Hala Khalaf

Who is Hala Khalaf?

Hala Khalaf or Rambling Hal is a prominent Jordanian blogger as well as a freelance journalist whose writing focuses on how culture influences the daily lives of people living around the world.

She maintains her popular weblog Rants and Rambles

Born in Kuwait to a Palestinian father, Hala began her journalism career in Canada at the University of Waterloo where she worked as a reporter, photographer, proofreader and eventually forum editor of the campus newspaper Imprint. She graduated in 2003 with a BA Honours degree in English & Rhetoric and Professional Writing. She has a Licentiate of the Royal Schools of Music diploma in Piano Performance from England, and a Teaching English for Speakers of Other Languages certificate from Canada.

Upon graduation, Hala moved to Jordan where she worked as a freelance writer for various national Jordanian publications, including The Star, a weekly newspaper, and the monthly[magazine] Jo and Living Well. At The Star, she had a weekly column entitled Street Rhythm, in which she commented on the cultural beat and daily life of people living in Jordan.

While writing is her passion, Hala also dedicates her time to teaching children. In the summer of 2001, she travelled to Lebanon where she volunteered for 2½ months as an English teacher at Palestinian refugee camps. Furthermore, she teaches music to children in nursery schools and kindergartens in addition to giving piano lessons to young children.