Tuesday 28 September 2010

What do you think of us?


Asalaam alaykum muslimat and hello to all readers:)


I know that some might think that Middle Eastern women are rotten spoiled, harsh, too proud of themselves and lazy.I am aware that some who have been to the Middle East think of us this way because of a certain percentage who are unfortunately!. Moreover, some women going abroad haven't been a really good example either.

In the Middle East, and specifically in the Gulf, SOME People have been fooled with the sudden wealth that oil has brought us in the last three or four decades. They handled this wealth in a bad manner, moving towards a lifestyle that is strange to us. They gave others a bad picture of the rest of the Arabs.

Many social problems have raised from the changing habits
and lifestyle. Nowadays most women work side by side with men. They are educated and would like to contribute in working and supporting their families. However, We are behind other countries in child care services. They don't exist in some areas at all, and if they exist they are too expensive or lack the proper staff training and service. Moreover, in different working sectors there are no flexible rules and regularities to help mothers to be or mothers with infants.

Therefore, many families have taken the easy available solution, bring a lady from the Indian-subcontinent or the Philippine, or Indonesia and she'll help with the cleaning, cooking, and baby-sitting.

Now, roles have been exchanged. Some women have relied 100% on these ladies to do each bit of their previous roles, even raising the kids!. They've focused on their individual needs and neglecting kids and their houses and even their husbands!!..

Children are raised with no clear identity, broken Arabic or English, lack of religious knowledge and lack of parental affection?This can be a big problem for some of the coming generations.

The bright side is that many women now, and men alike are so conscious about what should they choose from this modern lifestyle and what should they leave. They have taken what is best from others and adapted it within our conservative culture and religion.

I am around very conscious people who have kept boundaries and still mingled well with the changes- and they are still Arabs.

I am a busy mother, I do all my cleaning and cooking. I drop my kid to school and pick him, I teach him Quran and help both my kids learn that they are no better than any other human being but they are unique and they can make a difference to this world.

I admit that in our society we do need help (like the idea of the house
keeper). We receive guests every day and we are a very hospitable culture. We cook for 20s and 30s and have to keep ourselves sweet and beautiful. Our houses should be spacious and with two separate sitting rooms for men and women guests. This can be a lot of work for a wife and with the help of her husband only.

I do spoil myself sometimes though LOL, like any other woman in this world..




Sunday 26 September 2010

My Kitchen

Asalaam Alykum Sisters and Hello to all my friends..

I've started a new blog...I've three now, WOoOw..:)..
My new one is going to be about my kitchen's experience, my recipes and trials in the kitchen.

I Love cooking, I haven't started loving it till the last five years, after getting married and specifically when I had my first child.

I love baking bread, cakes and biscuits. I don't mind other things either LOL..

I want to improve my cooking skills and get inspired by others cooking, So I had to start this
Have a lovely day..xx

Wednesday 22 September 2010

Continuous Struggle

Life can be a continuous struggle, It is actually.

Every moment is a struggle, emotionally, spiritually, socially, physically and mentally.
Praying on time is a struggle, devoting yourself totally to the prayer is a struggle, the time you spent in prayer is a struggle.

Getting up to pray is a struggle, remembering Allah is a struggle, making time to read Quran is a struggle and a continuous fight between you and Shayt
an. Each spiritual action you want to perform is a struggle.

Controlling your emotions can be a big struggle, being patience when you can loose your temper, meeting people that you would rather run away from, communicating in a specific manner in specific situations, smiling when you feel like crying, chatting when you feel like staying quiet, speaking calmly when you want to shout. It can be a hard struggle when you have to deal with people who hurt you, working on forgiving others when you feel like revenging instead.

It is a struggle when you are in pain and have to cope with it, in grief and have to move on with your life, when you are exhausted but still have to work.

It is a struggle when you have to look different because you know you are on the right path but everyone else is resisting your principles. It is a struggle to wear modesty in a world of respecting women with less cloths on.

This life is a trial, we are rewarded for our patience and struggle to achieve what is required from us.

The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: “There is no affliction which strikes the Muslim except that
 Allah expiates with it (sins), even with a thorn that may poke him.” (Bukharee & Muslim)



Monday 20 September 2010

I am Back..

Asalam Alaykum my sisters and hello to all readers :)

I am back after disappearing for a while. I had a hectic month. I had two of my sisters in law at my place from the beginning of August till the first week of Ramadhan, then we all went to Oman to spend the rest of Ramadhan there and Eid.

I had to work on an assignment and an exam, then it was my brother's wedding preparations plus Eid. I think I lost some inches and I look too thin now..:)..although it doesn't bother me that much..

I also had a very bad eczema on my right hand that I couldn't do anything about it, It doesn't seem to be triggered by what I was told in hospital, it just appears for no obvious reason.

My latest news is that my boy started school, my eldest is in KG1 now, today is his second day. I miss him so much.

When I took him to the school yesterday (1st day), he was happy about it, then he started looking worried when he saw other kids crying.

When I went to pick him up, the class teacher told me he was sad all day :(, he was so happy to see me. He can be shy and not very social and this is worrying me.

Today morning he asked me at the school to take him back, and hugged me. He broke my heart. I worry a lot but hope inshallah he'll start enjoying it..inshallah

I left my little girl in Oman and my brother will bring her to Bahrain in a couple of days inshallah..I miss her so much.

I am working on arranging my priorities at the moment, so I don't waste my time. I wasn't happy with my achievements last month, so I'll work on improving myself this month inshallah.

Have a lovely week everyone <3

Monday 6 September 2010

A new talent!!..I guess??


Asalaam Alaykum sisters and hello to all readers...:)

I come from a family of photographers I can say, my father's career is in photography and he loves photography. He has currently done some documentaries on the wild life in Oman, which I can proudly say were so successful nationally and internationally. My siblings and myself have been so lucky to have lovely portraits at our young age when not much good quality photos existed.

My brother has been into photography for nearly four years now, and has been progressing so well and winning some national and international awards on that. I can say that he is obsessed with it as well :D.

My Hubby is also into photography, although not so much now as he is quite busy with work.

Few months back and specifically on April, we had my brother's Malka (3aqd Qaran), which means wedding. He got married. In Oman and almost all Muslim countries, weddings are segregated, where men have their own celebration (Masjid-Mosque) and Women have their own, in a hall or a house etc.

So we had this simple women party, so another bigger one is on September inshallah. It was small and we only had few members of family there, around fifty people or less I guess.

So being the simple wedding, my brother insisted that I should be the amateur photographer that day, and we didn't need any professional photographer!. I was horrified. I love taking photos of my kids and that's it, never attempted doing anything different or more professional. That was a huge responsibility especially taking photos of the bride and groom!!

I thought that I'll mess it up. Thanks to Allah it turned out completely different. I used my brother high tech camera, and took quite good photos according to him. He was so impressed, the bride was happy with the photos, everyone who saw them thought they were taken by pro photographer and most importantly, I was impressed myself.

Now, for the BIG thing on September, I am booked (LOL), I am terrified, but excited as well. I hope photos will turn out even better. Who knows, I might do it as a part-time fun job LOL:D