#struggles with darina

[hijab-proudness]

Odeur dyal shab lkharij ✨

ONE WEEK and my darija will be renewed again, gonna update it soon. I just love to confuse them all, till I get busted and then kankhnzr lmao which makes it worse sometimes bcs then I hear the “jiti mn rif?” “bayna f 3inik” 😂🥲

[robotsdeservebetter]

I was today years old when I realised, like Percy’s name refers to Perseus, Jason’s refers to Jason as in Yason

I should make a tag for each time I half-rant half-brag about language barriers

[themostefficientwaywithwater]

"If you would like to confirm the validity of this campaign, you can message either Bashar or I on Instagram. Our usernames are basharinshasi and darina.bishop and our accounts are public. Here is Bashar's story:

I have carried the dream of studying medicine since childhood, but now that my dream has become more important and my goal of studying medicine has become an unavoidable goal regarding what I saw of the dire need for doctors in my city of Gaza in this war that we are still living in until this moment. I write this letter after more than four months of bombing, destruction, starvation, and genocide to which we are subjected. I took the first steps in realizing my dream after I finished my high school and obtained a 99.6 % and ranked second in my country after struggling and studying in order to obtain a scholarship because my family isn’t able to afford my medical school costs. I registered at the Al-Azhar University majored in medicine through the scholarship of His Excellency the President, and I had started studying in September.2023, and I had only completed approximately two weeks on my dream path before this war began and the occupation bombarded my university and demolished it, as it did in all the universities of the Gaza Strip, and my dream has vanished along with it. The financial burden on my father has become unbearable , especially in light of the bad conditions caused by the war and the destruction of my house. My father may need many years to rebuild it and put everything he owns maybe. At the end, I aspire to be an extraordinary doctor in my field, in order to help the people of my city, Gaza, who are suffering from various physical disabilities , such as amputations and others, and health problems caused by the war and the killing of many, many medical teams while performing their duties in hospitals, clinics and medical facilities, which led to the collapse if the health system in the Gaza Strip, so I hope to continue my dream of studying this specialty as soon as possible.

This gofundme has been created and managed by Darina Bishop, a trusted friend to Bashar Inshasi’s older brother. I live in Australia and while in close communication with Bashar’s family, I am a vocal advocate for Palestine. The target donation amount of this gofundme is $65k Australian dollars equalling to around $42k US dollars. To enter Egypt from Rafah, it will cost $10k US dollars alone. $25k will be allocated to tuition fees at Bashar’s new university. The remaining approximate $7k will go towards housing and food for Bashar. Once our goal has been met, the funds will be transferred directly to Bashar. Thank you so very much for your kindness and generosity. Your support is deeply appreciated "

[mariacallous]

The European Court of Human Rights, ECHR in Strasbourg ruled on Tuesday in favour of a same-sex couple, Darina Koilova and Lilia Babulkova, whose marriage in the UK was repeatedly not recognised by Bulgarian institutions.

The ECHR ruled that the Bulgarian state is obliged to create a legal framework that allows same-sex couples adequate recognition and protection.

“What is essential in this ruling is that, even though there is no specific deadline to implement the framework, the state is required to go through this process and in collaboration with the Council of Europe,” Denitsa Lyubenova, a human rights activist, lawyer and member of the Deystvie LGBTIQ+ collective, told BIRN.

Lyubenova, whose team has represented Babulkova and Koilova from the beginning of their seven-year legal battle, described the ruling as historic and a big step towards equality in Bulgaria as the creation of an improved framework will help prevent the problem of couples existing in a legal vacuum.

Babulkova and Koilova have been together for over 14 years, and in 2016, they married in the UK.

In 2017, Bulgaria’s Sofia municipality declined to recognise their marriage on the basis of the constitution defining the marriage as an act between men and women.

Babulkova, Koilova and Lyubenova tried to file a lawsuit against the municipality but in 2019, the Administrative Court and the Supreme Court reconfirmed the municipality’s position.

In January 2020, BIRN reported on their uphill battle for recognition and plans to take their case to Strasbourg. Later in 2020, the couple filed a complaint against Bulgaria, claiming a violation of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (right to respect for private and family life).

Babulkova and Koilova’s struggles have also gained media attention in Bulgaria and the case quickly became symbolic for the country’s LGBT community.

In addition to the case for the recognition of their marriage, Babulkova and Koilova are pursuing a case at Sofia City Court to change Koilova’s surname.

The couple are also suing the Centre for Assisted Reproduction, where they were denied funding for a procedure.

“From now on, the ECHR’s ruling will definitely be a factor in these cases,” said Lyubenova.

In an unrelated case in June last year, the Strasbourg court  ordered Bulgaria to pay compensation to the mother of a 26-year old man killed in a homophobic murder in Sofia in 2008 and required Bulgarian law to include homophobia as an aggravating factor. On July 23, the parliament introduced tougher penalties for homophobic crimes in the state’s criminal code.

The ECHR’s ruling in the Babulkova and Koilova also requires Bulgaria to address transgender rights, which remain largely unprotected in Bulgaria.

In February, the Supreme Court ruled that transgender people will no longer be eligible to change their documents in accordance with their identity, a decision that rights activists predicted would only lead to more cases being brought against Bulgaria at the ECHR.

[meetmeatthecoda]

Hey Coda! What are your interpretations regarding Red's dream of saving Katarina at the beach?

I've always been confused about that one, because the Redarina theory doesn't make sense/fit into it at all.

Hey, anon!! 😄 Ahhh, good ol' Cap May 🥲 This is a great question, imo, & the first thing I would say is that the R*darina theory doesn't make sense/fit into it at all becauseeeeee it's a piece of shit retcon that doesn't fit with LITERALLY ANY ASPECT OF PREVIOUS CANON. Including & especially Cape May 😐😑😒 *ahem* At any rate, my interpretation has always been & will continue to be as follows: that Red is high off opium bc he physically can't handle Liz being 'dead' (proof of the fact that Red 👏 canonically 👏 cannot 👏 live 👏 in 👏 a 👏 world 👏 without 👏 Liz 👏 *cue screaming sobs*) & he re-visits the place where Katarina walked into the ocean & committed suicide (*cough* another fact that was established in the pilot & several other instances via 'died of weakness & shame' & was slowly broken down by inconsistency & retcons *cough*). His mind uses the visage of her - as he last remembers her - as a coping mechanism to deal with the fact that he let Liz down just like he feels he let Katarina down all those years ago. He thinks history has repeated itself with Liz's 'death' & - struggling with his guilt - he imagines saving Kat from death as he was never able to, as well as fighting off her imaginary would-be attackers as if he's fighting his own demons, talking to her to help himself work through his guilt, & also talking himself out of committing suicide just like her. In short, he's spiraling from grief & a morbid sense of deja vu, & his drug-addled mind creates a visage of Kat to help him through it... at least, that's what I've always interpreted. There's also the plethora of fantastic Lizzington moments, like "there was a woman I loved, she was my life, my heart", "a man made it clear I would never be a part of her [Agnes'] life, watch her grow", & *dreamily* "her father". Iykyk 🥲 Anyway, hopefully this answers your question bc it's been quite a while since I've seen the ep, but this particular one is pretty much burned into my memory LOL But thank you for this ask, anon, I appreciate it!! Much love to you, my friend!! ❤️

[randomestfandoms-ocs]

Grishaverse OC Masterlist

Name: Anahira Kirigan

Story: Aftershocks

Class: Heartrender

Face Claim: Emily Carey & Olivia Cooke

Name: Anya Lanstov

Story: Aftershocks

Class: N/A

Face Claim: Milly Alcock

Love Interest: Kaladin Kirigan

Name: Darina Kirigan

Story: Shadow Preachers

Class: Shadow Summoner

Face Claim: Freya Allen

Name: Elvira Levitsky

Story: Wicked Game

Class: Tailor

Face Claim: Ivana Baquero

Love Interest: Kaz Brekker & Jesper Fahey

Name: Ilaria Markov

Story: Up In Flames

Class: Inferni

Face Claim: Emilia Clarke

Name: Kaladin Kirigan

Story: Aftershocks

Class: Sun Summoner

Face Claim: Tom Glynn Carney

Love Interest: Anya Lanstov

Name: Kasimir Pozharin

Story: Masters Of The Game

Class: Inferni

Face Claim: Ewan Mitchell

Love Interest: Ksenia Brekker

Name: Ksenia Brekker

Story: Masters Of The Game

Class: Healer

Face Claim: Sophie Turner

Love Interest: Kasimir Pozharin

Name: Stasya Devin

Story: War Of Hearts

Class: Heartrender

Face Claim: Anya Chalotra

Love Interest: Kaz Brekker

Name: Svetlana Novikoff

Story: Dancing With The Devil & Deliverance

Class: Alkemi

Face Claim: Poppy Drayton

Love Interest: Darkling

To be favoured by the Darkling is the highest honour.  An honour that Svetlana Novikoff has carried with her since she was a child, since the Darkling rescued her from the pyre.  She was the best, his perfect little prodigy, his pride and joy.  And she would do anything for him. Anything.


She would stain her hands red with blood, she would wear his necklace like a medal around her neck, she would hold her head high and ignore the whispers that followed her every step.  She would do anything for him.  Anything.


But when he finds the Sun Summoner, when he finds Alina — her Alina — and his attention shifts, something breaks inside of her.  Pushed from her pedestal, cast into the shadows, Svetlana struggles to figure out who she is without his favour.  Without his love.

[crystallized-iron]

The Gifted - Chapter Five

Please read the tags on the masterlist! Masterlist ***** ***** *****

“Focus.”

Charles tried to keep his attention on Erik’s thoughts, and only Erik’s thoughts. But the hum in the background was distracting. He stumbled onto Raven’s consciousness elsewhere on the ship, and her loud insults directed at the sailors for their superstitious ways. Many of the men lamented having no feminine companionship (as Raven kept herself disguised as a man). The captain prayed they would not sail too close to the small island of Darina once Merchants Bay was in sight.

“Focus,” Erik told him again. He tapped a finger to his own head. “You are not here at all.”

“Trying.”

“No. You are wandering. Being passive.”

Charles frowned. “How would you know?”

“Because of what you have told me about your power before, how it just happens. You need to be more active.”

Charles breathed in, closed his eyes and reached for Erik with his mind on the exhale. Finding him was easy. His mind was so loud, so close. Curiosity was on the surface. Faint nervousness just below.

Lowering his hand, Erik felt the strange sensation of having someone else enter his mind. Various thoughts, experiences, memories plucked from their place and viewed from another set of eyes.

But Charles found his limit already, unable to go any deeper. He was still just barely in. If he was allowed to touch, going deeper would be easy.

“Focus,” he said to himself, but that little bit was already straining. There had to be a way he could concentrate. Wait.

Erik felt Charles’ sudden retreat, a strange void left behind. “Charles?”

“One moment.”

He went through his own memories. All the way back to their last day in Mira. Seeing Erik as a prisoner. Finding the thought of ‘black magic’, ‘murderer’.

What did he do differently?

The headache had started and he needed to focus to find Erik and then he -

Charles took another breath and raised his hand, placed a finger to his temple, concentrated his energy on Erik, and then reached.

Erik’s mind opened for him and he had access to everything. He could see Erik’s thoughts, rapidly changing as the other man took a step back from him. You wanted me in, Charles calmly reminded him.

Erik’s eyes widened. “You can communicate with your mind?”

Seems I can. Charles shifted his focus. Memories of Shaw, memories of Mira, memories of Merchants Bay. Memories of Axel. There was darkness there but also so much light and warmth and Charles went towards it, finding a much younger, much happier, Erik Lehnsherr. He watched the boy smile and laugh with his mother, and Charles’ heart began to ache and long for something like it, and through their link Erik could feel that sadness.

“Charles?” he asked.

“I just wish I knew mine,” he replied. But he could not dwell on that right now. Instead he went toward the memories of Mira. The fishermen brought down by their own tools. The young woman that Erik killed for. That same woman being the one to turn him in. “You are not angry over her betrayal.”

Erik shook his head. “She had to protect herself and the others.”

But there was a detail Charles saw now that he hadn’t before, beautiful butterfly wings peeling from her back. “She is like us.”

“She is.”

“You never mentioned that.”

Erik’s voice hardened as he asked him, “What would it have changed?”

“If she were not gifted, would you have helped her?”

“Most of the women are not.”

“But they were not your focus,” Charles pointed out. “She was.” He didn’t wait for a response before shifting again, pausing at the memories of Shaw. He needed to tell him. Erik had a right to know.

Leaving Erik’s mind once more, Charles lowered his hand and said, “I have something to tell you.”

“What is it?”

“About Shaw. I have met him before.”

Erik stared at him. The quick change in emotion was enough to make Charles flinch. “You what?”

“Once.”

“But you had said -”

“I know what I said.” Charles kept distance between them as the momentary disbelief rolling off of Erik burned into anger. “I did not lie to you on purpose.”

“Where is he?” Erik growled.

“That, I really do not know.”

“Do you really expect me to believe you now?”

Charles felt the wall at his back as Erik stalked closer, could hear the nails keeping the ship together begin to rattle. “Erik, I hadn’t known his name until I saw your memories. I saw his face but I never -”

“You are lying.”

“I’m not!”

Erik’s fist landed hard against the wall, right next to Charles’ head. “Did you not read his mind like you did mine?”

“I… I couldn’t.”

“Charles -”

“Erik, I swear. L-let me just… uhh.” His heart was pounding as actual fear took hold of him, making him struggle to think. “M-my memory.”

“What?”

“If I… If I can show you my, my memory of Shaw.”

Erik’s hand grasped Charles’ shoulder, making him whine with a wince. “Show me.”

“Erik… Erik, please, that hurts, please let go.”

“Show me then.” The hold lessened but was not released.

Charles touched a finger to his temple and tried to focus. He found the day in question in his memories, and pushed it toward Erik.

The man stood in front of Charles, speaking to a woman. ‘You like him then?’

She touched Charles’ face but he backed up a step, her fingers cold and hard like stone against his skin. ‘I do but he is not ready.’ Sunlight broke through the clouds and her flesh glittered in the light.

‘Who are you people?’ Charles had asked. There was a silence where their thoughts should have rung louder than the rest of Lavena. But it was a detail he hadn’t wondered about at the time.

‘Do not worry, Charles. We will find you again.’

He narrowed his eyes. ‘How do you know my name?’ He thought he saw her move but then a sudden headache struck, joined by a sharp ringing, but it all ended after a few seconds.

‘Your sister said it when she left you here.’

Charles stared at the woman, glancing at the man when he began to speak again.

‘Let’s go. If you -’

The ache returned. Ringing so loud Charles dropped to his knees. He covered his ears but it refused to stop. It hurt, his head hurt. So much ringing, too much ringing, make it stop.

Erik let go, turned away.

The intensity was cooling away. Charles held his aching shoulder. “Erik.”

“I’m sorry.”

He almost did not catch the uttered words, but the remorse of hurting Charles was loud enough.

“I should not have done that to you,” Erik murmured. “I am so sorry.”

Charles moved off of the wall. “I know just the thought of him angers you.”

“That is no excuse.”

“I’m… okay,” he said.

Erik exhaled a deep breath and turned to him. “Look at you, Charles. You are not okay.”

“Well… you are my physician,” Charles reminded him. “So help me. Not sure how, but that is your role on this trip, yes?”

“You should not want me anywhere near you.”

Looking away, Charles said, “You did frighten me. Quite a bit actually.” He then walked up to Erik. “But I would still trust you to protect me against dangerous sailors, mad exorcists, and whoever that woman from my past was.” He placed a hand on Erik’s arm. “And I will do what I can to help you stop Shaw from doing whatever he is doing.”

“He wanted you,” Erik pointed out. “The woman with him… I don’t know her.”

Charles replayed the memory for himself one last time. “That was the first day I had a ringing headache.”

“Shaw doesn’t have that kind of power.”

“Maybe not him.”

Erik’s gaze went from Charles’ face down to his shoulder. “Does it still hurt?”

“It is a little sore.”

“I should…” stay outside tonight.

“No you are not.”

Erik’s eyes flicked up to his face again.

“You will be in here, helping me sleep, like you have been. Unless you really desire being outside, but I highly doubt you do.”

“Why are you not angry with me?”

“Because I can see why you would do it.”

It didn’t lessen the pain, the guilt. If anything, Charles’ words intensified it, and he watched as Erik went to the door. “Wait.”

“I need fresh air,” Erik told him before leaving the cabin.

Charles touched his temple, reached for him. Will you come back before night?

Leave me alone, Charles.

What did I do wrong?

Nothing.

With a frown, he asked, Then why are you leaving?

Get out of my head.

The snap in his voice made Charles sever the connection right then. The anger Erik was directing at himself hurt Charles more than the tight grip on his shoulder had. But he could not make Erik see that, not now. All he could do was hope Erik did not hurt himself.

He walked to the bed and sat down, the hum of voices reaching him. But this time he welcomed it, just so he would not find himself completely alone.

===== ===== =====

X-Men Masterlist | Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

[elliemarchetti]

Somewhere to Start (part 11)

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Part 8

Part 9 

Part 10

Words: 1135

"Do you think it's too early to visit Viktor?" asked Hermione as they scurried down the spiral staircase that led to the owlery. After what had happened, even if they had argued, she didn't feel like not going to make sure he was fine. Harry nodded, with the expression of someone who believes that something is obvious, so she forced herself to wait for History of Magic’s end, during which she didn’t take notes as usual but merely stared at the professor with empty eyes. When the bell finally rang, she ran down the corridors to the infirmary, from which Viktor was coming out, a tired expression on his face.

"Viktor!" she called him, making her way through the crowd of onlookers.

"Hermione." he replied almost wearily, glancing grimly at a group of first-year girls who turned away nervously. "Would you take a walk with me?"

His tone was hopeful, but there was nothing of the playful notes she was used to, a vein of cold courtesy to ruin the illusion that nothing had changed. Hermione didn’t reply but followed him through the corridors that he too had come to know by now, listening to him as he repeated the story for the umpteenth time, in the same flat tone she imagined he would’ve used during an interview with Rita Skeeter.

"But they found him, didn't they?" he asked in conclusion, finally letting slip a hint of the real Viktor, the same one who had spoken with her about S.P.E.W. and had forced her to go back to eating when she had decided to stop doing it. It broke Hermione’s heart when she had to answer negatively, certain that her reply would bring nothing but the grim Krum everyone knew.

"What if he Disappeared?" he suggested, but Hermione knew it was impossible, just as he couldn’t be invisible, or the Map, which Harry had left to Moody, would have exposed him. But he could’ve used magic in other ways and the abduction hypothesis remains open; basically the only thing they were certain of was that he wasn't at Hogwarts.

"You should try not to think about it and concentrate on the third task." suggested Hermione. "Dumbledore has warned the Ministry and they will be looking for him."

"How they did with that woman, Bertha?" he asked angrily, and not wrongly. If indeed the Ministry preferred to concentrate on the Triwizard Tournament than on finding his attacker he had all the rights to be both angry and scared, the main reason for that tantrum; people like Viktor weren’t used to being afraid, they didn’t know how to deal with it except in a violent and sometimes self-destructive way.

"I'll stay with you," she said, quickly. "I will help you practice and in the meantime we will be careful. Nothing will happen to you. Are you listening?” she asked, perhaps a little too loudly, standing in front of him to stop him since he had begun to accelerate his pace and she was struggling to keep up and talk at the same time. His eyes shone with an intense, vaguely wild light, and Hermione, breathless, realized that at that very moment, when both had abandoned all their defenses, they would have kissed for the first time. It didn't matter that anyone in the castle, on Dumstrang's ship or on Beauxbatons's carriage could see them, or that nothing was perfect. The only things that mattered were his lips and his hands that went down her arms to the pelvis, to draw her to him in a first kiss that Hermione, even if she wanted, could never forget.

 The morning of the third task the breakfast was very noisy: a number never seen of post owls gave postcards, notes and brief letters to the champions and Viktor even received a couple of gifts that he should’ve brought with him in the labyrinth. Hermione also continued to receive letters, and although most had to do with Rita Skeeter's articles, others came from small newspapers that wanted an interview to talk about him and their relationship. She ignored them all, saying that as long as they didn't have something to ask about her it wasn’t her that they should’ve asked questions and Viktor was grateful for her patience, although he had assured her several times that once the Tournament was over the whole situation would end too, or at least would’ve stabilized. That morning, however, something different happened, and immediately after she had given a quick read to the Daily Prophets, she ran away and before he could follow her Professor Karkaroff announced that the champions would all meet in the next room to greet the family, that in honor of the last task had gathered together. The other Hogwarts champion, the older one, was with his parents near the entrance, while on the other side of the room Fleur was chatting in French with her mother, who was holding her youngest daughter’s hand, while the girl greeted Potter, who had been joined by what could only be a part of the Weasley family, with the other. Viktor didn't have much to say to his parents that he hadn't already told them in letter, and the same was true for his brothers, but he told them anyway how he prepared for the task together with Hermione and that much of what Rita Skeeter had written about the girl were nonsense.

"But did she agree to come over this summer?" his mother asked. Probably she had already begun to rearrange the house and asked her husband to repaint and change the furniture, to give the impression that everything was more fashionable, unaware that these were certainly not the things Hermione was paying attention to. Viktor blushed at the mere thought to sleep in the same house: his brothers would never forgive him for being the first to bring a girl home but he was sure his friends were enthusiastic about the idea. Andrei couldn’t wait to introduce her to his sister: he claimed they had a lot in common and even Viktor thought they could get along, even though Hermione was older, and he was sure that if Darina hadn’t been too busy traveling and had visited them, she would’ve forced her to ho shopping for all the social events she would take her to.

"Why don't you lead us for a tour of this place you boasted so much?” his father asked, in that usual tone he couldn’t interpret. "Maybe for lunch you can introduce us to your girlfriend."

Viktor blushed again and his brothers began to nudge him and shove him, just as they used to do at home, not giving Viktor time to point out that, although they had kissed once, they had certainly still not talked about it.

[darinaalster]

Two opposite parts of Psyche are fighting with ego. Two strong female archetypes in opposition which is their conjunction. Inner healing proces. The tension of fight, the borderland between struggle and love of contrasting energies as the basic pulsation or the motivation of life. Transformation of fear through physical process. Authors: Darina Alster and Jana Orlová . CreArture festival, Postgallery, Kaunnas, Lithuania, 7.9.2018. Photos by Airida Rekštyte, Eligius Kniežauskas, Arturas Armonas

[entertainmentnewsblogworld]

Actress Samikssha Batnagar Bags Best Actress Award At 12th Global Film Festival Noida

New Post has been published on http://www.starland.xyz/2019/11/28/actress-samikssha-batnagar-bags-best-actress-award-at-12th-global-film-festival-noida/

Actress Samikssha Batnagar Bags Best Actress Award At 12th Global Film Festival Noida

Bollywood actress Samikssha Batnagar bagged best actress award at 12th Global Film Festival Noida for critically acclaimed film Hamne Gandhi Ko Maar Diya. The Hindi movie produced and directed by Naeem A. Siddqui. It was released on 2 March 2018 all over India, this movie is inspired by non-violence movements taken by Mahatma Gandhi (Mohan Das Karamchand Gandhi) during his struggle for Independent India from 1915 to 1947. The excitement and enthusiasm of young film makers from all over India and abroad created a new energy in the 12th Global Film Festival Noida at Marwah Studios, Noida Film City. The festival was inaugurated by Ambassador of Bosnia Mohammed Cengic, joint secretary of state committee of the Uzbekistan Tumurbek Anvabekov, Film Director Rahul Ravail, Film Director Ranjit Kapor, Writer & Dancer Raghunath Manet, Director Usha Deshpandey, TV Actress Samikssha Batnagar, Vivek Paul, Miss Ukraine Darina Gordienko, Mohamed Ali Rabbani & President Marwah Studios Sandeep Marwah.

Samikssha Batnagar said, “I dedicate this award to all my fans who always supports me. I am glad to receive this award. I would like to thanks organizer of 12th Global Film Festival Noida for this appreciation.

[holdingspacefor-blog]

Songs My Enemy Taught Me

I met Joelle Taylor at a poetry workshop one morning in Canterbury, in a chaotic mind state, wondering whether I should just go home. I’m glad I didn’t because she taught me lessons I didn’t know I needed. Though I may not have been ready to take them on, they stayed with me. 

We connected through our synchronised life events which we were both doing our best to heal from. With poetry as our vessel, we spoke of topics that most people leave alone. This is why I hold Joelle in such high esteem. She has the ability to open up channels of communication and connect people through poetry. To connect us to ourselves and the world around us.

Last night I went to the launch of her new book entitled ‘Songs My Enemy Taught Me’. The title in itself rings true to the resilience she has built by using poetry as a voice for the struggles of life. The book articulates connections between personal struggles and the struggles which affect many women and men across the world. The ethos of this book is closely tied to her personal journey of reconciling the past through spoken word, whilst spanning outwards to the wider political struggle faced by women across different ages, race, sexuality, variability* and religion. 

The night begun with Alex Vellis, a young man who is mentored by Joelle. He performed some incredibly heartfelt pieces ranging from his childhood to the loss of love. He delivered his pieces with absolute authenticity, to the point that I distinctly felt my heart beating in the silence of the room. His use of pause when performing has the ability to hold space for the depth of his emotions, which dance into the air the audience breathes. 

Following Alex Vellis, I was delighted to see Sabrina Mahfouz perform work from her book ‘How You Might Know Me’. As a person who Joelle has always spoken highly of, it was about time I witnessed her performance. ‘How You Might Know Me’ introduces us to 4 characters- Sylvia, Sharifa, Tali & Darina. These women are sex workers of different race and ages. But they are not just this, they are people. People with nuanced expressions of dreams and hopes for their life, but the societal barriers inhibit them from moving out of this position. Sabrina has the ability to completely draw you into the world of her characters, to the point that you want to make friends with the people she has summoned from her imagination. She delivers the characters with so much energy that you can’t help but be drawn in. She weaves reality into fictional characters, bringing them to life before us. 

To end the evening Joelle read a few poems from her new book ‘Songs My Enemy Taught Me’. This book introduces with confessions of Joelles personal journey of ‘mental health issues, psychiatric hospital, suicide attempts, a repetitive eating disorder, drug addiction and one fuck of a lot of dancing’. By opening up about her life story, Joelle has voyaged on a journey to connect with other women around the world who have faced with the same hurdles. The research period involved a series of poetry masterclasses across the UK, which aimed to ‘enable other women to write and own their stories’. I thank Joelle for giving voice to those who have been silenced for too long. 

Now is the time to keep talking, to keep engaging, collaborating and connecting. This is exactly what Joelle Taylor is achieving through her consistent commitment to writing her story, whilst helping others to write theirs too. Stories are there if we are willing to listen and they will teach us a fuck load more than what you read in a book (unless it’s Joelle Taylors book of course). 

Please support poetry and get yourself a copy of ‘Songs My Enemy Taught Me’. This book will save you if you have struggled through life alone and in silence. You do not have to do that anymore. If this book/ Joelle has taught me anything, it’s that our voices are special and they can change everything. 

http://joelletaylor.co.uk/ - To purchase a book, read an archive of other womens poetry and see when Joelle Taylor is Performing.

http://www.sabrinamahfouz.com/ - To purchase a book & see when Sabrina Mahfouz is performing. 

https://www.facebook.com/AlexVellisPoet/ To hear more from the incredibly active poet Alex Vellis.

[themostefficientwaywithwater]

I have carried the dream of studying medicine since childhood, but now that my dream has become more important and my goal of studying medicine has become an unavoidable goal regarding what I saw of the dire need for doctors in my city of Gaza in this war that we are still living in until this moment. I write this letter after more than four months of bombing, destruction, starvation, and genocide to which we are subjected. I took the first steps in realizing my dream after I finished my high school and obtained a 99.6 % and ranked second in my country after struggling and studying in order to obtain a scholarship because my family isn’t able to afford my medical school costs. I registered at the Al-Azhar University majored in medicine through the scholarship of His Excellency the President, and I had started studying in September.2023, and I had only completed approximately two weeks on my dream path before this war began and the occupation bombarded my university and demolished it, as it did in all the universities of the Gaza Strip, and my dream has vanished along with it. The financial burden on my father has become unbearable , especially in light of the bad conditions caused by the war and the destruction of my house. My father may need many years to rebuild it and put everything he owns maybe. At the end, I aspire to be an extraordinary doctor in my field, in order to help the people of my city, Gaza, who are suffering from various physical disabilities , such as amputations and others, and health problems caused by the war and the killing of many, many medical teams while performing their duties in hospitals, clinics and medical facilities, which led to the collapse if the health system in the Gaza Strip, so I hope to continue my dream of studying this specialty as soon as possible.

This gofundme has been created and managed by Darina Bishop, a trusted friend to Bashar Inshasi’s older brother. I live in Australia and while in close communication with Bashar’s family, I am a vocal advocate for Palestine. The target donation amount of this gofundme is now $100k Australian dollars equalling to around $66k US dollars. To enter Egypt from Rafah, it will cost $10k US dollars alone. $25k will be allocated to tuition fees at Bashar’s new university. The remaining approximate $31k will go towards housing, food and transportation for the duration of Bashar’s studies. Because of the complexity of Bashar’s situation, the goal has been raised to accommodate for delays in his application to a new university. Once our goal has been met, the funds will be transferred directly to Bashar. Thank you so very much for your kindness and generosity. Your support is deeply appreciated ❤️

[elliemarchetti]

Somewhere to Start (part 8)

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Other Harry Potter fics:

Slytherin!Hermione AU (part 2) (part 3) (part 4) (part 5) (part 6)

The Deal (part 2) (part 3) (part 4) (part 5)

The Polaroids The Sixth and Seventh Polaroids

Words: 2003

Standing up, Viktor almost tripped over his feet. The Weird Sisters attacked a slow and lugubrious melody that seemed decidedly unsuitable for the joyous celebrations of Christmas and above all for his mood but still advanced on the lit dance floor, taking care not to pay too much attention to the looks that he and Hermione above all had attracted all the time; being a public figure he was always in the spotlight but all those attentions seemed to him an invasion of his private life and he feared that in the long run they would’ve bothered Hermione so much as to induce her to ask him to accompany her to the dormitory and put an end to the evening, but a moment later she had grabbed his hands and adjusted one around her waist, making him forget all his worries. Like they had practiced before, after a few steps he made her do a pirouette, or at least it was how Hermione called them, making her periwinkle skirt made of an inestimable number of flounces open like a blooming flower, attracting many other looks. They obtained the long desired privacy when the second song began and many of the spectators flocked to the dance floor together with their companions: Viktor saw the youngest of the Weasleys squinting in pain when Neville clumsily stepped on her foot, but the view was obscured by Dumbledore whirling along with an incredibly graceful Madame Maxime. When Mad-Eye Moody, who was engaged in a clumsy two-step with another Hogwarts professor, approached, Viktor stiffened but tried to conceal loudly clapping at the end of the song.

"Do you want to sit down?" asked Hermione worriedly, but he shook his head and kept dancing, trying to avoid Angelina and one of the Weasley twins, so wild they risked to run over whoever was near them, until they were out of breath and with their mouths dry like the desert.

"Do you want something to drink?" he asked, following the look of his lady, who had come to rest on Potter and Weasley, sitting together with a girl probably Indian at one of the tables near the track.

"Thank you," she replied in the tone of someone apologizing, before heading briskly toward them.

Although he wanted to leave her space, he was also willing to spend as little time as possible away and give her the magical evening she deserved, but he was still Viktor Krum and it was obvious that no one was going to let him go back to his companion, so he answered Karkaroff's questions quickly, he exchanged a few words with some Beauxbatons boys and even scribbled a quick autograph for a third-year Hufflepuff boy who nervously told him he had begged his sister to invite him so he could meet him person without having to disturb him during the meals. The thing pleased him and touched him too but the feeling didn’t last long because, before he even got in line for the drinks, he noticed that a small crowd had gathered around the table where Hermione had gone and Weasley's voice was resounded half-way through the song change. When he finally managed to reach her, Hermione was open-mouthed and her cheeks were so red that Viktor wondered, for a fraction of second, if that worm hadn’t slapped her, given also the malign expression he displayed.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" he was saying. "He’s one of Karkaroff’s students, he knows who you’re friend with, he's just trying to get close to Harry ..." he growled, before stopping abruptly at his sight. Viktor didn’t consider himself a violent person but he knew he was capable of arousing a certain fear, so he wasn’t particularly surprised when Hermione took his hand, as if to calm him, and whispered: "He’s drunk, he’s not worth it.”

"For your information," he hissed at the red-haired boy who seemed to want to disappear under the table, or perhaps his friend’s shadow "I'm not interested in getting close to Harry," he said, placing particular emphasis on the name and imitating his English accent, "nor to those who are or are not Hermione’s friend, as opposed to those present. Therefore, if you don't mind, I would go back to my evening and I advise you to do the same or leave, I don't care, as long as you don't disturb us anymore, understood?” he concluded, scanning everyone’s faces and finally returning to meet the terrified gaze of the one who, looking at him well, was just a stupid and childish boy, unable to see the true value of people and above all to understand the decisions of the one he should’ve considered as part of his family. The small crowd dispersed as quickly and silently as possible, while Hermione, who had come close enough for him to be able to hold her shoulders, looked at his friends with clear contempt.

"Didn't we have to go get drinks?" he asked, and she nodded, no longer meeting the two boys' eyes, even when they returned to dance.

"Would you like to take a walk?" he asked her when he was convinced that the room was designed specifically to make him sweat like a pig. She seemed enthusiastic, so they skirted the dance floor and went out into the Entrance Hall. The door was still open and the dancing lights of the fairies in the rose garden gleamed and glittered as they descended the steps, at the end of which they found themselves surrounded by bushes, winding ornamental paths and stone statues. It wasn't as romantic as it looked from above and surely the presence of all those people didn't help at all, so they walked silently until they reached a particularly beautiful fountain, on which the moonlight was reflected, silvery. There was a bench nearby, and if they had managed to ignore Fleur and his companion who kissed passionately somewhere in the maze they could have had a brief moment of intimacy. But the words, all that he had thought to tell her since he had invited her, and perhaps even before, didn’t arrive, the feeling that it wasn’t the right time to tighten a lump in his throat.

"I just don't understand his reaction." Hermione said after a while, interrupting the silence. Viktor had in mind several reasons why her friend might’ve behaved that way, but he said nothing, noting how obvious his lady's need to talk about it was.

"He wasn’t interested in inviting me and he doesn't even feel any senseless dislike for you, since when you arrived he did nothing but blab about autographs and photographs. Think, he even has your model on the bedside table!"

Viktor said nothing, but to every detail she added it was clear how much she had been, or perhaps still was, in love with him. Although it hurt him deeply, partly because he was aware of being better than that weak asshole, partly because it was Hermione they were talking about and he would do anything to be worthy of her attention and affection, he still listened to her, girding her shoulders when she shivered. "Perhaps, however, the thing that hurt me the most was his belittling of what we are, whatever it is, because no one has ever made me feel this way, nobody has ever been so interested in me ..." she added, but her voice it broke mid-sentence and it took her a while to recompose. "As a child, before Hogwarts, I didn't have many friends. No one was interested in talking about books or spending afternoons at home when the sun was out and you could play in the park, so when I came here and they made me feel accepted, it was enough. With you, though, it's different." she concluded, and leaned her head against his shoulder, as if emptied, and though it seemed she wanted to add something, Viktor didn't insist and silently stroked her bare shoulder until Fleur's moans were too much to bear and they came back running and giggling, with large swarms of multicolored fairies that rose as they passed. Despite the hitch, Viktor's plan went well and they danced a long time before joining Darina, Alicia, Poliakoff, Andrei and their companions, who were talking about giants. One of the two unknown girls seemed visibly bored, but Viktor was certain that Hermione would’ve liked the subject and surely she would’ve had some interesting notions to add, so he didn’t give particular importance to the reason why the discussion was started until he realized that the base was Hermione's half-giant friend.

"And who cares if his mother was a giantess?" the bored-looking girl asked once she had stopped probing the room.

"Well, none of those who know him, because they know he's not dangerous, but many might consider him inherently evil if they knew of its origin." replied Hermione and it was obvious she experienced it on her skin and so she continued for a quarter of an hour until, around midnight, the Weird Sisters announced the last song and everyone decided to dedicate themselves to one last dance, a slow one, before having to leave.

"I'm sorry things went like this," Viktor whispered to her about halfway through the song.

"Why?" she asked, raising her head from his chest to look at him. She didn't look sad or disappointed, just curious to know what was bothering him, and maybe even a little drunk.

"I wanted it to be perfect, because you deserved a perfect evening, and instead your friend first, then Fleur and that guy in the park and now even my friends are starting to gossip!" he exclaimed, frustrated.

"Your friends said nothing wrong. Rather, I'm sorry for Poliakoff," she said, pointing with a nod to the poor fellow who seemed to be looking for all the ways to further draw his lady to him "but everyone knows that Allison Barnes was hoping to be invited by someone else."

“Really?” he asked, glancing at the girl with the long blond hair that fell on her bare back like golden curls. She was beautiful, although for his tastes she was trying too hard, and she struggled to imagine that any boy his age could wish for someone else when someone like that hoped to be invited. "He was the one who invited Fleur, right? Darina says that Alicia heard that she used her Veela powers to get invited..." he began, but Hermione seemed to hold back laughter so much he had to ask her what was happening.

"You were the one she wanted to be invited by” she replied, with a bright smile on her face. “She was so sure that in the end you would’ve invited her that she refused everyone until you sent me the snitch and then she found herself having to accept the invitation of someone she didn’t liked to not look like a fool with all those to which she had already said someone invited her.”

“But I never saw her!” he exclaimed, making her laugh again.

“This doesn’t mean she hasn’t done everything she could come up with to be noticed.”

“She could’ve run naked in the hallways and I would’ve never seen her anyway: since I came here I had eyes only for you.”

She looked at him with an expression of exaggerated perplexity but added nothing else and returned to lean against his chest until the song ended, after which she joined the loud burst of applause with which the Weird Sisters took their leave. They said good night in the Entrance Hall, and as he watched her walk away, a strange sensation flooded his mind, making him almost physically ill: she hadn’t yet disappeared in the stream of people who crowded the stairs and he already missed her.

"So," Andrei asked, "did you give her her gift?"

Viktor blushed in shame and his friend needed no further answers: he had forgotten to give her her Christmas present.