Everyday at school I cross over the cultural divide and communicate on many levels with my students and co-workers. There are still moments when we don't understand each other, but we have both come to understand each other in a new way.
When first arriving, I was warned that to the Arabic staff, school is a place to socialize. I was told that my work ethic would far exceed that of the "native" teachers. While I have to admit that they love to socialize and have tea, I have found them to be committed professionals as well. The atmosphere and procedures may not be the same as you would see in a western culture, but the goal is the same. They are trying to make their students into well-educated and conscientious citizens. They want to guide these young girls into adulthood so they are able to get the most out of life. I will admit that the system as a whole has a lot of kinks to work out. They aren't just changing the grading policy- they are redoing the entire system, starting from scratch. The ingredients are there, the bread just needs time to rise.
You can see these changes in and out of the classroom. When trying to communicate with the local shop or restaurant owners, it is often difficult, but each person finds ways to get business done. An uplifting example of this comes from an evening walk a few days ago.
While walking with Bayyinah, Judy, Ryan, and little Hannah, we hear the sounds of a cat nearby. Hannah loves animals, so Judy tried to find this cat. We could hear it, knew it was somewhere near this large truck, but then could not find it. Just as we were about to give up and assume it was in the bed of the truck, I caught a glimpse of fleshy pink from between the two back tires. The cat cried out again and I confirmed my fear that it was trapped between the tires. I moaned and squealed in response and pointed out the cat to the others. We feared the worst. The two massive tires and this cat . . . we thought there was no chance. At this point we had gotten the attention of most of the local shop owners, who were fascinated by these strange western women. Ryan crouched next to the tires and attempted to wedge his hand in to get the cat. Eventually, with the help of the locals, we were able to direct the driver of the truck to pull up slowly. Ryan held onto the cat as the truck moved up ever so slightly. To our surprise, it was an adorable kitten, and though a bit small, he was unharmed. After allowing us to pet him briefly,he bounded off to find the rest of his family and the four of us walked off, with all eyes following us down the road. They probably thought we were crazy, but we were able to save a kitten, despite the cultural differences. I'm not sure these men would have cared about the welfare of a stray cat had we not been there. However, they put aside their own cultural views to help us complete this task. Had a shop-keeper not instructed the driver to move forward, the kitten and/or Ryan's hand could have been crushed. In the end, it was a group effort that resulted in a happy ending.
I know at this point you are thinking saving the cat is not this huge thing, but to me anytime two people can communicate past a culture and language barrier, it puts a smile on my face. It may not be much, but through little steps like these we can eventually work to move mountains. Though in many ways we will always be worlds apart, there are just as many ways in which we are alike. It is these similarities we must remember as we try to educate and lead a new generation toward the future. Maybe then we can learn to live as one. Deep down, past our cynicism and doubts, isn't that what we really want? I know it seems like a far fetched dream, but I choose to dream rather than live with anger, frustration, and hate.
When first arriving, I was warned that to the Arabic staff, school is a place to socialize. I was told that my work ethic would far exceed that of the "native" teachers. While I have to admit that they love to socialize and have tea, I have found them to be committed professionals as well. The atmosphere and procedures may not be the same as you would see in a western culture, but the goal is the same. They are trying to make their students into well-educated and conscientious citizens. They want to guide these young girls into adulthood so they are able to get the most out of life. I will admit that the system as a whole has a lot of kinks to work out. They aren't just changing the grading policy- they are redoing the entire system, starting from scratch. The ingredients are there, the bread just needs time to rise.
You can see these changes in and out of the classroom. When trying to communicate with the local shop or restaurant owners, it is often difficult, but each person finds ways to get business done. An uplifting example of this comes from an evening walk a few days ago.
While walking with Bayyinah, Judy, Ryan, and little Hannah, we hear the sounds of a cat nearby. Hannah loves animals, so Judy tried to find this cat. We could hear it, knew it was somewhere near this large truck, but then could not find it. Just as we were about to give up and assume it was in the bed of the truck, I caught a glimpse of fleshy pink from between the two back tires. The cat cried out again and I confirmed my fear that it was trapped between the tires. I moaned and squealed in response and pointed out the cat to the others. We feared the worst. The two massive tires and this cat . . . we thought there was no chance. At this point we had gotten the attention of most of the local shop owners, who were fascinated by these strange western women. Ryan crouched next to the tires and attempted to wedge his hand in to get the cat. Eventually, with the help of the locals, we were able to direct the driver of the truck to pull up slowly. Ryan held onto the cat as the truck moved up ever so slightly. To our surprise, it was an adorable kitten, and though a bit small, he was unharmed. After allowing us to pet him briefly,he bounded off to find the rest of his family and the four of us walked off, with all eyes following us down the road. They probably thought we were crazy, but we were able to save a kitten, despite the cultural differences. I'm not sure these men would have cared about the welfare of a stray cat had we not been there. However, they put aside their own cultural views to help us complete this task. Had a shop-keeper not instructed the driver to move forward, the kitten and/or Ryan's hand could have been crushed. In the end, it was a group effort that resulted in a happy ending.
I know at this point you are thinking saving the cat is not this huge thing, but to me anytime two people can communicate past a culture and language barrier, it puts a smile on my face. It may not be much, but through little steps like these we can eventually work to move mountains. Though in many ways we will always be worlds apart, there are just as many ways in which we are alike. It is these similarities we must remember as we try to educate and lead a new generation toward the future. Maybe then we can learn to live as one. Deep down, past our cynicism and doubts, isn't that what we really want? I know it seems like a far fetched dream, but I choose to dream rather than live with anger, frustration, and hate.
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