Here’s the gist of what I’m about to drop on you: Tuesday, February 26, I decided to take off my hijab and informed my parents. Consequently, I got disowned. It lasted 10 days because my younger brother gave them an ultimatum. A crazy woman in our community caught “haram” me at the grocery store. It […]
Author: Nura Thalab
Going to the cottage and other fun things white people do
***this post had failed to upload. It was to have been posted June 2018. I just realized it*** I’m going to let you in on a dark secret I have. I’m truly and utterly ashamed by it but I think this is a skeleton that needs to come out of the closet. I’ve never been […]
waw
I’m so excited to introduce my new logo for my blog. You make the sound from the word “wow” when you pronounce the 27th letter “و” in the Arabic language. The letter “و” is also the Arabic for the word “and” – I’m Arab and Canadian. I’m a hybrid, implying that I am not just […]
The 4 Cs to Selling your Soul and Destroying the Lives of Others
Every day seems to be this uphill battle. But dammit, I got on really good hiking shoes and gear that’s making the battle less of a struggle. But, it’s a struggle nonetheless. Ok, isn’t the struggle what makes the achievement worthwhile? Yes, but I want it easy sometimes. And I don’t want to struggle all […]
Thank you, from a former child refugee
I blogged before about how being a refugee sucks. It really truly does. I mean, imagine having to flee your home because there is no other option. Mind you, I love the keyboard warriors named Janet and Debbie telling South American parents to stand their ground and fight. Yes, Janet, they’ll fight the drug cartels […]
dis·en·chant·ed | hope·ful
ˌdisinˈCHan(t)əd/ adjective – disappointed by someone or something previously respected or admired; disillusioned.”he became disenchanted with his erstwhile ally” ˈhōpfəl/ adjective – feeling or inspiring optimism about a future event.”a hopeful sign” For a hopeful and optimistic person to feel true gut-wrenching disenchantment is like no disappointment I can imagine. Now, as the definition says, […]
Anger, Self-hate and People-hate
I’ve been trying to figure out which came first and which is a result of the other. So far, I’ve had a chicken-egg dilemma that doesn’t seem to be getting any close to a resolution. So, which came first: the anger or self-loathing? Which is a byproduct of the other? I can’t tell. All I […]
I got 99 Problems, but haram ain’t one of them
I’m really trying to pace myself. Maybe a post per day. But I can’t right now. I have so much going on and at the same time I have so much to get off my chest. My feelings about this whole exercise is a revelation with heavy elements of confession. I want to show the […]
You’re going to hell, and other judgements
My mother recently told me I may possibly be going to hell. Yes, apparently she has that knowledge. So, wondering who I had wronged that would warrant me receiving endless fire and brimstone-style punishment, I asked: “why do you think I’ll end up in jahanam, mama?” “Because of that stupid piece of hair that sticks […]
Wasta, it ain’t just the Arabs
Imagine my surprise when I discovered that white people had wasta. What? Impossible. The West is this magical land of fair rules and queues and democracy. Where everyone gets a fair chance and women don’t need a #MeToo movement and the incompetent director’s godson managing your division doesn’t get away with everything, including sabotaging your […]