Four Women of Egypt

90 min documentary by Tahani Rached filmed in 1997 about 4 Egyptian women and their dynamic friendship. One is a writer, a politician, an activist and a teacher.














This is one of the finest documentary I have ever watched from a Political perspective.

It's about 4 intellectual activist Egyptian women: Amina; a socialist/ not religious, Shahenda; a Muslim by label but more of an atheist who lost her husband to a political assassination, Wedad; a grounded Christian who is an author and a militant nationalist and lastly, Safynaz who is a political journalist and a very strict Muslim (I loved her character the most, it was hilarious how she would lose her mind when discussing Islam with Shahenda).

What I found particularly incredible about this documentary is the dynamics of their friendship, different religious backgrounds and different beliefs in Political systems, however, they were inseparable and the love they had for one another was so pure. Most of their ideas were diverse, nevertheless, that never diluted their deep friendship. Their arguments would be so intense and extreme at times, however, their tolerance levels would end their debate with a passionate laughter.

These women entered Nasser's days after the revolution in the 50's and they were politically passionate, faced personal tragedies and they shared national dreams that forced them to share prison cells too.

I found it adorable when Shahenda and Safynaz would talk about their experiences when they lived in the US. How they would tell Americans "we're cool, some of us drink, smoke, we even wear mini-skirts". Their life stories were too adorable especially when they were younger and how they tried to blend with the western world. Or Shahenda being the only young woman during a demonstration she was right at the front of the crowd demonstrating and back then, it seemed to be a very unusual behaviour (almost wrong for that matter).

Safynaz also said back in those days, if you didn't go to prison, you had to have a very good reason for not being in. Being in prison was something they took pride of "In conclusion, this documentary was remarkably moving, it made me laugh so hard as well as shed tears and it gives one a much better perspective of Egypt after the revolution in the 50's.

From a bigger picture; it shows that the whole world can live in harmony even if their views are extremely different.

Palestinian Kills Sister?

Source ::: AFP JERUSALEM

A 17-year-old Palestinian girl, who became pregnant after her father raped her, was strangled to death by her brother in a so-called honour killing in the northern West Bank.The teenager was strangled by her 27-year-old brother on Wednesday in Bala’a town near the northern city of Tulkarem. Arrested by Palestinian security forces, the brother admitted he had killed her to “erase the shame” after her pregnancy began showing.

He also admitted knowing that his sister had become pregnant because their father raped her. Police are now hunting the 52-year-old father, who witnessed the murder, and has since disappeared.A Palestinian women’s group said the girl had reported the rape to the police after learning she was pregnant. “The police did not arrest or even question the father,” the group charged in an open letter published in another paper.

Signed by the Palestinian Working Women’s Society for Development, the letter called on the Palestinian parliament to adopt laws to protect women from all forms of violence.

Are humanbeings retarded? you kill your sister because you father raped her? wanted to erase shame? if he really wanted to do that, he should've killed his own father - that's how I'd define a so called "honour killing". Honour your sister you piece of crap.Life just isn't fair for such women. I hope these men rot in hell.

Slipper Roads in Stamford, Connecticut.. help!!!

Wow, today, my heart got stuck in my throat choking me.

I, a Middle Eastern woman with no driving experience in this cold snowy slippery road.
I was looking around and screaming in my head to the other drivers "GET OFF the PHONE!!!", "STOP EATING", "oh noooo, road rage between two drivers!!!", "I'm gonna slide and die"

...I think the only thing that could have relieved me today was if I drank some Petrol!

Adaptation

It's time to bid D.C. a warm farewell.

I'm going to miss it in so many ways, one because I'll have to say goodbye to an old friend who I knew as far back as mid 90's when I lived here and goodbye to the newer ones that I made who made my stay so much more pleasant.

I'm taking a step forward now although it's hard leaving back what one is used to, familiar with, could relate to and so forth. I think I'm prepared to take up a different lifestyle; a new environment with new faces. I suppose the challenge of it all is what I'm looking forward to.

It's good practice for adaptation.

Constitution Avenue, D.C.

I just love D.C. especially when driving down Constitution Avenue from the end when we cross the bridge from Arlington, Virginia. There's just something about this area that truly projects D.C. as the Nation's Capital.A lot of memorials (Lincoln Memorial, World War II memorial, Vietnam Memorial, the D.C. Monument, the White House, Natural History Museum, the Smithsonian, the US capitol, Union station (spectacular architecture) and so much more...

Bye bye D.C.

in Lebanon.. possible for an inevitable civil war?

Lebanon's Prime Minister Karami and his government announced their resignation today after 25,000 protestors gathered outside Parliament displaying defiance. I'm not sure how to feel this, just because a Pro-Syrian PM Karami has resigned does not necessarily imply that things would improve. Syria millitary forces are still in the country and President Assad claims that there will a price to pay for the Syrian troop to withdraw implying a settlement with Israel.

Oh well, let's pray for peace, unity and freedom of Lebanon.