Issue #15

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Table of Contents

3 Editor’s Note

4 Humour Page

5 Paris - Sarah Borland

6 Dreaming of Paradise - Natasha Topolski

7 Winter Snow - Rebecca Reuter

8 Book review - Anna Lawlor

10 Waiting for the Downhill - Zac Berry

11 A Burst of National Pride Gallery

12 Winter Break - Anonymous

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Editor’s PageCA

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Hey everyone!

Just 4 more days....4 more days.Christmas time is coming near and to credit its presence, here’s an entire issue dedicated to it!

We have a whole lot more pictures than usual and be delighted with our new page of humour!

Hope these holidays bring you the much anticipated rest and a whole new bout of procrastination on the part of the IB2’s!

Sleep! Relish the feeling of no burdens and no tests looming over your shoulders...at least not for a while!

Enjoy this issue!

Priya Christmas Tree by Abhishek Goyal

Ten Reasons why Santa’s a Woman1. Men can't pack a bag.2. Men would rather be dead than caught wearing red velvet.3. Men would feel their masculinity is threatened...having to be seen with all those elves.4. Men don't answer their mail.5. Men would refuse to allow their physique to be described even in jest as anything remotely resembling a "bowlful of jelly."6. Men aren't interested in stockings unless somebody's wearing them.7. Having to do the Ho Ho Ho thing would seriously

inhibit their ability to pick up women.8. They’d inevitably get lost up there in the snow and

clouds and then refuse to stop and ask for directions9. he would inevitably get lost up there in the snow and

clouds and then refuse to stop and ask for directions10. Finally, being responsible for Christmas would require a commitment.

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Paris by Sarah Borland

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Water sloshed around in our boots as night rain descended from the clouds and formed heavy puddles on the ground. Nearby the trees, a honeymoon couple was arguing with a French taxi about the fare while a group of young teens huddled together for warmth as the rest of their friends emerged from the metro entrance. They seemed completely inconspicuous except for the glaring blue of their matching backpacks with numbers labeled on the back. What a tourist sight we make, I thought humorlessly as I shuffled my tired feet. As the remaining people came and sorted themselves near their friends, one of the few adults in the group called out, “Alright guys, count off!”There was a stiff simultaneous groan among the students as a voice began the count up with others joining in at their respective spot.“One!”“Two!” “Three!”“...oh! It's my turn! Four!”It took us two times to get through the twenty five students and teachers. Before long, we were all shivering cold and wet. Huddling under my umbrella, I felt the slush of water seeping between my chilled feet which caused me to longed for the warmth of the hotel radiator and blankets. As someone near me let out a sneeze, we began making our way towards the looming tower before us. To strive off the chill, my thoughts wandered as it often does.Paris was a beautiful city.This was certain. It's history oozed out of the cobble stones that we walked on, it's romance seduced us in the form of food and it's mischievous side came out when the weather bit us in our toes. There was nothing quite like walking through an abandon dusty alleyway and emerging into a luscious park filled with trees in ruby red or deep umber and seeing ageless statues that keep a lifetime of secrets inside their hard stone. As we walked, cheap trinkets filled our sights as men offered their goods to us. Replicas and curios of a golden tower were the bulk of their sales pitch but none of the students bothered to stop to look as their eyes were trained upon the bright Eiffel Tower. I will admit that the Eiffel Tower doesn't not receive the right amount of credit it deserves. Most pictures and copies of the magnificent building make it to be small and somewhat insignificant. This architecture is anything, but insignificant. Standing by the base, I could only be left staring at the size of the structure and speechless the amazement of the fact that it was made in the 19th century! Completely cured not being blown away by the Mona Lisa, the Eiffel Tower looked endless. Each steel bar, nail and bearing interwove with each other, creating an infinite pattern that stretches upward in man's attempt to reach the heavens. Though bearing the tell-tale signs of rust and deterioration, the tower felt ageless and endless as if it was always there and belonged there.

Before long, we arrived at the entrance of a creaking elevator that ascended towards the top. As we shuffled inside, it groaned with the sound of over a hundred years and before any of us could escape, the metal cage was shut and began it's trip upward.As magnificent as the Eiffel Tower is, to make your way up to the top was a terrifying ride. The constant clacking and shake as it slowly reaches each interval. The iron bones of the tower stood strong, yet anyone would feel a little shaken if one saw the cracks and bends in the structure. With each elevator ride to the top, more and more of us grew nervous as we told jokes to calm our nerves. “Wouldn't be so funny if just one cable snapped right now?”“If this falls, I could just jump and grab that ledge!”“Ha! That should be a Mythbusters episode!”Finally, the ancient doors opened and we flooded out, eager to leave it's confining jaws. Fortunately, the ride down would not be nerve wrecking. As we ascended the last few steps to the top, I could feel a certain wave of excitement run through me, a warmth spreading through my body and relieving my cool skin.

As I stepped out onto the terrace, the most curious of sights greeted me. While the sky was the deepest of all blacks, the ground was filled with small bobbles and speckles of light. For a moment, I thought I went mad and all of the heavens has fallen!But as I looked closer, I noticed that It was street lights, car lights, spotlights and countless more sources that produced the beautiful illusion of heaven's colors, sounds and life. Even the chilled clouds that froze through us could not break the image of Nirvana's ground.In a way, I was correct.Paris is a bit of earthly heaven. A place of miracles, of romance and of old meeting new. The sky may not show it's stars, but that's only because the stars are it's people that feed the beauty and life of France.

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Dreaming of Paradise...Natasha Topolski

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Winter Snow by Rebecca Reuter

It’s the time for magic and beauty. I bet that sounds cheesy, but maybe me saying that it’s the truth will lessen that impression. Everything one could say about this feast, Christmas, can only be cheesy. And beautiful. And magical. Over the years my reasons for having a special passion for Christmas has changed as much as the people I celebrate it with. The only things never changing are the traditions, the moments, the candle light, the laughter, the smell of freshly baked cookies, the coziness. I’m not sure what I am most hyped about, the navy blue sweater that I recently bought and will finally be able to wear without dying of a heat stroke. Or is it seeing all my best friends again. Seeing my family again, every person who has a special place in my heart. Living in my old and never changing home in the mountains. Or is it the excitement of getting back to Abu Dhabi in January, in a new year, with new possibilities and priceless experiences waiting for me, going to school and bumping into all my friends who I’ll be missing more than anything. Or maybe will it be the feeling of nostalgic loneliness that will creep up on me when I see a happy couple skipping through the powdery snow. Or will it be the memory of that one person that can make me smile and stare for hours straight. And the electronic shock of knowing that exactly that person might be thinking of me that very second, Christmas is the time when time is the last thing that matters.

Christmas is when every day comfortably flows into the next, ignoring the repetition of nights spent falling asleep in front of the fire place. It’s the days spent remembering the blessing we have and celebrating the gift of being able to give. When nothing & everything seems to matter.

Merry Christmas.

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Book Review of:“Journey of Ibn Fattouma”A novel by Naguib Mahfouz - by Anna Lawlor

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Nobel-prize winning author, Naguib Mahfouz is best known for his Cairo Trilogy. He is also author of The Journey of Ibn Fattouma, which was translated from Arabic into English in 1992. The story is set in a timeless Middle East and captures Arabic culture, a common theme in the authors’ works.

The parable tells the tale of a young man named Ibn Fattouma who leaves his homeland in a quest to reach the mysterious land of Gebel, in which he hopes to find perfection to bring back to his homeland. He joins a camel caravan travelling around the world, in which he encounters new ideas and societies. His travels can be sectioned into five Lands: Mashriq, Haira, Halba, Aman, and Ghuroub.

He begins his journey in the Land of Mashriq where he encounters unfamiliar ways, such as naked villagers. Ibn Fattouma quickly adapts to the culture. He marries a girl named Arousa, whom he has to leave behind along with their children when he is banished from Mashriq for guiding his son towards Islam.

He next travels to the land of Haira, which later invades and annexes Mashriq. His wife is taken as a slave and told to marry the King of Haira. Ibn Fattouma is jailed and only released after many years.

He then searches for his family in the Land of Halba where he finds Arousa to have remarried to a Buddhist. He then decides to marry another woman named Samia, who permits him to leave Halba to continue his travels to the Land of Aman.

In Aman justice is known to be of greatest importance. As Aman and Halba commence fighting, he promptly leaves for the Land of Ghuroub. The book ends with he and his fellow travellers viewing the Land of Gebel, leaving the reader contemplating whether or not he completes his journey.

No time to read? No problem. The Journey of Ibn Fattouma is a short yet in-depth tale of one’s mans pilgrimage and quest to find perfection in the unknown Land of Gebel.

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Waiting for the downhillCA

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“Did you study for that test tomorrow?”“What test?”This seems to be the dreaded question that I’ve been facing on what seems to be a regular basis. As I an scarcely keep my eyes open, I prepare myself for a stretch of relentless hours packaging knowledge ruthlessly into my protesting brain. Why?Now there’s a packed word. Why me? Why is there so much work? Why Why Why?It seems that this workload has made me snarky and irritable. Hearing people making plans for the holiday I envision myself instead hunched over my desk writing, typing, memorising. Hearing people complain about how much work they have, I scoff at what seems to be a pile compared to my veritable mountain. And yet...there remains that brief sliver of excitement. That sip of water to keep me going, the luxuriant comfort of a downy pillow that keeps me going.

I started this article wanting to talk about Christmas but it has gone on a dreadful and depressing tangent. Christmas is one of the purest holidays I have known and my memories of it range back to singing carols at school productions, handing out personalised christmas cards and decorating the christmas tree.

I know that this overflow of work will end and become instead a torrent of regrets for “What if I had done this” or “Where did all that time go”? I can see myself looking back on this year and thanking the school for preparing me for the rest of my life.

Remember to persevere and work hard because I hold true to the idea that what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger. Those aren’t even mere fancy words. They are words that should be held to your heart, repeated like a mantra when the going gets tough.

Because everyone, to every uphill battle, there’s always a downhill.

Happy Holidays!

Zac Berry

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A Burst of National PrideCA

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Photos by Omar Akileh and Melissa Grieve

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Winter Break - Are you ready for it?Anonymous

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That’s right, ACS. It’s finally time for winter break! For all the seniors out there, it’s our last winter break in Abu Dhabi and for all those going home to enjoy all the snow and frost, bring us back some! We needed a break at some point, didn’t we?

You’ve got to take pictures.

What’s a holiday without the memories? Don’t forget your camera to snap away at all those moment you know you don’t want to forget. That scarf and pair of boots in the back of the closet? Time for them to shine! Unless, however, you’re going down under, in which case take out your sun screen and tan lotion!

You’ve got to relax.

School’s not the funnest place to be at more than half of your time, but hey, if you get that week off don’t use it just to study (this goes out to IB people in a more enthusiastic and encouraging tone) RELAX! It’s called a break for a reason! So leave behind your latest draft of your EE, those hundred pound bio textbooks, the mugs and mugs of coffee that got you through your days and enjoy the cool, fresh air of the winter season in the UAE.

Be safe.

We got through 40 years of the UAE’s union celebrations in one piece, let’s not waste that by getting hurt over break. You may try all you want, but your physical state doesn’t effect your mental state for the final exams when we get back (I know you’re dreading them, we all are, but they’ll pass by fast) so don’t try anything ridiculous.

Sleep in, chill, have a lush time.

One thing to catch this winter break? Coldplay! Yes, that’s right. The 7 time Grammy winning band are coming to Abu Dhabi this New Year’s not to mention an awesome DJ raving the party afterwards too. So for all those people sad that they can’t leave the country, the fun’s where you’re at! Take a walk by the corniche, go sailing, take a swim, take up dance lessons, Abu Dhabi has as much as you need to have fun in 2 weeks. As long as you have that, you’re all set for a great break.

So go out, have fun, fly safe and ENJOY WINTER BREAK!