All Stories
TRANSMISSION_ID: OUJDA_BORDER_LOVE
STATUS: DECRYPTED

حب على الحدود | Border Love of Oujda

by Yasmine Benali|2 min read|
"A border town merchant discovers passion with a historian studying the cultures that meet in Oujda."

حب على الحدود

Border Love of Oujda


الفصل الأول | Chapter One

أَعِيشُ فِي وَجْدَةَ عَلَى الحُدُودِ الشَّرْقِيَّةِ.

I live in Oujda on the eastern border.

مَدِينَةٌ تَلْتَقِي فِيهَا الثَّقَافَاتُ.

A city where cultures meet.

جَاءَتْ مُؤَرِّخَةٌ تَدْرُسُ هَذَا الِالْتِقَاءَ.

A historian came studying this meeting.


الفصل الثاني | Chapter Two

كَانَتْ فِي الأَرْبَعِينَ، ذَكِيَّةً، شَغُوفَةً بِالتَّارِيخِ.

She was in her forties, intelligent, passionate about history.

"وَجْدَةُ جِسْرٌ بَيْنَ المَغْرِبِ وَالجَزَائِرِ."

"Oujda is a bridge between Morocco and Algeria."

"نَحْنُ نَعِيشُ بَيْنَ عَالَمَيْنِ."

"We live between two worlds."


الفصل الثالث | Chapter Three

أَخَذْتُهَا فِي جَوْلَةٍ فِي المَدِينَةِ.

I took her on a tour of the city.

"هُنَا سُوقُ الحُدُودِ القَدِيمُ."

"Here is the old border market."

"أَشْعُرُ بِالتَّارِيخِ فِي كُلِّ زَاوِيَةٍ."

"I feel history in every corner."


الفصل الرابع | Chapter Four

"لِمَاذَا لَمْ تُغَادِرْ هَذِهِ المَدِينَةَ؟"

"Why haven't you left this city?"

"جُذُورِي هُنَا... لَا أَسْتَطِيعُ."

"My roots are here... I can't."

"الجُذُورُ مُهِمَّةٌ."

"Roots are important."


الفصل الخامس | Chapter Five

"هَلْ أَنْتَ مُتَزَوِّجٌ؟"

"Are you married?"

"أَرْمَلُ مُنْذُ ثَمَانِ سَنَوَاتٍ."

"A widower for eight years."

"وَأَنَا مُطَلَّقَةٌ... الوَحْدَةُ صَعْبَةٌ."

"And I'm divorced... loneliness is hard."


الفصل السادس | Chapter Six

"الوَحْدَةُ عَلَى الحُدُودِ أَصْعَبُ."

"Loneliness on the border is harder."

"لِمَاذَا؟"

"Why?"

"لِأَنَّكَ تَرَى النَّاسَ يَعْبُرُونَ... وَتَبْقَى."

"Because you see people crossing... and you stay."


الفصل السابع | Chapter Seven

تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةَ، فِي بَيْتِي القَدِيمِ.

That night, in my old house.

بَيْنَ جُدْرَانٍ تَحْكِي قَصَصَ أَجْيَالٍ.

Among walls telling stories of generations.

"الحُدُودُ لَا تَفْصِلُ القُلُوبَ."

"Borders don't separate hearts."


الفصل الثامن | Chapter Eight

أَكْمَلَتْ بَحْثَهَا وَنَشَرَتْهُ.

She finished her research and published it.

لَكِنَّهَا تَعُودُ كُلَّ صَيْفٍ.

But she returns every summer.

"لِوَجْدَةَ... وَلَكَ."

"For Oujda... and for you."


الخاتمة | Conclusion

الحُدُودُ تَفْصِلُ الدُّوَلَ.

Borders separate countries.

لَكِنَّ الحُبَّ لَا يَعْرِفُ حُدُودًا.

But love knows no borders.

وَجْدَةُ عَلَّمَتْنَا ذَلِكَ.

Oujda taught us that.


من حكايات وجدة From the Tales of Oujda

End Transmission