8 Affordable Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

By: Omnia Hosny

           

Being a mother is a full time, unpaid job. Since the day you were born, she has been trying her best to make sure that you become the best possible person you can be. Despite the fact that they should be honored every single day, we celebrate mothers once a year. We all want to give our mothers the most expensive gift that we know she deserves; the only thing that is stopping us is the fact that most of us are unemployed students who don’t have a cent to our name.

When we were kids, we used to make those cute crafts at school. My mom still has the awkward glittery heart-shaped card I made her when I was five and the rainbow bracelet that spelled ‘MOM’ in beads. But that was a simpler time; we weren’t as materialistic as we are now. We forgot that the value of the gift isn’t in its price but in its sentiment. Here are some gift ideas for Mother’s Day that won’t break the bank:

1.      A Flower Bouquet

What’s a better gift than flowers for your hard-working mom? They don’t have to cost you Dhs 500 to mean something. You can buy an impressive flower bouquet of 10 roses for Dhs 100, but try to avoid the shops in the malls; they are always overpriced!

2.      A Memory Box\ Photo Album

Make a copy of all of your childhood pictures and throw in a couple of recent pictures as well. Your mother probably hasn’t looked at them in ages and this will definitely spark some emotions! You can buy a decorative box at Daiso for only Dhs 7 and you can print the pictures for one dirham each.

3.      Update your old home videos to DVDs

VCRs are long gone. Bring the memories of your kindergarten graduation and first birthday party back to life by surprising your mother with a pristine DVD version of your most treasured home videos. This gift is requires some extra effort, as you will need to find a place that converts VCRs to DVDs, but it’s worth it!

4.      A Cake

People who have never set foot in a kitchen should really attempt this one. Your mother will be very impressed that you are stepping out of your comfort zone to make her happy. Average ready-made cake mix costs about Dhs 15 and icing costs about Dhs 11. All you have to do is follow the instructions on the box. You can add your own touch by using confetti or sugar hearts for garnish. 

5.      A Card

Grab some scissors and construction paper and start crafting!  There are tons of tutorials online that you can follow to make your very own customized card instead of buying a Dhs 50 pop-up card from Hallmark with no personality. Materials needed to create a card won’t cost you more than Dhs 30. This is a gift with a lot of value!

6.      Gift Vouchers

No, I don’t mean the ones you get at Carrefour or the mall. I mean a DIY gift voucher book. Grab some paper and create your own design and write something on each one. It can be something as simple as a ‘hug’ voucher or a ‘help on laundry day’ voucher. This is another way of telling your mother that you are willing to help her around the house. You can go crazy with this one since you know what your mom needs!

7.      A Book

At its most expensive, a book won’t cost you more than Dhs 200. If your mom loves to read, this is the gift for her. Choose a book that best fits her personality and preferences and I guarantee that she will love it!

8.      Breakfast in Bed

Now this is the easiest one! If you don’t know how to make breakfast, you can order her favorite breakfast sandwich from her favorite restaurant along with fresh juice and some fruit. Present it on a nice tray with a small message card and a flower. Wake her up and watch her face light up with the most beautiful smile. You will definitely make her day!

           

All the gifts mentioned above are a lot more sentimental and affordable than a gold or diamond necklace. Mothers are the most loving and understanding people you’ll ever meet; they know that you are broke and they love you anyway. Make her happy by letting her know how much you care, not how much you can spend.  One last tip: never forget to hug her every now and then and tell her how much you appreciate her.  Your mom is a super woman and she deserves the best. Happy Mother’s Day!

Fact of the Week

By: Sara Daher

The artificial Palm Islands of Dubai was imported with enough sand that could fill approximately 2 Empire State Buildings, in which the project required 94 million cubic meters of sand, where an Empire State Building requires 37 million cubic meters.

imgkid.com 

Skinny Girl Problems - No Cushion for the Pushin’

By: Diala Ziadeh

“One large, thick crust, with extra cheese pepperoni Pizza and potato wedges to go,” says the lady behind the counter as she repeats my order at Pizza Hut, whilst I enjoy the hateful looks women by the salad bar are showering me with.

According to a study conducted by CNN, close to 6 out of 10 women are battling their weight, which would explain the detestable looks I receive from women on a daily basis. Though 60 percent of women are struggling with obesity and health risks due to the extra weight, an estimated 2 percent of the world’s women population is also at risk for being underweight.

“There are a lot of shows about losing weight, but they really don't have anything for people who are underweight," says Amanda, an interviewee from a CNN article regarding weight gaining. "It's just as frustrating for people who are trying to gain weight.”

I happen to be one of the very few unlucky people dealing with being underweight. Unfortunately, I have an extremely fast metabolism, which is defined as the amount of calories the body needs while resting; meaning that I lose weight more than I ingest.

My struggle began at a very early age, when I was only 3 years old my mother started realizing that my body loses weight faster than it gains it; regardless of the endless methods my mother tried, from appetite openers to fattening diets, nothing seemed to make me gain the weight.

Until the year 2013, I was referred to as Olive, the cartoon character Popeye’s wife, she is a stick. That year I decided to gain weight and look healthy, I figured that eating a lot was not helping me reach my goal and that doctors only cared about me being healthy than having the body I deserved.

Every year during my annual checkup, the doctor would show me my charts and how healthy my body is, how I am as healthy as it gets; and comforts me over the fact that I look like a starved human being. According to the various doctors from most of my annual checkups, my body burns 1830 calories per day while at rest, so you can only begin to imagine how much it actually burns given that I am an active human being, who happens to do more than just sit in bed all day. Although doctors have declared me to be healthy, some did voice their concerns regarding being underweight; “how about a shot of rice with lemon chicken” said Ali Al Serafi, jokingly, regarding my weight.

Being underweight puts me at high risk of constant headaches and dizziness, most times leading to migraines. It affects my liver, kidneys, and last but not least is one of the main reasons for constant fatigue. In fact, I suffer from migraines twice a month at the least, I have had liver problems and was forced to live on a strict soy diet for six months, not to mention have had kidney stones at a very young age.

Other than the various health risks, being underweight is not as glamorous as portrayed everywhere. For instance, shopping for clothes is extremely difficult given that most stores either do not sell the skinniest sizes or get limited pieces of them; seriously, most of my clothes have to get tailored after being bought, that is if not bought at a kid’s store. Another embarrassing point, is not being able to flaunt your body because you simply do not have one. Being underweight comes with the unfortunate advantage of being flat, as flat as a ruler; no man wants flat.

July 2013, I took it upon myself to gain 5 kilos, to become 50 kilograms; I am 163 inches long should at least be 55 kilos; but hitting 50 for me was a dream far from ever happening. I joined a gym, followed famous gymnast bloggers, and bought protein shakes with weight gainers and high calories, as high as 1830 calories per scoop; I was having 3 scoops per day.

My journey to gaining the weight began. The first three months I would gym 5 days a week, eat as much as 7 meals a day in addition to the protein shakes. I would lift weights that were half as much as I weighed. Though it was exciting and fun, I will not deny the pain I felt every time I stepped onto the scale and saw my weight remain constant.

I began to educate myself further about weight lifting, hoping to find the glitch that would make me gain the weight. Most exercises out there are used to losing the weight, aimed at making people slimmer; turns out the only way for me to gain the weight is to work twice as hard at the gym, and eat four times as much as the normal person. Five months into working out, lifting extremely heavy, and eating everything I could get my hands on; I finally gained my first two kilograms.

Ladies, the feeling you get when you hop onto the scale and find yourself two kilos less, was the feeling I experienced gaining it…

By July 2014, I hit my goal; I was at last 50 kilos of hard work and stuffed food. Though some of you might mock the fact that I am complaining about having to stuff my face with fattening yummy food; trust me when I tell you the eating experience is not as pleasant when you are forcing your stomach to hold more than it can; when you try and stop yourself from vomiting, and especially not enjoyable when you have to endure the stomach aches caused by the protein shakes and excessive eating.

It is now February 2015, I am 22 years old, 163 inches, and I weigh 53. I now can proudly flaunt my body knowing that not only do I feel healthy but I look it too; not to mention I actually have the body I deserve now. Also, just the other day I broke my record, I deadlifted 70 kilograms; more than some of the men at my gym. I am well aware of the fact that I can never stop going to the gym or else I will lose the weight; but now I can eat normally because my body is used to taking in just the amount it needs to burn. My metabolism rate hasn’t gone down at all, in fact it has become a little faster due to working out but at least tamed and controlled.

My new and final goal is 57 kilos. And even after I gain the weight, I intend on maintaining it and keeping my body in shape.

Do not hate me for trying to gain the weight people, you do not see me hating you for trying to lose it.  I understand the struggles of a woman trying to lose weight, and after this article I am hoping that my struggles to gain the weight are as equally understood rather than looked down on. Being skinny and underweight should never be a woman’s goal, instead being healthy and having the body deserved is what every woman out there should aim towards. At least that is what my experiences have taught me. 

Blazing Fire in Dubai’s Marina Torch Tower

By: Mirna Alsharif

           

            An aggressive fire broke out at approximately 2 am yesterday morning in the Marina’s Torch tower. Torch residents were evacuated in a hurry and forced to seek shelter elsewhere while many stood in the streets to watch the unbelievable inferno.

The Torch is an 87-floor residential tower, making it one of the highest in the world. The fire was said to have originated from the 51^st or 52^nd floor; the cause behind the blaze is under investigation.

Firefighters and Police were immediately on the scene, attempting to put the explosion out. Large pieces of metal scraps were falling off of the Torch tower and landing on surrounding surfaces. Fortunately, firefighters were able to put out ignitions caused by the dangerous debris.

Alia Abdelkader, a resident of the Torch tower, now finds herself having to check into a hotel. “This was a terrifying experience.”

The harsh, windy weather spread the flames quickly throughout the building, making it exceptionally difficult for firefighters to tame the inferno. It took about three hours until the fire was finally subdued, rendering all Torch residents homeless for at least a couple of days. Residents in neighboring buildings, such as the Princess tower, were also evacuated from their homes due to the risk factor.

Waiting in the streets, people were crying, praying and trying to stay calm. Some even napped from exhaustion.

The aftermath of the blaze is heartbreaking: the fire had spread below and above where the ignition had started, leaving two sides of the Torch in ashes. There is metal debris scattered all over the Marina area as a reminder of the unfortunate explosion that ensued.

“I’ve lived on the 19^th floor for about two years and I never expected something like this to happen,” said Abdelkader. “I’m still shaking. Evacuating the building was so stressful, especially because no one knew how bad the fire was. I remember smelling smoke then running down the stairs.”

Authorities will announce the cause behind the flames very soon; no foul play was suspected. Torch tower residents are currently being escorted back to their homes by security to pick up the pieces of the mysterious fire. 

Quote of the Week

“Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself.”

                    Charlie Chaplin

AUD Does Zumba

By: Akram Khoja

 

Moving along, every Sunday and Tuesday of the semester, the University organizes a one-hour Zumba class to help the AUD community stay fit.

 

Set to Latin music, the instructor combines dance movements with regular exercise movements. Zumba is an effective workout that is very different because the instructor creates a fun and easy way to get into shape. People can also benefit from the class mentally because they’ll feel relief from everyday stresses.  

 

Zumba combines cardio training with weight lifting to energize people. The class uses high energy and motivating music to make the class more enjoyable and entertaining. The class practices three different dance movements: unigee movement, merengue, and rigatonis.

 

“I enjoy doing it and I put my energy and happiness to the class,” Dalia the instructor says. “People want to come to move more and rebuild the shape of their body and gain full flexibility,” she adds.

 

There are no requirements for the class, so anyone can join. The class is open to everyone, including students and faculty. AUDians can burn approximately about 700 calories per session.  Classes are from 6:15 pm till 7:15 pm in the C building, 2^nd floor.

Epic night as Ivory Coast Breaks Spell of the African Cup with Penalty Shootout

By Mohamed Zerari

 

 

 The picture is taken from the telegraph.co.uk

 

The crowd went wild when Boubacar Barry scored on the ninth attempt on February 8th for Ivory Coast and finally broke a long lasting dry spell by securing the African Cup of Nations for his team for the first time since 1992.

The conditions were extreme: very hot temperatures accompanied by unforgiving humid weather. This is how it feels in Equatorial Guinea, a country that did not even qualify for the African Cup of Nations but hosted the event after Morocco cancelled due to their fear of having Ebola spread across the nation. The two Arab teams, Tunisia and Algeria, were disqualified earlier in the cup due to scandal and inexperience of new athletes.

The hungry rivals- Ghana and Ivory Coast- met in the final round with exhausted hopes. The goalless game carried on for 120 minutes. Yaya Toure, the godfather of the Ivory Coast team after the great Didier Drogba, showed the great skill of a leader despite his obvious exhaustion during the match. On Ghana’s side, superstar player Asamoya Gyan played with an injury.

Defense on both sides was open but the attackers from both teams were unable to score and the game ended in a frustrating tie. Everyone was anticipating the penalty shootout in order to witness some long-awaited goals. Two missed attempts from the Ivory Coast and two successful goals from Ghana made audiences easily predict the potential winner. When Ivory Coast’s goalkeeper finally blocked a penalty shot attempt from Ghana, things started to turn around. Ghana’s costly miss was accompanied by yet another; the penalty shootout suddenly became a lot more interesting.

Yaya Toure said to the BBC, “When you win with your club, it's quite amazing. With your country, it's unbelievable.” This marked Ivory Coast’s second African Cup victory.