Peekaboo

They are both playful, spontaneous and curious. They both need a loving care giver that would make sure that they get what they need. The difference between American kids and others in my home country lays in their general personalities, which is a result of how their care givers treat them. I noticed that whether at home or school, American kids are treated more as mature, responsible persons. Parents expect to see their kids not doing what they were warned from. As for kids back home, you rarely see parents trying to communicate with them as adults. It is more of a controlling relationship. Still, media and sources that care about human rights are trying to spread new methods of psychological dealing with kids. What other than science and research could help us become better adults, children and teenagers.

She got married to a family.. I mean it!

People back home live in groups mainly. You might be living with your parents and your siblings at home. But when it comes to decisions, your uncle has a very effective opinion in choosing the school you will be attending and your grandma can be the one who decides what you will be doing in the coming 6 years of your life. This is how close our families are.

If you are to get married, everyone has to approve this marriage by positive feedback.. If they hadn't approved.  This disapproval might destroy your relationship with them or cancel the whole thing. If you are pregnant, you see your mother in law looking at your belly as if the baby is hers. She would be praying every morning that it's a he not a she. Lets say that you got three baby girls in a row, it's a great possibility to see your husband getting a second wife to get the "boy".. that will carry his name and be dominant after him.

Yes, American divorce rate is incredibly high not starting today or last year. That is because people refuse cruel reality of being in an unhappy or abusive marriage. But back home divorce rate is lower because, a divorced woman is a shame. She is black listed, everyone start talking discussing why she got divorced and most of the people will considert her guilty and a failure. While the real reason could be that she have chosen to be a  disobedient wife by working, not wanting to become pregnant or simply been abused verbally or psychically by her husband.

I am not generalizing here, it is the opinion of many Arab writers, psychologists and sociologists.

Another face in the crowd

You will never know who you are, until you become different.

Being a minority means being judged, from a group of people who look like each other, share the same language, religion, accent...etc. So it's whether you stand out, in a positive way. Or melt in the crowd as a stranger. "When you are strange, no one remembers your name" Jim Morrison.

It depends on people's type of personality. Are you an extrovert or an introvert? Would you adapt to the world or force things to get shaped to your desire? Do you find your behaviour independent or you tend to conform more often?

Step to an unfamiliar place, break the fear and get to know yourself. It is a magnificent experience indeed. And if you have always had the "home" you belong to, you've got to be lucky. Because some people spend all their lives not knowing to whom they should affiliate. That's what war, economical selfishness and Ignorance lead people to feel. A feeling of loneliness and fission.

Although I have always thought about us - human beings- as a family that need to accept it's members because you can't change the fact that your brother is your brother. Still the question remains, how could I gulp a stab in my back from a brother?

Is it teamwork course or rope course?

Last week I got to know my ESL 360 class mates better. They gathered with professor Johnson for a Rope Course in Crest Wellness Center. Once I got there I saw them all standing on one wooden board, they were so excited that once I joined them I felt the energy and wanted to work this out.

I think that people in my country have such activities in camps but if you weren't affiliated in one, it is hard to go through such experience. I'm lucky I had the chance to be a part of it, since I have a slight issue with activities that require balance. I could do it with this group that I truly felt comfortable with. To be honest if this was a choice I wouldn't have took part of it. So thanks to professor Johnson for making it mandatory!

Gather up! It's homecoming

Although I didn't have the chance to join everyone else to the homecoming big foot ball game, I am able to tell you about my observations about this yearly traditional event, that takes place in many universities in the United States of America. It is popular for bringing everyone together in the university from students and welcoming back alumni. It gets them involved in different activities and games.

Things you would see before the homecoming weekend is a lot of advertisements to vote for a King and a Queen. They are usually chosen after elections. Since homecoming is a celebration in it's nature, a lot of people get themselves some beer and spend the weekend drinking and having fun, which some people find improper, while others think it's normal.

Finally, homecoming is an event you can't help but noticing if you were a student in an American university. and it is pretty energetic and traditional for those who are interested in culture.

So, happy homecoming!

It's the Sacred Heart Church

If you took the Locust Lane bus, which heads to north Eau Claire, you will pass by a very calm neighbourhood where a red, friendly looking church under the name, Sacred Heart Church, lays. It has sixteen windows and magnificent Rose one from Austria, which leads us to the fact that it was founded by German immigrants in 1875. If you got inside the church in a week day you will find it closed, still you will be able to access the restrooms, and see some signs that notifies people about abortion! I would personally encourage you to go their on a Sunday to see more of the religious rituals and prayers.

Here is more detailed information, copied from the church's official website:

In 1928 German-born Msgr. F.X. Orthen (1921-1943), replaced the first church with a $142,000 Romanesque style building(Hoeppner- Bartlett Co, gen contractor) modeled after the famous Benedictine Abbey of Maria Laach (Rheinland) and paid for by Oct 1936. Dedicated on Christmas Eve 1938, it seats 700 & measures 168 x 62 x 48 high. 45 tons of Italian marble compose the altars inlaid with delicate "cosmatesque" mosaics. Above the high altar hover Fra Angelico’s "Musical Angels." The sixteen windows and magnificent Rose window from Innsbruck Austria, are beautiful in any light. A Schaefer pipe organ was added in 1949 and the main altar in 1982 by Fr. Peter Eiden who again redecorated after a Sat. evening fire destroyed the baptistery during bingo. Listen to those three bells – they're the real thing!   Buildings reflect faith; the parish has given the Church over 12 priests and 30 sisters. On January 1, 1999, after 124 years, Sacred Heart united with Saint Patrick. If "the past is prologue," we’ll have a great future together.

Culture, what's that?

Culture is you waking up every morning, deciding what to do; wait for your family to gather around the table, or just prepare your food and eat alone. It is when you see your friend and say hi to him by kissing him on the cheek or just saying Hello! Cultures is seeing a cute girl in the street that matches your dream girl, then decide between going to talk to her and take her number, and trying to know where she lives and go to talk to her dad, telling him you want to marry this girl!

The differences in our attitudes and what is wrong or right is culture. It is what makes everywhere so special and unique between continents, countries and villages. It is what makes our world so interesting, attractive and worth exploring, and why no matter how much you meet people, there are stilll more to look forward to.

Hala-