Wherever I am, I have a company; I am always connected, literally always, thanks to social media in general and to facebook in particular. I spend most of my day online; posting and interacting with family and friends in an imaginary virtual world, which makes me comfortable in being far away in another continent, is it too much of socializing?!

It is true that facebook is a communicating platform basically, yet it is being used for so many different goals, utilizing the many functions available for users. It predicts and manages data based on your behavior, and it shows marketplace and what is trending. They made it super easy to communicate, broadcast, sell, buy, send money and donate, among many other functionalities I haven’t discovered yet. Is it too much offered by facebook?!

This is the third month of my stay in the USA, so I thought to put my online social interacting skills and what capabilities facebook is offering into use by organizing a fund-raising campaign within the GivingTuesday utilizing the “Donate” function of facebook. I had my hopes high to raise as much as I can, I was sure that most of my friends will donate for my cause, as they have always been supportive. The only problem is that most of them are in the MENA region where the “Donate” function is not functioning.  Was that too much to ask for?!

My alternative plan was to share my story, and ask friends to vote for it. The highest scoring story will get $10,000. facebook asked me to confirm my identity because of the many tags I was doing. Well, that should be ok, but it was not! I tried to confirm my identity, facebook said I would receive a code on my phone +970599******, cool! Wait, I received nothing! Of course, I would not, I am in the USA and my mobile phone is on roaming i.e. the virtual country code for Palestine does not work, so code should be sent to +972599****** which has the Israeli country code. No need to remind you that Israel occupies Palestine and denies it from accessing its own resources like spectrum, shores, land, water and air. Is that too much of an occupation?!

I am losing my 10 years of memories, conversations with people I love and my saved links of important subjects. I was losing my world. But I tried to keep calm as I need to save my campaign to give back to Atlas Corps, the organization that made it possible for me to serve in the USA, to learn from the best and to be a fellow in IBM. But, I need my account! I miss my virtual community! I need to communicate with my family and friends. No need to panic Nadiah, it is a positive sign; your account is secure. Ok, now what?! I complained, and received a thank you message for sending my formal ID. No access yet. Well, what about using my trusted contacts: Zainab, Razan and Dr. Safaa. We tried for tens of times, in each time my friends asked to recover my account, they got a code and sent it over. I tried the combination of the three codes with no progress. How much is too much of security?!

 

I had the customer care in the Palestinian Cellular Company contacting facebook formally with no echo. A week has passed. I am getting more used to the idea of reading a book instead of smiling at the laptop screen, reading funny comments of my friends. Some of my friends were really mean, mocking me for being blocked after years of commitment to socializing on facebook, others missed me, and thought I unfriended them and blocked them! While the very few were supportive helping me in reporting this issue in all means to facebook support, customer care (if there was any) and security teams. My last option, just right before I wanted to give up is to deactivate the roaming SIM card I have with me here in the USA and issue another one in Palestine where the virtual country code and gate would work. This was exactly what I did and finally, after one week of blockage, I regained access to my account. Is that too much of persistence?

 

 

I checked my home page, I did not really miss anything. The only things I lost in addition to my roaming Palestinian phone number is my campaign and the ability to help and  support a noble cause; I only raised $124, while 77 only had the ability to vote to my story.  Was that too much to ask for?!

Is it a price that I needed to pay being Palestinian: to have less offered on public platforms! to always live the consequences of the occupation no matter where I am! to never be free with a total control on our resources! To be disconnected from family and friends at home! to always compromise! To be State-less and Capital-less! especially when your Capital City is being donated. Is that too generous?!

I just wanted to be good, I wanted to do good by giving back and helping an American based organization that is currently helping me achieve my goals.

 

THAT IS TOO MUCH TO HANDLE

 

 

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