Sunday, September 27, 2009
Friday, May 29, 2009
Understandings of Time
A Chinese official was talking to a friend of my bosses and says, "Yea we'd like to get an aircraft carrier."
The other guys says, "Oh yea? When are you thinking about doing that."
The Chinese official says, "Sometime in the short term. Ya know, by 2050."
2050? Short term!? I thought this was a really intersting perspective on how an ancient civilization understands time. It's certainly outside of my capacity.
The other guys says, "Oh yea? When are you thinking about doing that."
The Chinese official says, "Sometime in the short term. Ya know, by 2050."
2050? Short term!? I thought this was a really intersting perspective on how an ancient civilization understands time. It's certainly outside of my capacity.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Balancing Bilingualism
English language instruction is nothing new for the Middle East, especially in the fields of science and technology within higher education. As underfunded and highly bureaucratic Ministries of Education have failed to keep public schools up to par, upper classes have turned to private and English language education. And the overhaul of English both in the classroom and on the internet is creating distinctive a language-based class system within these societies.
The division is visible even driving along the roads, where advertisements for high-end furniture and clothing stores are in English, while those for basic consumer products remain in Arabic. (The bilingual adverts for McDonalds, Burger King and KFC cater to all audiences.)
The parallel societies are further exposed by dual ministerial and political websites offering both English and Arabic options; or in the case of 7iber.com, a youth blog in Jordan, a complete fusion of the two. Queen Rania’s YouTube page however, caters to English-speaking audiences and lacks any trace of Arabic.
Syria and Algeria have taken strong opposition to this trend, pushing Arabization policies to make knowledge available for those outside “colonial elite” circles. But for Syria in particular, this policy has resulted in a reliance on their Jordanian neighbor to translate English material into Arabic, which has been piecemeal at best.
In parts of the region, the situation has become one where many students have no first language at all; fluent in written English and colloquial spoken Arabic.
The division is visible even driving along the roads, where advertisements for high-end furniture and clothing stores are in English, while those for basic consumer products remain in Arabic. (The bilingual adverts for McDonalds, Burger King and KFC cater to all audiences.)
The parallel societies are further exposed by dual ministerial and political websites offering both English and Arabic options; or in the case of 7iber.com, a youth blog in Jordan, a complete fusion of the two. Queen Rania’s YouTube page however, caters to English-speaking audiences and lacks any trace of Arabic.
Syria and Algeria have taken strong opposition to this trend, pushing Arabization policies to make knowledge available for those outside “colonial elite” circles. But for Syria in particular, this policy has resulted in a reliance on their Jordanian neighbor to translate English material into Arabic, which has been piecemeal at best.
In parts of the region, the situation has become one where many students have no first language at all; fluent in written English and colloquial spoken Arabic.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Friday, March 13, 2009
Anecdote
My boss told a story yesterday that I thought was hilarious:
"So I was in Yemen in the early 90s and and I ran into this group of Italians who had been traveling around. Everywhere they went, little kids surrounded them saying "قلم!قلم! قلم!" "galam!galam!galam!" , which they had come to think meant "hello." But galam actually means "pen." They were asking for pens.
"So I was in Yemen in the early 90s and and I ran into this group of Italians who had been traveling around. Everywhere they went, little kids surrounded them saying "قلم!قلم! قلم!" "galam!galam!galam!" , which they had come to think meant "hello." But galam actually means "pen." They were asking for pens.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Littered with rhetoric
“The devil flies in plastic bags.” “Real men pick up trash.” In the Middle East, messages about cleaning up the environment take on many shapes and forms. It looks as though exasperated foreigners who have wandered the streets looking for a trash bin may be in luck. Governments and civil society groups alike are going out of their way to clean up and cultivate a new environmental ethic in children.
The UAE, Egypt, Kuwait, and Jordan have developed websites and interactive software that preach the importance of recycling, conservation, and putting trash in its place. Egypt’s Ministry for Environmental Affairs, for example, created a website for children that connects environmental issues with those of personal health and safety. Several groups in Yemen and the UAE have even taken a more religious approach reminding youngsters that cleanliness is next to godliness.
As ecotourism in the region has begun to catch on (66,000 ecotourists visited Jordan in 2008), regional governments have realized that garbage-littered highways and streets are a kill-joy for tourists making their way to nature preserves. Thousands of trash bins and volunteers alike have been dispatched, in hopes of attaining the double goals of building a sense of community and national pride. The eco-friendly, economic, and religious reasons for protecting the environment have found a new junction in the region.
Regardless of the rhetoric used to promote this message, there seems to be a new wave of environmental initiatives for the Middle East and that children are malleable targets of this message. Amidst these winds of change, it may just be that the national bird of Jordan, Syria and Egypt - the plastic bag- will eventually lose its wings.
- Lindsey Stephenson and Christie Bahna
The UAE, Egypt, Kuwait, and Jordan have developed websites and interactive software that preach the importance of recycling, conservation, and putting trash in its place. Egypt’s Ministry for Environmental Affairs, for example, created a website for children that connects environmental issues with those of personal health and safety. Several groups in Yemen and the UAE have even taken a more religious approach reminding youngsters that cleanliness is next to godliness.
As ecotourism in the region has begun to catch on (66,000 ecotourists visited Jordan in 2008), regional governments have realized that garbage-littered highways and streets are a kill-joy for tourists making their way to nature preserves. Thousands of trash bins and volunteers alike have been dispatched, in hopes of attaining the double goals of building a sense of community and national pride. The eco-friendly, economic, and religious reasons for protecting the environment have found a new junction in the region.
Regardless of the rhetoric used to promote this message, there seems to be a new wave of environmental initiatives for the Middle East and that children are malleable targets of this message. Amidst these winds of change, it may just be that the national bird of Jordan, Syria and Egypt - the plastic bag- will eventually lose its wings.
- Lindsey Stephenson and Christie Bahna
Friday, January 11, 2008
A Christmas Story from Kuwait
“I always try to make Eid special for my kids,” my friend’s mom told me as I walked through the living room admiring the colorful decorations. The brightly colored crepe paper reminded me more of a Mexican restaurant than any Islamic celebration I’ve seen, but it was festive nonetheless. As I sat down for tea, she began to explain just why she felt the importance to go over the top for the Eid celebration.
“Many years ago,” she recalled, “my husband and I were in London in the cancer ward of a hospital where my eldest son was diagnosed with cancer when he was two. It was one of many trips we would make over the years, and on this particular visit my son was four. We stayed in that hospital day in and day out for weeks. Then weeks became months and as the months rolled along, Christmastime was upon us. The ward was completely transformed by decorations; lights and wreaths and Christmas trees with shimmering ornaments filled in the quiet and lonely spaces which made the hospital feel so cold. I remember watching my son’s face light up as he took in the delights of the season. I learned that the ladies from the neighborhood organization where the hospital was located volunteered each year to bring Christmas magic and cheer to those suffering and their families who joined them in the cancer ward. I began to realize that the decorations were lightening my spirits as well.
Then came Christmas morning and I couldn’t believe what I saw. Each child was presented with a huge basket of gifts, and they even included my son although they knew that we are Muslim. These gifts weren’t thrown away second hand toys either. They were Tonka trucks, Legos, Ninja Tutles, etc. I was touched by these women’s generosity and thoughtfulness to spread the spirit of Christmas everyone, regardless of their religion. That was one of the last times I saw my son so happy. He passed away only a few months later.”
I remained silent taking in the whole story. I couldn’t help but be proud of those sweet Christian women in London. I wondered if they would ever know the impact they had on this Kuwaiti family.
“So that is why I decorate,” she continued. “I want to remind my family the importance of the season- of generosity, charity, love and kindness that we Muslims are supposed to share with others, not just during the holidays but all year round.”
“Many years ago,” she recalled, “my husband and I were in London in the cancer ward of a hospital where my eldest son was diagnosed with cancer when he was two. It was one of many trips we would make over the years, and on this particular visit my son was four. We stayed in that hospital day in and day out for weeks. Then weeks became months and as the months rolled along, Christmastime was upon us. The ward was completely transformed by decorations; lights and wreaths and Christmas trees with shimmering ornaments filled in the quiet and lonely spaces which made the hospital feel so cold. I remember watching my son’s face light up as he took in the delights of the season. I learned that the ladies from the neighborhood organization where the hospital was located volunteered each year to bring Christmas magic and cheer to those suffering and their families who joined them in the cancer ward. I began to realize that the decorations were lightening my spirits as well.
Then came Christmas morning and I couldn’t believe what I saw. Each child was presented with a huge basket of gifts, and they even included my son although they knew that we are Muslim. These gifts weren’t thrown away second hand toys either. They were Tonka trucks, Legos, Ninja Tutles, etc. I was touched by these women’s generosity and thoughtfulness to spread the spirit of Christmas everyone, regardless of their religion. That was one of the last times I saw my son so happy. He passed away only a few months later.”
I remained silent taking in the whole story. I couldn’t help but be proud of those sweet Christian women in London. I wondered if they would ever know the impact they had on this Kuwaiti family.
“So that is why I decorate,” she continued. “I want to remind my family the importance of the season- of generosity, charity, love and kindness that we Muslims are supposed to share with others, not just during the holidays but all year round.”
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