Wow!

Nearly a year ago I found this posting on Arabisto. It says that male belly dancing is back in vogue. Yes. Male. Belly dancing.

The idea seems wrong indeed. Even some of the nomadlife crew were shocked when I brought up the discussion in the forum. But there are evidence in history (ahem, according to wikipedia) that male do belly dance. It must be interesting to see a masculine form of an elegant, feminine, lady-like dance being performed by a male (especially if they are manly men!).

Then, as I was searching for some pictures of belly dance, I found this image and I was astounded.

EILAT, Israel: Israeli male belly dancer and costume designer Asi Haskal performs during the Eilat Festival of Oriental Dance, 19 January 2006, at the Israeli resort city of Eilat.More than 700 professional and armature Israeli belly dancers participated in a long weekend oriental festival of workshops, lectures and performances in the southern Israeli resort city of Eilat, with Jordan bordering to the east and Egypt to the west, highlights the diversity of Israeli belly dance whose deep roots are set in the Arab world, of which Israel is a part. The Israeli style of belly dance acquired its reputation from the great diversity of styles, the ethnic backgrounds of the teachers, variety of styles ranging from classical Egyptian to Turkish Sufi, and from ancient tribal to modern cabaret. AFP PHOTO/GALI TIBBON ... (Photo credit should read GALI TIBBON/AFP/Getty Images)

Awesome!!

It's amazing to see how information is being disseminated these days. As I was looking for media-related groups on Facebook, I stumbled across one of the groups, which direct me to knowing that Mtv is expanding its wing to the Arab countries. Mtv Arabia even has its own group, which officers include Patrick Samaha (who claimed to be the General Manager).

The Facebook group points out, "MTV Arabia was all over the press last week. The Channel that is due to launch this year conducted meetings with government officials in both the UAE and Saudi Arabia".

I wasn't sure how reliable the Facebook information was so I googled it to see if I can find any news that can confirm the rumor. I found this.

As a media freak, and someone who's interested in the region, I'm very excited to hear this news. Even though I'm still skeptical if this news is valid or just a rumor.

Shall we wait and see?

Siz

Update (6 Sept 07): It's really happening!!!!

Motion passed!

When I found out the whole story... I fully support Indonesia's decision on UN's sactions on Iran...

Siz

Not A Happy Camper

Indonesia is currently in the UN Security Council, alongside with Qatar and South Africa. We're the non-permanent members.

We were against sanctions on Iran.

Sometime last week, our president Yudhoyono received a call from Bush. Last Thursday, Indonesia's minister for foreign affairs Hassan Wirayuda met Condolezza Rice in DC.

On Saturday, the sanctions were unanimously passed.

I don't know how they did it, but I think I should learn Bush's and Rice's persuasive skills. I'm not saying I'm for Iran but I'm surprised with what'd happened, although Yudhoyono's and Wirayudha's decision is understandable (pressure from the US, anyone?). Now let's just hope that Alatas (Indonesia's special envoy for the Middle East peace process) would do help by doing amazing diplomacy with the Middle Eastern countries about the whole thing.

Can someone explain to me how Qatar change their mind?

Siz

Update: Vice President Jusuf Kalla is in Riyadh (I think) to attend the Arab Summit. Will read newspapers tomorrow!

The Code

I just read this article on the 21 March 07's hard copy edition of The Wall Street Journal, "How Young Muslims Are Injecting A Sense of Fun into Islam" (couldn't find the soft copy version, unfortunately :().

It was discussing that there's a new trend emerging, particularly in Egypt, that "affluent young Muslims in Cairo are mixing modern living with what they consider to be strict religious observance." One of the examples mentioned in the article is the play "The Code" (which I really want to see if it's being played here), written by Ahmed Morsi.

From that I thought, "hey, that's really cool..." You don't have to be boring to be religious and morally intact, yet you don't have to have a large life to have fun.

I guess the younger generation of Muslims, in particular those who came from countries such as Egypt, and in my view, Indonesia are - pretty much - sick of the straight Muslims labels: you're either a Muslim and if you adopt a Western lifestyle you're a kafir. No questions asked.

Another example is Sami Yusuf, who - as the article mentioned - presents pop songs with religious lyrics. Nice touch! Now, OK, I have to admit this, I'm technologically inept and IT-ly outdated, but, is there any way that I can listen to samples of his music??

These people might have received criticism towards their works...but hey, when old-school way of disseminating the religion doesn't work and if this does... And if this wave helps Islam gains new respect, from the youth and the western culture, especially... Then... WHY THE HELL NOT?!?!

Siz

PS: in case you're wondering why I'm interested with this kind of stuff, well, this might be the area in which I want to do some academic research in the future. Insha Allah.

Today, 365 days ago

I never thought I’d say this, but perhaps I’ve gone mad, I miss Tunisia…heaps!

I’ve just realised that it’s been a year… On 5 March, precisely last year, was my first day in Tunisia. I remembered arriving, sleeping and waking up at Yosra’s in Manouba, everyone was there for TuLDS meeting, brushed my teeth and had a shower. Had breakfast of almond croissant, and the first question of the day was from Monaem (hi, Monaem!), “so Siska, do you have a boyfriend?” You know what I thought precisely on that moment, Monaem? “That was quick!”

These days, as I have a full time job, I been developing daily routine for the past 2 months, I remembered my daily routine when I was in Tunis. In the morning, the atmosphere between my house and office reminds me of the atmosphere on the Avenue de Carthage during the “rush hour”. I would usually stop at this patisserie on the corner of Rue Ibn Khaldoun and…can’t remember – it’s either Rue Ali Dargout or Rue Ben Ghedhahem – to get pain au chocolat (and if I was in the mood for it, I’d get jus de fraise, as well). After a brisk seven minutes walk (which can sometimes be intimidating because of those glances from the men on the street) I’d arrive on Rue Sidi el Khaddar, where the AIESEC Tunisia’s MC office is located.

In the corner of that street, there is a small kiosk selling candies, newspaper, and Tunisiana recharge cards. Not far behind that kiosk, there is a “taxi phone” kiosk, which has similar concept to “wartel” in Indonesia. The difference between taxiphone and wartel is that, taxiphones usually consist of 2 or more public phone booths, while in wartel you pay after you use the phone. And sometimes, there’d be this guy whose looks reminds me a lot of Zine (hi, Zine!) who would often say, “Asslema” to me. I’d never respond to his asslemas just to avoid the hassle (poor guy! :D)

I’d then entered the building and climbed the stairs. AIESEC’s office is on the second floor (or, using the Australian system, the third). I’d put my office key (which took me 6 weeks to get a copy of) to the hole and open the door. The office would usually be empty…I’d be the first to arrive. The windows were usually closed and the room would usually stink of cigarettes. I’m all against smoking and all the smells that come out of it. Thus, I’d usually open the windows to get rid of those unpleasant odors (AIESECers in Tunisia: seriously, guys, you need to get cold turkey on smoking!). I’d then plug the cable onto the power point, and connect to the LAN and then switch my laptop on.

First thing first: I’d check my yahoo and AIESEC.net e-mail simultaneously while signing myself to MSN messenger (ah! AIESEC…it really teaches you how to multitask). Usually there’d be some Australian AIESECers online (if it’s 9am summer time in Tunis, it’d be 5pm in Australia). Often I’d start the conversation just to get the latest news and goss from Australia.

I’d usually do whatever needs to be done, depending on the priorities: whether it is proposal-making, responding or composing emails, or strengthening my business plan with researching for more info on Tunisia-UK relationship and business environment… I’d usually skip lunch just because I was just too lazy to get it (no wonder I had lost 3 kilos...).

The office was a freezer in winter, and a barbeque in summer. In winter, I had the strength to stay until 5 or 5.30, but in summer…don’t expect me to still be in the office after 3. Too frickin’ hot, man! When I got home, my housemates would usually come home at around these hours. If we “decided” that we’re hungry and too lazy to cook, we’d go to “Sweet House”, “Champs-Elysses”, or the pink place on Avenue Habib Bourguiba for chocolate crepe, shawarma, ice-cream, or pizza. If we were bored, we’d stay out, if not, or if we were too tired, we’d go home. Then we had an option of talking about the most random things (from Tunisian cultures with which we had encountered that day to anticities of the people we met in Tunisia) or watch some DVDs which we bought from the shop at the Place Barcelone (Gare de Tunis).

Then we’d go to bed, and tomorrow, there’d be another day just too similar to that.

I remembered my first louage experience…going to Hamammet beach with Jon and Gogo. And they teased me to lay the towel near “Italian men” (no, not the sexy ones…the dodgy ones…). That louage trip only costs me 8 Tunisian dinar return. Classic!

I’ll never forget Sidi Bou Said with its indulging bambalounis (YUM!!) - the shop where they sell it usually played the song "Dragontea Din Tei" (one of AIESEC's 'theme song') - and that café on the cliff in overlooking the blue Mediterranean Sea fusing to the clear, cloudless sky. And I’ll obviously never forget being surrounded by the fine desert sand while watching the enchanting sunset in the Sahara.

Of course, I’ll never forget all the people I met on my journey: AIESECers, students from the Bourguiba school (Gogo’s crazy antics, in particular), even both of the tour guides for my Saharan journey (from Jerba and Tozeur).

Often, I still feel like my time in Tunisia was like a dream. I can remember the night I arrived in the Carthage International Airport and met Tunisian AIESECers for the first time. I remembered saying to myself, “Here you are, Siz. You’re alone in a foreign land. There’s no turning back now.” There, in the car, I could see a snapshot of Tunisia for the first time: the houses, the buildings, the empty streets… (it was 2 am). Then I went to Manouba to stay at Yosra’s for the night. Yosra’s apartment reminds me of descriptions of apartments in a novel I read, “Ayat-ayat Cinta”, which is in Bahasa and is written by an Indonesian, but it’s based in Egypt. The following night, they took me to the trainees’ apartment where I’d stay for the rest 5 months journey in Tunisia.

My stay in Tunisia, despite its hassles and challenges, felt – it still does, actually – like a dream. I miss being in a foreign country and learning something new everyday. I wish I would be able to come back to Tunisia. Again. One day.

Insha Allah…

Siz

PS: dedicated to everyone I met in Tunisia. I miss you!