12/30/2019 0 Comments A day in the Life of ArabIn the summer months of 1985 I was in Beirut, Lebanon on a two months vacation where I met some good people. Ahmed is a grade school teacher in Beirut and I meet him barely one week after I arrived in Beirut, when I was hanging around, pondering about the historical significance of Mount Hermon as it was mentioned in the Biblical history.He lives in the outskirt of Beirut a few blocks from where I am living and he has a deep knowledge of the Lebanese history and culture. One time, I ask Ahmed about what he thinks of Israel, as the Biblical text seemed to point out to Israel as God’s favored nation. Ahmed would usually flare-up when the issue concerns Israel.As I read on some of their historical literature I have learned that despite of the relative wealth of Lebanon, its leaders were divided into three main groups on some national issues.The first group wanted Lebanon to be part of France, while the second group called for the integration of Lebanon with in the framework of Arab unity, and the third wanted independence of Lebanon from France. As I was analyzing the political situation in Lebanon during this time, I realized that it was the spirit of Arab nationalism that had prevailed, as most of the Lebanese believed Lebanon is an inseparable part of the world. I noticed that most Lebanese are devout Arab nationalist and their cultures were distinctly in the context of the Arab world. One of its writers even wrote that Lebanon was culturally influenced by the Mediterranean and by the ancient people that inhabited this basin. As I go around the cities, faces of western influences were evident in most cities through the many facades particularly in the main cities. The Arab traditional lifestyle which revolves firmly around the family, socializing, and hospitality were exactly the case in most families, although those living outside the city especially in the remote areas, retained their old customs and tradition. As I had observed, Lebanese people are generally literate and Lebanon has one of the most technically prepared, and educated populations in the Middle East.In matters of food and drinks, most of Lebanese cuisines were a combination of the European cuisine and the eastern spicy. The Lebanese traditional dishes still exist in many places, which are simple preparations, using grains, pulses and vegetable and fruit. A Typical Lebanese meal on the other hand is the mezze.This is a thorough spread of forty or fifty hors d’oeuvres or simply a salad bowl. However, unlike in other Arabian countries, Lebanese people were the most frequently disturbed people by war, by invasion and annexation of different countries surrounding her. Lebanon at one time was under French government and at some other period was invaded by Syria and Israel. Despite of those troubling wars, and internal chaos, the Lebanese people was thriving economically.In my observation however, despite that this country is an Arab state many of its inhabitants are Christians and at some times was governed by a Maronite Christian but was assassinated in February 2005. As I analyzed the social and cultural life of the Lebanese society I found out that the root of internal chaos in Lebanon was, there is an unresolved character of the Lebanese national culture.Was the character of the Lebanese society Arab and Muslim in orientation or Christian and Western? There are several strong communities competing to gain control of power in Lebanon such as the Maronites, Christians, the Nusayris, the Antioch Turks, and Bedouin, which reveals the multi-culturism of the Lebanese society that in my view, this multiculturalism should be clearly understood by its people in order for them to gain peace within, and in international relations.ReferenceLebanonhttp://www.arab.net/lebanon/
0 Comments
Autobiography - Essay Example
According to the Declaration of Independence, we can only pursue the happiness, we cannot attain it, and so we should consider happiness as the journey, not as a destination (Jefferson). This is the only way we can be happy, because we could enjoy it as a process. Life is like travelling through beautiful fields filled with greenery, but we are so worried about achieving material happiness and riches that we cannot dare to see around and praise the beauty of life. Same goes with this life, we keep on working for our future and keep on postponing our parties and vacations for more money. But at the end, we lose our energy and youth, therefore, rendered unable by our age and cannot be able to avail the happiness which life had to offer. The woman I mentioned in the previous paragraph is me. I spent a very painful life. When I was in the Navy, my male colleagues were always interested in taking advantage of me. But I kept dodging them over the span of my whole service tenure. Despite of the difficulties, I kept on moving forward and learnt how to deal with them eventually, by being reserved and indifferent to their issues all the time. In this way, I was able to keep them away. Finally, I got retired from the Forces after a long time. I returned home where I engaged myself into healthy activities of gardening and housekeeping. After some years from retirement, my son died and he left two children in my custody. Few days later, federal law enforcement officials came and took my grandchildren away from me. I got too frustrated. But I took a decision to take this matter to the court, where I successfully proved that I am in a good health and, therefore, able to take care of my children. Fortunately, court agreed and granted me the custody of the children. From that day on, I am proud of myself, because I was able to take a stand for my children. As I mentioned earlier, I had spent a very painful life; however, these grandchildren are rewards of those pains I suffered in my youth. I am happy seeing them grow, giggle and flourish in front of me. I really enjoy answering their innocent questions about life. I am training them to become strong-willed individuals. I let them take decisions by themselves, so that they learn to face the consequences of their decisions. In this way, they can build an experience about a real and nasty life which they have to face in very near future. Conclusion This paper highlights different facets of my life. My life gives a message of constant struggle in at least one part of everybody’s life, so that one can ripe their fruits later on. The hard work with persistence is a true way to success; an individual should follow his or her own way, because humans come in this world in their original form. They should depart from here in the same way. I stood up for my rights, fought for them and finally won against all the odds. I recommend courage, persistence and determination to all of those who are discouraged due to social pressures. All social systems are made by humans and we can change them. No system in this world is divine in nature, therefore, is subject to change. So, this paper recommends its readers to be original, moving, flexible, yet determined. Work Cited Jefferson, Thomas. Declaration of Independence. International Relations and Security Networks, 1945. |