I felt so sad watching the news on Egypt...it's such a beautiful country and lovely people. I spoke to a few Egyptians here, and they are happy that change is coming, though of course, all are worried about their family and loved ones back home. When I went to Egypt, everyone I met hated Mubarak, but I never expected something like this could happen. I guess what happened in Tunisia has ignited a belief that the masses can change things, and it's so inspiring to see it working. It's also spreading throughout the Middle East - Yemen, Jordan and apparently Syria tomorrow.
I'm booked to head to Syria on the 15th of Feb for 5 days with mum and friend in tow..let's see if that happens!
Friday, February 4, 2011
And i thought the locals here have it great..
Kuwait gives each citizen Dh13,000 and free food (that's close to USD3,500!)
KUWAIT CITY // Kuwaiti citizens will each receive a grant of 1,000 Kuwaiti dinars (Dh13,000) and free food staples for 13 months to mark three major anniversaries, a government statement said.
Roudhan al Roudhan, the minister of state for cabinet affairs, said after the cabinet's weekly meeting on Sunday that the grant reflected the desire of the emir, Sheikh Sabah al Ahmed al Jaber al Sabah, to help citizens improve their living conditions, the state news agency, Kuna, reported. The minister said all citizens will be entitled to the grant.
Foreign workers, who make up about two thirds of the country's population of 3.1 million, are excluded from the largesse.
As part of the gift, Kuwait's system of food rationing, where citizens can buy staples, such as rice, oil, chicken or milk, wholesale at cut prices in co-operative societies, will offer supplies free of charge from next month to March 31, 2013.
Kuwait sits on around nine per cent of the world's oil, and food rationing is just one way in which the state distributes its prodigious wealth. Kuwait was ranked as having the eighth-highest gross domestic product per citizen while taking the cost of living into account in 2010, according to the CIA's World Factbook.
The majority of employed Kuwaiti citizens have jobs in the public sector and are entitled to benefits such as low-cost land, interest-free housing loans, and free education and health care.
KUWAIT CITY // Kuwaiti citizens will each receive a grant of 1,000 Kuwaiti dinars (Dh13,000) and free food staples for 13 months to mark three major anniversaries, a government statement said.
Roudhan al Roudhan, the minister of state for cabinet affairs, said after the cabinet's weekly meeting on Sunday that the grant reflected the desire of the emir, Sheikh Sabah al Ahmed al Jaber al Sabah, to help citizens improve their living conditions, the state news agency, Kuna, reported. The minister said all citizens will be entitled to the grant.
Foreign workers, who make up about two thirds of the country's population of 3.1 million, are excluded from the largesse.
As part of the gift, Kuwait's system of food rationing, where citizens can buy staples, such as rice, oil, chicken or milk, wholesale at cut prices in co-operative societies, will offer supplies free of charge from next month to March 31, 2013.
Kuwait sits on around nine per cent of the world's oil, and food rationing is just one way in which the state distributes its prodigious wealth. Kuwait was ranked as having the eighth-highest gross domestic product per citizen while taking the cost of living into account in 2010, according to the CIA's World Factbook.
The majority of employed Kuwaiti citizens have jobs in the public sector and are entitled to benefits such as low-cost land, interest-free housing loans, and free education and health care.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Another hammam..
Went for my 2nd hammam experience today, I'm really beginning to enjoy the pain that comes with scrubbing until there doesn't feel like there's any skin left on my arm..it was doubly nice because I've had a really rough week at work and have been very stressed.
The Philipino therapist started giving me a head massage and said "Oh! You are too much stress madam! Thinking too much, no proper sleep, toooo much stress!". I'm thinking how the hell can she feel like i'm stressed by pressing her fingers on my head??!
The Philipino therapist started giving me a head massage and said "Oh! You are too much stress madam! Thinking too much, no proper sleep, toooo much stress!". I'm thinking how the hell can she feel like i'm stressed by pressing her fingers on my head??!
A degree in mothering??
From the National..
A new university in Ajman promises to make better mothers out of women by educating them about topics ranging from their rights to pedicures.
The University College for Mothering and Family Science, according to its founders, is the first university in the world to offer a bachelor's degree in the "mothering profession". Dr Nizar al Ani, the director of the university, said the four-year programme aims to prepare women to be good mothers through academic and vocational training.
"Motherhood is a profession which needs to be studied," he said. "This is specifically important in our society because of the high speed of change: nowadays, how to be a good mother is not merely passed from mother to daughter." The programme is important in the UAE because there are serious problems in society, he said, including householders' dependency on maids to run the family, and a high divorce rate.
According to studies cited by Dr al Ani, 80 per cent of parents' tasks and responsibilities for children in Gulf families are taken care of by maids. "On average, there is a minimum of two maids per household in the UAE. This dependency is dangerous, and we need to raise awareness among women on such matters by preparing and educating them," said Dr al Ani. "By preparing women with the right tools to create a healthy family, we will overcome such problems."
The course programme, which is accredited by the Ministry of Higher Education, is divided into three sections. The first deals with women's civic and legal rights, including her Islamic rights as a woman and mother. The second teaches her how to run a household with courses in cooking, home decoration, personal fitness and grooming. The third focuses on raising children. The university itself is a private venture launched by 11 investors. The Ajman government provided the building in which it is situated.
http://www.thenational.ae/news/uae-news/education/university-offers-degree-in-mothering
A new university in Ajman promises to make better mothers out of women by educating them about topics ranging from their rights to pedicures.
The University College for Mothering and Family Science, according to its founders, is the first university in the world to offer a bachelor's degree in the "mothering profession". Dr Nizar al Ani, the director of the university, said the four-year programme aims to prepare women to be good mothers through academic and vocational training.
"Motherhood is a profession which needs to be studied," he said. "This is specifically important in our society because of the high speed of change: nowadays, how to be a good mother is not merely passed from mother to daughter." The programme is important in the UAE because there are serious problems in society, he said, including householders' dependency on maids to run the family, and a high divorce rate.
According to studies cited by Dr al Ani, 80 per cent of parents' tasks and responsibilities for children in Gulf families are taken care of by maids. "On average, there is a minimum of two maids per household in the UAE. This dependency is dangerous, and we need to raise awareness among women on such matters by preparing and educating them," said Dr al Ani. "By preparing women with the right tools to create a healthy family, we will overcome such problems."
The course programme, which is accredited by the Ministry of Higher Education, is divided into three sections. The first deals with women's civic and legal rights, including her Islamic rights as a woman and mother. The second teaches her how to run a household with courses in cooking, home decoration, personal fitness and grooming. The third focuses on raising children. The university itself is a private venture launched by 11 investors. The Ajman government provided the building in which it is situated.
http://www.thenational.ae/news/uae-news/education/university-offers-degree-in-mothering
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Roti Canai in Abu Dhabi!
I love my roti canai..in fact, the only craving I ever get while I'm away from Malaysia is roti canai. It's one of the few foods that is difficult to find overseas, and the frozen varieties don't count.
So I was so excited when I perused the menu of Anjappar, a famous South Indian restaurant here, and I saw Parattha. Not only 1 variety, but 10 different varieties! I decided to give it a try and ordered the basic one, and lo and behold, it is my beloved roti canai! It looks and tastes just like the ones in Malaysia, only denser and heavier. Bliss! Now if only it would cost RM1.20 instead of AED5!
Care to live in the tallest building in the world?
So, an apartment in the Burj Khalifa costs AED40k a year LESS than the market rate of my flat now - that's equivalent to RM35k. A year ago, the situation in Abu Dhabi was even worse - my flat was renting out for AED160k per year. Thankfully prices have fallen and I will need to find a new place to live very soon...
Burj Khalifa rents tumble 40%
Apartments in the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building and arguably Dubai's most prestigious address, are now available for rent at prices 40 per cent less than when the building opened 10 months ago.
A studio apartment can be had for as little as Dh80,000, with a one-bedroom unit renting for Dh100,000 annually, said Laura Adams, sales and leasing manager for Better Homes, one of the property brokerages marketing the property.
A number of units were recently handed over by Burj Khalifa's developer, Emaar Properties, which put pressure on rental rates by increasing the supply of available apartments.
Only eight per cent of the building's 900 apartments are occupied, she said.
Also a factor is that Dubai's property slump has caused nearby buildings to slash rates dramatically, and some of them compare favourably to the Burj Khalifa in terms of amenities.
The Address, also owned by Emaar, charges rates similar to those at the Burj Khalifa, but the apartments are fully-serviced, with seven restaurants on the premises, and many of the units featuring balconies with views of the Burj Khalifa.
The service charges of Dh53 per square foot at the Burj Khalifa are also considered higher than nearby residential buildings. For an average sized one-bedroom, the service charges would be more than Dh5,000 per month.
During much of the Burj Khalifa's construction, Dubai was in the midst of an off-plan property boom and apartments sold for more than Dh10,000 per square foot at the market peak.
Most units now for sale are listed at around Dh3,000 per square foot, Ms Adams said...
Burj Khalifa rents tumble 40%
Apartments in the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building and arguably Dubai's most prestigious address, are now available for rent at prices 40 per cent less than when the building opened 10 months ago.
A studio apartment can be had for as little as Dh80,000, with a one-bedroom unit renting for Dh100,000 annually, said Laura Adams, sales and leasing manager for Better Homes, one of the property brokerages marketing the property.
A number of units were recently handed over by Burj Khalifa's developer, Emaar Properties, which put pressure on rental rates by increasing the supply of available apartments.
Only eight per cent of the building's 900 apartments are occupied, she said.
Also a factor is that Dubai's property slump has caused nearby buildings to slash rates dramatically, and some of them compare favourably to the Burj Khalifa in terms of amenities.
The Address, also owned by Emaar, charges rates similar to those at the Burj Khalifa, but the apartments are fully-serviced, with seven restaurants on the premises, and many of the units featuring balconies with views of the Burj Khalifa.
The service charges of Dh53 per square foot at the Burj Khalifa are also considered higher than nearby residential buildings. For an average sized one-bedroom, the service charges would be more than Dh5,000 per month.
During much of the Burj Khalifa's construction, Dubai was in the midst of an off-plan property boom and apartments sold for more than Dh10,000 per square foot at the market peak.
Most units now for sale are listed at around Dh3,000 per square foot, Ms Adams said...
The Patriot
That's a picture of Sheikh Zayed, father of the nation, I took this while waiting in line for gas..Enough said...
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