Razan Alaqeel's

The sky of the world has been lighting up today with the colors of the different and crazy fireworks. Resolutions have been set, and many dreams were unleashed towards the next twelve months of this year. Where will we end up?   I believe that the year of 2014 was definitely a great train ride that took me through a lot of good experiences. I not only have learned new things about the world, but I have also discovered many new things within my personality. I grew up, and became more mature in the different aspects of life.  This year I am a passenger of an amazing flight that's been flying me everywhere. I started this year with meeting the manager of the Four Seasons Hotel chain in Saudi Arabia who taught me that the biggest reason of success within a team is to be confident that you're surrounded by the best, to believe in yourself and them, and most importantly: to always lead, and never boss people around thinking that your higher positions makes you better than t

All I knew about Christmas was Kevin Mcallister, protecting his house in Chicago, or protecting his life in his uncle's in New York. I've always watched the Home Alone movies with the same joy, and I never got bored even though I knew the whole scenario. Yet something about Home Alone and the way that the director captured Kevin's love for Christmas and Christmas trees have always touched something in me.  I had a dream of "living" Christmas, maybe not exactly like Kevin, but I wanted to have my own experience that I can live and enjoy every moment of. I wanted to stop reading the greetings that people tweeted on Twitter, or posted on Facebook. I wanted to be the one who did those things. I wanted to write greeting cards, buy presents, eat candy canes that are not sold or produced in Saudi Arabia, and I wanted to enjoy this festive holiday just the way we enjoy and celebrate Eid.  It amazes me how dreams can come true, because once I believed that some

Getting up for school seemed to get harder as the break got closer, but the joy the filled the school's hallways today was indescribable.  Everyone had a different outfit.  The students carried gift bags that had surprises inside of them for their friends.  Each class had food to celebrate this great holiday.  Some hallways echoed with the sound of Christmas music, even the books in the Media Center had something different, I guess that their display was changed yesterday, but this seemed like the Christmas spirit taking over everything. I even heard Santa, yes, Santa!  "Ho, Ho, Ho, Merry Christmas!"  And I walked searching for him, and luckily he was taking pictures with some people.  I waited for my turn, and took a picture with him.  I've never celebrated Christmas before, so you can imagine that that was my very first picture with Santa Clause whom I heard about in my mom's bed time stories, and watched its movies that aired in the western channels every Dec

It seems like it was yesterday when I hugged my parents goodbye, and saw my sisters trying to hide their tears as I waved at them when they left King Hamad International Airport in Bahrain and headed to the car to drive back to Saudi Arabia. I was there, all by myself. I can still remember every detail of that goodbye. My stomach was growling because I kept myself from eating anything all day long since I was nervous to start this journey. I only had those juicy and soft palm dates with a small cup of that brown Arabic coffee. Its aroma reached my heart before my nose, and its flavor warmed my whole body that shivered out of fear.  كأنه أمس عندما حضنت والديّ، و رأيت أُختاي تحاولان أن تمسحان دموعمهما بينما رفعت كفي الذي كان يرجف لأودعهم بينما خرجوا مطار الملك حمد الدولي بالبحرين و اتجهوا للسيارة ليرجعوا السعودية. كنت هناك، لوحدي، مع حقيبتاي، و أخرى على ظهري التي إحتوت على أهم ممتلكاتي التي كانت جوازي، و طبعاً عصاة صور السيلفي التي بدت مبهرة و جديدة لأغلب الناس في أمريكا

I tried to wait until Friday to share my experience in the International Education Week after giving seven talks in two days.  Seven talks, and a lot of inspiration to me as a person who was sent to a foreign country to fix wrong images about my country, and, make a change.  As the first Saudi exchange student in the history of North Carolina, I must say that those three past months weren't easy, but this is a great challenge, and I was determined to make a great change, and be a good representative of my country. At the end of Monday some students said that they were very interested in visiting Saudi Arabia, they were very serious about that, and when I asked why they said it's because they liked my presentation.  I was succeeding, I was reaching my goal through talking.  I didn't even realize how powerful communication could be if was between knowledgeable people who basically seek for mutual understanding at the end of the talk.  Well chosen words and topics helped me

November 9th, 1997. I was born with a broken arm, came to life with an injury, struggled to breathe and stay alive, and survived. Year after year, I got older between two great parents, and four siblings. We created memories on each birthday, had different cake flavors every year, but we all shared the same happiness as it grew through out the years.  My dad sent me a text this morning and said "This birthday is exceptional dear.". My mom called me and we talked for a long time as I told her how I'm spending this day, without them.  التاسع من نوڤمبر، عام ١٩٩٧. ولدت بذراع مكسورة، جئت للحياة بإصابة، كافحت، و عشت. سنة بعد سنة، كبرت بين والدين رائعين، و أربعة إخوة و أخوات.  صنعنا ذكريات مختلفة في كل يوم ميلاد، أكلنا نكهات مختلفة من الكعك كل سنة، و لكن تشاركنا السعادة نفسها بينما كبرت و إزدادت مع مرور الأعوام.  رسل لي والدي رسالة هذا الصباح و كتب "هذا يوم ميلاد إستثنائي يا رزان".  و تحادثت مع أمي لفترة طويلة بينما قلت لها كيف سأقضي هذا اليوم، من دونهم. 

Since the first day of October I knew that experiencing Fall will be extremely new and beautiful, because we basically don't have a lot of tress that turn colors due to the climate of Saudi Arabia. And I also knew that experiencing Halloween for the first time ever will defiantly add a new chapter to this year.  The color of the leaves stole my heart, as the sound of crushing them brought joy to me everyday whenever we went out to walk the dogs. The smell of this season, its food, and the spirit that I found in all of the people in here made each day joyful and different.  Those people that I'm living, studying, and interacting with here are like nobody else in the world. They're very special in their own way, and they're like this one huge family.  They all know each other, care for each other, and love one another.  Marion may not have a lot, but its people and nature are simply enough for this Saudi girl who looks at everything differently.  Carving my

Last week started with reviewing an essay that I'm currently writing about different alternatives for oil in Saudi Arabia. I was looking for something very interesting to add into my 750 words essay, furthermore, I wanted to have something interesting at the school too. I wished for a new and exciting experience as my future was hiding a great surprise for me.  I went to school on Tuesday in the thick darkness of the morning, and I arrived, walked up the tiny and wet steps of the school's entrance and headed to the library to complete working on my essay. Then the day started regularly.  Yet something very, very, very new to me occurred.  "Teachers, please mind the interruption, but the school is currently going through a Code Yellow Lockdown.  There's nothing to worry about now as we'll keep you updated" announced Mrs. Butler through the class's speaker. The first thing I said "What the hell is a Code Yellow?  Are they having a party that we should w

People sometimes say that a good kid is a reflection of good parents who worked hard in building their kid's personalities and ethics. Starting with Pre School, the credit is always given to those parents, and as the kid grows and reaches high school, the attention is drifted to him as the mother stands on his back with a proud tear in her eyes, while the father pets his back in what I call: a man's pride.  يقال بين الناس أحياناً أن الإبن الصالح هو إنعكاس لوالدين صالحين تعبوا في تربيته و بناء شخصيته و أخلاقه.  إبتداءاً من الروضة، المديح يذهب دائماً للأم و الأب، و بينما يكبر الإبن و يدخل الثانوية، ينتقل كل إهتمام الناس إليه بينما تقف أمه خلفه مع دموع فخر في عيناها، و بينما يربت الأب على كتفه في ما اسميه: فخر الرجال.  Most of the kids though forget about those great inspirational figures who brought them to life. They forget that they'll do anything just to make them happy. They forget that they do their best to give them the best life.  We forget that our parents happiness l

We drove into Pleasant Gardens from the McDowell High hill, then turned left to Walnut Street, and after that we took another turn to Oak Circle.  My coordinator Ron said goodbye as he dropped me by the house, and then he left.  I heard my host family's dog (Titan) barking just like any other normal dog, and I knew that we I open the door he'll go outside, then come back inside the house to chase me.  This time I was all by myself with nobody in the house, so I opened the door, went inside as Titan ran outside. I thought that he'll come back, but he just kept running away.  Titan has a hard life as he had different accidents throughout his five years, and he has just left the Animal Hospital yesterday with multiple stitches on his body. So he really can't go outside because he's not as strong as he thinks, maybe that's why I got used to him very quick when I first arrived here.   He ran all the way to Walnut Street and he seemed to know where he was heading.  I

One month, two weeks, two days, and twenty-two hours since I left my country.  That's a long way to walk alone, yet this journey was destined for me, and basically living every moment of it alone is mandatory, but as a human, a young adult, and a teenager in this world: I have all authority to make this year one of my best to live.  I remember people asking me from my very first day whether I was homesick or not. At that point of my journey I had full contact with my parents and siblings, and in fact, I was talking to them every two hours, they knew everything, and I felt safe that way despite the fact that they were 13,000 miles away from me. As days went by, I realized that talking to them wasn't helping, and I started to run away from anything that reminded me of home.  I saw my city's farms in the nature of Marion. I felt the cold weather of Saudi in the beginning of Marion's fall, which basically proved that I'll be freezing by the time of the winter season. I

Thirteen years ago, on Sep. 11th, a huge change happened to my life personally, and to many lives and souls all around the world.  We were expecting a baby, my mother was scheduled to have my younger brother on September 11th, 2001.  I was going to have a baby after me, which meant that the amount of the love that I had as a last child was on the risk of decreasing gradually after he opens his eyes to the lights of the world.  I believe that I was either four, or five years old, yet memories of that day are still stuck in my mind.  I woke up in the early morning to go to the Kindergarten, while my mother was in the hospital. I went back home to see the color blue decorating our guests' room, and then I realized that I have a baby brother named after my grandfather: Fahad.  I was really happy indeed, I wanted to see this little and new member of the family, and most importantly, I wanted to see my mom.  As my father had told me when I got older: after the birth of my brother he l

August kicked itself off with a one night trip to Qatar, which was basically called: Razan's Farewell Trip. It was an amazing Staycation, we stayed at the hotel and didn't leave it, because the weather was too hot, and because we were able to tan in fifteen quick minutes.   I was planning to order a huge plate of shrimps from the midnight menu that was placed right beside my bed, but after eating some good Lebanese food, I strongly believed that my stomach was satisfied with Humus, stuffed grape leaves, and a huge plate of fruits just for me.  I was with my family all day long, and I simply had lots of fun and enjoyed my time. I felt happy despite the fact that I was going to travel in exactly nine days, and knew absolutely nothing about a city called: Marion, or an organization named FLAG. All I remember about that trip is that I tanned, went to the spa twice, and ate a lot. Then we had to return and I myself had a bag to pack, and some relatives to

I finished my AP Environmental Science class and walked to McDowell High Media Center for my Media class.  I didn't exactly know what I was going to do today, maybe learn something new about books?  Or perhaps read a new nonfiction book?  My spirit was really happy, and I walked through the doors smiling after knowing in AP Environmental Science that if everyone lived like me, we would have needed six more planets of Earth...  That wasn't something to smile about, but it seemed funny to me, for I had no idea about the number of miles that I travel, drive, bike, or walk every year, so I simply typed long numbers which had three zeroes in front of them.  Were my numbers right?  God knows, but, things seemed funny.  I don't drive, I'm from a farms area in Saudi, my mom is a recycling-aholic, and my host family in the US composes vegetables and never throws them away to replant them later.  Six Earths sounded a lot for a sixteen-year-old, that's why I had a hu

The fourth period of pre-calculus seemed very long as we tried to simplify exponents, and turn the negative signs to positive just by changing the place of the number. That reminded me of the same things with us; humans.  Whenever we feel negative, or try to step back from the verge of failure, we try to change our place to maybe have a greater change in life through a path of new things.  When we change the place and sign of a number, we end up influencing the whole result of the final outcome of the equation, which is basically: the answer.  A human being has all the power to change something if he focuses on a certain goal, and work.  I left the class after ninety minutes of solving equations and changing the place of certain numbers, and I walked to try a new thing, something that I've never experienced before: riding an American School Yellow Bus! The Saudi hot weather is still following me to North Carolina, so the temperature was very high while the sun was striking v

The sun was still blurred by many clouds as I left the house for my first day as a Senior. The weather was a bit cold, and some rain drops were falling to unleash new stories for a new day.  The green color of the mountains made me happy to be here as we crossed the roads.  Marion itself looked so beautiful as I've never seen it before this early.  I was nervous, and my nerves were very obvious on me. Yet, all of this beauty that surrounded me made me feel good, as if the nature was hugging me for the first time ever on a first day of school, and telling me "Everything will be fine.".  I myself was telling myself that I traveled half way around the world for this particular reason: to go to school, learn new things, and maybe teach others about my country and culture through the process of learning.  This time, after twelve long years, it wasn't a driver dropping me on the school's big blue gates. It was my host mom (Tracey).  There weren't any blu

Since my arrival to the US, I've been comparing myself to a drop of water that was moved from the Arabian Gulf to the Atlantic Ocean. I am this little drop, and the gulf is pretty small when we compare it to an ocean.  بدأت بتشبيه نفسي بقطرة ماء نُقلت من الخليج العربي للمحيط الأطلسي منذ وصولي للولايات المتحدة. أنا قطرة ماء صغيرة، و الخليج صغير جداً عندما نقارنه بمحيط. When I was in the 7th grade I remember a lesson about adaptation, and the metaphor that was used was a camel which is basically something very familiar to our culture.  A camel will never be able to survive outside his environment which is the desert, but it will always have the strength to keep on fighting its thirst until the last breath. I'm not sure if this is the same thing with a water drop, because it was moved to another world, but in the same time, the new world was still part of its nature.  عندما كنت في الصف السابع (الأول المتوسط) أتذكر درساً عن التكيف، و الإستعارة المستخدمة في التشبيه