Catching Up... with Me

Well it's not what I wanted to say but I have to share some updates so I can carry on blogging on other topics.

About the exhibition, I'm not sharing because I want to include a review and some photos so that will have to wait a bit.

My thesis, I found a CEO of an HRM company and will help me find answers to my study, insha allah.

My atelier, I'm spending about 6 hours per day and I just love it there. Today, my friend R came and helped me in loading the kiln. still have two more shelves and numbers of plates and stuff to add. I'm very excited about the glaze testing I'm doing. Let's pray the results will be satisfying. The girls pieces are already in the kiln and they made two full shelves. I hope their work will be nice.

The nabog tree is amazing this year. There's a carpet of nabog on the floor due to the windy weather we're having. But now the weather is getting hotter and worms started to eat the fruit from inside :S

 

It rained for two days and Sharjah's streets went horrible. It rained on the same day I went to my Calligraphy teacher's exhibition. Will share more about that but check this photo of the next day!

 

Two more cats came to the scene. One of them is black and I call "him" Fury Furry but this is the other cat's photo.

 

What else? my health? Thanks God I'm feeling great nothing is annoying me other then my morning allergy.

oh and my sister shared a picture on Facebook, of us and our neighbor in Baghdad. The photo was taken in 1989. what a horrible photo :|

oh oh and I'm participating in another exhibition next April insha Allah

I guess that's all for now
and I'll be back to share more :)

Out of the Qomqom*

I'm bored, dizzy and sick of being sick. Well dizzy because I've been playing this weird game called First-Person Tetris. Last time I wrote I spent the previous weeks sick in bed. Well, now I'm feeling better.

Little progress in my study as I can't find the right people to answer my questions. I need managers/ employees in UAE, who are willing to use, or already using Intranet Blogs in their organizations. Since I can't find people in such category, my advisor said it's going to be an exploratory study. But still I need managers who are willing to gather and attend a focused group discussion where we can talk and answer the questions of the study.

My MS-office word is giving me hard time. I'm not able to add the tables of index, references, figures, among many other things. So it's really boring and time consuming thing to do it manually. I still have to edit the literature review grammatically, and finish paraphrasing the previous studies section, let alone writing the last two chapters.

I've always loved my study, loved reading books and even better writing my own philosophy regarding what I read and what I'm really interested in i.e writing a thesis; BUT (yes a big but here) this is different.

My life seems upside-down. I have a lot in mind; projects and plans. Yet I feel my life is pending and I'm spending my days just waiting. it feels like gazing at a white wall with nothing in mind, but this wall is full of scratches and sketches of my thoughts, and they are getting messy and crowded.

***

oh, I almost forgot! Today was my father's birthday and as usual, Atta Crocker backed a chocolate cake. No photos this time. we ate it before I could take a picture.

Happy Birthday dad, even though I know you don't read my blog but I'm sure mom will tell you I wrote :)

* Qomqom: the bottle where the jinn are kept .. but in Arabic the word is uses for people who hide away for a while.
P.S. don't over play the game I gave in the link. it's really .. no healthy :|

That's all for now
I hope you can make sense out of this post

Hopeful

Another morning to wake up late and miss the walk to the lake. I'm disappointed but I hope I'll study more and make up for the early morning hours. I miss working on the wheel! I told myself if I finish this ammount of writing I'll reward myself and go to the atelier and work on the wheel. Let's see what will happen.

Meanwhile, I'm sharing this handmade plate which I made along with another bunch of plates but took me a while to glaze them and I'm still left with many biskit plates waiting to be coloured.

 

That's all for now
let's hope for more

Seeking Fresh Air

It's been a week since I started my morning walks to the lake. It all started when R called and said "I'm going for a walk to the lake, please don't say you're busy studying or talking to Khalid". I rolled my eyes for sure but kept telling her I meant to walk to the lake this week but needed a merical to get me out of bed. She made fun about me supporting her for going to the lake and tried to make sure that I'm not saying complements or going to the lake just because it's officially called Khalid's Lake. (where I have to add a secret here that KJ and I are planning to go to the lake soon and add the phrase "and Atta" on the lake sing :D )

So off to the lake, with my cap and tennis shoes on, ten minutes and I'm there. Looking at the magnificent view; the bring sun, a blue sky with cotton candy white clouds here and there, the sound of the waves along with birds songs. It's still too early to feel the burning sun of UAE but yet not that early to feel the coldness of the early morning.

Forgetting my study and the burden it puts on my shoulders with every morning, which feels like a monkey hanging over my neck, I take my steps smiling at the wonderful morning and crossing my fingers wishing I would accomplish something today.

Now I'm going through a weird phase where I want to share all about my dreams and plans as well as the huge amount of inspiration I have for making new collection of ceramics. But I find myself confused whether to publish my work and art using Attawie or should I start an official blog with my full name to post. If I started a new blog for my art are would I link it to this personal blog? Do I want Attawie blog, my den, to be public to friends and family, here where I write my words right from my thoughts? Not sure yet, but until then I'll be sharing here.

 

Snail

That's all for now
let's wait for more

Hopeful Smile

Oh how I miss blogging!

A lot has been going on lately, unfortunately that means more secrets to hide from you. I feel like writing the story of my life but that's too early I guess. Time would shape my perspective and prove me either right or wrong. That's why the story shall wait as well as proceed. Since you're here I'll share bits and pieces of this story.

Today I received my MBA (General Management) degree from the States, finally! I've been waiting since April. I got an A for my thesis and a GPA of 3.67 *bows for applause*

Earlier, I shared with you that I applied for a double major but things did not work. Months passed, while I was in the process of writing my thesis, I was informed that my wish to do double major was answered and the dean approved it. Had to do extra courses and take a course from EMBA program. All went great -al hamdulillah- and here I am in the process of writing my second thesis.

The second specialization is in HR and my thesis is about Blogging and the use of Intranet Blogs in organizations. That's why I've been reading tens of blogs and online publishing about Blogs. I don't have hard copy of references (books or journals). The topic is new and there are books but most of them study blogs as a phenomena in marketing, PR, and organizational image. Thanks to David, who helped me over a year back with finding references for my Organizational Communication course when I made a presentation about the Revolution of Blogs in OC. I was really fascinated by the topic and that's why I had to adopt it for HR and spend extra effort to achieve what I have in mind regarding the topic.

:)

That's all for now
Wish me luck

Nobody is Too Old to Play with Balloons

One of the strangest thing happened to me yesterday whiling sitting for the exam. The huge classroom was decorated with ribbons and balloons. It seems there was sort of a celebration the night before. I made my way to my usual chair, first desk on the right. Since it was examination time, the setting of the classroom was different than usual. Huge spaces between desks and my chair was pushed to the front right corner of room.

Once I was settled and about to receive my exam book I noticed that the balloons where on the ground and left a silly place on the wall where they were placed. On the ground, there was remains of a green balloon which was poorly laying on the ground.

For a couple of moments I had a flashback of the little activity we had during the seminar with balloons. Laughing secretly, I also remembered the balloon that I saved that night and blew only recently on Friday and had fun with my sister and making jokes about how "Nobody is too old to play with balloons".

We, my parents, my sister and I, were sitting in the living room when I jumped to the room to bring the balloon. That evening on Friday it was proved with evidence that "Nobody is too old to play with balloons".

All those flashes came to me while waiting for the question sheet. But once I received the papers I wished I did not for I hoped I was able to capture a photo with my cell phone for the funny look of balloons next to my desk. The red one was really big but the green was medium.

Being myself, I concentrated on answer sheet and forgot the world outside the white sheet lined with blue and words flowing from my pen. After about 50 minutes of writing, my fingers were aching. I took the chance to relax my hand and have a look on the funny balloons but... OMG! they are not there! Pretended I was adjusting my seat, I tried to peek at the ground which made me feel I'm peeking in someone else's answer sheet. But the balloons were not there!

Anyway, had to go back on my exam, I went to my concentrating status. Then suddenly BANG!!! A balloon exploded! The sound was very loud. I took a look on the class and all eyes were looking at me! "I didn't do that"-look was on my face. Chaotic speaking and silly comments were on and the instructor kept saying "keep quiet"

That moment I thanked God that I was an Iraqi and I am used to bombing sounds. That balloon could have made me react differently.

I tried to know if the balloons that disappeared a while ago is the one which exploded but no use. I couldn't find the remains nor the other balloon. I was "thinking they were two, please God I don't want any other surprise". While taking my breath and trying to maintain normal heartbeats BANG! The sound was even closer. I tried to fine those balloon remains but all in vain!

All eyes were on me once again and the chaos was on for another while with the teacher saying "please, no talking. Keep quiet" A colleague who was sitting behind me said "I think that was the balloons in front of your desk" I was thinking"I KNOW" but where are they!

Two hours later I handed my answer sheet and looked at the area where the balloons were laying but nothing! My family where outside waiting for me in the car. The moment the car moved I remembered that I forgot the book and my notebook under the desk so I had to go back.

The examination room was almost empty. Only one student was left, another handing his paper and the teacher on the stage. I asked permission to take the books and took the chance to look closely on the ground and there was NOTHING!

Just Breathe

I was running as fast as I could, making my way through the crowd from the bookshop of the university to the professor's room to hand the printouts and get rid of the burden I've been carrying for a while, when my colleague took the invitations from me and said "Just Breathe".

She was right. I need to take a deep breath and slowdown for a while.

My classmate and I were busy during the last month preparing for a training program as a project for Management of Training class. We were supposed to apply what we’ve learned and give a seminar. The assignment was given to us since the very first class. We had to come up with a topic for the seminar. We would meet or group-email for brainstorming sessions. We were divided into several committees and I was a member of most of them because of the interrelated part, and let me brag and say effective and important roles I was given or volunteered to do.

I was assigned to design the training kit, posters, invitations, certificates and the PowerPoint presentation. Up to the last moment there were printing problems and even silly spelling mistakes. But now as I look back at everything I would say that everything went great.

I was also assigned to be the voice. During surfing the net for icebreakers, I found something interesting, that the instructor of a lecture would stand at the back of the classroom and would address the student, who would be facing the blackboard, and s/he would say I’m going to help you and push you to the next level… or something like that.

I presented the idea to the team and said that we should make it a surprise for the audience. My team-members liked the idea and thought it would be more interesting if the sound was a female voice. And that’s how I became The Voice!
The other part I played was the icebreaker presenter. The plan was I would give the icebreaker without being present on the stage. The voice would instruct the audience to watch the presentation and such. But I felt there was a problem with the one pressing “next slide” so I had to come up among the crowd with the wireless microphone and improvise and work on the icebreaker activity.

Our seminar title was “B” the CIRCUMSTANCES. A colleague drew our attention to Napoleon’s quote “To hell with circumstances. I create circumstances”. Another colleague, the one who told me to take a breath :) she came up with the title so it would attractive for students. We simply focused on how to think out of the box, therefore, the first icebreaker was the nine-dots drill.

During solving other assignment, the teacher figured out that I was quoting from “the 7 habits of highly effective people” which I was unintentionally doing. But I guess I like the book so much and started on internalize the concepts. I started reading 2005 and but I left to Jordan this summer and came and hurried to join classes. I’m left with the closing remarks and I feel I like the book so much that don’t want to finish reading it.

During deciding on the topic the teacher suggested that we should give a lecture on the 7 habits. Since I’m the only one who read the book it was all on my shoulder. Later when we diced to on the topic I was still supposed to give something related to the book. Therefore I gave the woman sketch exercise (no, I’m not going to tell you what is it all about. Go read the book).

Then the core lecture was there and we had a lot of fun activities during that with lessons to be learned. And closed the night with dinner.

The president of the university, many faculty members, and the VP wife attended the seminar.

Being on the stage with the mic, giving inspirational speech and encouraging audience to participate and motivating them to interact… it felt like home! I thought it was just me being under the spotlight. But after the lecture when students and team-members came to me, thanked me and said nice words about how the drills I gave were interesting and that I did a good job… I felt I want to do that more often. I wish if I can make it as a career, a career that does make a difference.

I've been participating in many since high school, but this one was different activities but this one was different. I was for the first time proactive. I believe that was another step on the road I’m taking… but still… there’s much for me to learn.

That’s all for now

How about some good news?

Just wanted to refresh the page and get over the recent tragic pet stories. I have a lot going on and busy with many things. It could be shocking to know that I'm pursuing a second MBA specialization to graduate with double majors; that's General Management and Human Resource Management.

As for my visit to Jordan, I met many of my relatives whom I haven't seen for a long while. Many of the kids in the family had grown up and I can hardly believe that the kids I used to babysit are now way much taller than me. Another second cousin who was very annoying has became a very nice teen. I spent three days teaching him English and Arabic preparing him for a qualification exam to get him accepted in a good high school. I have to brag a bit, he was accepted in Cambridge high school and the Baptist school in Jordan.

I attended the wedding of one of my best friends Ghada. The wedding was very beautiful and LOUD. The cake was delicious, and I had the chance to see some of my colleagues. I don't know why our weddings in Arab countries are too loud that you can't hear yourself!

Regarding bloggers, I met khala Faiza Al-Arji twice. She's such a nice lady. I went to her office with my sister and my friend to participate for volunteering work. It was World Refugee Day but unfortunately, they have been preparing for that day for a long time that we only got chance to attend their ceremony. I wished there was something I could do during my stay in Amman.

In an attempt to have an Iraqi-bloggers meeting (which was poorly attended) I got the chance to meet Khalid Jarrar*. We met several times afterwards and I have to list several first here but above all was the experience of the 4D theater (And we thought 3Dimention was the limit!!!). First time to play or let me say carry the cue stick of Billiard and watch Khalid and my sister play the game. I did, ladies and gentlemen, hit a purple ball and forced it to rest in peace in it's final destination, the pocket :D

Speaking of firsts, there was a life changing experience in Amman. I had a Lasik surgery for my left eye and I'm free from spectacles. I've been wearing them since the tenth grade and it became part of my personality, that I was known "the girl with the glasses".

I think that's more than just and update and page refreshing.
That's all for now.

* Who wants me to say that he's funnier than it seems on his blog which is true but I said this would be just a footnote :D

Paralyzed ... by a song :D

So, where have we been? Nowhere. It’s just the same old same old. This week is my last in the institute of Arts; I have to carry on with my study and finish my MBA. I’m practicing on the wheel for the time being and once I master it I’ll start to design my own potteries.

My grandpa left to Jordan but I’m staying in my small new room. It’s very cozy and closy (winking at my sister who used to mix the latter word with the former). But you know what it is really “closy” because I don’t have to walk through the room to get stuff from the bedside or the closet. I just sit on my chair and wander here and here (no there in the small room).

It’s Valentines again. I was wearing pink today but wasn’t celebrating. Just a coincident. But it reminded me of my teen time. At high school, my friends and I wearing our uniforms, we would wear red socks, red hairpins, and red scarf around our necks and we would hang small red ribbons on our jackets like badges. Exchanging cards and white stuffed bears carrying red hears with tons of I love yous and singing during the breaks some love songs. I guess Valentive form me then was just having fun and hanging out with my gang. Since I finished my high school I never took Valentine seriously. Doing my MBA, today I’m certain that these events serve only marketing strategies.

This year’s valentine’s song for me is “Paralyzed - by Finger Eleven”. Such a rocky song!!! It just makes me want to jump. I haven’t heard such a song for a while now, I guess since KT Tunstall’s “Hold on” and "Good Charlotte - I Don't Wanna Be In Love ”. Lately, I mean the three past days, I’ve been addicted to this song. I keep my radio on most of the times just waiting for it. They play it at least three times a day. I heard it during the morning show, the request lunch show (which is a request line mid-day show), and post-midnight rock. Actually I’m waiting for it right now.

My dad’s birthday was on the 7th this month. I baked him a cake which was too sweet but he likes it that way. I remember last year we had dinner at the “freedom to pay” restaurant, with our friends. This year we didn’t do anything special. The day next was my eldest sister’s birthday. We called her and I enjoyed chatting with her. That day I realized that one more month and I’ll be 25 years old. It seemed yesterday when I was posting about my 23rd birthday. I was almost shocked then to know I was turning 23 and I haven’t felt that I was a grown up.

I’m rambling about many stuff in here and I don’t think I have more to say for. That’s it for now and let’s call it a post.
OMG, the song is on. I'm gone *jumping*

No Kidding!

Anyone feeling down? No one? How about stupid? The joke of the season just happened. I went to my terminal exam, the class was empty. I checked the time table for exam and the exam was on Dec 17th ??? it was a shock for me. My group and I we had this conversation about no need to have the exam too late. And that we finished the portion and we are all ready to take the exam. We confirmed everything with the prof. and it was taken care of everything. What happened? No idea. Why I didn’t receive any msg or e-mail about the reschedule? No idea.

I was so ready for the exam that I just want to finish and have a nice early Eid and Christmas break. Anyways, at least I got the chance to post something.

Another thing, I broke one of my finest ceramic works today by mistake. Everyone told me it was “an eye” (someone envied me). I didn’t feel so bad for the first time, not because I didn’t care but because I remembered one of my mentor’s words “Don’t say this work is done unless you put it for exhibition”.

December is here and the year is saying goodbye. I want to check my list for this year and how far I accomplished. I don’t see much done other than finishing one year of my study (the on-campus part). So many firsts but I didn’t go under the sea nor jumped with a parachute.

That’s it for now. Will write you later.

Hello...again

Well… well, I know I’ve been busy and lazy to post. Many things happened these passing days from important reports on the news to the insignificant chitchats here and there. Between my MBA and the institute of Art, between inventing time to submit assignments and seeking time to find serenity to start new paintings, between house chores and social activities, the bottom line you’re looking for is “Attawie is confused”. I have so many dreams and so many plans to fulfill and I need to get them into implementation phase. When and how is the real matter.

New room
My grandfather is staying with us. He spent the last year in Jordan without residency. Still we’re not sure about how long he will stay here. But the reason why I mentioned it is that I gave him my room and move to the smaller one. I had a week planning to manage the “move out” and spend only few hours to move.

After I said goodbye to my old room and bathroom I had to make my new room familiar. I had to get used to the idea of the smaller space and how to deal with it.

I moved everything but I left the bedside and painting tools. My grandpa paints too.
My mother gave the couch and the chair for charity. She promised to give it away but it was months before my grandpa’s plan to come.

Lately, I’m not painting much. I’m only preparing for my first personal ceramic exhibition. I still have ideas to execute and so much work to do the finishing touches. I finished 21 pieces so far. And I need at least 20. but the idea won’t be complete unless I finish at least another 5 pieces.

I attended a presentation by the artist Douglas Grenville and a workshop at the evening. I learned his technique and it seems easy to apply. But he uses acrylic colours only. I use oils and sometimes watercoloures.

MBA news
On the same day that I attended the presentation and the workshop at the art institute I had to run to the University yet for another workshop. It was a JPP (Joint Project Planning) workshop for PM course (Project Management). I was assigned as a delegate and I was in charge of the COS (conditions of satisfaction) and POS (Project overview Statement). Not that hard job but I had to write every single word of the project on the board. After I finished all my team members thanked me. And one of my colleague told me that I’ll make a good team leader and another told me I’ll make a good teacher!

My Readings
I’m about to finish reading Nietzche’s “Thus Spoke Zarathustra”. I’m still neutral to the subject. One line I completely agree with him and others I just think of the nonsense he’s talking about.

I finished reading the Epic of Gilgamesh by Taha Baqir. I’ve read the first part of it (Gilgamesh & Inkido) in English, and the short modern version in Arabic. But this edition is different. It belongs to one of my colleagues who gave it to my mentor Wissam Al Haddad(who had a ceramic exhibition Gilgamesh: wings of mud and fire). I was supposed deliver the book but I couldn’t resist the temptation of reading it. I finished the book within maximum 12 hours. It’s one of the huge ones but it captivated me. I forgot the surrounding world and flied centuries back. I even had two dreams of Khumbaba (The creature Gilgamesh & Inkido slaughtered).

I finished six mini books from the Penguin 60’s Classics. Among them: Plato’s Phaedrus, Aristophanes’s Lysistrata, Giorgio Vasari’s Lives of three renaissance artists ( Leonardo, Raphael and Michelangelo), and Jane Austen’s unfinished novel in the form of letters, the history of England.

I thought the new room would give me more time to post and take care of my blog. But I’m not sure. My uncle’s family will come next month just few days after my final exams. And I have to write my theses proposal. And still have the finishing for my exhibition. I don’t know how I will manage. Time will tell us all about it.

A Window to my Nowadays Life

It's a new day. So I guess I survived the exams. It was hectic for this entire month. I had to submit my projects and assignments according to the deadlines, I had to revise the material for three subjects, I was and still preparing for the coming exhibition, besides that my eldest sister was here in UAE for a visit. And now I have my other sister here in UAE also staying for a month.

So many things took place on many levels, internationally, nationally and personally. The horrible news all over the world and the clashes within nations in the Arab area besides the horrifying news we hear from Baghdad are just too much to take. I stopped to follow up. I just hear from people around me about what happens the next day or so. I stopped reading news on-line; the last newspaper I read was about three weeks ago. For now I just have to read the business paper as a part of my study.

First time for "Four courses semister"

The busy life has captured me. Lately I started to wish we have 24 hours plus 8 hours to sleep. Somehow the 24 hours are not enough to accomplish everything on my "today list to do". It is taking much more time then ever to study the chapter and preparing for the lecture before the session. The four subjects I registered for might be the reason behind that. Back in collage days I used to register for the maximum hours per course, that's the advantage of a 3.6 GPA. For MBA, I'm used to three courses a semester and now it just seems impossible for four. Most of my friends who have 4 courses are preparing bits and bites for each course and some of them are even neglecting the Managerial Economy class. I'm not used to such thing. When I take a course I don't want to only pass, I want to learn.

First time for Graphics

Besides the 24 + 8 hours a day I wished if we had three hands. Wondering why? I swear it sounded smart when I said it the first time. Lately I've been working on Graphic artwork which I'm preparing for my coming exhibition and for your knowledge Graphic is not such an easy job. The first two Graphs I made were silly and childish, but eventually I could manage work on metal better than working on leno. The tools resemble those of surgeons. They are sharp and when I'm saying sharp I don't mean the glazed edges, surely not *remembering the scratches I got because of this aggressive art techniques*. As for the acids, don't get me started. They smell so bad and they are really really dangerous to inhale.

Back to the three hand idea. With masks and rubber gloves, inks, various types of acids, turpentine, thinner and other stuff that I haven't been introduced to, the toxic part of the blob effect ruins the skin and clothes. At certain times I have on hand with inks, and the other fixing the metal piece on the table, out of a sudden because of the smell my nose start itching and I have no free nor clean hand. The third sounds brilliant, right?
That's all for now
Until then...

MBA News Update

Officially Attawie declares that the week of exams is through and that two exams were approached in successfully (even though we'll have to wait for the marks) while the third one was an utter disaster that might even lead to complex consequences which would defect marks and ultimately would have a negative affect on the GPA. The first two exams were Human Resource Management and the second Research Methods.

As for the third one was Financial Accounting, the course that panicked her since the day she registered and she previously announced that she needed luck with this exam. After weeks of studying and three weekends spent only for understanding and solving every single accounting problem in the textbook, all the attempts were in vain.

Reliable source has reported that after she finished the exams, Attawie calculated the marks she was sure she can get and it was only 12 out of 25. Later in an interview she stated that this was the worst paper she ever submitted.

Rumor has it that she was about to cry when she submitted the paper and she apologized to the professor for the "horrible messy paper" and the professor replied "it's alright, first Accounting exam!"

Firsts

More than two weeks passed after I decided to be a-more-active-blogger. What an irony! Many things happened and many horrible headlines in the news about Iraq and many things are there to be discussed. What to talk about and where to start from? Luckily, I don't talk politics so that crosses many topics from the list. Hence this post will be only about me.

The biggest thing happened is that my mother's residency papers is being processed well at last and all the papers are alright after submitting it many times and being rejected for certain missing stamps or attached papers. Hopefully this week it would all end so at least we can have an official residency instead of leaving UAE every now and then.


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While I was having my terminal exams I received a phone call about an exhibition and that I need to submit my work a week earlier. Only one week left and I have three exams at the same time, therefore, I didn't prepare anything and just forgot about it. Three days before the exhibition The Institute of Art called my, while I was brushing my teeth so I asked my mother to take the call. It appeared that there was no exhibition. It was much bigger. It was a graduation exhibition where all the work of those graduate must be exhibited. And guess what, it was my graduation.

I immediately called one of my teachers and told him that I received the phone call just now and I didn't know submitting the work is a must. He said that there was no problem. My ceramic and sculptures are already there in the showroom and that I only need to take my paintings as soon as possible. There was only two days left. The two days I spend it the institute. Most of the job is done. There was a less-than-a-meter-width column left for me and two of my works are too big for that. I also had an unfinished work; therefore only two of my paintings will be displayed.

On the exhibition day I went in the morning and luckily for some reason or another, an entire board was emptied and ready for my sketches.

The other dilemma for me was how to manage to receive the Completion Certificate around 7 pm when my MBA lecture starts at 7:30 pm? The exhibition started 6:30 this was just as planned. It wasn't till 7:30 when my name was called and I received the certificate. I left my parents and friends there and had to run to find a taxi. Thanks to God it took me only five minutes to walk to the main street and find a taxi. The taxi was the slowest taxi I've ever took.

I called one of my colleagues and asked in which classroom we were taking the lecture for it was the first in the semester and we know that the room in the schedule is being painted. Unfortunately they did not change the classroom. But it was good for me because the lecture started 7:50. The smell was horrible and it was the first time for me not to sit in the front row. Being late gave me the chance to sit on the first desk next to the door. And we left the door open. The smell did not bother me much.

On my way home, after I took a taxi, a rented car from another emirate followed me. For two traffic lights they were next to the taxi. The driver was moving the window pane up and down and looking at me. I took my cell phone out and pretended I was calling and turned to the other direction (they say if you feel danger in UAE just show that you have a mobile). On the second traffic light I noticed Y (one of my colleagues) was near. I knew his home was close to our area thus I told him about the other car and that the taxi will drive behind him. He offered to drive me home but I said it was ok. Then he noticed the car was still following us so he stopped the taxi and told me he must drive me home. The poor taxi driver thought there was something wrong with his driving. I got home and told my mother all about it and these days one of my colleagues (A) is driving me back home.
***
I can't believe it yet! I'm studying HR & Research Methods for Business. What astonishes me most is I'm taking Financial Accounting. I know I've studied chemistry, physics and Bio in high school, and I got high marks that everyone thought I would be a doctor. I know I'm one of those people who enjoy solving mathematical problems in the newspapers and magazines. When I changed my high school the Math teacher told my sister's class that they lost the best Math student in the entire school. However, Financial Accounting seems scary.

Oh, and we went for a picnic on Friday with other 4 Iraqi families. Some are friends, others are relatives.

I mentioned in a previous post that my mother's cousins escaped from Baghdad and one of them had the chance to bring his family too. He went to Qasham to change visa and he is stuck there. I'll post about it soon.

I know I said 2007 will be the year for acheivement and firsts but never saw a car chaising me.
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I'll post more photos soon