All clocks seem well set around here. The summer has officially left us for this year.
For its farewell event, everything is showered with celebration confetti: Pure drops of rain that borrow the colors of nature, always-welcomed sun rays lazily lingering around, casting cheerfulness on the leaves that announce the tone of the coming season.
And I'm looking ahead...
A plane. My second for that day had just set off. From my window seat, I saw beautiful Amsterdam. A river, lakes, green areas and well structured building blocks… then the huge open ocean. The water was seemingly calm, but intimidating. A whole world of mysteries and endless untold stories lying beneath that glittering blue surface, whose uniformity was disturbed by a few dark dots scattered here and there.
That day, I experienced the longest sunset of my life. It literally lasted for hours. My flight which set off at sunset was traveling west, and so was the end of the day. As the arrival of nighttime slowly worked its way westward above the Atlantic, so did our flight. As if we were earning bonus hours on that day. As if the deepest wish of permanently busy people had just materialized. The day lingered beyond the twenty-four hours.
Layers and layers of comfy-looking clouds appeared outside my window. Amazing nuances of pink and purple marked the horizon, an imaginary yet universally referential line somewhere in the air.
From my thousands-of-meters altitude, I thought of how drastically perspective differences can change the way we see things. Just as the usually remote clouds looked fluffy and almost inviting when seen from above. Just like heavy, colossal, roaring ships can turn into mere dark dots scattered here and there on the surface of a blue ocean.
This is a post I started writing today between two class sessions. When I was almost done, I realized that its whole logic is flawed because I am assuming that the return of Prison Break is today but it's in fact on the 17th. I decided to publish it though, because although it is illogical, it does confirm my point: I can’t wait for the return of that TV series :D
Here’s the post:
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April 7th is the day I have been dreading for weeks because that’s the date on which I had to submit a painful 20-page research paper. But April 7th is also a day I have been waiting for for months now. The reason this time has nothing to do with school, but with entertainment. Being a proud Prison Break fan, I was glad that my arrival at the US almost coincided with the start of Season 4. This meant that I would be able to watch the new episodes on the day they are aired on TV, without having to wait for the French version to be made and then purchased by Moroccan TV channel 2M.
But my happiness about Season 4 was cut short when the episodes suddenly stopped last December. Since then, Fox network has been saying on the Prison Break web site that it returns on April 7 (oops 17;)) with all-new episodes.
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Anyway, I’m losing patience for sure, but 9 days don’t seem that bad after all. Especially that I will be busy enough with my exams and presentations not to notice how time flies :)
Ph.: Nick Dentamaro, The State News
One of the things that I really love about being here is that sense of belonging being an MSU student gives you. Being a Spartan. I myself have paranoid ideas about this sometimes, thinking that it’s just a silly thing that they make you believe in order to make you choose this university instead of another, and then to buy the MSU items once here. It is definitely a successful marketing tactic. But at the same time, I think that it does have a psychological benefit. Probably at least for international students who would need a sense of belonging once they move to a (totally) different culture.
So being a Spartan is of course not present in my mind all the time now. Life goes on normally once you get past the “honeymoon” period that lasts a few weeks after you first arrive here. During those weeks, I was willing to learn the fight song, and was excited at the idea of meeting our cute mascot Sparty. I even put my love for my favorite color (blue) on hold and became a fan of “Spartan Green”. But having spent exactly seven months now, it would take something stronger than just being an MSU student for me to remember that I am a Spartan… and be proud of it.
Yesterday was one of those days when I felt “the spirit”. The MSU men’s basketball team had got to the Final Four in the national championship and won yesterday 82-73 against the Connecticut men’s basketball team, qualifying to the final game! I am not particularly fond of basketball, but being able at least to understand what’s going on during the game (unlike when I watch American football ) I was glad to see our team qualify to the finals.
I also have great respect for the players who are very young MSU students that manage to succeed their course work while devoting so much time and effort for the game.
Anyway, tomorrow is the big day Spartans! We want a Spartan green final! Good luck to you and...
GO GREEN! GO WHITE! GO SPARTANS!
Now excuse me. How on earth can I keep my temper while almost every time I have to take a plane I have to go through additional screening!!! Why is it that most people go straight through ordinary security check and I am one of those very few who have to be double checked? Oh, the piece of cloth I’m wearing on my head?? When are these security people going to understand that terrorists are a bit more intelligent than showing up in an airport with one, a passport that shows that they are Arabs or Muslims, and two wearing Hijab or a beard!!! Hijab or a beard should be enough evidence that we’re hiding nothing, because it’s become a habit now that any Muslim woman with hijab or any Muslim man with a beard would be suspected.
Yeah “this is done for all the passengers’ security, including me”!. Yeah, whatever! Don’t worry about MY security, thank you. And if it were threatened, be sure that the threat is not coming from ME!
I’m mad at this system, but more at terrorists or whatever we can call them! Why do I have to pay for the mistakes of others?! And since when destruction was a way to change things, except if they will change for the worse.
Anyway if anything can be confirmed now, it must be the fact that writing can help you feel better sometimes. I’m still in that airport and am not looking forward to another double check during the remaining flights I have over the coming few days. But still. It took me a colossal effort to hide my anger. Tip number one: avoid eye contact as much as you can after being double checked, because you’ll have to show that you are calm and YOU ARE NOT! Tip number two, don’t talk about it with another suspect after the screening; it will only magnify the feeling of injustice you have. Tip number three: WRITE about it if you can.
OK, boarding will start in a few seconds, so I have to go. Oh and just for the record: I’m NOT a terrorist!
A father drying his tears of joy; a mother’s gaze overflowing with tenderness and pride; The bitter-sweet separation that one day has to come. Then smiles illuminating the place. A young lady with a graceful lowered gaze, a serenely happy young man… and an oath to love and cherish each other for the rest of their lives.
A joy which, at moments turns into tears, and others turns into laughter… or simply translates into eloquent sparkles in the eyes. Blessings and tight hugs of congratulations; ornamented landscapes, glittering colors, flowers and golden threads promising a bright future for the bride and groom.
Jenney and Amit, you made me realize that Bollywood movies are not just movies :)
You were real stars on your wedding days…
All my wishes of a long, happy life!!!
Badhai Ho! बधाई हो !
Mabrook! مبروك
Congratulations Félicitations
It’s cold and white all over the place, and it’s been rather gray within me this last couple of days. So I’m happy that before I got into this colorless mood, I had booked a ticket to the concert of Japanese pianist and composer Keiko Matsui.
Tonight, Matsui performed at MSU’s Wharton Center for Performing Arts, and wowed all those present with her talent. She was accompanied by two drummers, one saxophonist, and one guitarist, all Americans, and one other Japanese guitarist.
In two words, she just made me think how amazing it is that just 7 music notes could combine and give such beautiful performances.
This performance has been a beautiful haven for me tonight… please enjoy…
Kappa
Forever, Forever
During her concert at MSU , Keiko Matsui shared the story behind this music track called "Forever, Forever". "One day," she said, "my little daughter told me "Mom, I love you forever, forever". (She precised that the girlie said that in Japanese of course;)))). "I was amazed how my little daughter knew the meaning of forever and said she would love me forever, and thought of writing a song, and this melody came to me."
Just a few hours are left before the name of the new president of the world United States is announced. I might be lucky to be in the US during such a decisive moment of it history, although I know that I am unable to see the complete image, being a current resident of Michigan, a state known for its Democratic inclinations.
This image though has been a bit nuanced by the fact that, in Michigan, there are some fervent supporters of the Republican Party like those who lifted signs supporting McCain on the day of Obama’s speech here at MSU. But there are also a few encounters I made recently that made me see things from a different perspective.
Some of these people I am talking about are Americans, and some are foreigners, including some of Middle Eastern descent. What they believe is that the Republican policy is what is needed in the Middle East. It’s not that they are happy with the situation there, but that, according to them, the problem with Democrats is that they are “flexible”, and that solving some problems, like the Syrian presence is Lebanon and Saddam’s rule (both of which ended during Bush’s presidency) need “firm actions”, like those the Republicans, rather than the Democrats, are able to take.
On the other hand, other people from Middle Eastern origins and even some Americans still think that no matter what problems any country might have, the solution should come from the inside, and that the contribution of foreign countries, including influential ones like the United States of America, should take the shape of diplomatic efforts rather than military action, which only creates more violence and hatred.
In all cases, none of the two candidates can be said to be the absolutely perfect solution for the challenges facing US internal affairs and foreign policy, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed for Obama though, the candidate I personally think is more likely to make the right decisions...
In about 24 hours, a new four-year era will start, and the world will have to deal with it no matter who the new president is.
Meanwhile, have fun watching the Homer Simpson trying to exercise his right to vote :)
L’écrivain Driss Kisikes, le metteur en scène Jaouad Essounani et la troupe Dabateatr nous invitent à découvrir la nouvelle pièce: « Il/Houwa ».Yup, I made it!! My Integrated Campaigns class was cancelled on Thursday so that we all manage to attend Obama’s speech at MSU’s Adams Field. The event was huge and thousands of people started lining up as early as 8:30 am, while the speech was due to start at 2:30 pm!!
Because of an earlier class and a workshop, I joined the line at 1:30 pm… and reached the gate half an hour later… and I, it goes without saying, was not the last one in line. Just a few minutes after I joined, hundreds were behind me.
After security check, I and my friends from Kazakhstan and Taiwan entered the field, and got that feeling of being lost in an ocean of people. Later I read in the newspaper that the number of students and local residents who gathered there was estimated at 20,000! So this explains why all we could see when we got there was… the backs of the people in front of us… and the heads of those in front of them at the best of cases.
Honestly we played unfair a little bit and started sneaking a few meters ahead… as long as people were not reacting negatively, we kept moving ahead: D After losing our Taiwanese friend in the crowd, I and the Kazakh student reached a place from where we still could see only backs and heads… but where my beloved camera, when lifted very high and zoomed, could catch the speaker’s place :D So when Obama was finally on stage, we spend most of the time watching him on the screen of my camera :D:D:D
I cannot tell you how loud and passionate the crowd was when Obama showed on stage. You would think that all MSU and the surrounding area are only made up of Democrats. But that’s not a hundred percent true. There must be people who came there just out of curiosity, others who, like me and my friends, can’t even vote but came to be part of the event, and those who are in fact Republicans, and were there to know what McCain’s opponent had to say. Talking about these, it was fun to see that at the entry of the field, some McCain supporters had lined up lifting signs supporting their candidate... although, ironically, McCain’s campaign officials declared late Thursday that he has given up on Michigan State!!
Now what was the speech about? It was mainly about economy. This issue addressed the residents’ main concern given the current economic crisis in the US and the whole world, and more than that, given that Michigan is one of the states that cannot boast a strong economy. (This state has the highest unemployment rate in the US: 8.9%).
Obama also presented some broad lines of his agenda: Fixing the deficient health care system, creating new jobs, developing the quality of education, AND a point which perfectly matches the spirit of our green university: investing millions of dollars to develop sustainable energy (wind, solar…) AND … ladies and gentlemen: end the US dependence on foreign oil. Even if these two last points were the only things Obama would achieve during his mandate, I would pray day and night for him to be president of the USA, because this would avoid a lot of calamities around the world.
Anyway, I don’t know what would be the impression I get if I attended a similar speech given by McCain. (Hmmmm although I’ve got an idea about that when I watched his September 26 debate with Obama…). But what I can say for sure is that Obama is definitely a good speaker… and seems to be a serious, hardworking person… that is if enough Americans trust him next November and give him the chance to prove it!
The color of my tea this morning was not echoed by brownish Moroccan crepes and cookies. Instead, I have had some colorful M&Ms and guess what... Sushi for this Eid :)
I have enjoyed my special meal today... keeping in the back of my mind the sweet vision of a warm Moroccan cup of tea, lighted by the smiles of those I love...
Eid mubarak said :)
