In Jordan, apartment buildings are managed and run by mostly Egyptian migrant workers, often referred to as boabs or janitors. They live in small nooks in the basement-level parking garages of the buildings they maintain. Most of these men leave behind families and are seldom given the chance to return home for visits.
Read MoreAMMAN, Jordan: As cholera grows rampant across drought-stricken countries, impacted further by climate change, war-torn regions such as Syria and Lebanon face additional challenges from the disease, leaving medical and volunteer teams scrambling to keep up.
Read MoreWhen I was single and in my 20s, the winter holiday months were filled with angst, loneliness and feelings of emptiness.
Then I met my now husband and rejoiced at finding my person. It finally meant the end of all holiday-induced torment. Sure, we’d have arguments along the way, but the Christmas season would be filled with joy and cherished memories and only the happiest of holiday RomComs.
Fast forward a decade.
Last year my husband treated our two small children and me to the ultimate Christmas destination—Europe. We spent 10 days in Austria visiting holiday markets, drinking mulled wine and enjoying all the wintry treats.
Read MoreLight, and specifically the contrast of light, plays a dominant role in the photo labeled “November 06, 2016,” from the series Banned Beauty by photographer Heba Khamis (see fig. 1). The image documents a family of women gathered together in their home—a mother with her four children. The mother assists her eldest daughter who is participating in the cultural tradition of breast ironing or flattening, in Cameroon. The girl’s younger sibling stands beside her—her chest wrapped and taped, depicting her involvement as well in the breast flattening tradition.
Read MoreMost refugees are fleeing war or violence. But for rainbow refugees like Sulah, identifying as LGBTQ+ is reason enough to flee violence and persecution back home.
Sulah Mawejji, a refugee from Uganda, went to live with relatives after his mother and later father passed away—both from HIV. When those relatives learned he was gay, Sulah was bullied and told to leave at just 16 years old.
Read MoreAs the war in Ukraine continues, women and children are fleeing for safety, but that road to safety is likely lined with human traffickers.
While many Ukrainian men stay behind to defend their country, women and children remain the most vulnerable to trafficking as they venture across neighboring borders. UNHCR reports at least 90 percent of those fleeing are women and children.
Read MoreRussia’s attack on Ukraine has remained a primary focus at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) session in Geneva this month as delegates walked out on the Russian Foreign Minister in protest.
More than 100 UN members left the assembly hall as Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke on the second day of the Council's session where he accused Ukraine of its goal to acquire nuclear weapons—which the country abandoned in exchange for security in 1994.
Read MoreOver 90 percent of adults in Syrian refugee camps in Jordan have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, due to new vaccination centers.
Over 74 percent of adult refugees are fully vaccinated in Azraq Refugee Camp—located in northern Jordan and created after the Syrian Civil War in 2014—according to the National Centre for Security and Crisis Management (NCSCM) as issued in a statement this week by the United National High Commissioner of Refugees (UNHCR).
Read MoreEven in 2020, a year filled with misery and disappointment for all, the holiday season is filled with a magical hope—the promise of Santa Claus, a delicious supply of baked goods, and the anticipation of presents. But, lurking among the beautiful mystery of the season is an air of torment. For out there, among the twinkly lights, the pine-scented homes, and the cookie-covered kitchens is another holiday mystery.
Read MoreThe other day The Beau and I were contemplating whether to go for a run or go to Tribe - a SoulCyle-like spin class in our neighborhood. I told him I could either go to the gym or for a run, but Tribe was out. My hair had been washed the day prior and a session at Tribe would require a full scrub post-workout, which was not in my schedule.
Read MoreIn true mother from, I am four weeks late sharing this post—though if you follow me on Instagram then you already know that we had a miscarriage. Next week I’ll go into details on what that means. This is also your warning that if you do not want to read about miscarriages, then ignore next week’s post.
Read MoreThe National Association of REALTORS recently published its 2013 Investment and Vacation Home Buyers Survey, which covered existing and new home transactions for 2012—specifically all transactions related to vacation homes. Vacation home sales are continuing to rise this year. Last year vacation home sales rose by 10.1.
Read MoreWhile pregnant with my now two-year-old daughter, I enjoyed connecting with fellow mom friends, both ahead of me and behind me in the pregnancy and newborn process. It was a new way to connect with each other on a deeper level. And, by deeper, I am being polite about the gritty details we shared about postpartum recovery.
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