About the Maasai Tribe

Posted on June 19, 2016 by Razan Masri

A day to remember,

Days to remember,

Meeting beautiful faces and beautiful people,

Who only like to meet new faces and different people,

Who only invite you to sing and dance with them and cherish the very moment,

Tribes, from all over, any tribe, a tribe,

Just some people who believe strongly in their own values and do not impose them on the other,

A tribe, that holds on close tight into their circle and feel happy to share their wisdom with the other,

Tribes, that surrender in circles, to form beautiful colors of ethnicity and earth figures,

Tribes, that build upon each other and on top of one another, in continuation forming a strong system that connects them together in union,

Tribes, they last long but they stay isolated from everything else in the name of their circle,

That circle, that bonds them and never leaves them alone no matter what,

That circle, that is like light bulbs and no light can turn on without turning the next one on and the next one on and the next one on,

And if one bulb doesn’t turn on, then the whole system mourn together in loss.

What to expect when going on a Safari trip

Posted on June 18, 2016 by Razan Masri

We planned to try all the camping options during out trip. We booked a night in a Semi-Luxury camp, a night in a regular camp and a night in a luxury camp. The semi-luxury camp was great, we had our private bathroom inside the tent, and we had a separate beautiful tent for breakfast and dinner. We hear the roar of lions at night and the sound of other wild animals. The regular camp was the most adventurous, as we literally have seen a hyena before going to bed, they offered a shared bathroom hall that were located a minute walking distance but was still unfavored and not recommended to be used during the night time, and a cafeteria serving both breakfast and dinner, the food was poorly done, but the experience was incredible. Our luxury camp which I was truly looking forward to was a total rip off. It was located outside of Serengeti, yet outside the wild, it was just like any hotel. It was a beautiful hotel, but luxury camps inside Serengeti offer an unforgettable experience which i totally recommend, even if you have to put a few hundred bucks on top of your budget, do it, you will never regret it, just make sure you see photos of what it will look like and compare it with other luxury camps available.

Creative Writing on my Safari Experience:

When love is nature,

And nature is love,

When looking at earth as a one big piece of art,

When nothing makes sense because everything makes pure sense,

When life taps you on the shoulder to tell you one word, Love.

Because without love, nothing is nourished,

Because without love, everything is dead.

Because to love we belong,

And without love we can never belong.

Because seeing this world can change like every climate,

We choose to see things the way we wish to see them,

We can always look on the other side, but there is always someone looking into our side,

Because no one knows how long we will stay where we are,

And how far we can go to where we want to go,

Life can be a puzzle or a simple passage,

A passage that we can curate or walk through accepting all possible changes,

Life is nothing but a piece of big art,

Big huge painting that can never be framed because it is always changing,

Free of one criteria and free of one identity,

It is open, and spacious, it is multinational and diverse,

It is made for everyone and yet made to no one,

It is so random, yet it so miraculous,

It is always a reflection of what we seek to see,

So seek for good, seek for love, and be that love you wish to see.

safari, tanzania, jungle, serengeti, ngorongoro crater, lake manyara

Spiritual Writing on Letting Go

Posted on June 11, 2016 by Razan Masri

Ramadan Lesson number Two:

Let go; by giving, by sharing, by opening up. Let everything within you go. Let your attachments go, let your words go, let your thoughts go, just let go. Free yourself from your own self, and learn to let everything go.

Holding on to anything will cause us pain eventually, and in life, we happen to stumble over and over again onto obstacles and illusions that we only cause upon our self. One way to look at this is how to give without expecting back, how to love without expecting back, how to speak without expecting back, how to share without expecting back.

Train our souls, to give for the sake of the Divine, allow yourself to be His instrument, allow yourself to be the flower that moves with the wind, allow yourself to be the balloon that was set free by the little boy, allow yourself to be the bird that sings. Allow yourself to travel in life, to bring joy to yourself and to others. Practice by giving. Give once each day without wanting back, give for the sake of this earth to grow more greens, give for it to glow, and give for it to multiply.

We always want something back, and we always get so much back, but we forget, we become greedy, we train ourselves to become selfish and greedy. If I am not getting a response, I am never calling again, If I am not being loved, I am no longer loving, if I am not getting paid, I am no longer working. We always want something back, and it is good to get things back, but don’t be one of those who always want something back, who when you don’t get what you expect, you become upset and angry, you loose your joyous self, you loose your light, you loose your human element and become a greedy, grumpy human being.

Learn to let go, to let go of your expectations and thoughts, learn to give for no return, learn to give because you know there is a Divine, because there is something more powerful than you and everyone else, that there is something coming back to you always in different forms, in ways that we find are magical, in ways that we find no answers to, in ways that we can not predict or expect, we just receive, so give in that same way, in that way when you surprise people, when you put a smile into their hearts, when you put light into their eyes, give and ask for nothing back, want nothing back and expect nothing back.

hot air balloon, safari, jungle, Serengeti, sunrise

Spiritual Writings & Leopards

Posted on June 7, 2016 by Razan Masri

Ramadan’s Lesson Number One:

We never know what we are looking at, until we look deeper.

And we can only look deeper when we will and are welcomed to look deeper.

The door is opened, might be slightly opened, or even when it is locked and closed, it still is a view to look into and understand what it really is we are looking at.

First impressions never last, and they can mean something but are never accurate. We miss, most of the time.

But then, we get closer and closer to the true meaning of the picture we are looking into.

It can appear so dark, but once inside, it is so light and peaceful, and it can appear so light and once inside it is the darkest place on earth.

Nonetheless, we can never know just by looking at the cover.

The cover is a form. And our eyes can only have better first impression judgments when one’s vision is pure, and clean.

Other than that, our vision is blurred, mischievous, and malicious.

It is not a vision to count on, until it has been washed out from all vanity and desires. It must be like water, crystal clear.

Stereotypes are conducts of blurred vision. It is a cover that has been poorly interpreted over and over again. Most people tend to be followers, and so they follow the false meaning of the appearance.

Versus in the Quran are all forms, they can be easily misunderstood and misinterpreted over and over again, they can give you a clue to what they might mean, but they are rarely understood within full meaning. The meaning of each verse has a deep story within, and only those who attain high spiritual connection can find it is easy to find true meaning behind each verse.

Life is also a form. It is a misinterpretation. Most things are poorly visible. Most things are apparent more than true wisdom, like flares, they can be easily put off or put aside. Most things in life are easily misunderstood. Because to meaning, it is more than what we just look at, meanings are mostly always hiding inside and behind, only those who are well experienced, and well explored, those who truly understand that behind each one of us, there is something a little something more than what we just put on and walk around with.

So listen more than look, for appearances are only appearances, what truly matters is what lies within.

Leopard, cheetah, jungle, safari, tanzania, Serengeti

Birds Represent Freedom

Posted on June 5, 2016 by Razan Masri

We think being in a cage keeps us protected, keeps them protected, we think we are doing our selves and one another a favor when we put a cage around us. But birds were born free, we were born free, we learn things as we grow, we are who we are when we are set free. Yes, we can trip, and fall, we can do mistakes, and the chances of making mistakes are high, but without them, how do we know what life is? Who we truly are? Stop putting a cage around us, around each other, accept your children as they come, as they grow, as they rebel, just be there, watch them, protect them, listen to them, speak to them, but don’t put a cage around them. Don’t prevent your children from exploring life and the colors it is painted with, let them fly as far as they want and where ever their instincts take them. Don’t try to change the way they speak or dress or sing, don’t force them to make you proud just to make you feel better about yourself. The best feelings ever is seeing your loved ones spread their wings on their own and fly, the best feeling is to see that their wings are different from any other, and that they are still as beautiful or even more beautiful. Allow them to settle, allow them to be, independent or dependent, allow them to be silent, or speak their brains out, allow them to perform, or to be isolated, allow them to try. But be there to listen, to watch, to care, to love, to praise, to reflect, to smile, to hug, be there to make them feel they are not alone. Set them free.

Click here for the full Safari experience.

A day in little heaven… Kikuletwa

Posted on May 22, 2016 by Razan Masri

A continuation from my Tanzania Journal:

Arriving at Kikuletwa Hot Springs

December 28th 2015

And you think it could not have gotten any better, this place is magic. True meaning of Magic. The water can never be more blue, metallic blue, and the green surrounding it creating shade for you to swim in full peace, a taste of serenity, a lasting drop of zen into your core. I can never forget the feeling I received in like a message from the Divine into my soul. You will for sure doze off, space out into your own world of connection. Love at first sight it is.

Kikuletwa, hot springs, water, africa, tanzania, african, nature, magic, divine

Kikuletwa, hot springs, water, africa, tanzania, african

Source: Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Mochi, Kikuletwa

Journal: What it Feels like to be Followed by Mount Kilimanjaro…

Posted on May 16, 2016 by Razan Masri

December 28th 2015,

I continued celebrating my birthday side by side with Kilimanjaro. We decided to visit the Kikuletwa Hot Springs that were about two hours away from Arusha passing by Moshi and overlooking the highest mountain in Africa.

You would not feel the presence of it, until you see it, it is a Dragon of its own world, huge and just hanging there between the clouds, we gasped as soon as our eyes met it, it was beyond what the normal eye is used to see. And we kept moving and driving for two hours while Kilimanjaro would never run out of sight. Even the clouds would crawl and expand around the mountain, but Kilimanjaro would not go out of sight.

We were lucky, it was a beautiful day, and a beautiful day for Mount Kilimanjaro. We stayed in contact throughout the drive, and it is as if you are getting to know yourself in reflection to how you continue to see the Mountain. It never hides, and when it does, its shadow would still be looking over at you. It felt like the father of Tanzania, in close contact with its people, its trees, its houses, its ground, its air, its sky, its breeze, its sun, and its clouds. Everyone knew Kilimanjaro, and everyone praised it. Unshakable, unmovable, you move, and it followed you. Overlooking everyone and everything, like a protector, like a witness, like a massive healer to earth. It sure was worth the two-hour drive and again the two-hour drive back.

Nature, African, Tanzanian, Moshi, Tanzania, Kilimanjaro

mochi, hot spring, Kikuletwa, Hotsprings, kili, kilimanjaro, mountain, arusha -24

People, African, Tanzanian, Moshi, Tanzania, Kilimanjaro

mochi, hot spring, Kikuletwa, Hotsprings, kili, kilimanjaro, mountain, arusha -25

mochi, hot spring, Kikuletwa, Hotsprings, kili, kilimanjaro, mountain, arusha -41

Source: Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Mochi, Kikuletwa

Journal, My Visit to Arusha

Posted on May 15, 2016 by Razan Masri

Arusha

Celebrating my thirty-first birthday

December, 27 2015 – Arusha was very chilled place, we stayed in Hotel Arusha which is recommended, it was close by to everything and clean. There is not so much to do in Arusha except to really enjoy the nature, meet beautiful people, check out the Arusha Market, and few other places to eat in.

Read more on Tanzania and photos of Kiliminjaro: Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Mochi, Kikuletwa

Journal – My Visit to Dar es Salaam

Posted on May 11, 2016 by Razan Masri

Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) – December 26th 2015

There was nothing much to do in Dar es Salaam, we stayed for a night in a very cute hotel next to the airport “Trinity Hotel”. It is a good hotel to stay in for a night or two. We only had the evening, so it was dark, we were recommended to go have dinner at Slipway hotel (which was nice). The very following morning, we headed to catch our local flight to Arusha.

Click the link to See A little on Kilimanjaro: Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Mochi, Kikuletwa

Milk my Shake – Tuesday Morning

Posted on May 10, 2016 by Razan Masri

A table wrapped in white cloth, hiding the antique old wooden wood beneath it that sits there with stains and knick knocks, It is furnished with red wine and green flowers, it is sprayed with jasmine water scent, and Brooklyn flavours, it has been stuffed with white plates and crystal glasses, butter knifes, and fresh-baked bread, the smell of the ovens bakery is so aromatically floating in the air, as each chair has a character of its own, ready to be seated by a man of his own vanities and flares, women in their shawls and tight skirts, life is like a shadow that moves in complete mystery and waste to what not no one knows, and what one thinks knows it all, blueberries and blackberries, mint leaves, and pearls, all enter the side room, as people begin to explain, their heart breaks and their flowers, that have been their mending to their love makings, the Irish, and the Danish, the Arabs, and the Germans, they all are greeted by lemons, and olives, greens and brows, hours of cheap talks, and hours of fake laughter, people continue to move into rooms, where cakes are served in butter, toasted in chocolate, and almond bites, the sugar is too sweet, the tea is too heavy, the party has only started it is three am, Breakfast is being baked, beds are unmend, helpless people toss themselves in jars, fight for a cookie with white pieces, over dark pieces so stained, fresh strawberries over left over cake, tickets to watch the next show have been sold out, and the people are only rushing outside their doors to make it in shapeless forms and fearful faces, they quickly but quietly brush their hairs and plug their eyebrows, they squeeze what is left over from their lip stick onto their lips, they tie their ties up tight into what they think is scheme, their shoe laces are left untied, but the clock is ticking, there is no time to look back, empty chairs, the sun is here, the people are gone, the house is clean, the paintings are hanging, the flowers continue living, and we sit and wait for the next round to… all over again…

Creative Writing on a Tuesday Morning Inspired by My Collection of Instagram’s favorite Pieces collected from 2015, The Dinner Club 57, _FoodStories_, Margaret__Zhang, Sunday Suppers, Food 51, Trotter Mag, Make My Lemonade, Food 52, Food 53, What For Breakfast