Introducing myself, & getting to know how this works. Hello, Steemit friends!! <3

Good day, dear Steemians! I come in peace! :P

My name is Wa'el Jom'aa. & I am excited to be a part of the Steemit community but I was kinda confused about writing my introductory blog cuz I didn't know what to write in it. I mean I'm quite talkative but I needed to get started. (but once I do, stop me if you can. lol) & I didn't have the time to write this (I'll get back to this).

I was born in Damascus, Syria. & I spent most of my life in this city. Our old house was in a town on the edge of the city. I love this city cuz it has a fun mixture of the ancient old and the modern new. Both of which took a big hit cuz of the crisis & it makes me feel sad and different about this city. But I, as everyone, am hopeful that one day it will be peaceful and safe again and everything will be as it was in 2010 if not better.

Life in Damascus has always been fun and interesting. Always alive with so many flavors where you can find most of what you look for. although I always dreamt of travelling, I haven't got the chance. I always said I wanna go see the world and meet people from different cultures, but in a way, the world used to come to me right here. Before the crisis, I used to spend most of my time with people from different parts of the world; whether they're tourists fascinated by the beauty of my country, or people who moved here to work and made it home over here. Then when the crisis started all those people, all those friends, moved away or had to. And you have no idea the emptiness they left. The city lost something of its soul, as one of them used to say "A part of the city's soul will always be in us."
I still communicate with some of them online, and after a while I started meeting new people online, including @lyndsaybowes and some of the people who are now family to me & although they live thousands of kilometers away, they live right here with me, right in my heart. & I couldn't be more grateful. ^_^ & I would just love to meet people who are like-minded & who are just as open and loving as the ones I'm already lucky to have.

I'm 32 years old, but most people can't tell . They say I look much younger. Most say 23 or 24 which I love, btw. I'm sure it's cuz my inner child is so much alive and out there, and my optimistic nature which regenrates hope every morning. So hopefully, I'll be forever young. Yet when people get to know me, they feel my mind is that of an older man who's wise & aware. Optimism is my main characteristic maybe. I'm always hopeful. Things get me down sometimes, but all I need is a little while or a short nap to bring me back to happiness. I'm also patient. I hate lying and I almost never do it. & I never curse.
I'm both logical and full of emotions, talk about Kirk & Spock together. & I love to laugh and make endless jokes, even under rain of bullets and mortar shells. I love to keep a balance between seriousness and humor, but never separating those two ;) I love puzzles & mind challenging games, talk games, card & board games and all kinds of games, really. Uno & Pentago seem to take the stage lately whenever with friends.
Music is always playing in my room or in my earphones, unless I'm talking to people or watching movies, music is not allowed to be off! You name it, I probably listen to it, no matter the genre. But Metal, Oriental, Classical, Jazz, and Rap are the top genres for me. Don't ask how! :P

I studied English Literature in college & I loved it so much. I still love comparing it to the Arabic literature esp. when it comes to poetry. & if I could, I would stay a student forever. I used to be a bookworm & I used to enjoy just reading and studying all that was required and then some more (even at times when we didn't have electricity for months, or it'd be raining bombs, I still did great). Then I was accepted in the MA for English linguistics, which would've been amazing if our university is what it used to be before the crisis or if I could travel to an English speaking country, but then I kinda had to stop pursuing it. I wished to find a scholarship or something, cuz I can't afford to travel and study on my own. (Hoping Steemit would help with the money issues). I work as an English tutor for kids and for adults for many years now, & I taught in a school last year, I love the kids more than I can say. I would love to have such an opportunity again. & I work as an English<=>Arabic translator from time to time.

I still don't know a lot about Steemit but I'm looking forward to. & I haven't had time to do this post cuz electricty and internet are not always on around here and lately they agreed to never be on at the same time. hihihi. (I'm glad it was saved as a draft when there were blackout, we've had a few today). I'll talk more in later posts about our way of life around here.

That's me, Wa'el. if I say more, it'll become an autobiography. :p Thanks for taking the time to get to know me. If you're still reading then hopefully you like what you're reading. (if you're not still reading then you scrolled here since you're reading THIS, hahaha) Let me know about you, and direct me to your posts. I'd love to read them & get to know you in return. <3

Looking forward to making the best Steemit experience with the great friends and lots of $$$.

Have a great day. Sending you peace, joy, and love & light. <3