Saturday, January 26, 2008

A day at the Australian Open

A week ago, I got the chance to go to the Australian Open with some friends from work. It was an awesome day and really hot too. Felt sorry for those players who had to play in such heat. I believe the temperature was only in the mid thirties (Celsius not Fahrenheit) but I tell you it fell way hotter than that. The only famous player I got to see live playing was Marat Safin, which was such an interesting and entertaining match because I spent most of the time laughing at all his girl fans oooing and ahhhing him and all the photographers, constantly taking photos of him only and not the other player. I have to say that Marat did end up winning that match.

Fiona & I

Suzie and Simon

Australia vs Serbia

Marat Safin waiting for the serve

Crowd outside Rod Laver Arena

Watching the game on the big screen

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Back in Sydney

A few days ago I went to Sydney on a business trip. It had been close to 3 years since I had been back. Growing up in Sydney, it felt weird going back as a tourist and an outsider all of a sudden. So much has changed since I was there last. I would say that it's probably the most busiest city in Australia but also still the most beautiful. It has one of the best harbours in the world. Anyway it was nice to be back in my old home town and to catch up with old friends from Haifa.

The famous Harbour Bridge

The glimmering Opera House

Circular Quay

View of the whole harbour

With Marjon, Bauback and Shahin

Old flatmates reunited (thanks Marjon for the photos)

Monday, October 15, 2007

Blog Action Day

Today is BLOG ACTION DAY, a fantastic project started by a friend of mine that is reaching millions of people around the world. Blog Action Day is an initiative to have as many people (or bloggers in this case) unite to write about an important issue all on the same day. The issue being "the environment".

In thinking about what to write on the environment, I was reflecting on how important is the environment to me personally and all I could think about was well it is extremely important, as everything is related to the environment. The environment is all around us, every second, minute and day of our lives, its simply there. We can't escape it. Everywhere we go it's there. Every action we do affects it (which for the most part unfortunately has been negative) and without it we can't live. Yet this mere and essential basic thing in our life has for the most part been forgotten and taken for granted. We forget that every little thing we do will inadvertently come back and affect us. For example a simple thing as walking on the street and accidentally stepping on an ant and killing it without realising, has a significant impact on the environment, and when the environment gets affected, we get affected in the cycle process.

The issue of trying to rectify the problem of global warming and the preservation of the environment is one of the most debated topics in the world today. Developed and developing countries are in constant argument as to who should reduce the most gas emissions, whose problem it is, who is responsible to fix it etc. Individuals including myself feel that such issue has no relevance at our level of society and that it is something that the governments of the world can try to solve among themselves, because there is nothing you or I can do to solve the problem. And I believe that's where the problem is, in why we are not fixing the problems affecting the environment. We as individuals can do so much more even at the smallest scale in a faster way than what the governments and international institutions are currently attempting to do. If as individuals we take conscious decisions to try to become more aware on what and how our daily actions are affecting the environment, we will be able to reduce the problem of global warming and other environmental problems significantly and quickly.

As individuals we spend so much time and money in trying to take care of our physical bodies. We spend time and money on various cleansing treatments and products, cosmetics and surgery, haircuts, gym memberships, particular foods and other dietary supplements, the list can be endless and we do all these things because we care about our bodies and what it to be the best that it can be, so why don't we spend the same amount of time, effort and money for taking care of our outer unnoticed body "the environment". If one looks at the environment as the body of the world and as the outer layer or skin that enables us humans to live comfortably in the world then we would most likely be spending the same amount of time and money in keeping it as best as we can. Just as when one of our organs isn't functioning well affects the rest of our body, so does a problem in one area of the environment such as polluting in one country have on the whole world.

So basically if you didn't understand what I was blabbering on above, what I'm trying to say is that individuals can do so much for in trying to keep and preserve the environment and that we shouldn't leave it to governments or institutions to try and solve the problem. Every action we do to improve the environment from recycling, taking public transport etc can do so much to help the environment. The preservation of the environment is the responsibility of every single one of us and we shouldn't pass the buck as they say to someone else.

Friday, September 28, 2007

Melbourne Update

So I've been in Melbourne now for about 6 weeks and today I completed my one month at work, yeah! I'm really enjoying it here. It's always exciting starting life in a new city. Lately I've been busy trying to get my new place settled, getting to know the city and meeting up with old friends and making new ones. So my overall comment and rating for Melbourne is: ITS AN AWESOME CITY!!

Friday, August 03, 2007

Moving to Melbourne

In just over 2.5 weeks I would be taking the Spirit of Tasmania over the Bass Strait and heading to my new life in Melbourne. Hobart will still be partly my home because my family will still be here and I will be travelling back often, however Melbourne will now be my more permanent place of residence. As far as work goes, I am currently finishing my last weeks at Transend but once in Melbourne I will be working at IBM, hence moving from an engineering company to an IT company.

Friday, July 13, 2007

The dome goes up!

Last Monday on the 9th of July the dome of the Baha'i Centre of Learning for Tasmania went up. It was such a special event to witness from the nearby hill alongside the other Tasmanian Baha'is. It is such a beautiful design incorporating environmentally safe materials. The official website so you can get more information is www.tasbcl.googlepages.com. There was also an article in the local paper and the news on tv (it was aired on "Win News" but unfortunately I don't have that footage). The video below is a documentary from the official website and I have also included some photos that I took on the day.









Saturday, July 07, 2007

Can you do it too?

I just had to add this video as it was just so inspirational. Makes you appreciate the simple things we have and take it for granted such as our health. If someone can let me know what the commentary says I would really appreciate it.

Thursday, June 28, 2007

Tasman Peninsula and Port Arthur

I know it's been a while since I've updated this blog, the only excuse is that I've been really busy. It's the lamest excuse I know but it's the truth. Don't have much new news to share, just wanted to share some photos of a trip I made to the Tasman Peninsula and Port Arthur Historic Site. The photos don't do justice to the beauty of the area.







Sunday, March 04, 2007

Back Again

I'm back at uni again after 4 years and I feel like I'm in my early twenties again. Even though the people in my course are much older I guess its the feeling that you are in uni, and a place where its usually for young people.

I'm doing my Masters in Business Administration part time at the University of Tasmania (UTAS) and I had my first classes yesterday and already bombarded with lots of work and details of upcoming tests. I actually enjoyed my first day, even though with fasting it was very difficult. I think I enjoyed it because the subjects were probably more interesting than I expected or maybe that now unlike during my undergraduate days I am way more focused. The plan is to finish in 3 years. I only hope it doesn't take longer otherwise I don't think I would ever finish.

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Hobart the capital of Tasmania

So it's been 5 months that I'm living in Hobart now. If you asked me a year ago I would never have told you Hobart would be the place I would end up in Haifa. I wanted a change from Sydney and I got it. Hobart is very unique compared to other cities in Australia. It's regarded as a city but it doesn't have the feel of the busy lifestyle that Sydney or Melbourne have for starters (I still can't believe that people find travelling 1/2 hour a long journey when that is considered nothing in Sydney) but at the same time, it's not a small town either maybe a middle town perhaps, though not sure if that's the correct term for it.

Haven't been taking too many pics unfortunately so here are some random ones, trying to keep to my promise:

Boats along the Hobart pier during the wooden boat festival


Government House


My sis Anisa


Beautiful old cottage style home


Me and Anisa


The botanical gardens


Lagoon at Government House

Monday, November 20, 2006

Transend

I know it’s been a long time since I've written in this blog. It’s been two months now that I have been back in Australia and with trying to settle back into life here especially in a new city (I've never lived in Hobart or been here for that fact; I was in Sydney before and grew up there) and looking for work I’ve been pretty busy that I haven’t had the chance to write here.

Well the latest news with me is that I started my first day of work today (yeah!) as a Financial Analyst at a company called Transend Networks (www.transend.com.au) which is a company that operates the transmission of electricity around Tasmania. My first day of work was mainly orientation into the role and the office and trying to become briefed on the project that I would be working on. The role seems challenging enough which I like (I tend to work better when it is that way) and the team that I would be working with, seem to be a great group. So this basically means that I would be staying in Tasmania for a while at least and not moving into the mainland as I had thought and mentioned to some of you. Tasmania is a beutiful place and hopefully I will take pictures and post them, so it will tempt you to come and visit me here soon.

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

A Friend In Need Is A Friend Indeed

It’s a common English proverb said but what does it really mean or imply? I always wondered as it never made much sense to me. Does it mean that only your friends who are in need or in trouble are your friends? If that is the case then it seems very selfish, because you would only get their problems and they would always want your help.

The truth is that most people interpret this proverb as in friends who help you when you are in need are your true friends. I find it a funny way of putting it though.

I decided to see where the origins of this was from and I found that it goes back to the 3rd century BC (
http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/143400.html). Further the “Oxford Dictionary of Quotations” mentions that was existing in the English language from the 11th century. The earliest version was from Caxton's, 'Sonnes of Aymon', 1489: "It is sayd, that at the nede the frende is knowen."

On the web I also found out that they have a special day for it, which is the 15th of June and it’s called “A Friend in Need is a Friend Indeed Day” (
http://www.rumela.com/events/friend_indeed_day.htm)

Lately however I was looking from it from the other perspective; that is the person in need. When your in trouble the fact that you should ask a certain friend instead of the others should also make the friend being asked honoured that they considered them to be a friend close enough to be entrusted with such a bounty of being of an assistance to someone they care about and that out of all the people they chose them to do it. It also on the other hand would make the friend think that if they were the one asked then when it’s their turn and they are the ones in trouble then they can call on that same person as they would consider them their true friend. Okay maybe I’m getting to philosophical here but it makes you think on which friend you would call or ask for help among your group of friends.

We all have various degrees of friends. Some I call the “fun friends”, who are the ones you have lot of fun with but are not necessarily close to or would share deep and personal things with. Then there are the other kinds which some call “best friend” which you would share secrets with and ask for their assistance. Whatever the case may be, in most situations, you reciprocate the gesture of assistance if you are in fact the “true friend”. Perhaps if you consider God as you’re “True Friend” then it would be the only exception.

Any thoughts on the matter?

Monday, September 18, 2006

The US of A

I’m back now in Australia and on my way home I spent close to a month in the United States visiting friends and seeing the sites. The cities I went to were New York, New Jersey, Los Angeles and Las Vegas. There sure is a big difference between the east and west coast as everyone says. Before going to the States my friend told me that these cities are really not representative of the true American culture. Maybe it’s not, but it's still a part of it. Even the little that I experienced of this great nation was really worth it. I can’t say that I had one bad experience during my whole time there, everyone was really friendly in all the places I went to and went out of their way to help me when I got lost. I hope that I can come back to the States again in the future and experience the rest of things this country has to offer.

entering by sea


hotel where Abdu'l-Baha spoke in NYC Posted by Picasa

maybe peace will be announced here one day Posted by Picasa

such a powerful street Posted by Picasa

would be so cool to work here Posted by Picasa

I like this pic cause the buildings seem to blend with the sky Posted by Picasa

Earl Hall at Columbia University where Abdu'l-Baha spoke Posted by Picasa

partying with Nancy in Times Square


Times Square Posted by Picasa

Hanging out with ex-BWC friends in NYC


Me, Ellie and Mrs. Bahadori at the cute town of Solvang, California Posted by Picasa

with Mrs. Bahadori at the studio Posted by Picasa

waiting to be discovered :) Posted by Picasa

having fun at the Bowl



I think my hands are smaller than Marilyn's Posted by Picasa

Maybe my name will be written like this in the future?!?! Posted by Picasa

Negar and I meeting some movie stars Posted by Picasa