Bahrain 2.0?

First of all, I'd like to welcome you all to my blog!

I'm quite well-acquainted with the blogo-sphere: I had several blogs before, the last man standing of them is linked up to this one, and it contains a collection of my attempts to express in the most romantic poetic manner.

This blog is more of a general, day-in-day-out issues' blog, which I hope will be able to relate to every Bahraini, every Bahrain girl in particular.

It was very hard trying to figure out what would be the appropriate first topic to post about on my blog. I looked through my window: it's the same neighborhood, same houses, and same palm trees adorning the roundabout in the distance, same children playing football in the neighborhood's garden.

But why do I feel everything has changed?

Everything is the same, yet nothing feels the same.

Bahrain has definitely changed. It's up to us to make it a change to the best or to the worst.

I quote HH shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al-Khalifa when he said this regretted crisis has driven us back 10 years ago, back to square 1 when Bahrain was still an infant in the cradle of reform.

And I quote HM the king when I say all citizens who have legitimate demands are welcome, and that the more beautiful days are the ones we haven't lived yet.

I grew up an Arab Sunni girl, went to schools where my colleagues and best friends were Shiites, taught by teachers who were Persian Arabs (huwala) or Persian Shiites (aa'jam). My PE teacher was Egyptian who has lived in Bahrain for many, many years. I worked with Christians, befriended atheists and was introduced to Jews... yet all these differences never were able set boundaries from me to cherish those wonderful people as humans first, and Bahrainis second.

What happened in Bahrain unveiled the ugly extent of the festering soar called hatred in the hearts of those who wanted to divide our lines through attacking our "differences"...

I urge my fellows, nay, my brother and sisters in Bahrain to look beyond themselves, and ask themselves: what kind of Bahrain do I want to give to my children? a nuevo-Bahrain of hatred, division, and disturbance, or a Bahrain that always has been - and always will be - a pair of arms thrown open to all loving hearts?

So everyone: take a drive through Muharraq's old souq, Adliya's brand new cafes and shops, Riffa's kind neighborhoods, Zallaq's beaches. Take in all the beauty Bahrain embraces, breathe in its love-enchanted air, read your patriotism vows.

Help bring to life Bahrain 2.0

Much love

<3