My name, Jeehan, is of Arabic origin.  My father named me after Jehan Sadat, human rights activist and wife of Anwar Sadat, the third president of Egypt and Nobel Peace Prize winner.  I have been told that my name means "the world" and "beautiful flower."  I love my name but I do not always live up to its glorious meaning, alas, because I am, you know, human.  I certainly do not feel like a beautiful flower on Monday mornings.  Nor do I feel as though I am "the world" when I am lazily lounging on the sofa for hours piling up chocolate wrappers.  My friends call me Jai Jai or JJ or Jai.  My naughty older brothers came up with a different nickname for me when we were young.  They still call me by that name which I will not mention, a Cebuano word that rhymes with "utot," which means fart because they specifically had fart in their minds.  I am glad they have a sense of humor.  

I grew up in the island of Cebu.  I am drawn to the water.  I am a child of the sea.   
    

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