hasanhujairi[dot]com

Okay, so, the new semester here in Tokyo hasn’t begun yet and my good friends are either out of town or busy moving into appartments of their own. The result - Yours truly with OODLES and OODLES of spare time. During my time alone, I managed to do a few things. Like ruin the left sleave of my favorite wool sweater, after getting it pinched on a bush as I was walking around (Recently, anything deal with BUSHes seems to always have a bad, destructive effect on everything else, huh?), I cut my chin while shaving in a Sento (public bath) a couple of nights ago, I did my laundry (FINALLY, and a few thoughts have been occasionally passing through my head. Some of these thoughts are things I can put into action - if I try - and others I have little to no power own. They range from my own personal lifestyle and what I need to do to develop my personal wellbeing, to the development of the transportation infrastructure of the island-state of Bahrain - my home.

1. I was thinking of purchasing some space IN cyberspace to publish two things:
a. Career/Study related: My Economic Research that I do for my studies and for myself - which I could use as my online portfolio to help me in my career.
b. Interest-related: Share information/samples about Middle Eastern music as well as possibly publishing my own recordings and compositions on the Oud and Guitar. Who knows where this might take me? Maybe a few invitations to perform in concerts around Tokyo? Maybe it would give me a little more credibility as a musician? Maybe I could use it to communicate with others interested in Middle Eastern Music and/or Oud. Maybe I could spread a little more awareness about the Middle East as a location with culture and heritage…. Then again, I haven’t heard much about Bahraini musicians abroad  -  let alone IN Bahrain - who make it far Oh well, I better not discourage myself.

Anyone have any ideas where I could get a good deal to purchase space online?

2. In Japan; I am always surprised by how comprehensive and convenient public transportation is. In Tokyo, trains usually run between 5am and 1am - except for new year’s eve; trains run 24 hours. Most people in Tokyo tend to commute through trains, and the train system/stations are vital for the many micro-economies in the vicinity of any given train station. From Trainstations, some of the businesses that benefit are: Restaurants, Real Estate Agencies, Shopping Malls, Mobile Telephone Providers, Schools that teach a wide array of things and what not. In Tokyo, you generally don’t have to walk/ride your bike for too long to get to the closest train stations. All the train-lines tend to be connected, and it is very easy to get around Tokyo, and also to leave Tokyo, as one wishes. It is also not very expensive to travel around.

The train system in Tokyo is vital for its own economic sustainment and development. Thousands upon thousands commute to and from work every day; potential customers who go out for shopping take the trains to buy items they may need; and others just go out to enjoy walking around a park or visiting a temple or spending time with friends or family.

If such a system would be applied in Bahrain, I personally believe many will benefit. Firstly, if the system was COMPREHENSIVE (more than the very thin and lacking coverage of the current bus system in Bahrain, which stops in VERY, VERY few areas and isn’t very frequent and convenient), it would make the lives of many living in Bahrain easier, as they would not have to take huge loans to buy cars; they would be causing less damage to the environment; they would be decreasing the chances of traffic accidents; they would be getting a LITTLE bit of exercise as they would walk/bike between stations. Also, the authorities in charge of transporation would be able to benefit from the profits of such a project.

The only potential problems I see are security (to a small extent), and the public psychology (to a LARGE extent). I know that many in the Middle East, and particularly in the Gulf; bluntly; like to show off their fancy cars, and unfortunately, public transportation has often been seen as something “immigrant workers with low income use, but not us local citizens. We’re too good to use this.”, which, in my opinion, is a very WRONG attitude to have.

Oh well - if anyone wants to use these ideas, go right ahead - I would like to think that I had SOMETHING to do with spreading ideas of developing Bahrain and Bahraini people as well.

Peace out.