THE ECO SUPERHEROES + PLUS
BOOK SHELTER RECYCLING AMERICAN WOMEN’S NETWORK GLORIOUS ORPHANAGE NEWEST DREAM PLAYER: OSAMA EL KAMEL
know more on page 15
MARCH 2012
THE PLANETARIANS
2012 | march issue
www.tempoplanet.com
welcome
When I lived in Seattle the concepts of recycling and conservation were deeply ingrained in our daily lives. We had coloured sorting bins under the kitchen sink and I remember even my youngest then (Karam) tottering around in diapers and placing empty containers in the correct bins. Returning to the UAE was a culture shock as everything went right into the garbage. But things are starting to change in the UAE. Thankfully.
editor’s letter
I am especially thrilled by the new “green” or “red” initiative by the water and electricity department. Can’t wait to see my bills. I’m a bit like a slave master around the house, barking orders at my family to turn off lights, turn down thermostats etc. But my belief is that a lot of waste happens in the bathroom, because of leaky plumbing. I worked for a project for the City of Seattle which promoted little doable ideas to conserve, like placing a jar in the cistern so the entire tank doesn’t flush out everytime, and reusing water that’s been used to wash vegetables to water plants etc. Our colleague from Australia tells us a popular measure downunder is to place a bucket in the shower and reuse that water for washing the car, watering plants... Tempo’s proud to include in this issue “40 Ways to Save the Planet” and these are little tips that translate into substantial collective action. The calendar is also downloadable from our website. Within this Tempo we’re also pleased to adopt “The Planetarians,” a truly cool initiative that spreads awareness, promotes sustainability and taps into the goodness of people power. Stay happy, healthy and be kind to the world.
Sana Bagersh
contents:
04 > letters to the editor 05 > uspace 06 > what’s hot 07 > the bottom bottom line 08 > tech talk / game hedz 09 > tempo’s top 10 songs / on my ipod 10 > my style blueprint 12 > american women’s network 13> youth talk 14 > city bites 15 > the planetarians 16 > 40 ways to save planet 18 > people calendar 20 > the dream players 22 > just handcrafted / articulate 23 > book shelter 24 > doc in the house / mum unlimited 25 > making a difference: glorious orphanage 26 > media / tamakkan 28 > mini minx / just a thought
Managing Editor bagersh@tempoplanet.com
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ADDRESS To reach editorial at Abu Dhabi Tempo email: editorial@tempoplanet.com. If you need to find out where you can pick up your copy call: 02 491 8624/25 or check out the list of Tempo distribution points on our website. NOTE TO ADVERTISERS Advertisers can request brand tagging with all advertisements. To reach advertising call: 02 491 8624/25, fax: 02 491 8626 email: advertising@tempoplanet.com
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Cover story: The Planetarians has a vision to create a community, a movement, a state of mind that revolves around creating a better world through promoting sustainable products and ideas, and to espouse a kinder and gentler way to do business, create communities and grow.
MANAGING EDITOR Sana Bagersh SUPERVISING EDITOR Ian Mason FEATURES WRITER Alma Kadragic EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Sharon Carvalho
PUBLISHED BY:
MARKETING COORDINATOR Manjul Abhishek Laskar Laipubam MAGAZINE DESIGN Mark De Castro DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR Melaku Muluneh
EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS Angeli Castillo Neena Rai Jan D’Sa Ian Mason Manar Al Hinai Sarah Widdup Ahmed Samir Rohith Bhat Azza El Masri Shahid Saeed Blakniss Alma Kadragic Xenia Swarts Shamma Al Suwaidi Dave Solomon
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letters to the editor
Dear Tempo,
I loved the article you wrote about me! Thank you so much, Tempo! - Ghada Maamoun
Dear Ed, Your Ed’s Note for February was very interesting. I agree with your views about the different beliefs, culture, religions or traditions getting along and together. I’ve been in UAE since 2003, and have had many experiences attending social gatherings like weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, with Europeans, Westerns, Arabs and Asian like me. I am really amazed by the outcome....it is like a music harmony and rhythm; people sharing thoughts, ideas and helping each other. I can say that everybody speaks the same language. - Elvira Malveda
Hi Ed, Loved the funky My Style Blueprint in February. How fun: Japanese –Aussie fashion fusion ! - Nancy (from downunder)
Hi Tempo, Thank you for the amazing two page spread Tempo. @AbuDhabiTempo February 2012 Issue! Thank you and more power to the amazing artists and performers who live amongst us!
TEMPO SHOUT OUT: “LOVE IS…?
- The Dream Players team
blind and marriage is an eye opener :)- Vinu Mathew I’m not sure if “love” is definable - Ihab Mokayed all you need to know - Hana Makki
u vote
RESULTS OF LAST MONTH’S U VOTE: Tempo asked our online readers, If someone next to you in a movie theatre was talking on their phone, what would be the first thing you do? This is what you said:
QUESTION: If you had a super power, what would it be? a) Invisibility b) Super speed c) Super strength d) X-Ray vision
go to tempoplanet to vote
100%
0%
0%
SAID THEY WOULD TELL THEM TO BE QUIET
SAID THEY WOULD TELL THE CINEMA ATTENDANT TO TELL THEM TO BE QUIET
SAID THEY WOULD MOVE TO ANOTHER SEAT
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talking books >
By Azza El Masri
Book Review: The Future of Us Author: Carolyn Mackler and Jay Asher
Weren’t the 90s amazing? Which of us doesn’t think back to those fun moments filled with the Spice Girls blaring in the background and the Internet still a novelty? In The Future of Us, Asher and Mackler bring us back to 1996 with Josh and Emma who were next-door neighbors and best friends their entire lives until suddenly everything changed and a slight incident resulted in them drifting apart. Josh’s family receives an America Online CD-ROM in the mail that they have no use for. He gives it to Emma’s house and installs it on her computer. When they sign on, they’re immediately logged onto Facebook… but Facebook hasn’t been invented yet. They are looking at their lives 15 years from that point and every time they refreshed their pages, their futures changed. This book was a refreshing read. It was fun; suspenseful with a little romantic twist. It’s a story about what’s right and what’s wrong in life, and the decisions we make in our youth that affect our future. The authors remind us that what we do in the present always affects the future. Written with dark humour, and astute observation about the teenage condition, The Future of Us is one of those books that you keep on a reachable shelf, so you could read it over and over again.
BSAK Teachers Deliver Bikes to Africa
u space No I don’t think you can dance!! By Rohith Krishna
It was supposed to be a nice quiet evening of reflection, contemplation and solitude; just me, my laptop and around 2,000 people online killing zombies in space. Sadly, according to my mom (and my roommate, the rat) that doesn’t count as social interaction, so, armed with a jacket and pair of shoes that may or may not withstand the trauma of dancing, I decide to hit the nearest nightclub with my non-geek friends (don’t be so shocked - I do have friends offline!!) Realising that I was now on foreign soil, I decided to first study these clubbers before I joined them, just like Jane Goodall did with the apes when she came to the startling conclusion that no one has any clue what they’re doing on the dance floor. I mean, there is music playing and there are bodies moving but, sadly, any relation between the two seems to lie outside the boundaries of known science. Anyway, after 15 minutes of boredom, observational studies and copious amounts of Red Bull through a sippy cup, I decided to join the fray – do as the Romans do, I thought -and eased my way onto the dance floor. I started out with the “yes man” routine - you know, the one where your head moves wildly while the rest of your body seems to be made of stone? But after one too many creaking noises from what was my fully moving neck, I decided to progress to another school of dance evident that night, which I like to call “the roof is falling”!!! How do you do this mystifying move you ask? (Just ask, will you!!!) It’s simple - you raise your hand in the air (admit it, you just said “like you just don’t care” in your head) and pretend the ceiling is falling, soon to crush you into a horrible squishy pulp if you don’t catch it (bonus points if you manage that look of abstract terror on your face). But very soon that also became boring and I moved on to other styles such as “my feet are glued to the floor”, “ants in my pants” and also the world-renowned “chicken dance” (for further research, please refer to your nearest kindergarten) before finally settling into the highly-energetic “cockroach stomp” (directions: lift one foot up bring it down as hard as possible; repeat with other foot). The end result of the night was one sprained neck, one set of embarrassed friends, several broken toes and one geek banned from the nightclub for life!!! So my final hypothesis? I think I’m better off killing zombies than dance moves, don’t you think?
Childhood Thoughts: The Power of Fear Teachers from The British School - Al Khubairat, Louise Jenkins and Michelle Fleming, recently travelled to Zambia to present the African charity organisation, World Bike Relief, with 100 bikes that the school purchased with money accumulated through various fundraising initiatives. Whilst in Zambia the teachers were involved with distributing the bikes to children, meeting local families, and supporting the community with some Sunday market shopping. Sent in by Michelle Fleming, Head of Media Studies at The British School - Al Khubairat.
By Mashal Abbasi
I am six years old. There are monsters under my bed. I cannot sleep at night. These are the fears of a child. Children are the epitome of innocence. They see the world through eyes untarnished by the harsh reality of today. They know no absolute evil, yet still they fear. They fear what they imagine to be real. They fear what they do not know. Tom is my best friend. He has blue skin, four arms and two heads. He is very strong. He will protect me from the monsters under my bed. Tom is not real, but this child fears loneliness. He doesn’t want to be alone, so he invents an imaginary friend. Children deal with fear the only way they know how, they escape from it and they flee from reality. My room is a castle. It has trees that grow candy, and the grass is made of marshmallows. The flowers taste like chocolate and the river is filled with strawberry milk. The clouds are cotton candy and it rains lollipops. This is my sanctuary. There is no fear here. This is home.
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what’s hot >
Abu Dhabi Festival
11 March - 6 April | Emirates Palace Auditorium Do you want to be inspired and mingle among the cultured? Well, this is your time! The ninth edition of the Abu Dhabi Festival is upon us, running from 11 March to 6 April at the Emirates Palace Auditorium. The Abu Dhabi Festival is an annual event organized by the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation where musicians, artists and performers come together to celebrate art and culture. It offers an amazing programme line-up ranging from musicians to dancers to performances. Celebrate the finest art and culture the UAE has to offer; an opportunity that only comes once a year. It’s a “culture shock” you don’t want to miss. Visit www.abudhabifestival.ae for further information. Tickets can be purchased online at www.timeouttickets.com/abudhabifestival or from the Abu Dhabi Festival box office at Emirates Palace.
Taste of Dubai Festival
15 -17 March | Dubai Media City Amphitheatre Feed your soul - not with music or books – but, literally, with food at the Taste of Dubai Festival from 15 to 17 March at Dubai Media City Amphitheatre. This is the event for food lovers! Surround yourself in an environment to tantalize your tastebuds, breathe in delectable aromas and tempt your palette with delightful flavours. The Taste of Dubai Festival presents gorgeous gourmet dishes, as well as live entertainment, outstanding chefs doing their thing and first-class restaurants showing who is best. The Taste of Dubai Festival is certainly food for thought, right? For more information on timings, or to purchase tickets, go to www.tasteofdubaifestival.com
“The Rivals” by Resuscitation Theatre 28 - 30 March | Corniche Abu Dhabi
Local performing arts group Resuscitation Theatre is back with their latest inventive and entertaining adaptation of a classic text from the English theatre. The group, who will perform Richard Sheridan’s The Rivals during the Abu Dhabi Festival, truly represents the cultural community of the capital with a multinational cast and crew including two Emirati actors and an Emirati director. Their brilliant interpretation of the Restoration comedy is a fusion of Arabic and English influences in an hilarious and original style. The Rivals will be performed on 28, 29 and 30 March at 8pm in a majlis tent at Sahil Al Meydan on the Corniche, Abu Dhabi. Tickets are free but booking is essential. To receive your invitation, send an email to community@admaf.org with your name, contact number and number of seats required. On receipt of the booking, you will be sent more details of the event. Tickets must be collected at the desk outside the tent an hour before the performance.
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Abu Dhabi International Comedy Festival 8 - 9 March | National Theatre, Abu Dhabi
For the first time ever, Abu Dhabi will host a unique event filled with exploding laughter and outrageous fun! On 8 and 9 March, the Abu Dhabi National Theatre will host the inaugural Abu Dhabi International Comedy Festival. Jokesters representing eight nationalities - including Lebanon, USA, the Philippines and, yes, the UAE – will perform a side-splitting show that will have the audience rolling on the floor with laughter! Headlining Day 1 will be Filipino-Canadian comic Ron Jossol who holds the title of “Funniest Filipino”. Day 2 will see Lebanese-American comedian Nemr Abou Nassar ending the festival with a barrage of hilarious, fall-off-your-seat gags.
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More information from www.skyevent.ae/comedy/index.html
Abu Dhabi Book Fair
28 March - 2 April | ADNEC Have you read your novels over and over and can’t find anything interesting in the bookshops? Imagine a huge library where you can get lost and go completely bookcrazy - just like a kid in a candy store! Great news! The Abu Dhabi Book Fair is back in town from 28 March to 2 April from 9am-10pm (Friday 4pm – 10pm) at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. The Abu Dhabi Book Fair features thousands of literary items on almost any topic you can think of, including school textbooks and novels, plus book signings, poetry readings and the chance to mix with fellow booklovers. More details are available online at www.adbookfair.com
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To mark the successful conclusion of Gourmet Abu Dhabi 2012 (by the newly renamed Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority - ADTCA) the Concierge dedicates this column to all things food. This year’s Gourmet served up an eclectic fare with something for every palette. A hot ticket was the UAE’s own Chef Khulood who was featured in Tempo’s January issue. Heard of Batook gum? Apparently the Saudi chewing company is minting money in KSA because of its wide adoption by many stores as “currency”, offered to customers instead of small change. Will this trend pick up here? Hope not, otherwise we’ll certainly see more visits to the dentist. But as it so happened I went to the newly revamped Coop supermarket in Khalidiya and was offered a couple of chocolates instead of 50 fils coins. I wasn’t happy, but I accepted them. I needed to go back into the store to pick up something else and went through the cash counter again, and rather cheekily offered them back the same chocolates back, as currency. They weren’t amused. But isn’t the idea of “legal tender” something that everyone accepts? Speaking of the Coop, there was one deli item that used to be available only there: their gorgeous lime pickles. I’ve been back a few times to buy them but they’re never there. Tragic really. Many of you gourmands and gourmets have probably heard of Yemeni honey, which holds its own among the world’s finest, but how many of you have heard of Yemeni tuna? Occasionally you may come across them in supermarket shelves. You’ll find that packaging isn’t so great, and the branding quite elementary, but the tuna...? Fresh. Speaking of Yemeni seafood watch out for the film adaptation of Paul Torday’s book “Salmon Fishing in the Yemen” which has been well received at the Toronto Film Festival and opens in US theatres this month. But this is a column about food ; I am digressing so stick to Yemeni tuna in the can for now. You don’t have to be French to know that “boulangerie” means “bakery” so you’d assume that an outlet that was called “boulangerie” would serve, bread...right? Not if you’re the Boulangerie on the Corniche breakwater which serves continental cuisine and everything else but. Which sorta reminds me of “qu’ils mangent de la brioche” (let them eat cake) famously delivered by Marie Antoinette. Yes, bread is one of those finer points of a meal, like a full stop in a sentence. So you’d think restaurants would care more about the bread they serve. Have you noticed that some restaurants offer terrific multi-textured bread (like Vasco’s in Abu Dhabi) and other great restaurants offer cheap cafeteria fare? (Sorry Bricco) Well, bon appetit and au revoir.
That’s all for today. Send me your rants, raves, gripes and grumbles.
Write to me: concierge@tempoplanet.com
The Concierge
www.tempoplanet.com
game hedz >
tech talk >
Blakniss | Original game head from Atari to XBox!
Shahid Saeed | Talker for the Non-Techies
March is for Mass Effect...3! If you have your priorities straight this month, the only thing you’ll be thinking about is Mass Effect 3 set for release on March 6th. “Mass what?” you ask. Never mind, the Hedz is here to help. Mass Effect occurs in future where galactic species of all sorts, including humanity, strive to work together amid interspecies prejudice and politics. Interstellar travel has been made possible by an ancient and extinct species known as The Protheans. Threatening the galaxy is a organic/robot hybrid species called The Reapers that destroy all life every few millennia. At the centre of the story is your character, Commander Shepard, and you’ve gathered a motley crew of alien battle experts to solve the galactic mystery of the Reapers, and hopefully, save the universe. Being a Role Playing Game (RPG), you must make all kinds of choices, which affect your reputation and ability to influence immediate outcomes and the ultimate results like the nature of your relationships, who lives and dies and the end game scenario. The strength of ME is the depth of story - very well written, dense and detailed - and the seamless balance of RPG and third-person-shooter. It’s the best of both worlds and many critics have deemed it the most anticipated game of 2012. So far you’ve uncovered the above dastardly plot, made some friends and enemies, gotten killed then resurrected, and kicked tons of alien butt. In ME 3 it all comes to a head, and the Reapers take the battle to the home turf: Earth. This is the endgame. For the first time ME series will have a multiplayer; a 4-person co-op smartly limited to specific missions (the demo was released Feb 14), and includes a cast of unlockable characters. The interactive story-telling is more involved than ever and the impact of your choices more far reaching than the first two editions - this makes replay too tempting to resist. Other new features include an omni-blade for melee attacks, all-new enemies and characters (yet to be revealed) and there’ll likely be new, more customisable weapons. Gameplay is also augmented with new moves like the evasive roll-move and probably has other surprises. The word is that this last instalment is riddled with emotion and intense moments, so keep a box of tissues nearby. GH highly recommends you get this as soon as it’s available and don’t let it go. We predict it will be 2012’s Game of the Year and if you don’t get it your coolness level will be severely and abruptly diminished without warning. Game on!
my fav app >
{ Shakeel Hussain }
My favourite app is Dolphin Browser for iPhone, iPad & Android devices. I like this app because it is the fastest, easiest and most fun web browser, and the world’s first gesture, webzine and Add-on enabled mobile web browser on android. It features multi-touch zoom, tabbed browsing and side bar. I have fallen in love with it!
NOKIA N9
Nokia N9 has the loveliest hardware and classic design that I have seen. For the technically minded, it is 0.48-inch thick, 1 GHz Cortex A8 processor, 1GB RAM, 3.9” AMOLED screen, 8MP Camera with dual-LED flash, built-in 16GB or 64GB flash storage, UMTS / HSPA (14.4Mbps) 3G radio, a quad band GSM / EDGE 2G radio for legacy networks, NFC and as usual Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 +EDR, GPS / AGPS, sensors “ambient light, proximity, orientation (accelerometer) and compass (magnetometer)”. The battery life is pretty decent considering the screen size and has a talk time on GSM of 11 hours and on 3G of 7 hours. The standby time is a maximum of 450 hours, with video playback time (720p) of 4.5 hours and music playback time of 50 hours.
CANON POWERSHOT G1 X
Canon has unveiled its most advanced PowerShot - the G1 X - that looks like the existing G-series compacts but is a very different prospect. This large sensor (18.7 x 14mm) camera can capture 14MP with 28-112mm F2.8-5.8 4x zoom lens, 4-stop image stabilizer, optical viewfinder, 100-12,800 ISO range, 3.0” 920,000 dots swiveling LCD, extensive manual controls, 14-bit RAW shooting (RAW+JPG), DIGIC 5 based HS system 4.5Fps continues shooting (up to 6 frames), Full HD 1080p movies with stereo sound, HDR mode & ND Filter, SD, SDHC & SDXC memory, high speed USB, HDMI mini connectors and 6.5 Wh NB-10L battery rated at 250 shots and 420min playback per charge.
NEWS & GOSSIP Monitor Your Home from Your iPhone
One of the overarching themes we have seen in the last year is the mobile-connected automated home. Forgot to turn off a light after you left your house? Switch it off from your phone. Want to adjust your home’s temperature to save energy on bills? There’s an app for that too. And Dropcam HD, a Wi-Fi camera with a mobile app, uses live and recorded video so you can make sure all is well while away from home.
Wake Up Without Disturbing Your Partner
We don’t all have the same sleep schedule, and this becomes problematic when sharing a bed. Now Lark (www.lark.com) has devised a silent alarm that is worn around your wrist while sleeping so you will be woken up gently without disturbing your partner. As an added bonus, it will track your sleeping patterns and provide you with relevant data through any iOS device such as an iPhone, iPod or iPad.
Follow me on @shahidaasi
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View the #1 SONG IN THE UAE
Ankit Lodha, a 24 year old accountant who loves music with heavy bass and constantly looks for new tunes to blast out of his car. 1. Aahatein (Remix) - Ek Mein Aur Ek Tu 2. Nothing Without Adele (Avicii Rolling Bootleg) – Avicii 3. Ex’d Up (Dirty) - Baba Kahn, Lomaticc & Sunny Brown 4. Rise Up – Moonraisers 5. Tere Bin - Bas Ek Pal 6. No I.D. Required - Midival Punditz, Hunble the Poet & Monica Dogra 7. Made of Love - Ferry Corsten Ft. Betsie Larkin 8. Tanhaai Mein Basi - Lucky Ali 9. Jo Bhi Mein – Rockstar 10. Feel Good – Modstep
Paradise - Coldplay Earthquake - Labrinth ft. Tinie Tempah Give me all your luvin - Madonna ft MIA and Nicki Minaj Wild Ones - Flo Rida ft. Sia Turn Me On - David Guetta ft. Nicki Minaj In Paris - Jay Z & Kanye West Somebody I Used To Know - Gotye ft. Kimbre Get Yourself Back Home - Gym Class Heroes ft. Neon Hitch Stronger - Kelly Clarkson Lego House - Ed Sheeran
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Part Of Me - Katy Perry Set Fire To The Rain - Adele I Will Always Love You - Whitney Houston Stronger - Kelly Clarkson Rolling In The Deep - Adele We Are Young - fun. Featuring Janelle Monae Someone Like You - Adele We Found Love - Rihanna Featuring Calvin Harris Starships - Nicki Minaj Turn Up The Music - Chris Brown
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Hot Right Now - DJ Fresh ft. Rita Ora Next To me - Emeli Sande Somebody I Used To Know - Gotye ft. Kimbre Titanium – David Guetta Ft. Sia Wild Ones - Flo Rida ft. Sia Domino - Jessie J Alone Again - Alyssa Reid ft. Jump Smokers T.H.E. - Will.I.Am ft. Mick Jagger and Jennifer Lopez One Thing - One Direction Twilight - Cover Drive
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my style blueprint FAV BUY OF THE PAST MONTH: A PLAIN GREEN HOODIE SWEATER FROM H&M. I GOT MANY NICE COMMENTS ABOUT IT. Describe your personal style in less than 10 words I like simple clothes. Something light, plain and stylish.
Name: Hooba Ehab Age: 22 Skimboarder Fashion Statement:
The choice of colours, for me, is what defines fashion. And of course, the way the clothes fit on a person bringing out the desired look.
Your top places to shop in AD? Zara, Pull and Bear, H&M, Splash and Hamed Center for accessories.
Does AD have style? Every country has its own style and nothing can be judged as it is a matter of opinion. As for Abu Dhabi, it is not one person so you can find all sorts of styles in this country.
Do you have any fashion pet peeves? I hate seeing people wearing very heavy jackets when it’s only slightly cold.
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American Women’s Network At Home with the U.S. Ambassador By Alma Kadragic Photos by Praveen Prabhakaran
Back in 1994 when the UAE was 23 years old, a group of American women living in Abu Dhabi started an informal group they called the American Women’s Network or AWN for short. The UAE celebrated its 40th anniversary last December, and AWN is still going strong, providing some American-style neighborliness to women in Abu Dhabi whether they are Americans or not, as long as they want to make new friends and take part in local activities.
Chris Meritzis and Deborah Kompanik relax under the digital work titled “To the Moon” by Zayed University student Maitha Demaithan.
After answering some questions, Ambassador Corbin, who has been in the UAE for six months, left to start his official work day while AWN members stayed for more coffee, art appreciation and networking.
Last month U.S. Ambassador Michael Corbin invited AWN members to his residence for coffee and a look at the art works collected under the title Beyond the Frame: Contemporary Art in the Emirates.
Chris Corcoran, Selam Asghedom, and Theresa Stokes illustrate what AWN is all about: making new friends.
Ambassador Corbin with members of AWN’s board of directors: Pam Tabbaa, Kim Martin, President Carole Finck, Alma Kadragic, Anne Armour, Mary Dietrich, and Margaret Hurtado from the Embassy
In brief welcoming remarks, Ambassador Corbin paid tribute to AWN for providing “a wonderful opportunity for people to get together.” He invited the guests to enjoy the exhibition of Emirati art, explaining that although American embassies and residences usually display American art, he chose to focus on art from the UAE.
Carole Finck, and mother-daughter team Doreen Grieve and Quincy Szymeczek connect with Fareed Abdullah from the US Embassy press office.
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youth talk The Beast Inside >
By Ahmed Samir
Baboons fight to the death; over territory, mates, and at times for what seems to be no reason. (They really do, I watched it on TV. Quite the brutal undertaking! Heads smashed to red pulp!) And not just baboons, this kind of competition within the same species is common among more animals than I can name. To be an animal is to be senseless, thoughtless, and brutal, right? Well, possibly. It follows that to be human, then, is to be the opposite. To be human is to be compassionate and merciful; it’s where the term “humane behaviour” comes from. Humans are good! But are they? You need only a half-keen eye to notice the similarities between humankind and animalkind. How different are the aforementioned baboons and the humans waging war as you read this? Isn’t it all a fight over land? And the similarities don’t end there. Aren’t our most basic needs the same? Food, shelter, mates, the continuity of our species. Speaking of mates and species continuation, don’t both animals and humans beautify themselves in attempt to attract mates? When you look at someone and think “good-looking”, you’re doing it: you’re behaving just as an animal would. We say animals behave without thinking, but don’t we as well? There is little conscious thought behind human attraction, there is only a drive that we cannot explain, but nonetheless act upon. Humans may use trips to the gym and agreeable clothing and, say, peacocks may pull their feathers into full display, but it’s essentially the same. Cannibalism is common in the animal world. So is the case with humans, if to a lesser degree. Two humans caged in a cell and starved will eat each other eventually, just as an animal denied food would not hesitate to eat one of its kind. What’s more, animals need to feel important and dominant. That is why a bird might destroy the nest of another, or a snake might kill another to gain dominance. Again, humans do the same. We gossip, ridicule others, form little social circles and ban others from joining in; all, in essence, a need to make others inferior. One need only look at a high school to see the continuous struggle for popularity and social dominance in stark display! The similarities are too many to mention. Is it the long-smothered animal instinct fighting its way out? Or do both the gentle and merciless sides of humanity coexist within the fabric of our species? Which is the most dominant, which is the one to rightfully cling to and nurture? Are we still animals or are we something wholly different? Am I, and you, no different than silverback gorillas and the zebras of the savannah? Humanity is an interesting species, to say the least! Follow me on Twitter or email: AhmedSamirSalama@yahoo.com
Inspirations and Idols > By Shamma Al Suwaidi veryone has a goal in life, no matter how depressing, horrible or hard their life may be. Even if some don’t succeed, it doesn’t mean that they don’t have a goal. But not all goals are the same. Some are much bigger than others; these are the goals of the strong. But having a goal isn’t everything. You have to achieve that goal in order to prove yourself successful. There is always that one thing that you must complete at some point. “How do I do that?” you ask. Well, it’s actually pretty simple. You just need some self-confidence and inner strength. This is where inspirations come in. Inspirations can be anything. In fact, inspirations are pretty much everything. Let’s take Steve Jobs as an example. Steve inspired thousands, maybe millions of people around the world with his amazing ideas and his ever-growing confidence in himself and his country. And even though he isn’t here with us today (God Bless his Soul), he is still a bright bulb and a burning star for believers from all nationalities. He was an inspiration. But for many others, Steve is what we call an idol. Now, here is where the confusion starts. I’m not trying to offend, criticize or insult anyone. There is nothing really wrong with having an idol. I’m just trying to say that idolism is only helpful up to a point. Inspirations are different to idols because if you idolize someone to an inappropriate level, it means you’re not being original anymore. You’re not following what your heart tells you; instead, you follow what others do or say and try to imitate them in any way you can. Summing it all up, I just wanted to clarify the difference between an inspiration and an idol. They are both the same type of thing, but idolism is when you take inspiration a little too far. As I mentioned previously, there is nothing wrong with having an idol, just as long as you keep your imitations under control. So here’s the lesson for everyone: don’t stop believing! Work toward your goals and don’t stop until you get there. Use your inspirations to keep your ideas alive, but don’t take it too far. Like the old saying my mom always told me: “If they jumped off a cliff, would you jump too?!?”
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city bites A Mix Of Heaven: Nolu’s Café
By Sharon Carvalho
er mother never wanted her to get in to the restaurant business. Having been a chef in her own restaurant for many years, she knew the trials and the many tribulations of bringing Afghani cooking to the world. Cooking had always been a passion for Marjon Ajami. She tried to get out of it by studying fashion design and had an entire plan set up to open a little mid-range boutique in Abu Dhabi. But a bit of a hiccup and a few deviations later, fate intervened and Marjon started Nolu’s Café . That was four months ago. If you’re wondering where the name originates, it’s from her children NOah and LUjayn. Smart, huh? Smarter still was her decision to fuse Afghani traditional culinary influences with classic American dishes. Located in picturesque Al Bandar, overlooking the marina, Nolu’s Café is a little piece of gastronomical heaven. Tempo visited the restaurant recently. We were warmly greeted by the staff and led to comfy green sofas and soft lighting. We were first served “The Juice of the Day” which was a delicious mix of orange, cranberry and mango fresh juices; a perfect blend of sweet and tangy. Then came the most delicious soup I’ve ever eaten….barley soup, which may put a lot of people off but this soup was creamy (without the cream) and delicious and lemony and just brilliant. It was a soup that reminded me of home cooked meals and comfort food on a cold winter’s day. Our next dish was Bolani, a typical Afghani flat pastry filled with a mixture of potato, onions, cilantro, scallions and a variety of spices. It was seared to perfection and served with chutney and yoghurt. The mixture was the perfect blend of spices and potato, and the chutney and yoghurt complimented each other to combat the spice of the chutney and enhance all the flavours. Next came some delicious dumplings. The steamed pastry melted in my mouth to give way to the most succulent, juicy and delicately spiced meat called Mantoo. Borani Banjon and Borani Kadoo followed - eggplant and squash respectively sautéed in saffron, cardamom, tomatoes and other spices, all dipped in a bed of yoghurt. Now, I’m not a huge fan of squash but Marjon’s preparation had me begging for more! This glorious meal was brought to a triumphant end with a cheesecake that had a soft creamy filling and buttery biscuit base. It was the perfect ending to a memorable meal. While I may have stuck to the more traditional Afghani dishes on the menu, Nolu’s Café has something for everyone, including a variety of burgers and pizzas, sandwiches and a salad bar of over 40 toppings and mixings. An all round thumbs up, I say.
www.tempoplanet.com
CALLING PLANET EARTH
HERE COME THE PLANETARIANS! Compiled by Xenia Swarts
A new breed of eco-superheroes has come to help save our world! The Planetarians is a new CSR initiative, supported by BrandMoxie and other like-minded businesses, to focus corporates and the community on the preciousness of our finite global resources. The vision is to create a community, a movement, a state of mind that revolves around creating a better world through promoting sustainable products and ideas, and to espouse a kinder and gentler way to do business, create communities and grow. We believe there are many like-minded individuals who want to save our world and support our communities. Join our register today and show you care! Our aim is to get over 1,000 supporters before the next edition, so spread the word in any way you can -Twitter, Facebook, BBM, Google + or simply talking to your friends. Log into www.theplanetarians.com and sign the register, post a blog or simply share your ideas. We would love to hear from you.
SIMPLE WAYS TO TAKE ACTION TODAY: • • • • •
Instead of throwing away your old newspapers, use them as gift wrapping paper Recycle, recycle, and recycle some more! Buy three bins and label them: Paper, Waste and Other Join the paperless environment. The less paper that is used, the fewer trees will be cut down Keep your A/C temperature at a constant 24° to maximize efficiency Plant a herb garden or grow your own vegetables
Recycling, saving the planet, becoming a volunteer or donating to a good cause can become significant habits and are small ways we can start contributing to improving conditions around us. Remember, we only have one planet, and we need to take care of it. HERE’S A TIP: Become a volunteer and show someone that you care. To start you off, we have given you 40 ways to save the planet. Tear out the 2012 Planetarians calendar from the centre pages and stick it in a highly visible place. Share the ideas with your family members… and live them at home and at work every day.
DOES ANYONE KNOW? • •
What happens to food that is not consumed at restaurants and food courts? Does it get thrown away? What happens to the glass and cans that are thrown into the large recycling containers at various points across the city? Do they really go through a recycling process or are the contents dumped into a landfill?
If you know the answers, post your comments on www.theplanetarians.com
THIS MONTH’S ECO-SUPER HEROES: A big shout out to schools like Abu Dhabi Indian School and The Cambridge High School Abu Dhabi for taking early strides to promote green living. Environment clubs in schools are the best way to get students involved and teach them how to protect the environment from a young age.
A BRANDMOXIE INITIATIVE
www.theplanetarians.com
MY MARCH ECO PLEDGE
6 Cheryl Wayco
5
Arjun Suria
4 orld @ Hedge Funds W wers s To te ira Em h Jumeira 5-8
abia
Art Night @ Cafe Ar
Playworld ME @ DICEC 68
Ankit Lodha
18
27
26
t Show bi Yach a h D u Ab 24-26
m rea ’s D re t h t ig r N hea me habi T m u ids u D A M @ Ab
a Anoushk Traveller- irates Palace Em Shankar@
Saif Arikat
25
20 Phoebe Jaspe
Muhaimma Sulaiman
Nana Christie
19
ISNR 201 @ ADNEC 19 2 -21
Dubai International Boat Show @ Dubai International Marine Club 13-17
MEFTEC @ ADNEC
Sutra / Anto Sidi Larbi Ch n e Brzósk y Gormley - rkaoui Sz a @ Em irates ymon Palace
Veronica
Abu Dhabi Festiva l @ Emirates Palac e and Abu Dhabi Theatre
13 Khalid Al Shaer
12 Ismael Gabriel Saballa
Hansel Punnam
11
Saif Al Madani
March
MY MARCH TO DO LIST
Wagner’s The Ring Cycle @ VOX Gold
2
Alena Fatoom Ahmed
16
Resplendent Russia @ Emirates Palace
Marlene Vaz
23
Tamak k Mamo an Seminar ura Au @ ditoriu m
30 EC
ow @ ADN
Spring Sh
Design Days Dubai @ Emaar Boulevard 18-21
24
Nasser Shamma & The Global Music Ensemble @ Emirates Palace
31 Dany Jaber
ernational Abu Dhabi Int NEC Book Fair @ AD
29
Zeeshan Razzaqi
Fair ly Gift all riend F H o W c E at I@
Manju
Zainab Khan
28
onal i Internati Abu Dhab k Fair Boo Apr 28 Mar- 2 N D A @ EC
yers The Dream Pla at I@W
dinat Art Dubai @ Ma Jumeirah 21-24
17
dere La Baya Palace s e t a ir @ Em
Mehreen Malik
Richard Brown
22
Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series @ Dubai polo & Equestrian Club 2-11
Taste of Dubai @ Dubai Festival City 15-17
Vanessa
Malik Kaddoura
21
Laveezah Khan
Women as Global Leaders Conference @ Zayed University 12-15
WETEX Exhibition @ DICEC 13-15
10
Reem Hamoui
Kling Blaza
15
Abu Dhabi Internatio Triathlon
Abu Dhabi International Comedy Festival @ National Theatre 8-9
Rooftop Rhythms @ Cafe Arabia
14
nal
9
Davina Lewis
Chris Xaviour
8
Care @ D ers UAE ICEC 5-7
3
David Guetta @ Yas Arena
Trevor Fund Raising Day @ ZSC
7
Aisha
Abdu Naidu
1
Ges @ Em tures of irates Light Ghaf Palace a nd Galle ry
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TOP OF THE POPS FEBRUARY’S DREAM PLAYER HAS IT ALL By Sharon Carvalho
What do you get when you combine a killer voice, magnetic personality, and a winning smile? The answer is Osama El Kamel of Sudan, winner of February’s edition of The Dream Players. Despite tough competition from four other talented contestants, Osama stole the judge’s hearts with his moving rendition of the popular hit ‘Back to Black’ by the late Amy Winehouse. It was a fantastic show and full of firsts for The Dream Players, one being that the contestants were all male. “We were so surprised after narrowing down the applicants for the show that we were left with only males,” laughed production assistant, Mashal Abbasi. “Each contestant sang their hearts out, and truly raised the bar in terms of talent.” The Dream Players also welcomed the first Emirati to the stage - 27-year-old singer Muneer Al Obeidly. He tied with El Kamel for the win, but ultimately, Osama walked away with the grand prize after further consultation by the judges. Speaking about his performance, Muneer, a musician by night and doctor by day, said, “I loved that the show was friendly and competitive at the same time, and I appreciated the honest feedback from the judges.” Other contestants were Ronnel Cabagnot from the Philippines, Hafiz Ur Rehman from India, and Hamoodi Rehman from Palestine. Osama, an engineering graduate from the University of Sharjah, never expected to be winning accolades for his vocal skills. “Music and singing was never a big part of my school life, and it wasn’t something that was encouraged,” said Osama. “I used to listen to music and sing along to the songs I loved, but I never took singing seriously and didn’t think I had a good enough voice.” Auditioning for The Dream Players for Osama happened completely by chance. “My friend sent me the link on Facebook, and I went through the website and thought it would be an interesting opportunity,” he said. Within days of applying, Osama auditioned, was selected, and booked a complimentary photoshoot with Nabeela Huda, an extremely talented photographer and university student. Nabeela shot with Osama and was captivated by his smile as well as his personality. “Osama was such a fun guy, and I loved that he was so enthusiastic and involved in the shooting process.” Osama only began singing a few years ago, and even then, only shared his talent with
FEBRUARY’S DREAM PLAYER
Osama El Kamel a few close friends. “It was these friends that gave me the push I needed to audition for The Dream Players which was my first live performance as a singer,” he said. “I had never participated in a singing competition before, and definitely have never trained professionally.”
Of all the prizes Osama won on the night of the show, the most exciting was an unexpected offer from Emirati judge and recording artist, Ahmed Al Suwaidi. Wowed by Osama’s spectacular performance, Ahmed generously promised Osama a chance to record in his studio and to collaborate on a track for his upcoming album due to be released at the end of 2012. “It’s going to be a fantastic opportunity,” said Osama. “I was caught completely by surprise, and would be honored to work with Mr Al Suwaidi.” Another first for The Dream Players was an impromptu singing of The Beatles’ anthem ‘Hey Jude’ by all of the contestants after the competition. Surprising both the audience and judges, the five took to the stage, accompanied by Hamoodi on guitar, and within a few bars had the entire room singing along. “This is what The Dream Players is all about,” said Kera Thompson, judge and production manager of the event. “We take five people from differing nationalities and backgrounds, and bring them together to prove that we aren’t so very different from each other after all.” “The feeling of community and togetherness that this show achieves is so uplifting and we are proud to provide it.”
Check out the website
www.tempoplanet.com
The Dream Players team sends a huge shout out to their lovely host, Mylene Gomera. As an actress, Mylene is used to having to ad-lib and think on her feet while looking gorgeous and the team thanks her for being the glue that keeps the show together. With warmth, ease and grace she enthralls the audience with her wit and calms the participants with her banter. Thank you, Mylene!
THE PLAYERS
THE JUDGES Hamoodi Rahman:
Hamoodi is a graphic design student passionate about art and music. He has won 2 awards this year for poster design, the Nawa Awards and an Abu Dhabi Environmental Agency competition. Hamoodi looks forward to achieving his goals with his talents. He loves to sing, take pictures and hang out with his friends.
Michelle Nickelson: Michelle is the President and COO of Mirage Foundations, and
owner of MENA Cinefinance Fund, the first film investment fund from the GCC region. Michelle has worked at Warner Brothers Studio and iBeam Broadcasting, and produced the first ever world-premiere of a Hollywood film in the Middle East, “The Last Legion”, starring Sir Ben Kingsley and Aishwarya Rai. She is currently developing the feature film franchise Antar the Black Knight and is also the Executive Producer of the film trilogy.
Ahmed Al Suwaidi: Ahmed is an Emirati singer and composer who started his music
career in 2003 when he joined the Super Star Music Competition in Lebanon, the Arabic version of American Idol. He has competed in several other festivals with great success. Ahmed recorded his first album in 2009 and his single ‘Yo Dany Dan’ won best youth Khaleejy video clip at the Oscar Arabic Song Festival in Egypt in 2011.
Ronnel Cabagnot:
Ronnel Chrizz, or ‘Roc’ for short, sings for free, especially in the bathroom! He simply loves singing and is waiting for singing to love him too!
Ruth Burrows: Ruth Burrows has 20 years of experience in the field of theatre and events. Starting as a performer, she played many classical roles with a twist for a touring company in the UK that specialised in Elizabethan and Jacobean tragicomedy. Having had her fill of Shakespeare, Marlowe and Beaumont & Fletcher, Ruth then turned her attention to stage and costume design and now feels much more at home backstage. A resident of Abu Dhabi since 1997, Ruth currently works as a senior designer for one of the largest event companies in the UAE. Kera Thompson: Kera Thompson has over 10 years of experience in both the fashion
Hafiz Rehman:
Hafiz has been singing Hindi songs since his school days where he was selected for inter school competitions. He also won the Best Singer award in college. Singing is not his only talent; he also mimics Indian actors such as Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjeev Kumar and Raj Kumar.
Muneer Al Obeidly
Even the most incredible of journeys starts with a single step. Muneer’s step started in 2007 when he went to a karaoke bar and discovered he could sing. A UAE national from Abu Dhabi, Muneer loves to make friends and live a healthy life…oh yeah, and be a doctor on the side.
and design industry. In 2000, Kera reigned as Miss Indiana Teen USA and traveled the country as her state’s representative. The Miss Teen USA competition was aired nationally in which Kera placed 8th out of 51 state delegates. Now a seasoned professional model, she has gone on to work as both an actor and model in the international commercial, film and fashion industries. Kera has a love of singing and has played the piano since she was 6 years old, performing and competing at a state level. Kera represents The Dream Players team.
TALENT CALL!
Do you have a talent? Would you like to be the next Dream Player? Go to www.thedreamplayers.com to sign up and find out how you can participate in our next event.
AUDIENCE CALL!
The next Dream Players talent competition will be held on Thursday, March 22 at the Innovation@Work Hall. Be a part of the coolest community talent show in Abu Dhabi and cheer on the incredible talent we’re discovering in the UAE! Call us on 02-4918624 to RSVP as space is limited!
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just handcrafted >
articulate >
Jan D’Sa | Scientist artiste hybrid
Neena Rai | An artist with a flair
Have Lunch in Style An Innovative New Idea
1 Place plastic container on the silver insulated side
2 Fold lower corner over box
3 Fold remaining corners over box
4 Secure with attached elastic band
Art Dubai is Back Bigger and Better Than Ever Art lovers, mark 21- 24 March in your diaries because Art Dubai is back! This sixth edition of Art Dubai at Madinat Jumeriah promises the most outstanding talent from across the world, and perhaps a little controversy.
For those who take lunch to work or college, here is a lunchbox cooler that is practical and snazzy. Designed by Carla Bygrave, owner of “All Things Bright and Beautiful”, I take one to show off whenever I participate in exhibitions and need to have lunch behind my stall. My lunchbox cooler is covered with a fabric of vibrant flowers spilling into every corner, and I use it as a pick-me-up because the brilliant colours make me happy on a dull, cloudy day. In fact, when I visit Carla’s exhibition stand during every craft fair, I feel bright and beautiful as I view her signature fabric-felted buckets and buntings lining the stand. Carla says she is fabric crazy and admits to having so much fabric that she is scared of the rolls spilling out of her workshop room. I think most artisans can relate to that! How did Carla come up with this unique lunchbox cooler idea? “I needed to use up excess fabric in a project that was easy to make and also practical, and I had seen that the Japanese wrap their bento boxes in fabric. To adapt it to the Dubai heat, I lined the fabric with an aluminum insulating sheet to keep things cooler for a longer time,” she explains. “A lot of my office worker friends love these cooler bags because they can bring their packed lunch in them without having to bring separate cool bags. The wrap also acts as a placemat on their desks.” For teen boys who think it’s no longer cool to take a lunch cool bag to school, have no fear. Carla has designed lunch boxes in the colours and designs that teen boys would love. The great thing is that the wrap can adjust to different box shapes and sizes. It is really simple to use Carla’s lunchbox cooler. Simply place the plastic container on the silver insulated side. Fold the lower corner over the box. Fold the remaining corners over the box. Secure with the attached elastic cord. Visit the All Things Bright & Beautiful Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/BrightBeautiful-ME-creative-fabric-ideas
Jan D’Sa is the artist-designer behind Janys De. Follow this handcrafting advocate’s trips ’n treats at the Cultural Arts Travelogue.
Around 70 leading galleries will display the work of more than 500 artists, with the “Marker” concept stands something to look out for. The focus for this Art Dubai is the burgeoning Indonesian art scene. Five galleries, selected by curator Alia Swastika, are coordinating with new artists to produce special works. In my opinion, the icing on the cake will be the Cartier Exhibition. Cartier is an event sponsor, and this year they have created a unique jewellery line under the name Cartier Naturellement. The exhibition showcases exotic creations inspired by nature and wildlife. The artist behind the collection, Christophe Ponceau, has portrayed a world inhabited by dazzling animals and flowers. Believe me, some of the pieces on display are simply out of this world. Cartier will also feature Aquarium, a distinctive installation of work and jewellery by Brazilian artist Beatriz Milhazes. Composed of small and large rods with extra large pearls, spheres and disks, it is an artpiece that is overwhelming, breathtaking, imposing and intricate all at once, and inspires the contemplation of an ideal existence. Along with Art Dubai, make sure you find some room in the diary from 15 – 25 March to check out other initiatives such as the Sikka Art Fair and Design Days.
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book shelter
By Sharon Carvalho
Reading and Recycling Inspiring a new generation
Reading has become a hobby long forgotten. Gone are the days when people curled up to read a good book and enjoy letting their imagination run wild. Tempo sat down with two young Emirati girls, Mariam Al Khayat and Shaika Abdulrahman Al Shamsi, who have made it their mission to rescue books through their initiative, The Book Shelter. Tell us a little bit about yourselves. How do you know each other? We grew up in Al Ain and have been friends since the fourth grade. One bond formed through a love for reading and writing. We both shared an equal obsession with books. We created our first handwritten and handdrawn magazine when we were 10. In the fifth grade we started a book club - we were the only members but we enjoyed it beyond belief. The world of books is one that has been comfortable and familiar to us since an early age. We’re doing something we love and entering a domain we were always interested and involved in, so it felt natural to come up with an idea together to promote something we strongly believe in. Tell us about The Book Shelter. It is an Emirati book-sharing initiative that serves as a way of recycling unwanted books for others to enjoy free of cost! All expenses are shouldered by us – there are no shipping fees and all books are free. Using book donations from the community, we are creating a virtual library with a continuously updated inventory of books that is accessible to everyone in the United Arab Emirates. We accept book donations and find them new homes through various projects such as The Book Repertoire and The Reading Nook. How and when did you come up with the idea and when did this idea become a reality? We are two book lovers. Our love for reading is lifelong. Books and stories are things that are embedded in our childhood memories. We’re also book collectors and will take any opportunity to pick up a book, whether we are in a bookstore or a supermarket. If the place sells books we will buy one. Before we travel we do our research into the country’s local bookstores and those are the spots we look forward to visiting. We actually started this idea in 2006. It ran successfully for a while and then we shut it down. Our passion for books continued and that’s why the idea never died. Rescuing books is something we do all the time. We rescue books from friends, family and anyone we hear of that has books they don’t use or care about or want to throw away. We try to buy books from stores that use them as decoration. We don’t like every book we rescue, but books are books, and we value them. The Book Shelter only started up again recently, but it’s something we have been doing on a personal level all our lives.
What progress have you made since the initiation of The Book Shelter? The Book Shelter evolved quickly as we’ve had many opportunities open to us. Last month, we opened a permanent Book Station at Al Maraya Centre in Al Qasba (Sharjah) where people can go and pick up free books. We are hoping to open other permanent book stations in other emirates to make it easier for people to get their books and donate. We’re also collaborating with a school in Ras Al Khaimah to provide them with much needed books for their library and to create activities, such as fundraisers, where the students can get involved in bringing in books so that they experience first-hand the value of books. What do you hope to achieve with this project? One goal of The Book Shelter focuses on recycling books and making them accessible to everyone. We’ve had a lot of the support from the community in the UAE and we hope this grows so that people feel personally responsible for book sharing and it becomes natural for people to recycle their books by giving them or exchanging them with others. We are also extremely passionate about education and wish to provide as much help and awareness to schools and students about the value of reading, not just through providing free books, but by organizing events and activities that revolve around the theme of reading. We want a future generation of readers that have high dreams and aspirations for themselves and for their country, and reading implants this drive in children. How can Tempo readers help The Book Shelter? The Book Shelter is run by a very small group of people (4 to be exact!) and we do everything ourselves. We personally deliver and pick up books, take care of expenses out of our own pockets, update the website and so on. Naturally, book donations help tremendously. We’d love receive donations from readers who have books collecting dust on their shelves or books they don’t read anymore. We’d also love for people who share the same passion we have for reading to come onboard The Book Shelter team. As we grow, we need more hands so if anyone is interested in volunteering their time and skills we’d love to have them join us! Visit http://blog.thebookshelter.ae/ to get in touch with the girls and learn more!
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doc in the house >
mum unlimited >
Dr. DMS | A doc from the Bronx
Sarah Widdup | Living the dream, needing the sleep
How Does Death Affect You? A Personal Account
What Do You Find When You Get Lost? The Funny Side of Life
My job primarily deals with other people’s misfortunes. After many years of this type of exposure, I have managed to develop a healthy distance from all the suffering around me. But what happens when that suffering is my own? Recently, I dealt with the loss of a very close family member. In true life irony, I get the information that she is gravely ill via a text message during an overnight shift. I was following the events almost in real time via text and email, and by 6.00am, I had a flight booked and was ready to go and “take care of business”. This time, however, the “taking care of business” would be much different. I had a long flight to prepare and think things over.
It was with great anticipation and excitement that I packed my suitcase on Friday morning. I was off to Dubai for a concert with the girls – my first overnight trip anywhere on my own since I had my first child almost 6 years ago! I was looking forward to some time to just be me, a break from being the ever-present and responsible mum. The perfect girls weekend.
On arrival, I went directly to the hospital to see her. All at once, it hit me. All those years of building up protective defense mechanisms failed me now. In an instant, I had become a regular civilian guy, visiting his moribund family member. I took a moment to process what I was seeing. I’ve had no special training to deal with my own anguish. I was doing this “on the fly”- like I have seen at work, by many, over the years Around 24 hours after my arrival, I received the phone call at 4.23am. I knew who it was and what I had to do. Immediately, I went to the hospital to be with her to say my final goodbyes. This was to be the last time I would ever lay eyes on her. It was my turn to experience what it’s really like to say your final goodbyes. I went to the room and just sat there, watching the sun rise. Then I hugged and kissed her one final time. Now, I was devastated. This really was the end. But, at the same time, I had made peace with the situation. Her old frame was tired, and now she could rest. She was free to fly. I won’t try to empathize with families who have lost someone as it seems so personal. It’s not my place. I couldn’t understand how they felt as I had never been there myself. But things change and I now understand the sadness. We all deal with loss differently, but I won’t change my approach. It’s much more personal than I thought initially. I didn’t need any nameless medic to feel compelled to share in my grief for someone that he/she didn’t know. So, if I seem aloof, please understand that it’s out of respect for my patients and their families; that during their final gathering I will kindly and quietly slip out of the room.
And then things went a touch awry. When we got to Dubai, we shopped up a storm - as you do - and by the time we were done, it was marching on for 7.30pm. Off we raced to the hotel, got glammed up and ready to go. It was 9pm by the time we left. Oops, the band was supposed to go on at 9pm. Haha!, we thought, when does the band ever start on time?? Apparently in Dubai they do. What happened after we left the hotel will go down in our little ladies book of hilarious legends. We got lost. Oh my word, did we get lost. Not just a wrong turn, but a series of hiccups that meant we didn’t arrive at the Sevens Stadium until just after 10pm. I mean, is that stadium even technically in Dubai??? It was blimmin’ miles away! Miles and miles and extra miles to get lost in. What happened while we were getting horribly lost was one of those great, extended bouts of hilarity and silliness that seem to arrive just when you need them most. As we all peered out the car window wondering where on earth we were, secretly thinking “we’ll never get there in time”, the stories started to come out – really funny stories. I have not laughed as much for a long, long time. So we got lost in Dubai, missed all but 20 minutes of the concert and then had to drive all the way back to our hotel. But it was fun! The kind of fun that happens when you least expect it – the best kind of fun. And it’s fun you can never replicate with other people again, a total one-off in the giggles department. So yeah, we got lost, but we found something to laugh at – ourselves. Pretty much the perfect girls weekend really. Check out her blog
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making a difference
By Sharon Carvalho
Glorious Orphanage There’s nothing like a child’s smile to the warms the depths of your heart. It was the smiles of the many orphaned children in Tanzania that inspired Lujan Mourad to join the Glorious Orphanage Corporation and strive to do all she could to help these children lead a better life. Tempo sat down with Lujan to learn about the orphanage and its magnificent work.
Tell us about yourself and any previous involvement in charity organizations. I am a Syrian national who was born and raised in Abu Dhabi. I graduated from the American International School and earned a Bachelor’s degree in IT from the Eastern Mediterranean University in Cyprus. While at high school and university, I would often volunteer during the summer to assist with children in summer camps. I’ve done a few volunteering jobs through the Emirates Foundation but Tanzania and Glorious Orphanage was my first international volunteering experience. Tell us about Glorious Orphanage. Glorious Orphanage is a care facility and school, mainly for orphans, with 81 students aged from 3 to 11 years old. It is run by a Tanzanian couple named Alice Mathew and Julius Shuma, who are its directors and founders. Alice was previously a volunteer for Care International, traveling around Arusha tending to those with HIV and AIDS. She noticed that once her patients lost their battle with AIDS, their children would either be taken in by relatives or foster families and were rarely given the opportunity of education. She took it upon herself to start a school on her own property for these children, and, out of her own pocket, began feeding them once a week. Over time, her school grew in size to its current total. Not all of these students are orphans, yet each child comes from extreme poverty. What were your reasons behind getting involved with Glorious Orphanage? I went to Tanzania through a New Zealand-based volunteering organization in November 2010 and was randomly placed at Glorious Orphanage. I expected to spend two weeks assisting where I could, and then move to volunteer at other orphanages in different countries. What I did not expect was for the children at Glorious to change my life completely. I was absolutely touched by the spirit of the children, and I knew that when the 2 weeks were over, there was no way I was going to be able to return to my normal routine and life. I then contacted Hannah Ames, the founder the USregistered Glorious Orphanage Corporation, and told her that I am eager to do whatever it takes to continue helping Glorious. After collecting massive amounts of generous donations and securing sponsors for the majority of the kids, I was placed on the Board of Directors and have since been back three times to implement many other projects, including expanding the building for more classrooms, a teachers’ area and a water well. My next trip there will be in August. What success have you achieved and what challenges were faced during the process of setting up the orphanage? I was not involved when Glorious Orphanage was first set up but when I joined, the building comprised of one classroom and a small wooden shack, and lunch was served on the ground under a tree to 50 kids. Over time, with continuous commitment from the team and hard work to secure more donations, Glorious Orphanage now has four classrooms, a water well, electricity, an office, a security wall, sets of swings and a dining room. We expect to attain registration from the Ministry
of Education in Tanzania which will add credibility to the education that the students are receiving and assist them in their future endeavors. In November, an anonymous Emirati woman donated AED 60,000 to the orphanage. In addition, the Sheraton Abu Dhabi Hotel & Resort generously sent three of their staff members with funds to Glorious Orphanage. Our current challenge is spacing. Glorious has expanded so much to accommodate our current numbers that we are no longer able to take on more kids or build anything else. What can readers do to help you and this initiative? Donate - whether it’s money or your time - and I don’t mean just to Glorious Orphanage. Find a cause you are passionate about, do some research, contact reputable organizations and donate sustainably. Allocate some days from your annual leave and volunteer. People tend to find all that is wrong with the world to be overwhelming and become discouraged because they feel that whatever they do makes no difference. But I’ve seen first hand that the smallest initiation goes a long way. For more information, visit www.gloriousorphanage.com or the Official Facebook page, Glorious Orphanage. Lujan can be contacted at lujan.mourad@gloriousorphanage.com
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media >
By Alma Kadragic
LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION UAE’s Film Season Starts Again t may seem as if the UAE’s film festival season just ended, but in fact it has already started again. For the second year in a row, the recent Heritage Film Festival was held outdoors at the Abu Dhabi Heritage Village on the Breakwater. It is the first open-air film festival in the UAE and is sponsored by the Goethe Institut Gulf Region, the German Embassy, and the Swiss Embassy. Local partners include the Abu Dhabi Film Festival, Emirates Heritage Club, Abu Dhabi Film Commission with HCT and Zayed University. Next comes the 5th Gulf Film Festival from April 10-16 at Dubai Festival City. It collects films created by filmmakers from the Arab peninsula and as well as other films that showcase the region. Sponsors include the Investment Corporation of Dubai, Emirates Airlines, and Dubai Culture & Arts. After the summer break when filmmakers are shooting and editing their new productions come the major festivals: Abu Dhabi Film Festival from October 11-20 and the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) from December 9-16. As the local film industry develops in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, it is encouraging that productions from the UAE and the Arab world are increasingly being recognized at major film festivals around the world. At last month’s 62nd Berlin Film Festival, or Berlinale, four films supported by DIFFconnected funding were screened as well as others shown in Dubai last year. Some of the same films and others from DIFF have been circulated to the Sundance, Palm Springs and Rotterdam Film Festivals, expanding the reach of Arab culture beyond traditional borders.
UNLEASH BUSINESS SUCCESS IN 2012! THE INSIDERS GUIDE TO PUBLICITY FOR SMEs
Wednesday 21 March | 6.00 -8.00pm | Al Mamoura Auditorium, Abu Dhabi The March Tamakkan seminar spotlights two inspiring Emirati entrepreneurs and provides expert knowledge on gaining publicity for SMEs. PROGRAMME: • Live Performance by the winner of February’s “The Dream Players”, Osama Elkamel • “Business Lessons I Learned – The Hard Way” by Khalid Al Ameri, co-founder of Slices, a new healthy food outlet in Abu Dhabi. Khalid will provide insights on the challenges facing a start-up business and the lessons he learned while establishing Slices • “Top Ten Ways to Generate Publicity” by Ian Mason, Manager – CSR and Public Relations, Brand Moxie. Publicity is a powerful tool to have in your marketing workbox. Ian will offer his top tips for getting free promotion of your business through publicity. • Entrepreneur Spotlight: Souad Mohamed Al Hosani, President and Founder of Nexus Business Services and Nexus Agencies. Souad will share secrets about what inspired her to start Nexus Business Services and what motivates her to achieve continued success. • The Entrepreneur Quiz! How much do you really know about business? In just 10 questions you can find out. Are you up to the challenge? • Panel discussion with opportunities for the audience to participate. Attendance is free but registration is required. To register, call Priya on 024918624 or email info@tamakkan.org
APP WORKSHOP
LEARN HOW TO DEVELOP AN APPLE IPHONE OR IPAD APP Register for the iPhone/iPad App Development for Beginners workshop. This is for persons with no computer programming or software development experience. Programming skills are not needed; however you must have a desire to learn. Starting from the fundamentals, you will learn how to develop applications to run on the iPhone and iPad. This course cuts through the jargon and misinformation that surrounds iPhone and iPad application development. Dates: 23 and 24 March What you need: An Intel based Macintosh Laptop purchased in 2006 or later, running Lion (OS X 10.7.2 or later). Optional: An iPhone or iPad running iOS 5 Price: USD 1200
To register, contact Sharon on 02-4918625
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TAMAKKAN KNOWLEDGE HUB
A City In Transition: Don’t Fight The Change! hange is swirling around Abu Dhabi, as thick in the air as sand from a shamal. The skyline is changing, culture is changing and even the weather patterns are changing. Change is happening in our business world too; some of it good, some not so good. Reorganisation at government and corporate entities means that things don’t stay the same for long, and it is inevitable that you will be affected by change, either personally or through your family and friends. Change triggers different reactions in people. Many are inspired by change; for others, it means anxiety, uncertainty and demotivation. Change might lead to new job descriptions, new colleagues, new office locations, new cultures, new ways of thinking...that is if you manage to actually hold on to your job. Many people scoff at change and underestimate its harmful effect on employees. Handling change management is a skill that few people have, and poor execution can exacerbate the problems that might exist. Managing change can be as detailed as employing specialist change management consultants to oversee the process, or as simple as conducting some highly targeted, spectacularly fun team development activities. There is no right or wrong approach – it is whatever suits the circumstances best. Team development - or team building – events are not appreciated by all; sceptics see it as a way to extract thousands of dirhams from susceptible companies. However, many firms, some of them on the Fortune 500 list, use team development to re-energise, remotivate and re-connect staff who are suffering the negative effects of change. Team development has a vital role to play in providing an outlet for internal frustrations and anxieties. Such anxieties can manifest itself in ways such as jostling for power, working inclusively, acting in a superior manner or even deliberate destabilisation, and none of these are conducive to business harmony and growth.
By Ian Mason
No facilitator worth their salt will claim that a one-off, single-day team development event is the panacea to corporate ills. However, an exciting day of inspiring and creative events, with or without a message, can have a positive impact on a team, and repeated events can lead to more permanent behavioural change. Team development is often associated with extreme events such as rockclimbing or firewalking, and if that does it for your team, go for it! But team development doesn’t need to be as severe as this. Thoughtful games, puzzles and activities can generate the same positive outcome, as long as they fit with the company’s desired outcomes and are delivered in stimulating and memorable way. Team development can happen within the office, during meetings or even at lunchtime. They can also be outsourced to a professional company who can deliver effective activities to dynamically engage staff. With so many corporate changes happening in the region at the moment, now is the time to seriously consider the benefits of team development to ensure your company stays ahead of the game. Team development shouldn’t be seen as a cost; rather, it is an investment that will reap significant dividends through united and better performing staff. As they say, the only certainty about change is uncertainty. You can’t fight it, so make sure you manage it the best way you can. Consider team development events as part of your change management strategy.
Ian Mason is Training Manager at BrandMoxie and Tamakkan. Brand Moxie offers a range of professional skill workshops and team development events for companies, covering areas such as customer service, change management, team cohesion and communication. Email Ian at ianmason@brandmoxie.com for further details, or call (02) 419 8624.
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just a thought >
mini minx >
Manar Al Hinai | A Khaleeji girl who overthinks a lot and loves to write
Angeli Castillo | Making minutes out of molehills
Finding Meaning: Happiness in That One Percent
Fun and Fashion: Never Giving Up On Your Dreams Fun, frolic and fashion are the words to describe my latest subject. Meet Vanessa Adnan El Hage. When some kids are asked “What do you want to be when you grow up?’, they answer with vocations most of them don’t end up pursuing in the future. So what is the difference for 18-year-old Vanessa? She is chasing her dream of being a fashion designer and hasn’t given up on it. Even though she is studying International Business, she does not see herself behind a desk with a regular nine-to-five job.
It has been said that the world’s wealth is controlled by one percent of the world’s population! How lucky do you need to be to be included in that one percent? Then again it has also been said that only two percent of the world’s population are geniuses, which makes me assume that one percent of them are already occupied with controlling the world’s wealth. Yet, I don’t envy either group. Let them have their bliss. I’m content with my borderline genius IQ and my humble wealth. But, there were times, especially in between my tossing and turning, when I wonder if being included in the exclusive wealthy one percent club comes with an infinite supply of happiness? What causes happiness? Is it having certain kinds of friends, or is it living in a “happening” city? I used to believe that those were the sources of happiness, in addition to owning the season’s latest fashion shoes, bags, and accessories… Through this bumpy path we call “life” and after many bad experiences, I came to realize that happiness comes within oneself. You cannot depend on people, location, weather, life, fashion, money, or health to be happy. If our happiness depended on everchanging factors such as those, then we would be really screwed! Because those things change, constantly! Sometimes they go up, and at other times they go down the drain. That is when I realized that if my happiness was tied to those infinite substances then I will never experience true happiness, and that is also the time when I had to tweak my perception. I am the only person responsible for my happiness, and the people I meet, places I am at, and the money I own only complement that happiness but are not the source of it. Ultimately, learning to love oneself, forgive oneself, and help those in need, are the true sources of happiness. And the funny part is that they come free of charge, and are not tied to one’s bank account. I am forever a learner...
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She knows her choice feels right every time she conveys herself in ways where words don’t suffice. She shares it when she’s designing, and it expresses her desires and need to make people feel great about themselves. “Honestly I can’t see myself doing anything else. I love art and I have a vivid imagination so it seems like the perfect thing for me,” Vanessa explained. Not being able to sketch would make her miserable and she doesn’t find the point of living a life without being passionate about something. What motivates this young, creative mind are some of her close friends that know how to make her smile when she feels like everything is going wrong. But her biggest inspiration is her mom. “She never lets me give up or even think about giving up, she believes in me so much and she shows it.” Other than her friends and family, Vanessa finds motivation in every single person that has put her down, or simply said “No you can’t do this”, she pushes forward with her dreams to prove them wrong, and finds that she can look at almost anything and get ideas. “Even people can inspire me,” she exclaims. Vanessa’s favourite number is eight and she believes that in eight years time she would have graduated from Al Hosn University, her fashion line will be very successful and she’ll have travelled to several countries to learn, grow and expand her horizons as well as her knowledge of fashion. Being 18 is just as challenging as her eight-year dream, which is something Vanessa had to learn the hard way. She realizes that even if your intentions are good it doesn’t mean everyone likes you. Most young adults will only realize this when they grow older but she wants people of her generation to know now. “I’d advise people to be very careful about who they let into their lives. Only certain people should have that privilege,” she counsels. Happiness isn’t about being filthy rich or being around materialistic things, according to Vanessa. For her, it’s about doing what you love and always doing your best to achieve what you feel you need to get a sense of accomplishment. “I wouldn’t want to do anything besides fashion design. One way or another, I have to make sure I do it.”
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fun page > horoscope Aries (21 March - 19 April) Communications from friends and relatives stuff your mail boxes this month. Short trips can be fun and functional and you’ll make many. Try to avoid a confrontation with a sibling on the 12th. You’ll see your own worst habits in this person and you may not like what you see. Time to make some changes. Taurus (20 April - 20 May) You cash situation looks so great this month. The money could be just pouring in. If there is a problem with this it will most likely occur on the 20th when a romantic interest or a child could make an outlandish demand for cash that you may well regret saying YES to. Gemini (21 May -20 June) The Sun and Venus are in your 1st House of Self at this time giving you vitality and beauty to attract the opposite sex. Mercury will pass through this house as well this month and you’ll most like hear about how great you look. Pay close attention on the 12th, when meaningful relationship issues may require you to make personal changes for your partner. Cancer (21 June - 22 July) This is a month to slow down and just take it easy. Part of you will want to go and the other part will want to stay and be still. It’s a tough call; just remember not to over commit on the job or to your friends. You’ll feel more like socializing after the 24th. Leo (23 July - 22 August) It could be safe to say that your friends could be planning ways to ruin your love life this month as a prank. Or it could be the other way around. Either way, be aware that there will be friction. You could also be feeling some restrictions that rub you the wrong way, too. Patience is a virtue. Don’t go ballistic until you have all the facts. Virgo (23 August - 22 September) Much is happening in your career sector this month. You could be the shining employee of the month and it may surprise you. Look for ways to improve you current career situation and put those plans into action around the middle of March. Libra (23 September - 22 October) Your vacation takes center stage this month. Try to go before the 11th or after the 13th when pressure could come from your employer to stay on the 12th. Your career and job will still be there when you get back. There could also be interesting news regarding your position when you do get back. Scorpio (23 October - 21 November) Jointly held assets are the center of attention for you this month. Changes and decisions will require some deep thought and major commitment on your part. One thing will be assured; the 12th will have the truth about these assets revealed for better or worse. Sagittarius (22 November - 21 December) Your committed relationship boat sails on quiet seas this month until the 12th. On that day you both become mirrors for each other’s behavior and you may not like the view. Personal changes may be necessary to maintain that relationship past that day. Strong ones will weather the storm, weak ones will not. This will be for the best. Capricorn (22 December - 19 January) The job scene is popping with excitement this month. New challenges and opportunities could be right around the corner. If you have any suggestions, write them down and hand them in to the boss. They’ll be well received. Aquarius (20 January - 18 February) Your romantic life is going to be a whirlwind this month. Avoid a major confrontation of the 12th, but take notes for later. There may be clues all month that don’t set right and those hard questions may need to be asked of your lover before month’s end. Pisces (19 February - 20 March) The home front could have you picking colors and fabrics for a redo. This is an excellent time for home improvement projects, inside or out. Ideas seem to flow in during the last three weeks of the month. Be careful on the 12th not to neglect your career, as there could be some fallout there.