Tempo September 2014

FREEDOM IN MOVEMENT:
UAE PARKOUR
BACK TO SCHOOL WITH TEMPO:
SEVEN RABBITS, VOX POP AND TIPS
FOOD FOR THOUGHT:
MASTERCHEF KHUMO
ABAYA ALLURE:
NABRMAN
SEPTEMBER2014
Please present this voucher to avail the offer
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FREEDOM IN MOVEMENT:
UAE PARKOUR
BACK TO SCHOOL WITH TEMPO:
SEVEN RABBITS, VOX POP AND TIPS
FOOD FOR THOUGHT:
MASTERCHEF KHUMO
ABAYA ALLURE:
NABRMAN
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Sana Bagersh
Managing Editor
Bagersh@tempoplanet.com
Twitter @bagersh
ADDRESS:
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MEDIA LICENCE NO. 1/105866/24295
The Desert Bird is up
in this month’s Flash
Fiction. Read the
short story here.
25
ontents
04 notes & cyberchatter/ librarians’ lounge
05 talking books/the blog
06 what’s hot
07 what’s cool/ people calendar
08 tempo top 10/ high five/ #temporeviews
09 infographix: 10 bestselling products
10 phototripping
11 shutterbug adp
12 back to school with tempo
15 time capsule: chad goldsworthy
16 freedom in movement: uae parkour
19 young masterchef: khumo
20 blueprint: katrina scarlett weisskopf
21 abaya allure: nabrman boutique
22 articulate café/ dhabi dames
23 youth talk
25 flash fiction
26 game hedz/ tech talk
27 tempo cause
29 women in business/ an expat returns home
31 instafame/ tempo skillmarket
d’s
note
Welcome back to work, school, and…
normalcy. Summer is gradually coming
to a close, and dissipating along with it
(thankfully) will be the simmering heat.
What’s cool - is the excitement that abounds,
as our community gets back in gear, planning
projects, events, socials and enterprises.
This issue is packed with people’s ideas,
dreams and ruminations. Students are
vetting their voices in the back to school
pages. We also have the intrepid parkour
jumpers who redefine the physics of gravity,
talented Emirati designer Hend Almutawa
who is innovating the abaya, and Khumo
from South Africa who has won a spot as a
MasterChef finalist and now has ambitions
to land African cooking firmly on the world
cuisine map.
In response to appeals from our readers,
we launch two exciting initiatives to help
support our community. One is Tempo Cause
– intended to support your crowd funding
appeals (check out page 27). Our aim is to act
as a catalyst for those projects we believe
in. So send us your ideas, and we will do our
best to help.
The second initiative is the Tempo Club
card. Through this platform our hope is to
keep you informed of what’s hip, hot and
happening. Be sure today register at
www.tempoplanet.com/club.
Have a great time easing back into
the routine. :)
MANAGING EDITOR
Sana Bagersh
EDITORIAL COORDINATOR
Vera Rosales
MARKETING COORDINATOR
Manjul Abhishek
DESIGN & LAYOUT
Shihabudheen Hamza
PHOTOGRAPHER
Angeli Castillo
DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR
Melaku Muluneh
TEMPO GROUP: EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS:
Alex Hillsberg
Alma Kadragic
Ann Liska
Azza El Masri
Blakniss
Brandon Clark
Chequinah Coutinho
Danielle Harris
Mariam Saeed Al Nuaimi
Marien Oomen
Mugdha Sunil Polimera
Nisma Hamid
Dorian “Paul D” Rogers
Rhea Oomen
Shakir Hussain
Seumas Gallacher
Shahid Saeed
Sophia Grifferty
Theresa F. Weber

www. tempoplanet.com4
POST YOUR VIEWS AND COMMENTS ON OUR FACEBOOK, TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM
notes cyberchatter
ON TALENT WATCH: DANA
DAJANI
ON ARTICULATE CAFÉ
TEMPO POLL OF THE MONTH LIBRARIANS’ LOUNGE: SUMMER READING
What will you miss about summer?
Another great article about Dana
Dajani! – John Anthony
Marcel is the man! I want to be like
him one day. He’s an inspiration to
kids who want fuse business with
passion. - Justin M.
ON THE BOLD AND
BEAUTIFUL BANACA
After reading this, I became
more proud in being Filipino.
The country truly has amazing
resources, it’s just that some people
don’t care. - Sharina
ON MOTOCROSS MAGIC:
JINAN CD
I’ve always wanted to try
motocross. This article is really
tempting me to do so! – Khalid
The vacation time! (35%, 77 Votes)
Spending tons of time with the family. (27%, 60 Votes)
Ramadan and Eid holiday celebrations. (25%, 55 Votes)
The heat... Not. (13%, 30 Votes)
tweet@abudhabitempo follow@tempoplanetlikeusonfacebook/abudhabitempo
TEMPO PHOTO OF THE MONTH
How has your summer reading been? What
book complimented your fab or bad flight
experience? Which printed or e-printed
word travelled with you to the beach, by
the pool or while you enjoyed through quiet
snatches of peace on your holiday? I caught
up with our Library Champions to find out
their choice of holiday, travel and
literary ‘companions’.
Vanessa Middleton, Head Librarian, Petroleum Institute
& University Research Center & Abu Dhabi Librarians’
Meetup Group Facilitator
Recommends: Maya Angelou’s Autobiographical Trilogy
(I Know Why The Caged Birds Sings, Gather Together In
My Name, and Letter To My Daughter)
Manal Hamid, Co-Founder and COO of Moms Guide Abu
Dhabi & Parenting Circle Support Group
Recommends: How To Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen
So Kids Will Talk
By Adele Faber & Elaine Mazlish
Chris Furno, Reference and Instruction Librarian, American
University of Sharjah & Leader of Information Literacy
Network
Recommends: Americanah
By Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Elizabeth Leonard, Information Resource Officer for the
Arabian Gulf and Peninsula, Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon,
United States Embassy
Recommends: Dear Life – Stories
By Alice Munro
Shaikha Al Muhairi, Manager of the Cultural Resource
Center, Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority
Recommends: Ajwan 1 and Ajwan 2: Mandan
By Nahdet Misr
Asma Al Mutawa, Al Multaqa Founder, recipient of the
UNESCO Cultural Heritage recognition for the longest
running book club in UAE
Recommends: An Atlas Of Impossible Longing
By Anuradha Roy
Leslie Haas, Director of the Zayed University Library and
member of the UAE Library Directors Board and eFada,
UAE Library Consortia
Recommends: Oryx and Crake
By Margaret Atwood
Gillian Westera, Director of the Emirates Advanced College
for Education and leading member of the Information
Literacy Network
Recommends: The One Hundred Year Old Man Who
Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared
By Jonas Jonasson
Students from American Community School and Raha International School chillin’ with each other.
By Vanessa Middleton

TALKING BOOKS
By Seumas GallacherA Book Review by Azza El Masri
…what’s in a WURD?… I’m fluent in
uttering Rubb-ish…
…it’s not classified as a foreign language, but the patois that used to pass as
voice communication back where I grew up in Docklands Govan in Glasgow
is still unintelligible to the bulk of the rest of Mankind… even other Scots folks
visiting ‘Glesca’, where the Commonwealth Games have just been held, can be
found reaching for the translation earpieces when the locals start talking… not
so much dialect, more a divine interconnection of grunts and other guttural
sounds, the Glaswegian tongue defies the linguistic abilities of most people
I meet… I think this was what first drove me to attempt to garner at least a
passing fluency in other languages throughout my career… even in London, it
was necessary to modify my delivery… slowing down speech by at least 50%,
and enunciating consonants that had long stagnated with non-usage… dotting
around the planet over the past four decades has brought me the delights of
living and interacting with the inhabitants of the Far East, and now the Middle
East… a good foundation of six years in the Scottish Hebrides gave me more
than a passing acquaintance with the GaelicLanguage, the code-speak of the
Gods… in Hong Kong, Cantonese absorbed a couple of years of learning…
…I well remember my first solo effort in it… at a small store I asked in Chinese
for a bottle of milk and a loaf of bread… the counter assistant promptly handed
me a newspaper and a bar of chocolate, at which point I realised there was yet
more WURK to do… in the Philippines the staccato rapid-fire intonations of
Tagalog actually proved simpler than expected to cram into the ol’ brain box,
with an incredible amount of eyebrow gestures attendant to underline the
conversation… my academy French has hung around a lot longer than should
be thought possible—it was so long ago… mais, la plume de ma tante EST bleu,
merci beaucoup..thanks
…here in KamelKuntry, the thought that the guttural proficiency which
lends itself to the Scots brogue might assist in mastery of Arabic was totally
misguided… back to the newspaper and bar of chocolate thingy again there,
I’m afraid… the over-riding conclusion is that part from my basic Govan-ese,
(English is considered a foreign language in deepest Glasgow) I speak most
fluently in uttering Rubb-ish… Berlitz, eat yer heart out… see yeez later…
LUV YEEZ!…
Azza El Masri is an avid reader and is always looking for new recommendations.
You can reach her on: www.tempoplanet.com/talking-books
LAUNCH OF THE TEMPO BOOK CORNER
Do you have any books lying around your house that you don’t
even read anymore?
Tempo invites everyone to donate their books for
our book corner which serves as a mini-library for
our community. Share your literature and spread
the love of reading!
If you’re interested to donate, drop us an e-mail
at editorial@tempoplanet.com to schedule an
appointment for the drop off.
David Sedaris is a cynic. He surveys the world’s banalities with a weary eye, and makes sure
you know it. But not without making you laugh about it.
Sedaris published his collection of essays under the title Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls–an
ostentatious name, perfectly suited for
an ostentatious book. The essays jump
from a series of events, from a closeted
gay growing up in the 1960s, to a more
mature, famous Sedaris who travels to
France to get his teeth done.
His tone is witty, and wry. But
underneath the humour, a simmering
anger roils. This book is a sharp look into
Sedaris’ inner turmoil; it is eye-opening
despite its unnecessary flourishes.
Sedaris struggles to come to terms with
his father, the major fixation of the
published snippets of Sedaris’ diary.
He is an authoritarian figure with a
menacing persona; on a quest to destroy
any remnant slivers of self-esteem his
children may have, as he strides around
the house in his underpants. Sedaris
doesn’t leave much to the imagination; he
links with brutal honesty the minutiae of
conversations and situations, to different instances of his strained relationship with his father.
But despite his ability to conjure pitiful and disgruntling memories, Sedaris’ bitter tone
outweighs the otherwise candid testimonies. This tactic, which is recurrent in most of his
essays, backfires as Sedaris’ purpose is simply to outrage and not to engage his readers. He uses
this in the title he’s chosen to give his essay collection, a title that holds no bearing to any of
the material in the book itself. The title, much like the book itself, appears to be for attention-
grabbing purpose.
We learn that it isn’t easy growing up in a large family, and he strives forever to stand out in
a crowd while simultaneously coming to terms with a nagging realisation that he is different.
He finds that this difference can lead you to be shunned not only from a cold family, but also
from a largely segregated society.
Despite the preponderance of flourishes, Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls is intrinsically a
collection of thoughts jotted down by an outsider on his relationship with an unforgiving
world. It is a breath of fresh air for readers in lenient societies.
LET’S EXPLORE DIABETES WITH OWLS
BY DAVID SEDARIS
Follow Seumas on Twitter: @seumasgallacher
THE BLOG

TO ADVERTISE YOUR EVENT AND BE INCLUDED IN OUR ISSUE, CONTACT US AT: or e-mail editorial@tempoplanet.com+971 2 491 8624
ADFF at The Space - Great Adaptations
Mondays | 7:00 PM
Discover a dystopian world: Mark Romanek’s Never Let
Me Go, Denis Villeneuve’s Incendies, Stephen Frear’s
Philomena, Ziad Doueiri’s The Attack.
Cinema at The Space - Remembering Robin Williams
Thursdays | 7:00 PM
A tribute for actor and comedian Robin Williams who
delighted audiences with performances in films like
“Good Morning, Vietnam,” and “Aladdin,” “Dead Poets
Society,” and “Good Will Hunting”.
The Incessant Ramblings of a Yellow Kind
September 1 – 4 | 8:00AM – 8:00 PM
An artist from India is colorblind and he is on a spiritual
quest to find the true meaning of colours by exploring
it through his works. View his wide range of abstract
renderings of the colour yellow.
Shakespeare on Film
September 21 & September 28 | Time TBA
A look at six famous plays appropriated for screen
over the last hundred years: Hamlet, Henry V, Othello,
Romeo and Juliet, The Taming of the Shrew, and
The Tempest. The films will be introduced with a
commentary. Email farah@brownbook.me to RSVP.
TheSpaceAD
Pinoy Pride 27 - Duel in Dubai
5 September
Dubai World Trade Centre
Dubai World Trade Centre will host an interesting fight
by the famed ALA Gym, which will have its three best
fighters - the undefeated WBO Intercontinental super
bantamweight champion Genesis “Azukal” Servania, junior
lightweight Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista and unbeaten King
Arthur Villanueva - go up against three Latino opponents.
The challengers coming to the fight are Jose “Matador”
Cabrera, Juan Jose “Piquet” Martinez from Mexico and
Nicaragua’s Henry “El Crespo” Maldonado
Info: www.alaboxing.com
New Look Beauty & Fashion Exhibition
1-6 September
Al Ain Convention Centre
This 6th Beauty & Fashion Exhibition in Al-Ain is aimed
at making people look good and feel great. The show
focuses on a broad range of areas in health, beauty and
fashion. It includes surgical and non-surgical treatments,
lifestyle and image counselling, well being sessions and
lifestyle products and services. Exhibitors include fashion
designers, hotels, healthcare, cosmetic and toiletry product,
department stores, fitness equipment as well as skin and
beauty salons. The event will feature daily fashion shows
and beauty demos.
Info: www.baderuae.com
Chic Home Exhibition
17-20 September
Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre
Chic Home, a furniture and home décorating exhibition,
will showcase the latest trends and designs in furniture,
lighting, kitchen and bathrooms, along with carpets,
lifestyle products, garden tools and home appliances.
Info: www.adnec.ae
Abu Dhabi International Hunting &
Equestrian Exhibition (ADIHEX)
10-13 September
Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre
Increasingly recognized as Arabia’s most renowned
hunting and equestrian exhibition, this events gives
visitors an opportunity to enjoy camel auctions, saluki and
falcon beauty contests, coffee-making competitions and a
variety of traditional hunting and equestrian activities.
Info: www.adnec.ae
Disney On Ice - Rockin’ Ever After
10-13 September
Dubai World Trade Centre
Disney On Ice is synonymous with good entertainment
for the family. The show, which has been viewed by 30
million people over 75 countries, is appreciated for its
musical and dance extravaganza. The version of the event
that is coming to Dubai, entitled Rockin’ Ever After, is
touring internationally for the first time, and hasn’t yet
been seen outside of the US. Tickets are available at Virgin
stores and online.
Info: www.facebook.com/DisneyOnIceME

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GET DRIVE FIT @
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Stay upTEMPO! Like and follow us on our social media:
these happenings are the talk of the town
Also join our FB group, TEMPO - TEMPOPLANET, to stay updated on our community events dedicated to
the arts, music, and fashion!
@tempoplanetAbu Dhabi Tempo @abudhabitempo
WORLD CLASSICAL MUSIC SERIES
18 SEPTEMBER, THE ONE & ONLY ROYAL MIRAGE, DUBAI
BEAUTY PICK OF THE MONTH
HANDPICKED ATLAS MOUNTAIN WILD ARGAN OIL
POTTED POTTER (THE UNAUTHORIZED EXPERIENCE - A PARODY
BY DAN AND JEFF)
19-20 SEPTEMBER DUCTAC, MALL OF THE EMIRATES
As part of the World Classical Music Series, you can
experience a night of ballroom music by the Alliage
Quintet saxophone group. Regarded as one of the top
ensembles in Germany, Alliage is named after the French
word for alloy, in reference to the saxophone. It signifies
the sense of bringing different musicians together to
form a unifying set of sounds and music.
The World Classical Music series is organized by The
Dubai Concert Committee in conjunction with M
Premiere. All concerts will be held at the One and Only
Royal Mirage Hotel.
Details: www.dcc.ae
A parody of Harry Potter, this show attempts to squeeze
the entire series into a single stage play. Potted Potter is
written and directed by British entertainers Dan and
Jeff who have received an enthusiastic response from
audiences on the tour. The show has grown from a street
play, originally intended to entertain fans of the Harry
Potter books while they waited for the release of the
sixth book in the series, into an Olivier nominated show
now touring the globe.
Info: www.pottedpotter.com
Deep in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains in Morocco grows the wild Argan tree – the
only area in the world where it thrives naturally. Here local Berber women hand-pick and
meticulously hand-crack the best quality nuts, which are then slowly pressed to extract the
pure oil that is used in the new Wild Argan Oil Bath and Body care range from
The Body Shop.
For centuries, Berber women have used Argan oil, traditionally as part of their hamam
beauty rituals to protect and nourish their skin and hair from the harsh Saharan winds
and fierce sun. The oil is rich in essential fatty acids – including linoleic acid (Omega 6) – and
natural tocopherols, making it a superior skin-nourishing ingredient and earning it the
title “Queen of Oils”.

| Abu Dhabi | Ajman | Dubai | Fujairah | Ras Al Khaimah | Sharjah | Umm Al Quwain
6
7
8
9
10
Bang Bang
> Jessie J, Ariana Grande &
Nicki Minaj
Come Over
> Clean Bandit Feat. Stylo G
Break Free
> Ariana Grande Feat. Zedd
This is How We Do
> Katy Perry
Black Widow
> Iggy Azalea Feat. Rita Ora1
2
3
4
5
Amnesia
> 5 Seconds of Summer
Don’t
> Ed Sheeran
I’m Not The Only One
> Sam Smith
Loyal
> Chris Brown Feat. Lil Wayne,
Tyga & French Montana
Shower
> Becky G
now showing this month
Tempo’s movie buffs came together and discovered this month’s latest flicks in the Gulf.
For contests, ticket giveaways and
freebies, Like & Follow Tempo on
Facebook, Twitter & Instagram!
tempo movie reviews Follow #TempoReviews on Twitter for more.
A group of mutated warriors face off against
an evil kingpin who wants to take over New York.
Fun Fact: The film was originally to be called just
“Ninja Turtles”, but the “Teenage Mutant” part was
put in to please the fans when they expressed
negative feedback about it.
Directed by: Jonathan Liebesman
Cast: Megan Fox, Will Arnett, William Fichtner
In a seemingly perfect community, without war,
pain, suffering, differences or choice, a young boy
is chosen to learn from an elderly man about the
true pain and pleasure of the “real” world.
Fun Fact: In the original novel, Jonas and his
friends are twelve years old. However, for
the film they were aged up by four years.
Directed By: Phillip Noyce
Cast: Brenton Thwaites, Jeff Bridges, Meryl Streep
Some of Sin City’s most hard-boiled citizens cross
paths with a few of its more
reviled inhabitants.
Fun Fact: Besides the sequel coming in 7 years
later, the script is expected to incorporate two
original Sin City graphic novel stories, “A Dame
to Kill For” and “Just Another Saturday Night.”
Directed by: Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez
Cast: Mickey Rourke, Jessica Alba, Josh Brolin
Life changes in an instant for young Mia
Hall after a car accident puts her in a coma.
During an out-of-body experience, she must
decide whether to wake up and live a life far
different than she had imagined.
Fun Fact: The film was shot in Vancouver,
Canada miles away from where lead Chloë shot
her scary film, Carrie.
Directed by: R.J. Cutler
Cast: Chloë Grace Moretz, Mireille Enos, Jamie Blackley
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Genre: Action | Adventure | Comedy
TEMPO PREDICTION:
The Giver
Genre: : Drama | Sci-fi
TEMPO PREDICTION:
Sin City: A Dame to Kill For
Genre: Action | Crime | Thriller
Tempo Prediction:
If I Stay
Genre: Drama
Tempo Prediction:
POWERED BY
Auden
Age: 18
Nationality: British-Emirati
Genre(s): Indie Pop/Folk
Inspirations: John Mayer, Kings of Leon, Life in General
Favorite Artist(s): Betty Who, Hozier, Ed Sheeran, Sam Smith
Music Dreams: Recording contract, playing for a lot of people and
collaborating with Betty Who.
Follow me on Twitter: @its_auden Facebook: facebook.com/itsauden
SHOUT OUT: ARE YOU A SINGER/BAND AND WANT TO BE FEATURED IN “MUSIC HIGH FIVE”? DROP A LINE ON EDITORIAL@TEMPOPLANET.COM
AND BE SURE TO JOIN THE TEMPO - TEMPOPLANET FACEBOOK GROUP
Watch my High Five video here
SHOUT OUT: ARE YOU A SINGER/BAND AND WANT TO BE FEATURED IN “TEMPO HIGH FIVE”? DROP A LINE ON EVENTS@TEMPOPLANET.COM
AND BE SURE TO JOIN THE TEMPO - TEMPOPLANET FACEBOOK GROUP

infographix
Ever wondered what items are literally the best-sellers? Alex Hillsberg from FinanceOnline gives us the scoop
on which brands have more than enough coming into their companies’ piggy banks.

photo tripping
By Shahid Saeed
Light Painting Photography
Light painting photography is a technique that involves use of a hand-held camera to
capture a light source. It has three basic techniques: light painting, light drawing and
kinetic light painting. Light painting is using handheld light to selectively illuminate or
colour parts of the subject. Light drawing is shining a light source towards the camera
to draw a shape; it requires a slow shutter speed. Kinetic light painting requires moving
the camera in a dark place…the camera can be taken off the tripod and used like a
paintbrush to stroke the light. Here I show a few examples of each technique:
PLACE: Heritage Park, Abu Dhabi
TITLE: Palm Tree
SETTING: Manual Mode
PURPOSE OF THE SHOT: “Light drawing a shot
with handheld light source”
CAMERA MODEL: Canon EOS 40D
F-STOP/APERTURE: f/8
ISO: 200
SHUTTER SPEED: 24 sec
TIP: Photography is more than a medium for
factual communication of ideas. It is a creative
art. (Ansel Adams)
TITLE: Tram
PURPOSE OF THE SHOT: “Light drawing shot
ISO: 200
TIP: Photography, as a powerful medium of
expression and communications, offers an
infinite variety of perception, interpretation and
execution. (Ansel Adams)
TITLE: Light Painting a Subject
PURPOSE OF THE SHOT: “Light painting a shot
ISO: 200
TIP: There are always two people in every
picture: the photographer and the viewer.
(Ansel Adams)

“Mesmerizing Jabel Jais”
THE GROUP:
ABU DHABI PHOTOGRAPHERS
THE CHALLENGE: To capture the sunset and stars at the peak of Jabel Jais, the highest and
certainly one of the most popular destinations in the UAE. Jabel Jais offers stunning vistas of
mountains and star trails, as well as sunsets over beautiful peaks.
This meetup was co-hosted by UAE Landscapers. A group of 30 photographers took part in this
amazing opportunity to take beautiful photos of a unique setting.
ABOUT: Abu Dhabi Photographers (ADP) is a group of photography enthusiasts who meet
regularly to capture beautiful shots and to share knowledge and experiences. The group is
managed by BrandMoxie.
ANNOUNCEMENT: 500px Global Photo Walk 2014
Abu Dhabi Photographers are hosting the 500px Global Photo Walk 2014 in
collaboration with 500px.com. The Walk will take place on Saturday, September 6
from 5:00am to 7: 30am from the UAE Flag Pole area beside the
Abu Dhabi Theater. Mark your calendars!
shutterbug
adp
Akhter HasanIrene Garcia Leon
Vineet Suthan

Summer vacation is coming to an end for most students, and a
new academic year will soon begin.
When I was 14 going into the 10th grade, my mother recommended I read The 7 Habits of
Highly Effective Teens, a self-help book by smarty-pants Sean Covey. You can imagine my
cynicism and endless eye-rolling. I’m sure there are plenty of open-minded teenagers with
wonderfully proactive intellects who would be delighted with such a book… but I barely
read nonfiction. I was more into a good detective story, a melancholy Thomas Hardy novel
or anything from the fantastical Chronicles of Narnia series.
7 RABBITS OF HIGHLY
DEFECTIVE TEENSBy Rhea Oommen
So I never actually read 7 Habits - my mother, bless her, never forced me to. It’s obviously a
great motivational book but now as I approach 19, my final year as a ‘teen’ (physically rather
than emotionally), I can look back at life and say that I turned out just fine, with a larger
than life attitude and a ridiculous sense of humor.
As I have yet to discover what the 7 habits of highly effective teens are, my love for fluffy
animals in literature and media has inspired me to create the 7 Rabbits of Highly Defective
Teens. Not only do they take me back to a time of old-school animation of cartoon charac-
ters with brilliant personalities, but they also provide insight into the types of people you
find in school (or workplace).
Bugs
He’s worldly. It could be his
suave grey coat, his New York
accent or all the vitamin A from
the carrots. Whatever it is, this
trickster always comes out on
top. Sure, he might be living all
alone in a hole, but sometimes
you need your own space when
you’re on top. Lesson: How to be
like him? Act smart. Act cocky.
You’ll make friends, you’ll make
enemies, but you’ll be remembered by both for the rest of your life.
Jessica
Jessica Rabbit is the foxiest lady-toon out there. Girls want to
look like her, boys want to look at her, but to old souls she’s
an immoral pile of lipstick and cigarettes. She is a devoted
wife to dim-witted Roger Rabbit, so take this gorgeous dame
seriously when she says, with a bat of an eyelash, “I’m not
bad, I’m just drawn that way”. Lesson: Like many beautiful
girls who get criticized for showing some skin,
she’s just misunderstood.
Hare
Another folktale, The Tortoise and the
Hare reveals how the underdog can
defeat its advantaged opponent. The hare
possesses big headed qualities (much
like Bugs Bunny) and decides to take a
nap in the middle of a race. The tortoise,
hopelessly slow-moving and born this
way, takes advantage of the hare’s
laziness and wins. Lesson: Competition
with others should not be one’s sole
intention but competition within oneself
could put one in the lead.
Mr. Bun
If you are familiar with Bill Watterson’s Calvin &
Hobbes, then you would probably still don’t know who
Mr. Bun is. He is girl-next-door Susie Derkin’s stuffed
rabbit. With no alternate reality and no personality, he’s
forgotten. Lesson: This proves that being a bit on the
wild, crazy and lazy side (like obnoxious Calvin) is not
altogether a bad thing. It builds character!
Oolong
If you have no idea what I’m talking about, here’s a bunny
with a pancake on his head. Defective is just another word
for flawed or imperfect. And we all are! Lesson: If you were
working all summer, or in summer school, or just not a school
person, cheer up. September will end soon and we can wait
for our next set of holidays: winter break, my favourite time
of year. That’s when all us defective bunnies don a Santa hat,
chew on peppermint sticks and sing carols until the effective
ones give us presents because they just can’t survive
without us!
Easter
Inspired by religious folklore passed down
from generation to generation, the tale of the
Easter Bunny is a mystical one. In reality, this
kid is sweet-natured, generous and always
covered in chocolate and candy. With a big
heart and nothing better to do, he or she
is ready to shower you with tiny presents.
Lesson: May turn out to be absolutely useless
to you, but charming to have around.
White Rabbit
“I’m late! I’m late! For a very important date”, cries The
White Rabbit in the 1951 film Alice in Wonderland.
He’s the only one in your group of friends who dresses
formally and treasures archaic accessories such as
pocket watches. He’s the mysterious one who’s always
in a hurry, but who knows what he’s up to! Maybe he
has a tea party to attend or maybe he’s part of the secret
service. Lesson: The only way to find out? Follow him!

teen vox pop
GOING BACK TO SCHOOL OR UNI?
FIVE TIPS FOR A SMOOTH TRANSITION
What is the
most exciting
discovery of
all time?
Sophia Grifferty, 17
American Community School
Abu Dhabi
The most exciting discovery would
be telephones because they connect
people all around the world, help
to create jobs, and create so many
opportunities for people who don’t
usually have access.
Jessica Lou-Hing, 17
British School Al Khubairat
Technology. The forever evolving
technology allows us to learn and
discover more about the planet we
live on – being able to travel further
into the deep seas to being able to
travel to the moon and live on Mars.
Julia Grifferty, 16
Abu Dhabi
Fire. The discovery of fire “sparked”
man’s ability to utilize energy that has
allowed for humanity’s progression.
Louise Christodoulides, 17
Space travel. Discovering that
people can live on Mars and can be
transported there shows how
far our technology has advanced.
Maamoun Kassab Bachi, 14
Abu Dhabi
For me, fire was the most exciting
discovery because it became a new
source of light and heat.
Mareya Khouri, 15
An understanding of nature. Imagine
the colour changing of reindeer eyes
– they’re gold in the summer, but blue
in the winter.
Meghna Choudhary, 17
Abu Dhabi
Oil in the UAE was a very exciting
discovery. Without it the UAE would
not be half as advanced as it is now.
Danielle Harris, 18
Abu Dhabi
The most exciting discovery was
that there was a whole other world
outside our own.
It’s time to get back to school or
university; time for activities,
sports, clubs, and homework. If
you’re a student this can be a hectic
time, but you can make the most
of your transition from relaxing
summer days by following these
easy-to-do tips.
1. Get excited!
It’s time to see your friends again! Many of
them have traveled around the world for
summer break. It’s exciting to exchange
summer stories and catch up with the
people you love to be around. Remember
all of the great activities you participated in
last year? It’s time for another year of that
and more. Do you enjoy films and plays?
Are you good with technology? Join a tech
club or tech class to further your interest.
School and university are there to not only
challenge you but to also help you find what
you’re interested in. So why not give
things a try?
2. Buy school supplies early
School supplies are vital for a student’s
success. Who knows, you might need a
couple notebooks even on the first day
of school. Make sure you have all of the
binders and paper and pencils and pens you
need. Make a list of essential materials and
ask your teachers or counselors for a list of
what you need to buy. This helps protect
the family budget. It might also be time
to purchase more pricey items, such as a
laptop or a scientific calculator.
3. Don’t over-shop for clothes
Ask yourself this: how many clothes do I
really need? Think about the dent made in
your parents’ bank account last year. Make
sure you spend your money only on clothes
you need. Before you shop, empty your
drawers and closet of outgrown or worn-
out clothing, and either store or donate
them. Organize the rest of your clothes
and check for hand-me-downs from older
siblings or friends. Once you’ve done this,
you’ll be able to make a list of clothes you
need to buy for the year.
4. Organize your materials and workplace
It is so important to be organized so you can
deal with all the challenges that come with
the new academic year. By now, your desk
might be covered in last year’s forgotten
schoolwork. This isn’t exactly a place
that encourages focus or organization.
The solution is to organize your desk in a
way that works for you. Make room for
day-to-day materials, like your laptop or
homework papers.
5. Don’t do your summer work the night
before the first day of school
Don’t upset your new teachers by not
completing your summer work or doing
it last minute. Finishing your work ahead
of time also keeps your stress levels down
so you can enjoy your first day of school.
So do your reading, finish that untouched
packet that’s sitting on your desk, and make
an impressive start to your school year.
It’s important to get at least eight hours
of sleep every night, so you can calculate
the hour at which you’ll need to get up for
school and count backwards eight hours or
so. Melissa Dertian, High School Theater/
Film teacher at ACS says, “Lots of students
are sleepy and not as focused those first
few days of school. As teachers we want
to jump right into material, and that may
not be the best if the students are still
struggling to get themselves back into
the schedule.”
By Sophia Grifferty

Chad
Goldsworthy
LIFE MUSIC FOOD TRAVELABOUT ME
< Angeli Castillo
Chad
Goldsworthy
Profession: Musician
Nationality: South African
Motto: Change is good, but growth is better.
Most valued possession: It would have to
be my guitar.
I hang out most at: Small local music events or
quite peaceful places.
I cannot live without: My guitar or camera.
The person who inspires me the most: There
is no ‘one’ person, it’s a mixture of Christofer
Drew, Ben Howard, Matt Corby, Will Rendle,
Jason Mraz... the list goes on.
Five things I need for survival: Guitar, camera,
headband, notebook to write lyrics and draw in,
soy chocolate milk... Haha.
Car I’d like to own: A restored Ford Model T.
A typical day in my life: I take ages to wake up,
go have some coffee. Then I sit for hours playing
guitar, do a bit of work (as little as possible). Near
the end of the day I like to be alone in my room,
burn some incense and either do meditation or
write music.
I see myself (in 10 years): I don’t really ever try
seeing myself in the future. Of course I hope to
be successful in music, but I prefer to just live in
the moment and focus on the present. “Now is
better than then.”
My idea of peace: I don’t think peace is
something that can be explained; it’s more
of a state of mind of a single person and is
different to everyone. I think peace can come
from being true to yourself, to others and most
of all by being very thoughtful. I also think in
order to come upon peace, you need to base
your thoughts and actions on what you believe is right,
rather than basing them as a response to another person’s
actions. As Martin Luther King said, “Darkness cannot
drive out darkness.”
My goal in life: To not only make others happy, but to
inspire them to do the same.
Random act of kindness I’ve performed in 2014: I try to
be kind in all that I do; I believe that kindness comes from
consistency. So I make sure to be kind in all that I do and
focus on the benefits of others rather than for myself,
which is why I also prefer not to talk specifically about
kind acts I do because I feel that kind acts should just be
done, and not flaunted.
Who deserves a big old thank you: Everyone who has
ever been a part of life in any way, be it good or bad, has
shaped me into who I am, and I like who I am.
Found your purpose? Some people know very early in
life why they are here. They talk about calling, the reason
they were put on this earth. Others don’t find it till much
later… I have yet to find a single purpose for my life; all
I know is that I have the power to inspire people and to
make people happy through my music, and whatever may
come from that is a lovely purpose to have.
Craziest thing I’ve done: I once tried exploding a trash can
with some spray paint. After not being able to light it the
‘safer’ way, I stuck my arm right down inside the bin to
light it... Let’s just say, I once had a fringe, and then my
fringe was no more.
My earliest memory: The earliest I can remember was the
first time I ever experienced firecrackers, I was about 4 or 5
and my grandpa showed them to me on his farm. I can just
remember being in the garden with him, my brother and
the dogs, lighting tiny little crackers under the sand.
I would most likely be stuck in an elevator with:
If I were to choose someone, I’d probably choose the
elevator technician haha, because yeah I hate elevators.
My current Last SONG syndrome (LSS): Any song by Ben
Howard. Because as well as having good vibes, his songs
are always so well thought out and you can just feel every
single thing he’s trying to say.
My idea of a perfect weekend: Music events, good food,
lots of sleep, time with friends, family and
some alone time.
I would most like to be in: Venice Beach in California. I’ve
been there before and fell in love with it; everyone is so
different, loving and accepting. It’s my heaven.
A historical event that I would have loved to see:
Coachella Festival in 1969, because the line-up
was amazing.
Fave dessert: Dark chocolate, I use to just have normal
chocolate, but since becoming vegan I’ve gone to only dark.
Fave drink: A glass of water, because I loooooove water.

UAE PARKOUR:
FREEDOM IN MOVEMENT
By Sophia Grifferty
Parkour is a happening sport that has made an exciting debut in the UAE. Tempo chatted with
Hesham Kamel, founder of UAE Parkour, and members Eyad Almarouj and Steve Moss, of the only
organised parkour group in the country.
Parkour requires a person to move from point A to point B as efficiently as
possible using certain types of movements like vaults, wall runs, precisions and
cat leaps “through the quickest route, and around any object that may lie in the
way - whether wall or a large jump.”
Kamel explains that parkour was originally developed as a part of military
course training in France. Parkour has been recognized as an art and sport of
human movement, that includes balancing, jumping, handstands,
climbing and flips.
Almarouj describes the movements, “Parkour is mostly about efficiency
involving speed vaults and jumps. It also features ‘freerunning,’ where flips and
tricks are involved, but these are not optimal for speed.”
UAE Parkour was founded in 2006 in Abu Dhabi, and the team plans to expand
around the country. The team, currently comprised of 10 dedicated practitioners,
trains in the ‘urban art’ which includes freerunning and ‘tricking’.
Kamel says awareness about the sport is increasing. “People come to watch our
high flying stunts at our training spots around the city and to see our shows,”
he says. The team has weekly jams on Fridays that change locations each week.
At the jams the team shares ideas for jumps and movements and learns new

techniques while helping one another. The jams are open to anyone who
wants to join or watch.
The team practices as often as they can throughout the week. Kamel says he trains
almost every day, “I try mainly to improve my body shape and skills with my
training routine.”
What inspired the group members to do parkour is their shared passion for the
movement and the spirit of the sport. To Kamel, parkour is more than a sport, but
more of a lifestyle. Prior to parkour, he was a gymnast with Muai Thai background,
a martial arts group, but he says that he always believed he could challenge his
body even more. So he threw his energy into parkour. “I hate rules, so parkour
gives me freedom to improve my own style and vision.”
Moss became involved with parkour growing up in London. “It looked exactly
like the kind of thing I spent my childhood doing, and it looked like fun. I got into
parkour after I saw a BBC advertisement on Jump London”.
Almarouj and other members of the group were inspired to start after watching
the French film District 13. “It is an uncompetitive, friendly, challenging and a great
way of expressing your creativity.” For aspiring parkour athletes Kamel suggests
gradual immersion. “Enjoy the training journey and don’t stress about getting
fast results, because perfection takes time. Have fun with what you practice
and keep it safe.”
Moss’ advice is: “Don’t go for the big jumps first. Start small and build up
strength. Parkour is all about learning what you are capable of, so start with
small challenges and make them bigger as you conquer your fears.” Moss
adds that parkour is a different kind of experience that gives new meaning
to sports and active living. Joining parkour, you will meet with “traceurs”
and “traceuses” – male and female parkour practitioners. “They are the nicest
people you could ever want to meet. We’ll show you what you are capable of
and open your eyes to a new type of freedom”.
UAE Parkour offers weekly classes in Abu Dhabi and Dubai for beginners,
alongside the weekly jams in which both athletes and
beginners participate.
From L to R Steve Moss, Zak Awalu, Hesham Kamel, MD (Mohamed
Ghanem), Adouchana, Eyad Almarouj (in front)
For more information go to www.uaeparkour.com or email Kamel at uae.parkour@gmail.com.

Not So Traditional Milk Tart
FOOD FOR THOUGHT:
A YOUNG MASTERCHEF
Funny enough, growing up Khumo didn’t
dream of being a cook, but a pilot! Even
so she was consumed with a passion for
cooking that was instilled in her at a young
age by her grandmother. Before moving
to the UAE in 2006, Khumo spent a lot of
time with her grandparents in South Africa,
where her grandmother was the
undisputed master chef of the family.
“I remember from a very young age that
she always cooked at home, and will never
forget waking up to the smell of her freshly
baked bread or scones,” shares Khumo.
While in Abu Dhabi, Khumo decided to
take a gap year before pursuing a career in
aviation. It was during this time that she
was able to reflect on what she enjoyed
doing, and to nurture her culinary pursuits.
“I became obsessed with food channels
and experiencing food from other people’s
perspectives, so I began to experiment with
different cuisines and techniques. That was
when my passion took off.”
Khumo had always been a fan of
MasterChef and always dreamed of taking
part in the show if ever it came to the UAE
or South Africa. And then the South Africa
auditions were announced…
“When the first season started I chickened
out and didn’t go. But when auditions for
the second season were announced, my
friend convinced me to enter. No one took
my auditioning seriously, not even me; it
was just something that I thought may
be fun to do.”
By Chequinah Coutinho
Surprisingly, Khumo not only passed the
auditions but also managed to be part the
top 10 finalists of the competition…whilst
also being the youngest contestant
that season!
“People tend to underestimate me because
of my age, which always frustrates me. I
sometimes wish that people can overlook
my age and concentrate on what is more
important, the food.”
She is also taken aback by her influence
over others. “I have young girls telling me
that they want to be like me! Being an
inspiration to someone is mind blowing.”
After MasterChef, Khumo took the plunge
and enrolled in cooking school and got her
culinary diploma, whilst also working at
a couple of South Africa’s top restaurants.
She is now her own boss and works in
the UAE as a personal chef, a career that
involves cooking for small groups of up to 25
people, and serving up five course feasts for
adventurous foodies and gourmands.
“I am very much open to eating and cooking
new foods. I never shoot something down
without trying it and I am always for
experiencing new cuisines. But I am a firm
believer in South African cuisine; it is under
represented in global cuisine. My goal in life
is to make South African cuisine as famous
as French food. I love my country’s food; we
have some of the best meats in the world
and we are very rich in culture. And just
like Arab cuisine we use a lot of the spices.”
Khumo appreciates the sensual nature of
cooking. “It’s about putting love, warmth,
There’s possibly no bigger challenge for a
cook than to take part in the TV cooking
show MasterChef. For the 20 year-old
South African, now based in Abu Dhabi,
it was a spur of the moment decision. She
auditioned for MasterChef South Africa
and, she tells Tempo, it was a decision that
changed the course of her life!
happiness, and excitement onto a plate. I’ve
found that my happy place is in the kitchen;
it is about taking a simple ingredient and
turning it into something amazing; about
experimenting and creating
mouthful explosions.”
Method:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
Whisk together flour, sugar, and salt
in a large bowl. Blend in butter with
your fingertips or a pastry blender until
mixture resembles coarse meal with some
small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps. Beat
together yolk and water with a fork and
stir into flour mixture until
combined well.
Gently knead mixture in bowl with
floured hands just until a dough forms.
Turn out dough onto a lightly floured
surface and knead gently 4 or 5 times
more. Form dough into a ball, chill, wrap
tightly in plastic wrap, at least 1 hour.
Roll out dough into 1 cm disk. Cut into
size of tart tin or a muffin tin. No need
to grease the tin as the pastry contains
enough fat. Prick the pastry with a fork
and for 12 minutes, or until slightly golden.
Heat the milk with cardamom, vanilla
pod and cinnamon stick in a medium pot
(do not boil). Remove spices when milk
is ready. Beat the yolks and sugar until
creamy and light then add the flours and
salt - the mixture will be quite thick. Add
some warm milk to the egg mixture and
then return all of it to the pot. Bring to the
boil and whisk constantly until thickened.
Remove from the heat and whisk in the
butter. Whisk the egg whites in a clean
bowl until soft peaks form and fold into
the custard. Pour into the pastry case and
sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake for
30+ minutes.
Set aside and enjoy cold.
Ingredients
For the Crust:
1 1/2 cups all purpose
Pinch salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter,
cold and cut into cubes
1/4 cup castor sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon of cold water
For the filling:
2 cup milk
2 eggs, separated
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup corn flour
pinch salt
2 Tbs butter
1 Vanilla pod
1 Cardomon pod
1 Cinammon stick
Ground cinnamon

Profession: Student
Nationality: American
KATRINA
SCARLETT
WEISSKOPF
PHOTOGRAPH BY:
Angeli Castillo
FASHION STATEMENT:
Love child of a bohemian and modern day hipster.
PERSONAL STYLE:
Everyday is a surprise.
FAVE BUY OF THE PAST MONTH:
A new pair of gnarly harem pants. Love Liebe
Amore them!
FAVE STORE?
My favorite store would have to be H&M. You can go
from buying a pretty little peplum top to getting an
oversized flannel. Top places to shop in UAE, I’d say it
really depends on what you’re looking for. There are so
many big malls here where you can buy anything, but
my personal favourites are the small shops tucked away
where I find edgy treasures.
FASHION PET HATES?
I’m not a fan of the extreme preppy look, although it’s
great on some people, it just isn’t ‘‘me’’.
DOES THE UAE HAVE STYLE?
Of course the UAE has style! The uniqueness and variety
of incredible styles vary and are as unique and diverse
as the community that makes the UAE nifty.

ABAYA ALLURE:
NABRMAN BOUTIQUE
You don’t need to be a fashion
maven to see that the ‘abaya,’
a traditional garment worn
by women in this region,
has blossomed into a fashion
statement that is bold and
replete with exciting and fresh
permutations. In the vanguard of
the Emirati fashion movement is
abaya designer Hend Almutawa,
who owns Dubai based Nabrman
Boutique. She shares her story…
“I am an open minded person. I love
to meet people and socialize. I guess
people meeting me for the first time
will definitely feel comfortable. I love
spending time with my family and
friends. I live everyday life by the
motto, ‘Live today like there’s
no tomorrow’.
“It all started back when I was in my
senior year at university. I started
making designs for myself that were
unconventional yet respectful to our
culture and beliefs. From there, I started
my business at home for almost a year,
then in 2009 successfully opened my
boutique Nabrman on
Jumeirah road.
“Nabrman, means ‘white flower’ in
Turkish. It is a symbol of purity and
modesty. Nabrman offers classy,
unique and modern abayas. The
boutique is known for its hospitality
and welcoming atmosphere. Customers
really appreciate the contemporary and
modern look of the abayas
that we innovate.
“Change is a constant in any company, as things are evolving
and happening all the time. The main challenge we face in our
business is in the need for new designs, as each season has to
have a different style, look, colours, and trends.
“Nabrman has also come out with jalabiyas that have
been appreciated by our customers. We are soon
planning to launch dresses for party wear. These will
feature ‘laser’ creations, embroidery designs as well as
different abaya cuts and French laces”.
A collection of
Hend’s signature abayas.

Award-winning poet and Tempo
contributor, Dorian “Paul D” Rogers
chatted with poet Samantha Thornhill
about her poetic endeavors and upcoming
trip to the UAE in 2015.
Paul D: You were born in Trinidad but
raised mostly in the states. How did those
years in your homeland impact
your perspective?
Samantha: Trinidad & Tobago is a nation
comprised of people of African and East
Indian descent. I grew up seeing doctors,
dhabi dames
No Place Like Home
articulate cafe
FEATURING: SAMANTHA THORNHILL
lawyers, policeman, judges, and business
owners of color. When I came to the States,
particularly the media images that were
being presented to me showed a world
where whites were in positions of power,
while blacks, in particular, were subjugated.
Doctors were white. Janitors were black.
Prisoners were black. Guards and wardens
were white. Because I came from a country
where people of colour ran things, I knew
that what I was seeing on the screen was
not reflective of the reality I’d known. This
is just one example of many.
Paul D: That sounds like a major perspective
shift. We met at Florida State University
in 2001, and, since then, we’ve both
accomplished a lot in poetry and spoken
word. What would you consider your best
accolade in poetry?
Samantha: I was once asked to headline
at Celebrate Brooklyn at Prospect Park
Bandshell (a venue that holds thousands of
people) with Trinidad’s best calypsonian,
David Rudder. For the few months
leading up to this performance, I lived
with pure dread. It would have been my
biggest audience to date—many of them
Trinidadians—and there’s something about
performing for your own (and young
people!) that is scarier than performing for
any other group. At nights, I tossed, and
turned at the thought of getting booed
off a stage where people were going to
hear the sweet sounds of David Rudder…
not this poet! I don’t remember a period
of time where I doubted myself so much.
Next thing I knew, I was backstage, hearing
the announcer read my bio to a crowd of
thousands, and as soon as she said my name,
something happened. I kicked off my shoes,
and walked onto stage barefoot; I’d never
felt that powerful and confident in my life!
I performed for forty minutes flawlessly,
which resulted in a standing ovation.
I learned a lot that day. That my inner
reserves are more ready than I’ll ever be.
Paul D: That’s a beautiful story. It shows
what can be achieved when you believe in
your craft. After performing and publishing
for more than ten years, how would you say
the poetry scene has changed?
Samantha: Because many of the
performance poets of our generation are
elbow deep in the youth sector, we are
basically raising a new generation of poets
that are killing the game! If you’ve seen
Brave New Voices on HBO, you’ll see that
something really special has taken force
in the past ten years with the youth voice.
You also see poets that started out in spoken
word/ performance poetry self publishing
books and producing their own CD’s now
“legitimizing” themselves by pursuing
MFA’s, getting books published with
independent and trade presses, and landing
adjunct teaching opportunities poised
toward a tenure track life. After Black on
Black Rhyme, another poetry organization
that changed the game for me (and for many
others), is Cave Canem, which I argued
has changed the face of American poetry
by making it a few shades darker. Cave
Canem started out as a workshop retreat for
black poets; it has since expanded into an
institution in the minds of the lives it has
touched, which includes mine!
Yesterday, my nephew updated his status on Facebook: ‘Singapore is a great place to live
in. #BlessedToBeHere.’ In a second, someone replied: ‘Excuse me, Dubai is far better.’ Next
a New Yorker comments: ‘What‘s so special about Singapore? Aren’t the laws rigid and
too structured?’ My nephew hastened to explain his status wasn’t a ‘best livable city’
competition, and argued that one has to be happy wherever one is. And he was definitely
happy to be in Singapore. Now I couldn’t help commenting, ‘But of course, Abu Dhabi is by
far the best. ;)’
Home is the ‘best’ place where you’re truly happy. But where is home? At present, for us
expatriates who have sunk our roots deep in this great city; this is our home. It’s when we
travel out for holidays that we realize how comfortable our living standards in this city
are, and how much we take for granted.
Take gas for instance. When filling the petrol tank in Barcelona a quarter gallon cost you
some 20 euros. Just as soon as you figured out the filling instructions and find the button
that opens the petrol tank, the cost hits you in your face. Here in the UAE, while sitting
comfortably ensconced on the driver’s seat, shades on, listening to Radio One, you tell the
pleasant man who is ready to fill your tank, “Full super” without batting an eyelid. Bonus:
He wipes your windshield too.
And it doesn’t end there! Right to your doorstep, just a phone call away, a cheerful delivery
boy from a ‘Baqala’ satisfies your chocolate bar or ginger ale craving. Nowhere in the
world do you get this kind of service.
Last evening we were at Spinneys and my husband’s wallet was sticking out of his back
pocket, and he walked without a care. That’s our safety net. In Barcelona this would
never do. We were warned many times to be careful with wallets, handbags and to leave
everything in the hotel safe.
Remember the old Mina fish market? You get many varieties of fresh fish, imported and
local, with men hankering to clean them for a small fee. It’s an experience for all new
expats. The newly opened air-conditioned market with state of the art modern technology,
its smell and smoke free zone, makes a walk inside as pleasurable as walking on the
Corniche. But there’s the flip side too. Somehow the joy is missing from the workers’ faces;
here there’s a cultural divide between the seller and the buyer.
Well, not so at the El Boqueria market on the Rambla which is a spectacular sight and
a must-visit for all tourists. It has character. It has élan. And it smelled a bit. There were
mounds of chocolate, dried fruits, colored sweets, intricately carved fruit, a variety of juices,
fish, and all kinds of meat. Happy couples, sometimes the whole family, were involved
selling the produce. Here a pretty lady sliced fish with dexterity, while a young man joked
about giant ostrich eggs. Whatever your heart desired was laid out in front. Multitudes
walked in close proximity to each other, and yet it did not seem offensive. People queued
to get a table at El Quim, whose restaurateur was made famous on TV for his exquisite
gourmet creations.
Both clothes shopping and shoe shopping in Barcelona are a pleasure whereas things are
more expensive here in the UAE. A restaurant owner in Gerona bewailed that with the
economy not doing so well, fewer people could afford his restaurant. They preferred the
cheaper fast food in touristy places.
There’s a mellow kindness about the people there, which seems to be missing here. Pretty
women taxi drivers in their little black dresses were caring, and tough in handling luggage.
The men are overly polite, and bow their shoulders humbly to say you’re welcome. At
the railway station, a sprightly man, who appeared from nowhere, showed us the bus to
get to Park Guell. Then he bowed his head, to ask for a small tip if possible. They depend
heavily on tourists; in contrast in the UAE you might get a rare dose of nouveau-riche expat
arrogance or indifference.
But all kudos to our city fathers who ensure that a vibrant mix of cultures is able to flourish
in Abu Dhabi making it ideally livable while maintaining the unique traditions and culture
of the Emirates. I have gleaned a little more about the world with this last visit to Barcelona
and I would agree with Thomas Jefferson when he says: The happiest moment of my life
have been the few which I have passed at home in the bosom of my family.
SCAN HERE FOR THE
EXTENDED
INTERVIEW ON
TEMPOPLANET.COM.
Greetings from
Trinidad!
By Marien Oommen

A personal viewpoint:
The Trials and Tribulations of
Applying for University
Back to the Grind?
BACK TO SCHOOL FEVER
I speak on behalf of all my fellow high
schoolers when I say that applying for
university is probably one of the most
stressful things a teenager is faced with.
Not only are sixteen and seventeen year
old children burdened by the future
of their existence, but also under the
pressure of the university
admissions process.
The first step in the process is the college
hunt. What makes this step challenging is
your own fickleness. In my case, I changed
my mind about my desired field of study
several times. First I wanted to become
a writer, then a forensic scientist, and
now I think my calling may be political
science or corporate law. All these fields
are dissimilar; they require different
courses and different qualification and
academic requirements. I chose to study
higher-level biology back when I believed
I would be a zoologist. In hindsight, and as
a result of the change, I should have taken
up high-level business and management.
Although this seemed like a catastrophe
at the time, with the help of my guidance
counselor and determination, I was able to
adjust to the change.
Step two is deciding on the university
you want to go to. Although not anyone’s
favourite pastime, researching everything
there is to know ahead of time can
prepare you well. I have learned so much
about the universities I’m interested in,
including their likelihood of accepting
international students, the requirements
for certain majors, and whatever available
financial aid there is. I am still drowning
in research, but that has not stopped me
for moving forward to the third and
final step.
The final, most crucial step is creating
a portfolio; one that defines you as a
person and as a student. Your portfolio
must include a personal statement and
anything else that showcases your
talents or proves your worth to your
community. My portfolio is a refection
of my best work; it is chockfull of my
artistic and academic achievements
including my Royal Academy of Dance
exam certificates, dance awards, Royal
Music Institute piano exam certificates,
paintings, SAT scores, volunteer work
documents, and lots more.
The greatest challenge is to finish all three
steps on time as deadlines are set with
expectation of compliance – this means
that procrastination is your worst enemy!
With all of this going on, it is no wonder
that I was lost, frustrated and exhausted
this past year. But I stuck with it, and I
believe that with the right mindset and
proper organization anyone can do it.
By Nisma Hamid By Mugdha Sunil Polimera
Epiphanies of the College Season
By Danielle Harris
September is here and summer is officially
over (or so they say, but I still recommend
sunscreen). We welcome the idea of
getting back to work. Okay, not welcome,
but more like, experience the start of day
with the dreaded alarm and the grudging
process of dragging ourselves back to work.
With the majority of the students here
being expats, the college season is one of
both excitement and sad goodbyes. In my
graduating class alone only a handful of us
will be going to a college with other alumni.
Most of us will be scattered across countries,
provinces, and states cementing the harsh
reality that as of now, we are no longer a
unified class. It’s strange to think that I will
no longer be attending the same school
with the same people that I have been. Even
now I am not sure the full gravity of the
situation has hit yet. When I went to the
ceremony last June, many of the parents
asked me how I felt about the whole event.
Right then, I had no idea. I understood
things would change, but up until now I
hadn’t realised how much. After spending
the last week with college on my mind I’ve
had a few epiphanies that have changed the
way I felt about the college move.
The largest challenge, I realised, will be
first month of college. It is that time span
that can either make or break your college
experience. I’ve heard time and time again
from alumni and parents that the friends
they made in the first weeks, were some of
their most important. Friends can always
be made later, but its best to seize every
opportunity handed to you. In addition
the first month is a time to re-adjust to my
home country. As of now I have lived in the
UAE for seven years and Jordan for two.
Even though I’ve spent my childhood in
the US, a lot of my views and ideals now
clash with my long term friends. I have
to remember how things work and adjust
with that in mind. Furthermore, the first
month is a time of independence, which
is both exciting and a challenge. Cleaning,
shopping, and budgeting are now full time
responsibilities. To someone who has had
little responsibilities other than school,
these new factors cause much anxiety.
Although the beginning of the college
year seems really challenging, there are
many things I am excited for. In fact, the
challenges themselves are what I find most
exciting. After living a life of high mobility,
there is something incredible about starting
all over again. The freedom to be and do
what you want with no presumptions, is
worth the anxiety of the move. I’m excited
to make mistakes, learn about my major,
and learn how to better adapt to the future.
College is a great learning experience. It
may seem irrelevant to many of those who
are not attending, but somehow I know that
the lessons learned in college help for the
rest of your life, keeping college relevant no
matter how old or young you are.
Here’s hoping for the future, from a
graduated high school student.
Illustrations by: Brandon Clark, BSAK
Right? Think about it - would you really
rather do nothing?
The holiday spell is a good thing…I had a
wonderful summer of lazy mornings and
lazy afternoons and lazy nights with the
only adventures being gastronomical or
cinematic. I even went the extra mile and
took a trip to two other countries where I
did exactly all that over, minus the internet.
Then when I got back, my only major ‘job’
was to edit the photographs I clicked of the
trip. That made me ponder about my life.
During college days I’m generally busier
than a bee, and summer is supposed to be
different. But alas, life had changed me. I
have come to realize that the constant buzz
of the hive is what I crave; being on my toes
with work up to my ears. And – surprise,
surprise - I actually like it! I’m excited to
be heading back to the grind. Maybe it’s
hormones that make me crave the constant
action; I’m elated at the thought of being
swamped! But then again the ever so
capricious youthful mind might decide
to regress back to dormancy again. If that
happens, I’ll tell you guys know for sure. For
now, I have some reports to work on.

The Desert Bird
by Mariam Saeed Al Nuaimi
Rakibelcadillac is an old song about a man
who drives a Cadillac and is in love with a
local girl. In the afternoons he haunts her
neighborhood driving his Cadillac. The
girl returns his love and waits for him. The
man in this story is the same, but he drives
a 4x4 white Toyota and the girl is yet to
fall in love with him.
A 4x4 Toyota is not a distinguished car
in this city. The girl however noticed
it because it passed her villa every
afternoon. She sent out Vanessa, the
Filipino maid to investigate.
Vanessa came back excited.
“He’s a handsome man,” she said. “And he
intends to marry you.”
The girl felt a wave of conflicting
emotions. She tried to contain them.
“How much did he pay you?” she said.
Vanessa denied receiving any money.
“But what’s your answer to him?”
Vanessa said.
“I will give him an answer after we come
back,” the girl said.
They had planned to go camping in Wadi
Hatta the next day. The girl’s wish was to
drink tea in the desert before
summer comes.
Next day was busy, especially for Vanessa
who woke up early to prepare the food for
the trip. She never had much chance to
talk to the girl about the man.
The drive to Wadi Hatta was long because
the girl’s brother was afraid of speed. It
terrified him to be in a fast moving car.
The girl had instructed the driver not to
exceed 60 kph. The boy suffered from
Down Syndrome and the girl felt it was
her duty to look after him. She felt if
she were ever to marry, then it must be
to someone who was willing to give her
freedom and the time to look after her
brother. During the slow drive she was
looking out of the car window in deep
thought. Along the road sand dunes rose
and fell, but the girl did not seem to take in
anything at all.
It was lunchtime when they reached
their destination and the girl was already
hungry. But she helped her brother to eat
his food first. He seemed more interested
in drawing figures in the sand than eating.
It was his habit to fall asleep after lunch
and the driver erected a tent for him
to sleep in. Tired by the trip he went to
sleep as soon as he hit the pillow. The girl
looked at him as he slept. It brought her a
sense of sadness that he seemed to prefer
sleep more than wakefulness.
After eating her lunch she grabbed a flask
of tea and a cup and set off on her own.
When she was far off from the camp and
the tent where her brother slept looked
like a nesting small white dove she sat
on a high spot overlooking the wadi. She
poured herself a cup of tea. A twig of
mint came out of the flask as she poured
the tea. She took the twig in her mouth
and bit into it . The taste of the sugary tea
and mint was something that she wanted
to linger in her mouth. She wondered if
there was a way to describe the taste. Her
moment of enjoyment was short. She spat
the mint out. She had seen something in
the valley that disturbed her. It was the
white 4x4 Toyota.
She returned to the camp in an agitated
state. She was angry with Vanessa but she
needed her to take a message to the driver.
The answer to him was no.
A Proposal
By Shakir Hussain
FLASH FICTION IS A STYLE OF FICTIONAL LITERATURE
CHARACTERIZED BY BREVITY; WITH THE STANDARD BEING
A STORY OF UNDER 1000 WORDS.
DO YOU WRITE SHORT SHORT STORIES? We welcome stories up to 1000 words; the preferred lengths are 500 to 700 words. Send them to: editorial@tempoplanet.com
ZAYED UNIVERSITY’S AL KHARAREEF STORYTELLING CLUB
was created to enrich the legacy of the Emirati storytelling tradition
and contribute to the revival of this important cultural heritage
within the United Arab Emirates.
Last year, the Club in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Music &
Arts Foundation launched an Emirati cultural literacy project titled
the Story Mile, a collection of 48 original fables and folktales, written by students
from the Academic Bridge Program, illustrated by the College of Arts and Creative
Enterprise majors and translated by ZOWD volunteers into the language of its
characters, Emirati dialect.
The Story Mile tales, which are the first of a three volume series, were recently
published as a book in English and titled “Tales from the Emirates” in Arabic. The
stories not only share the storytelling tradition of the Emirates, but have also
introduced other key aspects of Emirati culture and are creating new footprints in
the sands of the cultural landscape of the UAE.
Once upon a time in Ras Al Khaimah, there was a beautiful, young damsel called
Fatima. After helping with the family chores each day, she would run into the
desert, singing songs of love and happiness.
One day, she saw a handsome man dismounting from his horse. Quickly, she hid.
“Who are you, O Desert Bird? I am enchanted by your voice,” he said. “I am Faisal,
the camel merchant’s son. I will make you my bride before the next crescent
moon.” She giggled and said. “If you love me, ask my father for my hand.” He
promised to do so and rode off.
One day, she saw a caravan of camels laden with trunks heading to another
village. At lunch, she heard her parents say that Faisal was marrying a girl from
the next town. Faisal had cheated her! Fatima was overwhelmed with sadness.
Her parents decided that only marriage to another would bring her happiness.
On the eve of her wedding, Fatima ran away from home. After trudging through
the night, she found a cave in which to sleep.
Filled with hatred for men, evil overcame her. Her legs turned into those of a
donkey, while her hands became two sharp blades. Night became her day. As she
roamed the sands under the moonlight, her sweet smell lured married men to
their doom.
Villagers realized that the men were vanishing, and vowed to solve the mystery.
As they lay in wait, the air was filled with a sweet scent as a female figure
appeared in the sands. One villager followed her into the cave, and the others
pounced. As the sun rose, they saw the name ‘Faisal’ carved on the cave wall.
Until today, people claim that at night, a sweetly smelling woman walks through
the desert. They are not sure if she is real or it is just their imagination, but they
can clearly hear the sad song she sings, “Men should never deceive
innocent women.”
ILLUSTRATOR:
Maitha bin Demaithan
“The air was filled with a sweet
scent as a female
figure appeared in the sands.”

Follow me on
@shahidaasi
game hedz
Blakniss
Original game head from Atari to XBox!
Shahid Saeed
Talker for the Non-Techies
CLASH OF THE NOTEBOOKSGAMES CON 2014 AND
SOMETHING EXTRA
BITS AND BYTES
MICHAEL JACKSON MUSIC VIDEO
PREMIERED ON TWITTER
The BBC reports the launch of a music video of previously unreleased
Michael Jackson footage. Epic Records has premiered the video for
the new Michael Jackson single on Twitter – certainly a coup for the
social network, which is more commonly used to provide links to
others’ material. To promote the event Twitter created a map showing
the late singer’s top-tweeted songs in different countries. The release
comes in the same week that the firm declared its goal was to bring
“more video into our users’ timelines”. Its intention is to make money
by charging for “promoted” slots.
MY FAV APP
tech talk
Download our Fave App
of this month here
EMIRATES 24|7: Emirates 24|7 News App provides useful news
information that you can use to improve your lifestyle and enhance
your professional and business capabilities. It provides clear and concise
information for readers, and a good overview of what’s happening
in the community.
(Shajeel Malik)
YOU CAN’T CHANGE THE COLOUR OF
FACEBOOK - IT’S A VIRUS
CNN announced the emergence of a scam app that claims it can change
the colour of your Facebook profile page,but that actually loads malware
onto your smartphone or computer. More than 10,000 people around the
world have been duped into downloading the malware, according to a
Cheetah Mobile Security blog post. When Facebook users click on the fake
app it sends them to a malicious website that asks them to watch a tutorial
video on how to change the colour of their profile page. By agreeing to
watch the video, the users give hackers access to their profiles, letting the
app spam their friends.
SAMSUNG ATIV BOOK M
Samsung has announced a new member of its ATIV
notebooks, the ATIV Book M, in South Korea. The
ATIV Book M is aimed at students due toits compact
size and weight of only 1.2 kg. It has also has a
revamped keyboard withinwardly curved keys,
which it touts as an improved typing experience. A
feature that students will find especially attractive is
the price: around EUR 570! A release in the
UAE is imminent.
Asus Transformer Book Trio TX201LA
Asus Transformer Book Trio TX201LA is unlike any hybrid device I have ever seen: it is equipped with a
complete Windows 8 system and an entire Android system as well. This makes it the world’s first dual-operating
system laptop. Switching between OS is
pretty simple. While docked with keyboard
it runs windows 8 and when detached from
the keyboard the Android 4.2 tablet changes
to OS instantly. You can also use Android OS
while the keyboard is attached. Specs include
an Intel Core i7 or i5 for Laptop and Intel
Z2560 for Tablet, windows 8 and Android 4.2
(Jelly Bean), a 5 Mega-pixel Camera and 2 USB
ports. It is a versatile combination of hardware
and operating systems.
At the time of writing, Games Con was in full swing in Germany, and lots
of games were being teased, announced or re-announced with updated
trailers. The general consensus is that Sony dominated, Microsoft
got owned.
Here are some of the stand outs:
• Hellblade had an enigmatic trailer that revealed something of a fantasy
hack and slash, featuring a female lead character. It was just a cut scene
with no gameplay. (PS4, no launch date yet)
• Until Dawn and P.T. are two horror joints to look forward to. The former
apparently stars Hayden Panettiere (the immortal cheerleader from
Heroes) and is essentially a teen slasher movie where you must survive
the insistent murder attempts of a manic clown. P.T. Is actually code for
a new Silent Hill game - the excitement around this one is that Guillermo
del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth, Mama) is working on it, and Walking Dead
star Norman Reedus (Daryl of The Walking Dead) is the hero. Both these
games are supposed to be terrifying. (PS4)
• There’s more but we end with another PS4 exclusive called Tomorrow
Children. Said to be highly inspired by Minecraft, this joint has a clear
storyline and probably a more linear campaign than Minecraft. But it’s
all about saving the universe using Minecraft-like techniques.
Little extra
Yes I do mean ‘little’...and hairy.
If you love the Guardians of the
Galaxy movie, then you’ll love
the new Rocket Racoon comic!
Yup, he’s got his own comic. It’s
available on the Comixology
website right now. Go ye and
download with haste.
Game on y’all!

“Hello! I’m Michael Ellis Taylor, a writer and web developer. I founded a creative web
development agency called 28concepts, and I’ve written articles and essays on topics like
relationships and writing itself.
“For the last four years, I’ve spent my nights and weekends working on a novel. The
manuscript has undergone several revisions already, and I recently finished a new draft
based on feedback from a few beta readers. Now I’m raising money to hire a professional
editor and publish the book in a range of formats.
“Your backing helps me do two things: it helps me make the book better, and it helps me get
the book into the hands of the right readers. I don’t have the resources of a big publisher,
but that’s not a bad thing. It just means that the constraints are in different places, and it’ll
take some ingenuity and a startup-like mentality on my part. It also means your support is
crucial to making Whatever May Come a success. More specifically, your backing helps me
with the following the developmental editing, line and copy editing, proofreading, allowing
printing in bulk to bring down the per-book costs, purchasing of fonts and other design
assets, obtaining ISBN numbers, paying registration fees, and additional costs associated
with getting listed in various online bookstores.
“I buy physical books. I buy e-books. Both have their advantages, but I
still prefer a physical book for the stories I cherish. These are the
books I find myself reading over and over again. These books
have hard covers but they are also soft and yielding—they
are forgiving to our different ways of highlighting and
annotating. They can be dog-eared or marked up
and still work when you drop them. They may not
have search boxes, but their contents are forever
discoverable, especially when you’re not sure what
exactly it is you’re trying to find. Also, they never
run out of batteries.
“My goal for this project is to tell a story
worth cherishing, complete with a souvenir
appropriate for the experience”.
A BOOK OF PASSION AND RELATIONSHIPS:
SHOUTOUT FOR NOVEL FUNDING
“It’s been over a year since I was last in Abu Dhabi. I never thought I would leave, but life
had other plans for me, and looking back on my experience of different cultures, working
with young people and most of all in my life as a musician, I have dreamt up an idea for a
project inspired by my time in Abu Dhabi that would bring together young musicians from
different cultures and countries, both in the Arab world, Europe and the US.
“I’ve overcome some adversity in my life and
know that music has saved me, provided a
refuge, a means of understanding others, a
way of expressing emotions and an ability
to communicate through a language that is
universal and transcends barriers. During
my time in Abu Dhabi, I set up and directed a
youth string orchestra that involved students
from different schools and different nationalities.
We had young people from over twelve countries
playing together, including the Emirates, the US, the UK,
Germany, France, China, Korea, Pakistan, Egypt, Morocco,
India and Canada. We took our music around the city, playing
in Khalifa University, Yas Links Golf Course, Cafe Arabia and we
even had the great fortune of playing with Yo-Yo Ma as part of Abu
Dhabi Classics education programme.
“This was one of the inspirations for the project I dream of creating and in order to give this
project the leadership and expertise it deserves, I realised I needed to connect with experts
from around the world. During my time in Arabia, I have come to appreciate the traditions
of the culture but the area that drew me the most was the music. I started to learn maqam
(the system of melodic modes) and to improvise simple melodies on my violin.
“I’m very lucky in that I’ve been accepted to study for my masters in music at UCLA in
Los Angeles. UCLA has an exceptional Arabic music department and I hope to deepen my
own understanding of Arabic music, to continue studying Arabic and to invite these world
experts to bring their knowledge and passion to young people from around the world. The
excellent education I gain, I will be able to bring to other young people.
“Young people are the future, and their beliefs, friendships, passion and education will
provide the well of experience from which they build their lives and impact those around
them. A musical project through which simultaneously, a deep study
of chamber music and connecting and interacting cross culturally will
provide student ensembles from different countries education and
understanding which they will take into their futures to create the
world of peace and understanding we all want to live in.
Do you have a project or a cause dear to your heart that you need to crowd fund? Share
it with Tempo Cause for publishing consideration. Send it to editorial@tempoplanet.com
FUNDING LINK
FUNDING LINK

BAS Mall Tempo Magazine Ad.pdf 1 3/25/14 2:53 PM

Dr. Alma Kadragic
Artists Bring Big Bad Book of Botany to Life
an expat
returns home
Follow Alma on Twitter: @almakad
Theresa F. Weber
the website’s 5,000 registered potential
investors. If an investor likes a
proposal/s she can invest as little as $100,
depending on the conditions set by the
entrepreneur. It is important to note that
getting a proposal approved is not easy. Of
the 500+ business applicants Eureeca.com
has received since its 2013 launch, it has
only listed 20 funding proposals.
How do investors benefit?
Crowd investing is an opportunity to
diversify beyond traditional investments
in the stock market or real estate into the
previously difficult to access SME sector. It
provides a feeling of personal involvement
with entrepreneurs and growing businesses
and offers the possibility of a profit as the
companies grow and are potentially sold
in the future. The average investor pledge
on Eureeca.com is $4,500. If 100% of the
funding goal is not met, the money is
returned to the investor’s Eureeca account
and can be invested in other funding
proposals or can be withdrawn. If the
funding goal is met, the investor becomes
an owner of the business through his/her
equity share. It is important to note the
risks. While crowd investing might yield
annual dividends, it normally involves tying
up funds for several years before making
any profit. And of course, not all small
businesses make a large profit or
even survive.
How do entrepreneurs benefit?
The crowd investing process can be a helpful
way to raise money for your business while
also raising your brand’s profile and forging
useful links with influential players in the
UAE, Asia, Europe and North America.
Some firms even exceed their original
funding targets and decide to accept more
investment in return for more equity.
Businesses that do not hit their funding
targets within 90 days get nothing. If this
is the case, Eureeca waves its usual fee
(7.25% of total crowd investment raised) and
charges only its standard $250 compliance
check fee.
For businesses that are in need of funds,
expertise and exposure to raise their brand
profile, crowd investing is a useful tool.
Becoming accountable to others can help
you structure and grow your business.
Crowd Investing in the UAE
women in
business
Crowd investing is relatively new in the
UAE. For entrepreneurs and small and
medium size enterprises (SMEs) looking
to raise funds, crowd investing offers an
alternative to the traditional bank loan.
This is good news as just one in five SMEs
has a line of credit, and banks are hesitant to
lend to SMEs.
While the terms “crowd funding” and
“crowd investing” have been used
interchangeably, it is important to know
the difference. “Crowd funding” is the
practice of funding a project or venture by
raising small amounts of money from a large
number of people, (i.e. a crowd) typically
via the Internet. Investors pledge financial
support for projects, often a charitable,
artistic or creative project, with no
expectation of financial return. The concept
started in the US when platforms such
as Aritistshare and Sellaband were used
by fans to support their favourite artists
in exchange for CDs. The industry grew
with the help of other platforms, including
Kickstarter and Indiegogo, which helped
projects receive millions of dollars
in funding.
“Crowd investing” on the other hand is a
business transaction where investors buy
equity in a company and shareholders
benefit when the company profits or is sold
to a larger investor.
To understand how it works, check out
Eureeca.com. This platform was launched
in 2013 in Dubai to allow non-tech
businesses to raise money. One of its first
success stories was a female entrepreneur
who transformed Poupee Couture, a Dubai
based fashion accessories brand, into an
internationally known brand. Poupee
Couture became the first Middle East
fashion brand to successfully obtain crowd
investment. It raised more than $112,800 via
the site in 2014 well in excess of its
$70,000 target.
How does crowd investing work?
SMEs apply to have their funding proposals
listed on Eureeca.com by uploading an
executive summary, business plan, financial
projections and videos or images of their
business. Upon approval, the funding
proposals goes live – that is the business
has 90 days to raise the targeted amount of
funds from the crowd. Their goal is to entice
An Alternative Source of Financing for Entrepreneurs
The Big Bad Book of Botany. The World’s
Most Fascinating Flora by Michael Largo
has just been published in the US by Harper
Collins. It’s a kind of dictionary of plants
organized alphabetically.
Largo likes to go deep into where specific
plants came from and how they have been
used by mankind over the centuries. These
words from Ralph Waldo Emerson are the
epigraph: “What is a weed? A plant whose
virtues have never been discovered.
He finds virtue in all kinds of plants includ-
ing poisonous specimens like belladonna
and be-still better known as oleander. Both
are extremely dangerous for humans and
small animals, but like many poisons, they
also have medicinal applications and can
save lives as well as kill.
I would probably never have known about
this book if it weren’t for my friend Susan
Cumins who is one of the 18 local artists
whose drawings bring the plants that Largo
describes to life on the printed page.
They are 16 women and 2 men, the young-
est around 50, the oldest 90. Most are not
professional artists but enjoy drawing the
plants in a scientific manner. The illustra-
tions are done by pen with black ink; Pho-
toshop was used to turn some watercolour
versions into black outlines with shading.
They are members of Tropical Botanic Art-
ists, an informal group organized in 2006
after they had taken botanical drawing
classes with Donna Torres at the Fairchild
Tropical Botanic Garden in Coral Gables,
Florida, in the Miami area.
The group meets once a month at the home
of a member. There are no dues, no mem-
bership applications, and no bureaucracy.
Torres who is one of the artists represented
in Big Bad Book of Botany contributed five
drawings. Beverly Borland, co-director
of Tropical Botanic Artists, provided 25.
Cumins is responsible for 13 illustrations
including the wattieza that Largo calls “the
tree that changed the world.”
According to Largo, the wattieza is “of-
ficially the first and oldest known tree to
have thrived on the planet.” Cumins’ draw-
ing above shows the top of the wattieza, a
crown of branches with leaves like a fern.
A fossilized version was found in New York
State in 2004 and led researchers to con-
clude that this plant – basically a trunk 24
feet tall with a brush at the top – flourished
millions of years before dinosaurs and other
animals existed.
The book also covers more familiar plants
like skunk cabbage, sunflower, tobacco,
tulip, tupelo, vanilla, and yew to focus on
the last part of the alphabet. Largo doesn’t
explain why he selected these plants rather
than others, but he does say that he tried
to combine the traditional “reference-like
quality” of works like the Indian Avestan
Writings from about 1100 BC and the
Historia Plantarum from about 200 BC with
“descriptions, life cycles, advice on cultiva-
tion, and the benefits these plants provide.”
“I hope to capture the incredible diversity of
plants and marvel at the vast plant king-
dom’s many wonders,” writes Largo. For the
reader the illustrations and the stories like
the one about the bleeding heart
are a delight.
A young man pursued a maiden who didn’t
respond no matter how many gifts he gave
her. Discouraged, he stabbed himself in the
heart. Where he fell, the first bleeding heart
flower appeared.
Dragonwort, on the other hand, is similar to
tarragon and adds flavor to foods that don’t
have much. It’s used in classic French cui-
sine to make Bearnaise sauce and in some
other countries to flavor a soft drink. Why
dragonwort? Apparently, long ago, it was
used to repel dragons . . . who didn’t
like the aroma.
Follow Theresa on Twitter: @TheresaFWeber and @ACT_LLC

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