All in the - American University of Beirut

Beyond Bliss Streetc l a s s n o t e s1940sSuhail Bulos (BA ’46, MD’50) recently retired from AUBafter working for 47 years asan orthopedic surgeon andprofessor. Rimal Press hasjust published Rue du Mexiqueand Other Stories,a collection of short storiesabout his childhood inJerusalem that “tell the tale ofpeople getting on with theirnormal lives against theodds—occasionally losing,but often succeeding.” Bulosand his wife ShermineRawlah (BA ’48) live in Beirut.They have three daughtersand six grandchildren.1950sMuriel Angelil (BS ’55)had an exhibit last July atthe New Century Artists Galleryin New York City. She showedpaintings inspired by herchildhood years in Alexandria,Egypt, which included abstractfigurative works of dancers,Arab women, little girls,and horses rendered in boldstrokes and colors. Angelil’sstudio is located in Amesbury,Massachusetts. She is alsowriting a book on her experiencein Egypt and the exodusof her family due to politicalupheavals. Her artworks canbe seen at murielangelil.comAmal Freiji (BA ’57, MA ’67)is an educator and authorwhose developmental programsand books for childreninclude Lughati An-Namia(My Developing Language),Beituna (Our Home), Al’abuna(Our Games), and Ashabuna(Our Friends). Her work hasbeen described as “based ona deep understanding of thechild’s basic physical andpsychological needs, thesocial-cultural needs of thecommunity, the learning processin general, and Arabiclanguage learning in particular.”[info(at)amalfreiji.com][www.amalfreiji.com]Lana Mahmoud (BA ’95) writes about twogenerations of AUB couples.My parents, Samia Al Khairy and JunaidMahmoud (BS ’64, MD ’68), met at AUB eventhough my mother actually graduated from the nearbyBeirut College for Women (BCW). Their love story began whenthe AUB Medical Students Society was invited to the BCWcampus for the first co-ed dance on October 17, 1967. Theymet at that dance and have been together ever since.My paternal grandparents, Dr. Najib Mahmoud Ahmed(Jiddo) (MD ’35), a pulmonary physician, and Maida AlHaidari (Neneh) (BA ’40) were both AUBites. Neneh, myinspiration, gave the valedictorian speech at her graduationceremony. She wenton to become a teacher,an inspector of schools,and head of the Iraqi RedCrescent. In 1947, at theage of 31, she headedthe Iraqi delegation to theInternational Woman’sCongress at the UN. Shebegan her speech to theUN with, “I come from theland of Scheherazade andthe 40 thieves. Alas, weno more haveScheherazade, but wehave more than 40thieves!” Jiddo loved myNeneh dearly but foryears she was busyfocusing on her education,career, and travelingthe world representingher country. After sevenyears, my Jiddo managedto win the heart of(Top) Samia Al Khairy (second fromright) and Junaid Mahmoud (BS '64,MD '68) (second from left) at the BCWone of the most beautifulDance in 1967(MIddle) Maida Al Haidari (BA ’40), the and accomplishedvaledictorian at her AUB graduationwomen in Baghdad atthat time.(Bottom) Maida Al Haidari (BA ’40) andNajib Mahmoud Ahmed (MD ’35) withson Junaid Mahmoud (BS ’64, MD ’68)and daughter LinaAUBGenerationswww.aub.edu.lb/maingate | MainGate Fall 2011 55