Yoga, lunch, music, dance, blackberries, beach, and rain

Saturday July 28, 2012

We came across a beautiful bride who got stuck by rain. Later they got her an umbrella and she rushed away. 

                     

• As the ferry landed at the Massachusetts Bay Lines dock, my Turkish friend and I rushed through out the crowd trying to get into a nearby shelter from the falling heavy drops of rain. We were coming back from Spectacle Island where we had lunch on professor Bruce's house-boat, "Verandah" and walked along the whole beach of the Island. We had blackberries we picked from the trees on the Island and we enjoyed watching people dance on the music played by the band professor Bruce hired to entertain people who came to spend the weekend on such a beautiful Island that once upon time used to be a trash dump. 

• Our trip started at 10:30 a.m. as we got on the train towards Long Wharf. In the middle of our trip, the train driver announced that we had to move into another train since the train we were on had a problem. The system here always surprises me. They are so quick in fixing things and finding other alternatives to keep the wheel moving. In Yemen, it takes forever to fix a thing. That's why Yemenis are so patient that they resign to the tough conditions of living. Anyway, as we arrived to the dock, we got our tickets and boarded on the boat. I got used to sailing without getting seasick. My first trip on a boat to Cape Cod was a disaster but after that trip, I enjoyed all my other trips on the sea. Once we got our feet on Spectacle Island, we took some pictures and started searching for fun. People were all around: some on the beach, others on their boats, and many other visitors were just walking up the drumlin summit. 

My friend after the Yoga class

It was such a wonderful weather. We joined people who were practicing Yoga. To tell the truth, I never thought Yoga is that difficult. It really needs a lot of effort to perform those slow motion postures. Well, it was a great experience, though. After Yoga, the Island seemed to be more lively. People started dancing on the rhythm of the music playing by the band on the boat. Those people really know how to have fun. We also dance, but only men would dance in public. As for women in my country, they show their talent in wedding parties before other women. Dancing, singing, and even drawing are considered to be forbidden by some Islamist clergies especially when they are done by a woman. They say God is beauty and he loves beauty. Nonetheless, they say these forms of art are forbidden. They must have Schizophrenia, I guess.  I guess those clergies would say enjoying watching people dancing is forbidden as well. Well, I committed a sin and enjoyed the show. 

Tt's lunch time. Thanks God we're invited for lunch on Verandah. That would save us some green papers. Thanks to Professor Bruce for the delicious food he prepared. Wait, I thought he would offer some fresh fish but we got chicken and beef instead. The food was so tasty that I forgot all about the thought of fresh fish. Living in a house boat seems to be interesting. I love nature. The sea always haunts me with its endless wavy blue carpet. It's another world that's hiding a lot deep inside. 

Those people never get tired of dancing. We stopped for a while before having our walk all around the Island. We came across some trees of blackberries. My friend picked us some. They were very tasty. She made me a necklace from some pinned leaves. That reminded me of the old days when I used to go to my village and pick up flowers from the mountains. I would make necklaces and bracelets with those flowers for my cousins and I. Those were the days. 

It's just amazing to sit and look

As we came to the other side of the Island, people had started moving to the dock and getting ready to board on the boats. We were supposed to wait until the 6 o'clock ferry, but luckily professor Bruce could get us on another that was just leaving. As we got on board, it started raining. It was cool. The day was coming to an end and the people looked so happy. We knew that we are going to get wet since we didn't bring our umbrellas. Yet, it wasn't a big deal. We rushed into the crowd of people and made our way to the train station but as we did, we came across a beautiful bride who got  stuck by the rain. Later they got her an umbrella and she rushed away. I couldn't miss shooting her with my camera while she did so. That was something so beautiful to end the day with.  To see a bride is definitely much better than coming across, let say, a crow. As we got to the train station I noticed a man playing music and in front of him there was a box and a poster says: "GREECE BAILOUT FUND". That was so funny at least to me and something worthy to shoot. When we arrived home, we were wet, tired and happy. 

" Spectacle Island: From a Trash Dump to a National Treasure



"It's trash!" I said while watching professor Bruce discussing with his students about the 

artifacts they've found on the Beach of Spectacle Island. He was calling these artifacts “TREASURE”. 
I think the word “trash” got him mad because he seriously looked me in the eye and made it aloud enough to hear every single syllable of the four English words he uttered.
“IT IS A TREASURE.”



In a couple of minutes, he gave me a lecture on how this Island become a national park and how many decades it took for these seaglass and artificats to become a national treasure. A treasure that's meant for decorating Spectacle Island Beach and for visitors to enjoy while on land. I came to know you cannot take any piece with you home. 

One cannot believe that such a beautiful Island used to be a trash dump. Once determination set, man can bring life back to nature. I have seen many beautiful things on this Island. I’ve even tasted the wild blackberries growing on its drumlin summit. They were very delicious. “How could an Island that was covered and built up by dirt produce such tasty blackberries?” I thought. 



Very tasty

I found many artifacts and interesting seaglass. Unfortunately, I wasn’t lucky enough to get a blue marble. Yet, what I learnt about this Island was much valued to me. To set one’s goals and find out what is the best way to implement the ideas into actions. One can learn from others and try to figure out other ways on other lands that can bring back life to people and nature. I found the spirits of people who had a mission to make a difference walking along with me on the Spectacle Island beach and whispering into my ear, “God is beauty and He loves beauty.”



--Arwa"

Tap Water

THURSDAY, JULY 5, 2012

     When I arrived at Boston Airport on August 22^nd, 2011, I had no idea what Boston would offer me. All I wanted was to travel and get out from Yemen for a while. I hated it. I hated the way I led my life back home. I hated the poverty I see on its streets and homes. I hated the way men treat women. I hated the way parents treat kids. I hated my job and my employer. I hated my self and as a result I felt depressed and had doubts about everything around me. I could see no purpose to continue living and there were moments when I would think of those who committed suicide and try to put myself in their shoes. They must be strong enough to do it. I couldn’t. I was too weak to take my life away. It wasn’t due to the fear of what Islamists say about the sever torturing that would await for the one who commits a suicide rather it was my eagerness to lead a happy life while I’m still alive. Were my friend and cousin right about the decision they made? Were they too depressed to see the light of hope in their life? Was committing suicide the only option they had in order to get rid of their misery? What if they could’ve survived? Would that have made a difference and washed their misery away?

     Realizing the truth that death is my ultimate end, I chose to live. I chose to live my life with whatever packages fate brings me or takes away from me. I stopped thinking about my situation and tried to dismiss all my fears away. I started to think about the things I really want to do during my short stay in this life and do whatever it takes to achieve them. I wanted to go to USA and see how life is over there. Traveling abroad is considered to be a difficult issue for a Yemeni single woman due to cultural constrains. Traveling to USA is even more difficult due to the vast gap between its world and the Yemeni world. There were moments I doubted my ability to make it to USA but I never gave it up.

     Here I am in my apartment  in Boston typing this memo on my Mac, a lap top I dreamt of having it but never thought I would someday have it, and yes it has been more than ten months for my stay here studying at BU, meeting people from different parts of the world, taking courses I never thought I would take, and drinking water from the tap. An American friend who spent sometime in Yemen once told me he missed drinking from the tap. I was surprised to hear that.  I never thought that the tap water can be clean and safe to drink whether in Yemen or in any other country. He assured me it is clean and safe there in the United States and I wouldn’t fall sick if I drank it.

“I also want to drink water from the tap.” I said.

“Well, then come to the United States and you will”, He said.

     Now being here, every time I turn on the tap and drink water, I remember his talk about the tap water, and I feel the bliss the US citizens have. I wish I could bring such taps to my people.

There are a lot of things here people take for granted. Things people in Yemen are deprived from. For instance, water, power, parks and a public library where one can find new and old books to read and write a thesis.

     Words here signify their meaning. Clean means clean. Art reflects art in all its beautiful forms. Freedom has a taste; a sweet taste. In Yemen, words are arbitrary. They miss their meanings. “Clean” comes in ranks. “Art” has limitations. “Freedom” has a bitter taste if it actually exists.

     I still love this poor country. I am ready to give up my life, money and everything I have just to draw the smile back on her face. I hate this black cloak wrapped around her beauty. I hate these foreign shackles that restrict the motion of her harbors. I hate these foreign drillers digging deep in her womb. I hate seeing her bleeding in south and north. I hate seeing her own children slaughtering one another. I see her falling down; exhausted of all the stabs she has been receiving. She’s dragging me along with her into the dark hole of loss, but I resist. I have to resist. I hold a hand to the rope of faith and hope and with the other I try to drag her out of that hole of darkness. Between the rope and the hole my feet stand on a marsh of retard.  I feel them sinking as the social traditions, tribal notions, ignorance, and hatred draw them down. I still resist. 

The Direction Water Drains: Mythology vs. Science

Here we go on the journey of learning and seeking justification for why things happen the way they do in our life. The mind seems to be designed to question what, why, and how whose answers whether based on blind faith or scientific facts usually bring some kind of relief to the disturbed mind.

I’m Arwa from Yemen. I am here in Boston on a scholarship: a one-year non-degree Humphrey fellowship program. My Humphrey year is coming to its end by the end of this month and this class might be the last one to take at BU. Although I like questioning anything around me, I never thought of how the water drains and whether it swirls the same way all over the world’s toilets and sinks or it goes the other way around.

Based on the observation the class team made, we agreed it drains clockwise. I’ve always thought it must be so. It feels natural to follow the routine and most of the spinning images my mind has been recorded tell it is a clockwise motion.

Yet, when searching about how water drains in Australia’s toilets and sinks, different answers and views have been displayed on my computer’s screen. The Coriolis effect doesn’t seem to be a good explanation for controlling the direction of the swirl. Moreover, the online search about whether it drains clockwise or counter-clockwise in Australia doesn’t seem to get consistent answers.

I believe in God, but I also believe in the physics laws. One of the most interesting laws I studied when I was at the primary stage in school is the one that states, “For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.” I was impressed by Newton's observation skills. Through keen observation, scientists like him could understand the way how some laws of nature work. This understanding gives human beings the advantage to use those laws for their own benefit. 


Back to the water draining issue. Well, I tried to observe the drain process again in my place. I thought of the kitchen sink since its tap can be tilted. This will give me the opportunity to see if the posture of the tap would make any difference regarding the way the water drains. The first attempt got me confused as it neither went clockwise nor counter-clockwise. It just went straight into the hole! I guess this happened because the way I stuffed the hole with a sponge or perhaps the way I pulled it off. The other attempt showed the clockwise motion, though. This made me think about the video I watch of a man showing people how the water drains differently according to the location he applies the experiment at. There must be a trick or at least a scientific explanation for that. Anyway, I am getting more confused when I glanced at some blogs of my classmates and found that they say their observation recorded a counter-clockwise motion. There must be something wrong either with them or with me.  My Ego tended to believe they're the wrong ones.