Zarawa
Insights about the Orient
I was born in September 1965 near Düsseldorf,
Germany. After my A-Levels, I decided to spend some time abroad in
London to study the English language, where I recognized my passion
for foreign languages and especially for other cultures.
After my time in London I started my academic studies at the German University of Cologne in German Studies, Islamic Studies, English Language and Literature, but soon I changed to the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) of London University. As part of my degree course, I spent one year in Egypt at the British Centre of Alexandria University and graduated in 1991 with a Bachelor of Honours in Arabic and Politics.
During my studies in London I converted to Islam and studied intensively the Islamic religion and cultures. After my graduation, I married and have since been living with my husband and our three children in my husband's home country Bahrain in the Persian Gulf.
In Bahrain I taught English for several years, until I began my master's degree via distance learning in 1999 at Leicester University (UK). I completed my MBA in Educational Management in 2002 with a dissertation based on a comprehensive research in marketing private schools in Bahrain. After my postgraduate studies, I began working with my husband who founded a successful bilingual software company, but my true interest remained socio-political subjects of other cultures and religions.
Since the democratization of Bahrain and the following freedom of press and speech in 2001, I delivered several speeches in different local religious centres especially on the subject of converts and their influence on Islamic society. My main concern, however, is finding ways of improving tolerance and intercommunications between the Islamic and Western world in order to overcome the increasing enmity between them. My reports focus on investigating the challenges that face the development of mutual understanding at a time subjected to religious extremism and the war against terror.
Since February 2009 I have been working as a translator for the German Embassy in my adopted country where I also assist in projects in different cultural and political areas.
After my time in London I started my academic studies at the German University of Cologne in German Studies, Islamic Studies, English Language and Literature, but soon I changed to the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) of London University. As part of my degree course, I spent one year in Egypt at the British Centre of Alexandria University and graduated in 1991 with a Bachelor of Honours in Arabic and Politics.
During my studies in London I converted to Islam and studied intensively the Islamic religion and cultures. After my graduation, I married and have since been living with my husband and our three children in my husband's home country Bahrain in the Persian Gulf.
In Bahrain I taught English for several years, until I began my master's degree via distance learning in 1999 at Leicester University (UK). I completed my MBA in Educational Management in 2002 with a dissertation based on a comprehensive research in marketing private schools in Bahrain. After my postgraduate studies, I began working with my husband who founded a successful bilingual software company, but my true interest remained socio-political subjects of other cultures and religions.
Since the democratization of Bahrain and the following freedom of press and speech in 2001, I delivered several speeches in different local religious centres especially on the subject of converts and their influence on Islamic society. My main concern, however, is finding ways of improving tolerance and intercommunications between the Islamic and Western world in order to overcome the increasing enmity between them. My reports focus on investigating the challenges that face the development of mutual understanding at a time subjected to religious extremism and the war against terror.
Since February 2009 I have been working as a translator for the German Embassy in my adopted country where I also assist in projects in different cultural and political areas.