Do u know that google started just in last Aug. to launch a Palestinian Domain... Google.PS .... Here it is, if u haven't checked it...
Click on this link
There is hope :)
Monday, October 26, 2009
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Me , the bus driver, the bus fare, and the Hijab
Here in Puget sound area, the public transit introduced a new transportation cards that work for almost all bus companies, to make riding the bus more convenient.
As I am always do like to take advantages of new things, I purchased this card few months back. But I only started to use it this October, when I finded some time to read about how it works.
Without including too much details about how you can load it and use it.I will go directly to the story. When I rode my bus this evening the driver stopped me and my friend when we tapped our cards on the card reader. I glanced at the screen of the reader, but nothing was wrong, at least according to my experincein using it in the last 2 weeks.
But the driver has something else to say, and he started to explain that we should add additional 1$ because of so and so. He was stressing his words with confidence in a way that any one listening, and most of the bus was listening, would think either we were stupids or we were thieves .The bus driver is talking about the card, so he must be right. I got confused specially with people starting to pile up in a line behind us. The problem is that I don't carry cash. Why I would carry any if I don't need it. Anyway the driver didn't insist that we have to pay, he was explaining so in the next time we would know.
I explained to him what I know in short, but he refuted my explanation. And he started to get nervous and asked me to contact the office if I am not believing him.
We got on the bus, and now me who started to become nervous, that is bad, really bad, if not for us then for the scarf we put over our heads. I always feel my responsiblities are doubled for anything I do here in the west. for anything I do, it doesn't only reflect me. My actions also reflects the religion for which I carry an obvious symbole.
I started thinking how to solve this, only talking to myself as my friend sat far away from me. Coz the bus was almost full. I reviewed the events, I am pretty sure of my understanding of how this card works. Whenever I use something new, I have to know it well before using it.
I started discussing with myself
So, what should I do?
I have to discuss with the driver while I am getting off the bus. He has to know that I am right in a polite way, without making him nervous.
But how could you convince him?
We need a third party.
He can call his office. I see bus drivers always call the office when they have some issues on the bus.
But that if they have something like an emergency!!!
Hallow!! this is an emergency to me, I am fighting here for my headscarf, I am neither a stupid nor a thief.
And what if he proves that you are wrong ?
Then being a stupid Muslim is better than being a theif, coz Muslims should never be thieves.
Ok honey,calm down,.... then try to look for a dollar your face will look better just in case if he proves that u r wrong, you would put the Dollar he asked for.
I searched my backpack carefully but eagerly, and in one forgotten pocket in my bag, I found not only one, but two forgotten dollars.
Here we go.
It is starting to get better.
Now, be calm, realx, and talk politely, and try to ask for the third party. Try to convince him to call his office and they will explain everthing.
I prepared everything, myself , the sentences that I will say, the money ready in my hand, and breathed deeply while the bus was approaching my stop.
Few minutes before the bus stop as usual the driver announced the station in the speakers, and ....... no silence ... he is still talking ... he continued.......
please the two young ladies whom I talked with about the cards and the fares. If you please come get off from the front door, because I want to apologize from you. You were right, and I was wrong !!!
As I am always do like to take advantages of new things, I purchased this card few months back. But I only started to use it this October, when I finded some time to read about how it works.
Without including too much details about how you can load it and use it.I will go directly to the story. When I rode my bus this evening the driver stopped me and my friend when we tapped our cards on the card reader. I glanced at the screen of the reader, but nothing was wrong, at least according to my experincein using it in the last 2 weeks.
But the driver has something else to say, and he started to explain that we should add additional 1$ because of so and so. He was stressing his words with confidence in a way that any one listening, and most of the bus was listening, would think either we were stupids or we were thieves .The bus driver is talking about the card, so he must be right. I got confused specially with people starting to pile up in a line behind us. The problem is that I don't carry cash. Why I would carry any if I don't need it. Anyway the driver didn't insist that we have to pay, he was explaining so in the next time we would know.
I explained to him what I know in short, but he refuted my explanation. And he started to get nervous and asked me to contact the office if I am not believing him.
We got on the bus, and now me who started to become nervous, that is bad, really bad, if not for us then for the scarf we put over our heads. I always feel my responsiblities are doubled for anything I do here in the west. for anything I do, it doesn't only reflect me. My actions also reflects the religion for which I carry an obvious symbole.
I started thinking how to solve this, only talking to myself as my friend sat far away from me. Coz the bus was almost full. I reviewed the events, I am pretty sure of my understanding of how this card works. Whenever I use something new, I have to know it well before using it.
I started discussing with myself
So, what should I do?
I have to discuss with the driver while I am getting off the bus. He has to know that I am right in a polite way, without making him nervous.
But how could you convince him?
We need a third party.
He can call his office. I see bus drivers always call the office when they have some issues on the bus.
But that if they have something like an emergency!!!
Hallow!! this is an emergency to me, I am fighting here for my headscarf, I am neither a stupid nor a thief.
And what if he proves that you are wrong ?
Then being a stupid Muslim is better than being a theif, coz Muslims should never be thieves.
Ok honey,calm down,.... then try to look for a dollar your face will look better just in case if he proves that u r wrong, you would put the Dollar he asked for.
I searched my backpack carefully but eagerly, and in one forgotten pocket in my bag, I found not only one, but two forgotten dollars.
Here we go.
It is starting to get better.
Now, be calm, realx, and talk politely, and try to ask for the third party. Try to convince him to call his office and they will explain everthing.
I prepared everything, myself , the sentences that I will say, the money ready in my hand, and breathed deeply while the bus was approaching my stop.
Few minutes before the bus stop as usual the driver announced the station in the speakers, and ....... no silence ... he is still talking ... he continued.......
please the two young ladies whom I talked with about the cards and the fares. If you please come get off from the front door, because I want to apologize from you. You were right, and I was wrong !!!
.
.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
A book hug!
I have been and will continue to be away from the blogsphere for a quite long time, or may be u will find me after few days blogging agian, I don't really know!!! Alot of things have happened and other things are still happening in my life, I am not sure if I will be able to blog about it . I am not even sure why am I blogging right now .
May be coz I don't want to leave this period of my life just blank on my blog. I want to document it even by one short post. Or may be I am blogging coz I need to. Or may be coz I need people to remember me in their prayers, so plz anyone pass by here remember me in ur prayers.
The only thing which I am sure about is that the picture above explains to a great extent my condition in these days.
Inspite of the fact that Books are one of the source of my suffering during this period of my life; still books, books, and nothing but books; were the only thing which succeded in smoothing away some of the pain.
Come my dear book , come my precious come, hug me.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)