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To overcome the harsh realities of war in Gaza, many residents have had to abandon their hard-earned careers in academic, medical, and other fields, seeking alternative ways to feed their families, often turning to street vending and farming.
Ahmed Hani, a 31-year-old architect from Gaza city, once thrived in the bustling world of architectural blueprints and projects that pressured him.
“I used to spend more than 10 hours a day in the office because of my love for it and the work pressure which I considered as the biggest motivation to continue working,” he told The National.
His days were filled with enjoying breakfast and laughs with his colleagues between work and driving to the project sites.
Ahmed’s journey in the world of architecture began with five years of university studies and two years of training. He gained experience and built a reputation for himself over the six years of work but his plans to one day open an office came tumbling down when the war started.
Now, his line of work has shifted dramatically.
"A few months ago, I decided to cultivate a small piece of land around our house and live off its produce," he said.
Selling the corn, parsley and courgettes he grows on his land has become his source of income, helping him to support his wife and child. But despite the difficulties, he remains hopeful.
“My dreams are many, but the main one is for the war to end and for us to return to our previous lives, we which we enjoyed so much,” he said.
Hassan Abu Auda, 29, was on a promising academic path before the war broke out on October 7. Three years ago, he obtained his master's degree and began teaching psychological counselling and education at various universities in Gaza.
"It pains me deeply every time I remember my life before the war, my ambitions, and how things were compared to how they are now," he said.
Originally from Bein Hanoun in northern Gaza, Hassan was supposed to be preparing for his PhD studies to become a lecturer. Instead, he sells ice cream in order to provide for his pregnant wife and two children.
"If I had known such a war was coming, I would never have dared to bring a third child into this life in Gaza"
Hassan Abu Auda,
Gaza resident
"If I had known such a war was coming, I would never have dared to bring a third child into this life in Gaza,” he said.
Mohammed Ishtaywi finds himself in a similar situation.
An English teacher from Zeitoun in Gaza city, he spent 12 years teaching in government schools and was a familiar face in the community, having worked in more than five schools.
He enjoyed working early in the mornings and said his first class of the day was always his favourite.
But the joy and the daily routines came to an end when the war started.
Schools were shut – or destroyed – and salaries stopped. Mohammed and his family of five struggled to find food. Out of necessity, he opened a small stall and sold coffee and nuts in the hope he would make enough to feed his loved ones.
The transition was difficult.
"At first, it was very difficult for me psychologically, especially with the pitying looks from people," Mohammed said.
Over time, as the war raged on, he started to adapt.
“Over time, I transformed from a teacher who wore a suit every day to work and tried to be well-groomed, using perfumes and hair gel, to a vendor standing all day at his stall,” he added.
Now, schools are being used as shelters for the thousands of people who have been displaced by fierce fighting across the besieged enclave.
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
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10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
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Why the Tourist Club?
Originally, The Club (which many people chose to call the “British Club”) was the only place where one could use the beach with changing rooms and a shower, and get refreshments.
In the early 1970s, the Government of Abu Dhabi wanted to give more people a place to get together on the beach, with some facilities for children. The place chosen was where the annual boat race was held, which Sheikh Zayed always attended and which brought crowds of locals and expatriates to the stretch of beach to the left of Le Méridien and the Marina.
It started with a round two-storey building, erected in about two weeks by Orient Contracting for Sheikh Zayed to use at one these races. Soon many facilities were planned and built, and members were invited to join.
Why it was called “Nadi Al Siyahi” is beyond me. But it is likely that one wanted to convey the idea that this was open to all comers. Because there was no danger of encountering alcohol on the premises, unlike at The Club, it was a place in particular for the many Arab expatriate civil servants to join. Initially the fees were very low and membership was offered free to many people, too.
Eventually there was a skating rink, bowling and many other amusements.
Frauke Heard-Bey is a historian and has lived in Abu Dhabi since 1968.
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