Wednesday, May 30, 2007

US hits Sudan with new "severe" sanctions!

Before you read the article please keep in mind : Sudan is already under US sanctions.
The US imposed sanctions on Sudan long time ago and we've learned to live without the world's superpower. It took us a while but we finally found a good friend, ally and business partner...the Asian Dragon.


http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-05-29-sanction-sudan_N.htm?csp=34

My fav quote EVEEEEER!

This is my favorite quote for the week...NO!..month...its my favorite quote EVER!'
It's soo true and I can think of mannnnnny examples!



When women are depressed, they either eat or go shopping. Men invade another country. It's a whole different way of thinking. --Elaine Boosler

Saturday, May 26, 2007

Identity Crises (Part 3) - The Anger

Changing Identities

I'm walking around in Europe with my family during our summer vacation and an "Arab" man is walking next to us. When he noticed that we are speaking in Arabic, he turned to us and asked my dad for financial help. He said that we are all Arabs and we should help each other. This time I was an "Arab". Just an Arab.

I'm walking around in the United Arab Emirates with some friends and a bunch of local kids are walking behind us. As soon as they hear our accent (keep in mind sudanese arabic is close to the gulf arabic), they start pointing at us and making fun of us. They call us "Negros" , ugly "blacks" and poor "Africans". They made sure we hear every single word. Ofcourse.
This time I was an "African" . Just an African.

I'm walking around in Cairo with a friend of mine. Our Arab media class just finished and we were walking to the other campus. We were discussing my identity. I referred to myself as an Arabized African but he disagreed. He said I'm an Arab. We tried to compromise a bit and decided to use the term "Afro-Arabian" or "Afro-Arab" .
This time I was an "Afro-Arab". Just an Afro-Arab.

ok...I have an identity crises but I dont want you to solve it. I want to figure it out on my own.

Please
-Stop labelling me and classifying me the way you want me to be.
- Stop giving me false constantly-changing identities.

JUST Let Me Be Let Me Be Let Me Be Let Me Be Let Me Be

Sunday, May 20, 2007

Graduation

I was teaching refugees at university this semester. It was part of the STAR(Student Action For Refugees) program.
My class (Low Beginner class) graduated last night.

Not only did I feel proud because I felt that I've taught them something useful but I was helping my own people too-most of them were Sudanese

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Poetry

If you set out on your journey to seek
the treasure of the island of Ithaca,
take your time, walk slowly.

if you see a beautiful woman
stop, fall in love with her.

As you walk to beautiful landscape,
sit down and enjoy the view, the silence.

Then when you reac Ithaca,
if you don't find the treasure,
don't get discouraged,

Your journey is the treasure.

by: Konstantinos Kavalis(1911)

Saturday, May 12, 2007

This is reallllly weird!

Check this out..

http://omdurman.org/
no, it's not a website about Sudan or a forum for young omdurmani's.

Friday, May 11, 2007

Pictures of Sudan (Chapter 3) Life in Sudan

1- Our very own White House , the presidential palace in Khartoum ( I don't know why I added this picture!)
2- Celebration in South Sudan, (people think the Conoglese are the best dancers in Africa but hey come to South Sudan to see the real thing!)
3-A mosque ( religion is a big part of the daily life of the Sudanese )
4-Farming in Sudan ( I hope the sudanese don't become to dependant on the Oil money and stop farming like the Nigerians did back in the days)
5- The famous bridge ( story time, this *ancient* bridge was previously located in India. Many decades ago, the Sudanese purchased this bridge from the Indians. In other words, this bridge is second-hand...Welcome to bilad al Sudan!)










Pictures of Sudan (Chapter 2) *People)

1-Dinka , South Sudan (the largest tribe in the Sudan)
2-Um Bororo tribe, West Sudan ( the hairstyle means he is not married:) )
3- East Sudan ( she is dressed like a bride)
4-Nubian, North Sudan
5- The Rashaida tribe,East Sudan (They are the most recent arab immigrants to Sudan)











Pictures of Sudan (Chapter 1) *PLACES*

Have you ever seen pictures of Sudan?
Yes, I'm sure you saw pictures of starving children,burned villages in Darfur, dead bodies and other pictures. I don't blame anyone for associating Sudan with Hell...wait a minute, Sudan was called "Hell on Earth" a number of times before.
My dead readers and fellow bloggers, I would like to present to you pictures of places, people and life in Sudan.

1-The Omdurman brigde where the white nile and the blue nile meet. If you look closely you might be able to notice the different shades of color.
2-Grand hotel ( Sudan's oldest hotel)
3-Al Fateh Tower , it gives me hope! ( finally. developement arrived in sudan:))
4- North Sudan, Nubia pyramids.







Sunday, May 6, 2007

South, Darfur, Whats next? The North? Yes..No..Mabye:S

Let me tell you about Sudan...there is always something going on. A conflict, a war, a problem etc... I know what you guys will think when you read this HERE WE GO AGAIN ( I thought the same thing) Lets just hope the govt can contain it 3shan beljad walahi kida I want peace in my country Am I the only one?
My Favorite quote "peace will come to sudan tomorrow" John Garang.
will peace come to Sudan tomorrow? ok I'm optimisitc. There is hope. War will (might?) stop. Peace will (might?) come and we will have democracy.



http://sudantribune.com/spip.php?article21739

Friday, May 4, 2007

All eyes on Samy Deluxe, the gorgeous Sudanese German










Samuel Sorge was born in Hamburg, Germany in 1977 to a German mother and a Sudanese father. ( yes, I had it make it bold).


He is one of Germany’s most successful solo rap musicians. He recently started his own record label, Deluxe Records.


Samy Deluxe grew up with his mother's family as his Sudanese father left Germany when Samy was just two years old. Shortly after this event his half-sister was born. After living in Barmbek for many years they then moved to Hamburg-Eppendorf, a generally better-off suburb of Hamburg. Given this contrast - he certainly did not come from a well-off background - and his constant problems at school with teachers whom he often defied, he looked for a release and a way to express himself away from school. He soon discovered music. Samy is currently working with Hamburg's Finest artist, Illo, The Headliners, and Rob Easy.


Samy is known for his freestyling skills. Even his fiercest rivals have admitted that he is one of the best Freestylers in Germany. Audacious and eloquent, Sammy initially chose an aggressive style, based on imaginative use of metaphors, complex overlapping rhymes and his own melodic flow. Therefore he is sometimes called the German Jay-Z. He favours constructing constantly changing pictures rather than telling long stories. Critics find fault with his limited content and repetitive subjects, but Samy claims he is keeping it real.

Have you heard about the Afro-Turks?













No,I'm not talking about African immigrants in Turkey. I'm talking about Turkish people who happen to be black. They were born and raised in turkey, they speak turkish and they hold the turkish passport...They are the "Afro-turks""or African turks.

A number of centuries ago, many Africans were taken to Turkey by Arab merchants. Most of them were from Sudan, Nigeria, Somalia and Kenya. They were taken to plantations around Ayvalık, Manavgat, Dalaman, Menderes and Gediz valleys, and Çukurova."Afro-Turk" is a neologism; they are colloquially named as Arap in Turkish.

There are nearly 1 million turkish citizen of African descent.

Their descendants include

Mustafa Olpak, a well-known writer.
Tugce Guder, a model
Esmeray, a singer (she looks sudanese PERIOD!)
Hadi Turkman , the former Turkish football federation manager