¿Dónde están los ángeles?

I haven't blogged for a long time. So many things happened since my last post (3 years!!!). After moving to Dubai for work, I got married and we have a beautiful son named Cyan. 

A year ago, we moved to Los Angeles. I really love this city. I think it's my favorite place to be right now. I am a full time mom which is amazing but hard, and I'm trying to enjoy every moment of it before Cyan grows up and goes to school (oh the heartbreak!!).

I will try once again to post more regularly about my experience here and make sure the posts are short. 

:) x

I took this photo with my iPhone 6 from the Hollywood sign.

Doobye Beirut.

I took this photo with my iPhone from Sassine Square in Beirut


It is funny sometimes when I think about all the moments when I got fed up with this country and I wished I could just leave, and now that this is about to become true, I feel like something is holding me back... It is a strange feeling that I have never experienced before, although I have lived abroad a few years back but didn't feel that way at all.

I am turning 27 years old in a few hours, then a few days later I will be moving to Dubai for work and I can't wait for that day to come. So many changes are happening, so I will consider it as an opportunity for a good new start!

All I feel right now is pure love for Beirut and anger towards the mess from politics, people's attitudes and their way of life. Being one of them makes me proud and angry at the same time because I don't want to relate to their bad manners. I want to be the good Lebanese. On the other hand, there is a minority of Lebanese youth who are willing to change this country and they are trying so hard, so I hope that they will succeed someday, but I doubt that this will be effective anytime soon.

At the end, it's not like I'm moving back to Ecuador or to the other side of the world (in fact I wish I was!)! Dubai is 3 hours away by plane, so I can come during weekends and holidays... But I guess things will not be the same...

Goodbye Beirut, I love you and I will miss the stress that you cause to me. See you soon!

Street Photo of the Week #30 :)

My photo just got selected by Beirut Street Photographers as the Photo of the Week #30 for the theme "Reading"!

I feel so happy now that my photo has been selected, and I look forward to getting better in photography!

I took this photo on wednesday while walking from Verdun towards Hamra. I had my camera with me (Sony Alpha 55) and I wanted to try my new 50mm lens. When I got next to Red Shoe, I saw this woman with her cool beehive sitting on a small black pole on the street reading her newspaper. Her husband was also reading next to her (I didn't like the picture that I took of him so I didn't upload it). Being a very shy person, I took the photo then felt so embarrassed! While I was shooting, the couple didn't even realize I was there so I was relieved! I felt lucky for bumping into such an interesting character. :)

A friend of mine from BSP said that this couple always hangs out at the same stop everyday to read their newspaper. Isn't that cute??

Thank you BSP for choosing my photo!

Here's the link, I hope you like it!

http://beirutstreetphotography.com/2011/12/17/street-photo-of-the-week-30/

When Dreams...

When some dreams become reality, they can be transformed into melancholic memories...

Home Sweet Beirut!

Sunset over Beirut taken from my parents' balcony

I got back to Beirut last week after spending one month in Dubai. I did not feel like leaving Dubai, especially after spending most of the time with Meedo. We had a great time together and with friends, and I was enjoying the sunny weather. The night when I was flying back to Beirut was not very pleasant as it took the pilot around an extra hour to be able to land the aircraft due to a storm...

I love traveling but I hate airplanes. I have to admit that I have a phobia the day before the trip and during the flight, but I do not freak out in public. Instead, I order a glass of wine and try to enjoy the ride as if I were on a roller coster.

Back to the night of the flight, the pilot announced that we were landing in Beirut R.H. International Airport. Suddenly he took off so fast that my ears popped. Then silence. We kept ascending for more than 30 minutes and it was getting annoying because the pilot did not update us on what was going on.

There was a guy sitting next to me on the airplane, and he looked exactly like Johnny Depp - but in a younger version. He was nice to me especially when he set a blanket over me while I was taking a nap. We did not talk at all (I don't like to talk to strangers even if I am a big girl now). But apparently he was more paranoid than I was when the aircraft could not land. He was shaking his legs, and biting his nails, then he asked me: "Can you see lights or something??" (because I was sitting on the aisle), so I calmly replied: "Yes, don't worry I am sure the pilot is making another turn so that we could land... but isn't it weird that he hasn't announced anything??!"...
I was a bit surprised of how calm I was, so the wine's effect was really good at that time!

We finally landed, and we laughed at each other. At that time I thought it was quite funny to be scared on an airplane, and that it is not worth being paranoid on board anymore.

My sister was driving me home and we passed through Beirut and I knew that I missed this messed up city that will always remain beautiful to my heart. Home sweet Beirut!

Hello Doobye!

Burj Khalifa (iPhone Photo)

Dubai metro station (iPhone Photo)


my friend Loryne on the metro (iPhone Photo)

Loryne and I being silly (iPhone Photo)


I have been in Dubai for the past week to do some interviews and to look for a job. This is my third time in the city, and the second during this year. I never imagined that I would choose Dubai as a place to work and live, especially after living in Doha, but during this visit I started to really really like it!!!

This time I have stopped doing the regular touristy stuff, so I am spending my time as a person who has been living here for quite a while. I like taking the metro but not the bus because it takes a lot of time to arrive. Waiting for the bus makes me miss my car back home... I think that within a few years, public transportation in Dubai will get easier and faster.

People here are nice and laid back, they don't complain about things like traffic, politics or religion like in Beirut! I should not compare Dubai to Beirut because they are totally different cities, but at the same time it is quite hard avoiding that! I have many friends here from school, university, Doha and Beirut, and it makes me happy to see them doing well and working hard!

The only thing I need to do, is to take pictures with my lonely camera and share them with you here!

I just realized that my last post was in July (SHAME ON YOU SAMSAM)!!!!

The internet connection is faster here so this time, really this time, I promise to post more over here!!!

EcoBra!

I have recently designed a Bra for "Bras For A Cause" competition on the Training Bra category. This competition is brought by One Wig Stand and Fustany.com who are raising awareness about Breast Cancer in Lebanon and the Middle East.

I called it the "EcoBra" because it is made of pieces from old bras. I came up with this idea to remind people about the importance of recycling, and to promote a cause within a cause. :)

If you like it - and even if you don't :p - please click here and vote for my EcoBra! ;)