Meet Sayran....

To the most loyal, greatest and sweetest blog reader in the world*

GUEST BLOGGER SERIES

Here is something fun and different for a blog entry. I am going to introduce you to different Kurdish girls over the next few weeks- a brief insight into their life. This will also give you, my dearest reader, a look into Kurdistan, and I hope through this you will also have an understanding of how it is to be a Kurdish girl living in Erbil.

I must thank all the girls in advance for taking the time to reply*. You will realize over the weeks how each of them is different in her own way. Not just how they lead their lives, but also their personality!

So... for week one, let's meet Sayran Ibrahim Shawkat.

Quick Bio:
"My name is Sayran and I am 24. I studied politics and IR at the University of Kuristan Hawler and I'm currently working at the British Consulate General-Erbil.

A day in my life- aaaaah... I wake up early in the morning (although many times I force myslef to do so) but as I believe that if you want to change the world you need to learn how to wake up in the morning! I then have a quick breakfast then it's off to work which is about a 30-minute driving. Most of the time I start my busy day with a hot cup of tea or coffee and if I'm lucky enough sometimes my line manager does that for me. I don't remember the last time I didn't have a busy day! But at the same time I enjoy the part of my job where I am always helping others, often feeling that if I am not there something will be missing. Everyone says: "sayran khan ...sayran khan..sayran khan" and "I want to speak to sayran khan..." I am trying to be as much helpful as possible, however sometimes I feel that I can do better and be more patient when dealing with worried and stressed out visitors. I spend all my day at work and go home when its dark (that doesn't apply if it's summer) when I come home I feel that my batteries are low and need to charge them again... so just relax for an hour and of course this means eating my sister's yummy food (God bless her, as my mom is sick and unable to cook my sister has taken the lead in the kitchen ) later facebook and checking what friends have done and also checking my notifications and messages...I realy like facebook because I feel it connects me with my beloved frends and people that I love and appreciate...then some little house work and things related to home before preparinng for the next busy day!

My favourite place in in Kurdistan is the beautiful nature...or any place thats is green and breath takeing and that means all of kurdistan is my favourite place.

My favourite place in Erbil is the malls. I'm sure you wil ask why and i will say shooooopoooping and shopping and having a nice discussion with a friend over a hot cup of coffee :)

My favourite month is my birth month is July. It's summer, hot and a good time to have some time off work. Also because sooo many good stuff has happened to me in July..

My favourite day of the week is sunday and thursday..sunday because I feel energetic for work after relaxing at home at the weekend and thursday because I will get tired after a busy day and will be missing the wekend ;)

I have more than one role model in my life, I am always taking something from different people. First, my mother for her patience and kindness. I admire Ghandi for his tolerence, peacefulness and simplicity. I am also one of Obama's admirers for the new path and new accomplishments he did as the first African American President of Muslim origion.

I am grateful for everything in my life...and always think and feel of how lucky I am to be surrounded by great famliy, friends and people...and feel pround for the things that I have accomplished and the goals that I have in my mind. The best thing in my life is my positive sipirit, energy , enthusiasm and confidence, I feel that they are the key of happiness and take me to other horizons in life.

The not so good is that sometimes I feel that I am an impatient person and always have so many plans and to do in my head and want to do all of them at the same time, often rushing in everything. I think I need to be more patient and take each step at a time.

Kudistan in three words: Dream, life and beauty

Saz, it was a nice feeling to write and to talk about my self...a bit of relaxing activity :)

loove uu zoooor
Sayran"

Blogger Note: Sayran is one of those people who would tell you in your face exactly what she thinks of you and what you have done wrong, and would talk in front of anyone with confidence and fight for what she believes in. Inside, a soft-hearted sweet girl with much talents and very working. I have taken Citadel tours with Sayran many times, and she is one of those people who would go with me for article interviews even if she was busy. You would learn a lot upon meeting her.

*Why are you all that? Simply because you're on mandalawi.blogspot :)
**I have left everything as written by the girls, but one of them in particular (Argh! you know who you are!!) used U instread of YOU... had to change that. That's about it.