Hany Saad: 16 years of success, October 2019, Identity Magazine

October 2019 - 20LE www.identity-mag.com

Must-Haves This Season

Battle the Expat Blues

Fall Beauty Hair & Makeup Looks From the Runways

A Style Reset: A Reboot To Your Closet

+

Renew You & Revamp Your Life

Recipes To Reset Your Body

hany Saad 16 years of success Give Yourself A Quick & Easy DIY Makeover

Runway Report Fall/Winter 2019-2020

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Identity Letter from the editor

28 hany saad:

16 years of success

O

ur October issue must be all about the many changes taking place in our lives; whether the change in weather as we get ready to welcome fall’s cool breeze with open arms following what seemed like an endless summer, the changes we try to incorporate in our commercialized lifestyles as we hope to ‘go green’ and be more environmentally aware, the cultural changes we need to cope with when we decide to leave our homeland and move abroad, the personal and societal changes we must deal with following a divorce whether a friendly or a traumatic one, as well as the changes fresh graduates find themselves struggling with as they transition into a whole new and exciting chapter of their lives.

Change is good, be ready for change.

Rola Kamel

Identity Magazine was founded in 2005 by Rola Kamel to enhance every aspect of a woman’s lifestyle, helping our female readers to discover and improve their own identities.

Published by Beezarre Publishing Ltd. Themistokli Dervi, 6 Papyros Building, 4th Floor, Flat/Office D5 – P.c 1066, Nicosia, Cyprus.

The subscription rate is 240 L.E./year (12 issues) through Al Ahram, Tel: 02-27703190 Printing House: Sahara Printing company, Distribution by Al Ahram Website: qpix solutions Contact us at: 26A Montazah St., Zamalek, Cairo-Egypt. Tel: 02-27361187 Mobile: 0122-9401071 email: sendus@identity-mag.com www.identity-mag.com

4 October 2019

IDENTITYMAGEG

Identity Masthead

Identity October 2019

Founder & Managing Editor Rola Kamel Editor-in-Chief Nawal Ismail Art Director & Senior Graphic Designer Alia El Abd Copy-Editor Amina El Fayoumy Senior Staff Writer Amina Moustapha Staff Writers Aya Aboshady Nanise Mohamed Nada Abd ElKader Freelance Writer Joanna Neve Relationship Expert Marwa Rakha Food Writer Soha Darwish Marketing & Advertising Manager Riham Yehia Business Developer Raghda El-Sayed Digital Marketing Manager Youssef Ali Social Media Specialist Shady Hani Video Editor Ahmed Mostafa Identity Magazine Distributor Ashraf Fouad 6 October 2019

Identity Contents

25 A New you 8 The Lust List 10 The Life Style Changes You Need 12 Five Ways To Calm Your Job

Interview Nerves

beauty & style 14 Fall Trends For Hair & Makeup 16 Do It Yourself Makeover -

Fall Edition 18 Give Your Closet A -Fall- Reboot 20 Must-Have Fashion For Fall Season 24 Runway Report: Fall/Winter 20192020 28 Hany Saad: 16 years of success

fresh starts 34 Falling For The Wrong Person 36 Is It Easy To Move Abroad?

38 Dragging Yourself Back Up After

Hitting Rock Bottom 40 After Divorce... Moving On 42 Life After Graduation: How To Cope With A Major Life Change 44 Time To Reset Your Body 46 Ten Office Exercises That You Could Do Discreetly 48 Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell 50 Getaways 54 Travel Guide: Nepal

out & about 56 Advertorial 60 Press Releases 64 Horoscopes

8 October 2019

8 50

Fall getaways

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Identity Lust list

The Lust List

1

Michael kors - Belted ruffled polka-dot silk-crepe mini dress It’s widely known that the synonym for elegance is Michael Kors, and this Michael Kors dress, made from lightweight silk-crepe, cut for a slightly loose fit, will make you shine like an elegant diamond.

Maison michel - Mara reversible leathertrimmed cashmere bucket hat This reversible ‘Mara’ bucket hat is made from soft cashmere and has leather trims outlining the brim. You can wear it on the black or tan side, depending on your fall outfit.

2

4 5

10 October 2019

Mizuki - 14k gold pearl earrings From Mizuki’s Sea of Beauty collection, glow like a star while wearing this polished 14-karat gold wire frame pearl earrings.

bottega veneta - Baby Olimpia intrecciato leather shoulder bag The Olimpia shoulder bag is a brand classic; upholstered in the brand’s signature intrecciato woven design, and its characterized by unsurpassed luxury and craftsmanship.

ROGER VIVIER - Flower crystalembellished velvet pumps For your next event put on Roger Vivier’s ‘Flower’ pumps, they are decorated with the label’s signature crystal-embellished buckle - each one is carefully arranged to depict pretty blooms.

Identity a new you

The Lifestyle Changes You Need

by Aya Aboshady

Once you take the decision to go green, there’s no going back. Or at least, there shouldn’t be. And as much as it’s a great life changing decision, it’s also not easy and might seem like it requires too much work and effort, because it kind of does. So, to make it a little bit easier for you; we made you a list of small steps that you could take towards the “Going Green” goal until you actually fully make it!

1. Try the Minimalistic Lifestyle and Turn off the Lights Think of yourself as someone who’s trying to be minimal about everything, someone who’s trying to live a hassle/noise-free life. Which will then require you to get rid of a chunk of some really unnecessary things and actions in your life. Like for example, turning off the lights and saving electricity especially when it’s sunny outside. You’ll be both getting used to a new quieter lifestyle, and saving planet Earth. And let’s not forget about how saving electricity in general - and not just the lights - will help you reduce the bills.

Therefore, we call it a win-win situation.

2. Reduce Water Waste Needless to say, water is extremely important. Protect our planet by reducing the amount of water you use daily. For example, save 6 liters of water a minute by turning off your tap while you brush your teeth or shave, shorten you showers and save 17 liters a minute, only run your washing machine and dishwasher when full, fix any leak inside your house...

3. Give up plastic, all of it If you look around you, you’ll find the amount of things that you use on a daily basis, which are made 12 October 2019

of plastic, is uncountable. Which is why some would think that giving it up can’t be an option. That being said, you could easily start with things that have easy attainable alternatives. For example, there are plenty of tote bags that could go as reusable ones. Meaning that you don’t have to use the harmful plastic bags when shopping anymore. Everything is evolving now.

Finding refillable bottles that are not made of plastic for your hot and cold drinks has never been easier.

4. Essential oils are everything This may be the easiest step of them all. Because, there are already way too many people who have chosen this direction for the beautiful smell and benefits of essential oils. Other than the fact that essential oils are used for soul healing and aromatherapy, they are also extracted from plants. This definitely makes them a very healthy alternative for chemicals found in medicine or cosmetics. For instance, Peppermint essential oil is an energy booster. And Lavender is used for stress relief, while Lemon could cure headaches and boost moods...etc.

With those FOUR steps, you’ll be miles and miles closer to your going green goal; we promise!

Best of Instagram

Most Popular Articles

Why Egyptians are Obsessed with the New Lebanese Series “Aroos Beirut”

Karim Abdel Aziz Admits He has Many ‘Professional’ Regrets, but is He Right About Them?

Check out identity-mag.com for more!

IDENTITYMAGEG

2. Plan the Answers Ahead

While you won’t be able to predict every question you’ll be asked in an interview, there are a few common questions you can plan answers for. For instance, your employer will want to know what interests you about this job, what are your greatest strengths, your weaknesses…They can also ask you some creative questions just to test your potential.

Be proactive and learn how to cover your tracks when you don’t know an answer.

3. Know Your CV and the Job Description

5 Ways To Calm Your Job Interview Nerves

by Aya Aboshady

Let’s admit it, nobody likes to be judged, but like it or not, that is exactly what a job interview is: a judgment zone, which makes it without question a nerve wrecking experience. As hard as it all may seem, there are many tips you can follow to help yourself relax leading up to a job interview. The following tips will help you think more clearly, feel more confident, and give you a better chance of acing your interview questions!

1. Be On Time

Being on time for interviews is crucial. You should always be punctual and it’s actually better if you’re ten minutes early. Why? Well, that way, you won’t have to worry about being late because of finding directions or traffic. Those are actually factors that make you even more nervous than you naturally are. Additionally, you’ll show your responsibility and commitment from the first day.

14 October 2019

Many of us write loads of information on our CV. And while of course, all of it should be true, we won’t have it memorized by heart.

Therefore, you should make a note of at least all the important points you’ve included in your CV and want to acknowledge or the ones you are often asked about. Also, study the job description; they actually contain a secret wealth of knowledge that can aid you in preparing for an interview.

4. Know the Company’s History

Any company in any domain has its own history. Most companies have a page on their website dedicated to press releases and events. This is a great source for you to find out information about the company’s latest news and updates.

Before applying for any job, you should be well aware of that history. During the interview, you should make some remarks on their strengths and weaknesses, as well as highlight recent projects - that’s if you’re not asked about it already -.

5. Look Presentable

The first thing people will notice about you once you enter the room is the way you’re dressed. So, investing a little more time and effort in your attire and how you look on the day of the interview is critical. It’s like a preview to your whole entire ‘image’. Not to mention how this will give you a huge boost of confidence.

We wish all the best of luck.

SOLANA’S FRIDAY BRUNCH AT

Conrad Cairo

Friday brunch has never been a more appetizing and eccentric experience than at Conrad Cairo’s Solana.

Starting on the 27th of September, 2019, guests are invited to brunch endlessly and indulge in the buffet prepared by the four Conrad Cairo cuisines during one delectable meal. The buffet includes oriental dishes from Jayda Nile Terrace, Lebanese delicacies from Oak Grill, a flavorful Asian experience from Kamala, and a Mediterranean fare from Solana.

Commenting on this latest offering, Hans Schiller, General Manager of Conrad Cairo, says Guests can relax and gaze over the stunning view of the Nile River while they enjoy a gastronomic tour of four of Conrad Cairo’s diverse cuisines. The Chefs at Conrad Cairo have expertly managed to create a mouth-watering

and irresistible buffet, making our Friday Brunch an experience not to be missed.”

The Brunch will take place at Solana from 1-5 pm every Friday, with live music starting at 2 pm. Families can enjoy Friday brunch like never before at Solana, Kids under six years-old eat for free and children between the ages of 6-12 will receive a 50 percent discount.

Soft drinks and alcoholic beverage packages are also available for brunch.

For more information about Conrad Hotels & Resorts, please visit http://news.conradhotels.com or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

M ak eu p

Identity beauty

Fall Trends for Hair & Makeup

by Nanise Mohamed

What we love the most about runway beauty trends is that there are no limits when it comes to putting together looks that are just beyond artistic.

The thing is though, sometimes that means they’re not super easy to recreate. However, we had handy in mind, so, we gathered the hottest trends that you’ll actually be able to try at home, some of which are classic fall favorites and others that will most probably surprise you.

2.

Matte Red Lips For the fall and winter seasons, most runways were filled with the old-style velvety lipstick. Although it’s really simple and traditional for warm weather, we can’t really complain. It’s a classic!

16 October 2019

3.

1.

Flush of Blush When it comes to our favourite part, blusher, it is all about the bare minimum. A fresh face with a hint of blush is the look to have this season. Pair your blushed cheeks with a nude lipstick and a little highlighter for a glowy look.

Glittery Eyes This trend has been here for a while and seems to be going nowhere anytime soon. The sparkles continue to dominate this fall season and we just can’t get enough of it. If you’re a makeup minimalist, give this trend a try sometime, it might actually blow your mind!

1.

Center Partings While this has been a personal favorite for years, the fashion scene is finally embracing the center parting hairstyle. It is absolutely everywhere. The way we see it, it flatters every face shape and has this chic vibe to it!

H ai r

2.

Head Bands Nothing compliments those lazy winter looks like a nice headband.

Other than keeping the frizzy bad hair in place, it will also have you looking super trendy this season.

It’s safe to say, they are a must!

3.

Low Ponytails The catwalks have said it loud and clear this year. Low ponytails are the signature hairstyle for this season. So, sorry ladies, high ponies are out and low ones are in. Keep them nice and sleek and maybe add a little accessory or a scrunchie to vamp it up a bit.

4.

Bedazzles Bejeweled hairstyles have proven to be the (it) at this season’s runways. Embellishing your simple hairdos with floral pieces, bows, brooches or clips is your ticket to a trendy look this fall.

Do-It-Yourself Makeover

Fall Edition!

It’s that time of the year again. Fall is here and before we know it, it will be winter, Christmas and New Year! So, before you get caught up in the busy holidays schedule, know that your own pampering time is still possible now.

There’s no need to press the panic-button just yet, you could now have a complete makeover without actually going too overboard with it. How? Check out those quick and easy tips that will have you looking your best from fall to winter!

1

Revamp Your Hair

Now, what’s a makeover without some little hair upgrading? However, you don’t have to go all the way with coloring or cutting to get a refreshing effect. At times, just some subtle highlights or an overdue trim will do the trick.

2

Up Your Smile Game

It only takes a good smile to light up a room, right? We often forget about our most powerful weapons, that is our teeth and smile. Start cutting off a little on sweets and sodas and invest more money on teeth whitening strips. For an easier trick, brush your teeth with baking soda and water for the same effect.

3

Get Dewy, Glowy Skin

With the end of summer, our natural tan starts fading and we’re only left with somewhat pale skin for

18 October 2019

When it comes to skin, it’s no big difference. Apply moisturizer daily, exfoliate weekly and have a facial monthly and you won’t even need foundation. Also, don’t forget drinking lots and lots of water!

5

Hit the Gym

It wouldn’t really be a complete makeover if you don’t give some attention to your body.

Nothing too extreme though; you might have always wanted to gain or lose a couple of pounds for as far as you can remember and now is your time!

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the rest of the year. Try using tanning at home products and apply it to to your legs, face and arms for an even effect. It’s a life saver!

4

Hydrate Hair & Skin

With all the heat and styling tools we’ve been using all summer, our hair is always left looking dull in winter. The key secret is hydration, ladies. A weekly deep conditioning session with oil or cream will help restore that lushness and shine to your hair.

Update your Makeup Kit

You know this is a step you always wanted to take. Hit a cosmetics counter and find all the stuff that is missing in your makeup. Highlighter, bronzer, loose powder, contour; if you don’t have any of these make sure to check them. Also, upgrading some of your old essentials won’t harm!

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Style for Success

Now, let’s talk fashion. You don’t have to spend a fortune on a wardrobe makeover. The simple fashion tips we’re about to give you is a case in point.

First, pick the right size of bra and undergarment. This is a game changer!

Second, turn your summer clothes to fall clothes by simply adding cardigans, denim jackets, midheel boots and scarves to style every outfit.

October 2019 19

Identity style

Give Your Closet A -FallReboot!

Transitioning your closet for every season could be a real headache, we know. Fashion could be fun and stuff until we actually have to face the ugly truth that is our messy closet. You probably wear like only 20% of the items in there and the rest either just don’t fit, are out of style or bought on a whim. Worry no more, follow these steps and easily transition your closet from summer to fall!

1

Evaluate Each Item

Look with a critical eye to each and every item you have in your closet. Separate the essentials; like jeans and basics. Now, focus on evaluating each item on necessity and trendy basis. Think of the style that fits you best and get rid of everything else from clothes that no longer fit to things you don’t feel comfortable wearing. Especially impulsive purchases!

2

Clean, repair and donate

Find items that are stored from last fall and put in 20 October 2019

a bag for cleaning. See if you have items that are worthy and in need of mending and place in another bag and throw away those that aren’t. Then, if you run into clothes that are worn gently but no longer your priority, don’t hesitate and donate!

3

Outfit-Making Spree

Since getting dressed every morning is a creative process we don’t always have the time for, make your life easier while you’re at it and put together as many outfits as possible. This way you will avoid the “I have

all your accessories and sort them out in a jewelry box. Put away the summer accessories for next year and make room for scarves and other winter accessories. Finally, try complementing the outfits you picked before with the accessories you have now and make a list of what you still need.

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Neat up Dressing Space

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Make a Shopping List

Now that you’ve cleaned out most of your stuff, you should have plenty of room and dressing will be a bit more joyful. Next step would be neatening everything up in place.

Hang dresses, coats and jackets and fold shirts and trousers; make a shoe rack for all your footwear, too.

nothing to wear” syndrome every morning and you’ll detect the holes in your closet for future purchasing.

4

Sort & Style Accessories

Accessories have a way in hiding in odd places. Gather

Now to the fun part! You have done the hard work and it’s officially time for a treat. After evaluating your items, you should now have a pretty clear idea of what’s missing and what you have a soft spot for.

Make a fall shopping list of what your built-up outfits need and don’t forget the essentials! You know better by now not to repeat mistakes of the past, right?

October 2019 21

Must-Have Fashion for Fall Season

by Nanise Mohamed

Fall has its way of sneaking up on us, just as we’re enjoying those sunny beach days and poolside sessions.

All of a sudden, we’re out of shopping time and we have to get out our sweaters and cardigans that could work for both fall and winter. This drama ends today, we did your homework for you. We give you this list of the top 2019 fall fashion must haves!

E l o n g at e d B

lazers

Prada

This is one item you have to have in your wardrobe for any season. The nice old suit that is making a huge comeback this fall season but in casual wear.

The elongated blazers are so in; pick one in a warm color, play with belts and statement earrings and you’re good to go.

F a u x -F u r nza E xt r a v a g a

22 October 2019

Balmain

Fur is not really new to the fall season, however, we think it’s just inescapable.

Seriously, what is more cozy and trendy than a cuddly fur jacket? Whether you want to go with the sophisticated furry coat look or opt for the fun casual choices, a faux-fur item will help you look like the real deal either way.

co

Valentino

Floral is not just for summer and spring anymore. Florals found on jackets, cardigans and blouses are proving that the floral print will be more alive than ever during this autumn season. Pick one or two floral items and we guarantee you will be at the top of the fashion game.

Gucci

F l o r a l F ia s

L a dy l ik e L a

ce

Every girl likes to have one or two lacey items in her wardrobe. Be it a top, jumpsuit or a dress; they are super feminine, romantic and classic. To be in style, combine a lacey item with a denim jacket and white sneakers.

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For a casual chic look, go for the leather everything trend.

Leather pants, leather jackets, leather skirts, you name it. Mix and match with a maxi dress or go over the top with an all leather outfit for a feisty flare.

Gucci

ryt Le at h e r E v e

October 2019 23

A n im a l K in g

dom

Capes Cape

s Capes

Gucci

Christian Louboutin

This print is just destined to be forever chic, if used correctly.

There are just some things that never go out of style.

Bags, shoes, dresses, coats; it’s literally everywhere. Be careful though, one wrong move and it could look like Halloween.

But other than that, play around with it and be wild!

This season is all about the capes. Capes are one item you and your mom would easily agree on. Try it in plaids and animal prints; this look is classic, timeless and trendy. What else can we ask for?

Fendi

D is c o B a l l

24 October 2019

Whoever thought disco fashion was dead is clearly wrong. The 70s and 80s fashion in general is making a huge comeback this year; sequins, metallic rhinestones, the whole gang is back.To pull it off, make sure you’re heading to a cocktail party or any evening event for that matter.

Redemption

This fall season, having at least one silk piece in your closet is essential. Worry not, you won’t be looking like you’re wearing lingerie if styled right. We would advise to wear it with a shape defining blazer and high heels. It’s tried and true.

Zimmerman

S il k y S at in

Se x y S u it in

g

As previously mentioned, suits in general are so in this season but the sexy cut suits just need their own category. Business really meets pleasure with those bold shoulders, no pants and asymmetrical necklines; they are actually more fitting for a night out rather than a dull day at the office, obviously!

be r s

This humble piece continues trending this fall season.

What’s better than investing in something we know always looks good matched with whatever? Especially in this ice cold weather. Opt for warmer tones like baby blue and olive green and you’re all set.

Stella Mccartney

P u ffe r B o m

October 2019 25

Runway Report fall/winter 2019-2020

by Nanise Mohamed

For you to stay on top of your fashion game, we bring you the latest fashion trends spotted right out of the international runways for Fall/Winter 2019-2020. All the way from Milan, Paris and New York’s fashion weeks, designers didn’t fail to give us all some serious jaw-dropping moments this season.

Millennial Purple

26 October 2019

Micheal Kors

Cushine

Brandon Maxwell

Tom Ford

Tom Ford

Tibi

Tom Ford

Kate Spade

Rumor confirmed. Millennial Lilac is the next big thing. We couldn’t help but notice all the purple on the runways for the next fall season in all its grades. From warm pastel to deep dark purple, the catwalk was flooded! You better make room for an ultra violet section in your wardrobe right away. To be honest, it just makes a smooth transition from summer to fall!

Suit Yourself

Balenciaga

Tom Ford Valentino

Alexander Mcqueen

Hellessy

Jean Paul Gaultier

Valentino

Lila Nikole

2018 was the year suits started to emerge as the edgiest trend, but it seems like the trend is picking up even more steam in 2019 fall and winter season. It sounds about right actually. Nothing compares to the allure of a pant suit; it gives you the ability to combine both power and style!

October 2019 27

Period Pieces

28 October 2019

Lila Nicole

Versace Kaite

Prada

Dior Versace

Dion Lee

Simone Rocha

Ready for some time travel? This season’s runway is all about throwbacks. And by that we don’t just mean to the 80s or 90s, no, even way before that. We’re talking Victorian ruffles, puffy sleeves, ball gowns; you name it. The costume drama is super trendy, we all felt like it was an episode of Downtown Abbey on the runways!

Basic Knits

Tibi

Mame Valentino

Hellessey

Alberta Ferriti

Loewe

Valentino

Ulla Johnson

We can’t really call knit fashion a newcomer. It’s just one of those trends you can’t skip during the fall season. Designers made sure we see knits in cardigans, scarves, skirts and even dresses. So, accept the fact that this one trend is going nowhere and embrace your cozy sweaters everyone. Picking the right pieces is the key.

October 2019 29

Identity Turning 14

hany Saad

16 years of success interview by Amina Moustapha

Photographer: Mohsen othman, outfits: d store, hairstylist: Alsagheer hair salon, location: Code 30 October 2019

October 2019 31

Egyptian architect and interior designer, Hany Saad, has become a prominent figure in the niche field of elegant designs, luxurious finishes and visionary layouts. Known for his highly expressive designs marked by mixed materials and dynamic forms, he is considered a pioneer in contemporary and modern grandeur architecture styles in the region.

Saad launched Hany Saad Innovations back in 2003, and completed more than 800 projects across Africa and the Middle East ranging from private residential villas to multi-use commercial projects, clubs, hotels, shopping malls, administrative buildings, and ultra-luxuries residential compounds. We met with Saad for a chit-chat to learn all about his journey, the struggle and the victory, and to delve into the mastermind of Egypt’s leading interior design organization.

You had a rough start to your career; can you take us through the beginning of the journey?

The logical path for any fresh graduate is to work in an interior design studio, gain experience, learn all about the field, and maybe later on open with a few friends a small studio, and then build on that…

Sounds well reasoned, right? It didn’t to me. In 2003, I started off an individual company completely on my own. I can’t even say that I started from scratch; I think I started even below that. After my graduation, I printed ten thousand brochures with the logo of Hany Saad Innovations on it, and distributed them to all the janitors of the new buildings and the ones that were still under construction. I asked them to pass them along to apartment owners and promised them a commission. I woke up early in the morning to do that every day; my car was officially my office. For six months I didn’t get any clients. You can imagine the disappointment, not to mention the pressure of everyone telling me that I was making a mistake, and that I should follow the ordinary path.

That’s the stage where usually most people give up, how did you find the courage and the will to keep going despite the obstacles?

I simply didn’t see myself following the typical path; the one drawn to me by others.There was something deep inside my head telling me that I can do it. I figured then that no one but me can determine my 32 October 2019

capabilities, or the ceiling of my potential. I knew I had the vision and I had a strong belief in myself, so I used them as my fuel to keep going. Fortunately, after six months of disappointment, a friend told me that his bother was looking for an interior designer, so I went to meet him. He asked if I had an office, I said no, he asked about my previous work, I said that I had none, but that I had a good deal for him. I offered to design his house for free; I told him if you didn’t like it just throw the design away, you have nothing to lose.

He agreed, and when I was done with the design he loved it, and asked me to start executing it, and things started from there.

How did you build such a strong foundation for HSI? As I said in the beginning of my career I wasn’t a manager, or a company owner. I didn’t have the means to hire someone to help me, so in order to deliver projects I had to do everything myself, which made me very well aware of literally all the technicalities of our field. I also didn’t have much contacts, I had to search for a carpenter, who helped me find a plumber, who helped me find a house painter, etc. I went through a great number of failures and committed many mistakes; one time I had to sell my car in order to fix one of those mistakes. I learned the hard way, I learned that there are certain steps that need to be taken in order for one to be qualified, and each step requires you to take a test harder than the one before, you must succeed in each test in order to move to a higher step. By going through all of this, you will acquire experiences, sharpen your skills, and gain strength. I passed down all of these values to my team, and that’s how we built a strong foundation to HSI. What is HSI’s greatest accomplishment in the industry?

I believe it’s how we changed the industry’s perspective of what is Interior Design. For so long, Interior Design was defined as just a studio that creates designs and offers consultations, and then the contractor takes it from there. I considered this role to be very limiting; we had much more to offer. So gradually we started to expand this role, and offer more services to our clients. I can proudly say that today, HSI works in High End Residential projects. We offer turnkey projects, which means we fully design, construct and equip a

October 2019 33

project before turning it over to a client. For instance, we hand over houses thoroughly ready for our clients to start living in instantly, and by ready I mean that the refrigerator is fully stocked, their clothes are well arranged in their wardrobes, all the help needed in the house is hired, the chef is informed about their favorite food, the towels and slippers have their initials on them…We delve into every tiny detail because we consider it our job to learn all about our client in order to offer them a perfect home. We expanded from a studio into a whole organization.

We noticed the diversity of your team; tell us more about them…

We have almost 500 employees, and we make it a rule that a percentage of them must be fresh-grads, people with disabilities, and people from Egypt’s different governorates. We believe it’s our duty to give everyone a chance, and we are well aware how hard it is for them to find decent opportunities.We can reduce this number, and still work efficiently, but I believe that it’s not all about cost cutting. Helping these young aspiring individuals learn and gain experience is priceless.

What are the factors that made HSI lead the industry?

We believe in expertise and that every detail should be handled carefully, so we made it a point to always think of new departments to launch. The tricky part was that there was no manual or reference to know the procedures to follow to build or open a new department, so we took it upon ourselves to discover that on our own. We asked ourselves what we need and invented a department to handle it. We have a team that only handles the communication with the clients; they must learn all about what this client likes, what their family likes, if they have allergies, their styles, their routines…Another department is tasked with keeping up with all the latest updates worldwide; what’s new in fabrics, what’s trendy in colors, the new collection of high end brands, because we know that fashion and interior design are quite related to each other. We have a department for purchasing, storing, finance, technical office, surveying, visualization, and schematic design…Details work wonder in providing our clients with perfect services.

From providing job opportunities, to giving motivational lectures in universities, do you believe that you have a responsibility toward young aspiring interior designers?

34 October 2019

Yes, I believe so, because that’s what I missed 16 years ago when I was just a fresh grad, some guidance and someone to tell me not to give up. For these exact reasons I spend time, effort and offer resources to help the young generation. We collaborate with new interior designers and include them in massive projects in order to give them a push to gain experience and exposure.

I know all about the struggles interior designers go through when they approach a supplier or vendor, ask for samples or color catalogues, and have them say no and that they don’t give them out for free, so you must buy them even though you don’t have the finances.

I know all about this frustration and I don’t want someone else to go through it, that’s why now when our 15+ international business partners approach us and offer money to put their products at our displays, I tell them that I don’t want money, I want them to give free samples to whoever asks for it instead.

Furthermore, these partners help us provide trainings, and send young designers to attend international exhibitions.

How do you define success? What are the keys to maintain success?

I am convinced that a successful person is the one who knows that they are not perfect, they have flaws, and they must work on improving them. If you don’t constantly work on yourself and keep on progressing, then you will stand still and even fall behind.

To maintain your success, know that it can never be a one-man-show, you must train your team, to give rise to a strong new generation that will help you maintain your success. Almost 90 percent of the people who used to work for us have started their own startups, though it pained us to lose good capable employees, but it still gives me pride and joy that I taught them well, and most importantly I gave them hope, and raised their ambition ceiling high enough to believe they can have their own firm, I consider that the greatest success.

We thank Hany for such an inspiring interview, and we wish him and HSI all the best in their future projects.

October 2019 35

Identity fresh starts

Falling For The Wrong Person (Again & Again)

by Marwa Rakha

“I’ve done it again. I’ve chosen the wrong person once again.” Does this sound at all familiar? Do you keep falling into the same relationship rut?

Do you keep choosing partners who have the same problem as every other partner you’ve been with? If your answer is yes, you’re not alone. We humans are creatures of habit. We like routines and familiar behaviors, even when they disrupt and distress us, therefore many of us keep choosing the wrong partner. In order to learn how to break the wheel and stop this pattern, we reached out to our Relationship Expert Marwa Rakha to help us have a fresh start in relationships.

36 October 2019

Is it possible that someone engages in the same relationship pattern over and over with every new partner?

It is actually the norm, rather than the exception, that people tend to follow the same pattern when choosing a partner.

To simplify matters, one tends to say: “this is my type” or “that is my style”.

This pattern could be as superficial as choosing a man, or a woman, who look like your ex and the “ex” before and the ones before.

It could also be as funny as choosing partners who share the same name! It could be as dangerous as falling for those who hurt you, or abuse you, in a similar way.

Why do some of us get attracted to people who are wrong for them?

These patterns of choosing a partner are related to a person’s childhood, teen years, and certain experiences. For example, a person whose needs for unconditional love and security were neglected as a child is more likely to struggle in relationships than someone who grew up in a loving nurturing environment.

The struggle is of a dual nature; that person has low self-esteem and deep-downfeels that he/she does not deserve to be happy and respected in a relationship. The other side of the dilemma is that although that person needs love and security, he/she gets into relationships with people who only provide the exact opposite.

Childhood is not the only cause of choosing wrong partners. If a person in his/her teen years got involved with an abusive partner, most likely, that person would continue choosing abusive partners in adulthood.

Incidents like rape or non-consensual sex, substance abuse, losing a parent early on, being a part of a traumatic divorce, teacher-student affairs, and similar impactful incidents, shape a person’s views of himself/ herself; thus, impacting their future choices.

How to break the pattern and start looking for someone who is right for you?

The best way to break the cycle is to find out what is causing it. Sometimes the cause is easy to find; for example, having sex with a teacher or an older relative in your early teens.

help books are a good place to start. If a man has been neglected by his mother as a child, and his soul is aching for love and acceptance, instead of getting attracted to women who make him feel loved and accepted, he gets attracted to those who make him feel the pain he used to feel as an infant and a child when his mother rejected him. How can you convince a man that he deserves love and that he needs to stay away from women who ignore him?

How can you convince a woman that her current boyfriend is emotionally, or/and sexually, blackmailing her? If that is the only type of love she has experienced as a child and as a teen, how can she recognize that this is not how a loving relationship should be like?

How can you stop a woman from constantly dating married men who are as old as her father? How can you stop a man from only getting attracted to single mothers?

Most of the time, the “right” type of partner is right in front of you, but because of the way you perceive others, and think about yourself, you do not allow yourself to love and be loved by that person. Most of the time, the right person is friend-zoned! In other times, not as rare as one would hope, that right person is the person you abuse! Yes! It is only natural that the “abused” becomes an “abuser”!

Having said all of that; let me remind you that we are all human and that our experiences shape who we are and how to interact with others. We have all played different roles in relationships; abusers, victims, and saviors! We have all followed wrong patterns, and that does not mean that we have to continue following those patterns.

It is not easy at all! It would take years of sessions and cognitive behavior therapy to heal our childhood gaping wounds, and to change our self-image and self-worth. This is the only way one would stop choosing the same type of hurtful relationships.

But most times, the root causes are deep within a person’s black box. That is why therapy and selfOctober 2019 37

Is It Ever Easy To Move Abroad?

by Amina Moustapha

It’s always hard to say goodbye, to turn the page on a chapter and start a new one. Moving abroad, be it temporarily or not, is one of the hardest things you will ever have to do. The thought of stepping off the plane in a country where you don’t know anyone, where you’re a stranger, stepping into the unknown is a daunting idea.

There are bound to be times when you dreadfully miss home, or your loved ones, when you are struggling to cope with your new work-life balance, or when you feel stressed about your inability to converse with those around you. But you’re not alone, dear friend.

Nearly every expat faces similar problems which get them down from time to time. The good thing is that some of these issues can be avoided before you even hop on your plane to move to another country. Let’s dig into them.

Throw a goodbye party If you’re going to close off a chapter, better do it happily, better do it with everyone you love, everyone who cares about you.

Bid adieu to all your friends and relatives for one last hurrah (complete with all your favorite comfort foods), and get excited for the most unforgettable experience of your life. Use their love as a fuel to move forward, not as a chain that will draw you back, or keep you in place.

Visit Before You Move Of course if money and time permit, it’s a wonderful idea to visit your new country or city before you permanently move. It will ease the blow, and help 38 October 2019

you understand how your new life will go. For instance, you’ll be able to understand how the locals live; do they get around by foot or car?

Do they follow any traditions that you should know about?

Answering all of these questions in advance will help you to fit in and make friends as quickly as possible.

Plan a Trip Home Also if money and time permit, this is a crucial thing to do that will help ease the feel of permanency of your move. A trip home will mean that you have something to look forward to if you are feeling a little homesick at first. Just the thought of a traditional dish or your home country’s climate could be enough to push you through those first few difficult weeks.

Get acclimated to the culture Before the big move, you should make it a point to research the history of your new home, how its government currently operates; read up on its social norms and rules of etiquette. If research sounds boring, you can read a book or watch movies that take place in your destination country and learn a few words and phrases if you are moving to a country where you don’t know the language. Doing so will help offset culture shock and minimize social faux pas.

Do What You’ve Always Wanted to Do Yes, moving abroad is scary and a bit depressing but it’s also so much fun; tons of excitement is waiting ahead of you. You’re somewhere new, you’ve a lot to explore, new people to meet, new friends to make, new places to see, new activities to pursue. We all need change from time to time to refresh our lives, to revive it. Moving abroad is your perfect dose of change, a chance to see new parts in you, maybe to change into someone better; no one is perfect after all.

Invite Friends to Visit

there is nothing more exciting than traveling with friends. Knowing that your buddies are coming to spend a weekend with you will give you something fun to look forward to and could help to distract you from any stress or struggles you face at first. Furthermore, planning things to do with them during their stay is a great way to get to know your city and discover new restaurants, museums, parks and other sites of interest.

Remember, sometimes it’s the things that scare us the most that turn out the best. Sometimes you just have to give it a go.

You’re not leaving the planet after all! You’re still going to be reachable, and your friends can still visit, and October 2019 39

Dragging yourself back up after hitting rock bottom

by Nada Abdelkader

We’ve all been there before. Life is really not going your way and there’s trouble grabbing you at every end. This is something we’ve all dealt with, to a degree. Except this time the trouble is different.

It won’t end anytime soon and you can tell the consequences aren’t going to go away in a day or even a week. This is your life now.

Except, is it really?

Rock bottom is the worst spot you can be in because you cannot get lower. There isn’t an exact definition of what it contains, but that’s only because rock bottom is different for everyone.

So, how do you know you’re there? It’s no exaggeration to say it’s the scariest, darkest place a person can be in. You’re living every time you’ve ever felt that things cannot get any worse and this time, it’s actually real.

You’ve reached the end of your rope.

Hitting the lowest point still doesn’t spell out the end for you, even if it feels like it.

There are many methods to drag yourself out of rock bottom, though. None more reliable than the five stages of grief—denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.

40 October 2019

Don’t Leave Room for Denial, Be Critical The more horrible things are, the more we do to try to deny the truth. It’s basic human nature. We tend to turn a blind eye when we don’t want to confront our realities, especially when it’s something that takes great effort.

At this point in life, you can’t selfdeceive any longer. You must confront yourself and your choices, no matter how painful it is to revisit them.

Anger Is Cleansing, but Too Much of a Good Thing Turns Ugly It’s never advised to allow your anger to roam, but special times call for special means.

Anger can make you pinpoint exactly where and when you’ve felt your worst, which will then help you realize just why you’re not okay.

Then, you’ll only have to purge out all these bad things—toxic friends, unhealthy habits—that have once overshadowed your life.

because acceptance is the final step in closure.

You need to accept what happened to move on. You won’t be able to change past mistakes or regrets, no matter how much you dwell. It’ll only draw in the negativity to you.

In this stage, you’ll discover what you should have appreciated in life and you’ll appreciate it much more.

You’ll also discover a magnificent inner strength that will sustain you in upcoming problems.

There’s No Shame in Needing Help Just because the stages of grief are done doesn’t mean we still don’t have additional advice to give.

There’s still something else we should say. Something that might be forgotten because of its simplicity.

Asking for help isn’t shameful. Feeling like a burden when you reach out is sadly all-too-common, but it shouldn’t be. Don’t give in to these ideas and reach out to your nearest and dearest.

It’s Okay to Feel Sad for Yourself One thing you should keep in mind, though, that reaching out isn’t an excuse to transfer bad energies at Your Lowest Because there’s no bargaining in rock bottom, we’ll go straight to depression, the most infamous stage in this process. Rock bottom isn’t exactly fun, so we can understand the prevalence of this stage. And it’s perfectly okay.

You should allow yourself time to feel the pain. You should allow yourself this degree of compassion because you’ve fallen on hard times.

You shouldn’t, however, let this sadness get to the point of pity because this is a ladder that only goes down.

to others. Don’t inflict pain just because you’re trying to rid yourself of it.

Actively Try to Change Your Life After all is said and done, nothing will change if you don’t actively try to take the initiative.

You have to keep on learning because, no matter how old you are, life will keep on changing and we have to change to deal with it. If you don’t adapt, chances are you’ll lead yourself back to square one.

Changes can be done through the little things, too.

Use this off-time to get in touch with yourself, get more fresh air, try to enjoy your own company, get a journal and write anything you have on your mind— goals, feelings, to-do lists. No matter how small something is, you’ll still feel the ripples of its effects.

Acceptance Is the Last Stage of Grief, but It’s Not Rock bottom might sound like the heaviest burden to bare, but it will eventually be something of the the Last Stage for You This is the most important point in this process

past, with adequate work and effort, of course. You will need this determination because the number one person in your life is you.

October 2019 41

After Divorce...

Moving On

by Aya Aboshady

When a relationship fails, this event can turn your whole world upside down and trigger all sorts of painful and unsettling emotions. Whatever the reason for the split, and whether you were the one who wanted it, the one who was left behind or you both agreed on it, and whether it was the right step or not, a breakup or divorce can be tremendously painful, and that’s due to the fact that it embodies the loss, the failure, not just of the partnership, but also of the dreams and commitments you shared.

Even if the relationship had hit the point of no return, when it ends we experience profound disappointment, stress, and grief. Everything around you is suddenly 42 October 2019

altering; your daily life routine, your responsibilities, your home, your relationships with extended family and friends, and even your identity. You will start wondering about the future, about how life will be like without your partner, whether you will find someone else or not…

The agony and the uncertainty you’re feeling means that recovering from a breakup or divorce can be difficult and takes time. Nevertheless, you must remind yourself that you can and will get through this difficult experience, and that there are ways to heal your heart. Read on to learn how to move on after a divorce.

Move in With Your Parents for a While Nothing will ease your mind and soul more than moving back to your childhood house. Going back to where you spent your younger years while you’re going through a rough patch can be a very good idea.

And being near those who love you the most in the world, your parents, is just relaxing and can be a mood booster on its own. Because, at least you know you’ll always have their love and support, no matter what.

and understand. And not just anyone. You’ll need people who have gone through at least some similar situations.

Sharing experiences is important. And if anything, it’s kind of a stress relief. It heals the heart and soul to know that there are people out there who had also gotten a divorce and broken up with loved ones but moved past it or are even still trying, just like you are.

Follow your Passion

Most importantly, you know that there’s a place and there are open arms you could always run to and hide in for a little while until you stand up back again on your own feet.

Finding just any job and exhausting yourself at work to distract your mind is one thing, and finding a really cool one that you love and are passionate about is another.

Friends are Crucial, Especially Close Ones

After a divorce, women sometimes feel more down than ever before. It’s not necessarily about the partner they lost or the reasons for the divorce, it’s mostly about losing themselves in the past years as well as finding themselves having to cope with the new circumstances.

Life always takes us places and its distractions are endless. And every married person knows the involuntary distance that gets in the way between friends with everything that life throws at us, but that shouldn’t stop us from seeking their support after a marriage ends/fails.

Friends basically exist to support each other during the tough times before the good and joyful ones.

In your difficult times, only they can ease your pain by making sure you have a good time, and there is no better way to work through pain than to distract yourself with enjoyable experiences.

Therefore, the company of friends is crucial during this specific time.

Support Groups Some would argue: “If I have friends who could give me all the love and support I need during that time, why would I still need to join a support group?” Well, while this could be true for some people, support groups really have some incredible unnoticed benefits.

Yes, like we said, friends are one of - if not THE - most important factor in the moving on process. However, your close friends could be happily married couples or maybe even single ladies who won’t really get the exact situation you’re in, no matter how hard they try.

Therefore going back to your old job, doing the same things you were doing before without any changes, might be a bit toxic. And unfortunately, it might do the opposite of helping you move on. Because, in the end, that was part of the routine you once lived in and recently quit.

So trust us when we say that finding a new job that you love will come with its incredible perks of moving on, step by step. First of all, you’ll be distracted with all the new adjustments at work, and you’ll be passionate about what you’re doing. Whether it’s writing, photography, or even just being a marketer; your mind will be so consumed by the new ideas that you’ll soon forget about the divorce and its aftermath.

Meeting new people at work will also help, big time!

Finally, it’s true that moving on is hard, but taking a step towards any of these solutions will not just help you move on with your life, but all the new changes - no matter how small they are-, will help you become a better more mature person as time progresses.

And that’s okay, but there are some breaking points where you’ll need someone to really listen October 2019 43

Life After Graduation: How To Cope With A Major Life Change

by Amina Moustapha

44 October 2019

Finally, you throw that graduation cap in the air and Don’t let the temptations of today and the fear of clutch that rolled-up certificate. You are a graduate. going back to the stressful world distract you from what you deserve.

That feeling of liberation and pride is immense One chapter of life is closing and another is just Go On A Hunt For Your Dream Job beginning. Now that you’ve graduated, it’s time for The main reason purging into the workforce right you to make that transition from student to employee. after your graduation is not the wisest of steps is for We’ve heard the cliché saying that life begins after college graduation. And while there’s a touch of truth, the greater truth is your life has already begun (literally — it began when you were born). Graduation simply marks your next phase of growth.

So beyond polishing your resume and LinkedIn profile, how else can one prepare for life after graduation?

Here are some tips on mentally preparing yourself for life after college.

Take A Moment To Adjust Into Your New Life You’ve been a student for the past eighteen years of your life (maybe more) and now you’re not, that ought to be perturbing. Therefore, don’t jump right into the workforce after your graduation. It’s not for the sake of having a break, but you’re on the ending border of a very long stage in your life, and steps away from the beginning of another. You deserve a moment to look back, learn from your all your mistakes, clear your mind and then start moving again. Your life is about to change. Emotionally strong people don’t try to avoid change. Instead, they welcome positive change into their life and are willing to be flexible. So take your foot off the throttle and allow yourself to adapt to your new life and then roll with it! It won’t be easy, but it will be worth it.

Use The Break As A Fuel To Push You Forward This pause is your breathing space to recharge your battery but beware it is a double-edge sword. It will allow you to decompress and prepare for your next big move, but also if you weren’t careful enough, it might make it really hard for you to get going afterward. Do you know what happens to your car battery when you stop driving it for a while? It goes power-hungry and then fails to function. Same thing applies to you; you shouldn’t allow this.

you to take the time to dig in and discover what you really want from your life. This is your first time ever to be duty-free; there are no exams to study for or assignments to hand over. You have the time to really figure out what your plan should be. Some believe that experience is the best way to learn what you really love. That’s right, but still that doesn’t mean you should jump into the earliest opportunity for the sake of just working. Find what you love now and do it, maybe in a few months you will discover that it isn’t what you want, but you won’t know until you try. Take the time to figure out what your path might be, search on the Internet, talk to older people, read books, the floor is yours. By doing so, you won’t have to guess what your goal in this life is, you will know. Don’t go with the flow and don’t give a single thought to those who furrow their brows disapprovingly of your choices. We work to have freedom, not to let the cultural pressures chain us.

Take Care of Your Own Progress There will not always be someone to commend your efforts and your accomplishments will not have a GPA value attached to them, which may make them seem insignificant. This is not the case however. The adult world is not made of gold stars, accepting and adjusting to it is simply a necessary step to being your own person. You should be the one monitoring your progress, if you feel like a place is not adding to you, leave, if you feel that you can’t see a future in a career, it’s not the end of the world, if you feel that you suck at something but you love it, get better at it, work harder until you’re satisfied with the progress. This is how life will be from then on.

And remember, if you think the best years of your life are over, you are wrong. The best is yet to come.

Source: https://identity-mag.com/graduates-makeuse-last-summer-2/

October 2019 45

Identity gourmet

Time to Reset Your Body!

by Soha Darwish

There are two times in the year when we think about new starts and new resolutions; beginning of the year and after the summer holiday. The latter is usually a challenging time for many of us, where we feel sad and heavy hearted to bid farewell to our summer days and nights, with nowhere to hide now from lingering work issues, college commitments or kids’ school routines. You may also notice that for some reason the last couple of weeks in summer things tend to get out of track, ditching our healthy diets and workout routines either for travel reasons or simply to make the most of summer’s last days.

Morning Tonic: Start your day and boost your metabolism with these easy tonics.

Two options • 1 tbsp lemon juice – pinch of cayenne pepper – tsp grated fresh ginger – 1 cup warm water • 1-2 tbsp apple cider vinegar – 1 tbsp lemon juice –

tsp grated fresh ginger – tsp cinnamon – 1 cup warm or cold water

Smoothie Bowls: (Serves 1) Transforming delicious smoothies into wholesome meals with fresh toppings - Tuck in!

I am not a vegan and I don’t think I’ll ever be one, but I must admit that vegan recipes are getting more delicious and interesting - no one can deny the effect Mango Ginger of vegan diets on body and skin. I wouldn’t ask you Base: 1 Cup Mango cubes – 2 Cups Spinach – tsp to go on 3-5 day detox plan which I can easily write Ginger –200 ml Coconut Milk (all whizzed in a strong down, putting you on juices mostly and making you blender) miserable by the day. Well, you know by now that I Toppings: Raw Almonds – Coconut Shavings – am all for enjoying healthy satisfying food options. So, Pumpkin Seeds – Mango Cubes I thought there is no better way for resetting your body and mind after overindulging and binging on some Pear Detox nasty food and drinks than going vegan for a week Base: 1 Pear – 1 Orange – 2 cups Kale – 200 ml or two. I will simply present to you some wholesome Almond Milk (all whizzed in a strong blender) recipes which are non-dairy, meat free and more Toppings: Walnuts – Goji Berries - Flaxseeds importantly sugar free, without even adding honey -just to allow our body gently and slowly to take a Very Berry needed break that will relieve our digestive system, Base: 1 Banana – cup Blue Berries – 1 Orange –200 ml Almond Milk mind and soul altogether.

You can, of course, your food up with soothing teas (all whizzed in a strong blender) Toppings: Raw Almonds – Strawberries – Pumpkin and healthy smoothies - no harm in that!

Seeds 46 October 2019

Avocado Chocolate Mousse: (Serves 4) A sinfully creamy chocolate mousse made from dark cocoa, avocados and natural sweeteners – dairy free and gluten free.

• Shopping Basket: 3 tbsp dark cocoa powder, sugar-

free – cup maple syrup or 1 tbsp stevia–2 large ripe avocados – 3 to 4 tbsp almond milk – tsp vanilla syrup - pinch of salt.

1. Put all ingredients in the food processor.

2. Whiz until blended smoothly. Divide among small ramekins and let it set in the fridge for 2 hours at least. Indulge freely!

Vegan Laksa: (Serves 4) An aromatic Malaysian noodle soup bowl that will fire up your senses leaving its mark on both your heart and clothes, no matter how many times I try to avoid the massacre when devouring it! It’s a deliciously messy dish that will get you craving for more whenever you get the chance.

• Paste Shopping Basket: 2 medium shallots– 4 red

chillies - 5 garlic cloves – 2 lemongrass stalks – 2 tbsp fresh grated ginger – 2 tbsp sesame oil – 1 tsp ground turmeric – 1 tsp ground coriander – 5 Kaffir lime leaves - 1 tsp paprika.

• Shopping Basket: 1 can full fat coconut milk – 4

cups of dissolved vegetable stock – pan-fried tofu - juice of a lemon – Handfuls of steamed broccoli, Bok Choy and spinach – 200g bean sprouts, cleaned and blanched – 200g flat rice noodles, soaked in cold water until soft - handful of fresh coriander leaves, chopped.

1. Start by blending all paste ingredients in the food processor, until smooth texture.

2. Heat the oil and stir-fry the paste for about 1 min, add coconut milk and stock then simmer for 5 min.

3. Stir in the noodles and all vegetables, simmer for 2-3 min then sprinkle with fresh coriander leaves when serving. Dive in!

Grilled Cinnamon Pineapples: (Serves 4) Why complicate matters?! This must be the easiest yet sumptuous enough dessert to wow your taste buds. Enjoy!

• Shopping Basket: 2 large pineapples – cup maple syrup –1 tbsp cinnamon – pinch of salt.

1. Cut the pineapples into long segments and put into bamboo skewers.

2. Mix the cinnamon, maple syrup and salt; then drizzle over the skewers and rub them thoroughly.

3. Grill for 3 to 4 mins until brown and charred on both sides. You can serve with a sprinkle of dried or fresh shredded coconut and coconut cream. Yum!

October 2019 47

Identity health

10

Office Exercises that You Could Do Discreetly

by Salma Elfeqy

Exercising is one of the most important things that you need to keep as part of your daily routine. It sometimes gets really hectic and you don’t have enough time for it. However, the bright side is that there are a few exercises that you could do at the office that would almost get you the same results as going to the gym without actually wasting a lot of time.

Here are 10 exercises that you could do at the office.

1.

Taking the Stairs Instead of the Elevator Instead of taking the elevator, take the stairs and you’ll notice all the difference. At first it will be very hard to go up for 5 flights, but later on it will be a piece of cake. Each flight of stairs helps you burn 5 calories; allocate 5-10 minutes a day and you’ll be adding simple cardio exercises to your day.

2.

Leg Lifts This can be done very easily while still being undercover. All you have to do is lift your legs under your desk while setting a timer of 20 seconds. Repeat this for as long as you want. If you want to level up this exercise, try moving your legs in circles and repeat for the other leg in both directions. Try to do this at least 5-10 times.

3.

Calf Raises Stand behind your chair and use it for support.

Start raising your heels off of the floor till you reach the maximum level by standing on your toes. Hold that

48 October 2019

position for a couple of seconds and then slowly get yourself back to the floor. Repeat a couple of times. It is very easy and won’t consume lots of time.

4.

Rubber Neck This exercise is very important for your neck.

All you have to do is sit still and start moving your head right and left till your ear reaches your shoulder.

Move your head slowly and hold it still for a couple of seconds, and then return back slowly. Repeat this for both sides and you’ll feel your neck and shoulder muscles relaxing after this workout.

5.

Chair Dips This is a strength boosting exercise where you don’t even need to move at all. All you have to do is sit on your desk chair, put your hands on the edge of the chair and scoot your glutes forwardly till you are basically not sitting. Start lowering yourself below the seat by bending your arms. Then, straighten your hands back up to start sitting on the chair. Repeat for a number of times. In this workout, you’ll be working on your arms, back and butt muscles.

6.

Spinal Twist Have both your knees aligned with one another while sitting on your chair. Put your right hands on your left hands and twist your entire upper body to the left while looking behind your shoulder. Hold it for a while, and twist back to your basic position. Repeat this on the other side as well, while switching hands.

Your spine will feel flexible after working out your back muscles.

8.

Walk When Talking Over the Phone There is a huge time allocated to phone calls when we are at work. You could utilize this time to do the needed exercises. So by doing this, you’ll be both working and exercising. Walk when talking over the phone. This will be you flexing your leg muscles while burning calories without even noticing. Choose walking over sitting whenever it is possible.

9.

Squats These might make you a little uncomfortable if you decide to do them in the middle of the office. Instead, pick any free meeting room and do a number of squats. This exercise is very effective as it works on strengthening your lower body muscles. It might be hard at first but later on your muscles will get used to the move. Try to have different reps where one rep is 10 squats.

7.

Lunges You could either do it next to your desk or take it to the next level and do it anywhere in the office, perhaps when you are making yourself a cup of coffee.

Put one leg in front of the other leg and gently lower the knee of the leg placed backwards the closest it could get to the floor. Repeat this move for both legs a number of times. You’ll be working your leg muscles, belly and back as well.

10.

Knee Hugger Bend one knee, lift it up and try to grab it with your hands to get it closest to your chest, till you are almost hugging it. Hold it for a number of seconds and repeat for both legs.

These workouts are easily incorporated into your work day. They will definitely make you feel more energized and will boost you with lots of energy, so now you have no excuses!

October 2019 49

Identity review

Outliers:

The Story of Success

by Malcolm Gladwell

by Amina Moustapha

Ever wondered what distinguishes high-achievers from the rest of the world? Is it talent? Hard work?

Luck? What’s their secret? In this stunning book, Malcolm Gladwell takes us on an intellectual journey through the world of “outliers”--the best and the brightest, the most famous and the most successful.

Gladwell reveals the truth behind the outliers.

50 October 2019

He took us through a journey where we figure that we pay too much attention to what successful people are like, and too little attention to where they are from: that is, their culture, their family, their generation, and the idiosyncratic experiences of their upbringing.

Along the way, Gladwell explains the secrets of software billionaires, what it takes to be a great soccer player, why Asians are good at math, and what made the Beatles the greatest rock band.

If you seek to have a fresh start in your life, to figure out the real factors that lead to success, this is the right book for you, and here is why…

Success is not just about innate ability Gladwell explains that genius is over-rated. Success is not just about innate ability and intelligence. Through examples provided by Gladwell we discover that extraordinary achievement is less about talent than it is about opportunity. Yes, being smart is awesome and crucial, but the relationship between success and IQ works only up to a point. Just like in basketball, does someone who is five foot six have a realistic chance of playing professional basketball? Not really.

You need to be at least six foot or six one to play at that level. But past a certain point, height stops mattering so much. A player who is six foot eight is not automatically better than someone two inches shorter (Michael Jordan, the greatest player ever, was six six after all.) A basketball player has to be tall enough, and the same is true of intelligence. Intelligence has a threshold.

There is no short-cut to mastery than ‘putting in the hours’ Gladwell demonstrates the idea that excellence at performing a complex task requires a critical minimum level of practice. In fact, researches have settled on what they believe is the magic number for true expertise: ten thousand hours. It seems it takes the brain this long to assimilate all that it needs to know to achieve true mastery. In their early days, the Beatles used to play in a strip club called the Indra in Germany.

Where they were asked to play nonstop and all night.

When asked in interviews, the bands always stated that this place was one of the main reason of their success. It wasn’t because it paid well. It didn’t. Or that the acoustics were fantastic. They weren’t. It was simply because of the amount of time the band was forced to play. By the time they arrived to the United States, they had been playing together for more than

10,000 hours, so their success over their success was instant.

Upbringing leads to opportunity The quality of upbringing a child has been shown to be a key determinant on future success. Gladwell interviews sociologist, Annette Lareau, who studied 3rd graders in a long term ethnographic study. She concluded that involved parents vs. non-involved parents was the key difference that led to an individual’s success in life. Involved parents talk to their kids more and critically provide more opportunity for them (by taking them to museums, putting them into summer school, helping them with their homework etc.). They also develop a sense of ‘entitlement’, so less likely to settle with the first ‘No’. Gladwell went on listing the advantages you can get from your family that can change your life, such as class, attention…

He concluded, that no one, not a rock star, not a professional athlete, not a software billionaire can ever make it alone.

Timing is critical to success and opportunity Gladwell keeps on fascinating us with reasons that help in achieving success, such as where, and the year you were born, and how they can influence your luck/opportunity. In the list of the richest people in history, 14/75 are Americans born in the 1860’s and 1870’s. This was when the Industrial Revolution was taking off, and the railways were being built across America and Wall Street started up. This was the year all the rules of traditional economy were broken and remade. Also it really matters how old you were when that transformation happened. If you were born in the the late 1840s you missed it. You were too young to take advantage of the situation. If you were born in the 1820s you were too old. There was a particular, narrow nine-year window that was just perfect for seeing the potential that the future held. The same happened in Silicon Valley. All the top IT entrepreneurs were born between 1953 and 1956. On the other hand, those born in the 1890’s- to the early 1900 were less fortunate than those born after 1913. These people faced the great flu epidemic, the 1st World War, and the great depression.

In order for you to achieve success you must first learn what really makes it, learn all the advantages you have and start from there. ‘Outliers’ will teach you how to do that.

October 2019 51

Identity Travel

fall

Getaways

Paris and Amsterdam 7 Days/ 6 Nights Departure: Upon request Starting from: EGP 15700 For more information visit: www.egyptexpresstvl.com

Package INCLUDES • Airline tickets on France Airlines • 6 nights accommodation including breakfast & hotel taxes.

Colombo - Sri Lanka 6 days/ 5 nights Departure: Upon request Starting from: EGP 14,200 For more information visit: www.egyptexpresstvl.com 52 October 2019

Package Includes • Round-trip economy airfare on Etihad Airways regular flights, including taxes.

• 5 nights accommodation including breakfast & hotel taxes.

Bali – Indonesia 7 days/ 6 nights Departure: Upon request Starting from: EGP 15,000 For more information visit: www.egyptexpresstvl.com

Package Includes • 6 nights accommodation including breakfast & hotel taxes.

maldives 6 days/ 5 nights Departure: Upon request Starting from: EGP 26,900 For more information visit: www.travcoholidays.travel

Package Includes • Roundtrip economy airfare on board regular flights, including taxes.

• 5 - nights accommodation including breakfast and taxes.

• Roundtrip airport transfers in the Maldives.

• For honeymooners only special treatment, including: a) Flowers greeting upon arrival in the city. b) Fruit baskets served in the hotel room. c) Honeymooners’ room decoration.

October 2019 53

seychelles 6 Days / 5 Nights Departure: Upon request Starting from: EGP 33,900 For more information visit: www.travcoholidays.travel

Package Includes • Roundtrip economy airfare on board Emirates Airlines, including taxes.

• 5 nights accommodation in Seychelles including breakfast.

•Roundtrip airport transfers in Seychelles.

•For our honeymooners only special treatment, including: a) Flowers greeting upon arrival in the city. b) Fruit baskets served in the hotel rooms. c) A local sim card to be given to you at your main destination.

Bali & Singapore 7Days / 6 Nights Departure: Upon request Starting from: EGP 22,900 For more information visit: www.travcoholidays.travel

54 October 2019

Package Includes • Roundtrip economy airfare on board regular airlines, including taxes.

• 3 nights accommodation in Bali including breakfast and taxes.

• 3 nights accommodation in Singapore including breakfast and taxes.

• Roundtrip airport transfers in Bali and Singapore.

• For our honeymooners only special treatment, including: a) Flowers greeting upon arrival in the city. b) Fruit baskets served in the hotel rooms. c) a local sim card to be given to you in your main destination.

MOUNT KILIMANJARO – MACHAME ROUTE 9 Days / 8 Nights Departure: 26/12/2019 Starting from: $2,945 For more information visit: www.wildguanabana.com

Package Includes • Price based on 4 pax • Meals as mentioned in the itinerary (Breakfast = B, Lunch = L, Dinner = D) • All transport to and from destination (Non A/C Car) • All accommodation (1 night at hotel at the start & day-use on the last day)

Cape Town & Sun City 11 days/ 10 nights Departure: Upon request Starting from: EGP 67,000 For more information visit: www.travistaegypt.com

Package Includes • The hotel accommodation in 4*/5* downtown hotel.

• The international round-trip economy flight ticket.

• Internal flight between Cape town and Sun City.

• Round trip airport transfers in Cape town and Sun city

October 2019 55

Travel Guide: Nepal

by Joanna Neve

Best Time to visit Nepal is a spiritual land of undeniable natural beauty, combining jungle safaris with historic temples, vibrant festivals and tranquil mountain villages. Add a visit to your 2019 bucket list as October-November is peak season with clear skies and lower temperatures - perfect for hiking and outdoor activities!

Visa A visa to enter Nepal is a must, but the process is very easy. Fill out the visa form on automatic registration machines when you land, or go online and save airport time by completing it electronically up to 15 days in advance-just remember to print the barcode if you do it this way.

• 30 USD for 15 days • 50 USD for 60 days • 125 USD for 90 days • Children under 10 enter free.

A TREKKER’S PARADISE Take inspiration from Sherif al-Abd, who became the second Egyptian ever to summit Everest this year and try one of Nepal’s vast walking routes suitable for a range of abilities.

• For an absolute beginner head to Chitwan National Park, home to elephants, crocodiles, rhinos and tigers. It’s the perfect location to hire a local guide and do some laid back wildlife watching.

Alternatively, skip the walking entirely and take a boat or jeep safari!

• For a more experienced walker you could follow in the footsteps of some of the world’s greatest climbers and head to Everest base camp, which is actually classed as a moderate walking route. Or, if you feel brave enough, why not attempt to summit Everest? It only takes a few years of training.

EXTREME SPORTS

KATHMANDU’S BEST TEMPLES

Nepal is home to many dare-devil sports, but even a complete novice can give one of these 3 a go:

The nation’s capital is the best spot to tour Buddhist and Hindu temples as there are just so many of them. Hours can easily fly by observing the sights and sounds of these stunning spiritual locations.

1. Paragliding: Hop on a bus from Kathmandu to Pokhara to try this dangerous sport. You’ll find yourself windswept as you glide well above ground level.

2. White Water Rafting: Hold on tight and try not to get thrown overboard if you give white water rafting a go. While Nepal is landlocked, its huge abundance of rivers makes it the perfect spot for water sports like this.

3. Bungee Jumping: Flinging yourself off a ledge head first might be the perfect way to get away from the bustle and chaos of Nepal’s capital city. This activity can be done as a simple day trip with lots of companies offering direct buses.

• Swayambhunath Stupa, also known as ‘monkey temple’

hosts beautiful views across the city and is home to countless monkeys – hence the name! It’s a holy site often attended by Nepal’s tantric Buddhists, so there’s never a dull moment here.

• Pashupatinath is the holiest Hindu site in Nepal, hosting

large crowds of Sadhus (holy men). Located on the Bagmati River, it’s also one of the city’s most significant cremation grounds, which is why it’s definitely worth a visit.

• Boudhanath Stupa is the holiest Tibetan Buddhist site

outside of Tibet, and it has loads of surrounding souvenir shops, restaurants and coffee bars, with lovely views all round.

NEPAL’S BIGGEST FESTIVAL THIS MONTH: TIHAR (October 25-29th) This is Nepal’s second most important festival, also known as the festival of lights, lasting five days. It’s probably one of the best festivals to observe in Nepal all year, as the whole of Kathmandu valley is lit with oil lamps, candles, colourful lights and fireworks, despite a government ban on fire-crackers.

On the first day a crow is worshiped (the messenger of Yama who is the bringer of death). On the second day dogs are worshiped, seen to be agents of Yama. On the third day cows are worshiped in the morning with prayers and food, and in the evening the Goddess Laxmi is given prayers. The fourth day honours the draught animal and the final day is known as Brother’s Day, when sisters put tika (red dots) on their brothers’ foreheads, giving blessings also.

NOT TO MISS: A TRADITIONAL NEPALESE MEAL For not a lot of money, you can eat like royalty in Nepal.

Alongside a mass of Chinese and Indian delicacies, Nepal itself has a wealth of national dishes that are definitely worth a try. Here’s a two-course meal not to miss: • Start off with a Masala Chai Tea. Perfectly brewed with herbs, spices and fresh milk, it’s a drink found across the whole of Nepal.

• For the first course, there’s no better option than a

traditional Momo which is very popular with locals and tourists alike. Stuffed with buffalo, chicken or vegetables, they’re basically a filled dumpling.

• For the grand finale, try Daal Bhat Tarkari, a dish with 3

separate parts. The Daal is a spicy lentil soup, Bhat boiled grains and Tarkari a spicy vegetable curry, sometimes served alongside pumpkin shoots.

October 2019 57

Identity out&about

Marriott

INTERNATIONAL’S TAHSEEN HOSPITALITY TRAINING PROGRAM EARNS BACHELOR’S DEGREE ACCREDITATION IN EGYPT Endorsement of the program to further support travel and tourism development in the country Marriott International announced that its unique hospitality training program, Tahseen, has received the Ministry of Higher Education’s approval in Egypt and earned bachelor’s degree accreditation. The program was launched in 2018 in partnership with Helwan University and Professional Development Foundation (PDF) and is focused on fast tracking the next generation of hospitality leaders by providing them with firsthand experience of the industry and a springboard to launch successful careers in hospitality.

Speaking on the occasion, Honorable Minister H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Tourism, Egypt said: “The Tahseen training program is in line with the institutional reform pillar within the Egypt—Tourism Reform Program. Building capacity through training and human resource development strengthens the competitiveness of the tourism sector. The travel and tourism industry in Egypt provides over three million jobs and our overarching objective is to have at least one individual in each Egyptian family working directly or indirectly in the tourism sector.”

“Our goal is to develop future leaders by empowering youth with knowledge, skills and opportunities 58 October 2019

to be successful within the hospitality industry in line with the government’s focus on the travel and tourism sector,” said Alex Kyriakidis, President and Managing Director Middle East and Africa, Marriott International. “Today, Marriott International employs over 10,000 associates across our hotels in Egypt with 99% of them being Egyptian nationals. We remain committed and passionate about providing those keen for a budding career in hospitality with the tools and skills they need to succeed – not only for their own development but also to be a part of the wider Egypt success story.”

The company, together with Helwan University and Professional Development Foundation (PDF), has created a unique program that supports its commitment to further enhance tourism education in the country. The now accredited degree is a Bachelor of Hotel Operations Management Degree, earned upon completion of a four-year program broken down into one year of university, followed by three years consisting of 14 weeks each of classroom learning and 32 weeks each of onsite training. The program aims to provide students with practical exposure to working within the industry in addition to theoretical learning. Currently there are 89 students between the ages of 18 and 20 years in the inaugural batch undergoing training at 13 participating Marriott International hotels in Egypt.

Le Meridien Cairo Airport Celebrates Au Soleil: a Summer Soirée Programme

On September 14th Le Meridien Cairo Airport celebrates the allure of the Côte d’Azur with a poolside get-together celebration where Guests were invited to sip, sway and savour endless summers through all senses.

Upon arrival guests experienced our exclusive Au Soleil summer menu which features petit plates offerings, Mediterranean inspired mini baguettes, rosé Gelato and rosé Sparkling cocktails.

Guests enjoyed celebratory moments and warm weather with timeless summer pastimes, poolside oversized backgammon and playing cards, straw hat workshop and sparkling cocktails workshop accompanied with live performances inspired by French Bossa Nova collective Nouvelle Vague. with Au Soleil-to-go kits you can take summer with you anywhere as the Kit includes warm weather essentials such as Straw Hats, Sun lotions, Mini backgammon ,Beach Mat and Au Soleil How To Summer Guide.

October 2019 59

THE LEGENDARY

Nile Ritz-Carlton, Cairo

CELEBRATES ITS FOURTH ANNIVERSARY The Nile Ritz-Carlton, Cairo is celebrating its fourth year anniversary, having first opened its doors on October 12th, 2015. Four years of creating memories and experiences, The Nile Ritz-Carlton legacy of Ladies and Gentlemen serving Ladies and Gentleman remains at the forefront of everything we do.

The luxury property has achieved a vast number of accomplishments that add to its roster of unparalleled experiences for its guests, representing the true essence of the Egyptian culture and hospitality. It has consistently created unforgettable experiences for guests to fulfill their expectations and crowned its presence by a number of international awards.

The Nile Ritz-Carlton, Cairo has been well-known for its bespoke weddings experiences and exceptional conferences and events. It has been the chosen venue for Egypt’s elites for decades who are eager to experience luxury and refined services from a prestigious brand. Event specialists and experts ensure that every aspect of each event is well-taken care of; from the ballroom settings to menu choices.

The Nile Ritz-Carlton, Cairo is undoubtedly Egypt’s 60 October 2019

premier event venue, hosting parties for up to 1,500 guests from all over the world.

The hotel has fulfilled its social and environmental responsibility through the Community Footprints program, leading in the active involvement in protecting the environment such as planting some trees in front of the hotel and painting the hotel’s pavement. In support of hunger and poverty relief, the hotels’ ladies and gentlemen were delighted to have breakfast with the underprivileged families living in Zeinhom and also offered them new school bags and blankets to protect them from the cold winter.

A special celebration will take place to celebrate the hotel’s anniversary with a cutting cake ceremony at the hotel’s rooftop terrace hosted by General Manager Mr. Joe Ghayad, Resident Manager Mr. Tawfik Mokhtar, Chairman of Misr Hotels company the owning company of the hotel Mr. Amr Attia.

For more details about The Nile Ritz-Carlton, please visit our website www.ritzcarlton.com/cairo or contact +20 225778899.

Deezer Goes Live with Dark Mode on iOS and Desktop App Following the introduction of the dark mode feature for Android users last month, Deezer, the global music streaming service, has now also made the option available to iOS and desktop app users. The most soughtafter feature from Deezer fans around the world gives users the freedom to switch from their normal light music player to a dark grey background.

Philip Morris Misr Launches Campaign to Combat Underage Smoking Philip Morris Misr (PMM) announced the launch of their “Youth Smoking Prevention” campaign for the 4th year in a row to limit the access of youth under the legal smoking age of 18 to tobacco products. This comes as part of PMM’s social responsibility towards developing the communities they operate in and with the aim of supporting the government plans and efforts to develop youth in Egypt.

Hilton Cairo Zamalek Residences Has Been Certified by Cristal Hilton Zamalek has been recognized by Cristal International Standards and received three certificates as follows: 1-Food Check – HACCP Food Safety Risk Management System.

2-Aqua Check – Legionella Control Risk Management Principles in Water System .

3-Pool Check – Pool Safety Risk Management System Those certificates have been earned as a result of the team hard work they have been able to manage the system on daily basis to provide significant reduction of risk from food related illness, legionella and swimming pool related illness or injury.

Steigenberger Pure Lifestyle, Hurghada Turns One in October!

Steigenberger Pure Lifestyle, one of the newest projects of ALDAU Development, celebrates its 1st-year anniversary in October 2019. Being the only all-white, allsuites, all-adults boutique hotel in the Red Sea, Steigenberger Pure Lifestyle offers its guests an extraordinarily unique accommodation experience blended with the Mediterranean lifestyle and indulged in bohemian vibes.

Volvo Launches E.V.A Initiative for Road Safety across Social Media Platforms Volvo has launched ‘Selfie for Safety’ initiative raising awareness about road safety. The campaign uses social media encouraging people to participate in the initiative by sharing their selfies while wearing the safety belt.

The objective of the campaign is to create a crowd sourced study of car safety and individual road safety and share it with the world. Findings of this study will help in analyzing different ways of wearing the safety belt and thereby help improving its usability as well as enhancing overall driver and passenger protection.

YOUR SPORT STORE FROM EAST TO THE WEST Decathlon Egypt Opens in Mall of Arabia 2500 sqm with a test zone area only for you!

The Global sports goods company Decathlon which opened last year in the East of Cairo, is now open at the west.

Its main purpose is to make sports accessible to as many Egyptians and sports enthusiasts as possible. With their focus on providing good quality with low prices, Decathlon Egypt aims at spreading awareness on sports and making sports goods available to everyone.

October 2019 61

Uber Eats celebrates 1 billion orders delivered to Eaters around the globe.

In less than four years, Uber Eats has delivered one billion Eats orders to more than 500 cities around the world, all while keeping average delivery time under 30 minutes.

Uber Eats is changing the way people eat by making food for all occasions, in any location, available for delivery at the push of a button.

City Edge Developments Launches New Alamein Downtown Apartments for delivery in 2020 to meet demand City Edge Developments, the national develop of Egypt, has announced the launch of New Alamein Downtown, a project owned by NUCA. The launch of the Downtown, follows the successful sale of over 1000 units in New Alamein in 2019 for an amount exceeding EGP 6.5 Billion, is expected to meet the rising demand for units in the promising new city.

Cairo Marriott Hotel Welcomes Egypt’s Tourism Reform Program The Cairo Marriott Hotel & Omar Khayyam Casino has always been the leader in hospitality industry and it continues to shape the future of tourism by being the top venue for the major events that take place in Egypt. Therefore, The Cairo Marriott hosted The Minister of Tourism Dr. Rania AlMashat who held a conference on Monday 9th of September to launch the new hospitality criteria for the Egyptian Hotels under the auspices of the Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly

IFA 2019: Samsung Electronics Celebrates Five Decades of Designing Your Tomorrow Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., marked its imminent 50th anniversary at IFA 2019 and held a press conference laying out the company’s vision focused on innovation, connectivity and the future.

The company declared to: democratise QLED 8K technology with the introduction of a full line up of QLED 8K TVs; innovate in the home appliances market with its BESPOKE line-up of customisable refrigerators; and expand Samsung’s 5G device footprint with the launch of the new Galaxy A90 5G and Galaxy Fold 5G. 62 October 2019

Dine High at Grand Nile Tower In their first participation in the UK Real Estate Exhibition for Coastal Homes. Makadi Heights and El Gouna at “A Place in the Sun” Exhibition in Great Britain Makadi Heights and El Gouna are taking part in Birmingham’s “A Place in the Sun” exhibition, one of UK’s most famous second homes exhibition from September 20th to 22nd, 2019.

This comes as a new step in marketing to promote two of the most picturesque places of charming nature in Egypt.

Makadi Heights and El Gouna’s participation in exhibitions are expected to be extended in many international exhibitions.

For more than 18 years, Grand Nile Tower has been an iconic landmark, a haven within the vibrant city of Cairo and home to some of the capital’s finest food and beverage outlets. With the most spectacular views and delectable dining in all of Cairo, the Revolving Restaurant provides diners with a staggering panoramic view of the Nile River, the Pyramids and the ancient cosmopolitan city of Cairo while serving culinary delights from an international gourmet menu, prepared in the restaurant’s show kitchen.

Hilton Celebrates Another Successful Careers at Hilton Week in Egypt El Gouna Football Club Signs a Cooperation Agreement with Egyptian Leading Luxury Design House Azza Fahmy Jewellery Khaled Bishara: We are keen on working closely with the Red Sea governorate to develop youth centers and discover young talents.

Tarek Kamel: The cooperation with Azza Fahmy Jewellery guarantees a high percentage of sales contributing to provide a budget to complete the protocol signing between the club and the governorate with the purpose of developing youth centers and the purchase of necessary equipment.

The unique career event offers internships and practical training to youth across its hotels in Egypt Marking its largest global career event, Hilton hotels in Egypt carried out a series of events over the course of the Careers@Hilton Week to mine the untapped potential of ambitious job seekers in the hospitality industry. Hilton hotels have embarked on a series of seminars, apprenticeships, and on-the-job training workshops aiming to showcase the diverse job opportunities within the hospitality industry.

Lenovo Launches Cutting-edge Gaming Laptops Enhanced with Smart Technology for All Lenovo Egypt held a conference on Tuesday September 17th 2019 at Four Seasons Nile Plaza Hotel, celebrating the launch of its latest cutting-edge laptops tailored for gamers.

General Manager for Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, North & West Africa, Rony Mezeraani, said: “Gamers in the region are very different to our usual PC buyers and are very confident in choosing the right hardware with specifications that meet their needs.

Safir Hotel Cairo Acquired ISO 9001:2015

Enjoy Back-To-School promotions on HUAWEI P30 Lite New Edition with 0% interest installment plan The New Edition packs a 48MP AI ultra-wide triple camera With summer coming to an end and school starting its new season in September 2019, Huawei Consumer Business Group in Egypt has geared up to launch its annual Back-To-School promotions for the HUAWEI P30 Lite New Edition. Now, you can buy the HUAWEI P30 Lite New Edition with 0% interest installment plan from Huawei Experience stores and selected authorized dealers all around Egypt.

In a new achievement, Safir Hotel Cairo acquired ISO 9001: 2015 certification by Cyprus Certification Company (CCC Egypt), an international organization specialized in preparing and reviewing the International standards.

The hotel has received ISO 9001: 2015 quality management system certification after conducting a series of comprehensive audits to ensure the implementation of quality management system requirements and the hotel management, adherence to all international standards, demonstrated in achieving the highest standards of customer satisfaction.

Mountain View spreads happiness in partnership with DH EGYPT Applying the principle of spreading happiness in the community, leading real estate Developer Mountain View celebrated its new exciting partnership with DH EGYPT, to launch the “Happiness Project” which aims to change the stereotype of workplaces. The event was held at the Mountain View Sky Roof building in the presence of the presidents and CEOs of major international companies that helped achieve this remarkable success.

October 2019 63

PepsiCo Egypt Sponsors El Gouna Film Festival for the Second Time Mr Jeff Opens its First Branch in Dokki, Cairo Kimidar Tours Launches #Ask_ Kimidar Initiative to Enhance Brand’s Positioning as a Market Leader Kimidar Tours has recently launched a new initiative under the tag #Ask_Kimidar. The initiative is focused on helping all travelers across the market “for free” on their travel inquiries, tips, arrangements…etc. the initiative is oriented to the whole market not only buyers who have reserved a paid service at Kimidar Tours.

“We are very excited to launch #Ask_Kimidar out of our responsibility in the market as one of the leader and we are boosting our mission clearly to the market that we are here to help you any time for free.

This kind of support is availed to anybody who is need to for information or help regarding their travel trips regardless they are actual customers who bought from Kimidar Tours or not” – says Adel Taha, the GM of the company.

Worthy to mention that Kimidar Tours has been named officially as Egypt’s Leading Travel Agency from 2013 till 2019 in-a-row at the World Travel Awards referred to as Oscars of the Travel Industry.

64 October 2019

Mr Jeff, Spain’s largest laundry service company, opens its first branch in Vinny Square in Dokki, Egypt. Their first franchise branch in Egypt will set a new standard for laundry services in Egypt as the company creates more investment opportunities with additional local franchises. The Spanish start-up received strong interest from local entrepreneurs, signing up 20 franchise partners within the first three months in Egypt all set to open before the end of 2019.

First Editin of Zed Club’s Cup Opening Ceremony at Marriott Mena House The first edition of the ZED Club’s football tournament has started last month at Marriott Mena House, Cairo under the auspices of the Ministry of Youth and Sports. The tournament has witnessed a fierce competition between U13 teams from the world’s biggest football clubs, who have gathered in Egypt for the first time.

PepsiCo Egypt has announced being the official beverage sponsor of El Gouna Film Festival 3rd edition which will take place from the 19th to 27th of September 2019, for the second time in a row with their rebranded Pepsi can.

PepsiCo’s sponsorship for this year edition is a tribute to the amazing success the festival has achieved over the past two years, which contributed to repositioning Egypt on the map of regional and international festivals.

OPPO Appoints Ethan Xue as New President in the Middle OPPO, the leading global smartphone brand, has announced the appointment of Ethan Xue as its new President in the Middle East and Africa (MEA).

The announcement comes as Andy Shi, Outgoing President of OPPO MEA, assumes his new role as Senior Director of Global Product Marketing at OPPO Headquarters in China where he will oversee OPPO’s all product lines including smartphone and IoT on a global level.

The Nile Ritz-Carlton, Cairo Creates A New Passport to Adventure with Enhanced Ritz Kids Program

At Giannini’s New York Italian Restaurant Love is in the Air

The Nile Ritz-Carlton have rolled out an inspiring new adventure for their little guests, as part of an enhanced Ritz Kids program.

Giannini’s New York Italian Restaurant is a restaurant at Sheraton Cairo Hotel& Casino with a Nile view.

Ritz Kids is the first globally consistent, immersive programming from a hotel company to build on the adventures of travel for children.

Designed to draw on a child’s passion for the curious, the program has a tailored approach to creating memories for children visiting a resort, city or an urban property. The activities in the program foster learning centered around four key pillars – water, land, environmental responsibility and culture.

At Giannini’s you can grab your partner for a romantic dinner from 6 PM to 1 AM with choosing between two packages either 450++ or 800++.

The New Generation’s Aladdin Checked In at The Newly Opened Sheraton Cairo Hotel& Casino On the 18th of September 2019, the Hollywood star of Aladdin movie, Mena Masoud, originally an Egyptian Canadian citizen, arrived in Cairo for a very short visit.

Sheraton Cairo Hotel& Casino was highly honored to host Mena, his family and team members to stay at the hotel in the heart of the city.

Couples can enjoy the splendid Nile view while enjoying the romantic setup and the ingredients of love, care & cheer in a menu filled with romantic dishes.

Sonesta Cairo’s exclusive “Old Is Gold” promotion Recall the old days… cherish the golden moments…

Sonesta Hotel, Tower & Casino Cairo‘s famous Italian restaurant “La Gondola” is offering its loyal guests who have been enjoying its delicious meals for over 25 years; a special discount of 25% for the whole month of October.

Join us and bring back memories of the good old days.

Steigenberger Egypt Cruises Welcomes Regency, Royale and Senator Cruise Ships to its fleet Steigenberger Cruises Egypt proudly announces the branding of the three 5 star cruise ships: Steigenberger Regency Nile Egypt, Steigenberger Royale Nile Egypt and Steigenberger Senator Nile Egypt. The three cruises joined the brand’s fleet, which also embraces Steigenberger Minerva Nile Egypt, Steigenberger Legacy Nile Egypt and Steigenberger Omar El Khayam Lake Nasser/Egypt.

Steigenberger Cecil, 90 Years of Glory!

On its 90th anniversary, Steigenberger Cecil Hotel celebrates many years of its hospitality and tradition of excellence, continuing to offer its guests a superb quality of service and memorable experiences.

Facing the sea and two of Alexandria’s main attractions: the Old Eastern Harbour and the Qaitbay Citadel, every corner at Steigenberger Cecil Hotel tells a story.

October 2019 65

Identity Signs

libra

September 23 – October 23

Strengths: Diplomatic – Graceful - Peace loving – Idealistic - Intellectual.

Weaknesses: Indecisive –Stubborn – Inflexible – Grumpy.

Career: Mentally alert and outgoing, the Libra native is ever keen to learn more. Libra-born tends to do well in leadership and organizational roles.

Most compatible with at work: Gemini –Leo – Libra – Sagittarius.

Virgo Different work values. Virgo works hard and advances up the ladder. Libra offers a hand so that everyone can climb the ladder together. Tricky match.

Work Compatibility Aries They are on opposite sides of the Zodiac wheel, but sometimes opposites attract. Aries can assume an action-oriented role, while Libra takes care of the personal relationships and customer satisfaction.

Taurus Both have very different values in work. Taurus aims to ensure a steady paycheck and comfortable working conditions, while Libra wants to build bridges and foster relationships. Bad match.

Libra Two Libras working together is bound to make both very happy. They are likely to have a huge number of contacts to make any job easier.

Scorpio Libra’s airy nature may seem like wasting time to serious Scorpio, whole Scorpio’s broody demeanor can bring Libra’s usually sunny mood down pretty quickly.

Sagittarius With Libra’s ease and sociability and Sagittarius’ natural gregariousness, when these two combine forces, the sky’s the limit!

Gemini: As fellow Air Signs, Gemini and Libra get along really well, and share some of the same goals in their careers. They may even become friends outside the workplace.

Capricorn Capricorn tends to feel that only those who worked hardest should get ahead, Libra disagrees. The end result is unhappiness and disagreements about how to advance their shared aims.

Cancer Harmony is such second nature for Libra that they may not know how hard this is for some, like Cancer.

The result is emotional tension, without much great work.

Aquarius Two Air Signs who use their minds to solve complex problems or come up with ingenious new ways to make something better for the future. Great match.

Leo Both are sociable signs. Success arrives when Leo and Libra use their vast network of contacts to bring attention to all their hard work.

Pisces Not quite friends and not quite enemies. They can communicate, but wouldn’t really choose to hang out together. The work they create suffers as a result.

66 October 2019