"say hi for avery body in u.s.a"

My days are brightened when I hear from Khalda.

& today, she had the best news of all: her and Anwar are expecting!

Khalda is absolutely wonderful with children and I could not be happier for her.

Now, I just need to refresh her memory of late night chats in which I actually convinced her Jeanna makes a gorgeous middle name...

Something to love today: head over heels, to the moon and back love.

Starr

Last night I read Pattie Boyd's autobiography entitled, "Wonderful Tonight: George Harrison, Eric Clapton, and Me"

& this:

'"Well, that was strange,' said Ringo, with his gift for the understatement."

threw me into a fit of giggles.

Something to love today: awkward situations.

Veil Me

Today's top story on the BBC website is, "France MPs' report backs Muslim face veil ban: A French Parliamentary committee has recommended a partial ban on women wearing Islamic face veils." Should this ban get passed face covering veils will no longer be allowed in, "hospitals, schools, government offices and on public transport."

BBC article:( http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8480161.stm)

First off... I cannot say that I understand everything (the personal, the political, the religious, the feminist, the submission, the pressure, the comfort, etc.) about veiling. I cannot say I have a background on French policy, nor the Koran. I cannot even say that I have a clear opinion on the matter.

But here is what I CAN say:

-I've seen the the negative treatment of veiled women in United States hospitals, airports, and city streets. Smart, kind, beautiful women, who are all wonderful mothers, daughters, and friends.
-I've lived with a woman who chooses to veil for the respect of her parents, community members, and mostly, herself and her God.
-I've veiled my own body out of respect and fun (and only once because of pressure).
-Most of the women with whom I've been in contact have had the choice to veil or not. On the contrary, I also realize that not all women in the world are allowed to choose and that, is a serious issue needing attention.

-I know that there are different types of veils ranging from popular hijabs to more full covering niqabs and burkas.
-I believe that Vogue could have a hay-day with the spunk, colors, patterns, and creativity of female Islamic fashion. (Aesthetically, I was never let down on the women's Metro cart in Cairo).
-I know that early Christian women veiled (including the Virgin Mary).
-In my experience, most women do not veil in their own homes around close family and friends (both male and female) that they love and trust.

My dear friend Khalda, beautiful with and without her veil. Always blue, pink, or floral.

In my opinion, there is nothing to be scared of - if only we can respect a women's personal decisions, reexamine our ideas on beauty, and fear not things we do not understand.

Something to love today: personal style.

AHHH in AHHH out.

Around Christmas time I said to myself, "Jeanna, take up yoga."
At the time motivation was high. I cut out positions from magazines, scavenged the house for a mat, and went to it.

Then I fell.
Surprise, surprise I lost my balance (and the ability to touch my toes). I'm not sure what toppled over what, but I landed in a blushing mess on my bedroom floor. Needless to say, motivation died. Instantly.

But lately, I've been a victim of the January blues. As I keep searching for natural pick me up remedies, I have yet to find information that doesn't mention yoga. So in attempts to avoid another embarrassing episode (and more importantly a broken bone or ripped muscle) I decided to choose watch over read. Welcome to my life (for two weeks) "The Original Yoga: Featuring Tracey Rich and Ganga White". This morning I watched/tried the first chapter and had a really good time with it... although I'm sure the gracefulness will take a little time.

According to the American Yoga Association the practice is up to 5,000 years old (most likely started in the Indus Valley)! What I found most impressive was the way in which yoga has survived for so long, "The tradition of Yoga has always been passed on individually from teacher to student through oral teaching and practical demonstration. The formal techniques that are now known as Yoga are, therefore, based on the collective experiences of many individuals over many thousands of years." Neat-o.

Now, I just have to hope that my first half an hour of yoga has given me enough spiritual well-being and motivation to continue on.

Something to DO today: STOP & take a few deep breaths.

Lia Lee

While I'm on my health and culture kick... book suggestion time!

I'm currently reading,

"The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures" by Anne Fadiman.

It's wonderful.
A mix of beautifully constructed sentences, colorful stories, and interesting facts; it tells the true story of Lia Lee a young Hmong child living with epilepsy.
Only 78 pages in and already my thoughts of refugees, Hmong culture, American medicine, natural remedies, cultural sensitivity, parenting, and faith have been re-evaluated.

Something(s) to love today: intercultural communication & foreign language courses.

A Spoonful of Sugar

Tomorrow I'm going to the Doctor. I'm not overly excited about this, but I am thankful. I'm thankful for the option of buying (some) medications over the counter- that work. For knowledgeable, respectful, and rule-abiding medical staff. I'm thankful that at 22 years old, I have a basic, common sense understanding of my body. This thankfulness, is new. & completely due to experiences in Cairo.

Once again, thankfully I can say that I had no need for urgent medical care while in Egypt, but I did have my run in's with flaws in the system. Including but not limited to: an over the counter cough medicine that knocked out it's takers for 3+ days; paramedics that were not trained to set broken arms or stitch cuts; a friend whose doctor answered his cell phone during surgery.

I also found myself explaining to many of my friends how their body works. Things I've known since high school like: the effects of high cholesterol, the reason for menstrual cramps, the ways that our body is linked (one friend was convinced his ears hurt because of cell phone use, but had nothing to do with his rotting teeth), the importance of hydration, negatives in extreme dieting, and the benefits of taking the stairs! I was also the drug dealer ... ibuprofen, nasal decongestants, and anti-diarrhea pills. Egypt has no laws on drug testing so my meds from America were magical.

So what's the issue? Health wise- it's a mixture of vitamin deficiencies, malnutrition, contaminated water (outside of large cities), extreme pollution, and lack of basic health education. In terms of medical care - it's understaffed hospitals, a majority of people who are unable to pay for care, and a lack of modern equipment.

Interesting facts:
In Egypt, most vaccines and other shots can be bought over the counter, and people inject themselves.
Many Egyptians are learning more about their bodies and health from American TV shows such as Dr. Oz and The Doctors translated in Arabic.

One benefit of all this is the popularity of natural remedies. One simple, fabulous, Khalda concoction got me out of a few rough days: Hot Lemon Water. Simply - boil water, once hot- squeeze in the juice from one half a lemon, add a few spoonfuls of sugar, wa-la... instant fever reducer, stomach ache healer, and cold eraser.

Something(s) to love today: your mother, your doctor, and your body.

Voices

It would be a lie to say I planned it, but it did work out nicely that the start of my new blogging adventure shares a day with Martin Luther King Jr's (observed) Birthday.

I'm not sure when it happened, but somewhere over the years January 18th flipped from a day where I thought about civil rights, dreams, and peace to: Sale commercials. A day off work! An extra night to party!
So in attempts reflect, I enjoyed my cup of coffee not in front of the TV, but instead, a short biography on Martin Luther King Jr. and a copy of the "I Have a Dream" speech.
---
It got me to thinking about discrimination. About voices and about freedoms. Am I doing my part to bring peace and cultural understanding to the world? At least to my community?

Answer: not as much as I could. At 22 years old I've been fortunate to not only travel to, but meet and work with many people from around the world. I've climbed peaks in three countries, danced and shared meals with Egyptian women, played soccer with orphans of Rwanda, snorkeled in the Great Barrier Reef, gone on safaris in Tanzania, and worked with families from around the world that have lived through things hard to imagine. Would sharing some of my stories and experiences with this world open the eyes and minds of readers? Maybe. So I'll try.

Although it may be naive to say, changing our world doesn't have to be hard. I'm going to start with my voice. I'll use it to share some of my experiences, stories, photos, thoughts, and ideas. Because to quote Martin Luther King Jr., "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."

Something to love today: freedom of speech.

Forgot One

My good friend Kim is a huge advocate for the awareness of human trafficking, so this shout out is for her and the millions around the world working to end and/or affected by trafficking. This will definitely need some more research and time on my part, but for now... I'll use the words of Kim and love146.org

This week (January 11th) was Global Human Trafficking Awareness Day. According to love146.org,

"There are roughly 27 million people enslaved today. Victims are sold, forced, defrauded, and coerced into labor or sexual exploitation. Trafficking generates $32 Billion annually.

Two children are sold every minute. Over 1.2 million children are trafficked annually.

Approximately 800,000 people are trafficked across national borders, which does not include millions trafficked within their own countries. 80% of transnational victims are women and girls; up to 50% are minors.These numbers make human trafficking the 2nd most lucrative crime in the world (drug trafficking being the first). An estimated 45-50,000 persons are trafficked into the U.S. each year; 15,000 of them are children. The majority of transnational victims are females trafficked into commercial sexual exploitation."

Check out www.love146.org for more information.
The issue of Human Trafficking is also the spotlight issue of 2010 V-Day. Find your nearest performance of the Vagina Monologues this February and GO!

Help Your Neighbor

Honestly, I want to complain about my lack of job. About my monthly student loans, and what seems like an overall stand-still on life. But it just doesn't seem right while so much sadness is going on in our small world.

Here are the top things making my heart ache:

Haiti. As news rolls in of the continuing destruction, loss, and death in Haiti it's important that everyone remember you can help. Whether it's through prayers, active service, or donations ... please, do your part. Even the smallest of things can make a world of difference. Minnesota has various non-profits already working in Haiti, check them out and see what you can do.

Nigeria. Although much of the media attention on Christmas Day's attempted airplane bombing has resided, racist attitudes and cultural misunderstandings have not. This summer I interned with the Iowa Resource for International Service, specifically with the State Department Youth Exchange and Study Program. Along with other interns and staff members we worked hard to bring students from both Tanzania and Nigeria to Iowa. All our hard work paid off because we have been truly blessed with a group of wonderful students. Many are active in their new schools through sports, theater, volunteer work, and top academics. One of our young Muslim Nigerian students, Auwal Ahmed, wrote a short article on his prospective of the situation. PLEASE, take the time to read it at http://iriscenter.wordpress.com/

Sudan. Both Sudanese-based humanitarian groups and reports of recent violence prove that the 2005 peace deal between the North and the South are shaky. Most the unrest is due to the extreme poverty, hunger, loss of belongings, and violence that is experienced by millions living in refugee camps. I don't necessarily have an exact recommendation on what to do for the people of Sudan, but I do hope that people will take the time to stay informed. Know what's going on in the world. One simple idea, make the news station of your choice your internet home page or read the world news during TV commercials!

It is essential that during times of violence and distress we remember that our world is smaller than it is big, people are more kind than they are bad, and we are all more connected than separated.

Love your neighbor. & while you're at it ... love your local farmers, your body, and Mother Nature too.

Some Warmth For These Cold Days