Discovering Jordan - Introduction - Icebergs in the Desert

Culture is like an Iceberg was the discussion topic for Mr. Shadeed’s Cultural Studies class.  I learned more than the students.

Teaching gives one insights into local culture, and a regular substitute gets to know a school quickly.  So by the time I had spent a few weeks covering math, history, and French classes in our Dubai international school, I felt fairly competent.  But when given an Arabic teacher’s schedule, I laughed because I knew only two words of Arabic – shukran and la (thank you and no).  Fortunately, another Arabic teacher lent her assistant, and these students are fairly respectful.  But I was relieved when 4^th period Cultural Studies required analysis of a simile, and was conducted in English.  I enthusiastically listed iceberg qualities and made Titanic comparisons to culture, until the 7^th graders’ eyes started to glaze.  Then they were permitted to create artistic interpretations of the subject, while my mental wheels kept spinning.  That was 9 months ago...

How is culture like an iceberg?  Both are majestic, constantly-evolving creations, their beauty supported by massive hidden structures.

Because of occasional disasters, people fear and avoid icebergs and foreign cultures, even centuries after a scary event.  And it’s true that if we barrel radar-blind through unfamiliar waters, bad things can happen.  But we can learn lessons from the Titanic, such as to slow down around icebergs and other cultures, and understand that much waits to be encountered beneath the surface.  Each of us is like an iceberg, traveling with our cultural families, often bumping into icebergs from other places.  When we are friendly and respectful, our interactions are usually safe and enriching.

Icebergs and cultures might make a big noise when they collide, but mostly they float peacefully, sharing fragments of information when they interact.  An Australian kid once observed, “You’re American, aren’t you?  You sound like the blokes on the telly.”  “That’s funny,” I replied, “so do you.”  (I’ve always thought of ‘British’ accents as intelligent, because of the BBC shows on our educational channel.  Wonder what impression American reality shows give the world?)

Globalization has caused much melting in recent years, so it’s important to record and appreciate our world’s icebergs and cultures as they exist today.  In Dubai’s heat, people from many countries melt together and raise a generation of ‘third-culture kids.’  At school, our young icebergs bump into each other and share information.  Will this create a uniform watered-down culture, or more diverse icebergs? 

Hot Dates to Hoopoes

Flora and Fauna (as promised)

Friendly Fauna of Dubai

 

 

 

What I Believe

God is Great, God is Good….

Friends, family and my dear writing group have all said to stay away from religion and politics in my essays.  But here I am, a moderately progressive Christian woman in a moderately progressive Muslim nation, ruled by sheiks.  I could tell you about the flora and fauna, and certainly will.  But I’m really interested in the mix of people in Dubai, and it’s hard to separate lifestyle from religion in a place where the call to prayer sounds 5 times a day. 

I have a diverse list of friends and likely readers of this blog.  You cover the spectrum, from liberal to conservative, urban and rural, Muslim, Jew, Christian, Atheist, and Agnostic.  And that’s okay – we can care for each other and learn from each other when we respect the right to be different.  I’ve been planning this entry for several months, feeling it important to state my beliefs from the beginning.  Otherwise half of my readers will think I’m being intolerant with my observations, while the other half worries that I’m becoming a Muslim.  ;-)

First, I believe that the Creator of this beautiful world must love diversity.  If God didn’t find joy in our many ways of being, we wouldn’t have such a variety of looks, languages, mind-sets, foods, clothing, and dance styles.  Appreciating God’s miraculous craftsmanship and dexterity makes me happy.

From talking with people, I have noticed that each seems to have a unique combination of religious beliefs, regardless of background or group identity.  I believe that’s okay, because God is multi-dimensional and ‘great,’ able to encompass most of the religious beliefs in the world.  Each of us sees only small facets of the Deity, but we can learn more by peering through the lenses of other believers. 

(My friend Kim Williams illustrates this idea in sermon three of his fun book, Wishful Preaching:  Things I Wish I had said in the Pulpit available at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ADSNP8I )

My way of following God has long been through the example and influence of Jesus.  My faith has been tested and questioned, and I keep coming back to the New Testament Gospels.  I feel that Jesus is active in my life and heart, and gives me joy, strength and comfort when life is difficult.  I believe this makes me a Christian.

But while I believe the Bible was divinely inspired, I know that human understanding is limited, and hundreds of people have influenced the words we interpret, as well as our religious practices and beliefs.  Some of those people were surely inspired by God, while others were swayed by politics.  This is why each human can read the words and listen to opinions of others, but must look into their own heart and find the way of worship that suits them best.  For some, this means loving the people around them and appreciating nature.  Others find God in a church, temple, or mosque. 

These differences are not a problem, if folks are searching for the way to Good, and not oppressing people who understand God differently.  I think that using religious belief as an excuse for violence or oppression is morally wrong.  And I don’t think any human alive can judge whether another is truly sanctified by God or not – that is an intimate knowledge between the individual and their Creator.  We can pray for each other, share information about our beliefs, and make constructive suggestions on how to live good lives and follow God’s will, but it’s hard enough to conjecture that Will for ourselves, much less another person.  I see nothing wrong with following a group’s beliefs and religious practices, as long as one feels led by the Good, and not forced.  These are my humble opinions.

Religion and politics have been entwined throughout human history.  Though our founding fathers may have tried to separate them in the US Constitution, religious beliefs have always been an important thread in the American fabric.  In many Muslim countries, they seem to be the fabric.

One reason I was a little nervous coming to Dubai, is because the Arab Muslim has replaced the Russian Communist as the boogeyman of the American psyche.  And while I do not blame the nearly 2 billion Muslims in the world for events like 9/11 any more than I blame a particular group for Oklahoma City, Tucson, etc, I am aware that there were particular tensions and conditions leading to each of these events.  There are tensions in every country, and people who dislike outsiders.  But there are also the majorities of people who accept differences, and prefer to be left alone to make a living, raise their children, and worship in peace.  Knowing this, and having heard stories about living in Saudi Arabia from my husband and his family, I looked forward to learning more about Arab Muslim culture and religion.
 
I believe Muslims, like Russians, love their children as much as we love ours (to borrow from Sting). There is a Center for Cultural Understanding that was set up by the Ruler of Dubai to share information about Muslim heritage and religion with curious visitors and newcomers. I will try to share information like theirs, along with personal observations about the people here. Perhaps greater understanding and familiarity can replace some of the fears and misunderstandings of Muslims that seem to have many roots in American and international politics.

 

 

A beautiful new mosque near our home reminds me of Cinderella's castle.

Do What??

“Do you want to move to Dubai?”  Bob came home with the question over Memorial Day weekend.  He’d been offered a neat position with his company in the United Arab Emirate famous for its unique architecture and Western-friendly business climate.  After making lists, shedding tears, and doing research, we decided as a family that if we found a good school situation for our daughters, the experience would be incredible.

Other families have similar priorities.   We were told that any Dubai school with an “American” curriculum had stopped accepting applications for next year, because their classes were full with long waiting lists.  So on June 8^th, we boarded a plane to Dubai, in order for the girls to interview and test for the few available spots in international schools. 

Through an online women’s network, I found an education consultant who helped us locate schools which would best serve our kids.  Fiona steered us toward Jumeira Baccalaureate School, a two-year-old International Baccalaureate school with a staff of master teachers and excellent leadership.  They graciously welcomed our girls (who are both terrific students as well as nice people).  Many prayers have been answered, as this appears to be a wonderful fit for our family.

So my blog is destined to become a “Dubai diary,” looking at human interactions from a new perspective.  All the sociology and anthropology courses I took in college seemed quite relevant as we observed the mash-up of cultures in the Dubai malls.  (Imagine a Paris fashion store packed with female shoppers in black ‘abayas.’) 

Dubai is a modern Constantinople, a trade center near the intersection of three continents, with people from many countries and cultures living together.  Our daughters will represent America in their international classrooms. 

I love the way such exposure to diversity teaches us about ourselves.  Encounters with other ways of thinking, dressing, worshipping, etc. makes you see your own customs more clearly.  Differences can feel threatening until you get used to them.  Or they can be funny.  For example, Emirates Airlines allows you to bring your hunting falcon “hooded and tethered of course” into the cabin as accompanied baggage, but dogs may only fly to Dubai as cargo.  Is this a matter of practicality or different priorities?   We certainly wouldn’t want our asthmatic Shih Tzu becoming falcon fodder in either section of the plane!

I’ve understood the meaning of “head spinning” news over the last month.  (Actually checked the neck tethers a few times to be sure I couldn’t do an Exorcist imitation.  And my family would tell you I’ve seemed a tad possessed….)  But now that the most important decisions are made, we are settling into a busy summer of cleaning out, packing up, and saying good-bye, so we can say ‘hello’ to Dubai at the end of August.