I am nearing the end of 1st semester as a teacher in the UAE, Dubai, for the all girls school. It has been quite a ride. Apart from the fact that none of the teachers and students liked the rushed schedule with 40 minute classes, I have had to teach 4 different classes or in the teaching world have 4 different preps. I am in the process of writing the semester exams for the classes and I can't help but share about some of the things that I've learned this 1st Semester.
-When in Rome, do as the Romans do. I have learned more and more, that if you don't embrace and accept the local culture you are to some extent doomed. Its not that I do not like the culture here, don't get me wrong, it is just that it takes a lot longer than I imagined to learn the local ways. I am sure I will continue to learn my lessons by either saying or doing the wrong thing but instead of fighting I am trying to go more and more with the flow.
-Your students know everything about you! When I returned from my winter break/Christmas & New Years, I was just glowing and in the best mood from my engagement. And it made my teaching better and I even shared the news with some of my "girls" or students. These girls love romance so they were beyond excited! However, this week I've been facing some challenges and have not been the most pleasant person around which has surely been affecting my work. It is hard to hide human emotions from humans! :) Ha!
-Last, I've learned a lot in my Sociology class about culture. My fiance and I always argue about globalization & culture. He thinks that being in Shanghai is no different than being in Paris. I always get a little irritated, and peeved. I believe that there are huge differences across the world which stem from cultural differences. Even within large urban areas, you have huge cultural differences. Just go from the East side of 288 highway to the West side (Houston) and you will surely see what I mean. Sure you can probably hit up a Starbucks in Shanghai and Paris and get the same latte. But culture goes beyond this. I have always tried to argue this point to Adnan but have never really had the proper tool kit. Well, thanks to my Sociology course, I've learned so much about these topics.
People within a culture decide what is culturally acceptable. So for example, if your culture thinks its okay to let your child hang their head out of the sunroof while driving 35 mph, than that is "culturally acceptable" in that area of the world (hint I saw this occur on the way home from school yesterday :) ). In America, we are very strict about safety, on the brink of obsessed with being safe, but not so much elsewhere which may be in part because the company will get sued if they are not careful and you do not CYA. Along with learning that it is the local people that eventually write the cultural rule books, cultural traits are eventually written into laws. So the laws in Shanghai and Paris are going to be different because the people and their cultural customs are different. In Paris, or France, I've heard that you are not guilty if you murder your husband who's been having an affair, it is a "crime de passion". That may be just an old wives tale but none the less, this is just an example okay folks. In China, the laws for what can be printed in the press are what Chinese people have accepted as culturally appropriate. So my point is that first comes our cultures/mores/norms/folkways. Next comes what the culture/people consider culturally appropriate and these traits are written into laws.
Phew, that was long. I feel like I'm writing a dissertation paper like my bff Madeline.
A few other things, the Danish cartoonist was on the local radio the other day and said that he has no regrets for drawing the controversial drawings that offended Muslims around the world. Maybe in his culture, the Danish, freedom of speech is one the highest forms that the Danes hold high above all. Not saying I agree with the fact that he printed them but it was something I realized while listening to him speak.
And one last cultural moment. Yesterday afternoon, I heard that France is trying to ban the niqab which is the veil from head to toe in black that some devout Muslims wear. (See the example in photo above.) I told this to one of my classes and they could not understand at all why they would ban it. I said, "well they want their citizens to be French". But you see, they don't quite understand that or what that means. It got them thinking however, and I just like to share what I hear. The struggles with the growing Muslim population in France and throughout Europe is a fascination of mine that I would like to continue studying and writing about so stay tuned for more:) And email me news articles related to this subject if you come across any!
Great topic, and very interesting photo. Don't know if you planned to have the woman on the right in the shot or not, but it shows the contrasts in modern arabic culture. As far as banning the naqib, I say not a good idea unless your intent is to further marginalize an already pissed off segment of your society. Pardon my french (okay, bad pun). I imagine if China does it, the backlash won't be as bad as if it happens somewhere in Europe, due the the inevitable heavy handedness of the Chinese government. But the segment of society affected, they'll still be just as angry. I wish I had more of a socialogical backround, I do agree with what you are saying though about how what is culturally accepted is eventually what becomes law. I think cultures are slowly blending together on a global scale, and that over time they just naturally expand and contract if that makes sense. For example, the middle east seemed to embrace western culture in the post WWII era, and into the early seventies. I'm not sure if it was western culture being crammed down their throats or if it was just better relations between the west and the middle-east, but it didn't last long. There was a definite backlash, or contraction to ultra conservativism and what I would call religious extremism. That could either be fuelled by souring political relations or it could just be a growing distaste for western values and a desire to hold on to an ideal past that probably never existed. You see it in America as well, with Pat Robertson just recently making comments about the Haitians selling their souls to the devil and other warped notions. The United States faces the same dilema of trying to hold on to some ideal past that is largely a myth. I think what we're seeing today is what we've seen throughout history, although I am in no way a historian. It's like the Dark Ages before the Rennaisance (sp?). Anyway, those are my thoughts on the subject. I'm glad to see you're learning and growing over there in Dubai. I wish I could take a little side trip and hang out for a spell. So you're engaged? Conratulations! Your fiance's name escapes me right now, but I'm glad I had a chance to meet him last summer. He was very likeble, and I'm happy for you both. Take care, Jami, and shoot me an email once in a while. I may be heading somewhere with better internet, and my hours won't be so dreadful either. Love, C.
ReplyDelete"It is hard to hide human emotions from humans! :)" LOVE IT!!!!
ReplyDeleteQuite an interesting post to read. Question though, why do you find it harder to learn the culture in the UAE? Is it because you have less interaction with locals than you would do in another country?
ReplyDeleteTo answer Ms. Sana's question, yes it is because I do not get to interact with the locals as much as I have in other countries. I would like to more, I have some wonderful Emiratie students but otherwise, I am surrounded by Westerners.
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