And This Year.. 2009
The year of 2008 had many names. International Year of Planet Earth, International Year of Languages, International Year of the Potato (!), European Year of Intercultural Dialogue, International Year of Sanitation and The Year of the Rat (by the Chinese calendar).
I am not going to analyse any of those slogans above, since our world is not getting a better and more tolerable place to live. People suffered more poverty due to economic crisis, and the wars continued around the world. Though, the year of 2008, was a good year for me as a person who lives a comfortable life in compare of many other people.
I read alot books, i learnt many new things and i think i’ve become a better person during 2008. I am so thankful for what my God offered me, for the love and trust i share with my husband as the best friend of mine.
I learnt that it’s good that a person ends up finding ‘one’ real friend in this life. Humans are social creatures, we’re in a journey, traveling from one station to another, in the train we meet someone sitting in front of us, a companion, we talk and laugh and share ideas, the train reach the station we leave or s/he leaves, and bye bye..
But friendship is the rail our train runs on..
Companionship does not last long. And saying a goodbye is so easy that way. I kick them out of my life with ease. But friendship will last lifetime with an unconditional mutual trust. One may meet many companions, but might not find many ‘friends’. They’re rare like diamonds..
2008 is going to finish soon. New year will come within a short while, maybe just after some hours. 2009, the Chinese year of Ox, has been named as the International Year of Astronomy, a global effort to help the citizens of the world rediscover their place in the Universe through the day- and night-time sky, and engage a personal sense of wonder and discovery.
I love this name and the concept behind it. Though one has to know him/herself first, then s/he will approach the Universe too.
We’re not celebrating Gregorian new year in our family. I as an Iranian follow the persian calendar though, then my husband and i have decided to have a quiet new year like many others, the least we could do to support Gaza and the victims of massacre there..
So the January 1 will just be the first day of new semester for me. I’ll arrange my schedule for new classes and students. I’ll read alot again in this year, 2009 and i’ll write and take photos regularly.
I’ll continue wishing justice, tolerance and peace in chaotic regions, esp Middle East and increasing knowledge and wisdom worldwide.
I continue wishing my best wishes every day and night and not just at the time of new year.
Join the Conversation
Arabian morders worldwide , please have 2009 the same way you did 2008. IDF helps you
Alexandre, ??!!
I think it was supposed to be an insult? Not sure.
I hope you’ll have a great new year Shahrazad, and surely it will be a year full of wonderful personal achievements! It has been hard to celebrate knowing that so many people around the world are suffering, especially right now in Gaza, where today is just another day of torture, with nothing “new” about it.
Good luck with everything! 2009 will certainly be a big year for Mideast Youth and we hope to continue growing.
Esra’a,
I was wondering to consider it from which side!!
I’ve heard that in Jordan, UAE and some other countries, they stopped celebtring the new year in hotels and public places.
I wish the coming days of 2009, will be better than these days..And i wish the best For you and Mideast Youth..
Despite the cancellations, most people celebrated anyways and hotels continued to host parties. In Bahrain parties were “supposedly” cancelled as well but hotels like the Ritz held them. Today thousands of people are continuing to protest for Gaza. Rallies have been held daily ever since the conflict intensified beyond reason.
In Dubai there were many parties and since most people there are foreigners we can’t expect them to understand or sympathize with what’s going on.
Esra’a, I am following the rallies and protests around the world from different new channels. Though i am not sure it really helps.
Yesterday in Iran, some university students entered the Gholhak Garden of British Embassy in Tehran with a palestine flag and were going to do a wrong job. But police controled them all. The first time i am happy with police.
It could be predictable. Not just UAE, Qatar also are filled with foregners, almost 70% to 80%. I knew that celebrations in Qatar kept going. I saw fotos of them on flickr.
It shows that how much we -middleeastern people- are not owner of our own countries..
So awfully true. I hope we can reclaim our countries. I am tired of the foreigners who do not respect our culture.
Let me share you with a funny thing happened in Syria.
In Syria everything is ruled and controlled and totally organized by the government.
So the government decided to do a demonstration for what’s happening in Gaza in each city, and all students were required to go there from schools.
Then they cancled all parties, and after all people paid money for reservations, they cancled reservations in the 31th morning, and at like 7 p.m they called people back and said there is a new situation here that government announced not canceling parties especially in resturants and hotels owned by people work in the government!
Esra’a
Ameen. Still Qatar is better. But Dubai is a second Thailand nowadays.
Rima
I know this. I was there in Syria before Israel-Lebanon war.
So interesting! I used to think Syrian government would be more supportive for Palestinians..
If Syrian government is so into humanism, then why the hell people in Syria is fighting to survive while government people own half of the world just by trading syrian resources?
Unfortunately, it’s true.
small example: A while ago Arabs in Dubai were set aside when applying to any good vacancy, while europeans were welcomed with triple salaries! Even if the company is local.
i.e: Emaar, Nakheel , Amlak, ..
Now it’s Asians turn..
Rima, i saw how life is trouble in Syria BTW..
Some of those foreigners who come to Dubai, are just low profiles in their own countries too. They could never go topless that way in their own countries.I mentioned second Thailand, bcs normal people can not feel good there since even simple Dubai Cafes are filled with prostitutes.
I agree 100%.
Its a man from Syria who lives in Norway, and he never will go back to Syria because the Government there he says.
He says that the father to his girlfriend killed his daughter because they want to married, but the father says no.
Bia