Maida Scandalous Struggles

By Maida AbouJaoudé

Maida is a talented journalist with a successful career of twenty-five years as a radio and television host. She adapted her skills and knowledge base to achieve the very best.

Maida lived through the war in Lebanon. She then relocated to Italy, working at the first ever digital television and radio network broadcasting across the Middle East. With such a successful career, going back to Lebanon should have been an easy transition. However, in a country where women are not seen as equals to men, holding onto success is a daily battle.

The turning point in her life and for her career was when she decided to face unethical and corrupt Lebanese dentists who caused irreversible damage to her temporo mandibular joint - TMJ. But, with a corrupt archaic legal system the battle has been going on for a few years.

Maida was then pushed by force into a traumatic psychiatric unit in Lebanon, which was a cruel and hurtful experience.

There is much to say in this book, a lot that needs to be told to the outside world.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Maida AbouJaoudé
• Release date: Jul 1, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393402152

Maida AbouJaoudé

Maida AbouJaoudé is a talented journalist with a successful career spanning twenty-five years as a broadcaster in radio and television. She hosted her own talk shows adapting her skills and knowledge base to achieve the very best. Maida has a Masters degree in Mass Communications: Radio, T.V. and Film from the University of Leicester in the U.K. Maida is a member of the Ordine dei Giornalisti del Lazio in Italy.

Book preview

MAIDA

scandalous struggles

Maida AbouJaoudé

Acknowledgements

To my nephews Karl and Liam with love.

To my family with my heartfelt gratitude.

To Angie McNee for her amazing support and for reminding me of my true inner self. For a decade of sincere friendship; someone who knows what pain and injustice really means.

To every person I met in moments of distress during these years of struggles, and who helped and took care of me when I needed it most.

To every person who truly trusted and believed in me, and who continues to do so; supporting my fight against injustices in life.

To the only person who knows me as much as I know myself.

Contents

Dedication

Acknowledgements

Contents

Preface

Chapter 1   Childhood and War

Chapter 2   Escaping Harsh Reality

Chapter 3   Early Career Success

Chapter 4   Television Hosting from Rome

Chapter 5   Socio-Political Involvement 

Chapter 6   Television Hosting from Beirut

Chapter 7   Dentistry Scandal

Chapter 8   TMJ Treatment in Rome

Chapter 9   Psychiatry Scandal

Chapter 10   Smiling Yet Again

Conclusion

Notes

Preface

There are mystical moments that change one’s perception of the whole world. Magical times of pure emotions that cannot be described nor explained.

One night in the eternal city of Rome in Italy, a piece of wood marvellously carved made me feel that it had more about it than anyone would imagine. Pinocchio was staring at me with his beautiful eyes and his lovely smile; he was so genuine. I never thought of him as a wooden puppet whose nose gets longer when he tells lies, but a sweet person who does not know how to express his feelings.

Later on, a picture taken in Beirut, in my home country Lebanon, made me realise that my Pinocchio is real. I looked at the picture and smiled. It is a world that might be similar to fairy tales, which have always charmed me. Other pictures confirmed the reality of my angels guiding me throughout my struggles. They are simple proof of the purest form of life existing in the universe. My intuition never failed me; I am blessed by the power of prodigious love.

I have questioned life at an early age, witnessed a war, and faced injustices. Writing about one’s own life experience is hard enough; to be confronted by corrupt systems makes it even harder. However, my passion for my career as a radio and television host made me realise that courage and strength come from within.

My book simply relates the story of my life; its dazzling moments and harsh scandalous struggles.

Maida

Chapter 1

Childhood and War

My homeland is a place of complex politics, of war and all the horrors that go with it, but it also has so much to offer. Lebanon is a stunning country, a place that has so many riches and wonders within it. It is characterised by its cosmopolitan outlook, and by its modernism and openness to the West. Blending Arabic and Western influences, the society forms a contrasting image of traditional customs and modern practices. Unfortunately, it became a country geographically divided by political parties based on religious sects.

The eternal Cedars on Mount Lebanon are the proud national emblem of the country. Named Cedars of God they symbolise resilience. They have been famous throughout history, mentioned as far back as the Old Testament. The forests’ reserves are breathtaking. They are listed, since 1998, as a Unesco World Heritage Site.

Lebanon is strategically located on the crossroads of three continents. Situated on the eastern shores of the Mediterranean, it is a gateway to the Arab world, offering an exotic taste of the Middle East. Its small but diverse geographical area makes it a unique location in the region, and its Mediterranean-type climate gives richness and fertility to the land. It is enriched by naturally beautiful sites.

An amalgam of various strains of ethnic and religious groups, each contributed over time to the country’s rich culture. The Lebanese are descendants of the Phoenicians, Philistines, Semitic, Persians, Assyrians, Romans and Arabs.

The modern history of Lebanon within its current borders began in 1920 under the French mandate. The state of Greater Lebanon since then became a republic governed under a constitution promulgated in 1926. The independence was achieved in 1943 and the country became a constitutional parliamentary democracy. It is a founding member of the Arab League and the United Nations. The Taef Agreement substantially amended the constitution in 1990, adding executive authority to the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers.

The current population is estimated at approximately 3.5 million residing in Lebanon with the last official census done in 1932; whereas the Lebanese diaspora is about 18 million. There have been more recent unofficial census counts, but there are reasons for not making them official. Since 1943, a verbal agreement stated that the President of the Republic was to be a Maronite Christian. By the same terms, the Prime Minister had to be a Sunni Muslim and the Speaker of Parliament had to be a Shi’ite Muslim. Besides other minorities, the majority of the population were Christians but nowadays it is Muslim. A new official census representing the population would upset the political status quo of the country.

Lebanon is a combination of religions, languages, cultures and customs. Its rich history rends it particularly distinctive. To anyone who had been unaware of its more daunting parts, it would sound truly idyllic. One might wonder how there could ever be conflict on such a beautiful land and a relatively small piece of the world. Few places are lucky enough to escape them and tragically the troubles lasted for many years. I was fortunate to not be aware of all the constant daily battles; I suppose I chose to ignore some of them. However, when something happened close by, or it affected friends, it made it seem so much bigger than it was. At times, it was frighteningly devastating.

Boom! A bomb had just exploded in the building next to us. Lumps of concrete fell crashing into pieces as they hit the ground. The broken glass shattered everywhere, and everything around us was covered in thick dust. These were pieces of homes, parts of our neighbourhood; and now its foundations were scattered in the street like garbage carelessly tossed into the gutter.

My mother and a neighbour were standing on the balcony. It was shocking to realise they had just escaped near death. I was terrified. People were screaming, calling out for everyone to go down to the shelter to seek relative safety.

Boom! Echoes from more bombs could be heard in the distance. We knew this would be causing the same devastating destruction as we had just witnessed. Homes were being destroyed, and people were in shock, not knowing what to do, and not really believing the moments they were living.