Category: UAE
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My Memorable Encounters with Camels in the Desert
I remember the first time I moved from Lebanon to New York, someone casually asked if I used camels as transportation back home, along with other misinformed curiosities like whether Lebanon was an African country. The reality is, camels are nearly non-existent in Lebanon, except for a lone show camel I once saw in Baalbeck.…
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Embracing Surrender: Finding Peace in Chaos
As the world spins faster, louder, and more unpredictable, I’ve discovered that the most profound answers often come not from resistance but from surrender. It may seem counterintuitive, even passive, to stand still amidst the chaos and simply allow things to be as they are. Yet, in a time when we’re flooded with uncertainty and…
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The Strangers We Encounter
There are over 8 billion humans on this planet, a staggering number that can feel incomprehensible when you realize how few of them we truly encounter in our lifetimes. Every day, we cross paths with strangers—on streets, in cafés, in fleeting moments at train stations—and yet, only a handful of these encounters become meaningful enough…
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The Beauty of Stepping Into Another’s World
Meeting this group of Chinese women at the Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi was a moment of unexpected joy. Dressed in colorful Arabic garments, they seemed to radiate an energy of transformation and playfulness, as if they were stepping into new versions of themselves. The sight of them brought a smile to my face—not…
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Chasing the Ball: A Journey with the Sun
The sun has always been a symbol of hope and vitality, but during the dark, dreary winter days of Germany, its importance becomes almost sacred. For weeks, the sky remains a monotonous gray, the air heavy with damp coldness. When the sun finally peeks through the clouds, it feels like a miracle, a gentle reminder…
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Post-Travel Reflections: Jet Lagged Thoughts
After a journey that began nearly 24 hours ago, I find myself back home in Düsseldorf, embracing this moment of quiet reflection. Honoring my commitment to this daily blog, I write in a state of jet lag—a strange, dreamlike condition that feels suspended between worlds. Air travel, when you think about it, is an unnatural…
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Time Stretches and Contracts: A Farewell to Abu Dhabi
Tonight marks my final evening in Abu Dhabi, and the weight of the moment feels as surreal as the passage of time itself. Travel alters time in the strangest ways, stretching moments into eternity while compressing weeks into fleeting memories. This trip, a generous span of five weeks, has been transformative in ways I can’t…
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A Gift from the Sea
Today, I spent a tranquil few hours at the beautiful beach of Saadiyat Island. Despite the optimal beach weather, the winter season here keeps the beaches nearly empty, granting a serene and almost sacred stillness. The turquoise water sparkled under the warm sun, meeting the soft, white sand, while the rhythmic sound of waves seemed…
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Desert Dreams that Linger
My mind is still in the desert, lingering in its haunting beauty. That day under the vast, unyielding sky left an indelible mark. The desert is extreme in its minimalism—a place stripped bare, where life slows to the pace of the sand, the sun, and the incline of the dunes. There is no rush, only…