Name: Tanya Awad
Age: 23
Profession: Humanitarian Aid and Environmental Management
Nationality: Australian (originally Palestinian/Lebanese)
Motto: Keep digging.
- Your most valued possession?
At the moment, anything that makes a sound.
- Where can we find you hanging out most?
Anywhere where conversation can take place or where’s there live music.
- One thing you cannot live without.
Change. Everybody has something they are deeply passionate about. It may be family, pets, chocolate, fitness, pretty much anything. I am deeply passionate about movement. I love acrobatics, circus, climbing, going for a run Ironically, anything that would pick up my heart rate is my meditation. Family is another element I hold very close to me.
- The person who inspires you the most?
I find inspiration in everyone and everything.
- Five things you need for survival?
Water, soil, a notebook, a pen, shoes!
- What car would like to own?
Probably a car big enough to live out of would be the most ideal scenario. Multi-function always wins!
- Describe a typical day in your life.
A typical day in my life would start with a stretch and breakfast (which I never ever manage to eat while seated for some reason), work for a few hours and hopefully sneak in a run straight after (or nap!). I spend the rest of my day either cooking, learning guitar/ukulele, or writing down absurd thoughts/realizations. Personally, living in Abu Dhabi can be a challenge sometimes, so I try to make sure that I am constantly stimulated either through reading, physical activities or drawing. I think that’s very important.
- Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
In a place where I can walk or cycle from one place to the other, where I can consume food made or grown by the person I am buying it from or from myself. I also see myself being surrounded by authentic individuals who are doing great things for the world or even just their local community.
- What is your idea of peace?
When I think about us (all sentient beings) receiving the same benefits. My idea of peace is one of interconnectedness and synchronization. It is in realising that we can only ever be fulfilled if our surroundings are appreciated and at peace.
- Your goal in life?
Is to deconstruct all that has been unwillingly taught to me, and rebuild it using my own truth.
- What item do you keep buying even though you have plenty?
Probably jewelry! In my opinion (I might be too idealistic) we should be able to carry all our belongings on our backs – any more is simply too much. I still have too much!
- What are 3 things that today has taught you that you can improve on tomorrow?
-Pay more attention to people’s body language – sometimes people really need to talk and just fear it or do not know how to put it together. I feel we can help if we pay closer attention.
-To stop feeling like I need to justify myself/ be defensive
– To listen to my breathing as it helps me to breathe even deeper and calmer, so…focus on my breathing more!
- Who in your life deserves a big old thank you?
Most definitely my parents, I can’t even imagine what they have to deal with. Having grown up in pretty traditional households then having kids who have been exposed to several mentalities and cultures. It must be so difficult for them to relate sometimes, but they try nevertheless. Forever grateful.
- Have you found your purpose yet?
I think I found my purpose a long time ago… I believe we all have/will, but what I only just realised is that finding your purpose(s) is actually a never ending process. I feel we spend our whole lives refining our purpose(s). I don’t think that it is this linear thought process of: finding your purpose, acting upon it and voila! A super hero.
- What is the craziest thing you have ever done?
It could be that time I caught a ferry from Italy to Albania and made my way to Slovenia.
- What is your earliest memory? How old were you?
I have a few memories of when I was crawling, I am not sure if this is possible. But they are very disjointed. I remember looking, from my crib, at the dimmed light bulb on the ceiling of my family home in Australia. I also remember reaching out my hands to grab a bottle from my mother, I remember how her long black hair would always cover her face as she would bend down into my crib to pass the bottle over to me.
- If given a chance to change your name… what would it be?
Never. There is something very magical about having two people look at me and want to call me Tanya.
- Are you a Facebook/ Twitter/ Tumblr etc. addict?
I have Facebook. I have a ridiculous amount of friends, and they range from people I have spoken to once to people I see every few hours. Unfortunately, I never get around to (by never get around to I mean too lazy to) sizing down my friends list.
- If you wanted to look absolutely great, how would you dress?
A dress that makes me feel comfortable and does not stick to my skin. I would either wear an olive green dress or purple.
- What music do you usually put on to get the party started?
Godspeed You Black Emperor… Hopefully that should say enough about how much of a party animal I am.
- What’s your current Last SONG syndrome (LSS)?
A song called “a call for light” by Lior Shoov. Her words resonate with me a lot. I feel very strongly about the Palestinian Israeli conflict… And believe the younger generation are the only string of hope. Lior is a Jewish woman expressing her want to share a bed with her neighbour (assumingly a Palestinian) and that the only truth she would believe is their eyes. This, I believe is a very important and crucial step for our generation – to be able to acknowledge the mess from the past but willingly take a step forward and try to make amends. It’s huge.
- If there is a place, hangout, café etc that you feel at home- which place would that be?
Vzrkovna bar in Prague. It’s a place people come and share music, art and incredible thoughts.
- If today is the last day- where would you rush to go?
Probably Palestine
- What is your idea of a perfect weekend?
Making pancakes with my brother, camping, getting creative with my sister and/or a group of people, spending time with family and friends, spending time alone.
- If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be?
I would be walking up Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania.
- If you suddenly found yourself with a free ticket to the moon would to take the trip?
Yes! Only if it does not harm the moon, if it didn’t cost us 1000 wiped out forests to go on this trip, and if it did not damage people’s health. I would take my siblings.
- If you were on death row, what would your last meal be?
Shish barak!
- What was the best thing before sliced bread?
Is this a food for thought or thought for food question? ^.^
{gallery}Time Capsule-December 2015{/gallery}
