1. Aleppo: I’m from Aleppo, and I have a huge passion for my city. “It is a bit annoying sometimes”, I love its music, its food and its strange strong accent. It is one of my deepest losses that I can’t go back there, because Bashar al-Assad’s security forces consider me “dangerous”.
2. The Syrian Revolution: The most formative thing that happened to me is joining the uprising in 2011, and it still defines my struggle for freedom, dignity and justice.
3. Feminist: I struggled with labelling myself, especially that I used to be conservative in a really judgemental way. In the last two years, I think I am proud to define myself a feminist.
4. Human Rights Defender: “Oh this title looks so boring” but it is true. I studied dentistry, and in 2008 I decided I to do another major in international relations and I continued with an MA in human rights. I think this planet needs much much more activism.
5. A writer: I love to write, mainly very personal essays. Now i am doing my MFA in creative non fiction in Columbia University
6. Annoying morning person: yup that’s totally me. I wake up with a group of a singing Smurfs around me. Traaaaaaaaaaaa it’s morning. And I wake up in a bed surrounded with my Minion toys collection
7. Drama Queen: OMG, I am either so in love or so in break up drama. My favourite movies are: Sweet November, If Only, A Walk to Remember and Pretty Women — all the romantic movies that I watch with tears. And my favourite TV series is, of course, Greys’ Anatomy.
8. Workaholic: I am a co-founder and former CEO of Kesh Malek, a Syrian organization, and yup, I love Mondays.
9. I love lists: as you see, I love all the types of lists. I make to-do lists, follow-up lists, gratitude lists. I arrange my fb friends in lists — oops! Shouldn’t have said that… I am a control freak obviously.
11. Awful with crafting: as obvious in the photo.
12. I love to sing: I have a not-really-annoying voice, but I tend to sing too much and everywhere. But don’t worry you won’t find me singing in this blog.
On The Edge of Syria 