Acknowledgements

To my husband, Eyad, and my children, Fatema, Anas and Dareen, who have been supportive of my pursue of education, despite it taking me away from them for long stretches of time, who have believed in me even more than I believed in myself, who have made my life perfect, to you I owe this book.

To those who are willing to step out their comfort zone and observe without prejudging, to those who believe that no story is fully told, to those who listen to other than themselves, to you I owe this book.

To Destiny that plans better than I do, and blows winds in directions I have not chosen, only to take me to places better than my intended destinations, and bring me with people I would have never met had I taken the roads I had chosen, to you I owe this book.