East in the West Guest Speaker

Sarah brought in my favorite guest speaker. I really admired the choices she made and the proudness she showed about her choices. She pretty much had a choice between what religion and life style she was going to lead. Sure her father led her in the muslim direction but she could have also followed her mother and stayed away from the mosque when her sisters and brothers went with their father. She proudly chose muslim and not only carried out her religion in her own life but now teachs about the Middle East and chose to educate others about the happenings in egypt. She mentioned she had a minor in Egyptology which is solely the study of Egypt. This is very cool to me! Because she could have just said she was from Egypt but lived in the United States which is true, but she did more than most and searched to find out where she REALLY came from. Like I have said before in many of my post, I love hearing stories straight from the persons mouth that it has happened to. This makes it more beleivable. Our movie went perfect with her discussion of when her father tries to hook her up with men. It is another interesting way just like in the movie. She also made me understand why it is okay for fathers to "matchmake" their daughters. Muslims can not go out and drink and hang out in the typical party scene where majority of Americans meet their husbands and wives. It would be very hard to find different types of people when you are in the same environment with the same people. She also did not mind that her father was doing it, she thought it was almost humorous. Another thing that was interesting to me is that she puts her headscarf on in the car to the way to the mosque. She was first to let us know that people stare at her when she had the scarf on. When she is dressed with out the headscarf she said she never gets looks but all of sudden she puts it on and people are staring in her car window. This upsets me but like someone in the class said to many people it is not that we are staring to insult the person, many think it is just interesting to see. She lives a very normal life here and does not seem like the harsh things we have heard about are happening to her. I really respect her decision to embrace her religion instead of being embarrased of it.

Gauntanamo Bay

I really enjoyed this reading. Great pick group! The way he explained it really made you put yourself in his shoes. It was such a powerful reading. The most powerful part of it was in the end when he talks about that whenever he talks about with his fellow prisoners all they can do is laugh. It is hard to beleive that something America did , which is supposed to be this great country that helps everyone, can actually scar a person to the point of numbness. It is extremely disturbing. On the other hand what happened to the United States on 9/11 was the same if not more disturbing than this. Did ANY good come out of these camps? There are articles on the internet of men being found guilty of supplying material to terrorists. What if this was something that could have harmed the United States in the same way that 9/11 did. I am not saying this is right, but theres two sides to every story and in order to get the full grip on an idea you must know both sides. Wikipedia has an amazing explanation, not to mention thorough, of everything that went on at Guantanamo. The picture I have posted is of a Toronto Coalition group opposing Guantanamo (Gitmo). This does upset me a little. I understand what we were doing at times wasn't right but once again there had to be something good that came out of it or else we wouldn't have done it right?

Arranged

Arranged was an extremely good video in my view. It always helps to see an actual story line of the things we have heard about happening. Nasira was my favorite character by far. She laughed about what people said and never took it too serious. She even joked in response about it with the principal, trying to make the rude comment she said seem funny. Rochel on the other hand, took things too serious and became upset about everything way too easily. Nasira was very proud of her religion and at times she almost flaunted it. example.. in the beginning when the teachers are talking about one thing about them, Rochel wouldn't even pronounce her name completey, she tells the staff that they can just call her Rachel. On the other hand Nasira proudly tells tells the staff her name and heritage. Under the title, it reads "friendship has no religion" I really like this saying! It truely is shown throughout the book and I hope teachs many people a lesson. I know many people who have not been friends with someone for something as simple as how they talk, dress, look, preach, or even eat. Friendship is not about judging the other its about excepting them for who they are no matter what! This movie truely proved that two people can be friends from two opposite worlds. It also shows that many people may think they are so different than others but in the end we all go through pretty much the same thing as everyone else. I really enjoyed this movie because it put it in perspective for a younger audience. It is easier to relate to people when it is your own age.

DISTURBING!!!

I found an extremely disturbing video while writing my paper of a man beating a woman. The worst part about it is no one around this is helping the women.

Guest speakers

I really enjoyed the guest speakers on tuesday. It is always more interesting to hear about a culture from someone who has actually experienced it rather than a fiction book about the culture. The thing that intrigued me the most was about the head scarf. One of them was wearing one and the other was not. This interested me because it shows that they both have different ideas about the idea behind the head scarf. With the same basic meaning of the head scarf meaning modesty and respect.. they clearly both had different ideas of wether to wear it or not. This just exemplified how diverse the culture actually is and how many choices the woman actually are given. I found a website talking more about headscarfs and found this stat which shocked me.. 270,000 of 677,000 students expelled from post secondary institutions were "victims of the ban". "The ban" is that woman in secondary institutions are not allowed to wear head scarves. This AMAZED me.. intelligent woman trying to get an education being expelled because of an article of clothing that they are wearing. I just feel as though the head scarf almost is only worn because of respect and rebellion. It is very common when one is told not to do something , they turn around and do it even more. I get this image from the head scarf. The woman are told not to, so they turn around and prove that they still can. I really enjoyed that Gulnar kept repeating that her husband does not make her do anything such as work, go to school or wear the head scarf. She emphasized that it was her choice and that her husband was not one of those men whom controlled their wifes life.

Professor Mustafa Mirzeler

What an interesting man! He is very knowledgable, which surpised me because of what he told us was his home town and the little his town had. It is extremely respectable that a man from such a poor background can accomplish so much in his lifetime. He must have worked very hard to get where he is now. It was extremely interesting how much he knew about honour killings. He himself actually being chosen to kill his own sister. I cannot not imagine being as young as he was and being given the command to kill my sister. However, it seemed as if he was going to do it because of the predicament his father was in. Which constitutes the honor he has for his father and it proves many family member truely have no choice but to kill a loved one to redistinguish ones honor. This just seems crazy to me.. but its someones religion and culture. A side note on what he mentioned was he does not know his actual birthdate because they do not have birth ceritificates. Therefor this proves even more once someone is killed it is really easy for them to go forgotten because of their lack of birth certificate. There are many people that many do not even know are alive. I researched Professor Mirzeler and found that he is a very established man! His story was featured in a book written by Elizabeth Warnock Fernea called Remembering Childhood in the Middle East. While reading his story of his childhood in the Middle East, which is much more indepth than what he told us in class, he tells the readers that his father was called Blind Memed since he was cross-eyed. Which may be why he likes the book Memed my hawk so much! haha From the little reading I did through his childhood memories in the book he was featured in, he really had a large amount of respect and love for his father. His father was a very important man and was looked up to by all sorts of people.

Paradise Now: Suicide bombing

This movie was eye opening and sad at the same time. It was eye opening because it truely gave us the entire side to a suicide bombers life. This man was leading a normal life. Working to make money, taking care of his family, and meeting girls. Until one day he is "chosen" to carry out a suicide bombing mission. Are they chosen at birth? Is there a waiting list for who becomes a suicide bomber? Are they actually given a choice? This would be the last thing I wanted to do.. why would anyone else carry out something like this?? It was also a sad story because it gives memories of 9/11 which was carried out by two suicide bombers. I have read about suicide bombing and have been informed (plus the movie showed me) that suicide bombing is for ones religion and pride for themselves and their country or city. Some more information I discovered came from an article about What makes a suicide bomber tick. Which tells us that 64% are between the ages 18-23!!! Such a young group to be suicide bombing.. do they even know what they are fighting for? Majority probably don't even know the true reason behind the war. They are simply told by their fathers that suicide bombing is an honor to their country. In that same Article, a father talks about his son who was a suicide bomber at the age of 22. He tells the reporter that he is proud of his son and he hopes all the boys in his country would do the same. How can a father want their child to be a suicide bomber?! Another thing that sparked my interested/disgust was a video titled 14 year old suicide bomber. This is unbeleivable to me.. at 14 all I cared about was friends, make up and homework. I cannot imagine being asked to be a suicide bomber... these kids can't know the meaning behind why they are doing such horrible things. It must simply be because of their fathers telling them how honorable suicide bombing is. This disgusts me! In the end, a man asks the boy why he has done it and he tells him because of the people then when he is asked again he tells him because of paradise. I will never understand Suicide bombing as long as I am alive.

Honour Killings in Turkey

Learning about these honour killings was something TRUELY new to me! I had NO idea this kind of thing was actually happening. the most disturbing part of it to me was that i was only for women. Saying only women can screw up and dishonor a family?? Even when a girl is raped, it somehow becomes her fault.. like she asked for it, and the man who did it to her gets off free as if he did nothing wrong. That disgusts me!!! The system just seems so crooked to me! I found a story about a turkish woman who wanted to divorce her husband so she went to her parents house but he parents told her "a married woman can only leave her husband in a coffin." She then "killed herself" later on. It was declared a suicide however many people of the city believe it was an honor killing. Another story resembling the same thing. A 17 year old was actually told to kill herself through a text message from her uncle saying, "you have blackened our name, kill yourself and clean our shame or we will kill you first"this all happened because she liked a boy from school she had met. Atleast they are trying to do something about it.. In cities and towns with the hightest suicide ratings officials are working with advocacy groups to help endangered woman and girls. There are many turkish woman organizations that are there to help woman and girls before these killings have to happen. Woman just need to be educated to the point they realize the only choice is not to kill themself, they can get out of this. I was just disgusted by this movie and the extra research i did. It really makes me thankful that I do not live in Turkey..

Gold Dust

This was not one of my most liked books. Truthfully, it weirded me out. The only thing that made me semi-understand why he loved his camel so much was the typical man + dog relationship. I am a dog lover my self and can understand the bond people may create with an animal, however putting my dog before my family would never happen. I understand things are different on that side of the world but it seemed like the camel meant a lot more than just a camel. To me it seemed that the camel was more of a symbol than a real object. It seemed that the camel was this other self of Ukkayad. It seemed he was vicariously living through the camel at times.
I did enjoy how they portrayed the desert throughout the whole novel. It really gave me a good sense of what walking through a hot, dry desert would be like. However, that is all I really got from this book. I don't believe everyone in the Middle East treats their camel like this or even has a camel. I think the book semi falls into the stereotype of the typical middle eastern man. Like the only thing he has is his camel...not true! There are many cars in the Middle East and the number is growing everyday. I even found a website that is called Middle East Cars and is all about their cars and their dealerships. In the end I just thought that this story just created more stereotype for the middle east. like all they have are their camels and nothing else so they revolve their lives around them. The book ended interestingly however.

War in the land of Egypt

I really enjoyed Ashley's professor coming to visit our class. He is an interesting man! Hearing about his stories from his past really put how life was for him in perspective. I can't imagine making 16 dollars a month!!! Hearing about his stories straight from someone who experienced stuff that we have been reading about  makes what is happening in the Middle East all the more real to me. Some of stuff we read in papers of books sounds so unreal but when you are hearing it right from someone it happened to.. it makes it easier to believe. I really enjoyed having him in our class, thanks Ashley!

As for the book War in the Land of Egypt.. I really enjoyed this as well. I LOVED the way it was written. It gave me a better idea not only of who each character was and his stance but knowing the story from all perspectives gave me a better idea of what was happening in the story. As Ashley's teacher pointed out, the title War in the land of Egypt was not talking about an actual war what so ever. It was talking about how corrupt Egypt is and the small wars that are fought there everyday by the people of Egypt against the government, higher officials, or mayors.  This was extremely symbolic! He also pointed out that Masri does not get his own chapter in the  book and he is the main character. This is symbolic as well because it reflects that Masri is not exactly given a voice in the book at all, not only because he doesn't get a chance to tell the story in the book but because he is not given choices about majority of the things that happened to him in his life. When the Umda wanted him to go to war for his son, his father was the one who made the decision and Masri was not allowed to make his own choice. I believed this was symbolized by him not being given a chapter in the book very well. The book really made me think about pride and honor. Should Masri just be honored in his own mind because he died and went to heaven for his country, or will Masri only be honored if it is HIS name on that tombstone and everyone knows that he was the one who died for his country, not the umda's son. Is honor about everyone knowing or just for the pure satisfaction of the person whom did something heroic. I think this all depends on the person. Some people need the satisfaction of people knowing the great, heroic task they completed, others don't like people knowing their heroic acts and would rather keep it a secret. Which person are  you?? 

The mosque

I am very upset that I couldn't attend the mosque field trip however to try and take place of visiting the mosque I did some research on it. Hope everyone had an interesting experience.

Mosque in Arabic is Masjid and refers to all islamic buildings made for islamic worship in english and means place of worship in arabic(derived from the word meaning to bow or to kneel. The mosque is a place for people to come together for prayer led by the Imam. Some mosque are not only places of worship but also used for schools, tombs, and hospitals. As we know muslims are required to pray 5 times a day. These prayers are allowed to be done on ones own however, it is required to attend friday prayer. during eclipse, eclipse hold special prayers called eclipse prayers. the third of the five pillars of Islam is to give to charity. The mosque is where everyone gives their charity to. This is the center that collects the money and helps the needy. During the last ten days of ramadan, a man is required to stay in the mosque for prayer and learning for those 10 days straight. the community is responsible for feeding and taking care of the man that has chosen to take this task. One of the largest mosque in the world is the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It can hold up to 820,000 worshippers. Built in 638 it is still used everyday. This video supposedly shows the three largest mosque in the world which was very interesting to me!

It is said to that there are many reasons for why one must take their shoes off when being inside the mosque. The most widely known is out of pure respect for the mosque. Others may say it is only if your shoes hold impurities and those impurities are not allowed in the sacred mosque. Others beleive it is because it is sacred grounds inside the mosque, just like how moses was asked to take his shoes off in front of the burning bush because it is sacred ground. Muhammed told people as long as you clean your shoes before you came you could pray in your shoes when they were free of filth. Mosque are said to be very clean places. One must have clean clothes, shoes, and bodies. It is extremely disrespectful to come into a mosque dirty.

The Road to Love

Sorry for this post taking so long I have been extremely sick..

My thoughts and feelings on the movie are extremely mixed. I did not enjoy the actual making of the movie. The lighting was terrible and reading the subtitles just got annoying. I was not able to fully enjoy the movie because I was reading the subtitles the whole time. I also thought the movie was a innappropriate during most parts. The man pushing himself on karim in this movie was considered to be just a man in love. However when a man pushes himself on a woman it is looked down upon. I feel as though the man was inappropriate with trying to turn Karim gay. I also think it was inappropriate when the naked guy was giving Karim a back massage and kept moving in closer... This movie was extremely controversal and a little offensive.

On the other hand, even though I may be against homosexuality I would never wish death upon anyone that has chosen this as their lifestyle. the Middle East is extremely closeminded to their homosexual population and actually gives the death penalty or jail time. This video shows that the people who do beleive in homosexuality are getting the respect that they deserve to be allowed to date men and women no matter what sex you are. A news article I found explains that it is becoming even more and more common in the Middle East. However it also talks about their population decreasing because of the growing number of stds and the decreasing number of reproduction. I am all for people achieving what they beleive in.. the homosexual community becoming more known and visible in the Middle East is a huge accomplishment for them. I am happy for them that they are beginning to get the respect they deserve. I beleive they should keep fighting for equality but like America this is going to take a long time.

Beirut, Lebanon

The main character in the book I am reading is from Beirut. I don't know that much about Beirut besides where it is, so I decided to do some research. Beirut is the capital and largest city in Lebanon. It has a populationof over 2.1 million people. Beirut holds the middle east's largest and main seaport along the meditteranean sea, because of its depth and location allows it to host the largest mother ships. First word of this city was during the 14th century and has been inhabited ever since. Beirut is well known for its press, theatres, cultural activities, and night life! Beirut was named the NUMBER ONE place to visit in 2009 in the New York times. After the collapse of the Ottoman empire, Beirut was placed under french mandate and then achieved independence in 1943. In 1975 the lebanese civil war broke out and was divided by the muslim west part and the christian east part. Lebanon then had 2 more wars after that which took a large tole on the city. Soon after they began rebuilding and have worked them back up to the status they were at before the wars. Beirut has held the Miss Europe Pageant 8 times. In 2005 Lebanon's former prime minister Rafik Hariri was assassinated in Beirut. This scared the city. Beirut has a meditterranean climate with hot and rain free summers, pleasant fall and spring, and cool rainy winters. Snow rarely ever falls and if it does it does not stick. Beirut is the most religiously diverse city in Lebanon and possibly in the entire Middle East, there are 9 major religious communities in Beirut, Sunni Muslim, Shiite Muslim, Druze, Maronite Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Greek Catholic, Armenian Orthodox, Armenian Catholic, and Protestant. The economy in Beirut is doing very well, and their tourists are helping it thrive even more. Beirut is extremely inhabited and has many intersting features. Their culture, transport, sports, and entertainment is expanding quickly.

The Woman I left behind by Kim Jensen

I am currently reading "The Woman I Left Behind" by Kim Jensen and I am beginning to love the book. It is very intense!! It is a mixture between facts and passion. The story begins telling of stories of two completely different people and their back grounds, where they came from, their beliefs etc. It then tells the whole story from how they met to how in love they have become. I really enjoy this book because of the poetry. Both main characters are extremely into the arts, poetry, music and literature. They speak in poetry when they are speaking to eachother about the love they share and it really makes you feel like you know exactly how they feel. The way the author has them explain things makes you feel as if you are watching this happen in your mind. The main character, Khalid,a young activist and a palastinian from Beirut. He came to America through a green card marriage, when times began to get tough in Beirut. Green card marriages are actually extremely common at around 450,000 green card marriages a year, with a large majority being simple green card marriages, and only a few being real lovers wanting to live in America. Khalid's first few years of living in America he lives with his green card wife. However he does not love her, she is merely a green card wife and that is all. When he meets Irene at an anti-Apartheid rally, also a young activist from America, they fall in love and he immediatley stops talking to his "greencard wife". The two of them are so in love they spend every waking moment together, reading poetry to eachother, telling each other stories about their past and argueing about their beliefs. They are both extremely outspoken. Throughtout the whole beginning of the book Khalid keeps bringing up a thing called a mijwiz which belongs to palestinian folklore, which signals a time for rejoicing! When someone begins to play the mijwiz everyone around begins to dance. He repeats over and over how much he misses the sound of the mijwiz. Click here to hear the sound of the Mijwiz. The story gets very indepth about Irene and Khalids love by using poetry. He also speaks arabic throughout the book, saying meaningful sayings and what they mean from arabic to english. I am excited to keep reading!

Blood and Oil

I learned alot from this movie! And I know this is supposed to be about oil but did you know woman aren't allowed to get medical attention without a male relative present??? That disgusts me! What happens if a woman needs immediate medical attention and her male relative isn't there?? Do they turn her away?!!!
There are many things that I learned in this movie that baffle me. Saudi didn't want U.S. troops to be there guarding them because they were non believers. They didn't want this many non- believers in their country. I think thats crazy because they are turning down protection from others just because of too many people who don't beleive what they believe. I respect their holy grounds and I am sure our soldiers did as well, how can they think we were going to lesson their holy lands just by being in the country.
I also find it crazy that the main reason of the 9/11 attacks was oil. It seems like something so simple as oil should not be causing wars throughout our world. However it is such a widespread necesscity that it has brought us to actually begin wars over it. In the movie there is a soldier that tells the camera crew he was sent to guard the old refinery. Are we sending our men over there to guard potential oil or to find peace in the middle east?? The government has been trying to say this is not why we are fighting in the Middle East, that we are fighting for peace in the middle east but then they command our military men to risk their lives guarding an oil refinery.

Not Just the Typical Terrorist

My group is reading, watching and researching about Middle Easterners living in the United States. This can be a senstive subject to some because of the experiences they have gone through here in America as peoples of middle eastern descent. I read an extremely disturbing article today written by an Iranian living in Southern California. He begins talking about how he is just as disgusted and angry at the terrorist that killed so many people in the twin towers. He talks of how it was completely unacceptable and that he too is at war against these terrorist. In conclusion.."He is on our side!!!" A few days after 9/11 the Iranian living in America tries to go out for a piece of pizza in Southern California. He was met there by two angry men that in every sense are just as much terrorist as the men who drove the plane into the twin towers. It did not escalate far enough, but I am sure these two men would have killed this poor Iranian if no one had stepped in and stopped these men. Those Americans killing the Iranian would be taking a man from his family, just as those men did to so many families on September 11, 2001. After this happened to the Iranian he was scared to leave his house every day after that. Is this what America has come to? Frightening anyone who doesn't look like the "typical" American to stay in their house? I thought this was called "Land of the Free", not "Land of the Free for only those who are typical looking white men." The Iranian got lucky.. there was a less fortunate Sikh wearing a turban that was shot and killed a few days after the 9/11 attack. This poor man, clearly not the terrorist himself or he would have died in the twin towers, was targeted as if he was the one who killed the 3,000 people that were in the plane, twin towers, and surrounding areas that day.
I also stumbled upon a movie that is currently being made called Arab! in America! about a young man who is trying to go back to his home state in America and get a new job. He has many troubles along the way. Thie movie is somewhat making fun of the situation but I feel as though it will show Americans how silly some of their allegations are about many Arabs. Many Americans make a big deal out of something tiny like an Arab having a razor.. as if he is going to kill multiple people with a single facial razor. The movie is made into a comedy but has a major lesson in it.
We really need to realize that some of us are terrorist ourselves by the way we act around arab Americans. This label is no different from a white American or African American. Most Arabs have even lived in America longer than you and I have.

Aunt Safiyya and the Monastery Ch. 3 and 4

The last two chapters of Aunt Safiyya and the Monastery were extremely interesting. It taught me about their relationships, respect, Vendetta System and family roles in the community. What shocked me the most was the part when the parents talk about being imbarrased that their oldest daughter is 20 and still not married off. They talk about how she is the only woman that is 20 and went through school, she is also the only 20 year old not married. They attribute the reason she isn't married to the fact that she went through school. However, there is no question that the narrator, a boy, attends school in full. This custom is extremely different from ours. When a child is born it is not questioned whether or not they will attend school, it is implied that they must attend school. Boys being the only ones going to school help them to become the more dominent sex. This is not true in the United States, as a matter of fact more and more women are getting jobs just as good if not better then men. The second thing that shocked me was the Vendetta system. It is implying it is okay to kill someone as long as it is for revenge. The Vendetta system whether we beleive it or not does happen here in the United States. There was a movie made called V for Vendetta that describes the Vendetta system. It is about one man that has revenge against the entire government. He kills multiple government officials in revenge for making him out to be a criminal which seems ironic.
The book ended up to be a very good book. I believe it portrayed the Middle east in a very powerful way. However this book has all the stereotypes that "Reel Bad Arabs" was trying to say weren't true. In the book the men are barbaric and do kill their family. There also the Outlaws that are said to be dangerous and would kill anyone if they had to. Harbi kills the bey, which is extremely barbaric and ends up getting out of jail. It also shows the stereotype that men overpower their women in the middle east. Just like the stereotype, men have more power than women in the book. When Aunt Safiyya is running her own farm everyone thinks it is wierd because women shouldn't be running farms in their eyes. This fits that stereotype and completely contradicts what the movie "Reel Bad Arabs" was trying to teach us.

Aunt Safiyya and the Monastery Chapters 1 and 2

The first two chapters of Aunt Safiyya and the Monastery are very interesting. I really like the beginning of this book. I am really interested in all of the traditions and beliefs they have. It is weird to me that they wont allow Safiyya to attend school because she is too pretty. This seems like such a silly reason for a girl to not attend school. But school seems less important in their culture as well which is odd because it is extremely important in America and extremely common between girls and boys. However, if she is this pretty the suitors would try and take her, which reminds me of another interesting custom, the way suitors come to ask Safiyya's "father" if they may have her. I beleive this is extremely degrading, but He does allow Safiyya to make the final decision on whether or not to marry the bey. This took me by surprise because I always thought it was 100% the fathers choice. This clarified the stereotype I had about how women were just sold off without their own consent. I don't know if it is only Safiyya's father that makes it her final decision but that is very respectable that he gives her the final decision. I am excited to learn more of their beliefs and traditions throughout the rest of the book.

Reel Bad Arabs

What shocked me the most about the video "reel bad arabs" was the part about Aladdin. I was shocked about the other movies but those were atleast for adults, whom are old enough to establish their own thoughts and opinions. However, Aladdin is for young minds who are not yet old enough to make their own thoughts and opinions. This movie is molding young minds to be stereotypic of the Arabs. I have seen that movie a dozen times and I beleive it molded my mind to have that stereotype about "arabland" and the barbaricness of the arabs. Before watching this video clip I never realized how I too stereotyped all Arabs to be just as those in Aladdin. The other thing that almost imbarrased me, was when the news was talking about the oklahoma bombing and they said the bombing had terrorist like characteristics because it was aiming to kill alot of people. When the bombing turned out to be a white male, this imbarrased me because America so quickly jumped to the conclusion that it was a terrorist attack when in fact it was one of our own people. This disgraces America.