New Age, New Time, Same Mentality

As time goes by things progress. It is inevitable that things will change, people will grow and develop and along with this growth there will be changes in the way of thinking and people’s state of mind. But as I think about it more, it seems like even though some things are progressing in Egypt, the role of women seems to be standing still. There is no doubt that women have begun to join the workforce, but the cultural and stereotypical role of women being in charge of the household and taking care of the kids still persists.

In my eyes it is unfair that men get treated by a certain standard, and women are held to a completely different standard. Something may be okay for a man to do, but if a woman did it she would risk shaming her family or she will pretty much be committing social suicide. But nothing infuriates me more than when people see it as something bad or shameful if a woman does not marry young.

Are women not just as capable as men at holding down a job and being successful? Shouldn’t she be able to choose what she wants with her life, and whether or not marriage is right for? I am not generalizing about everyone when I make this statement. I admit that there are people who have grown out of this phase and do not see it as a problem for a woman to marry late. But for some women the social pressure is too much, and they get married just to please everyone.

I know a girl who is in charge of spending for her entire household because they are so poor. She goes and works as a maid and brings home money to support her family. Despite her efforts and despite the fact that she is the only one working in the family, the men in the household and her mother think that there is something wrong with her for not being married. This poor girl is put in a position that whoever comes to propose to her she will accept no matter who he is.

There are lots of changes to be made in our society. Recognizing that women are just as important and independent as men is one of the major things that need to be changed in the mentality of the Egyptians.

University of Alabama Shooting

One of the things that caught my attention recently in the news was the shooting at the University of Alabama. This matter doesn’t just affect me because I grew up in Alabama since I was three years old, and half of the people in my graduating class attend the University, it also enrages me on a completely different level. I never understood and will never understand how a seemingly normal and ordinary person, a person with a life and a family just like any other person can suddenly decide to play God and take people’s lives.

Some reports have said that the suspected shooter is actually a faculty member at the University. This fact makes this situation even more shocking and upsetting. This woman was not just an enraged person who went temporarily insane and decided to take out whatever is going on in her life on a group of strangers. She actually worked with them; maybe even saw them on a daily basis. They were colleagues. The matter just blows my mind.

I have always wondered what goes on in these people’s minds. I wonder if they can always be held responsible for their actions, if they are aware of what they are doing. It doesn’t seem that someone who can have the heart to take away someone’s life for no reason at all can be aware of their actions. Maybe it is a spur of the moment decision; maybe something angered them so much that they couldn’t control themselves. Whatever the reason may be, I think that this sort of action is inexcusable.

Some people may think that everyone deserves a second chance and that they should not always be held accountable for their actions. I respectfully disagree. The people killed at that University did not have a second chance. They came into work just like any other day and their lives were taken. Their families do not have a second chance to be with them or see them. That is neither fair nor just and I think the person responsible should not be let of easily.

Sounds of my day

Who needs an alarm when I get to wake up to this annoying school everyday.





This is the sound of me writing, one of my favorite things to do.





One of the ways I waste my time, chatting.





This is the sound of the shower running.




My newest hobby. Yoga!

Listening Journal 1: Too Poor to Marry

The feature I listened to on World Vision Report was entitled “Too Poor to Marry” and it was by Daniel Estrin. This feature was talking about how people in Egypt were finding themselves too poor to get married, and how this causes not only frustration in their lives but also it makes them lost motivation and let go of their goals. This piece was very interesting through its presentation, its content, and the reporter’s voice and choice of language.

The feature was close to 5 minutes which could have made it boring but in fact all of the elements in it combined to make it very interesting. The topic itself would not have been as appealing had the reporter simply just spoke about it. But through all the elements used the story came to life for the listener.

This story was very interesting to listen to for many reasons. The first is the use of nat sound. While the reporter is talking we can hear a lot of the background noise to show us the reporter was on location. Both the sound of his voice and the background noise was just right, neither of which was overbearing the other. In fact, the nat sound added a lot to the story because you could hear the sounds of the café where the men sit and it made the story come to life more in the mind of the reader. Also, there was a nice use of the people’s voices because the listener could actually hear the frustration in their tone when they were talking which added a lot to the piece. I think however, he should have let some of the people who were talking in English speak more, because then we could have heard their own story in their voice which would have made a bigger impact on the listener.

The quality of the sound was very clear and pure, as was the voice of the reporter. There was no shaking or sound interference even though he was clearly in the field. He had a tone which matched the story because it was neither too enthusiastic nor too quiet and boring. It was mellow and relaxed which given this story and the content of it, it seemed to be the best tone to talk with. He put emphasis on the important parts of the story and sometimes he just let the nat sound or the background noise really come through even when he was talking and through this he created the atmosphere and set the tone of the story for the listener.

This article can be found at: http://www.worldvisionreport.org/Find-Stories/Week-of-February-13-2010/Too-Poor-to-Marry

Listening Journal 1: Fashion and Plus Sized Models

The first feature I listened to was from NPR and it was entitled “Fashion Weeks Latest Trend? Plus Size Models”. The host and a fashion editor, Robin Givhan, were the ones who were featured in this piece. It was discussing the fact that now they are using plus size models in New York Fashion week, and whether or not this was a good change from the stick thin models usually shown, or if they are still too slim compared to average women. This feature was interesting, and it had a lot f strong points but I think some things could have been added to make it even better.

The quality in terms of clarity and content of this feature was excellent. I could hear everything clearly and the volume of the speakers was just right. There was a slight problem at the beginning for me when the host began talking, I could not understand part of the first sentence that she said and it felt a little rushed but other than that the audio was very clear and sharp.

A weakness in this feature is that there was no use of nat sound at all. I think this was a weak point because it could have been easily incorporated in a piece like this, for example, if they had used sounds from the runway, or sounds of models getting ready, because these sounds would have been easily recognizable and they would have made the story more interesting. The length of this story made it easy to follow along and not get bored even though it was just two people talking, but it would have been even better to listen to had there been nat sound, even if it was a few seconds at the beginning and end.

The anchor has a good rich voice which is appropriate for a story like this. However, when though she did speak very clearly and very well and also put emphasis on important points, she sometimes over emphasized certain words such as when she kept saying plus-sized models. The guest’s voice was also appropriate and clear. It was a good choice to have a fashion expert as the guest.

All in all I think that the production of this story was carried out well from the quality all the way to the tone and use of language in the piece.

The article can be found at: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=123604722

First Impressions

Are first impressions really that important? I have begun to realize that we hold so much in store, and make so many judgments about people based on the impressions we get when we first meet them. But is it really fair to characterize and label and form impressions about people that we really don’t know? It seems crazy to me that we give ourselves the right to think we know a person based on what we think when we first see them.

Personally if I were to judge people based on the first impression I got of them then most of the people who are very close to me now would not even be part of my life. It seems funny to me that the people I had a very bad first impression of became my best friends. I remember the first time I met my best friend, her hair was down to her waist and she was going on and on about how she loved Ashton Kutcher and telling me details about her life, which for some reason she felt the need to share despite my obvious lack of interest. I remember thinking that I would never be friends with her and now she is like a sister to me.

So many experiences in my life have showed me that people are not always what they seem when you first meet them. I know that this is true for me. Whenever I first meet people I am usually really shy and standoffish, but it doesn’t mean that I am really like that. I think that people should be given a fair a chance, and I think that means giving them the benefit of the doubt if they do not make a great first impression.

Happiness is a choice

I believe that happiness is a choice. It is not unusual to hear people talking about their bad luck and that they are down and out. Many times it feels like the silver lining is tarnished, and that life has us beat to the point that there is nowhere left to turn. However, I believe that every situation and event that we face in our lives has a bright side that sometimes we ignore because we focus so much on the negativity. I think that happiness is something that comes when a person is content with themselves and with their own lives, no matter how green the grass may look on the other side.

I once visited a slum area in Egypt called Manshiet Nasr. People there literally live with garbage all around them, barely any food to eat, and have hardly any money to survive off of. But, as I sat watching the people there sipping their evening tea enjoying the company of their neighbors and family, it seemed that they were genuinely happy. They were content with their simple lives simply because they chose to be. Happiness for them was just having the peace of mind that they got through the day and their family is there by their side. Seeing these people I learned that happiness doesn’t have to mean having everything you want, or always having things go your way. I realized that I might not be able to shape my destiny but I can control the way I perceive it, and that everything that would make me upset or unhappy was not worth my time.

It shouldn’t take losing something to appreciate what its worth. I believe in enjoying the days we have with every blessing that has been given to us. When the hard times come, and they will come no matter how much we try to keep them away, it is important to remember that they will pass. In the end I believe that nothing matters more than a person being content and happy with their lives and finding inner peace.

Twilight Mania!!!

I have to admit that I have been sucked into the Twilight phenomena. I didn't buy into the twilight craze at first but now something about the impossible story of a girl falling in love with a vampire who at every moment is tempted to suck the life out of her has me hooked. And no, my obsession with Twilight is not just because of the hottie Robert Pattinson, although that is a major plus.

I think this newfound obsession has a lot to do with me being a hopeless romantic. After obsessing over the movie and the books with a number of my girl friends, I realized that we are all waiting for our very own Edward Cullen to come sweep us off our feet.

I think that this unrealistic thought of finding the perfect guy that will cater to your every whim is what disappoints girls when they finally realize that the guy they are with is simply just human. But a girl can dream!