Here We Start – Issue # 58 – Happy New Year!

December was full of achievements for Sail, ensuring 2014 ends with a thunder and confirming how successful it has been for us! It started with me receiving the Arab Woman Award in the Literature category, for all the work and efforts that has been put towards Sail to develop the literature scene in the UAE. I can’t even put into words how much this award meant for Sail and for me personally – to get recognized not only for the work, not only for the idea as our previous awards, but now also for the achievements in the literature scene, which is exactly our goal in Sail.

Receiving all these awards this year has proved that hard work does pay, that you don’t need to pretend to be someone you’re not or go against your values to get the recognition, and that noble causes do get the attention from those who matter. And most importantly, what it really means, is that you need to persistently work hard. You can’t just stop at the first few roadblocks, because if you want to break grounds and pave a new path, then there will always be many roadblocks. Otherwise, everyone else would have already been on that path!

Our second milestone that we achieved in December is publishing our first digital book through our newly established publishing house of digital books and magazines. The book titled “Alayah”, written by Alia AlShamsi and illustrated by Hedaya Al Rahma (@hudhuds), is a children’s illustrated book about the story of Alayah and the sand in her hair. The book sheds light on the children’s ethnic roots, how they accept them, and how they grow up distant from those origins. It is targeted towards 2-6 years olds. You can find the book “Alayah” on Kindle through this link, and on iBooks through this link. If you have problems downloading the book on iBooks or this was your first digital book to download, you will find the steps here.

Alia & I joined Suzanne Bradford & Dr. Samineh Shaheem on their Dubai Today show on Dubai Eye FM, where apart from general book chit-chat Alia gave a beautiful background about her book and what it meant to her. You can listen to the interview on these two links: part 1, part 2.

Through this issue, we are joined with a new columnist: Ahlam Bolooki. Ahlam holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Hospitality Management and started her career Marketing Jumeirah Group restaurants for four years. She currently oversees communications for Dubai Events, working to strengthen the Emirate’s growing profile, locally and internationally, as a dynamic events and festival destination. She is an aspiring writer contributing to Gulf News, and does not go through a single day without reading a section of the Complete Works of Khalil Gibran.

Sharing emotions are often perceived as vulnerable and weak; however her column “Crack the Core Code” will plant seeds of bravery in sharing the truth in its stripped down core through digestible, yet impactful anecdotes.

I hope you have also ended 2014 on a high note, checked off as many goals off your list as you could. And now, I hope you have had the time to relax a little, reflect on everything achieved or not achieved in 2014, and brainstormed on what you’d like to achieve in 2015. Although some may argue against New Year’s resolutions, I’m not with or against it. One thing is for sure though – you need to set timed goals for yourself, and you need to make the time to reflect on them and measure them every now and then. If you choose not to have it on the New Year, then you can have it on your birthday or any other date you choose, but you must force that habit of goals planning and achievement reflection sometime each year.

And now to our 58^th issue for the month of January 2015:

• Guest Article – “Roles” & “Models”: Aida AlBusaidi writes about how in today’s society, people don’t need to have any educational background, or be an expert in anything, to be famous. They simply need to be “popular” on social media.
• Guest Article – Without A Photographic Archive: Alia AlShamsi reflects on the changing perspective on the need for archiving our lives through photography.
• Crack the Core Code – Free Falling: Ahlam Bolooki explores the different forms of trust and their importance throughout our lives.
• Emirati Reflections – Grandma Sewing Machine: Abdulla AlWahedi reflects on his grandmother’s sewing machine and what it meant for the previous generations.
• Habillez Moi – Are Fashion Competitions Paving The Way For Designers?: Reem AlSuwaidi contemplates the result of a designer participating in design competitions.
• Hidden Promises – To Eat or Not to Eat, That Is the Question: Alia AlHazami discusses the importance of considering eating disorders as an actual disorder rather than a trend.
• Little Doses of Happiness – The Joy of Road trips: Sidiqa Sohail reflects on what makes road trips so much fun.
• Live Out Loud – The Sequel – Act 2015: Sarah AlMarashi explores the lure of new beginnings & follows through on the piece in the December Issue.
• Lost in Reverie – Nothing But A Heart To Heart: Alwid Lootah opens up to the readers admitting that she’s still looking for something she’s passionate about, and decides that it’s time to look harder and maybe change paths.
• Of Ships and Kings – Splashes of Fun: Does working in a strict, controlled environment increase our productivity? Omar Al Owais explores.
• Out of Copyright – Emiratisation: Muna AlMulla discusses the initiative of Emiratisation and how it may not be fully implemented as it should be in order to create more job opportunities for Emiratis to serve the country.
• Pocket Full of Books – Status: Tears Till The Very End: Maitha AlMuhairi gives her book review on “If I Stay”.
• The Heart of the Making – The Sign Makers: Moza AlMatrooshi walked through a signage street in Ajman to explore the different processes that take place in the making of these signs, shining a light on the struggle of the signage industry.
• The Words Within – Congratulations, Mom! Where’s My Tea?: Bahar AlAwadhi looks at the excessive pressure that society imposes on new mothers instead of providing them with time and space to recover and enjoy their moment.

Hats off to our incredible editorial team: Dhabya AlMuhairi and Deena Rashid. Enjoy our reads, and don’t forget to check out the inspired artworks by our talented creative team: Dana AlAttar, Hayat AlHassan, Marwa Fuad, led by Maryam Zainal.

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Warm regards,
Iman Ben Chaibah
Editor in Chief