One of the things I love about living in Richmond, BC on Canada's West Coast is that I have neighbours that speak many different languages from around the world, giving me the opportunity to learn and regularly hear many different languages. Now while my adoption of different languages is quite rudimentary, one of my favourite neighbours, Glenda, has quite a phenomenal grasp … [Read more...]
Nerding Out in Egypt to 40 Million Year Old and Present Day Mangroves
I remember being 14 years old and listening on in fascination as Mrs Jones lectured to us in science class about the many adaptations of the mangrove. It wouldn't be until 23 years later that I would lay my eyes on a mangrove, and that first mangrove would not be alive, but rather a fossilized specimen on the floor of a 40 million year old ocean, in what seemed to be an … [Read more...]
Rediscovering Egypt in 2014, Post the Revolution
“Egypt? You’re kidding” “Isn’t it dangerous?” “You had better cover your head.” These were the reactions I got when I told people I was going to Egypt. I was apprehensive too, when I got the invite to join a group of scribblers. But I had been there before, six years ago, and I had always wanted to return. Why? Was it the gigantic statues of Pharaohs looming over the land … [Read more...]
Remembering Eid Celebrations
It's a strange thing to describe Eid to people who are unfamiliar with it as I have found myself doing this and past years, as the holiday rolls around. Probably because it is a really diversely celebrated holiday, and might look pretty different as every family has its own yearly traditions. For me, some of the things I would look forward to every Eid are even too silly to be … [Read more...]
Singing for Egypt
I was driving my car yesterday when I heard on CBC Radio that Morsi had been ousted as President of Egypt. I was stunned, in a state of disbelieve and felt like bursting into tears of relief for the Egyptian people ... all of which the woman in the pet store heard, as I began a monologue, spewing my sense of relief to the first person I saw. You see … [Read more...]
