romantic dinner? many challenges suddenly appear.. and life gets very complicated... I won't go into more details in how deep a relationship might go.. but trust me.. the mind games continue to increase with every step forward you go...

This mind game .. is all about the Ego... many.. both guys and girls.. believe that if they do an honest step forward.. and deal with the relationship exactly how the gut feeling says.. that they will be the weak part of the relationship.. Both movies suggest a theory.. that i personally agree that it happens.. but don't agree that its the right thing to do... nor have ever done it to anyone. The theory is based on one single thesis : if you ignore someone..you actually wants that person... u send a message that you are independent.. and don't need anyone.. and hence you hit the other person's Ego.. so basically he or she decides to crush the other person's Ego.. and thus becomes trapped in the dating-mind-ego game. Many by the way fall in love during that game.. but that is not necessarily bound to happen. Unfortunately.. if you think u r mature enough... not to fall into this mind game.. well.. sorry.. i have bad news for you : game over - u r single.. Unless.. you find an exception.. or you are an exception yourself.

When does this mind game end? In Jordan or at least in our eastern culture.. usually ends when a commitment or marriage is declared.. but generally thats not true.. since rules are in general intended to be broken eventually... if and only if.. the relationship is based on the theory i rambled about above..

Myself.. i had my doubts if this theory is actually the case with me.. or with the society surrounding me.. i had my ups and downs.. believing that it actually is true.. but after some thinking... i still believe that honesty... directness... and more honesty.. is the key to a successful relationship.. I firmly believe that any relationship that starts because of rejection (which actually means acceptance) .. is just the first sign that this relationship is going to fail. Small kids do that.. when they try attract girl's attention by hitting her.. or by stealing her notebook.. or by using practical jokes.. bad ones.. to give the impression of dislike.. but we are not kids anymore.. and those who still practice those methods.. well.. with all due respect.. they are not relationship material.. and will end up single.. or unhappy.

Featured campaign: "Khede Kasra - Women Empowerment"

لحن العودة إلى فلسطين

The following clip.. is intended to be silent... to be delivered to people through other senses rather than reading.. with music.. with the truth.. with honesty.. and with emotions that can not be described in any different way...

This clip is produced by Al-Quds TV to inaugurate their TV channel..

Enjoy..

BAD09: Nature's revenge

It really is frustrating to keep hearing about conferences, actions, campaigns and zillions of other activities to raise awareness about the Climate change and the Global warming and find out later that no results have taken place. At least i haven't felt any change.. nor have seen any optimistic reaction from anyone... why? well because those countries who are concerned to do those actions are well.. wealthy enough to fund such projects.

I live in Jordan, pretty calm country... peaceful.. expensive... and unfortunately poor when it comes to resources and economy; so what kind of actions the world is expecting from me? To start recycling our garbage? to teach people that you can't put metals, with glasses, with plastic and food all together in one tiny single bin? really ? is it gonna work? are you sure? ...Maybe... but I honestly doubt not because people aren't intelligent enough to learn the new habit but because people really have more issues to deal with.. well at least in my region. Come to think of which... each place on earth has its own problems..the biggest two continents are facing some pretty serious problems, for instance in Africa they have an enormous expansion of diseases... in Asia they have a population crisis that makes it easier for natural disasters to kill people... Not to mention the endless wars and unbalanced use of weapons.

I don't think that our problem is recycling, nor technology.. nor the sun.. nor the climate.. its us.. we are FAR too many for the earth to handle... and i don't think it was designed to handle such number.. and as time passes.. earth's population is increasing exponentially. I do agree with all the efforts the world is trying to do.. to solve the problem.. but how about going to the route of the problem.. which i believe is the unplanned and uncontrollable increase in the Earth's population... It really is selfish of us living at the moment.. to give birth to children that won't even have enough food to survive.. it really is sad to see that there are thousands of children in Africa and Asia abounded by their un-qualified parents...

What happens on earth today.. is just a natural reaction... Earth's population must decrease.. or at least the population density must decrease.. and be more balanced around the world.. with some planning and proper administration ... countries should start orienting themselves to the rural areas of it instead of increasing the population in the big cities... that i think would give the nature a chance to breath .. otherwise.. the Earth has its ways to get rid of us. I guess the concept of Revenge isn't human after all.

I am aware that there are many global efforts to control the activity of the Developed and developing countries.. within an international protocol... all i wish is that they take into consideration the route problem that i see it.. and blend it in the new Copenhagen Environmental protocol to be announced later this year.

Today is the best day of your life... Love it !

42 cm squared

Eid Mubarak

كل عام وانتو بخير

كل عام وبلادنا وشعبنا بخير

وكل عام والمحبة جامعيتنا

"How to tie a tie" pre-interview action!

Ever since i came to Jordan.. a month ago.. i've been job hunting.. i know iknow.. its the worst year to be a fresh graduate and to job hunt because of the economic crisis and all.. but i had to go for it.. So my job hunt started through the regular recruitment websites (bayt, akhtaboot, the Jordanian Engineering Association) and ofcourse the most popular soruce of job vacancies.. newspaper! I worked hard on my CV.. and on a universal cover letter.. and made accounts everywhere.. and the process officially started in mid August.

I started responding to most of the ads that are closely or remotely related to my major.. or submajor.. and this process was repeated almost everyday.. things started to get boring... and i know.. these things take time.. so i was patient and waited.

I saw that these methods weren't effective enough.. so i decided to work more aside of the ads and started to search for companies websites and send my CVs to any possible contact available on their website.. with the subject "Job Application"... desperate? well.. i had to try this way as well :) ..

2 weeks later.. it actually worked.. one pretty big company** actually responded to me..and the response came from the CEO.. i was impressed.. the email stated that i will be contacted by the HR for formal application and arranging interview.. i got hyper and all.. but then something happend.. Ramadan started..

i kept on waiting.. and waiting for their response.. and nothing.. i lost hope.. and expected that if there is any possibility for them to call it will be after Eid.. since productivity is always low during Ramadan unfortunately. But few days ago.. i was surprised by a phone call from the manager of the department i'm applying for asking me to come for interview the next day at 1! i got all hyper and stressed and started calling my friends for tips and advices on what to do on my very first interview... as an Engineer.

The interview day came.. and i was planning to dress smart casual... but phone calls interrupted the harmony i was in.. with hyper notes like "walak you should be wearing your suite! Gosh you should show them respect! " or "a shirt without a jacket and a tie.. ?! are u nuts?!" and "if you don't wear a suite you won't get the Job samer... " .. so i gave up.. and decided to obey my friend's advices.. and wear my suite.. but 2 hours before the interview.. i faced a huge problem.. my dad is at work.. nobody else is home.. and i don't know how to tie my tie! i know i know.. make fun as u want.. am

23 years old man who still havent learnt how to tie his tie.. well in my defence.. there was always someone around to do that for me.. and never imagined things will get that dramatic someday :D.

So being hyper and stressed wasn't a problem any more.. my biggest issue was how to tie my tie..! I tried to be creative.. and the results were a huge disaster... the clock was ticking.. i had an hour and a half to be ready.. and my tie hasn't been tied yet.. i thought of calling a friend to ask how.. then i realised life isn't "who wants to be a millionaire" contest.. but we are in the age of internet..! so yea yea.. am geek.. i googled it! :) and here is the result :

I tried it few times.. having the steps above in front of me.. and after more than 20 attempts.. it actually worked! I learnt how to tie my tie.. in the geekiest way ever! hehe..

I dressed up.. and was very happy for my achievement.. i know it may sound silly.. but that very small achievment.. gave me the neccessary self confidence that was shaking due to stress.. that i can do anything under pressure... and moreover i can be successful under stress.. and thats something if they are proffessional enough.. they should notice.

I went to the interview happy and calm.. and gave the best i can.. and it actually worked .. :) i am un-officially accepted to be part of their engineer's "gang" ... and during mid october things will become inshalla official.. :) **Once i sign the agreement.. i will announce what is the company i will be working at..!

It was a day to remember ... :)

Amman Twestival

I've been struggling the past few days since attending Amman twestival to blog about it... i came back home after the event.. trying to tide up my thoughts and all the info i got from the extremely heated discussion but decided to sleep it over.. and blog about it the next day..

The next day... i woke up.. did my usual morning things.. and checked my email.. at first i couldn't believe what my eyes were seeing... i thought am clearly still sleeping.. let me go make some nescafe.. and read the emails.. i came back.. and there it was again! i wasn't dreaming.. i got the Job interview i've been waiting for since last month.. i got all hyper and fuzzy and lost any possible concentration :D .. i suppose you still wonder whats the big deal about having an interview.. but in my case.. its my very first Job interview since i came to Amman.. plus its in one of the places i've always dreamt to work at.. aside of being directly into my major (Mechatronics) its also one of the coolest jobs in Jordan! so there.. at the moment.. i completely forgot about my intentions to blog about Amman Twestival!

So lets go back to Amman Twestival... many posts where dedicated to the event.. many even blogged about it or twitted it live.. some even posted the most powerful 10 quotes mentioned.. all of which in general covered all the details of the event.

For me it was impressive.. for different aspects... the organization itself was a huge success.. thanks to Malik Shishtawi and his foundation.. who made it possible... amazing effort.. and organization in suh a short period. On the other hand, the speaker's (M. Khawaja) presence and personality made the entire experience fun and professional.. including the casual attitude and friendly atmosphere that managed to transform the tiny mistakes into funny situations.. that allowed us to be actually enjoying the discussion. All in all.. it was a huge success! Thank you Malik and Mohammad!

The event guests... were actually very informative.. and encouraging.. i mean.. they managed somehow to make what am doing more sense..i mean i've been blogging and twittering for a while.. and i haven't found any support from any of my friends or my family.. probably coz they can't comprehend what actually am doing when blogging.. but that night .. it all made sense and gave me a push forward to continue.. so Thank you for that!

The idea of live twitting during the event was actually an interesting enhancement to the discussion.. as it gave the attendees more power for interacting... it gave the chance to regular bloggers.. and internet "geeks" to be able to express their opinion..in rather a fun way.. so the discussion wasn't exclusive to the more professional ones.. but to everyone! which is something i really liked.. it also gave the chance to many twiterjeyyeh :) to be part of the event who for many reasons couldn't be there with us... It also got us a special iPhone discount from the CEO of Orange Mrs. Majd Shweikeh who was also attending the Twestival ... her precense is deeply appreciated.. hoping that more customer - client communication will be conducted in the near future! Thanks for that as well! :) am definitely going to use the discount :)

It was one of those moments when i actually was proud of seeing such event being conducted in Jordan... it gives back high hopes of the Jordanian Youth and Enterprenurs.. i won't go into details about the event.. as its too late for me now to talk about what happend .. hehe .. others have already talked about it in details.. i just wanted to share with you my experience at the 2nd Amman Twestival and waiting for the 3rd one in the near future! Way to go guys! keep it up!

p.s. this post is exclusivley dedicated to Amman Twestival and the Organizers :)... will keep u posted of what happend in the interview day.. (yesterday) in my next post !

What history tires to forget...

Apparently i've been.. or better said my readers have been experiencing some difficulties using my blog. Well not reading it obviously.. but commenting on it. Dunno what exactly was the problem.. but my fellow blogger Naser has pointed out that problem to me and thanks to his note i changed the template and made some blog makeover hoping that would solve the problem and refresh a bit the boring background/template i was using.

So here is the outcome of the "makeover" and the commenting problem no longer exists. I would like to express my apology to all those who have tried to comment during the past period and their comments weren't published.. but i didn't actualy know that there was a problem and that the commenting was disabled. I hope that won't be repeated again. :)

That being said, during my blog makeover... i decided to give my blog a more specific direction.. and purpose. Although mainly during the past 2 years of its existance.. it has been a runaway corner where some ideas emerged.. or some frustrations were expressed as well as some topics that have some historical conotations. Now, after some experiements.. i noticed that the topics that provoke me to write are those concerned with some attempts to change history or better said to create fake history. That doesn't only mean political history.. but everyday events and facts.. that some try to forget.. or other try to hide and eventually become forgotten history. For that purpose, i will try to go for more hidden topics and stories.. about our history.. about our nation.. about our people.. in both Jordan and Palestine.. as well as my second homeland Macedonia.

Hence, "what history tries to forget..." is going to be the new theme of the blog.. that will touch many stories.. events.. people.. and destinies. Stay Tuned! :)

اسمحولي احكي

أول ما بلشت المدونة، كانت الفكرة الأولية أنها تكون بالانجليزي لأنه القراء المستهدفين هم الأجانب بالدرجة الأولى أو العرب المغتربين. استمرت المدونة سنتين تقريبا على هذا الحال...لغاية اليوم! اليوم قررت أنه أكتب بالعربي وبالعامية كمان لأكتر من سبب. أولا من باب ما ننشر غسيلنا الوسخ بالشارع والاجانب يضحكوا علينا وتانياً لأن المستهدفين من هذا البوست هم الأردنيين و مواطنين ها البلد أولا وأخواننا العرب تانياُ.

السبب الرئيسي اللي خلاني أطلع من سكوتي عن مجتمعنا الأردني هو درجة التخلف اللي كل مالها بتزيد بمجتمعنا اللي إحنا نازلين نفتخر فيه. ليش تخلف؟ ما إحنا متعلمين و مثقفين وماشاء الله علينا؟ جايكم بالحكي حبه حبه

أولا بالرغم من كل الحملات اللي عم بعملوها أفراد أو مؤسسات ضد جرائم الشرف ...كلو عالفاضي... لأ والاسوء من هيك انه عم بزيد! كأنه لما بنحكي عن الموضوع بنزكر الناس انه ممكن تعمل هيك بخواتها ؟ يعني مش عارف ها الأخ اللي عامل حاله شريف انه إذا قتل نفس واحد كأنه قتل أمة كاملة فما بالك لما تكون أخته؟ وين التربية الدينية الصح؟ ولا التربية الدينية بنحكي فيها بس ع امتحان التوجيهي و رمضان؟ كيف بنام ها القاضي الي بحكم على قاتل بس سنه؟ كيف إلو عين يصوم برمضان مش فاهم! كيف ما بخجل من أمه اللي ربته وعللمته يحترم كل الناس ...كيف بيتطلع ع بنته أو زوجته أو أخته وهو بعرف إنه عم بشجع قتل صبايا متلهم بس لأنه في واحد شريف قدر يجيب كم واحد يشهد بالمحكمة أنه فعلاً وسخت سمعة العيلة! يا سيدي وإذا وسخت سمعة العيلة مين أعطاك الحق تتعالى على ربنا وتقرر متى تنهي حياة خلقها الله مش انت؟

كيف ممكن النواب بالبرلمان يكونو ساكتين!! ما بخافو ربنا؟ ولا الدين صار موضه هالأيام... والشرف أهم! كيف؟ حد يفهمني !

وبعدين ليه التمييز العنصري بين الزلمة والمرة! يعني ليه بلوموا المرة مش الزلمة؟ ولا البنت نص بني آدمة؟ ربنا هيك علمنا؟ ولا إمكم هيك ربتكم؟ أشك بهذا الحكي

كيف ممكن الاساتذة بالمدارس والجامعات يطلعوا ويضلوا ساكتن على أكبر تخلف بضرب هالمجتمع. والاسوء من هيك أنهم راضيين يخرجوا شباب قليلين ترباية ! قال تربية وتعليم قال !

تانيا نيجي لمشكلة جريمة القتل اللي صارت مؤخرا وعملت زوبعة إلها أول ما إلها آخر... حد يفهمني ها الجماعة مش عاجبهم يعني القانون الأردني؟ ولا مش عاجبيتهم فكرة انه في قانون بين الناس؟ طب مش هدول الناس بآمنو بربنا؟ والتشريع والقانون جاي من ربنا؟ ليش مش محترمين ربنا ؟ ليش مش محترمين سيادة البلد؟ ليش مش محترمين الدستور الأردني؟ طب أوكي بدنا الحق يبين... وقفت ع هاي الجريمة؟ والجرائم اللي بيسووها اليهود بشعبنا بفلسطين ما بدو عطوة أمنية؟ أنا بقول بس يتفقوا ها الجماعة نروح ع غزة نعمللنا كم دراما هناك بنكهة أردنية مع اليهود

أييييح ع هال بلد شو بدو يشوف كمان

في الوقت اللي كل العالم بيحترمنا ع الجهود اللي بنعملها كشعب أردني وكعائلة مالكة عشان ننشرالسلام والثقافة... ونغير الصورة النمطية عن العرب و الاسلام... وبنحارب التطرف بأنواعه، لسه في ناس عايشة في الجاهلية.

أكتر شي مؤذ بالموضوع هو الإعلام الفاشل زي موقع سرايا و غيرها من المواقع الإعلامية اللي نسيت أو بالأحرى عملت حالها معهاش خبر عن موضوع بيع شركة مكتوب دوت كوم لـ ياهو وفضلت تحكي عن قصص فاضية هبله زيهم.

ع كلِ بتمنى شي مسؤول يقرا اللي كتبتوا و يفهمني ليه هيك عم بيصير ببلدنا...وليه عم نرجع لورا وشكراً

P.S. This post is targeted to Jordanians.. to all Non-Arab rearders...its an internal Jordanian issue that i don't wish to share with you.. for personal reasons.

Al Jazeera..."professional" journalism

Few years ago, the European Union has announced a program called "Schengen Visa Liberalisation program" targeted mainly to the countries in the Balkans to obtain a Visa Free system between them and the EU. This step means that the nationals of the countries applying to the program will no longer need the EU VISA to enter EU, but rather just their national passport and get a stamp from the first border and then travel freely within the EU for 3 months for tourism and family visits.

The countries that applied for the program are : Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro and Albania. The EU announced the conditions of becoming part of that program. The conditions were technical and political.

Technical in the sense of improving several aspects: illegal migration reduction, reforms in issuing citizenship, introducing the new Biometric passports, connecting all borders check points with unified center and creating a national Visa center and make the entrance of foreign nationals more organized and controlled.

Political in the sense of improving Political stability in the country and corruption reduction.. in order for the EU to be able to protect itself from any illegal economic activity once they are able to travel inside the EU.

The EU created a special commission and marking scale, in which each country will be evaluated and graded.. and then the commission passes the recommendation to the European Parliament that at the end decided weather the country deserves to have a VISA free system or no.

Earlier this year.. Spring 2009, the commission travelled to all the countries and checked the progress of each country.. and graded the country based on the previously mentioned criteria and then announced the marks later. In June the commission announced which countries were qualified enough and stated the reason why each country got the visa system.. or didn't get the visa system.

The result was that 3 from the 5 countries got the Visa Program and those are : Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia. Whereas Albania and Bosnia & Herzegovina were encouraged to continue the reforms required and that they will be graded and reviewed again later on.

Al-Jazeera news the other day made a report about that program and made a weird conclusion : "Bosnia didn't get the Visa system.. because they are Muslims" and " Muslims are not welcomed in Europe". I wonder how the hell they get that conclusion? What about Albania.. aren't they Muslims as well..? why the stress on Bosnia? on the other hand... if they are that professional journalism they should have known that 25 % of the Macedonians are Muslims.. and since Macedonia got the grades required.. they got the VISA free system.. including the Muslims in the country..! So according to Aljazeera.. Muslim Macedonians should not be able to go to EU..! Shameful journalism.

Such report is just one of the hundred miss leading reports, in which Aljazeera is trying to create negative feelings between Muslims and Christians.. or EU in general. Its a shame that such respected news agency.. is hiring such un-professional journalists and even more they don't search the correct news.. but rather are willing to create problems between nations.. just to increase the number of their viewers.

Ramadan Kareem

Ramadan Kareem to all the Muslims in the world..

May this blessed month bring inner peace and love..

May God's blessings touch your souls.. & help us all be more tolerant.. and respective to each other.

Kul 3am wento be 5air :)

An entire city.. goes back to 1903.. just for the fun of it!

Imagine an entire city .. its people.. its streets.. to go back to 1903.. like a living museum... showing to the world what happened in 1903. In the small city of Krushevo today's Macedonia in 1903.. the Macedonians started their uprising and revolution against the Ottoman Empire. The city was the home of the very first republic in the Balkans. The uprising however was ended in 10 days.. during which.. the Macedonians rose their voice to the world.. and announced that they have a dream.. named Macedonia.

Today.. the people of this city, have decided to start an interesting and somehow fun initiative to remember the Uprising of Ilinden of the 2nd of August 1903, so hundreds of local people in the city, decided to dress up like Ottoman Asker, and Macedonian revolutionists, and repeat the events happened in the city more than a century ago during the Macedonian celebration of the Uprising.

In the streets, people where dancing and singing .. celebrating Freedom.. they even performed a fake wedding.. just for the fun of it! The idea is mainly to remind the new generations about the importance of the event.. and as a tourist attraction ..to be walking inside the very first Ethno City in the Balkans.. more like a living museum.. or a movie set from 1903.

Watch the report from Krushevo below.. made by BBC two weeks ago.. Enjoy :)

My friends.. the greatest gift of Amman.. am back

It has been a while since i blogged and checked on you guys.. But the past 2 weeks were extremely hectic.. there were so many things to talk about.. and blog about.. i even made soo many mental flags about events and things i passed since i left Macedonia and started my road trip towards Jordan.. but i never found the right time to write them down.

Its great to be back to Amman.. too many things have changed.. but even more things have remained the same. Probably because i was following the news and the events about Jordan.. so i wasn't surprised by most of the things.. my friends were even surprised that i knew some details they didn't know..!

My friends.. the greatest gift of all.. have made it quit great to be back in Amman.. i never imagined it will make me that happy. I never knew how much i miss them.. and love them until i left.. everytime i go out with them.. order some food for dinner together.. i can't stop smiling.. and thanking God for having them..

I wanted to write so many things... and i wanted to comment on so many topics..but i would like to dedicate this post to my Friends.. who made it so much easy to leave my best Macedonia.. to my dearest Jordan :-)

Tawjihi? Very over rated event..

Looking at the news and following the raising euphoria in the Jordanian Media / streets about announcing the tawjihi results.. i couldn't help it .. but going back 5 years in time. Yes.. i finished tawjihi in the doomed year of 2004.. when the tests were stolen.. and i had to repeat 3 exams (Arabic, English and Chemistry)... but thats not really the point of this post...

I mean.. yea it was a big deal at that time for me.. only because i felt there is an enormous tension raising around me.. my parents.. my brother.. my family... hell even my school teachers where expecting me to get high average.. "abayed esm el madraseh".. its like they look at my success as a way to get their name out of the mud?! ma 3alena..

Bottom line.. it was a big deal to me... but after that.. i started my university journey.. which by all means was 500 % harder than the tawjihi ! even though i was still on the older system (not 7ozam) which was even harder than the new one. You have 10 subjects.. 10 books.. the questions are limited to the text book given... the Ministry.. has never .. literally never asked questions that are not available clearly in the book... or teacher's notebook.. which really makes the task a lot easier on the student.

They just ask you to study... simply... its not like they are asking students to discover a new anti-matter bomb .. or go to CERN and be part of the experiment of the century!

Even though the examing system has been changed slightly.. and made more easy.. people tend to make a big deal out of it... making a huge pressure.. on the students.. who are supposed to have the time of their life as their puberty period hits the climax at that age. Do you know what the result is? Once they pass this step.. students have this illusion that if u manage to pass tawjihi.. they will manage to pass everything ahead... - the biggest mistake ever!

Tawjihi is just a selection way .. designed by the education system.. to find out the strong and weak points of our students... It should be a big deal for the students.. but not a big deal for the family or the society for that matter. Families should point out to their students.. that its just the first step.. and that from now on.. u should start fighting to get anything.. thats how life works.. u need to fight to get whatever u need... and Tawjihi is just the first lesson... every next step.. is just a harder "tawjihi experience"...

Believe me Tawjihi Graduates.. after 4 or 5 years.. when u finish inshalla your University.. u will not be able to describe your happiness and satisfaction.. u will even look back at ur tawjihi experience as a piece of cake. Celebrate today.. you have won a battle.. but not the war.. Congratulations for now.. and good luck in your next "tawjihi" experience.

p.s. for those who didn't pass.. well... there is a natural phenomenon called "Natural selection".. in which only the strong can survive... put that in mind.

City Center...

Time: Friday 24th of July 2009 , 8:30 a.m

Place: Square Macedonia - City Center Skopje

- Church bells singing..

- a huge flag proudly standing in front of the stone bridge.

- The stone bridge carrying the smell of the Ottomans and holding the people above Vardar.

- An old man drinking coffee in a cafe..

- Two women discussing politics loudly (the name issue) in the same cafe.. the old man shushes them.

- A man cleaning the square..

- Flowers and Statues everywhere..

- An adorable old couple.. wearing funny hats.. and holding each others hands.. and walking towards the river..

- News paper delivery boy.. riding his bicylce.

- The Millenium Cross from one side.. the Ottoman Acropole (Kale) guarding the square..

- Me.. having Burek and Yogurt for Breakfast.. on a bench.. enjoying the view.. and saying to myself.. "its good to be here again.. and i will defenetly come back..."

Coming soon to Jordan..

Thanks Wikipedia!

For all those University days..

For all those unslept nights writing lab reports.. and homeworks..

For all those hectic days before submitting our graduation project..

Thanks Wikipedia ! :-)))

common admit it.. at some point we have all used it !

Things i miss in Jordan

- Abu el Abed coffee (@ the cliff )

- the noise of Amman's Taxis

- going by bus to JU.. ( mojtama3.. zera3a... 3oloom..w ra2eessee :) )

- Hummus, Foul and Falafel :D.. + fatteh from Kal7a el Gardenz..

- Mansaf.. (ever since i travelled everyone started promising 3ozomet Mansaf when i come back... yalla prepare jameedatkom ! :D )

- buying DVDs from Downtown Amman.. ( Abood probably thinks i switched to someone else :) )

- a freshly squeezed Orange Juice in Downtown Amman..

- Cocktail Ranoush - Jabal Hussein

- Shawerma 3arabi ..

- Nescafe from JU - Engineering Cafeteria...

- Irth Academy outings.. :)

- Orthodox Club family dinners..

- singing with my Choir..

- trix ! - naa i hate that game.. i just liked how my friends get competitive during the game.. while i couldn't care less!

- Shopping from Safeway Shemisani @ midnight

- Madaba..

- my friends "birthday" gatherings..

- dancing on Arabic music..

- Cups&Kilos coffee latte..

- Hani Mitwasi's events..

- Sport City running track..

- Nutella Saj.. from Saj Haretna Rabyeh

- Ka3ek from Salahdein Backery in Abdali...

- Village Cafe..

- my friends..

- my friends..

- and my friends :)

Officially coming soon to Jordan :)

Masonic Symbol in St. Stephan Church of Ohrid

Few days ago i came back from one of the most amazing places I've ever visited. Ohrid.. a city by a wonderful lake.. rich with its natural, cultural and spiritual treasures. Ohrid has been protected by UNESCO as a World Heritage site since 1980.. and at the moment is a candidate to be one of the New 7 natural wonders of the world. The city is filled with Monasteries.. churches.. museums.. cultural events.. and a peaceful lake.. that u can look at for hours.

One of the monasteries located in the mountain few kilometers from the beach, took my attention more than the rest of the monasteries. Built in the 9th century, St. Stephan Monastery is a living reminder of the way monks used to live in the medieval time.

The church is isolated.. and in order to reach it.. you need to walk for 30 minutes into the woods.. and the mountain to reach at the end.. a huge rock. On top of this rock there is a big cross.. and under that cross.. an entrance to the tiny monastery. The rock actually is the Church... and next to the "rock" .. a small house were the monks who take care of it live.

and here is the entrance of the Church:

It's a very small church.. with just an altar.. and a smaller room where you can enter and pray.. and the rest of the space is the inside of the rock.. which surprisingly is hollow.

Things seemed fine.. until i noticed on the roof of the entrance chapel.. right under the small cross in the picture above, i noticed an interesting drawing.. of a yellow triangle.. and an eye in it.

If you have read Dan Brown's Angles & Demons.. u recongize a weird similiarity.. with this drawing.. and with the drawings in the churches or Rome.. having a Masonic symbol iside a church.. and for those who hasn't read A&D yet, the Pyramid Eye.. is of the symbols left by the Masonic movement.. this very same pyramid.. is found also on the 1 US dollar as u can see below:

The similarity is obvious.. there is no doubt that its the same symbol.. but the question why is it drawn there.. in a medieval Orthodox monastery that originally is built in the 9th century..?

I asked a nun who was cleaning the Church and asked her why does it represent.. and when was it drawn.. she answered that it has 2 meanings.. the first that it represents the third eye.. on our forehead.. which is one of the energy points in our body which connects our soul with spiritual life. The second theory states that it represents the eye of Lucifer or Horus. (According to the legend Horus has lost one of his eyes in a battle in which he killed Set). The nun didn't know when was it drawn on the wall.. but she says it has been protecting the monastery from the Turkish and Albanian attacks during the Ottoman empire.. which gives at least 200 or 300 years of existence if not more.

The icons drawn on the walls inside of the church.. were older.. and almost fading.. unlike the eye pyramid drawing.. i asked why is the difference.. does that mean that the icons are drawn thousand years ago.. and the eye is recent? She responeded that the church has been renovated many times.. the latest in the 70s ... so all the drawings that do not represent any Saints.. were redrawn.

She explained further.. that monks and nuns.. used to crush the bones of the saints.. and mix them with the color powder.. and use that same powder to draw on the walls.. so that the saint's body actually is on the wall.. this heritage and tradition.. actually explained in my head why in the Orthodox churches even in Jordan.. people kiss the icons.. and the walls.. which means that this tradition happened in all the places Orthodox Christianity spread.. including Jordan & Palestine. With that the nun also explained why the icons and drawings inside were not repainted.. to keep it authentic and holy as it was drawn when the monastery was built. Below you can see the drawings am talking about :

The question remained unanswered in my head.. what does masonic symbol do in a Orthodox church.. and was it "recently" painted.. or was it painted in the 9th century when it was built..

I guess this enigma will remain so.. but it is worth knowing.. that every drawing .. and painting.. has a particular meaning and reason.

Palestine : I resist!

via

Jordan takes you beyond...

The City of light...

On Love... by J.K.Jubran

البعض نحبهم

لكن لا نقترب منهم ........ فهم في البعد أحلى

وهم في البعد أرقى .... وهم في البعد أغلى

والبعض نحبهم

ونسعى كي نقترب منهم

ونتقاسم تفاصيل الحياة معهم

ويؤلمنا الابتعاد عنهم

ويصعب علينا تصور الحياة حين تخلو منهم.

والبعض نحبهم

ونتمنى أن نعيش حكاية جميله معهم

ونفتعل الصدف لكي نلتقي بهم

ونختلق الأسباب كي نراهم

ونعيش في الخيال أكثر من الواقع معهم

والبعض نحبهم

لكن بيننا وبين أنفسنا فقط

فنصمت برغم الم الصمت

فلا نجاهر بحبهم حتى لهم لان العوائق كثيرة

والعواقب مخيفه ومن الأفضل لنا ولهم أن تبقى

الأبواب بيننا وبينهم مغلقه...

والبعض نحبهم

فنملأ الأرض بحبهم ونحدث الدنيا عنهم

ونثرثر بهم في كل الأوقات

ونحتاج إلى وجودهم ......كالماء ..والهواء

ونختنق في غيابهم أو الابتعاد عنهم

والبعض نحبهم

لأننا لا نجد سواهم

وحاجتنا إلى الحب تدفعنا نحوهم

فالأيام تمضي

والعمر ينقضي

والزمن لا يقف

ويرعبنا بأن نبقى بلا رفيق

والبعض نحبهم

لان مثلهم لا يستحق سوى الحب

ولا نملك أمامهم سوى أن نحب

فنتعلم منهم أشياء جميله

ونرمم معهم أشياء كثيرة

ونعيد طلاء الحياة من جديد

ونسعى صادقين كي نمنحهم بعض السعادة

والبعض نحبهم

لكننا لا نجد صدى لهذا الحب في

قلوبهــم

فننهار و ننكسر

و نتخبط في حكايات فاشلة

فلا نكرههم

ولا ننساهم

ولا نحب سواهم

ونعود نبكيهم بعد كل محاوله فاشلة

.. والبعض نحبهم ..

.. ويبقى فقط أن يحبوننا..

.. مثلما نحبهم

جبران خليل جبران

الحلم العربي

Going back in time remembering MJ and his music.. and flipping through my memories.. i came across this song.. i remember how powerful it was at that time.. and how much energy can put in you.. and determination to make the Dream come true.. now.. I looked it up.. and found it on Youtube.. listend to it.. the impact is the same.. i still want to have the dream coming true.. but did i do anything in the past 10 years since the first time i heard this song.. to make this dream come true? No.. i wonder what can i do now.. so that 10 years from now i won't feel that bad as today...

*sigh*

Valley of Peace

The "Two Seas Canal" project... is apparently transforming into the "Vally of Peace" initiative. A project that is supposed to "create" peace.. and bring the peoples of the region together... Take a look at the clip below.

"Let the first Blogger to die in prison be the last" - OR318

"The March 18 Movement was born out of a tragedy. On this day in 2009, Omid Reza Mir Sayafi, Iranian blogger and journalist, died in Evin Prison in Tehran. The December before his death, he was sentenced to two and half years in prison for allegedly insulting religious leaders, and engaging in “propaganda” against the Islamic Republic of Iran. Omid Reza was the first blogger to die in prison and his death reveals that getting censored is far from the worst thing that can happen to a blogger." - OR318 Team.

For further info visit www.march18.org

10 Years anniversary of being online! :)

Inspired by Ruba's post i started thinking.. when i had my first experience with the Internet, and how it all started.. and i realised that this year.. i should be celebrating 10 years anniversary since i started my "online" life.. !

So lets go back in time, in 1998 i left Jordan to continue elementary school and high school in Macedonia, and my brother was Tawjihi at that time.. so he stayed in Jordan instead. The first year, we were communicating through phone calls (which were very expensive) and well the classical way Post mail (yea in 1998!) until the big day came.. when my bro came for the summer vacation a year later to Macedonia telling me the great invention called EMAIL.. and at that time i was computer illeterate even though i was 7 th grade, but we didn't own a computer at home.. and at school we were taught Computer on a "machine" called Sa5er... ma 3alena i didn't know what Windows is.. nor Microsoft is .. well because the "advanced" Computer lessons start from 8th grade at that time.

Few weeks later, in our small city.. the first internet cafe opened!! :D.. and to the astonishment of the owners.. who thought they will have to teach people.. my bro was the first one there.. almost everyday.. checking his email :D.. and teaching me!

Anyhow, that summer , he travelled back to Amman, and he didn't have time to teach me how to make my own email (i know!) .. i just learnt how to use my brother's email :D.. so he created another one.. and i started using his yahoo account.. so it was like.. i am Ayman.. and he is Ayman..sending to each other..

A month later.. we started taking it at school.. things started to get more clear! :D.. so.. i wanted to create my own email.. and thought well .. here is a chance to be creative..I was the one teaching what is the invention of EMAIL to my class mates.. :D.. and u know puberty and all.. u want to impress the girls... and the gang .. by ur "knowledge".. so i found out this cool ( at that time) email service page "lovemail.com". That year.. everyone was afraid from the 2000 issue.. and i stupidly enough wanted to have cocacola in my username :D.. so the output in my head was : cocacola2000@lovemail.com.. but ofcourse.. that was already taken (DUH!).. and i settled down with one of the suggested usernames : olala2000@lovemail.com.

So excited enough..i emailed my brother from it.. and he was like "shu hal mas5ara ya walad.. e3mal email 3edel".. hehe. So i started thinking of a new one.. i wasn't creative about the username.. and went from extremely funky domain.. into extremly boring one.. (mail.com) and since i was inspired a lot by the word "explorer" (IE) my next attempt was: samerexplorer@mail.com ( i know.. my brother still makes jokes about it.. until now).

Btw, i forgot to mention, that at that time.. since i was still learning (in my defence) i didn't know how to print out an email.. and sometimes the guy who worked there wasn't free.. so i used to copy my brother's emails handwriting..! so that i can read them to my parents!! poor samer.. was so stupid at that time :)))

A year later..i realised i should make a normal e-mail at yahoo.. or hotmail..! and my Mom suggested using my nickname in the family (which is abu samra).. to be as my username withsome prefixes or suffixes...

I tried that.. but it was already taken... so i tried samamiro.. which was how my brother used to call me since i was a kid.. up until today :) but .. my clever mind .. suggested samamiro15 (since i was about to turn 15 that year) @yahoo.com.. which was my first decent email address.. that i used for almost 3 years during which i went t Jordan.. :)

When i became 18.. i thought that its stupid to have samamiro15..! and at that time gmail appeared.. so my first gmail experience.. was with samamiro18@gmail.com. One year later.. i started realising my own stupidity (its good to be self critic no? :P) that its not practical each year t change ur username.. and decided to make a more sustainable email address that won't need any further change.. so the lamp over my head lit up.. and the samamiro86 idea emerged ! :)))

When i started second year university.. i realised i will need more professional email.. to send my homeworks at University.. and since i felt gmail is more professional (less colorful and adds compared to hotmail or Yahoo)... i created my current email (name.surname@gmail.com) .. for all official purposes.. and its the one assigned in my CV.

As time passed... my knowledge in the internet domain.. grew.. as i took courses in HTML and webDesign.. and became interested in blogging.. chatting.. skype.. facebook.. downloading.. groups.. and now twittering :D..

So from the stupid 13 years old boy..:D.. ( i was clever in other things hehe) who was afraid to print out an email.. 10 years ago.. now am twittering and blogging.. and designing my own webpage.. with a Mechatronics Engineering Bachelor Degree in one hand.. and faith and Optimism in the other to start my career.

I am really glad that things are a lot easier for the younger generation nowadays to learn.. and progess with the internet.. but they won't have such a stupid story to tell.. right?

Happy 10th Anniversary to my Internet Experience !

Islam & Christianity in Macedonia

Islam spread in Macedonia during the Ottoman occupation which lasted for 5 centuries.. not many converted into Islam at that time.. but Islam reached Albania... and more than 80 % of the Albanian population became muslim.. many of these Albanians..during the Ottman Rule.. emmigrated to Macednonia, making a significant minority percentage in the present republic of Macedonia of 33%.

Today, Macedonia.. with its both ethnicities.. and religious groups.. is proud of its heritage of Orthodox Christianity.. and Islam.. and compared to many European countries.. Muslim minority.. enjoy equal rights as muslims in Muslim countries.. of freedom of expressing their faith.. building Mosques.. Eid el Fitr and Al Adha are public Holidays.. and Islamic religion is taught in schools.

Macedonia, is taking another step forward towards coexistance.. between Muslims and Christians.. by promoting the Religious Heritage of Orthdox Christianity and Ottoman Islam and protecting these temples by law.. as national treasure to be protected and taken care of.

For that purpose the Macedonian government made the following clip as part of the series of the "Macedonia timeless" clips.. to promote the temples of Macedonia..

And here are some pictures of some of those Mosques and Churches of Macedonia :

St. John Kanoe - Ohrid

Aladja Mosque - Skopje

St. Naum - Ohrid

Isak Bey Turbe Mosque - Skopje

St. Pantelemon - Ohrid

Bitolska Djamija - Bitola

Hidden Candles in the mountains

As a kid.. i have never understood the importance of the unlimited monastries scattered around the country. I grew up in Macedonia.. where it was a normal thing to go to the monastry every now and then.. go pray.. lit a candle.. or just perform certain ritual. That was very normal to me.. from religious point of view, but what really puzzled me at that time..was why the hell they were always built far from cities.. into the woods.. or deep in the mountain.. or sometimes in the middle of nowhere. I mean.. if people like to go there a lot.. why didn't they build them close to where people lived so that they can go and visit and do their things anytime they want...

One such monastry is the Monastry of St. Ilya in the mountains not far from the city of Strumica in the southeastern region of Macedonia where i am staying at the moment. It is a small monastry built inside the mountains.. to go there.. u need to reach first the highest point of the city.. from which u can have a wonderful panormic view of the city.. and from which a small path is revealed to you and that leads you deep into the mountains.

Once yo start walking.. the sounds of civilization fade away.. no more cars can be heard.. just you.. and God's creation.. The nature there is untouched.. because simply there is no room for any car to go through that path.. so it kept its purity.. and devine scent.

At first it seems amazing just to see the mountains.. and trees.. but later.. u start to feel the cold breeze of the small rivers popping here and there.. promising a view that will make sure you will stop few moments to mentally capture it...

The trip to St. Ilya (Sv. Ilija) is about 40 minutes walking/climbing.. a time enough to clean ur mind and make you ready to experience the spiritual heritage of the Orthodox Monsatries..

I guess now the location of those Monastries.. make more sense.. for me.. the spiritual peace and happiness.. can't be felt in a church like a monastry.. maybe because you run away from Human's creation.. and get in touch with God's creation...

Later i learnt that it has another reason for being located in such places... Macedonia was under Ottoman rule for 5 centuries... during which the Ottomans forced Islam to the local people.. and spread hate between Islam and Christianity.. to the degree that many Christians were afraid to declare that they were praying and going to the church.. so the Orthodox church.. as a defence mechanism.. to defend its spiritual life.. and faith.. they started building the monastries.. which were used later as faith keepers as well as heritage, traditions and language preservers.

Such monastries were built everywhere around the Balkans.. in Bulgaria, Serbia, Greece, Romania and Macedonia.. and thanks to these Monastries.. these countries.. managed to retrive their original independent culture and identity.. upon their independence...despite the 5 centuries Ottoman presence.

And today.. those hidden candles still stand proudly.. to remind us.. that faith can never be overcomed.

St. Ilya (Sv. Ilija) in Strumica Macedonia