من تو رو می خوام

Long ago Sanam told me about Maryam Heidarzadeh and showed me a website which had most of her poems. Over the time, I realized many of the songs that we hear by singers both inside and outside of Iran have lyrics that belong to Maryam Heidarzadeh.

Kamran and Hooman, have released a song together whose lyrics is by Maryam. It has become quite popular in Dubai. It's called "man to ro mikham". After my extensive search on the net I was able to find the following:

- Hooman & Kamran - Man To Ro Mikham (Click to Download the MP3)

- The lyrics to the song as well as the original exntended lyrics

- Voice of Maryam reading part of her poem

...and I dedicate it to my dear Sanam :)

Halisho bebarin. chaX.

Blood Donation and The Quest For Hitting Three Birds With One Stone!

Last night I was at Fountain Cafe with the guys where I was informed that Al Wasl Hospital pays 200 Dhs ($70 CAD) to each blood donor. This was good news because I donate blood reguarly in Canada and I don't even receive a penny! So me, Reza, Navid and Hamid decided to wake up early this morning to go for blood donation.

I was confronted by severe disagreements by my parents who believed donating blood for money isn't really "donation" and is a cheap act. However I considered it hitting three birds with one stone because 1- Giving blood causes new blood regeneration and is good for my health. 2- My blood becomes available for those who need it. 3- I receive money for this valuable, life-giving liquid.

Hamid called me at 7:30 AM sharp to wake me up, quickly followed by Navid's call at around 7:45 to pick me up. We were at Al Wasl Hospital's Blood Donation Clinic around 8:15. A very clean and decent place with very few people around. After the regular process of checkups, questions and blood tests we were ready to give blood. The room was perfect as it had 4 beds which nicely accommodated all 4 of us. Throughout the journey we were reminded how nice donating blood is and posters and pamphlets all strongly emphasized the great morality of this issue.

After giving 450ml of blood each, we picked up some juices and got ready to leave. We had not received any money yet. Navid had confirmed that they DO pay 200 Dhs so we started struggling with ourselves and eachother whether to ask for it or not. After some thinking we decided it's better if we just "donate" and get out, and we did.

After I arrived home, Navid called me and told me that based on his more exntensive research even if we wanted to get paid we would not. They would only pay if you have donated three times or more. So eventually the stone hit 2 birds rather than 3 and appearantly it was cut down to something way more humane.

Where?!

Dubai is luxurious with beautiful hotels and shopping malls. Canada is trust-based and civilized with respect being spread all over the place. United States is fast, it is the land of oppurtunities. Iran is home with relatives and comforting places and people.

Dubai is fake and crowded. Canada is cold and isolated. U.S. is heavy work load and crime. Iran is lack of freedom and financial unstability.

Trade offs. Which sacrifices to make? What to lose? What to get? What to be distanced from and what to be close to? Where to earn a living and where to have peace of mind? Where to be happy?!

نگاهی دیگر به دوبی

Business Bay, Dubai Land , Arabian Ranches , Dubai Marina , The Palm , Burj Dubai , Burj Al Arab , Internet City, Knowledge City, Festival City, bla bla bla...

I Landed

I have safely landed in the land of golden sand dunes and sexy exotic cars. Here I am in the City of Gold: Dubai.

At Dubai airport I was greeted by a local lady in her Arabic "Abaya" with not 7 but 77 layers of makeup and a stingy attitude: "hena" she said, which means "here", as opposed to: "Can I help you?" or at least: "NEXT!". "Good Evening", I said with a clear voice to which I heard no repsonse. She looked at my visa and with a thick Arabic accent said: "Go get a stamp from downstairs". So I went down, and aksed 3 people where to get stamp, until I found myself before a small queue of people. Two local young men, with Arabic "Dishdashas" were sitting in front of quite a few eye scanning devices, and I'm thinking: "Driving test?!...Am I in the right place?!".

I stood there for 5 minutes as the two men arbitarily called upon people in no particular order AT ALL. "Put one of your eyes in front of the camera. Close the other eye." The machine started reading the eye..."Error. Not Identified. Error. Not Identified". and I'm like: "Uh-oh". He's like do it again, and I repeated that at least 20 times as the machine repeatingly practiced its damn mantra: "Error. Not Identified." I'm like what do I do? He's like: Go sit down, I'll call you in 10 minutes. So I sat down, and I'm thinking: "Richness brings craziness...As if I'm in the freakin' CIA. The only "criminals" that come to Dubai are prostitutes and those...you cannot catch by scanning EYES!!!" I got up and went back for another 10 or 20 trials with error. Eventually after about 50 trials and 20 tricks maybe, the machine read my iris and I got a stamp.

After meeting my family along with Nima and Hamid, I got in the car and looked around. Dubai didn't seem to have changed much from 2 years ago. Some new towers had gone up and traffic was kinda busier but that's all I noticed, even though everyone tells me it has changed, so I guess I have to go around more.

I shall tell you more about my come-back experiences here at Dubai. I have taken some pictures too which I will upload as soon as I get my laptop hooked up to the Internet here at home. For now: Ma'a'ssalamah ya asdeghayi.

My 5 Hour Stop At Frankfurt

Frankfurt Airport. Sitting in the all preaching temple of the world: McDonald's. Had a hard time trying to make out what all those new stuff were on the German menus. Didn't know how to say I want fries and a coke to go with my burger; should I say make it a "combo"? Like they do in Dubai or a "meal"* like they do in North America? So I said: can I have a Big Tasty with coke and fries? it worked perfectly, I got their new burger which is like Big Xtra but bigger, and frankly, it tasted awful.

I would be posting this live but cheap freaks don't have free wireless in here. I just paid 2 Euros to get online for 15 minutes to chat with Sanam to let her know my plane didn't crash. I was surrounded by old men and women in that flight; talking my ears off for 7 hours straight.

I look around and see a lot of Arabic written all over the place, "اهلاً و سهلاً" : "Welcome" signs on the walls, and "انه احبه" : "I'm lovin' it" all over the cups here in McDonald's. They don't do THAT in North America despite the vast diversity; Ignorant jerks.

They got "FlyNet" on some Lufthansa flights now. I love this thing they call technology! Seriously, now you can surf the net while in the air. Isn't life grand! I wanted to get on it but the stewardess said that my flight didn't have it as yet!

You think it's cold in Canada? Beat this: when I was leaving Toronto, the temperature was 26 degrees, here in Frankfurt it is 7. I always thought that Germany had a lovely weather. Thank God that I'm stuck as a direct airside transit passenger here in the Airport and can't get out.

* Apparently they call it maxi-menu.

Salam!

I didn't want to say bye, hence the title. I'm going away for a while, to Dubai and possibly Iran. I wanted to send out an email to those of you who're here in Waterloo or the GTA but I thought it'd be better if I just make a post here. Saying bye is so so difficult, but I keep reminding myself of the good part, which is returning. I'll be back in less than 3 months hopefully, and we'll get together and continue our get-togethers once again. Y'all take care, and have fun. Sanam: especially you, take very very good care, and try to have a good time. OK? Remember that I'm often just a click away on your messenger.

Some of you will be going to Iran. I invite you guys to Dubai as long as I am there. And I promise to show you around. So don't forget to let me know if you're coming.

Again, take care and have a blast. I'm sorry that I didn't call each and everyone of you to say bye individually, despite that, it's not a "ghandehar" trip anyways. I promise to keep you updated with lots of pictures from the other side of our blue planet.

chaX to you all.