Awake

Welcome to my first movie critique! Although I saw this movie a while back it is still considered pretty new. Awake with Hayden Christensen (Star Wars), Jessica Alba (Honey), and Terrence Howard (Crash), is a thriller about an extremely wealthy young man named Clay Beresford (Hayden Christensen) who undergoes surgery and is not rendered completely unconcious through the anesthesia. This condition is widely known as Anesthesia Awareness.

While "Awake" during his operation Beresford learns of a plot to kill him for his wealth. The best part of the movie was when Beresford has an out of body experience otherwise known as Astral Projection. While out of his body, Hayden's character finds out the truth and tries to get the people around him to notice.

I won't spoil any more of it for you, but I must tell you about my personal experience first. Once I started watching the movie all I did was cry from the beginning. To the point that my mother left the living room, because she thought she was going to watch a depressing movie. The next thing you know there is a catalyst and everything starts to move at a fast pace.

Overall, a good movie. I would give it four stars. The movie has an amazing cast including Arlis Howard and Lena Olin whom I did not mention earlier, Hayden Christensen did an excellent job, and the plot was, to me, something new that someone has not tackled in a long time. My hat goes off to the cast for a job well done.

Childhood Dreams

Do you know the song "Que Sera Sera"? It starts off as "When I was just a little girl I asked my mother what shall I be, Will I be pretty, Will I be rich, and this what she said to me ... " This song is one of my absolute favorites, and it preludes my announcement today.

When I was a little girl, I used to dream up so many professions that I wanted to be when I grew up. I wanted to be a doctor, a teacher, an actress, a singer, and also a critic (both food and movies). As it is kind of hard to become the first four, I recently decided that I can do the last one through my blog. YAY!

I love talking about the lastest movie or restaurant I've been too, and so including my usual ranting on political, economic, and entertainment issues I will also be adding my view on the movies out right now as well as any restaurants I try in Kuwait and through my travels.

I hope you enjoyreading my thoughts as much I will enjoy informing you.

All my best,

Aseel

Gulf Salaries

Before introducing my latest topic, I'd like to send out a Happy National & Liberation Day to all Kuwaitis and to all who consider Kuwait their home.

As the topic of this article suggests, and as many people in the GCC have noticed in the past few months there has been a steady increase in costs in the region. Some people suggest it is due to the dollar falling and the rising cost of living.

As such, the Kuwaiti government and parliament are planning to increase all Kuwaiti and Non-Kuwaiti salaries to help with this inflation. Of course, I am very happy and proud they have come to this decision. I know a lot of families who DON'T have loans, and outstanding bills who are still suffering because of this inflation.

That said, I was flipping through a Kuwaiti newspaper (URL:http://www.alqabas.com.kw/Final/NewspaperWebsite/NewspaperPublic/ArticlePage.aspx?ArticleID=364209 ) the other day and on the cover there was an article stating that Kuwait's Finance Minister has declared that Kuwaiti salaries are the highest in the GCC. I was shocked, because I know for a fact that my friends in the GCC make more money than I do regardless of experience or not. The Finance Minister announced that the information he has provided was received from Kuwait's Civil Service Commission.

I especially liked the part when the Finance Minister announced that Kuwaiti civilians receive many complimentary services as well as services that are partly supported by the country, that we should work hard, and by so doing, our country will reep the benefits.

I hope the Finance minister was only talking about the Kuwaiti males in this country, because as far as I know, single or married Kuwaiti females only benefit from free health care (which I would NEVER use unless as an emergency), free education for their kids, and the extra $665 - $840 (depends on their salary) they get a month from the government.

Whereas, males (it differentiates from single to married but I am going to list all their benefits) get the same $665-$840 range, plus an additional x number of dollars for being married, plus x number of dollars for rent, plus $14,000 if they marry a Kuwaiti female (half of which is a gift and the othe rhalf an interst free loan), $175,000 interest free loan if they want to buy a house, plus free education for their kids, and on and on and on.

I for one do not use the free health care beneft unless in emergencies, because of several reasons but mainly because of their lack of efficiency and organization. I'm single so I do not benefit from the free education. In total, the only benefit I get is the extra $665/month.

In contrast, Bayt.com also released a study declaring UAE and Qatari employees are the highest paid out of all GCC countries. Bayt.com created an online survey in conjunction with market research specialists YouGovSiraj, and polled 15,000 employees in the six GCC countries across 20 industry sectors, including automotive, finance, advertising, IT and pharmaceuticals.

For more information on the study and the study itself click on the link below:
http://www.zawya.com/story.cfm/sidZAWYA20080226033039/lok033000080226?weeklynewslettertext

I also know of a Kuwaiti company that did a survey of GCC salaries a couple of years back, and noticed that their staff were being paid far less than the average GCC employee in their sector. As a result, they increased all employee salaries as they believed appropriate.

With both sides provided, I ask you, who are we supposed to believe? If you look at Bayt.com's survey you might be inclined to not support either just as I have. I'm going with my gut instinct, which is that Kuwaiti are not the highest paid in the GCC. I would also trust in Bayt.com's results more than I would trust the Kuwait's Civil Service Commission, especially since the Finance Minister did not specifically say the information provided was up to date. The information could have been months or even years old.

Segregation Laws – Intaw Shakoo?

Growing up in a private, un-segregated school may have its advantages and disadvantages; although I can not think of a single feasible disadvantage right now. During my 14 years at Bayan Bilingual School I gained more brothers and sisters than I could have ever imagined. I felt safe, and loved. As we grew up, some of my friends transferred to public school (at the time there were no separate gender private schools), because their parents thought that at a certain age boys and girls should not be associating freely. At the time, I argued that if a parent segregates their child now, in the future, when they start to work they will have to re-associate themselves with the male/female gender anyway! In the end I came to terms with it and moved on.

After I graduated college and came home I found out that a new law had passed segregating students at Kuwait University. Again, I made the same argument, but who would listen to a 21 year old fresh graduate. Nowadays though, I hear that Parliament is planning on passing a law requesting segregation in private schools and universities as well. All I can say to this is, ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Who do you think you are? PRIVATE does not mean public and please feel free to change whatever you want whenever you feel like it. Now, I am not a parent yet, but if I was, as I’m sure many will side with me on this issue I would repeat the question Intaw Shakoo (meaning who are you to decide)? I am the parent. I am the one who decides where and with whom my son or daughter studies. I decide if they can go on a mixed field trip. I decide if they should study drama, art, music, or religion. I decide if they can exercise together NOT Parliament, and certainly NOT the Ministry of Education. No one should have the right to tell me how to raise my child. Unless I am physically abusing my child (God Forbid), stay away from my private life.

Separate from the fact that I think this law is absurd; it is also costing the schools and students time and money. MP Ali Fahad Al-Rashed has stated that students are graduating at different times due to problems with segregated classes, as well as an increase in costs for new buildings. Who is going to pay for the changes that have to be made at Kuwait University and the other private schools and universities? Who is going to pay for the new building and the LAND that has to be bought? Let’s remove the idea that neither the universities can cough up that kind of money nor will the parents pay extra school fees to accommodate such a change with what economic inflation is these days. The next usual response will happen. A committee in Parliament will submit a budget to help out the universities. Parliament will argue the cost and it will be stalled for numerous years.

My response to all this mayhem is this. If you (meaning everyone FOR the segregation laws) want segregated universities, build your own. You don’t like the fact that there are mixed schools and universities, blame the Government for approving them in the first place and Parliament for letting it happen. DO NOT under any circumstances change your minds AFTER private citizens worked hard to maintain higher education for your children, or override a parent’s right to raise their child their own way. I repeat this statement to anyone wishing to overrule a parent’s wishes, intaw shako? I do not argue that times change, but I also do not think that changes should have a negative consequence. You may not like my topic of discussion, but I do believe in freedom of speech and speak I will.

Geben

I was taught to be a kind, caring, and giving person. In our religion it states that one must be caring, giving, and to aid people in need.

My country, Kuwait, provides aid to countries who need our help, whether it be in Asia, Africa, the Americas or even one of our own Arab neighbours; however, aid usually entails money and God only knows where it really goes towards.

What I don't get is how Kuwait, who knows that there has been a war going on for over 50 years, cannot see fit to help out the ones living in our country and make them legally a part of us. I am not saying that they are not doing it, but I am saying that they are not doing their best. I have relatives and friends that were not "originally" Kuwaiti. Most were of Palestinian decent, but I still see them as a part of us. The country thankfully gave them their due right, but what of the others?

It angers me when I see families who have been living in Kuwait for over 40 years, still cannot get a Kuwaiti citizenship. What more loyalty do you need? They can't buy a home, they can't get better education, they can't get better salaries (don't get me started on that), and a child (who's only recognized through the mother's passport) can't travel without the mother. EVEN if it's to a neighbouring Arab country. A woman married to a Kuwaiti for more than 5 years (with wasta) can get a citizenship, why not the ones living in Kuwait for 20+ years?

Why is it so hard to place a citizenship in a person's hands? A person who calls our country home. A person's who's grandfather used to call our country home. Is it because Kuwait doesn't want them to have all the benefits of being a Kuwaiti? All it needs is a little thinking. Give them a citizenship but not with all the rights of a "first class" Kuwaiti. Just like how Americans are differentiated between naturalized and green card. After a few years VOILA, you are a naturalized citizen. Where is the "giving" that was preached to us all our lives?

What next?

While catching up on Kuwait's news and the government's latest drama today during work, I came upon a sentence embedded in an Arab Times article about the Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education Nouriya Al-Subeeh's grilling.

The sentence stated the following "Meanwhile, parliamentary sources told the Arab Times the segregation law forms part of the grilling because Al-Sebih had promised the National Assembly’s Education Committee to implement the law in private universities".

Segregation in all levels of education up to high school I accepted growing up. A few years ago they started segregating Kuwait University's classes and now they're going after the private universities? What's next, private schools, the private business sector, our homes?

I accept the fact that male and female hormones are raging and we should protect our children etc. etc., but the way to protect our children is through education at home and school NOT segregation. If the government thinks they are doing the right thing well think again. The problem lies in when the students are done with class and not during. When walking to their respective classes they meet up, chat, talk, walk side by side GOD SAVE US they might even laugh and smile.

Is our society rewinding back to days when women weren't even allowed out of their home? Is that what's next on their agenda? How about private tutoring for all females? That way, the men in Kuwait won't have to see us at all and thanks to the latest technologies we can even work from home!

I say go ahead, make me even less proud to call myself a Kuwaiti.

A Kuwaiti Myth vs. The Secret

Remember the movie The Wedding Planner with Jennifer Lopez in 2001? Ever since she was a little kid, JLo's character in the movie Mary Fiore would marry off her Barbie and Ken. I don't know if this is true of all little girls, but I always dreamt of a big white wedding with all the trims.

Growing up I even saved a couple, and I promise only a couple, of pictures of what I would love for my wedding. When I was in college I discovered MAGAZINES! I had subscriptions to practically all of them ranging from InStyle, to Vogue, to Harper's Bazaar, and many more. I love fashion and anything that has to do with it. One day I was at the grocery store, and while checking out I got introduced to InStyle Wedding. OH! How I loved those issues. Checking out bouquets, dresses, hairstyles, rings, it was like having a piece of chocolate after a day of fasting.

Fast forward to when I moved back home after graduation. Over here (in Kuwait) we have our own superstitions/beliefs including the normal ones such as if you walk under a ladder or a black cat crosses your path you'll get bad luck. Once I started working, some of my acquaintances mentioned in passing that in order for me to get married I shouldn't keep my nephew's car seat in my car, not wear any rings that resembled an engagement ring, or buy any wedding magazine! I was also told to stop thinking about marriage, because if I don't, it will never come true.

For over 6 years I have stuck by these rules, well the last three rules anyway, safety first and all. One day my sister hands me The Secret, eventhough My Mom was begging me to watch it for months, and asks me to watch it, and once I did, it made all that was said to me in the past seem like old wives tails. The Secret tells you, as my beautiful cousin reminded me a couple of days ago, that in order for you to get what you want you have to believe in it, live it, and imagine it to be true i.e. imagine that ring on your finger, see your wedding, see your honeymoon, or your new home with the husband and children.

Now I ask you, which one is the right way to go? The Kuwaiti Myths or The Secret? I for one have already tried The Secret and so many wonderful changes have happened. I have yet to meet Mr. Right, but I know he's out there somewhere. Positive thinking leads to positive results, and whatever God has planned I know it is always for the best.