giving blood
As part of my comittment to Nawras, I readily agreed to donate blood on film to try and encourage others to do the same. I have given blood quite often, ever since university, but have never searched out a blood bank, just given blood if the opportunity arose.
With all the concerns about AIDS/HIV and other communicable diseases, I had to fill in a form before donating. Most of the questions were straight forward, but I had to pause when I came across a question that asked if I had ever paid for sex… The truth is, one way or another we all pay for it, whether it be financially, emotionally, or otherwise, and it could be argued that marriage is just a form of legalised payment for sex…but not in front of my parents obviously!
Anyway, it turned out they were just looking for a YES or NO answer, which simplified my response 
Later on in the same form, it asked whether I had ever had sex with someone who had sex for money of drugs. I had to pause as it seemed to be the same question as before… though there was a very subtle difference to the previous question. In addition, the poor syntax made me laugh and I think it had probably been translated directly from the Arabic… A clearer translation would have asked if I had ever had sex with a hooker or a crack whore…but that might not have translated so well into Arabic.
Either way, amusing myself with the forms helped take my mind off the actual giving blood and insertion of needles. Despite it not really hurting, I always find it slightly stressful as I hate needles, and the thought of a needle inside me, possibly cutting up the inside of my viens and destroying my arm gives me an askward feeling. However, I have done it so often I am now actually brave enough to look as they insert the needle and watch the blood drain…who are you going to believe? Me or the photos?
