Taif: More than just a City of Roses

by Abdullah Gouia

Apart from fine weather, spectacular beauty, and fragrant smell of roses that make Taif City a place to visit, here are four more stunning landmarks you can add up to your bucket list when exploring the famous City of Rose.

Fashion changes over time

byAhmedEssam

The fashion industry is always changing. Old styles are being infused with new ones. Many ideas are passed down while others are discarded or changed. Others are put to the test.

Expectations for genders, particularly in models, are the most recent concept being examined. More and more models have displayed their own particular tastes and opinions over the years. Photographers and designers have begun to explore and expand on this. But what has changed?

In more common sense, we all have a rough concept of what is masculine and what is feminine. It’s slender and thin for a woman. Long legs and a graceful posture; curves and clear, flawless skin. It’s tall, muscular, and active for a man. The origins of each gender’s distinct ideas can be traced back through history. Men are traditionally thought to be the more physically active gender, whereas women are thought to be more elegant and nurturing. These notions are known as the outdated way of thinking in today’s fashion business. We’ve started to see successful men who aren’t as muscular as they once were, as well as males who crossdress. Crossdressing has been increasingly trendy in recent years. Male models are now being treated equally to female models by directors. Cycle 20 of America’s Next Top Model is a great example. The boys, like the ladies, are required to wear bright, heavyhanded cosmetics. In one shoot, they even sported acrylic press- on nails. All of these factors have contributed to the acceptance of sexuality. Male models areincreasingly coming out and expressing their pride. Without a question, this has elevated fashion to a new level of strength and intrigue. This new boldness has put societal conventions to the test and made a powerful statement. Men wearing cosmetics or more “feminine” clothes are becoming more common.

The concept of female models has evolved as well. Physically, racially, and in many other respects, there is more diversity. Different styles, such as pin up models, are more popular. Women with tattoos have become more acceptable, and they have even spawned their own subculture in the modeling industry.

Plus-size models have also become more popular.

Women are no longer driven to attain the perfect hourglass form; however, it is still encouraged. It is more popular these days to encourage women to love their bodies, as unique as they are.

Women taking up the role of men is a big transition that has occurred repeatedly.

Indeed, change is inevitable, especially in the fashion world.

Concepts about what one should wear and how one should wear are constantly evolving. People do whatever they feel resembles their personality the most and with today’s voices, it’s easier for them to do that.

SAMIS joins KGL... from page 1 in an English international competition that will be held in Greece in September.

“I was looking for international English competitions online, and I came across the KGL website. I talked to the organizer of the contest if it can be conducted in the school, and they have approved of it,” Sir Aldrin Bulatao, English Supervisor and KGL Country Manager, said.

“Meetings were conducted, with the school’s General anager, Sir Majed, on how the contest will be carried out and what the processes are in choosing the student to compete internationally,” Sir Aldrin added.

MIM and Aydin will compete for stage 3 with other qualified students from different schools in various parts of the world. The two students were chosen to represent the school after qualifying for Stage 1 and after being the highest pointers among students who competed in different levels in the 2nd stage of the competition.

“I prepared and did my best on the day of the contest. I did not expect to win since there were also competitive students from grades 10, 11, and 12 or in the B2 level who are vying for the 1st spot, but I thank Allah for being chosen as the school’s representative in Greece,” MIM said.

“I was so happy when the results were announced. All glory to Allah for giving me the opportunity to represent the school, the country, in an international competition,”

Aydin, A2-level representative, stated.

The KGL contest is divided into three (3) stages with different levels namely Pre-A1, A1, A2, B1, and B2 where participants were categorized based on their year level and age.

With 292 competitors, 92 students were able to make it through Stage 1 of the competition where their knowledge and skills in reading, spelling, and listening were tested. Stage 1 consists of multiple-choice questions and participants have 60 minutes to complete the test except for pre-A1 participants who need to finish the test in 45 minutes.

A month after the first stage, the second stage was carried out in which the 90 qualified students vied for the 3 spots with essay writing as part of the test making the competition more challenging.

The top 3 winners for the Pre-A1 level are Maab ElFaki, grade 3 (1st place), Lamar Ibrahim, grade 3 (2nd place ), and Zuhier Qasim, grade 3 (3rd place); A1 level winners are Yara AlTaib, grade 4 (1st place), Tala Obaid, grade 4 (2nd place), and Syed Waseem Kirmani, grade 4 (3rd place);

For the A2 level, 1st place winner is Muhammad Aydin Khan, grade 6, 2nd place is Noor ElKefl, and 3rd place is Sama Ahmad, grade 6. For the B1, the 1st place winner is Abdalla Hussein, grade 7, 2nd place is Malek Ghaith, grade 8, 3rd place is Ghazi Al Omer grade 7.

For the B2 level, 1st place winner is Mohamed Ibrahim Mohamed ElFar, grade 9, 2nd place is Ahmed Hamdalla, grade 10, and 3rd place is Rezkallah Douna, grade 10.

“The KGL contest was a success as we were able to bring out the best in our students when it comes to knowledge of the English language. We are also grateful to the trainers for committing their time to help our students,” Sir Matt Norman Hapa, KGL School Manager, said.

The trainers for each level are Sir Raymond Cornelio (Pre-A1), Sir Jojie Lozano (A1), Sir Jhay Ortiz (A2), Sir Kristian Lego (B1), and Sir Klarc Luis Tamayo (B2).