Who am I? من انا؟

Well, I am an half Egyptian – Austrian girl living in Graz. My parents named me Nora because it is a typical Arabic name, meaning light, but in the same time Nora is also known in Austria. Actually my dad is an Egyptian and my extended family still live in the heart of Cairo. That is the reason why I have become a traveler. At least once a year I go to Egypt to visit my family and friends. That allowed me to gain deep insight into the Arabic way of thinking and the lifestyle. These aspects differ greatly from the European ones.

 I grew up bilingual – Arabic and German- and I that’s why I was able to develop a sense of language. So I decided to study Arabic and English at the University of Graz.  My interest in other foreign cultures is another reason why I have chosen “transcultural communication”.  Besides languages I am a passionate musician and dancer. I have been playing the flute since I was a child and I am currently performing in an orchestra.

In terms of my personality I am a really open-minded person because of my cultural background. My attitude is a mix of European and Arabic ideas and ideologies, which makes it hard sometimes to come to a decision in particular things. However, I am really proud of my Arabic-Austrian descent even if it is not visible from my appearance. Another streak is that I am a peaceful person. I don’t like arguments or fights and I am always trying to solve problems in a diplomatic way. I think this is much more efficient than insulting and shouting at each other.

Who am I?

Good morning friends!

It's a pleasure to introduce myself to all of you :-) 

My name is Mathea and I was born in Kaprun which is a small town in Salzburg. Growing up in a rural area I early developed a strong appreciation for the environment and our beautiful earth in general. When I was a child I started skiing as well as snowboarding and being surrounded by astonishing mountains and crystal clear lakes made me care a lot about the environment. At the age of seven I started dancing and I enjoyed it but stopped when I moved to Graz. I’m still into sports though; currently I am attending a yoga course and two other fitness trainings. Whenever I am at home I try to hike as much as possible. Besides trying to stay in shape a little bit I am utterly interested in music. I have to admit that probably three quarters of my money run into music festivals, concerts and CDs. Actually I just went to a mind-blowing concert in Graz yesterday. I learned to play the guitar when I was a child but unfortunately I wasn't very talented and I didn't have enough time to practise so I forgot how to play. Music offers us a great escape and I guess that's why it is so important to the people.

Another thing I am extremely passionate about it – surprise – travelling! After my a-levels I travelled around the globe for five months. I went to Thailand, Australia, Hawaii and I visited lots of states in America, for instance Arizona, Nevada, California, New York, Washington DC and so on. It was the most eye opening experience I ever had but weirdly I realized that later when I was back home. You learn so much about other people, you get to know different traditions and new cultures but most importantly you learn a lot about yourself.

I automatically became more sociable and I learned to make friends out of strangers. 

I would describe myself as an optimistic and open-minded person as I always try look on the bright side. 

My goal is to go on as many adventures as I can and create a life that I don't need a vacation from.

If you would like to get to know more about me, here’s the link to my blog: 

http://justaroundthedeepriver.blogspot.co.at/

Thanks :-)