Thoughts...

There is a lot to learn when you live or visit the Middle East. There is so much to take in here and so much to experience, good and bad.  Any of you who have legitimately lived in another country know there are a lot of things that take some getting used to when adapting to other cultures. This reality has brought forth many thoughts that I have been pondering during my stay here. 

One was triggered today by an interesting conversation my mom and I had about the use of my vocabulary in reference to how people act based on culture.  I used the word "wrong" in reference to my Aunt not allowing my cousin and I to see the Virgin Mary (stature obviously) being brought down the street only because we were wearing shorts  (mind you we were not going to church, we did not know the Virgin Mary would be making a visit outside our home, and we were not intentionally wearing the shorts to be disrespectful, it was hot outside, thus we wore shorts).  I use the word "wrong" often times in reference to patriarchical societies (including the US in some cases) that treat women as second class citizens.  I also use the word "wrong" in reference to the treatment of people based on religion, and treatment of people within a religion.  Often time the use of the word "wrong" is offensive, and I am sure it is offensive for me to say certain cultural practices are "wrong".  This thought is intreguing to me...because, is there a line? This is honestly not me ranting, but rather me being very curious. Where is the line between respecting culture and not imposing "Westernized views (and culture I suppose)" onto other countries and standing up and saying something is "wrong". 

For example: This article in CNN is about a beheading and crucifixion of a man who was guilty of murding an 11 yr old boy and the boys father. The man found guilty, instead of serving time in prison or given a "humane" death sentance was first beheaded then his body was displayed in public....I would say this is wrong, and most of the world's human rights groups would agree.  http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/05/30/saudi.arabia.execution/index.html  BUT This punishment is part of traditional "culture" in Saudi Arabia...is it wrong? It is culture in Saudi Arabia to make their women dress from head to toe, only allowing their eyes to be shown and make them second class  citizens, not allowing them even the right to drive a car...is this wrong?

Its very interesting to me. I guess as a "political scientist" who is never graded based on "right or wrong" answers, "right and wrong" are curious terms for me.  I really dont think there is a right answer to what is wrong (confused yet?)......but rather maybe the key is to walk the tight rope of respect while putting your foot down when there is something you personally truly believe is wrong.  For instance, my beliefs of the treatment of women in such places as Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan and Pakistan would lead me not to go spend my free time in those countries.  By not subjecting yourself to such things you do not disrespect the culture....BUT wait?! How do we effect change if we turn our heads??

Hmm....I am curious. (although in that last paragraph I think I accidentally described US foreign policy towards Saudi Arabia...haha) Culture intregues me, truly. I think that is what is so fascinating about living here. My parents and grandparents who I talk to on the phone the most hear me bitch, moan and whine a lot about family drama or cultural circumstances I don't agree with, but, I truly find them interesting when the heat cools down a little in my mind. I think that is what is the most important lesson I am learning here.  To respect people and culture while finding a balance of creating change. If I could, I would start a hugely successful feminst movement here....we'll see huh, I have two years?! haha

Anyway, enough of my thoughts for the day, I am sure you cared soooo much! ;)

Much love,

Sasha

Accepted

I have been officially unofficially accepted to Balamand University for my M.A.!! How are you officially unofficially accepted? Well...the university is still in need of my official transcripts and B.A. Degree from WWU which they will receive when my parents arrive in June. But, after looking over my unofficial ones and my "essay" the Dean of Admissions told me today I am accepted assuming he has no reason not to accept me after seeing the official papers...

There is only 14 days until Mara comes to Lebanon and 15 days until my parents and sonia come! I am very excited!!! I am starting to finally feel at "home" here and not like a guest...so its funny timing, but I am so excited! I am excited to show them the university and some of the places we all go for fun! 

I dont have anything to say...this is a new thing. :)

Much love,

Sasha

PS HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDPA!!! :)

Women

I was thinking today, I am pretty sure that women are the key to unlocking peace in the Middle East, but maybe I am biased...haha

I read this article yesterday about the wife of the presidential candidate running against President Ahmadinajad in Iran. They are calling her the Michelle Obama of the Middle East. Change and democracy are coming to the Middle East at different speeds in each country but a common thread that seems to mobilize people are the women who are beginning to participate in politics. Often times these women are the wives of political leaders, political prisoners continuing their husbands message or just regular women who have the money to participate. Regardless, there are not enough women participating at this point, but each new face in the male dominated political scene brings a unique perspective of the struggle that faces each country. Women's role in the Middle East is one that often times can only be truly understood by other women. I think this is the strong appeal they have with women and young voters. They also know a different side of war and the effects of it.

Here is the article about the Iranian presidential hopeful's influencial wife:

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/05/24/iran.wife/index.html?iref=mpstoryview

We'll see what the future holds for these women but hopefully more and more women here begin to play a heavy hitting role in politics locally and regionally. The more light that is shed on women's issues here the better. They have a unique ability to potentially have lasting effect on bringing peace to a region that has been in conflict for far to long.

Much love,

Sasha

Nothin, Nada, zip

I can't think of anything to write....OOO Happy Memorial Day! and Happy Birthday Jim!!! There is two things! haha OH and I heard that my newest baby...cousin (is Finn my cousin?) has long eyelashes!! I love that! He must be cuter than cute now!! YAY!

So....I really have nothing interesting to say today, but I felt like I should write on my blog since I haven't in a while. My cousin is currently killing mosquitos with our cool new mosquito zapper thingy that looks like a tennis raquet! :) OO I should take a picture of it. Its very neat, I may be obsessed with it! haha

On another note, this week was pretty mellow but the weekend turned out to be fun. It is actually a holiday weekend here too which is random, so tomorrow none of my cousins have school/work which is nice. We are going to see my aunt in Beirut tomorrow. Yesterday we went to dinner (at like 10pm mind you) at this great restaurant litterally on the beach it was great!! Good music too! all old US songs! I knew EVERY one of them which was random! They spanned the 1950s-1980s and some early 90s too! It was funny...I think my friends thought I was crazy cus I spent most of the night bopping along in my seat singing along! Today my cousin Sami took me to a beach outside of our area which was really nice with his friends...but we swam in the pool all day! haha Nice area though! :)

Well, since I dont have much to contribute to the world via the internet I am going to go to bed instead of rambling! ;) Some say dont drink and drive, I say dont be bored and type on your blog...you end up rambling...like now! (I also say, dont drink and drive, which is actually a huge problem here in Lebanon--not so fun fact--it was just an example....

Much love

Sasha

Interesting Articles

A few people have been asking me about life and politics here in the Middle East after reading my blog posts, so I thought I would just post links to a few articles I read today....I have actually been reading the news quite a bit since I've been here (this is where Grandma gets shocked) ;) so I thought I would share a few of todays interesting ones. This is where I am getting a lot of my opinions from, aside from just my experience living here.

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=2&article_id=102151

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/18/world/middleeast/18kuwait.html?_r=1&ref=middleeast (this is also a correction to an earlier post...i talked about women being elected in a Qatar election, I meant Kuwait, these are the women who were elected)

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/15/world/middleeast/15diplo.html?ref=middleeast (this is a very interesting article about the potential shift in policy the US is seeming to be making regarding Israel. It is one small thing about the Obama admin that I really appreciate, they are trying to talk to others, not just financing Isreal's every little need and want. Lets just hope Isreal doesn't drag us into war with Iran because they are impatient. We'll see....this is just a glimps at why relations in the Middle East are so complicated. What is interesting about this, is there is a similar article to this one published in Lebanon's Daily Star who's headline reads: "Isreal plays up Iranian threat turing talks with U.S. lawmakers" interesting twist on the same story)

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=2&article_id=102135 (this is an interesting article about young women and political activism fueled by Facebook and mobile phones. This is an example of progress and women's rights trying to push its way through a very hard conservative wall)

I suppose thats enough for today huh? I know my mom said my last post was so long she couldn't finish it yesterday because she was so busy...I'll try to keep it shorter! ;) I am actually contemplating the thought of putting time into actually researching some of these issues and writing potential columns...who knows, maybe the Wenatchee World would feel like publishing one or something...haha we'll see. I think writing columns would be a fun thing to do...

In other news, I am at the university today....my cousin is in class now, so I am in the computer lab reading the news. We'll spend all day here with her friends and going to class...should be fun. Vice President Biden is coming to Beirut to talk with President Michel Sleiman...he is only going to be in the country for 3 hours supposedly!! Can you imagine flying all that way for 3 hours!! I hope he has some other stops to make! I guess he does get to fly on a really really really nice plane, I dont feel too bad for him!! :) That would be amazing if I could meet him, but I am guessing security would be rather tight in Beirut on Friday, probably wont try! darn. :)

Much love,

Sash

Culture is a funny thing...

I have always been aware of my heritage, there were always things I knew about my family and upbringing that were influenced by the fact that one parent is American and the other Lebanese.  Sometimes I would be "different" than other because I had a different perspective on life because of my knowledge of life in another country. And when I would come to Lebanon, I knew I was very different because all of the sudden I was seen only as "American".  The little things about me that stand out in one culture, blend in the other.

Culture is something that is very hard to change and very hard to adapt to. And I am finding this out the hard way.  There are certain things about me that are very "American." 1. I am stubbornly independent and just stubborn in general I suppose.  Family and community is everything here, so is apperance and impression.  While these things are also found in American culture of course, they are to a degree I haven't experienced before. 

Your family is your closest circle. Your support, your friends, your worst nightmare sometimes. Also, living in small tribe like villages has its advantages of community, friendship and safety, it also has its downsides of gossip, appearance and pain.  Lets just say, on a microscopic scale I have a new found respect for celebrities who get talked about all the time by millions of people.  Being different has its advantages, but it also exposes you to a different degree than others who "fit in".  This is something I am finding quite difficult.

Being a part of life here, instead of just a visitor has its ups and downs.  Getting used to a new culture has its ups and downs. Life has its ups and downs.  

One of the most difficult culture issues for me is also apparent in American culture, but thanks to an amazing Feminist movement and the empowerment of women in the workplace and politics it sometimes seems like the tension has faded just a little...sexism and patriarchy. Two of my least favorite words in the dictionary. Here, while girls and women have MUCH more freedoms than those in Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, they also are prisoners of patriarchy.  Girls my age are always accompanied by a male family member or very close friend. They are always watched, what they wear, what they do, who they do things with.  On some level, these things are hightened for me because I dont speak the language or know my way around. But even still, my cousin Nancy is still restricted here in many ways that I never was in the states.  

My cousin Zouzou said the other day when I cleared my place after a meal "you live here now, do the dishes." My response to him: "youve lived here 18years, you do the dishes too." He didnt like this, his response: "Im a boy, I don't do dishes." So I slapped him....and then explained to him how boys are just as capable as girls to do things like dishes. Even my older cousin Sami, who is 26 has his mom make his sandwhiches at the table...you would think that someone that old can wrap his own sandwhich in pita bread...but thats culture. Their mothers do everything for them, yet the men have all the power and control to dictate life. Patriarchy....great isnt it? What happend to Matriarchical societies....oh wait! haha That is a whole other conversation that would probably get me in trouble for voicing my opinion on the subject in an open internet blog...haha :)

Enough ranting for the day....its been one of those days. Maybe next time I will list all the things we take for granted in the US...theres a lot.... :)

Much love,

Sasha

PS

I forgot to report that while watching Marley and Me last night, I was bitten 20 times on my legs by mosquitos...20!!!!! I have 20 misquito bites on my legs alone in 2 hrs! Is that not ridiculous?! I think so! haha It was actually my fault because I forgot to refill the mosquito killer thing we have plugged in in our room! haha but still...I thought they would stop biting me after a while! Or at least that my body would get used to it and stop getting the bump! Silly body.

I have no idea why reading an article about the Taliban on CNN made me think of it but it did. Maybe its because a fun little analogy would be that the Taliban is like the world's mosquito. Extremely annoying and potentially very dangerous...hmmm. I like analogies! :) But seriously...this article on CNN about the Taliban's latest activities...scary. They are threatening the Pakistani government...that all the current leaders step down otherwise they will capture their families or something. My goodness. These people. I would vote Afghanistan/Pakistan 2 of the scariest countires in the world...right next to Somalia. Its so sad.