A tribute to my dear Nahla Dahabieh

I remember the first time I saw you
Wondering what on earth you were doing in my class
You spoke English already and seemed to have mastered the grammar
Of course, I would later find that you were once an Arabic teacher
From teacher and student, we became friends

I recount the beginnings of this journey
How I marveled at how your brain works
How you play around with words so easily
How you transform photos into poems
And how each poem brings alive the images within those photos

From teacher and student, we became friends

Right in your home and through your stories
I have travelled the world
I have been to Harvard Law School
And toured the City of San Francisco
Met people I have never known and
Dined and laughed with them
I have been to Sorbonne
I have seen Deauville and Trouville and I have enjoyed the tales of these twin cities
I have tasted French Cuisine I have never seen

I recall when I was going to France the first time
How you offered to take me to the airport from the hostel where I lodged even though we lived in different ends of Accra

I marvel at how your brain works

I remember my first time in Paris
How familiar everything was because in my mind, I could see the words of your poems leaping off of the pages of your digital books and coming alive to me.
It was surreal when I visited the Sacre Coeur, the Notre Dame, the Louvre and the Pantheon
Oh, “I have been here before” I thought to myself
There was a knowing of these places in my heart because Nahla’s stories had ever brought me here

Then of course Syrian cuisine
From Ouzi to Tabouleh
Fatoush, koussa,
Baba ganoush to broghol and your love for Ghanaian cabbage
The different types of Kibbeh – meat, pumpkin…
And your special Christmas cake and delicious cheese cake
I developed taste for “Arabic” sweets and know the difference between original home-made and store-bought
And of course all the nuts – almonds, cashew…

There was a knowing of these places in my heart because Nahla’s stories had ever brought me here.

I have shopped with you, ingredients for Syrian dishes and have had explanations to the processes involved in producing some of them
And how can I forget the hand-made traditional artefacts

From your dinning table I have been to Syria and Lebanon a million times and I get to make many of my friends jealous of my trips with photos of how you set a table before me

(Click here to see photos of Nahla`s delicious Syrian dishes http://surl.li/sqibr )

With your stories, I have been through the border between Lebanon and Syria in taxis
I have seen the contrast between the capital, Damascus and little haven Bloudan
I have come to know your cousins, nephews and nieces
Especially their resilience even in the face of the circumstances created by the war
I’ve met your sister and I know she knows my name too
I’ve come to learn about the Orthodox Church, and the differences in when we celebrate Easter and Mother’s Day (sometimes, I am not sure when to wish you “happy Mother’s Day)
And some ceremonies such as funerals and weddings

I get to make many of my friends jealous of my trips with photos of how you set a table before me.

I recall your fond memories of Ghana in the 1990s and how different Osu and Spintex were from what they are now
And that day when you said “back then, you wouldn’t see the kind of eyelashes and nails long fake nails you see today (so hilarious how you acted that out)
Your sense of humour still cracks me up
The jokes you tell and the funny clips you share with me

Countless times, non-Ghanaians home and abroad have asked me questions that make me reflect on the things that I do not see as an “insider”
Anytime I pass by women selling second hand clothes, I literally hear your voice, “I love the shaking (and I see again, how you shake your hand in demonstration) and ask, “why do they shake it?”
Well, now I know it is to draw attention

I have enjoyed your children’s childhoods with you as you shared tales of how you mothered them in Syria and in Ghana
Especially times when they tried to outsmart you forgetting that the hen does not only lay eggs but was also once an egg haha

Your sense of humour still cracks me up

I have enjoyed roasted plantain and groundnuts (the lady always sends you her regards you know) and of course coconut
I have been to farms in the heart of Accra where non-traditional vegetables are cultivated

I could go on and on and on…
I have watched with you Turkish movies and Lebanese shows because you were my translator
You have shared with me your going swimming, taking walks, visiting home in Syria and the numerous precious gifts you bring back for me
Your love for big hats and the funny tales of events you attended
You are able to make light of otherwise serious situations such as your visits to the Doctor’s

Your pieces of advice to me…”eat well Belinda you need to be strong, attend this show, visit that place, go have fun” and the recent birthday surprise (click here to see video http://surl.li/sqjov )
And the times you have admired my male friends on my behalf hahahahaha (Don’t worry Nahla, you will surely attend my wedding when the time comes and I definitely insist on a big hat 😉

You live your name.

You are such an amazing soul
You are not perfect but I doubt you seek to be
You are Human! That’s the word
You are in tune with your emotions and in touch with reality
Dahabieh means gold and that`s unsurprising
You live your name!
Shining like the gem that you are
I’m grateful to God for the gift of a friend in you

It’s been six years, dear Nahla
If I could offer you only one gift in a lifetime
I would offer you the gift of peace which transcends all understanding
You deserve it
Knowing you has been a different kind of friendship
I cannot love you any less