اتعلمنا في مجتمعاتنا الشرقية المحافظة إن
العيب والحرام والصح والغلط هما خطوط عريضة لا تقبل النقاش
فيه تابوهات ماينفعش نكسرها في الدين
والعادات والتقاليد
الفكر المينستريم واضح ومعروف للكل
طب واللي بيقرر يغرد بره السرب؟
عندي شوية أفكار متبعترة عن ازاي بنتعلم
وبنفكر..
من سنة بديت أدرس طريقة تدريس الطلبة
الجامعيين وكنت في البداية متحمسة أتعلم ازاي "أوصل المعلومة" زي أي
مدرس عايز يبقى شاطر.
فاجئونا إن مش دورنا كمدرسين نوصل أو نلقن
معلومات، لكن "نيسر" على الطلبة إنهم يتعلموا. بمعنى اننا نسهل لهم
العملية التعليمية، مانديهمش المعلومة في المعلقة، لكن نعلمهم ازاي يوصلوا
للمعلومة اللي تناسبهم بنفسهم وبطريقتهم. والكلام ده ينطبق على اللي بيدرس علوم
اجتماعية أو بيولوجية أو أي حاجة. طبعا ده نابع من اننا مفروض نعلم الدارسين
ونشجعهم على التفكير النقدي، إن لازم الطالب يتعلم الرأي والرأي الآخر ويعرف يجادل
ويكوّن رأيه الخاص ويبرر هو ليه اختاره، ويعضد رأيه بأسس منطقية مش يقول هو كدة وخلاص.. .
مفيش مسلّمات، لكن في مدارس فكرية وأيدولوجيات. حتى في البحث العلمي في العلوم
الاجتماعية، الباحث بيجاوب على سؤال "إيه وليه وإزاي" الحاجة بتحصل في
المجتمع. اللي بيغرد بره السرب بنقوله برافو، احنا عايزينك تطور من ده وتكمل. اللي
بيغرد زي السرب بنقوله انك ماعندكش فكرك المستقل وحاول تطوره.
طول عمري باحب أفكر بطريقة مختلفة وأخلي اللي
حواليا كمان يفكروا.. اختلاف طريقتي في التفكير جاية من طريقة تربيتي، وجاية من
تمردي على الناس اللي بتحاول تسيطر على فكري. الأصعب هو انك تقنع الناس تفكر.
أحيانا باتضايق من نفسي، إني كثيرة الاصطدام
بالقطيع، زي اللي بيحاول يقول إن الأرض كروية وسط كل اللي بيقولوا إن الأرض مسطحة.
بس باقعد أفكر هل أنا ليا دور في إني أقول للقطيع يفكر؟ ولا المفروض ألاقي طريقة
أقنع بيها القطيع إن الأرض كروية؟ ولا أقلب عليهم الطرابيزة وأتشتم وأمشي؟
من فترة كنت بأصدم الناس في قناعاتها وعاداتها
وتابوهاتها المسلم بيها. التعليم بالصدمة، إنك تكشف للي قدامك انه خبط في حيطة. في
الأغلب لقيت إن الطريقة دي بتخلي الناس تنفر أكتر.
بدل من الصدمة، قررت أسأل اللي قدامي من
كلامه. مثلا، لو حد قاللي "انتي مش مفروض تاكلي لحمة؟"، فبدل ما اصدمه
وأقوله "الأكل حرية شخصية ومش من حقك تلقنني و..و.."، أسأله، وأقوله
"ليه هو إيه المشكلة إني أكل لحمة، هل في حاجة بتقول مفروض أكل إيه أو لا؟"
أدركت إن التفكير هو الهدف مش المعلومة،
عملية التفكير نفسها بتظهر الإنسان قدام نفسه: لو هو فعلا باني فكره على أسس
منطقية، هايعرف يعبر عن قناعاته وازاي وصل لها.... لو هو صريح مع نفسه مش بيهرب،
وماعرفش يلاقي سبب لقناعاته، هايلاقي إن فكره ضحل، مالهوش أساس، مجرد مشي وراء
القطيع اللي بيعمل كل حاجة لأن الباقي "المينستريم" بيعملها كده.
بس هل احنا اصلا مجتمعات صريحة مع نفسها؟ أكيد
لا. الصراحة مع النفس بتيجي لما نفكر وإحنا مش عايزين، وخايفين نفكر وننفتح على
أفكار تانية. الأفكار التانية هاتجبرنا نرد ونناقش واحنا ماعندناش القدرة وماتربيناش
على المناقشة. المناقشات عادة بتنتهي باتهامات شخصية، وشتائم، وشخصنة الاختلافات.
احنا بنعيش في مجتمع كل واحد فيه مؤمن ومقتنع
اقتناع تام انه يملك الحقيقة المطلقة عن كل حاجة. رغم ان معلوماتنا وتعليمنا ضحل
بس برضه الحقايق كلها بنمتلكها، ولو حاسين ان في حاجات ناقصانا، فاحنا حرفيا بنصدق
أي حاجة بيقولوهالنا "شخصيات" معينة في المؤسسات المجتمعية، سواء شخصيات
اعلامية أو دينية أو غيره. لدرجة ان الجيل الأكبر بقى بيصدق كل حاجة تتكتب ع
الفيسبوك، حتى لو قروا ان هياتم قررت ترشح نفسها لرئاسة الجمهورية، هايدوسوا لايك
ويعملوا شير ويبعتوا ده لكل اللي يعرفوه.
في أخبار صح وأخبار غلط، بس مفيش قناعات صح
وقناعات غلط، مفيش طريقة حياة صح وطريقة غلط... كل واحد يفهم حياته بالمنطق اللي
هو شايفه، بس المهم يعرف أسبابه كويس، ويكشفها قدام نفسه، وينام مرتاح. مش متأكدة
في الوقت الحالي إذا لازم يكون لينا دور ناحية القطيع في تفويقه من التغييب، بس
متأكدة إن لينا دور ناحية نفسنا إننا لو بنفكر، مانفقدش الإيمان بأفكارنا مهما
كانت غريبة ع الكوكب كله. في الأول وفي الآخر، القطيع لا يصنع التغيير، لأن
التغيير دايما بتصنعه أقلية مرفوضة من المجتمع والتاريخ يشهد.
On 23rd of March 2017, I took part in the first ever 3-Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition held at Royal Holloway, for PhD students across different disciplines. We were a total of 7 PhD students, competing to explain our thesis in only three minutes to general audience, using one slide of powerpoint. Aaaand the Winner of the 3-Minute Thesis Competition is... ME!
Being as competitive as I have always been, I like competitions, A LOT! And now since I’m doing my PhD, I like academic competitions because they look nice on my portfolio, help me network, boost my self-confidence, and bring me some extra money as well :) Sometimes the money comes as a first motivator, but it’s fair (because we’re students!), isn’t it? :)
This competition was first developed by the University of Queensland in Australia. It helps students unwrap their complex and specialist research into simple, yet not trivial, ideas that anyone can understand.
The 6 other colleagues who competed were all so competitive. I guess I was lucky that I won the first place among such a smart group of PhD researchers who were really doing amazing work.
For me, it helped me make sure that a wider community, beyond academia, have the ability to understand and appreciate my research. I think this competition was a much needed boost of confidence to my PhD, which sometimes become a very tiring project, just like all the other PhDs in the world! Haha..
This photo is with the judging panel and Claire, from the Department of History, who won the second place.
This photo is with the judging panel and all of the students who competed in the competition.
First, I need to say that I have an animal-phobia, so I can't touch animals, even though I love watching them so much.
I work as a part-time teaching and research assistant with a Lecturer, who is visually impaired. She has a trained guide dog, who is one of the most beautiful creatures I've ever seen. The dog is so smart, tender and doesn't make any noise. She eats at specific times and sleeps as long as her owner is working. The dog understands very well that when she is on her harness, this means that she is working now, so she has to lead her owner, and not try to play with anyone.
At first, I was scared, but now, this dog loves me. She looks for me when we are walking, to make sure that all her group is walking behind her, she plays with me and tries to kiss me. I still do not touch her, but I love her so much.
These guide dogs are trained by guidedogs.co.uk charity. The organization breeds them from specific breeds, like the Labrador, because they are smart and love people, and then sponsors them from birth to death, even when the dog is with an owner. The total costs of the dog throughout his/her life is about £50,000.
I am so fond of this organization and the role it plays. People can donate and sponsor a certain puppy on their website, starting from £1/week. The organization sends donors the puppy's photos that they are sponsoring, so that each person can see their sponsored puppy throughout his/her life.
When I see a guide dog now, I feel happy and I am not afraid anymore. Thanks to this special dog that made me love her, and all her co-guide dogs. This is a photo of the dog I am sponsoring, Biscuit. I am donating a very trivial amount to Biscuit every month. Since I cannot actually adopt any pets, therefore, I consider Biscuit my puppy, who is going to live with someone else, for a better cause.
I believe that we all have needs, but some people have needs that cannot be self-fulfilled. The people with special needs deserve to lead a normal live. Animals also deserve to live well, be happy and feel that that people love them and the role they play.
If you want to help, please visit guidedogs.co.uk. You will get a very cool certificate like this. But more importantly, you will be helping a puppy, and a person who is visually impaired.
I definitely wish that one day there will be a similar organization like Guide Dogs in Egypt. Even though I think some of the trained guide dogs are sent to developing countries, but I totally believe that the respect and support for people with special needs in Egypt have to increase, so that they are enabled to live normally, purposefully and happily.
I watched "Mary and Max" movie today. I learnt three things:
1- I don't have to feel I need to fix the world.
2- We are all imperfect and we have to live with that.
3- Sometimes the people we feel sorry for and feel so sad about might be content with their lives and not as miserable as we think. They might accept who they are more than we, the more capable people, accept who we are. We can't carry people's burdens on their behalf.
Regardless of the fact
that I am not a big fan of the consumerism shown in occasions like feasts and
valentine’s and mother’s day, I still like to be sarcastic and write about
things!
This year, I decided to do
two things on Valentine’s day. First, this comic, which I snipped off the lovely
movie Frozen by Disney. I mean, let’s laugh because why shouldn’t we!
And the second thing is going
back again to publishing my poetry, which I used to publish on this blog when I
first started it in 2008 and onwards. So I publish here my first poem in 2016; my
poem #409 in a list of inexpert amateur poems I’ve written in different occasions
since I was 12.
Just as @PRullezz once told me, "the world won't
get better by any way rather than us being there for each other". Humanity is
more valuable than any other materialistic goal; I hope Robin Williams' death
sends a message. Love the people around you and tell them you love them, you
might be saving their lives that way, don’t wait till it’s too late…
Loneliness is the worst
feeling we can suffer, it embodies all the helplessness, unlovingness,
hopelessness and loss of goal, purpose and support.
Humanity is not something we
should take for granted, but something we should be aware of and practicing
every day until it becomes naturally embedded in our lives. Don’t regret the
time you spend with other people, other fellow humans, if they need your time, be
happy to give it to them without pity, it will never go to waste. I wish people
become more aware, more caring towards each other. I think of it myself, and I don’t
want to die alone, I don’t want to suffer alone either.
Take a break for a day, think
of all the people you know, think of your role towards humanity, see what you
can help with and how you can, and work for the better cause, by developing and
showing unconditional love and tenderness. Give this unconditional love without
waiting for return, no matter how cliché you think this sentence it, trust me,
practicing it is enjoyable despite its difficulty.
أول مرة اعرف ان الحرامي بيزعل لما بيعرف ان حد
قال عليه انه سرق
والعيب مش بس ع الحرامي، انما ع اللي اداله فرصه
يسرق، واللي سهل له السرقة، و ع اللي سكت على سرقته، و ع اللي شافه وقال معلش
الحرامي صح
العيب ع اللي مش فاهم يعني ايه تكون أمين في
الحاجة الصغيرة قبل الكبيرة، وإنه لو غشيت ف امتحان ده برضه جريمة زي ما بتلوم
أي حرامي على السرقة، انت بتسرق حاجة مش بتاعتك
فأنت لو شفت حرامي بيسرق وسبته تبقى ايه؟ طب لو شاركته في السرقة أو ساعدته تبقى ايه؟
الامانة عمرها ما كانت مثالية وشعارات، هي بس حاجة
عمر ما الشعب ده سمع عنها قبل كده
في أقسام الجامعات والمدارس االلي دخلتها
الغش كان ممنوع، وكان اللي بيغش يا اما يتحرم من الامتحان ويسقط (في الثانوية الانجليزية) أو زمايله يحتقروه جدا (في هندسة قسم كمبيوتر بتاع الدحيحة)، بس اكتشفت بعد كده في مصر ان الغش كالماء والهواء، لأن بالذات الجامعات
الخاصة في مصر التعليم فيها مهلبية، بفلوسك، ماحدش بيقولك بم انت غلطان، وماحدش
اصلا حاسس انه غلطان، رغم انك مثلا لو داخلتعمل ماجيستير فأنت بتتعلم بمزاجك! أنا ماباعرفش أغش أو أغشش، ماباعرفش أسرق أو أكذب، وبرضه مش باعرف أبرر ده لو حد عمله، تبرير الخطأ أسوأ عندي من الخطأ نفسه!
قررت اني مادخلش اي جامعة تاني في مصر بعد
تجربة ماجيستير انتهى بدبلومة في جامعة ESLSCA اللي المفروض انها جامعة
فرنسية والمفروض اني كنت واخدة منحة فيها بس برضه دفعت حبة حلوين من تحويشتي، عشان
في الآخر أطلع وحشة وسط الطلبة (اللي معظمهم مديرين في شركات مصر المحروسة) اني فضحت الغش واتكلمت عنه، رغم ان ادارة الجامعة مابصتش في وش
أي حد بيشتكي من أي حاجة، ولا مستوى الدكاترة ولا التفرقة والوسايط في المعاملة،
ولا الغش، ولا أي حاجة نهائيا، رغم اني اتكلمت كتير...
بس اتعلمت ان الصح بيتحارب، ولازم يصمد حتى لو بيفضل واقف
في جبهة لواحده، ماتستناش من الحرامي انه يقولك كلام جميل، هو مش هايعمل حاجة غير
انه يشتمك
هافضل أعمل اللي أنا شايفاه صح حتى لو فضلت
وحدي في العالم كله مش بس في اسكندرية أو مصر
يسقط الفساد والاعوجاج الأخلاقي تسقط ازدواجية المعايير في الحكم على كل أمور حياتنا
Today I'll just go out of my political writings track for a while and speak quickly about something important to me.
Lately, I've noticed that most people take posts, statuses, links or tweets on social networks more seriously than they really mean, whether politically or personally. I wanted just to say that it's not typically me to try to criticize something or someone by only pointing at him/her and not mentioning the person in specific. For example, I wanted to criticize Samah Anwar, I mentioned every single bit of details about why I'm mad at her, I wanted to thank my mother, I mentioned details as well.
Therefore, I'll simply ask you not to try to take things more than they really mean. I do agree that sometimes some people would feel I'm talking about them or trying to point at them anonymously, but that's not typically me. I'm just speaking my mind off when I post anything, and when I have something against someone, I mention it right in his/her face, unless I don't know this person or his/her name.
I believe in civilized talks and negotiations, that's why I take criticism in public with people I know, because I trust that this gives best results. If I'm angry with someone, I'll go talk to the person right away, if I have a problem at work or church, I'll be so proactive and try to solve and report the problem very soon, just as the Holy Bible said:
"If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother." (Matthew 18:15)
And of course, I won't post about issues randomly pointing at anyone and hoping that they're smart enough to understand, that's certainly not me! I like speaking words straightly, wisely and to the point.
One last thing to mention since we're here already, disagreeing with political views doesn't mean that I disagree with a personality, but with merely an opinion. I don't like fighting over different point of views. Freedom of opinions are more than guaranteed while speaking with me as long as there are no personal insults :)
Imagine Cup is a competition that is different than any other one..
I am so lucky that I have had an opportunity to attend Imagine Cup world wide finals this year in Egypt, July 2009. It is indeed the most spectacular event I've ever been to, but I believe its success is not because of us MSPs, but because of all those great students who inspire the world with their ability to change it, with their ambitions and motivation!
Apart from all the fun and joy I've had, I've been so much inspired by the Imagine Cup experience. The people I've met from everywhere inspired me and made me feel I need to work harder in order to achieve my dreams.. I really do.. I also feel that I have the ability to change the world as much as they did. I have more faith now and confidence in me. I believe in myself and my abilities more than any time before...Two people (Roger Lawrence and Yaroslav Tretyakov) told me that I have great skills, thanks to them, they gave me so much support and confidence..
Thanks to Imagine Cup, I feel like I'm a new person... I can honestly say that the people I've met at Imagine Cup, the technologies I've seen, everything changed my life to the extreme...
Thanks to all my new friends from all over the world: competitors, judges, MSPs, Microsoft staff, everyone.. Thanks to God for giving me such a great time..
Hope you are inspired, hope I'll be able to change the world and spread the inspiration...
And finally, I took a vow to do anything just to be in Imagine Cup Poland 2010... See you all there!!
These days more than ever, I'm listening to Josh Groban intensively, more than I have ever listened to any artist!
I realized I have to explain why I am becoming more and more addicted to his music everyday and it's certainly not because I'm a teenager and that I dream of him or stuff like that :D
Simply, me being Josh Groban's fan means that I totally respect this guy, and adore his music, because I feel he is changing the world with his art, because he is a unique and a REAL artist that carved the history of music; creating music that is not just different, but also classy, modern and supreme...
My first experience with Josh Groban was a few years ago when I saw him on the Oprah show singing "When you say you love me" and I was fascinated by him! So I got his album "Closer"... At that time, I used to listen to the album's songs non-stop all the time (and I still do till now, I never got bored!).
Josh's music inspires me. If I spend an hour or more listening to him, I find myself writing and writing. His voice is so magical to me, his music is heavenly and his performance is so sensational, full of feelings and indescribable!
I don't just love listening to Josh, but I also love watching him perform. He dresses so elegantly and he doesn't even move a bit with the music because his voice, facial expressions and hands show it all! He is such a unique artist; my dream is to one day attend one of his live concerts.
As a music fan in general, and as a poet in specific, Josh's music means a lot to me... It means "real art" and "inspiration". His type of music is not favored by everyone, because not everyone can truly taste it and realize it's so sweet!
Josh's music is a mix of opera, pop, slow, ..whatever genre.. I don't really care.. His genre is the JOSH genre; he has his own style and his own magic.
I love Josh Groban's music, I love the way he inspires me, I love his Italian, Spanish and even French songs.. I consider myself a true fan of his because I see his music in a way that I believe few people do...
Josh Groban is simply a phenom. I wish I can tell him this face-to-face one day, and tell him how many of my poems were inspired by his one-of-a-kind music. I wish he'd sing one of my poems one day...
---------------------------------------------
I had troubles choosing my favorite Josh's song to post here, because I truly love them all, but I'll post this ad of his latest albums, because it contains powerful bits of many of his songs that show his real style of singing, and great footage as well!
and here's this one too "You're still you".. because its lyrics mean a lot to me..
And today, I received a prize at the awards ceremony that was held at the Great Hall of Bibliotheca Alexandrina...
I'm so glad for that prize :) .. I came among the top 100 best essays from a total of 1649 essays that took part in the competition from Alexandria University students.. !
I liked the event, although it started 45 minutes late, but I managed to take nice pics!
I love this pic with Mr Wael Fakharany, Director of Google Egypt and the Middle East, who's such a very modest, interesting and amazing person who I was so honoured to meet!
Thanks to all those who took time to vote, read or comment on my essay.. :)
Also, congratulations to the Faculty of Engineering Team that publicized the competition for being the top winning team among all the faculties of Alexandria.. They were really great!!
IGCSE days.. What can I say? They were the best days in my educational life!
Currently I'm a junior undergraduate student at the Faculty of Engineering, Alexandria University, Computer and Systems Engineering Department. And even though I graduated from IGCSE in August 2005, but I still miss my IGCSE days so much :(
I can't really compare the style of education and the system I had at IGCSE with the current university system (which is totally chaotic).
When I was at IGCSE, I used to excel and at the same time be happy and be able to have a life.. Now, if I really want to excel, it's impossible to do so using the same studying techniques that I used as an IGCSE student and that I fought so hard to learn. Those techniques and facilities made education so enjoyable..We practiced and experienced: understanding, application, practice related to theory, quality of learning, learning useful modern stuff, using detailed and nice text books, having venues that can accomodate us comfortably, dealing with a very well-organized administration at Cambridge University (International Examinations), great activities and extracurricular events and competitions.. lots and lots of stuff..
At the Cambridge Excellence Awards Ceremony British Council Alexandria, March 2006
When I was an IGCSE student, I was so successful because I liked what I was doing.. As for now, things are just out of control.. Regulations change at university according to no regular standard, nothing is systematic, nothing is measured, nothing is organized at all!
I really miss IGCSE.. I miss having an education where I actually learn and understand not just memorize and be spood-fed .. I miss talking and making suggestions and be heard, coz I was a very active well-known IGCSE student, I was even once invited to a special lunch with the British Minister for Culture, Media and Sport and the British Ambassador to Egypt. I also took part in many activities with the British Council..
Those who think we were pampered at IGCSE are totally wrong, IGCSE is not like the American Diploma (sorry guys!).. We learned MORE and had harder times than people who are in the Egyptian Thanaweyya Amma, I myself went to school (Alexandria International School) everyday and I didn't go even for once to private lessons or classes.. What made things easier for us is that we actually LOVED what we did, we chose our own subjects, and we learned with PASSION.. We had 3 years of high school (not just two like in thanaweyya amma), with hardly a one-month vacation a year, and we still enjoyed what we did to the fullest!
I know things at IGCSE are different now, especially at my ex-school, but no matter how different they are, and no matter what.. IGCSE is in my eyes the unique model for ideal and REAL education that lasts forever..
Two days ago, I noticed an unusual activity and a rapid increase in the number of visitors to my blog.. according to the site meter (www.sitemeter.com) I have on the blog, the visitors were just 600, and suddenly they began reaching 900!! I wondered if this is all my friends..! Of course that was not my friends.. but I realized that everyone who searched for any keywords from أغنية الطفولة was directed to my blog..
I went to my account on sitemeter, and I found amazing options that I haven't noticed before, about the number of visitors, the identity of each visitor (country, city, Internet Service Provider and even the Operating System that was used!!) and how to track the links that directed each visitor to the blog (A real amazing site! thanks site meter) and that's how I knew about the post's fame..
The post about أغنية الطفولة was about the beautiful song, that people from all over the world started searching for a lot after it was sung in StarAcademy 6 last week.
People from countries like (Morocco, Lebanon, Sudan, France, Germany, Canada, Palestine, Israel, South Africa, Egypt) started accessing the blog and suddenly my blog became number 1 in search results about the song on google!
Actually it's the first time for me to post something that just booms internationally this way on the Internet.. I just hope that my poetry can boom in the same way!
Thanks to all the visitors, I hope to always post stuff that people like!
Today, the final party and awards ceremony for Alexandria's Churches Festival for Preparatory Stage was held at the St. Mark Cathedral in Raml Station..
I was soooo surprised my girls from Sunday School at St. Takla church won second place in "alhan" (Coptic Hymns) and beat lots of very strong teams (boys and girls) .. It was unexpected, their team consisted of 10 girls and there were a lot of other teams who exceeded them in number. So it totally shook me and made me so happy...
That's why I am writing this post.. To share what I've learnt from this experience..
This taste of success has taught me a lot of things.. it's the first time I win something for the girls at the festival , and it's not actually 'my' success, but it's theirs, and in spite of that, I am sooo happy, even more than they are!!! Because It makes me feel proud of the seed I planted when I see it grew to be a fruitful tree..
I had a tough time teaching them those hymns for almost two months or more during summer 2008, I insisted that they learn them, even if we couldn't join the festival. The hymns were hard, the girls had trouble being on time and attending all the sessions, so by the time when we should sit for the hymns test, we weren't 100% ready, so we killed ourselves, by working for hours til our voices went off :)
It's not just that I proved more to myself how perseverance is so important, but also I saw so intensely the hands of God in our lives.. I didn't plan to win, didn't look forward to it, though I wished it so hard.. However, I realized that God sees what beyond our thinking.. He sees our actions and hard work and is so generous..Most importantly, He sees OUR FAITH ...
In life, sometimes we think we're unfortunate for a certain time, this doesn't mean God has forgotten about us.. If we just wait for a while, we can see (like I did) how generous He is..
I had a lot of hard times this summer, bad moods, but just in one single week, lots of good things happened to me, I was "overburdened" with happiness and I experienced a lot of moments of success..
Success is sweet, it makes us feel paid off.. It pushes us forward to do more, and keeps us close to God, who always watches over us and gives us, not all what we want, but all what we NEED.
Thanks to Him :) "I waited patiently for the Lord; And He inclined to me, And heard my cry. " (Psalms 40:1) اِنْتِظَاراً انْتَظَرْتُ الرَّبَّ فَمَالَ إِلَيَّ وَسَمِعَ صُرَاخِي -- مزامير 40 : 1
August 25th 2008, I received an email at 3:25 p.m. saying I have been chosen as a
Microsoft Student Partner (MSP)
I realize that very few people know what this thing is all about.. so I thought I'd write some stuff about the MSP programme..
First of all, it's such a great honour for any computer science/engineering student to become an MSP.. this is probably the biggest and the most important extracurricular activity anyone would want to do while being an undergraduate student.
Being an MSP helps us get the most out of Microsoft tools and technologies and gives us a head start in the 'real world' once we graduate and enter the industry.
The MSP program details as quoted from http://student-partners.com are:
"The Microsoft Student Partner (MSP) Programme is an annual award that recognizes students who have made outstanding contributions to the student technical community. We reward and recognize the most talented students from universities across Egypt for their dedication, passion and involvement with Microsoft each academic year.
If you are passionate about technology, ready to share your knowledge and want to develop skills outside your field of study, we want to hear from you."
I would also like to quote some words Microsoft wrote in the MSP application this year, that would help show what being an MSP is all about..
Overview of the Microsoft Students Partner program
If your application is successful, you will be awarded Student Partner status. During this time you can refer to yourself as a Microsoft Student Partner and act as an official representative of Microsoft at your university.
Being an MSP demands dedication. We encourage every MSP to undertake many activities and numerous voluntary activities throughout the year which are designed to suit everyone's level of ability and creativity. Activities range from giving technical lectures on campus, writing articles for the student newsletter to entering the Imagine Cup or running your own computer society.
You'll be part of the amazing Egyptian MSPs team, with lots of opportunities to learn, plan, interact with students from different universities and countries and help other students in Egypt realizing their full potential and having fun. Microsoft Egypt will recognize your efforts and each activity you undertake.
Who can apply?
In order to be eligible for the award, you must be:
• Over 18
• An undergraduate or post-graduate student at an eligible university
• Technical reps: Studying a full-time computer science-related degree or course and able to name a reference from your department or Microsoft.
• Passionate about technology and willing to share your expertise with others at your school
There are currently 2 MSPs at Alexandria University, my colleague Ahmed Fathy, and myself, and we're both Junior students at the Computer and Systems Engineering Department at the Faculty of Engineering, Alexandria University. There was also Amr Magdy but he graduated this year.
There're usually around 2 or 3 MSPs from each university from all over Egypt. Yes, this is such a small number, so that Microsoft wouldn't lose focus and attention on their MSPs, and it's their concept that they want the MSPs to be the seeds of any activity done in that university.. So after all, this number would do the job required perfectly. In general, the number of MSPs worldwide is around 1445 or some more, representing 104 countries and regions.
Ok, so how have I become an MSP? I applied through an application and had an interview afterwards at the Microsoft Building in the Smart Village. Then, 3 weeks later, I got a confirmation email of my acceptance.
The application had questions like the following:
- Are you involved in any technology related societies at your University?
- How would you describe your relationship with your computer science faculty?
- Have you ever attended a technical event, workshop or exhibition outside of those within your academic requirements?
- Are you comfortable presenting to a range of audience sizes?
- How would you approach the challenge of encouraging students to use and adopt technology within your department?
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I still didn't get my business card as an MSP ;) but I will post all the details as soon as I get started with any activities as the new MSP :)
