Roba Al-Assi is one of the best Arab bloggers out there, she blogs for many blogs and has won respect from every Arab blogger, here blog is; And Far Away and here is the interview…

Can you give a little background of yourself?
My name is Roba Al-Assi and I’m a Jordanian of Palestinian origin currently living in Amman, Jordan, where I am almost done with my degree in Fine Arts and Design. I grew up in Saudi Arabia, where I spent the first 18 years of my life.

What made you decide to do the blog?
When I started blogging in 2004, not only were there only a handful of Arab blogs around, but the internet had a huge dearth of information about being Arabs from Arabs themselves. It was full of stereotypical notions and I thought that putting information out there would be a great way to dispel some of these stereotypes.

As a student designer, I also wanted to have some space to sort of “save” designs and artwork that inspire me.

How many regular readers do you think you have of the blog?
Hard to tell, perhaps around 200.

Who do you think has been the most popular Arab Blogger? and Why?
There are several popular Arabic blogs, like Sandmonkey, Mahmood’s Den, Sabbah’s Blog, and several others.

How long have you been blogging and how did you get started?
I’ve been blogging since September 2004, and I got started after following up on a few blogs, namely Subzero Blue.

How much time do you spend on average per day on your blog?
( Reading comments, writing and fixing things)
Around an hour or so, depending on my posting mood.

What are some of your favorite blogs besides your own?
I have many favorites, so I like to stay updated with them on websites such as toot that keep you updated with the best of what’s happening in the Arab world (http://itoot.net/)

If you where trapped on an island by yourself what 3 things could you not live without?
A laptop with a working internet connection, an endless supply of Nutella, and a camera.

Do you have any tips for the blogger wannabe? (Like Myself)
Do it because you love it, not for the readership.

Has Blogging changed your life or personality in any way? (If you feel its Personal in anyway don’t answer)
Actually, and without exaggeration, blogging has completely turned my life around in many different ways. I’m now more aware and more tolerant than when I started blogging at 18. I also got many wonderful opportunities both life-wise and career-wise through blogging. The most rewarding aspect of blogging though for me has been all the brilliant people I have met through it- many of these people have become some of my closest friends.

Have there been any negative aspects of blogging for you?
I sometimes feel like I’m too “out there”, though for the most part I haven’t had many problems with that. it’s just weird that you’re very likely to meet a lot of people who practically know everything about you while you don’t even know their name!

In one sentence, what would you say is the main message you try to convey through your blog?
The world needs more art, more expression, more culture, and less religion, less conservatism, and less conventionalism.

What do you feel keeps readers coming back to your blog?
I don’t really write to keep readers coming, I write to record a thought in time, so I’ve never really thought about what keeps them coming.

This was done, a year back. It was posted on my old blog and I just found a back up.