Could Cupid explain that??

Scene 1:

She: Why do you complain about such occasions? We are the ones who have trouble finding good presents for you. It’s never been an easy task for me to find a present even to my father.

He: On the contrary, it’s men who find it difficult to think about suitable presents for women.

She: Come on, there's plenty of things you could buy to a woman and make her happy.

He: Like what?

She: Well anything! A jewel, a cosmetics product, flowers, or something practical she needs… You could also invite her for dinner in a nice place, make a good surprise... But what about men?!

He: You could buy something traditional, a belgha (Turkish slippers), material for djellaba, this is the kind of things your father would like to receive.

She: (Stops short of asking what a man –other than a father- would like to receive for a present).

Question 1: Will that mystery about “what women want” and “what men want” ever be solved?

Scene 2:

He: Has the woman on the radio said that they’ve been talking about love for an entire week? Weird choice! What’s going on?

She: Yes! Well it’s Velentine’s day!

She2: Don’t you know about it?!

He: (A bit surprised, laughs) Lucky you!

She: What do you mean "lucky you"? Valentine’s day is everybody's business!

He: No... We celebrated our Valentine's Day a long time ago. Now it’s your turn.

She: Love has no age! (Playfully) Come on! Why do you men keep coming up with pretexts to ignore this kind of occasions? Just to avoid buying presents? :p Why don’t buy a present to your wife after work. She’d be happy about it.

He: (Laughs, addressing He 2): We have women’s movements here.

Question 2: Why are men too proud to admit that they do care about such things as love!?

Boss, shoof, Masr bte3mel eh!

(Picture: BBC Sport)

They play fair, they play with devotion, effort and love, and that’s what has made of them the best African football team for the sixth time. The Egyptian football team won the 2008 African Cup of Nations yesterday in Ghana, and with it the respect of millions around the world!

Compared to many other teams – and I wouldn’t exclude the Moroccan national team – the Egyptians have proved that mastering the game itself is not the only prerequisite for a squad to become champion. Nor is it the abundance of financial resources. The team spirit that reigns has a real magic effect. Look how respectful they are towards each other and towards their coach and how united they are even in the way they thank God after each goal.

And then look how ruthless they are during the whole match. The way they play makes you feel that they truly care! I am not writing poetry here, but I did see the Egyptian legendary “namoutou namoutou wa ta7ya Masr” (we would die to give life to Egypt) dominating the game during yesterday’s match.

Thinking about all this, I can’t help wondering what’s wrong with the Moroccan national team. What’s wrong can’t be financial. We all know that huge sums are made available to offer our players the best conditions compared to other teams during this cup and any other championship. Nor can the problem be the efficiency of the players themselves. The great majority of Moroccan national team players are part of well known international teams which wouldn’t pay them millions if they’re not real masters of the game.

Then what? Morocco has just changed the coach again, a coach who, despite his clear mistakes, has faced us with the painful reality about the management of sports in Morocco. Officials criticised Henri Michel’s remarks and dismissed them as utter nonsense, but, on the other hand, didn’t answer that big question haunting all Moroccans: What has made such an ironically renowned team a complete failure! Well if it’s not the money, and not the players, then what can it be except management?!

Anyway there are certainly lessons to be learned from this cup, and there are new challenges coming soon. All I hope is that something will be done –very soon – to avoid our team becoming a specialist in qualifying to international championships and disqualifying from the first round!

Ok, let’s go back to the happiness the Egyptian squad offered us yesterday (and, by the same occasion, smile at the thought that football does succeed in what politics and economy fail to fulfill: creating for real that legendary Arab union whole nations have been dreaming of).

Abu Treka, Zidane, El Hadary, and all their friends, led by “El Me’alem” Shehata, have done a great job, and do deserve the Cup. So hey, enjoy the amazing goal that made Egypt the winner of the 2008 African Cup of Nations 1-0 against Cameroon:

And the winner is... ?

It’s a special night for Moroccan bloggers. At these moments in Casablanca, the bloggers elected the best in the Moroccan blogsphere for 2008 must be receiving their awards.

I couldn’t attend the ceremony, but I did vote for my favourite bloggers, and hope they will win ;)

A big bravo to very active Agadir bloggers who had the bright idea, and made the great effort of organising the competition and all the activities related to it (a well made website, interesting goodies, etc).

Let’s wait for the results, and for what the bloggers who attended the ceremony will tell us about it! Good luck to all! :)

DABATEATR is back!

Le metteur en scène Jaouad Essounani nous revient avec une nouvelle création : « D’HOMMAGES! » La tournée commence aujourd'hui même à Bruxelles. Je n'y serai pas malheureusement, mais j'attendrai que DABATEATR arrivent en tournée au Maroc... notre première à nous débutera le 19 Mars 2008 au Théatre Mohammed V à Rabat.

Bon courage les artistes! You're the best!

"Devant le grand Miroir des grandes toilettes de la grande villa, quelques heures avant l'enterrement du grand General qui a marqué l'Histoire de notre grande Nation. Des personnages défilent : des histoires, des images, des musiques des chants et des gestes reviennent de loin pour célébrer le présent, le passé et l'espoir d'un petit peuple de notre histoire commune et peut être ce qui reste ancré dans notre Mémoire après un Départ. De quoi demain ?

« D'hommages ! » est un essai de mise en mosaïque d'un ensemble de clins d'œil aux petits sentiers de notre Mémoire, d'une certaine Mémoire toujours incertaine, fort heureusement.

« D'hommages ! » le clin d'œil est aussi une expérimentation de « l'effet miroir » dans une société en transition, en croisé de chemin où le non dit fait toujours toile de fond."

Jaouad Essounani.

Facebook and I

Was I expressing amazement just a few months ago about Google and the way we’ve become addicted to it ? How old fashioned any kind of amazement about Google would seem now that newer and revolutionary trends like Youtube, Myspace and Facebook have conquered the net, and with it, our very habits.

Facebook. I first heard of it about a year and a half ago during a casual conversation, when a friend of mine told another that she had forgotten to accept Flana’s invitation on facebook. What did I do then? Did I go straight home, straight to my room, straight to my computer and try to figure out how this thing worked? No. Fortunately I would say now. It was only last September that I stepped in the chaotic world of Facebook.

What Facebook has brought to my life? People would talk about the possibility of keeping in touch! This might be true, but can we still call it “keeping in touch” when it means “hey, here I will put my pictures, describe my mood from time to time, and be tagged here and there, and this thing will do the rest of the job. It will be spying on me all day long and reporting my activities . So just come and look for my news –if you care to "keep in touch" with me of course”!!

Hmmm what alse?? Facebook has also increased my awareness that the world around us is intermingled, a complex network with endless meeting points… A more accurate word for this would be (for Moroccans): mchebbek!!

Here’s a small example from my own account on Facebook: My friend S. whom I’ve just met in Egypt turned out to be a friend of A. who’s been a close friend of mine for years now. And A. turned out to be also the friend of the cousin of SABA who is, more than a friend, a sister. F. whom I met at university 5 years ago (outch! I’m getting old!) turned out to be the friend of N, who by the way has just joined a group created by no one but D. whom I interviewed a few months ago when I used to work at Morocco Times... Not to talk about a bunch of people whose existence you had forgotten, or who you thought belong to different worlds, and whom you suddenly find gathered as the Admins of the same group… I know it’s complicated and this is my point! (And by the way, I wouldn’t mind if I know that you have skipped this paragraph!) :D

But didn’t you notice something? I used the word “friend” a lot in the last few lines. This brings me to something else about Facebook (and Myspace too, among others). It dilutes some deep concepts like friendship. Anyone anywhere around the globe can become “my friend” just by accepting an invitation which might be sent randomly.

Does this mean that I will stop using Facebook? I don’t think I will. Facebook does keep a group of really special people I have met gathered in one place. So although it does not help me “keep in touch" with each of them, it does allow me… say…. to “hear from them” on a regular basis. But will I become a Facebook-addict? I don’t think I will. Because in this regard, and compared to the chaotic Facebook, my old fashioned Google does win the deal - with excellence!!

OUT OF TOPIC:

Happy new years 2008 and 1429 to all :)

Stabbed in the back

Let’s not discuss silly political calculations. I don’t want to hear about any considerations which turn human beings into real monsters.

Let’s not waste time trying to understand what’s going on in a world where right and wrong have become the hardest things to define.

All my mind thinks now is that Benazir Bhutto was a brave woman, and her assassination is the manifestation of utter cowardice.

The world where we are living is becoming ugly… extremely ugly.

May Bhutto’s soul and those of the other victims rest in peace.

Inna lillah wa inna ilayhi raji3oon

Eid mubarak said :)

Time to celebrate Eid al Ad7a came yesterday in Morocco, at last, one to two days after the rest of the Muslim countries :) Sounds a bit weird, but it's OK. What matters is to enjoy the Eid (despite the endless house chores this occasion brings xD).

Eid mubarak said to all of you :)

What about a break?

Thinking of you

How helpless you feel when the fact is there; unchangeable, irreversible.

How pretending science looks, when it gives itself the right to confiscate your hopes;

How absurd your priorities seem, when you wish, and it’s too late, you could start it all over again, and put your loved one at the top of your list;

How foolish those doctors seem, when they think that their decade-long studies give them the right to pronounce death sentence against your dear one;

How numb your mind feels when it has, and no choice is there, to acknowledge that there’s such a thing called The End, and that it is approaching;

How wrong your calculations seem, when you suddenly realize that what you’ve been building away from your loved one simply has no foundations;

How worthless that passion you followed seems, when you discover that you have deprived yourself of true passion.

My full support and compassion to all those who have known, by bitter, ruthless scientific evidence, that a dear one is leaving soon.

Better late than never?

Sorry but I saw you that way today. Just a flash ... quick but clear enough to make me shiver. You’ve grown old! That white colour you sometimes forgot, or of which you stubbornly denied the existence did conquer your hair… or what remained of it in fact. On that thing you were right fifty years ago when we were merrily walking down that street and you said, with cynical certainty, that this is the fate of all men.

You are here, not as strong as I last saw you. Life is strange and is capable of making the closest people strangers. I know you never wanted this to happen, but I did realize that time dared and left its traces on your face! Traces that show clearer and deeper when you smile; although you seldom smiled since you came in. You didn’t talk much either. You didn’t flood me with questions as you always did; maybe because you no longer have patience to deal with my endless, sometimes playful reticence to answer. But you had just to try, you know. Because I did change as well. Years have taught me a lot and one of the lessons I learned is to say what I need to say as long as it is possible for me to do it. Because if I don’t, I might have to wait half a century to get the chance to say – and it will be too late.

How endless were the times I imagined our improbable meeting. I would be stronger then; I wouldn’t silence my anger or hide my disappointment. Why be afraid? You’re gone anyway. I would shout, throw my anger at you, break, kick, and walk away. I would shake you and leave you speechless. Things you used time as a buffer to avoid. Doesn’t time bring forgiveness as they say? Doesn’t it bring oblivion? Wisdom? Or more probably doesn’t it take away power, determination, and courage?

Sorry, but I did see your trembling hands. Not of emotions but of age. You never trembled of emotions, even when you had to announce your departure – for good. You didn’t tremble or I simply didn’t see you tremble; just like you didn’t see me cry although my eyes were dry. Ah! Silly me! You probably didn’t tremble at all in fact, because you had that gift I never had: the gift of believing in the perfection of your soul.

I’m so sorry, for myself now, because when I did see you again, all I got from you is a bouquet of flowers, not even the kind I like – you don’t remember anyway, and an ocean of speechless tenderness showing from your eyes… but I doubt I will dive in it. I don’t know how to swim, you remember? And honestly, I can’t be sure that you would come to rescue me if ever I drown. You did let me down one day fifty years ago, and I’m not ready to risk my life again… my life which is ending soon, very soon anyway, because when you came today with your flowers and your ocean of tenderness, I was already getting ready to leave – for good. At last I got that chance I dreamt of for so long until I lost hope. You, standing there again, and I being the first to say it this time…

Goodbye.

Ah, by the way!

Having marked the first birthday of my blog, and having received some sweet wishes from you, I have just got an idea. Being the writer of this blog, I have been probably speaking a lot during this year. You have been posting comments but I feel that I need to listen to you more than I did. So the thought was: Why don’t I try to get your impressions about what the blog offered during its first year of existence?

So here are my questions to you: What was the post that you liked most, and why? Was it the style? the subject? Or the effect it had on you? And what was the post you disliked most and why? Did you feel that the style was poor? The content was unimportant? Or did it probably revive in you bad memories or negative feelings? I hope you will specify your choices.

It’s OK if you haven’t been following the blog from the beginning. The floor is very wide and open, and you are welcome to express your opinion about the posts you have read.

Please share any ideas that cross your mind. Just say what you think… I’m all ears :)

Forum... in Arabic ;)

Picture: Majd Biltaji

A beautiful resort 140 Km from Cairo, over 300 Arab young people gathered in one place, over 20 countries represented in one event, and 5 days of work and fun – all this put together gives the flavour of the forum I have just attended in Egypt.

I won’t talk much about the “academic” content of the forum (workshops about building youth capacity, STDs, youth participation in achieving the Millennium Development Goals, social challenges etc.) but will tell you how great it was to meet such a lovely and lively crowd of young Arabs. The young people I met came with loads of ideas and initiatives – all meant to serve a particular social (or in less numbers political) cause. Women, children, the environment, youth, education, health, etc… the projects contained associations, networks, websites, but also blogs / publications and arts performances.

The Moroccan group was the largest in number – but no need to tell you that Moroccan Arabic was the least spoken there :s A real problem of communication arises when it comes to our language. But this being said, no need to worry about Moroccans and their culture ;) : almost all Arab participants went home with a very Moroccan reflex: replying “tiwliwla” every time they hear “TIKCHBILA” :p

It’s clear now: the atmosphere combined serious work and crazy attitudes. What would you expect when you gather hundreds of young people in one place? :D We particularly enjoyed the cultural day when all participants wore their countries’ traditional clothes. An experience which increased my pride of the Moroccan Caftan with all its kinds ;)

The Moroccan flag didn’t miss doing its job there. While having dinner one evening, we were approached by a Moroccan couple who happened to spend their honeymoon there, and, a few minutes later, by another Moroccan lady who works at a nearby hotel. At Khan El Khalili we were attracted by the red and green sportswear of three men who turned out to be members of the Moroccan team who participated in the Pan-Arab Games in Egypt.

Whether I made some tourist activities during my stay in Egypt? It’s a pity but although we stayed there for several days,
Picture: Mohamed Ezz Aldin

the forum’s program was too full to allow us to reach Cairo early enough to visit important places like the Pyramids!! We were based 140 Km from Cairo and entry to the Pyramids is currently stopped at 4 pm :s. Otherwise, I and a small group of friends visited Suez city on our second day there, and one day before we left, I had a beautiful walk along the amazing Red Sea beach of Ain El Sokhna.

But this wasn’t everything! We didn’t manage to visit the Pyramids, but we did visit other places in Cairo at night. We visited Sidna lhussein, (Shillah ya Sidna l7ussein :p), went to Khan el Khalili and walked on the bridge over the Nile river! Amazingly beautiful at night! We had planned to enjoy a tour by boat on the Nile but, having reached the place at 1 am, it was impossible to find a boat working! Cairo’s street stay animated at 1 am though as are Rabat’s at 8 pm!.

At Khan el Khalili, shopping is not much different from that in Moroccan bazaars and medina shops: The golden rules is: Always bargain and propose a price less than half what the seller asks for! I must say that three Egyptian friends - Tammam, Amira and Khaled - did their best to send us back satisfied with our shopping and the whole visit to Cairo. Ta3abnakou ma3ana ya gama3a ;)

On our way back to the hotel, we were all tired and hungry and the solution was a couple of delicious sandwiches of Ful and Taamya :D

Now three days after my come back, I’m still tired and sleepy - and I’m back to the bitter reality: work!!- but I don’t regret having gone for the experience. I’m also glad that the trip went fine lhamdullah – no luggage loss, no major complications in the airports, … and no plane crash :p

Happy birthday

One year ago, I decided to start this blog. I still remember that Sunday afternoon when I decided to cross the line and become a blogger. A lot of things happened since then. I learned a lot, made news friends, gained things, lost others, went through ups and downs, said things, self-censured others… Both me and my blog grew one year older.

I unfortunately wasn’t able to mark the birthday on its exact date (November 19^th) due to my trip outside Morocco, but better late than never.

My thanks to all of you have been following the blog, encouraging me, bearing with my absences, reading my posts and sharing your opinions during this whole year. I hope this blog will be able to offer you beautiful things in the future…

Happy birthday BWL :)

Grrrrrr!!!! 2

Vous l'avez sans doute deviné: Moi? Une araignée dans la main?? Impossible!

Voila, je vous laisse découvrir la suite de l'histoire...



La même photo, mais sans retouches;)




Même vue, d'un angle différent




Ma bqat tiqa fhad zzmane :p

Et en fin je dirais, sub7aaaaan Allah!

Grrrrrr!!!!

Si vous me connaissez, vous le saurez tout de suite: c'est ma main sur cette photo.

Même si vous ne me connaissez pas, vous pourrez deviner que j'ai horreur des araignées grrrrrrrr!!

Alors comment se fait-il que ce soit moi sur cette photo avec une araignée dans la main?? D'où m'est venu tout ce courage?

Vous avez une idée?? Dites moi ce que vous en pensez. Je vous donnerai ma réponse dans un prochain post ;)