Arrival of a new baby in Palestine

Don't you just love when a friend or family member brings home a new baby... the joy is everywhere and you want to be apart of it.

As it is in almost every family in the world, the arrival of a new born baby is a huge fuss. The parents are thrilled, the family is overwhelmed with this new presence added to their ensemble (not forgetting the friends, neighbors, coworkers and everybody else there to mark the happy event). 

Traditionally in Palestine when the baby is born, the immediate close family for instance, the baby's grandparents, uncles, aunts and siblings visit the new mommy and daddy laden with gifts at the hospital; generally some kind of fancy chocolate or juice. Nowadays flowers are also becoming more popular choice in certain circles.

After arriving to the hospital there are the usual formalities and questions: Welcome to the family, Alhamdollah Ala Alsalameh (Thank God for your safety) What did you name the baby? How much does he/she weigh? Why did you decide to give them that name? Whose idea was it to name him or her that? Are they breast feeding well? Are you eating and drinking well? And finally;When are you guys coming home?  It is always expected that the new parents answer all these questions for every addition to the visit. 

These social, traditional and friendly visits continue well beyond the arrival home from hospital. Gifts continue differently though depending on the closeness of the person status in the family; an aunt or uncle brings an expensive gift  cost of a minimum of 200 NIS which is equivalent 60$ to  which can be clothes, a warm winter quilt, a piece of gold or a golden necklace. Visit for an hour or two more with the questions, stories and expectations for the future of the child. The family hold the child for a while enjoying soft drinks, sweets, fruit and any other serving the family offers.

More to come with this post .....

DIY Christmas cards

For those who visited Palestine especially Bethlehem during December would surely know how beautiful Bethlehem gets with the Holidays around the corner. Lights, trees, ornaments, wreaths, gifts and so many Santa Clauses dancing around handing sweets to children in moving cars.

If you have not, then you are missing out on major events that will guarantee you a full load of  album pictures on Facebook, Flicker or any other social network you like to use to show off your trips and experiences which is a shame if you are like me, a huge Christmas fan.

So preparing for the Holidays I started with my small Christmas tree, sadly not a DIY but a bought one. But inspiration hit to make up for lost time uninspired doing nothing. I started making my own Christmas cards, which were so easy and beautiful to make and had everyone in my family fall in Love with them.

So here is what you need:

1. Stick of glue (I used UHU) 
2. Scissors (I used two different shapes) 
3. Pencil
4. Eraser
5. Glitter glue (any color you like)
6. A4 colored card stock
7. A4 White paper

The Method: 

• Start with a general idea of different Christmas Themes you want to use, such as Reindeer, Christmas trees, lights, snow or whatever you may like. 
• Fold an A4 Card Stock in Half, and go ahead do the same for all of them at the same time in order to prepare
• Start drawing and sketching the lines you need to use 
• Fill it in with color or glitter (but be careful, if you use a cheap quality kind it may not fill correctly. or if you use a dense one that might clot and spill everywhere when you push) 
• Let dry on a flat surface

Remember if you have kids or you are like me an aunt for 12 kids get them involved,  you would be hitting two birds in one stone; having fun and creating a Christmas cheer and making family cards.

Merry Christmas

*I will be adding pictures soon after, I need ti edit them a bit

خطوات سهلة لتنظيف جميع زجاجاتكم

انا احب اكتشاف الامور الجديدة وتجربة الوصفات والخلطات التي لا اعرفها وعمل العديد من المنتجات اللذيذة و الصحية في البيت كالزبدة والجبنة واللبنة والبندورة المجففة و غيرها، وخلال بعض هذه العمليات استخدم زجاجات (قناني زجاجية) لحفظ الحليب و اللبن الى حين انتهاء الكمية. وكل هذه كانت العملية السهلة بالنسبة لي وكان الامر الاصعب هو تنظيف الزجاجات المتنوعة الاحجام و الاشكال بسرعة وسهولة وبافضل شكل، ولكن الصعوبة الاكبر هي في زجاجات الحليب حيث كان يبقى القليل من الحليب على جدران الزجاجة ولم استطع تنظيفه الى ان اكتشفت هذه الطريقة المذهلة والسريعة، اليكم الخطوات والمواد التي تحتاجونها 

احتياجات
ملعقة رز (غير مطبوخ والنوع غير مهم) ضعوها جانبا
القليل من صابون الجلي المتوفر لديكم
الزجاجة المتسخة
ماء للغسيل

الخطوات اغسلوا الزجاجة بالقليل من الماء  وصابون الجلي (بامكانكم نقعها مسبقا بالقليل من الماء الساخن والصابون) اذا احتجتم تكرار العملية بامكانكم ذلك
ضعوا معلقة من الرز وابقوها في المعلقة
ضعوا القليل من صابون الجلي على الرز ليكون نوع من الغراء فهو سيغلف كل من حبات الرز
صبوا الصابون و الرز في الزجاجة
ضعوا القليل من الماء بما يكفي لثلث الزجاجة
احكموا اغلاق الزجاجة بغطائها ان توفر او بيدكم
خضوا الزجاجة في جميع الاتجاهات وبشكل دائري تى يتم تنظيفها باكمله
اشطفوها بالماء
اعيدوا العملية اذا تطلب الامر

انا الان انظف جميع زجاجاتي بهذه الطريقة ولم اعد استخدم الليفة او عصا الزجاجات وهي سريعة وسهلة ورخيصة الثمن ، ارجو ان تكون هذه المقالة الصغيرة افادتكم

Freedom of Movement for Palestinian Journalists

This is the link created today for the campaign to help collect 1 million signatures from around the world to help the Palestinian Journalists get their right of movement and travel back.

For more detail or signing the petition, please click on the link. (or copy the URL to a search engine)
http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/Freedom_of_Movement_for_Palestinian_Journalists/?cfLogfb

I am the Gulabi Gang

When I smacked a guy across the face for trying to grab me and harass me on the street today, I made his lip bleed. I didn't know I aimed that hard or that I had it in me in such early hour of the morning. I didn't know why I didn't just give him the stare or yell at him. Maybe it was because I was sleep/Caffeine/ Nicotine/Sugar deprived. But at that moment, it was the right thing to do.

As I walked the streets of Ramallah and watched how men stare at women's asses like a rapist would stare at his victim before he violated her, and hear through their remarks clearly how they think themselves superior and free of any prosecution or blame or shame, I think to myself that this society's values have all become shallow concepts that go down the drain at the sight of the nearest female.

But now I realize, it wasn't me, Amanda, slapping a certain in individual across the face, but rather every woman who took control of her life and her reality and defended herself slapping misogyny, patriarchy, and sexism right across the face, screaming with the top of my lungs in down-town anywhere.

I could be in jail right now for assault.I know the cop standing 5 meters down the road saw me, but I couldn't care less. I know what I did was right. I now know that every man on that street will think twice today before thinking he owns the street or had the right to harass someone on the street.

I am the Gulabi Gang. I am Feminism at its finest. Men everywhere, beware. Hell hath no fury like a woman empowered.

By: Amanda
 

Chocolate chip coffee cake

Hello everyone

This week my boyfriend came for a visit and reminded me that I owe him a cake and a dance, this promise came after he surprised me with a Mixer which I was always wishing for to help cooking and baking thus I complied and decided to surprise him with my own recipe with a cake he likes using my wonder mixer.

So here is what you need:
Ingredients:
2 cups of all purpose flour
1 stick of butter softened
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon of soda
1 tablespoon of cinnamon
2 tablespoons of instant coffee
1 tablespoon nutmeg
2 eggs
1 1\2 cups of yogurt
1 1\2 cups of white sugar
1 cup of chocolate chip ( I used white ones)
1 tablespoon of vanilla extract

 Instructions:
1.combine together in a bowl the flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, soda, coffee.
2.in the mixer or manually blend together the butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla.
3. slowly add some yogurt then a little at a time of the dry ingredients until it's all mixed well.
4. to make sure it's ready, use the manual mixer or a spoon to make an 8 shape on the surface of the mix, if it stays for a few seconds then it's ready.
5. fold in the chocolate chip
6. grease a pan with some butter and sprinkled with some flour making a layer so the cake won't stick
7. pour in the mixture and bake for 50 minutes in preheated over  to 170-175 degrees.

remember to enjoy it with someone you love, I did...

Making Okra aka Bamia

Learning how to cook didn't come naturally to me as it did for my sister and mother, who both are quick, know it all cooks. It took me some time and I kind of still didn't get the hang of things yet. Through my journey hoping to reach independence in every way; I decided to learn how to cook one of my favorite dishes... Okra and chicken breast stew. 

For starters a little info on the dish. Its origin is not exactly known or marked though the Mediterranean countries have it in their cuisine especially the great Syria area whose people cook it a lot and almost the same. 

Usually it's made with lamb but I prefer it with chicken breast. 

Ingredients:
you will need: 

2 small 
cups chicken stock (you can use 2 cubes Maggy)
salt and pepper (as desired)
2 skinless, boneless, chicken breast halves ( cut into 3 cm pieces)
2 cloves of garlic 
3 table spoon of cooking oil 
1 big onion 
6 big ripe tomatoes (you can use also 2/3 table spoons tomato paste/ puree)
1 kilo frozen or fresh Okra
1 leaf of Bay Laurel
2 tea spoons chicken spice
2 tea spoons all spice mix
2 -3 cups of oil 

Note on Okra: if you are using frozen okra then you don't need to do anything to prepare it but if you are using fresh okra then when cleaning and cutting; make sure you don't cut the okra open, keep it closed so you don't see the seeds. If you do cut some like that it's ok but not all or mot of them or else you will fine yourself with gooey slimy stew. 

Directions: 

1. Heat the oil in a big pot and saute the okra in it for a about 5 minutes which will give texture preventing it from becoming gooey. 
2. heat oil and saute the onion and garlic adding the pepper, mixed spice, chicken spice, and Bay Laurel.
2. Add chicken and saute until no longer pink. 
3. add the fried okra and chicken stock to the pot and stir occasionally. 
4. cut tomatoes and blend them roughly, add to pot, add salt. 
5. let them cook for about 20- 30 m, stir occasionally until tender and chicken is well cooked. 

serve hot with a side dish of white rice and yogurt on the side, or with some fresh bread. 
here are some pictures to help 

                                                            frying the okra a little

                                                           cooking everything together 

Bon Appetite    

         

عشرة اشياء بسيطة تستطيع تقديمها لأمك في اذار

كل منا يجد طريقته الخاصة في التعبير عن امتنانه وحبه لامه، البعض يشتري الورد كل فترة او يقضي كل يوم جمعة مع العائلة، ونجد 

اخرين يشربون قهوة الصباح كل يوم مع والدتهم ويستمتعوا بالاحاديث الصغيرة الغريبة عن الجيران وأطفال العائلة وتفاصيل من تزوج ومن تطلق و من اصبح عمره ثلاثين و ينتظر حبيبة القلب المستقبلية لتظهر (وطبعا الام تقصد ابنها الجالس امامها او ابنتها المتخرجة الجديدة). وعلى الرغم من اختلافاتنا في التعبير عن مشاعرنا سوءا كانت بأفعال واضحة واعية او لا واعية خلال السنة ، فاننا لا نستطيع نسيان او تجاهل عيد الام المحتفل به في ذات التاريخ حول العالم، 21/3. لذلك وجدت نفسي في اول اسبوع من الشهر افكر في اشياء بسيطة لاقدمها لامي وخرجت ببعض الافكار التي قد تفيدكم وتساعد هؤلاء منكم الذين لا يعرفون ما العمل او يبحثون عن افكار جديدة 

هذه لائحة بسيطة من 10 اشياء تستطيعون عملها خلال الشهر لكي تسعدوا امهاتكم وتخففوا عليهن قلق الام على ابنائها وبناتها

 اتصلو بها 

كل ما عليكم عمله هو الاتصال بها، خذوا بعض من الوقت خلال اليوم و الذي قد لا يتعدى 5 دقائق -مع ادراكي كليا انه يعتمد على مدى حب الام للكلام كأمي مثلا- لتفقد احوالها وقول كلمة اشتقتلك

قدموا بضعة ورود

هذا قد يكلفكم القليل من الماء والقليل من الوقت لشراء الورود، او قد تلتقطون بعض الورد الطبيعية او البرية بأنفسكم كمان أحب أن أفعل أنا من اجل امي وهي طريقة لطيفة وبسيطة لكي اظهر لها مدى استثماري من وقتي لاجل تقديم شيء بسيط لها

كوب من الشاي

انا شخصيا افضل تقديم كوب من الشاي الاخضر لانه مهدئ رائع للاعصاب ورائحته جميلة وخفيف على المعدة ،امي تحب الطريقة التي اعده لها، والوصفة هي ملعقة صغيرة من العسل وشرحة ليمون والقليل من الشاي الاخضر مع الماء الساخن..ولا تنسوا اضافة القليل من الحب خلال التقديم

بطاقة معايدة

اشتروا او اصنعوا بطاقة معايدة بسيطة وارسلوها لأمكم بالبريد في حال كانت بعيدة عنكم او ضعوها على طاولة في غرفتها او سريرها او في مكان مرتفع وواضح لكي تستطيع ايجادها بعد ان تصحوا ، قبل النوم او بعد عودتها من العمل او السوق

طاولة سفرة جميلة وغداء صحي

أعلم اننا كلنا نحب طبخ واعداد امنا للطعام ولكن هي ايضا تحب ان تصل البيت لتجد سفرة طعام جاهزة معدة مسبقا كما تحب وعليها وجبتها المفضلة، لذلك اذا استطعتم عمل ذلك لوحدكم فانه رائع ولكن اذا وجدتوا انكم لا تملكون موهبة الطبخ فاطلبوا مساعدة صديق لديه هذه المعرفة او استعينوا باخوتكم و في حال فشلت كل هذه الاقتراحات اتصلوا بمطعمها المفضل واطلبوا طلبية الى البيت وكل ما عليكم عمله هو تحضير الطاولة 

طعم انفلونزا

باستطاعتكم التوجه لأي صيدلية توفر طعن الانفلونزا لكي تأخذوه في بداية فصل الشتاء حتى توفروا على أنفسكم القليل من الفيروسات والكتير من تعب وتوفروا على امكم شقى وقلق وارهاق الاعتناء بكم او الخوف عليكم - امي شخصيا تطلب مني التطعيم كل سنة و 

لكني انسى او اتجاهل-  ضعوا انفسكم في موقعها واشعروا بقلقها عندما يغلبكم المرض 

زيارة صغيرة 

الحياة اليومية لكل منا قد تشغله عن اهم الناس في حياته وخاصة اذا لم نعش في نفس المدينة التي يتواجد فيها اهلنا، لذلك قوموا بعمل زيارة صغيرة كمفاجأة لها في نهاية الاسبوع او بعد يوم عمل طويل فرؤيتها وابتسامتها عند لقائكم ستحسن يومكم وترفع معنوياتكم وتذكركم بحبكم لبعضكم البعض وعلاقتكم الحميمة

قليل من المعلومات 

كيفك؟ شو اخبارك؟ كيف صحابك؟ بتحضر المحاضرات؟ بتاكل منيح؟ في حد جديد في حياتك؟ نجد ان امهاتنا تتشابه حول العالم وتختلف فقد تاتي الامهات من خلفيات تعليمية وثقافية ودينية مختلفة الا انهن جميعا يردن التعرف على حياة ابنائهن وبناتهن سواء خلال الحياة الدراسية او خلال حياة العمل والاستقلالية او بعد الزواج وتكوين العائلة،  لذلك قدموا بعض المعلومات الحقيقية وايجابات فعلية لعل الام تطمأن بدل الايجابات التقليدية انا بخير وكل شي على ما يرام

مساج و تدليك

التوتر والقلق يظهران في عضلات الظهر والاكتاف بشكل فظيع ومؤلم معظم الوقت وبما ان الامهات قلقات طول الوقت فان اكتافهن مليئة بالعضلات المشدودة والمتوترة وافضل الطرق المباشرة لتخفيف ذلك بالتدليك الخفيف او المساج في حال استطعتوا القيام بذلك. عادة ما استهخدم القليل من زيت الزيتون والليون او زيت الياسمين للتدليك لانه غني بالرائحة الجميلة ولطيف على الجلدو الملمس ويساعد في التدليك

جرعة حب يومية 

وطبعا من حق امهاتنا جرعة حب يومية حتى لو صغيرة متمثلة في كلمة واحدة فقط او في رسالة صغيرة او ايميل بسيط. تذكروا بأن كل شخص بحاجة لجرعة حب صغيرة كل يوم

Over the Shoulder Palestinian

Hand made by Um Omar, a Palestinian woman from Ramallah
Photo by: Quds Manasra

Embroidered clutch bag

Hand made by Palestinian women in Ramallah ...which is also available in many colors

Red little Palestinian details

Hand made embroidery by Um Omar 

Spikes and barbwire vs. arrows and Kung Fu

As a woman in a Palestinian traditional society we are brought up to handle hard ache, hard work,suffering, lost, and agony caused by occupation, men and family. From the moment we are born expectations fall upon us to be resilient, smart, passionate, strong, patriotic, sexy, well behaved,and above all being good mothers.

Along the way through all the stages of growing up from infancy to adulthood we as any other human go through ordeals, difficulties and situations that shapes us in ways we are unaware of most of the time; guiding us to a certain behavior that later on becomes a habit an action that defines us to others. As all creatures on this planet the most important instinct that we are born with is (survival) no matter what, which we later on through playing with our friends in the park or kindergarten, school or at work let go of and stop paying full attention to our surroundings to keep ourselves from harms ways.

Of course we never give up this instinct unless forced by a higher power ranked person, society or situation which usually comes attached with a desired man involved in love, marriage, arguing over limits of a relationship, and many many more situation were women choose to let go of that hunch, that little voice inside them saying: "No... something is wrong here. don't do that don't trust him" and instead follow their insecurities and compromises which clearly loudly state reminding the woman that she needs to put her guns down and trust that person and let go!

However after a while when the men show their claws and spikes while imposing power and control over their partner's lives, freedom, or rights; the survival instinct fails them. Especially if it was her first time, believe me I know which leaves the woman fragile, bruised, broken, hurt and shocked. Until she stands on her feet again deciding this time that she has learned her lesson ,that she is going to use her weapons too to survive a society that abuses and uses her in every way possible leaving her to be judged and poked the moment she falls. This time the voice is louder, stronger, angrier calling for full forces armed with walls ,cameras, spikes, guns, lights, and barbwire so no one can hurt her like that again. 

It works perfectly this time... "no one can get close, no one can hurt me". Until realizing that everyone who wanted to get close whether good or bad was poked by her, was spiked. And now people are afraid to come anywhere near this fortress, which only pushes the women to become more aggressive, powerful, defensive and emotional trying to justify the need for this instinct. 

Here in Palestine I learned that I don't need my walls or guns, but I need some Kong Fu and a few arrows, this way I let people in close enough to get to know them, to allow them the benefit of the doubt but when the first smell of attach, I take a step back and shoot my arrow, not to kill but to wound warning the person across from me saying: " I know what you can do, what you might to... But I am here, strong and in no need for you... you can't hurt me and if you do I will respond... so for your sake... BACK OFF"