By Marwa Bouabibsa, staff writer
The recent pandemic has taken over lives dramatically, it has prevented us from memorable events and being around our loved ones. These pictures remind me of who I am and how there is happiness and bliss that we can find in small things we take for granted. My images portray how at times the pandemic can also be a blessing in disguise and it’s fine to suffer a bit.
This photo relates to my relationship with the people I love, and how interacting with the environment around us will strengthen the bond. I used to take my surroundings for granted before COVID-19, especially nature. After being cooped up inside my house and not interacting with my loved ones safely, it makes you rethink a lot of your actions pre- COVID-19. In the picture, the nature around us seems to scoop us into it whilst viewing a breathtaking view. ( first pic)
Coffee, coffee, coffee, an addictive liquid filled with caffeine and flavor that gives me the energy to get through the day. It’s honestly an art to me. In my culture and in Arab culture we drink coffee at least twice a day, and it’s typically a family-oriented tradition. Coffee and tea are what bring you together and it’s what allows you to talk amongst each other throughout the day. Coffee has a very strong bitter taste to it, but it’s also very personal to you, depending on if you make it or not. This year I had gotten a Breville espresso machine and I was over the moon. I was able to delve into cortados and lattes and just make the best of it.
Due to COVID-19, I tried to figure out a hobby that I can practice at home continuously and creatively. I fell into baking, and I started to mostly delve into French baking because of the influence French patisserie had on the world. I decided to take it upon myself to create something once a week for my family, and to reward myself in the end with the sweet bite of every tarte I made.
This beautiful image of my cousin, portrays the happiness that she brings into my life every week that I see her. I’ve always wanted a younger sister and that’s exactly how I treat her; I try to spoil her as much as possible. In this image, I took her to Fishermans Wharf to see the seals because she loves animals and continuously begs me to take her while trying to imitate a seal. It was a very memorable experience for both of us and I hope to continue events such as these with her. I still want to allow her to have a childhood even with all the chaos going on in the world right now.
Arab culture and influence have been continuously spreading throughout the Western world, but for me and my family, we try to cherish it as much as possible regardless of the distance apart we are from our home countries. The incense above is called ‘bakhoor, it’s Arab incense called ‘oud’ which is a type of wood that derives from the Middle East or Cambodia, and it’s soaked in perfumes and musk. So this image represents my culture and how it shrill influences me as a first-generation Arab immigrant in the States even though I have not been able to physically experience my culture due to the pandemic. This picture not only means a lot to me it should also influence Galileo students to cling to their culture and traditions especially since we’re not able to first-handedly experience it back home. It’s just a reminder of who I am and it should hopefully remind everyone else of where they come from as well
The painting above has a lot of meaning to it. Although the language may seem very foreign to many it holds great meaning behind it. The word is ‘Alhamdulillah’ in English: ‘Thank God’. In my religion, we constantly thank God for everything we have and I have come to realize that especially in times such as these we should be even more grateful for the people that are still with us, having a roof over our heads, and having food every night. So I drew this phrase because it’s more so a reminder for me than it is art. But that’s the unique side of art, it can symbolize so much more than what is merely there. The technique and intricate scribbles of this piece took me a very long time although it feels amazing to take my mind off of everything going around and I recommend many to try it out.
My city means a lot to me so I decided to take a picture because it symbolizes my upbringing and environment. The picture is just a small representation of how beautiful San Francisco is, not only physically but by the inhabitants of it. I’ve always felt accepted in San Francisco. With my background and religion, I’m a very easy target for racist encounters, but in SF, rarely do I ever experience such hatred or blasphemous encounters. SF is a safe haven for minorities and immigrants and I’ve always felt that way about it. I’m very fortunate to be living in a city where I can see people that look like me and meet people who support me regardless of where I come from or how I look.
