Oklahoma City New Year Celebration.2016

I Made it!

When I was about 10, my mother and my aunt started teaching me how to knit and crochet. That has been a hobby that I enjoyed a lot. After all these years of practicing and working hard, I finally produced usable products. I enjoyed working on these products while watching TV, in the car for a long drive, or in my spare time. The internet helped a lot as well. I found many venues to market my products including etsy.com. Below are pictures of my products and the links to find them on Etsy.com

https://www.etsy.com/shop/HibaMade?ref=hdr_shop_menu

I made those in pet free and smoke free environment, They are also available for pick up in Oklahoma, USA. 

Around the World in Oklahoma

Yesterday, in the heart of the great state of Oklahoma, in the heart of its capitol, Oklahoma City, I experienced a trip around the world. I had the opportunity to stand in solidarity with the world and the hardship it is going through. In compassion with the victims of terror, the state of Oklahoma organized a vigil on the grounds of the Murrah Federal Building which was the scene of a terror attack claimed the lives of 160 people in 1995. I was invited to that event by the Allience Francais to attend. We gathered in a wendy Tuesday morning under the Surviving Tree to stand in solidarity with the terror victim in France, Lebanon and all the world.

The event started with political leaders speaking, including the Secretary of State, French Honorary Council, and others. Then religious leaders from the Muslim, Christian and Jewish faith cited interfaith prayers. The French national anthem sang by a friend of one of the Paris attack victims.

The speakers presented in front of the Lebanese, French, American and the Oklahoma flags. The leaders also distributed Lebanese and French flags.

Media was there as well. I held both fags very tight the hole service, then took them to my office to be reminded daily of this events and my emotions. 

After we were dismissed, Fox 25 Camera man approached me and asked me for an interview. I agreed and spoke about why I was there. I told him because I was once a terror victim. I lived in Iraq and was personally subject to many attacks including a sniper attack. I told him I am there to stand not only by the victims, but by the values of free world, the values those terrorists are fighting. Then Oklahoma Gazette approached me and did an interview. 

Later, and as a Board of Advisers Member, the Raindrop Turkish House ( Turkish American Cultural Center) invited me to their Thanksgiving dinner. The dinner started with interfaith prayer. The attendees were from all races, faiths and walks of life. We shared food, love, friendship and brotherhood. Then the Surprise: Enes Canter, NBA OKC Thunder Player appeared #enescanter. He is from Turkey and came to share this spirit. 

That was a wonderful day. It is filled with borderless love and compassion, brotherhood and solidarity with our brothers and sisters all over the world!

International Festival

Every November, the Office of Global Affairs at the University of Central Oklahoma holds the  International Festival. Every international student association has the chance to display their culture in a booth. The booth contain cultural pictures, items, treasures and educational material about their countries and sometimes local food. There is also a chance for every culture to perform their dances, play their music and sing their songs. It is my favorite festival of all. It is like a trip around the world .

in one evening.

This year though, I was looking forward for the festival. However, a sudden illness prevented me for joining. I decided to go for few minutes. I rested for a little bit then walked out from my apartment. It was nice to walk through Edmond, Oklahoma in the sun set. I walked by myself to Edmond Farmers' Market. I went through the streets. I was still weak, but managed to walk there. Walking through downtown Edmond in Broadway Extension refreshed my spirit. The trees were decorated with lights ready for holidays, the decorations, the antique shops, the lonely coffeeshop and the small statues. 

I arrived to the festival. The moment I walked in, I felt that I am traveling to different parts of the world. The Taiwanese, the Korean, the Saudi Arabian, the Indian, the Nepali, the Pakistani, the African, the Chinese, the Latin booths! All displaying culture, food, music and huge part of their countries' cultures. Then the talent performance! It was incredible experience like every year!!!

Terrorist Turkey

I have always wondered about the world's silence against what Turkey is doing. First, human rights violations. The world, including media does nothing to condemn these practices other than reporting them. Moreover, friends living in Turkey reporting seeing people with ISIS logo Tshirts and clothing items roaming in the streets with no problem. They are protected by law. All that and the world is either oblivious or chooses to ignore this on purpose. 

Yesterday, there have been news about ISIS regaining parts of Syria. This could be for any reason. However, what I saw this morning points out a different reality. Baghdad Invest made a report about the most popular hash tag these days ( #TerroristTurkey ). The hash tag started by people claiming that ISIS attacked the Syrian villages from Turkey borders. In fact, they have been allowed to move freely in and out of the borders. 

I find the world's silents about this matter very disturbing given people are losing their lives. 

Link is below:

http://www.baghdadinvest.com/terroristturkey-becomes-number-1-worldwide-hashtag/

#TerroristTurkey

Quotes from THE BREAD GIVERS

"One day, the ache for people broke down my feelings of difference from them. I felt I most tear myself out of my aloneness. Nothing had ever come to me without my going after it. I had to fight for my living, fight for every bit of education. Why should I expect friendship and love to come to me out of the air while I sat there, dreaming about it."  p.218

"Don't worry. I'll even get married some day. But to marry myself to a man that's a person, I must first make myself for a person" 

p.172

Bread Givers - Anzia Yezierska 1925 

Persea Books, Inc. 

I read that book from cover to cover. This book described me almost in details. I can relate to the main character of the book very well. She struggled to break out from the old world and the culture that she has been raised to follow. She fought and struggled for all her dreams. I think it is a must read for every ambitious and driven woman.

USGLC Summit

I am honored to be joined by more thn 300 state leaders from across the country at the  US Global Leadership Coalition (USGLS)`s Washington Summit to Promote American global engagement and the role that #SmartPower plays in our foreign policy. http://summit.usglc.org. It is great to be at the Summit as they announce the launch of their Imact 2016 campaign highlighting the role of #SmartPower in the presidential elections.

The first great thing happen is them having the Noble Peace Prize winner (shared with Malala Yousifzai) Mr. Kailash Satyarthi ( Noble Laureate 2014). Child Right Advocate. What an honor to stand face to face with such a great man. I learned valuable lessons that would change my life forever. His basic messages are: 

• education is the corner stone of development.
• if a girl holds a pencil, a million guns will stop.
• democracy, development, defense
• dream big for a better world.
• discover much more potentials, opportunities and challanges.
• use this discovery.
• Dream, Discover and DO!
• there should be an international law combating child labor with no excuses and no dely

I also  had the chance to meet very nice people, different experiences and different walks of life. Moreover, there were many people focused on Iraq and international developent. In the session where  Ambassador John Negroponte/ US Deputy Secretary of State (2007-2009); US Ambassador to Irap 2005-2009. The panel talked about the significance of the  international development programs. I personally learned a lot. They spoke education, farming developments and others. 

At the A&Q  section, I stood up and introduced myself as a Fulbright scholarship alumni. I  stood and thanked the Ambassador and everyone in the room for their service and committment to Iraq and the developoment programs they presented to the people of Iraq. I closed by acknowledging the current role of the Iraqi youth and developing their country and asked to do more to empower those youth.

Later, people started talking to me. I engaged in many networking conversations. I met veterans form all over the country. The most significant event that the University of Cincinnati Veterans. They came to my and presented me the coin of honor!!! 

 I feel very honored and very excited about my involvement in this summit. It was worth the flight and the trip.