Ramadan Karem

dear brothers, family, friemds, bloggers, readers , and all the muslim in the world, RAMADAN MUBAREK

for the first time in my life, me with my parent in one side, and my brothers with the rest of the family on the other side, fast on different schedules.

Ramadan started in Libya, but not here in my area in the united states, I know it always happen all around the islamic world, but it has different impact when it touch you closely on your close family level, it feel strange and weird, when I took my breakfast on the morning today, I felt as if I am commiting a sin !!!

the picture show the islamic center in our area.

finding this center has a short story, when we landed here I tried to look for some Masjed in the neighborhood, of course by using the help of my best friend here the internet, more specificlly, google map, and it gave me some adresses and the right buses to take me there, I registered some notes and started looking with my father for some of these adresses, and unfortunately, the google map let me down this time, when I tried the first nearest two addrsses, the Masjed wasn't there, one of them was actually a church ( although I write a mosque or islamic center in my research ), and the other was very small, unidentified unclean masjed, that was a little depressing.

As I told you before I used the google map from the first few days, to look for everything, and succeded to reach all the places, coz there is good public transportation in this city, with buses you can reach where ever you want.

Till today I didn't use Taxi at all, and didn't get lost, not yet, sure it will happen , but not yet.

back to my point, with google map, and the use of bus when it is needed, I reached the grocery store, the bank, the university, and nearly every where from the first try, but to the Masjed, I failed in my first try, but then I contacted a cyber friend (KA ) here in the state, and he was kind enough to direct me to this islamic center which appear in the picture (which was taken by my mobile cam), and so my second try was successful, and we found ourselves in one of the biggest islamic center in the area , I felt so proud to see this clear islamic symbol on this land, thank you KA.

that was in my first 10 days, then when I started school, I met some Libyan student, and discovered another islamic center, which will be more near to our new place, which we will move to by the middle of September.

That was my story, for ramadan first, till next time, take care, and

Ramadan Karem

scratches about my trip.

ahhhhh ... finally I am updating, I always wanted to update, but I don't know, I think there is no baraka in time here at all !!!

many funny things happen to anyone who travel to a new place for the first time, I will share some of mine here in this post and in the upcoming posts, but hay people don't make fun of me, I am sure everyone have his share.

Our trip was fine, I was afraid that troubles will arise coz I used the KLM airline, but luckily everything went smooth, and even I can say perfect, we had transit at Amsterdam, and we spent one night in the airport, at a Hotel, which was actualy a luxury stay.

the airport is huge and very well organized, and unexpectedly I didn't got lost in it, I used to get lost in huge places,there were signs every where to direct you.
when I get off the first plane to Schiphol airport, I noticed that most the passengers was heading to fine touch screens, and doing something on the screen, and then leave it, I wondered what they are doing, but I didn't give that much attention, my target was to find the Hotel, coz the reservation we made will be cancelled within an hour, and after I found it, we put our luggage, and went out to discover the place, and I approached that screen, I start to follow the instructions and end up chosing a seat in the next plane, and of course the best seats was already taken, it is good that I could find three seats next to each other, so we will not be scattered in the next long flight, WHY NO BODY TOLD ME ABOUT THIS, THEN I AM A GOOD READED, WHY THAT WASN'T MENTIONED ON THE KLM WEBSITE ??? but Allah was there for me, & inspired me to check the screen out of curiosity, in the right time.

I couldn't imagine that, we would have been in scattered seats if I had not approached that fine touch computer screen in the right time.

the long flight went smooth, I enjoyed the collection of the movies, the music and the games on the private screen , I didn't finish the story I borrowed from my deary missclass, didn't have enough time to finish it actually.

I had some good naps, the food choices was okey, the service in general was nice, and we landed safely.

we finished with the officer at the port of entry, which took some time, but not too long, the officer was funny, he was kind of in hurry coz we landed at lunch time, but he treated us well.

after we finish we collect our luggage ( which was in perfect condition, and nothing lost, although they weren't locked, as the rule prevent us from locking it as we are travelling to the united state ) and we entered the state , I thought it will so bad coz no one is actually waiting for us there, I do have some friends there but they are not close one , then I didn't want to bother anyone, and tried my best from Libya home to make it easier, therfore I had reserved a place at a hotel, and reserved even the car which will take us to the hotel, it is a kind of Taxi but not the regular Taxi, it is a shared ride van from the Shuttle express, I recommend it for any one want a ride, to or from the airport in the united state ( don't know if it is available in all the states ) ,and things went as I arranged, we find the van waiting for us, and it took us to our hotel, and things wasn't bad at all, the other thing which I though will happen , but it didn't is the cultural shock, there was no cultural shock, or there might be one, but in a reverse way, will try to talk about that in my upcoming posts.

just one more thing before I leave, I would like to mention that all those arrangment were accomplished with the help of one new friend of mine, who I want to introduce for all of you.

THE INTERNET

"he" is my closest friend these days, without him I would have definitely get lost.

Hiiiiiii from the Pacific Ocean !!!

.
My head still connected to my trunk!!!
and I can freely move my limbs...
still able to hear the birds...
easily watch my parents...
softly touch the roses...
and smell the breezes...
I am here to announce:
I arrived here safely
and
my soul still imprisoned in my body!!!

elhamdoAllah
p.s.: the pictur is fresh, I just captured it few minutes back.

Thank you my friends

My departure was supposed to be yesterday !!! but for reasons out of my hands plans were postponed for another few days, Omy (my mom) says kol taa7'era , feha 7'era.

well, well, well, yes I was disappointed, but part of me was secretly happy coz I will have some more few days at home.

okey what bring me to blog in these busy days is to share with u the fun of one memorial day arranged by my dearest friends.
We went out for lunch, in fact I am a homy kind of person, and don't usually go out with the Girls, but this time with all the passion of leaving, I decided to accept the invitation, and really didn't regret it for even a second later.
the plan was that one of my dearest friends (miss class), will come to pick me up from my home, and we will pass by the hospital to wait for the others after they finish work, then we will go all together in two cars, to pick up another friend from her home.
the waiting at the hospital parking took longer than we expected, it was already 3:00 pm, and the girls didn't show up, so Miss class held her phone and started dialing their numbers to hurry them up, and here it was my funny shock...

her phone was supported with a pin to press the buttons!!!

when did she own that high tech mobile phone!!!?

I shouted at her why didn't u tell me u will buy this phone, u know I am the techy girl and you should had my opnion !!!
. .

.

take a closer look

.

. . and I though I am the one who cann't give up things.
she own a good car, and Versace sun glass, and this poor mobile ( she hold them together for her pride coz I told her I will blog about her mobile), I couldn't believe that her phone was actually still working, till I heard her talking to the girls through it.
after that we went all together to pick up our last friend and we head to the nearest photoshoper to take a picture together
. .
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then to the main destination, as all of us were starving, the Chinese resturant
.

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we thought we will go out of the resturant hungry, coz we weren't familiar with it's service and first time we try it, and for me actually the first time I try chinese food.
the hardest jop was to chose from the menu, we make the waitress suffer, but it was really her problem coz she didn't understand neither English nor Arabic, how can we help that.
.

.Each time we ask her about something in the menu, she open her mouth and stretch her hands for a moment as if she is going to explain it, then she hurry to the kitchen, and quickly comeback with a big smile on her face, and small dish in her hands, with the raw ingredient on it !!! ... the poor waitress ... but we didn't want to waste our money, we had to ask before ordering things , it was really a total fun..
but the good thing that the food was great

.

.

and delicious

a hopeless try with the sticks.

.

.

.

.and of course we didn't forget the sweets in another place near the chinese resturant

we couldn't believe that we still had a place for it, we rock all the diet rules
..

it was great fun, but every good thing has an end,

and the end was with a surprise gifts

Thank u my friends, that was really a perfect memorail day,and the two of you who couldn't make it, you were missed...

Can I make it ???

The counting down started.

I supposed to start packing my luggage,

but I am afraid that I might cancel everything.

My room flooded with tears of fear and worry.

plz any body pass by these words , ur prayers are urgently reqired.

Can I really do this hard step ???

What am I doing ???

Did I lost my mind ???

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the following was an sms from a friend, the sms helped me much in my hard times, I want to copy it here for myself, just in case if I went too down one day, it might help me up again :

كل منا قد استخار

والله سألنا أن يختار

وهو يعلم مكان الخير لكل واحدة منا !

فلنمضي فيما سهله الله لنا

وعليه فلنتوكل

ولنعلم أن طلب العلم كالجهاد وهو يشق على الأنفس

غير أن موعده الجنة

ولاتنال الجنة بالتمنى!

وقد اخترنا من بين الملايين لهذه المهمة

فلن نخاف ومعنا الله!

فهو حسبنا ومسهل أمورنا !

فعسى أن يجمعنا برحمته عنده في الجنة !!

Ameeen ya Fatema, thank u so much for these words

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We were four girls going to the state for postgraduate study from our paediatric department, we all got the Visa and we were going to two different states, two in each, but we end up by only me going there, because of long stories, hope I will have the time one day to write about it.

now am I going to finish the road ???

Allah, the only one who know.

du3a people don't forget to make du3a for me.

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benghazi citizen, Akrm, Asma, Leebeya, Abdallah, and any one else asked for an update here it is.

sorry ibeebarbie and any other reader who can't read arabic,.

Libyano be happy, my brothers will irta7 meni soon

Giving up !!!

Why we humans find it so hard to gave up on things?
and that sometimes didn't apply only on "things " but extend to our relations with people.
N.B.: don't wonder about the relation of Sony Erricson mobile phone picture with the following bla bla bla, just continue reading and find out !!!
since my childhood as I guess most of you had have experienced friends separation, due to many causes, the most common cause for me was moving from one place to another.
and that kind of separation affected me deeply, I still remeber my chilhood best friend her name was SEKAB she was from Alsham, her parent were mixed arab one from Palestine and the other from Lebanon, or Jordan, I don't know exactly coz u know in childhood these origins doesn't matter at all, and still doesn't matter to me in my adulthood.
we spent our 1st six years of primary school together, it was only six years and my heart still sqeezing when I remeber the day when we had to leave our place to come back to Libya home for the last time, the separation was so painful, all the excitment of coming home couldn't sooth it, never met with her again ever since.
That even though was a normal life experience, but unfortunately it affected my all friendship later on, in fact I get along with people very easily, but have friends very scarcely, not because there is not much enough good people around, there are many, but I have that ever lasting fear of separation which keep pooping up his face in front of me.
but I realized later that having few friends is more worse coz ur loyality will be bigger and the relation will be deeper and having one of those few friends lost is a catastrophy, and it happened to me again about 4 years back, a cherished friend moved away!!!
but we survive at the end, that is the life.
what brought all this up is that I am still having, from time to time, that feeling of buzzeled scared soul, while I am waiting for the never ending process of my paper work to finish.
and reach the catastrophic moment of separation, and this time not from friends only but from brothers, relatives, friends, colleagues, a life !!!
Am I exaggerating ? it might be an exaggeration , but writing that makes me better.
back to my mobile, which was the main trigger for all this post, it was a good friend for more than five years , and never let me down, even now when I finally gave up and agree to change it, the problem was not because it bothered me, but because it started to bother my phone callers (is it right to say phone caller in English ?) in the last month, who had suffered an agony while trying to recognize my voice through a weired jamming sound, although I was hearing them clearly, what a loyal phone !!!
my Mom with my dear brother who were trying to help me geting over the love and loyality to my mobile phone, were really so brilliant to bring a phone which is very similar in it's shape and colors to my previous one and of course a Sony Erricson, and present it to me as a birth day gift yesterday, yes it was my day :)
which is might ( might in english reflect just a small possibility) be and only might be the real source of all this doom.
and yes my friends I feel much better now :) writing is always work for me.
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this is my new toy:

Aseeda for you !

I would like to thank you all, for your lovely words of congratulation for my first baby niece ( no name yet ! ) , and because I am too generous that I think words are not enough to show my thankfulness, so I decided to serve you the picture of this traditional sweet delicious dish which we use to serve in these occasions for our congratulators.

it is the usual Asseda, sure all of you know, but just garnished in a slightly different way.

I would prefer it with butter and honey, instead of olive oil and rub (rub is a syrup extracted from dates).

I will be grateful if every one of you let me know how he/she would prefer it, so I can serve you well.
and if there are other ways to serve it apart from the two I mentioned, I would like to know it.

thanx in advance