Magic Pill June 30, 2006
Posted by jewaira in Health, Links, News, Women.2 comments
Norah: Did you hear about the latest obesity pill that will be launched in the UK?
Yasmin: Oh yes, it sounds wonderful! Imagine a pill that will make this fat disappear magically! But you need a doctor’s prescription for it. And you need prove that dieting and exercise don’t work for you.
Norah: Oh don’t worry about that! Remember when you and I decided to try out that Xenical! That pharmacist sold it to us without a prescription at all!
Yasmin: Mmm, yes and we divided the packet in half between us. But I just took a couple of them. After you told me about the guy who was leaking “fat” everywhere, I thought I wouldn’t risk it. Besides, I think it’s better if we do something like this. Hahah! Want to strip in front of millions of TV viewers? All we need is a little bolstering of our self-esteem!
Norah: Oooh! Let’s have a look….
[This looks like a spam post for prescription drugs! :P ]
Who Cares? June 30, 2006
Posted by jewaira in Kuwait, Opinion, Women.14 comments
On June 29th 2006, I voted for my choice of parliamentary candidates for the first time.
The people I voted for were not whom I would have chosen. But I selected the best of what was on offer rather than not vote at all.
I wanted to participate.
Which brings me to a very important point: Why do people choose not to vote?
In America, I had a roommate who absolutely refused to vote in the presidential elections. I was baffled. Here I was, without the right to vote, and wanting to see the day more than anything.
And here was my roommate, very indifferent, and apathetic, scorning the very right that I yearned for.
She knew. Her African-American aunt (she was half-Caucasian) would scold her, constantly reminding her of the struggle her people have had to go through for their basic rights in America until recent history, of the humiliation, and inequality. Her aunt tried, but my roommate would not vote. She gave no convincing reasons.
I faced the same today with some close female relatives who refused to vote. One woman felt that she could not vote honestly because she has been away for so long and was not familiar with the candidates; she did not know who to vote for and she would not take my advice so she abstained.
Another woman abstained because she sincerely felt that none of the candidates deserved her vote, despite the fact that in her district, there was a cocktail of liberal, conservative, service-oriented, and female candidates she could have selected.
Another issue for not voting is travel. Other people have traveled to far off places for the summer and cannot fly back for the day to cast their ballots. This brings up the issue of absentee ballots. These elections were sudden with only a month’s advance notice. Many people had already made reservations for their summer travels by then. Why do we still not have the ability to vote in absentia?
On another level, some people, especially women, traveled the day before elections, not really caring about casting their ballot at all, believing it would not make a difference whether they voted or not.
I respect everyone’s choice whether to vote or not. However, I believe strongly that it is our right and we should utilize it. What if everyone said “Who cares?” We would never change things for the common people in this country then. And we will continue to run in the same circles.
I was proud of the women I saw today, standing in the sweltering heat, smiling, trying hard to control their tempers. I was proud of those two pregnant young ladies who sat for more than an hour before an older woman decided to take them through. I was happy to see women of all ages and backgrounds participate in this historic event. And most of all, I was proud of those active young girls who put so much of their hearts into the committees and the campaigns of the candidates, working from the very bottom and learning it all.
We Vote June 29, 2006
Posted by jewaira in Kuwait, News, Special Occasions, Women.17 comments
It’s like Eid!
Waking up early this morning, and preparing myself to go to the polling station, I felt like it was Eid. That is the recurrent feeling today; one of joy and happiness to be able to witness and to participate in this important historical event.
At the Polling Station
We chose to go at midday to cast our ballots, thinking it would be less crowded, but we were mistaken. For some reason, the men in our area were in and out in no time. But for the women in our area, it was a different story.
The polling stations are in government school buildings. There are separate schools designated for female voters and male voters.
Upon my arrival, I was welcomed by young ladies from one of the local candidates committee who offered to help and locate my voter registration number. I eyed her suspiciously for a moment but she reassured me that it was alright and that the number was needed inside.
In the register, she located my name and number and told me which committee group I had to join and very kindly guided me to the little classroom. At the door, a young woman handed out little papers with serial numbers on them to the women being seated inside.
I could tell the women inside, like me, did not like the idea of being cooped up in a small classroom, where the air was a bit stuffy. Still, it was cooler than the outside hallways where the temperatures were oven like.
Young girls from the candidates committees passed soft drinks and cold water around.
And we waited. And waited. And waited!
I arrived at noon and did not cast my ballot till 3:30 pm! It seemed ridiculous that the process was taking too long. We inquired from the policemen on duty and they reported that the judge inside the voting room was a bit difficult. So we waited some more until the policeman came in and said if you want to get in there organize yourselves and then we will stand you in line 10 by 10.
Standing in Line
Finally, we stood outside in the hall and waited in line. Some of the ladies up front made a fuss because a female doctor and her daughters were allowed to jump the line. But mostly, we just waited patiently. The handicapped, the elderly and pregnant women were allowed to pass on in line.
The representatives from the Ministry of Interior looked red-eyed and exhausted. They had had an early start to the day and had been standing in the heat all day long managing people and trying to control tempers from flaring.
In line, the women in front of me started to chat about the candidates. A couple of the women admitted that they really had not attended any of the campaign meetings and could not really judge who to vote for. However, they wanted to vote for the person they thought best anyway – or as they put it, the best of the worst.
Other women said that they did not like the idea of a woman parliament member because women were harsher in their treatment.
At that I pointed out the following: Although the odds were very much against a woman gaining a parliamentary seat. I really hoped that a woman would make it to Parliament.
Why?
First of all, having a woman representative is not the same as having a woman superior or boss.
This woman will represent you and the issues that concern you and your family.
A woman representative in our culture is more accessible and easier to meet with than a male representative.
In addition, a woman representative will raise issues in Parliament that have long been neglected and unresolved. We should not be our own enemy but give ourselves a chance.
Almost there!
Right before my turn to go into the small polling room, I felt a wave of excitement and hoped I wouldn’t forget who to vote for! The security woman at the door took my handbag and I was allowed to go in with only my Jinsiya (citizenship ID). There were long rectangular tables where a young woman received the Jinsiya. I gave her my registration number and she read out my name loud and clear 3 times. There were three or four women sitting opposite who marked off my name on their rosters. Then she gave my Jinsiya to the Egyptian judge, dressed in a navy suit who looked it over and then handed me a ballot. I was instructed to go to a podium where there was a pen waiting for me.
It seems like a blur now. I did not hesitate to mark off my two choices. I folded the paper twice and placed it into the box. My Jinsiya was stamped and I left. All within a couple of minutes.
Outside the small room was a long line of women waiting their turn for room number 12.
Thoughts as I depart:
As I left, I recalled the words of the supervisor from the Ministry of Interior who was saying that he would never know what it was like to vote- because they are not allowed to.
Even thought this time I did not vote for someone I believed in 100%, it was the best of the bunch.
One woman was complaining about waiting so long and another said: “Yalla, it is only every four years and it is for Kuwait!”
So I intervened in a jokey manner and said: “Ya, only if Parliament is not dissolved any time soon again!”
And she replied: “Oh yes! That is what they are planning to do. Once elected, they are going to stage a walkout and parliament will be dissolved!”
I laughed out loud and said: “Ha! Do you really think that once any of these people get to the Parliamentary seat they will give it up so easily????”
I hope you all voted and enjoyed your experiences.
Campaign Bits June 28, 2006
Posted by jewaira in Kuwait, Links, News, Women.8 comments
Place: Abdul-Wahab Al-Haroun/ Parliamentary candidate in 2nd district
Date: Tuesday June 27th, 2006
Setting: Large air-conditioned, chandelier-lit tent; entry at the side for men who were mainly seated at the front. Entry at the back for women. Large TV screens at different angles to follow the speeches.
Impressive: The women in the organizational committee did an exceptional job of welcoming, and seating the women. They were very welcoming and on their feet the whole time making sure everything was alright. And despite the heat, the turnout was good and very varied with women from all ages and backgrounds.
Gossip: An older woman in a pantsuit and black scarf takes a seat. Her eyes are impish and she starts to banter with the lady sitting a little ways away from her, as Abdul-Muhsen Al-Med’ej gives his speech.
“I have just come from Shuweikh! From Mohammed Al-Sager’s ! So many more people there!” She exclaimed.
“Did you go to Al-Mtair?”
The other woman shook her head and replied:
“I don’t like going when it is just a women’s gathering!!”
Highlight: Shurouq, 22, the daughter of Kuwaiti martyr Ahmed Qabazard, gave a short and spunky speech that left people teary-eyed. She spoke clearly, sincerely and with fervor. A bit about her father the martyr at Kilama6goog’s blog in Arabic
Her speech here on Walladah’s blog.
Inspiring: Nouriya Al-Khorafi’s speech where she touched upon many women’s issues that need to be resolved in parliament. These included laws governing divorce, polygamy in addition to housing and citizenship issues. Fatma Al-Abdali also spoke out strongly against vote buying and urged all voters to choose carefully on Thursday.
Conclusions: Women are very good at social networking; organizing minute details of such events, and supporting candidates. I was also happy to see so many young women members of the campaign committees working tirelessly.
Definitely, in the next five years or so, we will see a lot of change if the younger generation will continue to press for reforms in this country. We need this motivation and enthusiasm to continue because there are many people who have just given up on any change. These people need to be led by a new breed of activists. And they will follow, very soon, in a snowball effect.
Women must develop their elocution skills! Not only content, but diction and presentation. In order to move people who have made the effort to come and see you, you must present them with an effective speech, bearing in mind the audience’s short attention span
Stephanie June 28, 2006
Posted by jewaira in Kuwait, Links, Women.2 comments
At the Abdul-Wahab Al-Haroun campaign site tonight, I smiled to see Stephanie Mcgehee’s head bobbing up and down as she dashed here and there to take photographs. Stephanie is a celebrity American photographer in Kuwait and she is always to be seen at social gatherings, political events, graduations, and of course many weddings.
You can tell she has been working hard during the last few weeks covering the election campaign in all areas of Kuwait. Just look at her photos here of the gatherings
Here is a bit on her profile from WomenInPhotography.org (which is blocked by my ISP):
When she’s not doing photojournalism, Stephanie is the leading wedding photographer in Kuwait. Originally, Stephanie established her career as a social event and commercial photographer as well as the resident photojournalist for The Associated Press. In 1991, Post Kuaitti [sic]Liberation, the Reuters News Agency asked Stephanie to be their resident photographer, of which she is still today. For all the years that I have been in the Middle East, I have mastered the Arabic language, which I feel has helped me in being accepted as a very close friend to the Kuwaiti society. They are very kind and sincere people, being that they are a tribal society.
Hmm..I don’t know about that last bit..lost in translation perhaps!
Anyway, it is always a pleasure to see you Stephanie doing the work you love with such enjoyment.
Checklist June 27, 2006
Posted by jewaira in Announcements, News, Special Occasions, Women.7 comments
Important information:
Election day: Thursday 29/6/2006
Time: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Place: Check this link. Voting centers are usually schools in residential areas where voters are registered. Check yours here
Don’t forget: Your Jensiyah in its original form. If your original Jensiyah is lost, a temporary one can be issued from the Department of Citizenship in Farwaniyah on the day of the election only and is then returned after submitting the ballot.
Ballot: The ballot will contain the names of all candidates in your area. You will receive this from the head of the election committee in your voting center.
How to vote: Place a check mark by one or two names on the ballot.
Your vote is void and will NOT count:
· when you tick off more than two candidates
· if you sign the ballot paper
· if you write anything on the ballot paper other than marking your choices
If a voter is handicapped or illiterate: The head of the voting committee will mark the voter’s choices on the ballot paper.
For more information
Election Department; Ministry of Interior
Tel:4848804،7071245،7871274
See Arabic link at AyyA’s here.
Campaign Snippets June 24, 2006
Posted by jewaira in Kuwait, News, Women.17 comments
Hot & Hungry
Lateefa says: “We went to the campaign site of candidate Sheikha Al-Ghanem in Cortoba. There were lots of young teenage boys, dressed in shorts, just waiting for the buffet so they could get something to eat.
The heat was stifling. There were only electric fans and we could not bear the heat. I nagged Muntaha but she would not agree to leaving and said to me: ‘Are you kidding? I can’t leave before eating! The smell of the food is just so good!’
So I promised her that she would eat. We left and headed for Bader Al-Ansari’s site in Yarmouk. It was wonderfully cool. And only minutes after our arrival, he said: People I invite you to the open buffet. And so Muntaha got her supper!”
Aisha Al-Reshaid:
They asked her why she was singled out, and her posters mutilated and disfigured? The women next to me muttered: “Ba3ad, doesn’t she know why?”
Aisha replied: I want to thank the person who mutilated my posters. He gave me publicity and media coverage, worth more than a million dinars! He did me a favor!”
Moza Al-Malki from neighboring Qatar, was the keynote guest at the opening of Aisha Al-Reshaid’s campaign.
She was asked if she were the Minister of Education, would she agree to meet with her Israeli counterpart. She replied of course! She had no problems negotiating, discussing important issues, and sitting with Jews. Qatar sells natural gas to Israel. We thought it was better we sold it directly than selling it to Egypt who would in turn re-sell to Israel. She stressed that nothing was done in secret under the table. All our activities are in broad daylight and in front of everyone. No secrets here.
Her total nonchalant attitude and acceptance of Jews was entirely unexpected and there were some murmurs from the crowd.
New Look
Anwar stood by my car window and we talked about what else but the upcoming elections.
“I am not voting,” She said. “I am not registered. After we moved to South Surra, I just did not update my information and these elections were so sudden. So, no I won’t be voting this time.
“I really like Nabila Al-Anjary,” She continued. “But Rola Dashti! She certainly does not represent us! First of all she speaks in Lebanese accent. Then, did you see how she dresses? That is not the way to dress if you are in politics. T-shirts and jeans and straggly hair! I spoke to a close friend of hers and now see how she has changed her look!”
I smiled and hoped she wouldn’t notice my own casual dress as I had been dashing to complete a quick errand. “Yes! She has certainly started to take care of herself and gear herself to a more groomed appearance. She looks so much more professional and convincing in her dark suit, light makeup, and tidy hair! So much more convincing!”
As I drove away, I continued to listen to the BBC interview with some Kuwaiti candidates and a researcher from the Center for Research and Strategic Studies in Kuwait.
Aisha Al-Reshaid came across as very aggressive and threatening in her manner. Waleed Al-Tabtabaei sounded like a “lamb” when he spoke after her in the interview.
The researcher remarked that female candidates should not be defensive and aggressive in the manner that they discussed issues. They should learn how to debate issues without sounding aggressive and threatening.
Behind every great man….
Speaking of women in elections. I had a female friend who used to work very closely with Adel Al-Saraoui from Keifan a while back: helping him write his speeches and editing and revising. And this was way back before we even dreamt that women would be running and voting in 2006. I wonder how many brilliant campaigns were organized by women and how many riveting speeches were written by women back then?
Dreaming of an English Summer June 22, 2006
Posted by jewaira in Kuwait, Life.10 comments
Yes, dreaming of an English summer, with wonderfully cool weather and the smell of rain on the grass….
Again, summer travel season is upon us. This year my trek to the British Embassy was less exciting than last year (See: Vis-a-Vis). I got the same delightful guy at the window but this year he was without an eyebrow ring.
At the barricade, I did not stop, deciding to follow all the other cars that the security man told to go through. However, the security man knocked sharply on my car window and when I opened it he asked to see some ID. When he finished looking at it, he said slowly: "OK, Jewaira. Go through".
Inside, people waited. After an hour, I decided to wedge myself in an empty space between a man and a woman. I had finished reading the paper, and put it by my feet. I waited but I could not fight sleep. I kept nodding off; dozing, my head rolling from side to side; then I would wake up and look around as though I had been awake the whole time. I felt that my eyes were red.
I had to fight sleep. The room was full, but there were no interesting conversations or people. So I started to look at the backs of their heads. And I discovered something very fascinating! I had not noticed this thing before because usually Kuwaiti men wear ghutra and women hijab. But today, there were a mixture of people with uncovered heads.
I was intrigued to find that people's ears are not the same shape or size. Each ear is different. I was fascinated to have made that discovery.
At one point, the sleepy feeling just went away and I was wide awake, knowing my number was about to be called. I reached down for my handbag and paper. And I smiled in surprise. It seems that someone had nicked my newspaper as I dozed right from under my feet! I looked right and left and around and did not see anyone with it. It's a good thing no one took my bag as well!
Saudi Bloggers June 19, 2006
Posted by jewaira in Blogging, Internet, Links, News, Women.13 comments
Back in November of 2005, I wrote a short post on Blog Effects
In this post I mentioned the importance of commitment by exceptional bloggers and how they could play a role in positive change in our country and region.
In the past six months, we have witnessed the effects of a blogging community and how it can be used as both a news source ( as when the late Amir passed away) and as an instigator of positive change (during the latest political Orange campaign in this country).
In my June 5 post, I mentioned that Saudi Eve's blog was blocked and since then there has been a growing campaign to unblock her site and to speak out against Internet censorship.
Today Saudi women bloggers made it to the news again in this Christian Science Monitor article: Saudi Women Unveil Opinions Online
Campaign Night June 19, 2006
Posted by jewaira in Kuwait, News, Women.6 comments
Description:
Inauguration of Ahmed Al-Saadoun’s election site in Khaldia; 17/6/2006:
Getting there:
We drove around for ages till we found a parking space. At one point my companion asked one of the young ushers if we could park inside and he refused politely, advising us to watch it live on the Web as it was being broadcast live on Ahmed Al-Saadoun’s website.
Of course we had come to see what all the fuss was about. We wanted a live show. Eventually we parked five minutes away and walked.
Immediately upon our approach to the campaign site, I was very impressed with the organization. Young girls received us and asked us whether we preferred to sit in the co-ed or the women only area. We opted for the women’s tent. We were welcomed the whole way leading into the tent by enthusiastic girls dressed in white and orange campaign t-shirts.
The womens’ tent:
The whole place was simply packed! I stood next to an air-conditioner (the only free standing spot) and was so cold I did not have the urge to drink the water that was distributed nor eat the ice cream served in trays.
The women’s tent was full of women from all backgrounds and ages. There were women with hijab, others with abayas and black scarves, and others in pretty summer dresses; a mixture of real Kuwaiti women - conservative and non-traditional women all in one place, listening attentively and with keen interest to the speakers.
The Organization:
What struck me was the constant movement of the organizing committee. The service personnel constantly served water, ice-cream and fresh juice.
And what impressed me even more, was the team of young Kuwaiti ladies who were so actively distributing water, picking up rubbish, and assisting people to seating. They were distinctive in their white and orange campaign t-shirts and their energy was outstanding. I love to see young people working so enthusiastically for a cause – and these girls really deserve a mention.
Although we could see the speakers sitting on the outdoor grounds in the distance, within the tent there were several large television screens that clearly relayed what the speakers were saying.
Everything about this campaign site was very organized and I read somewhere that it was estimated around 5,000 people had attended.
In fact, from where I stood, I was very happy to see how many women were actively interested in attending.
The Speakers:
There were four guest speakers and then the candidate Ahmed Al-Saadoun spoke. The main topic was corruption within the government. In Al-Saadoun’s speech, multiple ambiguous references were made to a couple of mysterious people who were major elements in corruption: a prominent man and a very prominent older woman. It was all quiet dramatic. Mention of course was also made of the ongoing water crisis in the country.
When I arrived, Abdullah Al-Neibari was almost finished with his speech. After he finished, Nasser Al-San’e speech elicited some laughs and after that Faisal Al-Meslim gave a fiery speech.
After the guest speakers finished, Al-Sadoun came to the podium and delivered his speech. It was a bit long-winded in some points and somewhat historical, but he spoke well and he looked quite charismatic and quite in his element as he spoke, eyes glittering with emotion.
He ended his speech with a poem dedicated to women. That elicited a lot of applause and with the end of the main event, the audiences were asked to approach the sumptuous outdoor buffet dinner.
The end:
As I walked amongst the women, I heard one of them ask the waiter “Which restaurant is the food from?” I did not stay to hear the answer but smiled at the question nonetheless.
I sat down waiting for my companion and got into a small conversation with the woman next to me. The woman remarked that women who attended campaign sites were really instigating discussions and debating even more eloquently than men.
As we walked to our car, the woman with me said: “I did not really get what Al-Saadoun was saying. I did not like his speech. I don’t know. I read about his ideas and writings in the paper, but today I got a different perspective.”
I replied that today was the first time I had ever understood what he said; he spoke quite clearly and eloquently. And the tech people really did a great job of making his voice very clear and loud.
But the interesting thing is that this very woman had a different attitude on our way to the site. She had said that her brother was telling them to vote for Al-Saadoun; that they should all support him.
But when she left the site, she had a different opinion.
Overall, I sense a great feeling of enthusiasm amongst Kuwaiti females to become active participants in shaping the future politics of this country.
More non-political commentary on the elections in days to come.
A Married Man June 18, 2006
Posted by jewaira in Dear Jewaira, Husbands, Love, Opinion, Relationships.64 comments
This is a bit like a Dear Jewaira post except it is not a letter from one person.
It is an issue that bothers a lot of women who are in romantic relationships with men. I say women but this also affects teenage girls who fall prey to older guys. I have seen this issue come up repeatedly in correspondence, where women don’t find out until too late that a guy is married or taken. Too late, meaning, that the woman is already infatuated and is over her head in love. Then, she either ends up heartbroken or decides she cannot bear to be separated and will continue believing his lies about how he would marry her but… (and here you can fill in the space with any number of excuses).
Not many men admit that they are married or taken at the outset. A man may swear to everlasting bachelorhood, declaring he has not yet met the woman of his dreams. He may announce that yes, he was indeed married once, but it was a bad relationship which ended in divorce (here again trying to exact your sympathy). He may admit that he has just broken up with a long term partner. In all cases, he pursues his new love interest - you - and does whatever it takes to win you over.
Now, what other ways do married men use to sway a woman’s heart? This can happen in real life, face to face, or for example in an online or a telephonic relationship (very common in our region).
If the man admits that he is married, he will also say several things:
- My wife makes my life miserable with her nagging
- My wife is tired all the time
- I am a very romantic person and I need love but my wife has neglected me for ages
- My wife doesn’t make an effort to make herself attractive; she has let herself go since having the children
- I was forced into a loveless marriage with my cousin
These are but a handful of typical statements that may convince an innocent girl that she will not be a home wrecker because she is just helping to save this poor person from eternal married damnation.
Men like this, or philanderers, find joy in keeping more than one woman. The more the merrier – his wife, his mistress, or perhaps a number of girlfriends for certain occasions. And the challenge is how to keep one woman from finding out about the next. He must juggle them all, keep them within his own schedule, and love them all as they need.
So coming to the point, ladies. How can you tell when a man is married if he lead you to believe otherwise? Here are some clues:
- He does not call you by your name; rather, he uses terms of endearment that could be used even with his wife.
- He carefully manipulates what you know about his life: his home address, his family, his personal life.
- He gives you details about his life but in retrospect, they can be anyone’s details; not enough to pin him down.
- He won’t let you call him anytime or at home.
- He remains rather vague about things and concentrates only on how beautiful and sexy you are.
- He gives false promises about marriage; saying that he has to finish his studies; or that his family have problems with marrying someone from a certain background
He definitely believes what you don’t know won’t hurt you; so he feels justified in withholding any incriminating information from you with vague excuses.
Perhaps there are more clues to finding out whether or not the man you love is already married. That is all I could come up with now.
And the bottom line is this: if you are a married man and want to play around, be careful whose heart you break. Be honest from the very beginning about your intentions and about your background.
P.S To all you wonderful men out there, we care about you and love you. But we will respect you more for your honesty and integrity. Stop hiding behind a thousand different veils of untruths.
Gulf Bloggers June 17, 2006
Posted by jewaira in Blogging, Internet, Kuwait, Links, News.7 comments
So Gulf bloggers have made the news. What with the latest Orange political campaign on Kuwaiti blogs and the latest move to unblock Saudi Eve's blog, Gulf bloggers have been making some much needed noise.
Thank you Purgatory, Misguided and Ms.Baker for the alert to the article.
No, Hips Don’t Lie June 15, 2006
Posted by jewaira in Humour, Links, Music, Special Occasions.17 comments
I can’t wait to see a Kuwaiti Fan version of this video. Shakira has started a belly dancing craze.
In times of stress, the best thing to do is to shake those hips!
