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تمطر: (tamtir)Rain
Nicosia, Cyprus Waterfalls of rain pour off the roof of the Dignity Center. Only volunteers are allowed inside. How is everyone outside keeping dry? On my way into old town this morning, I saw a line of taxis getting sprayed with disinfectant. The Greek and Turkish sides of Cyprus have announced that non-essential business must…
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الضغط (aldaght); Press
Nicosia, Cyprus I can’t go home I can’t go home I can’t go home I can’t go home I can’t go home I can’t go home I can’t go home I can’t go home I can’t go home I can’t go home “Let’s take your day off to think about it.” Chance is calm and…
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سقف Roof (Saqf)
The sky’s the limit if you have a roof over your head -Sol Hurok Nicosia, Cyprus BASEMENT It is 8am and we are handing out tickets for our limited seating breakfast. Men jostle and soon we are at capacity. We close our doors to imploring or frustrated glares in order to set the tables with…
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شاطئ; Shore (Shati)
There is a sea of consciousness that is universal, even though we each perceive it from our own shores – Alberto Villoldo Nicosia, Cyprus Our portal onto Cyprus was through the Taşucu port. On the other side of an 8 hour night time boat ride would be the Turkish territory of Cyprus. From there, we…
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Caves; (alkuhuff) الكهوف
The very cave you are afraid to enter turns out to be the source of what you are looking for. -Joseph Campbell Göreme, Turkey The time to join Refugee Support Europe was nearing. A final “maglobt!” to Arsena’s family and Georgia, and off we went…. after changing the car battery. I guess GG was not…
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أحلام (‘Ahlam) ; Dreams
“Follow your dreams, they know the way.” Kobe Yamada I dream of living in a world less divided. I dream of being able to build bridges across canyons of misunderstanding. I dream of gardening in refugee camps. The “Grand Canyon” of misunderstandings is found in the Middle East, which has been painted as a chaotic…
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جبل ;Mountain (Jabal)
“The sea tells you everything will be fine. The mountains tell you it doesn’t matter anyway.” ― Adeel Ahmed Khan A great way to practice zen is to climb aboard an old mashrutkha and release your notions of what constitutes safe driving. Swerving, dodging, weaving our way higher and higher on narrower and bumpier roads,…
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خريطة Map; (kharita)
“A map is the greatest of all epic poems. Its lines and colors show the realization of great dreams.” ― Gilbert H. Grosvenor Ayvalik –>Foça (136km) Late start to the day, our host wished us well on our way A cup of water sprinkled and sprayed Camping by the sea by the end of the…
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مسجد(Masjid); Mosque
I love you when you bow in your mosque, kneel in your temple, pray in your church. For you and I are sons of one religion, and it is the spirit. – Khalil Gibran Ayvalik, Turkey Bulgaria had been home for nearly a month. Leaving her behind was a shot in the dark, a great…
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حبر (habar); Ink
How do you register a van you’ve just bought, if every country within driving distance is telling you its impossible? You need proof that you live in the EU, so the bone collector can come take an arm and a leg for insurance purposes. Would have been good to know when I bought the car.…
Gratitude to the Omàmìwininìwag (Algonquin) and Anishinabewaki, the original
stewards of the land where I came into being.
Myrah Graham – Copyright © 2023