Just when I thought I couldn’t have fun in Abu Dhabi, it happens all at once.

Yachts, beaches, swimming pools, good food and endless dancing.

Hello! I’m still in Abu Dhabi. Time is flying. I’ve been here almost three months? Anyway, work is happening, fun is happening, and I’m doing what I came here to do: creation, destruction, etc.

Just some proof of life here. I know it looks like all water side leisure, but I promise, that’s part of the work. Or something.

FIRST THINGS FIRST!
I’m selling signed mini-prints for only $10 each! They’d make perfect little postcards, flare for your refrigerator or even a cute little bookmark. Send an e-mail to yumnaaa@gmail.com for more info, and hurry! There’s only 24 for sale and they’re going to sell quick! Don’t mind the grainy photo, the prints are fantastic quality, promise.

Next, I worked on a 20-page travel guide to Yemen’s magical island of Socotra with Brian Okarski of Department International. It’s in the latest issue of Brownbook Magazine. Not to brag or anything, but between my words/photos, and Brian’s incredible design, this thing is pretty freakin’ amazing. Find where they’re sold in your country at brownbook.me!

And finally, on January 30th at Dubai Knowledge Village, I’ll have the honor of speaking about my work in Yemen for Gulf Photo Plus’ Slidefest! If you’re lucky enough to attend, I’ll be sharing some never-before-seen photographs from my last trip there. It’s going to be an incredible evening with great photographers. Best part of all?! IT’S FREE! To be honest, I’m actually quite nervous. Speaking in front of 400 people?! Insanity! Come join us at 7pm, say hello, ask me questions, and enjoy a night of visual inspiration.

First of a new series.

Director: Yumna Al-Arashi
Model: Jaclyn Martinez
Music: Dinah Washington – Cry Me A River (Truth & Soul Remix)

(Pssst, there’s a Tip Jar on the Vimeo page, leave some love to help fund the rest of the series)

The New Year began in Brooklyn. I worked a full-time job in the fashion industry. It made me happy up until fashion week came around, which I covered and simultaneously despised. At first, leaving the job seemed terrifying, but ultimately became the biggest blessing in disguise. Although I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do, I knew exactly what I didn’t want to do, and who I didn’t want to work for or with. And I quickly moved forward. I was featured as a Rising Photographer on Dazed Digital. I escaped to New Orleans with Clayton and KT for my first Mardi Gras. I fell in love with the city that I’d heard so much about, and yes, it was just as magical as everyone claims. Met Jac, who not only became a muse, but an incredible friend and partner in adventure. I made many incredible friends this year, but also lost a few. I realized that there’s a twisted beauty in losing friends. It became a reminder to appreciate the gifts which they bring into your life, a reminder that everyone comes in and out of your life for a reason. I worked on a short film, which was fun and beautiful. Spent a few weeks in LA with my brother and Jac. I rented a mini-cooper convertible and found myself staying in the Morning View Mansion that Incubus recorded in (high-school swoon!). Back in NYC, my car became my second home. I found any excuse to escape the city, and did practically every week. I spent a lot of time with my dear friend Derek in his incredibly beautiful home in the Catskills. It became my favorite place to escape, to think, to create and to feel endless comfort. I discovered epic swimming holes, beaches, weird towns in Jersey, and spent a lot of time at home in DC with my family. One of my favorite escapes was living on the most beautiful houseboat in Provincetown, with Clayton and KT. We rocked day and night, watched lightning storms, cooked delicious food, and explored the secret treasures of that little town. I found so much love in both Clayton and KT. They became so much more than friends to me; they were lovers, teachers with the most open hearts, and endless, non-judgmental care. The long-awaited departure from New York to live in The Middle East became more real to me as time passed. Between finding work to save for my expedition, and preparing for the actual move, I hit a rough spot and lost quite a bit of my sanity. My healing involved a lot of acupuncture and long motorcycle rides with a special man. And, of course, my beautiful friends took very good care of me. Kira Madden and I spent countless nights drinking wine, sharing endless knowledge, laughter and tears together. Danielle Redman always opened her warm arms, and we caused trouble all over the city, danced, twerked and watched sunrises. And Jac, my beautiful Jac became a sister to me, always around to escape when I needed it, even on a minutes notice. As the time to leave came close, I prepared by packing, and dancing as I saw fit. I got a week’s notice that I could finally go to Yemen, and I did. But not without trouble. I dealt with bureaucratic drama, which eventually led to me spending an unexpected week in Istanbul. Then, finally, my long-awaited time in Yemen arrived. I spent three weeks exploring the devastating mess my home had become. I treated myself to a few weeks in Cairo, and fell completely head over heels in love with it. I worked on an epic story with a new beautiful friend, Ghazala Irshad. And now, I’m here in Abu Dhabi working on some magic.

This year has been a whirlwind of adventure. I want to say that I’ve learned so much this year, but I know that I’ll be saying that at the end of every year to come. I started this year thinking I knew exactly what I wanted. And now, at the end of the year, I can proudly say that I know absolutely nothing, except for the fact that I’m heading in the right direction.

A happy and safe New Year to you ALL. I hope you find happiness, love and adventure in the year to come.

(Click here for last year’s Year in Review)

I spent my 24th birthday in the two countries that make up my blood. Yemen and Egypt. I know you’ve all heard me rant on about Yemen, a place so dear to me. But the truth is that I am only half Yemeni, my other half is Egyptian. Because of my distant relationship with my mother, I had never been to Egypt.
After news of my wonderful Swedish friends heading to Cairo to report, I decided to join. My family in Yemen threw me a surprise birthday party fully equipped with delicious food, amazing music and belly dancing, and I hopped onto a plane for Egypt right after.
Upon arrival, a football player-sized Egyptian man, Mowafak, was waiting for me with a sign that said my name in both English and Arabic. I immediately felt at home. We drove through Cairo with Om Kalthoum softly playing on the radio, until we reached the houseboat on the Nile that would become home for the next nine days.
Cairo was home to both my mother and father when they were my age. It’s where they met, where they were educated, a place that had to exist in order for me and my siblings to come into existence. As I roamed through Tahrir, I wondered what it was like for my father to go to that same square every day, attending university, having no clue of the symbolic value it would hold for me and my generation today.
Tahrir was an experience beyond words and photographs. The energy was epic, historic. I met brilliant and caring people in Tahrir. I felt a country coming together for freedom. Yes, there was violence, tear gas, disgusting instances of sexual harassment, but the good energy overpowered all of these things.

Egypt really stole my heart, and now that I’m in Abu Dhabi, I’m not really sure if this is where I’m meant to be living.
Cairo, I believe I’ll be seeing you again, very soon.

News of hurricane Sandy hitting New York just days after my escape was heartbreaking. Seeing the damage and wishing I was there to help, to experience my home in such a state that I could barely wrap my mind around. It’s strange. But I’m here in Yemen, another home that I’ve been yearning to see for two years now.

As far as power shortages, low water supply-that’s a constant reality of life here in Yemen. Some days water is only running for a few hours, so we resort to our backups: buckets filled with water. Showering is quite the task and makes me feel incredibly spoiled for not initally knowing how to take a full shower with just one small bucket of water. Sometimes the power goes out for hours on end, either due to people destroying wires or just pure lack of technology to keep it on.

The last time I was here two years ago, the lack of resources such as water and electricity was bad, but it wasn’t as bad as this. It’s never been bad as this, and I know it’s only getting worse. As far as political issues, it’s of course, not as bad as the news portrays it to be here in the South (most of the trouble is North, near the capital of Sana’a). Sometimes I think the government tries to scare Yemeni people into thinking things are becoming stricter, tighter, with things such as road checkpoints every few kilometers. In reality, the guards are just chewing qat and resting lazily while their AK’s hang loosely around their backs. I photograph them with no problem, sometimes they even pose for me. The citizens just live as if the checkpoint is a bump on the road, with their children standing on truck beds while they drive in the middle of the lanes and chew qat as well.

If you ever want to experience a land without law, order or modern technology, come to Yemen. I feel as though my photographs can’t even capture how insane this place is, how different it is from the modern world I’ve lived in. Sometimes I have to pinch myself and say, “Am I really here? Is this place even real? Are my roots seriously based HERE of all god damn places?!” But then I remember how lucky I am to have a family here to keep me safe, to be my fixers, it’s a journalists dream.

I’m happy, my family is happy, throughout all the political bullshit and lack of water/power, people here are happy. They’re giving, they’re kind, peaceful, hospitable. The only thing that they are not is forward-thinking (the majority, at least). Their means of logic is based in old Islamic medieval times. Women’s rights, LGBT rights, things of the such. Those things don’t apply here. Sometimes it makes me crazy to argue, to teach them, but sometimes it’s not even worth it. I have MALE (!) cousins of mine nagging at me to wear a niqab (the face cover) if I have so much as mascara on my face, even if I’m already draped in black from my hair to my toes (in the abaya and hijab). That bothers me to no end, and in regards to that matter, I defend myself and the women around me until they just learn to let go.

Aden was once free, open-minded, progressive-all less than 30 years ago. Looking back on its rich history, I feel so confused as to how much a society can regress in such a short amount of time. These photographs and words are just the tip of the iceberg in regards to what I’m working on during my few weeks here in Yemen. Let’s say, a quick introduction. Can’t wait to share more, real soon.

Due to current political turmoil, I wasn’t able to get on a plane from JFK to Yemen last week. I struggled for 18 hours with my Yemeni family on the phone yelling in one ear to get on the plane anyway, while airport staff threatened to deport me if I stepped foot Yemen. “You’re an Arashi! You have Yemeni blood! Don’t they understand how things work here?,” “Ma’am, if you enter Yemen as an American citizen, you will be arrested and deported. We cannot advise you to get on this plane.”
I decided to play it safe. With my layover Istanbul, I stayed a few days after Eid passed and the consulate in Turkey reopened. The staff knew my family, and thankfully pulled a few strings for me to enter.
My few days alone in Istanbul were interesting, my Eid spent alone was unexpected. I was literally thrown into the city with no prior plans, no accommodations, no language and no contacts at all. But I enjoyed every minute of it. I’m glad my adventure began this way- thrown into the fucking deep end all alone, and warmed up for the rest of my long swim home.
Istanbul is a spectacular city, but I am so glad to finally be in Yemen. Let the magic begin!

I took Jac down to DC and gave her a tour of my hometown this past week. We snuck into my old backyard, which is basically just huge woods and creek. Leaves were falling and the warm light was beaming through the branches. It was so beautiful to make photos in a place where the younger me would spend hours dreaming up a storm. It hasn’t changed one bit, and I hope it never will.

The light has been perfect lately. The temperature is cooler. The pace is slower. The people are warmer. My patience has been lacking, but a good friend reminded me to be here, now. To enjoy every moment for what it is. “You’re here for a reason.”