The Schutz Mind

A Student That Many Strive to Be Like
Alaa El Damaty

Heba El Sahn, or Bouby as many of her friends call her, is what is safe to be called a well-rounded student. When it comes to grades, Heba’s GPA is a 4.0. She earns her grades by a combination of working hard and using her brains. As one of her friends stated, “Heba is the “Schutz mind”.

Heba has attended Schutz since sixth grade. She is thankful to her school for teaching her in a different way that will benefit her for life. She plans to attend the American University in Cairo and major in Political Science. Putting on the most ambitious face, Heba told me her favorite quote, “Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” She plans to continue her graduate studies abroad and apply what she has learned to help Egypt by working with the different Nongovernmental Organizations on developmental projects.

Heba is an aunt of two. She is very attached to her family, exclaiming that just seeing her nephew or niece makes her day joyful.

It is very difficult to call Heba at home and find her; her mother will always tell you Heba is out doing this or doing that. She is a social person, always wanting to explore the world around her. Bouby is constantly trying new experiences, meeting new people, and seeing new places. If you ask Heba to name the cities she has traveled to, the list will go on forever. “I have a passion for traveling because it gives me the chance to see new sites and experience different cultures,” said Heba. Not to mention that she is what people may call “a history freak”, taking two AP’s in history and “acing” both of them!

Heba’s creative touch is something that can be found in all of her work. In a recent essay that earned Heba the NHS scholarship, she showed off her creativity as she described herself through the story of Aladdin. When bored in class, Heba’s doodling creates the most artistic pieces. In group projects that require creativity, she is the person that everyone wants to be with.

Between her friends, Bouby is the wise one. She always knows what to say and when to say it. If there is a fight between two of her friends, Heba knows how to stop that fight, and she stops it. She has a talent for diplomacy that always gets her what she wants.

Bouby is known for her radiant smile that fills the room she enters. Her essence can be felt wherever she is. She is loved by everyone around her. Her teachers wish they had a class full of Hebas, while the little kids observe how friendly she is. She is also very helpful. When one of her friends misses school, Heba takes notes for them, gets their missing work, and delivers all of this to their home with a smile on her face.

As Heba El Sahn has already touched the lives of the people around her, it is clear that she will continue to influence the lives of many in the future.

Lift Up Your Head No Matter What

Energetic Malak Knows It All
Aly El Attal

The most unique voice in school belongs to Malak Kira. Her squeaky voice can be heard almost everywhere on campus. What many people do not realize is that behind that amusing voice is an energetic young woman full of ideas and goals.

After attending the German School for six years, Malak came to Schutz in sixth grade. She is thankful for Schutz because it taught her that she “should never give up and that she should always lift her head up no matter what.”

She also strongly believes that Schutz made her more confident than she was before. Malak’s message to the juniors is that they “should live every moment because time passes by so quickly”, and that they “should do their best in everything and never give up.”

Sadly, her journey at Schutz will be ending this year. Even though she is very fond of school and claims that she does not want to leave, Malak is glad that she will be leaving all the schoolwork behind; however, there are other things that she will miss. She is also going to miss chilling on the front porch and the overall ambience on campus. She is also going to miss having her famous (love) quarrels with Mahmoud during lunch, along with arguing with Massimo and participating in school teams.

Malak is known for being a very hard worker. She plans to pursue a degree in Business and Marketing at the American University in Cairo. After graduating from college, Malak wants to move back to Alexandria to start working in her father’s chemicals company and start a family. Malak is the kind of person that likes to think ahead: ten years from now, she sees herself working at her father’s company and being married with children.

Although she believes that she tends to overthink some things, which she considers her weakness, Malak thinks of herself as a very positive person during tough times—a quality that she believes is rare these days. Many people do not realize that not only does Malak enjoy cooking, but she is also very good at it. Malak considers herself a kind and talkative person and would like to thank her mother for helping her become the unique person she is today.

Only Love Remains

On letting Go of Death With Love
Noureen Ben Halim

As human beings, it is crucial for us to be able to connect with others. The sense of touch, sight, and the ability to hear someone, all make the world seem to shine 1000 times brighter when we are with someone we care about. As human beings, love is an emotion that is imprinted in us since the day we are born. Love is not one thing, but instead, a million different emotions at once. It depends on the amount of three things: intimacy, passion, and commitment. It can be a satisfying feeling deep within someone’s heart, or the thing that gets us through yet another day. But what if that love is lost? What then?

People can be attached to someone psychologically. A teenager for example can be dependent on their close friends. To them, these people are their backbone, getting them through tough situations, putting a smile on their face when they need it, and loving them for who they are. And as teenagers, our feelings are intensified and changing all the time. So naturally, when we lose someone that we care about, things start to look like they will never take a turn for the better. A friend moving away can cause feelings of loneliness and despair.

Death is another type of loss, and when it happens to someone you care about, you can really become vulnerable and weak. There are five stages of grief, which people take in differently. They are denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance. For some, the shock can be so strong that they are in denial of everything. For others, depression sinks in immediately and the person loses hope. People often choose to be alone after a death or a loss. Teenagers' school progress can decline, and they may start to care less and less about what mattered before.

Although it may seem like nothing can be done to help a person who is suffering and grieving, there are small things that can be done. First of all, we must recognize that change is a part of life’s cycle. Helping someone realize this may show them that it is only ordinary to love and to lose. Reminding them of the good times they shared with the deceased will make them stronger. On the other hand, trying to shift their focus will only make the grief come back sooner, and come back even stronger. People, who have lost a loved one, need to be surrounded by others who they know can support them, be a shoulder for them to cry on, and most importantly just listen and be there.

Tuesday and Wednesday: CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Schutz Students Become Infatuated with Soccer Stars
Youssef Talaat

Every other Tuesday and Wednesday Schutz students of all ages meet with their families and friends to watch the legendary UEFA Champions League. The majority of students at Schutz support clubs from Spain, Italy, and England. Over the years, matches in the Champions League have become increasingly competitive and unpredictable causing both disappointment and astonishment among fans. Last year’s winner was Manchester United FC; however, it is nearly impossible to predict this year’s winner as all the participating teams are equally skilled.

The Champions League is UEFA’s most prestigious club competition. It was originally created in the 1955-1966 season as the European Champion Clubs’ Cup before its format and name were changed to the Champions League in 1992. Real Madrid CF has been the most successful team overall with nine triumphs, followed by seven for AC Milan and five for Liverpool FC. The Champions League is open to top-ranking teams in club leagues across Europe.

This year’s group stage has ended and a draw has determined which of the sixteen qualifying teams will play the other in the first knockout round that will begin in February. Atlético de Madrid will meet FC Porto; Olympique Lyonnais will meet FC Barcelona; Arsenal FC will meet AS Roma; FC Internazionale Milano will meet Manchester United FC; Real Madrid CF will meet Liverpool FC; Chelsea FC will meet Juventus FC; Villarreal will meet Panathinaikos FC; and Sporting Clube de Portugal will meet FC Bayern München. This year’s final game will be played in Rome’s Stadio Olimpico on May 27th, 2009.

Up to this round, this year’s leading scorers are Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Miroslav Klose (Bayern), and Karim Benzema (Lyon), each with five goals. Franck Ribéry (Bayern) leads assists with five assists. Outside the pitch, Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) is leading the fan polls followed by Lionel Messi (Barcelona) then Frank Lampard (Chelsea). Schutz students continuously argue and squabble over the league’s players and teams. One student, Saad Attia, says, “The Champions League has caused intense pressure between me and my friends; it almost seems like we are related to these teams.” Another student, Mohamed Zahran, says, “The 90 minutes of a soccer game pass by like one second!” Young students look up to these players and frequently imitate them in their clothes, hairstyles, and soccer skills, which is healthy because having inspirations motivates people to achieve.

Twilight

When You Can Live Forever, What Do You Live For?

Aya Kordy

The phenomenal book Twilight has been made into a miraculous movie that has smashed the American box office last December. The movie amazed everyone when it gained an amount of $70 million, only in its opening weekend in America two months ago. The movie is adapted from the first of a four part series by Stephanie Meyer. Twilight tells the story of a 17 year-old girl called Bella Swan who has always been a little bit different from everyone. She was never the one to go with the crowd and never cared about fitting in with the trendy and elite. After choosing to live with her father in the town of Forks, since her mother remarried, Bella did not expect anything to change. However, she then learns that life is far from predictable when she meets the mysterious yet dazzling Edward Cullen.

Edward is like no other boy she ever met, period. He is intelligent, gifted and as Bella comprehends he is “impossibly fast and strong”, faster than a cheetah and has not aged since 1918. Yes indeed, Edward was an immortal vampire; it was then that she learned a dark secret only known by his family of vampires. Nevertheless, unlike most vampires Edward’s family were known for their unique lifestyle choice, given that they did not drink human blood.

After living 90 years on earth and still being barely 18, Bella is the soulmate Edward has been waiting for. In no time, they are both swept up in a zealous and an unquestionable romance. When unexpected vampires come to town and smell the scent of a human being among them, Edward struggles to save Bella. Someway or the other, they try to manage their unmanageable love. But the closer they get, the more he is putting Bella and those around her at risk. An ultimate forbidden love affair, between a vampire and a human, unfolds on the wide screen.

All humans believe in the purpose of life, believe in living to be a part of change in the world; however, when you can live forever, what do you live for?

The Varsity Soccer Tournament 2008

A Tournament Characterized by Irony with Many Upsetting Surprises

Mahmoud Ben Halim

It was a tournament which had an ironic ending for the boys and a great ending for the Schutz girls’ team. With a total of four teams for the boys and three teams for the girls, the 2008 ISAC Varsity Soccer tournament was a lot of fun. Schools that participated included SAS, NCBIS from Cairo, NNS from Abu Dhabi, and BBS from Kuwait. The Kuwait team had only boys participating in the event. Both Schutz boys and girls teams school had a lot of spirit and energy and were ready to win.

The Varsity Boys soccer team consisted of Dikran Alexandrian, Mohamed Seif, Khaled El Naggar, Isa Abu El Ella, Osama Oraby, Ahmed Aryoud, Youssed El Akad, Youssef Talaat, Mohamed Seif, Mohamed Zahran, Marawan Zahran, Mahmoud Ben Halim, Huissen Barakat, and Rafik Zaher. The girl soccer team consisted of Aya Kordy, Nawara Hamam, Farida Kira, Farah Kashwa, Hana Kotb, Hana El Amrawy, Shereen El Khazandar, Hoda el Dib, Nada Zaher, Nourhan El Salab, Alaa El Damaty, and Ingy Fahmy.

The tournament went really well for our teams on the first and second days. On the second day, the SAS boys’ team were seeded one and the girls were tied at the second seed. However, on the last day, the boys lost the game against NCBIS bringing them to play against Kuwait for third and fourth place. The match against Kuwait ended in a fight, which resulted in the disqualification of both teams.

The Abu Dhabi team got first place and the NCBIS got second place. Moving on to the girls, SAS got first place, NCBIS got second, and Abu Dhabi got third place. Although the boys’ team got disqualified, they played really well together and tried to achieve a good ranking. It is true that in sports you do not win al the time, but losing is part of an important process to learn to be better.

?Coincidence or Reality

Measuring the Truth of Horoscopes

Noureen Ben Halim

Many of us are attracted to the unknown, mainly uncovering the future in ways such as superstition, reading the future, birth signs, and horoscopes. Some people are addicted of reading their horoscope everyday online or in the newspaper. People have argued for a long time whether horoscopes are made up for the purpose of people’s entertainment. Others say that star reading can reveal a great deal about one’s personality and how one’s life will turn out. Those people claim that what they read in their horoscopes turns out to be astonishingly true.

People who read their horoscopes are seen as superstitious, believing in occult ways of uncovering the truth, like Palm reading, and Tarot reading. A person may cross a black cat or break a mirror and they think that they will have seven years of bad luck. The prophecy of 666 or the Anti-Christ prophecy says that something or someone will appear that will reverse God’s plan for the world. People justify that the prophecy of 666 has been fulfilled by saying that a certain person like a political leader, or a television in the house, are examples defying God’s will by corrupting the world.

Does science play a role in making these things, specifically horoscopes, real? The answer is no. Some people say that star reading is made to spark the fear of the unknown in people’s lives and to excite them that something great is about to happen. However, many people always tie what they read into their lives somehow, even if it has nothing to do with them. The reality of horoscopes will always be a debatable issue, since both sides have truth in them.

A situation becomes ironic when people turn their day into one that is destined by their star sign. For example, a girl is having a bad day. She reads her horoscope. It says, “It is possible that something happens to shake up the way that you view life.” She will start tying this sentence to her life in any way she can. It is still debatable whether people should guide their lives using horoscope reading, or dismiss the idea. Should science be the only way to prove things we do not understand? Or should we trust our instincts and go by what we read?

A Dilemma in the Midst of a Crisis

?Should the Rafah Borders Be Opened to the Palestinians

Alaa El Damaty

The death toll in the Gaza Massacre is rapidly increasing. This is because the people of Gaza are trapped in a very small region with no place to escape. On the North and East, Gaza borders Israel, and on the South, it borders Rafah in Egypt. The ongoing problem that has caused a lot of commotion and strikes in the Arab world is that Egypt has refused to open its borders to the Palestinians. Egypt claims that the reason that it does not want the Palestinians to enter through Rafah is because it fears that the Palestinians in Sinai will overstretch the area's fragile infrastructure, thereby destroying the Sinai area. While this might be true, this is the most lucid solution to save the Palestinians from Israel’s attacks.

Two opposing responses to the entrapment of the Palestinians are triggered by similar ideologies. One response is that Egypt should keep its borders closed. This response comes from the liberal, nationalistic ideology. Instead of thinking about the safety of the Middle East, they worry about the welfare of their own nation. These people see that the Palestinians will overpopulate the Sinai area, thereby overburdening the economy by disrupting the job market, decreasing the rate of tourist entry, abusing the country's health system, and using up the already diminishing water supplies. The nationalists also worry that militants from Hamas will enter through the Rafah border and threaten Egypt's national security.

In a survey taken by Schutz students, 75% of the students stated that they do not want the Palestinians to enter Egypt through Rafah. The reasons that the students stated are similar to those of the liberal nationalists. Since they care most about the welfare of their mother nation, they fear that the Palestinians will cause too much destruction to Egypt’s infrastructure, greatly worsening Egypt’s political and economic condition.

The other response is that Egypt should open its borders to save the Gazans trapped in there home city. This response is triggered by a united Arab and Islamic ideology. The Arabs and Muslims see the Palestinian people as their brothers and sisters. They cannot bear to see their fellow siblings "trapped in a cage with a lion. This cage has one door that they have the key to; they cannot keep the door locked for the lion to devour their siblings."

The same response also comes from a legal point of view. Article 13 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that, “Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.” Under this law, the Palestinians are being denied a human right.

In reality, if the Palestinians do enter Egypt through Rafah they will incapacitate an already weak infrastructure. But reality also says that the Palestinians are being denied a basic human right, and that the fellow Arabs and Muslims cannot watch their brothers and sisters die and not react.

There is a humanitarian crisis that calls for quick action, so Egypt has no choice but to open its borders to save its sister nation, no matter what the consequences will be. Egypt has never been the traitor nation that people claim it is; it cannot watch those Gazans die and not act about it.

Mohammed Abouzaid: The Sum of a Great Mind and a Great Education

Pursuing Mathematics for a Living

Aly El Attal

Mohammed Abouzaid graduated from Schutz in 1998 and went on to attend the University of Richmond where he received his Bachelor’s degree in 2002. By 2007, he had acquired a Master’s and Doctorate degree in Mathematics from the University of Chicago. He is currently working at Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a mathematician and a research fellow, which is a position given to people who have recently received their doctorates to facilitate their career development.

Schutz has affected Mohammed’s life tremendously; he came to Schutz at the age of fourteen barely speaking a word of English and came out fully prepared to go to college. He says that it would not have been possible were it not for the open, inclusive community of students Schutz had. When asked about his most memorable Schutz memories he recalled the time when Schutz hosted the academic games competition and how his team made it all the way to the finals but lost to CAC in a game held at the auditorium.

In ten years, Mohammed hopes to be doing essentially the same things he is doing now and maybe be settled in a permanent academic position that will involve teaching as well as research. He finds the academic world to be well suited to his temperament. This, however, does not interfere with his personal life; he has been married for a few years now.

He thinks that his path was rather standard among people who pursue mathematics for a living: four years to obtain a bachelor's degree followed by a five-year doctoral program.
When asked if there is any message he would like to give current Schutz students he said to make sure to use the opportunity that you have to be able to understand things from more than one perspective. The world we live in is a truly diverse one, but it is singularly lacking in people whose experiences and world views fully reflect this diversity.

The Dynamic DuoEducation

Mr. Christie and Ms. Lianne Energize the Schutz Atmosphere

By Heba El Sahn

Walking around the Schutz campus at lunch, one is likely to find Mr. Christie engaging with a group of students by the basketball court and Ms. Lianne doing the same thing over at Walter’s Hall. Known for their fun-loving and easy-going nature, Mr. Joseph Christy and Ms. Lianne Lapalme are popular among Schutz students. Mr. Christy teaches 7th/8th grade Science as well as High School Environmental Science. Ms. Lianne teaches the sixth grade class. A number of their students have exclaimed how much they look forward to their classes just because they are certain that a surprise awaits them inside.

Mr. Christy and Ms. Lianne are both originally from Canada. They met, however, while they were teaching in a school in South Korea five years ago. Ms. Lianne had gone to South Korea to teach as an undergraduate, and a while later Mr. Christy came as the new science teacher. The couple got married a few years after that in March 2008 in Guatemala. They celebrated a beautiful wedding with some family and friends, who flew over just to attend the event. A local Jazz band took care of the music, their fellow music teacher provided the flowers, and a mother of one of their students was the photographer. A few months later, they came over to Egypt.

So, very quickly the couple first met in South Korea, then got married in Guatemala, and after that came to teach in Alexandria. Well, obviously they had their share of traveling and living abroad! They truly enjoy international teaching and would like to continue doing it. Ms. Lianne has traveled to 34 different countries and it is her personal dream to hit 100! She would like to explore Europe a little bit, and Mr. Christy added that if they were to go to Europe then they would have to go to Ireland first. This is important to him since his mother is Irish.

For the time being though, Mr. Christy and Ms. Lianne are both very pleased with Schutz and do not have any solid plan on where they will go to next. Right now, they just want to experience the Egyptian culture and enjoy their time with friends. However, based upon what is known about them, it can be assumed that whatever lays in store for the couple, they will take on with a positive attitude.

SAS Girls Fitness

Five Steps to Perfect Health

Malak Kira

Step 1
Move your body. Aerobic training increases your pulse rate. At least 20 to 30 minutes three times a week improves your lung capacity and protects against heart disease, and high blood pressure. Walking, dancing, biking and running are all good aerobic choices.

Step 2
Participate in weight-lifting activities three to four times a week. It increases your bone density, as well as improving your body’s metabolic rate. Using free weights and weight machines will change your body’s fat to muscles.

Step 3
Practice stretching and flexibility exercise daily. Stretching every day is important to guarantee flexibility. Stretching will prevent muscle stiffness and injury during exercise. Yoga increases your body’s flexibility as well as building muscle strength.

Step 4
Eat a reasonable diet every day. A healthy eating plan is important to achieve a perfect body. Try to eat three meals along with two healthy snacks daily. A healthy diet should include fresh fruits and vegetables. Drinking 6 to 8 glasses of water per day is very important plus it makes you feel full.

Step 5
Try to minimize your stress. A certain amount of stress is predictable; on the other hand too much stress causes a negative effect on a person’s health. Long term stress can lead to heart attack or stroke. Taking a relaxing walk and getting 7 to 8 hours of sleep can help you minimize stress.

"To Empower All Our Students to Fulfill Their Life-long Aspirations"

Missions Are Meant to Be Completed

By Youssef Talaat

The mission of the Schutz American School family is to empower all our students with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to fulfill their life-long aspirations and to act to better their communities. They say actions speak louder than words. If that is true, then we are certainly not following our school mission. Surely the school’s administration encourages its students to grow academically, but there are other things to life than just academics. People can excel educationally, athletically, or even socially. Schutz’s mission clearly states that it will empower all its students to fulfill their life-long aspirations, even when it comes to the most minute hopes and dreams.

Unsurprisingly, people have careers that completely diverge from academia. People can become journalists, actors, athletes, or even cooks. If we ever want to move forward, we must learn to think “outside the box.” We should encourage people to be creative and excel in all fields and professions. If a student wants to become a tennis player, then we should, by all means, support him or her, because there is nothing shameful about becoming a tennis player. However, forcing a student (through school policies) to make a choice between a potentially career-altering occurrence and a school event is not support, it is obstruction.

Sport giants like Mohamed Bassiouny, Tatsuya Mizutani, and Ahmed Metwally rarely exist in our school anymore, and when they do, seldom do they actually play in our tournaments. It has become increasingly difficult for students to understand their administration’s wants; students do not know whether their school wants them to excel in areas that are not related to education. There would be a devastating effect if students began to think that is a misuse of time and energy to participate in school sports.

Recently, one of the school’s most skillful athletes faced an extremely unfortunate predicament. He was captain of the school Varsity Soccer Team, and he was completely committed to the team. He was also part of the Sporting Club Tennis team, and he was also completely committed to that team. He knew that the school had a policy against skipping days of tournaments, so he did everything he could to prevent that from happening. He planned ahead of time, but a severe emergency came up and he had to skip one match of the soccer tournament. He had two choices: either to act sick and go to the tennis match or to be honest and tell the school the truth. He chose to say the truth because Schutz has always taught him to have integrity. As a result, the school told him that he had to make a choice of the two; it forced him to either commit to the school team or to his tennis team.

Surely, there are rules that must be obeyed, but if rules are flawed, they must be changed. What is the difference between a student going to take the SAT and a student going to play a tennis match? Our school supposedly encourages a well-rounded student who excels in as many areas as possible. We are naturally talented in different fields; one may choose to excel academically by going to take the SAT, but another may choose otherwise. The decision to excel in a certain area should be made by the student, not by his school.

From Fahlawa to Constructive Criticism

We Need to Learn How to Inspire

Malak Kira

Every now and then, we learn about Egyptian figures carving their names and success in our history books. These figures have lifted up their country’s pride and dignity. They proved themselves and gained respect from people all over the world. They are honored by people from different backgrounds and nationalities. As Albert Einstein once said, “Try not to be a man of success, but rather to be a man of value.” It is the Egyptian dream to stand up and work hard to prove our value to the world.

Consider Youssef Boutros Ghali, who received his PhD from MIT, and later became the Minister of Finance and was recently elected as the Chairman of the Finance Committee of the IMF. He is a man of prestige and perseverance. Naguib Mahfouz, an Egyptian novelist who won the Nobel Prize for Literature; Ahmad Zewail, an Egyptian scientist who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work on femtochemistry are other examples of successful Egyptians. These people are who we call role models. They achieved the Egyptian dream by their work and effort.

Now turning the tables around and focusing on the rest of the eighty million Egyptian citizens, we get the impression they are know-it-alls. A worker thinks he can write his own prescription. A doctor thinks he can run a business. A businessman thinks he can run the country. This is the phenomenon of a “fahlawi” character that pretends to know everything and anything. These Fahlawis are known for their self-confidence that comes out of nowhere. They are known for their criticism and judgment but have neither evidence nor proof to support it. As we learned in economics each person has his own specialization, and that is where they are most efficient. If people try to do other people’s professions, then they are going to hit diminishing returns which will cause inefficiency. These “fahlawi” characters are lacking serious constructive criticism. They just criticize for the sake of criticizing.

The achievement of various Egyptian role models is often times criticized by a lot of people. The people who criticize rather than support these role models are not trying to take a first step to move forward. In order for us to rise and gain our value, we need to learn how to inspire, protect, and honor each other. For us to achieve the Egyptian dream, we need to stop criticizing others and concentrate on achieving our full potential.

Ask Mahmoud

Mahmoud Ben Halim

From: Anonymous
Q: I have a problem losing weight, what should I do? I tried everything, but it is becoming harder and harder and I am really starting to give up. What should I do?
A: First of all, I have to be honest with you; the first step to your recovery is your dedication to losing weight. Never give up, always stay with your goal. Dedication means that you are keen on losing weight and do not give up. The second step after dedication is to take it step by step. In achieving your goal, for example, do not just say I want to loose twenty kilos in a week, but rather plan it out by saying I want to lose twenty kilos in two months, two and a half kilos each week. The third step is to carry out your plan. This is the hardest step and I think to lose weight you should exercise and control your eating habits. Do many sit-ups, run, and drink lots of water. Water helps you get rid of the fats you consume from food. I would like to wrap it up by telling you to NEVER GIVE UP!

From: Anonymous Q: I do not know what college I want to attend. I want to be in pre-med and I know I want to be on the west coast of America. Any suggestions?
A: First of all, I would like to tell you that you should look at your grades. See where your GPA and SAT scores will take you to. I researched colleges in the US on the west coast that have majors in pre-med and here are a couple of them: UCLA, Berkley, Stanford, UVA, and UIVC.

From: Anonymous
Q: I do not have any friends what should I do? I feel lonely.
A: This is a problem that I think has a very easy and quick solution. Relax, take it easy, and think about why you do not have any friends; there must be some reason. People will not talk to you for no reason; maybe you need to change something about your character or your personality. I suggest that you try talking to them and ask them why they are treating you this way. Tell them that if you are doing something wrong, you want to change it.

?Is it a Happy New Year

Optimism Prevails Despite the Many Challenges of 2008

Malak Kira and Aya Kordy

As they say “nothing is impossible”, that makes us expect anything and everything from 2009. What changes will occur economically, politically, and globally in 2009? The economic crisis of the past year was unprecedented, and it is unrealistic to think that businesses and individuals will recover immediately. After facing many obstacles in 2008, the people are hoping for a better and promising future; nonetheless, the challenges of 2008 are yet to be overcome.

Businesses and individuals will be facing many economic challenges in 2009. The speed at which the economy plunged into recession in 2008 after a period of growth and prosperity was really terrifying. Unfortunately, that does not essentially mean we can recover as quickly. The year 2009 is expected to be the worst economical year the world will face since 1947.

Economists predict that unemployment will almost double over the next two years in the United Kingdom. There will be a fall in the housing market; the prices will go down by 10% to 15% this year on top of last year's decline of 16%. People are expecting that the Obama administration will revive economic and foreign policy. The question remains whether there will be any turnaround.

As for politics, the continued violence in the Middle East, due to the war between Israel and Hamas will dominate world debates in 2009. In addition, the U.S. military presence in Iraq will be considerably reduced as the U.S. forces will slowly pull out while the Iraqi forces will gradually have full security control. There will definitely be a turning point in Iraq in 2009, possibly the most significant since the U.S. intervention it nearly six years ago.

Furthermore, the most talked about inauguration in history took place. President Barack Obama headed to the White House on January 20, 2009. It was an evening filled with parades, speeches, performances and despite all that, it was still referred to as a “ball”. About 49 years ago John F. Kennedy gave an unforgettable inauguration speech in which he stated, "Ask not what not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country". The world in 2009 will continue to ask, “Will Obama inspire the change we need?”

Evidence of global warming is emerging in 2009, particularly in the Arctic where scientists had predicted it would hit first. Summer ice cover has dropped dramatically while permafrost in Siberia is melting. The first incident reduces the planet's ability to reflect solar heat back into space. The second will release excess amounts of methane, which will worsen the rate of global warming. A conference will be held this December in Copenhagen, to agree to a new Global Climate Change Treaty that will reinstate the Kyoto Agreement, which expires in 2012. “Only a decision then to establish tight, binding laws to cut emission levels will save the planet”, say campaigners.

The year 2009 offers the chance for some of the most major changes in years. As time passes, everyone wishes to start a new page; however, realistically speaking, starting all over is rarely an option, because fixing the past is our only hope to get rid of the many problems in our world.

The Historical Reminder

Archaeologists Unearth Egypt’s 118th Pyramid

Heba El Sahn

The Ancient Egyptian civilization never ceases to intrigue people from all over. The Ancient Egyptians were able to stun the world with the vastness of their achievements and discoveries. To this day, archaeologists are constantly uncovering new facts and monuments concerning the historical society. On November 11th, 2008 a new pyramid has been discovered seven meters beneath the sand. This pyramid is around 4,300 years old and is believed to be the tomb of Queen Sesheshet, who is the mother of Pharaoh Teti, the founder of Ancient Egypt’s 6th dynasty. While observing the monument, the angle of the base suggested that the pyramid was originally 14 meters tall and 22 meters at its base. The remnants found are only five meters tall. It also happens to be the second pyramid found this year in Saqqara (an ancient royal burial complex), and the 118th pyramid found in Egypt so far.

It was a surprise discovery since the archaeologists believed that they had thoroughly searched the Teti site. They had been digging over there for over 20 years. The theory is that a long time ago researchers used to dig up one area and take the sand and pile it up in places that are still unexcavated. This probably caused archaeologists to think there was nothing there. On the other hand, tomb robbers knew about the monument and they had raided the funerary chamber many times. It is because of this fact that archaeologists are not hopeful to find Sesheshet’s mummy when they search the burial area. They are anticipating to locate, however, inscriptions about the queen in whose honor this pyramid was built.

Queen Sesheshet held the highest honorary position of her time. She was given the title of “First Queen” or “King’s Mother”, which means she is the king’s most favored wife and that her son is the heir to the throne. Even though Queen Sesheshet’s political influence was minimal, she was acclaimed for being a supporter of the Arts; and even promoting it in a time when Egypt was in political turmoil at the end of the fifth dynasty. It is not a coincidence then, that her name is parallel to the name of the goddess of history and writing, Seshat.

It was upon the queen’s death, that her son Pharoah Teti ordered the construction of the pyramid. Pyramids were not usually built for women, but he did it out of love and respect for his mother. It was expected in Ancient Egyptian culture that when a loved one passed away, one should present a gift in devotion to the departed. Pharoah Teti believed his mother should receive the greatest gift of all at the time, and with that in mind the pyramid was made for her burial.

It is from the findings and research done by archeologists and historians that people learn about the greatness of the Ancient Egyptian civilization. Egyptians should embrace their history and work to learn more about it. This discovery should not be something that we learn and later forget, for it has a greater purpose. It should make us proud that our ancestors did so much, and it should reinforce our confidence that we can achieve great things. Queen Sesheshet’s pyramid stands for Egyptians today as a historical reminder of the glory of their past.