"When will you ever use arabic?"
"Arabic isn't a very widely spoken language, is it?"
These are the kinds of questions I was bombarded with when my family and friends learned that I would study arabic. I don't think anyone meant to be offensive, it just wasn't a language anyone was familiar with (at all). I have always loved spanish and picked it up pretty fast in high school, so I think everyone expected me to continue with it. Well, really, they should have known me better than that...
I have always liked learning about other places and cultures. My first trip out of the country was to Chile when I was eight. I still remember many things about the month I spent there and long to go back. Since then, I have also spent time in Japan and Ghana. After living in Ghana for a semester of my senior year of high school, I was sure that I wanted to work there after college. I love that country and the people there. I probably would have studied twi or fante, but Cornell doesn't offer those languages.
A conversation with Steven Sacks my freshman year forever changed my life course. As I debated whether to study spanish or take something a bit more exotic, Steven informed me that the following year, arabic was going to be offered at Cornell for the first time. I was so excited! I'm not sure why the language appealed to me so much, but it did. Now, I think that it was the mystery that drew me to it. The words looked like beautiful squiggles, and the culture was a mosaic of veils, strange musical instruments, and elaborate building resembling those from Disney's Aladdin-- all shrouded in mysticism. I knew next to nothing about the arab world beyond what I saw on the news, and I didn't like that. I wanted to understand this mysterious culture, and what better way to start than by learning arabic?
I write all this to preface my thoughts about the new series 'Sleepless in Gaza... and Jerusalem'. First, I appreciate the effort to educate the west about the human rights violations in Gaza. I knew about this only vaguely, and I still feel that I need to do some research to become more educated. It certainly makes it more real to pair a place/faces with the story. Beyond this issue, I just enjoy getting a sense of life in the middle east. I feel like I'm finally beginning to put a puzzle together, or lift a veil off of a picture. Learning the language (the squiggles become meaningful words), watching arab films, listening to arabic music, speaking with people who live/lived in the middle east, is giving me such a better understanding of the arab world.
Now, I hope to spend my senior year studying in the middle east, possibly the American University in Cairo. The more I learn about arabic and arab culture, the more I think I may want to spend my days working in the middle east (perhaps I'll have a summer home in Ghana). Ninth block this year, I am going to study Islam through an independent study with Steven. I'll become even more committed to learning about arab culture, إنشاء الله!
الجامعة الأمريكية بالقاهرة :)
!شكرا شذى
I have always liked learning about other places and cultures. My first trip out of the country was to Chile when I was eight. I still remember many things about the month I spent there and long to go back. Since then, I have also spent time in Japan and Ghana. After living in Ghana for a semester of my senior year of high school, I was sure that I wanted to work there after college. I love that country and the people there. I probably would have studied twi or fante, but Cornell doesn't offer those languages.
A conversation with Steven Sacks my freshman year forever changed my life course. As I debated whether to study spanish or take something a bit more exotic, Steven informed me that the following year, arabic was going to be offered at Cornell for the first time. I was so excited! I'm not sure why the language appealed to me so much, but it did. Now, I think that it was the mystery that drew me to it. The words looked like beautiful squiggles, and the culture was a mosaic of veils, strange musical instruments, and elaborate building resembling those from Disney's Aladdin-- all shrouded in mysticism. I knew next to nothing about the arab world beyond what I saw on the news, and I didn't like that. I wanted to understand this mysterious culture, and what better way to start than by learning arabic?
I write all this to preface my thoughts about the new series 'Sleepless in Gaza... and Jerusalem'. First, I appreciate the effort to educate the west about the human rights violations in Gaza. I knew about this only vaguely, and I still feel that I need to do some research to become more educated. It certainly makes it more real to pair a place/faces with the story. Beyond this issue, I just enjoy getting a sense of life in the middle east. I feel like I'm finally beginning to put a puzzle together, or lift a veil off of a picture. Learning the language (the squiggles become meaningful words), watching arab films, listening to arabic music, speaking with people who live/lived in the middle east, is giving me such a better understanding of the arab world.
Now, I hope to spend my senior year studying in the middle east, possibly the American University in Cairo. The more I learn about arabic and arab culture, the more I think I may want to spend my days working in the middle east (perhaps I'll have a summer home in Ghana). Ninth block this year, I am going to study Islam through an independent study with Steven. I'll become even more committed to learning about arab culture, إنشاء الله!
الجامعة الأمريكية بالقاهرة :)
!شكرا شذى
Annie, I'm so glad that you're enjoying learning about the Arab world so much! There are many opportunities to work and study in the Middle East, so you will be able to make it happen!
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