The Golan Heights

Approaching the historical site of the Golan Heights, I was unsure of how I would react once I saw it. To my surprise before we toured the area, the Mayor of Al Qunaytirah, the town in the Heights that remains inhabited, greeted us. Of the 1,860 sq. kilometers, 1,260 remain under construction. The current population is 510,000.

The Mayor told the group of American students that the destruction of the area was intentionally done by Israeli forces in 1973 after the war was over. He said they destroyed the city once peace had been established just to bring more harm and terror to the area.

Much of the town has been left in the same condition it was after 1973 to serve as a live witness, or living museum. He said that the Israeli’s have destroyed man, stone, and tree.

The Mayor went on to say that when the Israeli’s left the area they left behind more than 1 million land mines. Many of these mines are shaped in shiny and colorful forms to, supposedly to attract children. Two months ago, two children were killed by a mine while walking a cow home to their village.

The United States sanctions have been in effect since 2003 under the Syrian Accountability Act. The Mayor said these sanctions affect every aspect of the Syrian economy.

As many before him, the Mayor spoke of his hope for the new Obama Administration. “We cannot say we are optimistic until we see the outcomes in his policy in this region,” he said.

He said that it is absolutely out of the question to leave one particle of sand of the Golan Heights in Israeli hands. He also said the Palestinians have a right to return to Jerusalem as their capital.

“Golan return is a matter of dignity for us, it is our land. It is unanimous among Syrians that the whole of Golan should come back.”

Mayor said that Israelis have conducted over 211 excavations in the heights trying to find relics or ruins of Hebrew historical roots, as the search has been in vein.

He said that Bush spoke of Iraqi democracy. As a result of the war Iraq has offered more than one million martyrs, and thus widows, and over four and a half million orphans. .

“This is the democracy of Bush, no American citizen would accept these actions.”

When asked about the U.S. Israeli relationship he said that he believes Israel controls the U.S.

The Ministry of Information

 

Thursday afternoon the Syrian Ministry of Information, Mohsen Bilal, met with a group of Americans students to discuss issues facing the region…or so we thought.

After an initial meet and greet in Bilal’s office, the Minister, students, and teachers were led through the halls of the Syrian television and radio communications building into a press conference.

Much to everyone’s surprises the Minister, along with professor Sullivan, sat at the head of the room full of student journalists (us) and Syrian journalists, along with Syrian television.

Bilal began the meeting by saying, “We consider the great people of the United States a friend to us and to all people of the world. The United States is a great country and a superpower country.”

Bilal told the Americans that they were all welcome in Syria and that he wants to reach a point of peace, love and understanding. “Terrorism has no religion, race, or nationality. It is a disease against all of us.”

He went on to say, as they all have, that there is one party responsible for poverty, destruction, and the non-security in the country. “We are suffering from occupation, it is our illness.”

Although the United Nations is responsible for stability in the whole globe, it is clear that the United States is also critical in that stabilization.

In response to more than one very loaded question Professor Sullivan maintained poise and eloquence when responding by saying, “The entire world suffers from an occupation of injustice.”

He went on to point out that fact that quality of leadership throughout the world needs improvement.

After the continuing rhetoric about who is to blame for the problems in the country, Minister Bilal said that the only means of peace is a two state solution. Since both sides have agreed to this term at one point or another, it remains hopeful that one day this may actually happen.

Ministry of Higher Education

On Tuesday night the Syrian Ministry of higher education, Dr. Ghitath Barakat, met with a group of American students studying abroad in the Middle East.

He began the lecture discussing the government’s allocation of money for higher education. Until 2006, all universities in the country were governmentally funded. Three years ago private universities were finally allowed to enter the country and now 15 private universities have been established.

There are over 600,000 students attending universities in Syria.

Although most of them are governmentally funded, Barakat brought up the point that almost half of the country’s budget goes towards defense. He said that the country is constantly under attack and must consistently defend them. They are also housing 500,000 Palestinian refugees and 1.65 million Iraqi refugees.

Barakat, like many of the people we have met with, was quick to bring up the Israeli conflict.  He said, “We are for peace, we are for intercultural communication.”

He said that establishing peace in the area, would lead to the establishment of peace in the world. He also noted that America represents the model for liberty, freedom, and the fight for human rights. He said that Syria would like that model to continue.

Students in Syria take a baccalaureate test in order to decide if they can attend college and what they will sturdy. In one sense it is similar to the SAT or ACT. However, the fact that the results of the test determine whether or not you become a doctor or an architect or a teacher, can seem a little unsettling. When students apply they rank from 1to 20 the majors they would like to have and based on their scores and the schools needs they are placed.

Attending college for most Americans is a time in which a person figures out their goals and dreams for the future. Many people change majors two to five times in the first few years bouncing from biology to business. Here, that time for self-discovery is not allowed. The students only pay ten dollars a year, which is phenomenal, but they are not given many choices after their acceptance.

Of the 80 percent of students that are accepted, another 150,000 can take the parallel track and pay 3000 dollars a year. While this number seems incredibly low compared to U.S. standards it is still quite difficult for families to afford. When asked if students that come from lower income families are provided any assistance, Barakat said that there is student credit unions set up for such issues.

Barakat believes that students are the bridge to communication between Syria and the U.S.

Currently, Syrian students cannot go to the United States to study for PHDs and other types of degrees due to the Syrian Accountability Act. Barakat feels that this act is a clear violation of human rights.  

When I asked Barakat if there were any books that were banned by the Syrian government he claimed that there were not. He said that there are many texts that they need and want and cannot because they come from America and the SAA prevents them from having them.

Syrian Wedding Party

 

As we sat outside the hotel at the lovely Italian restaurant working and eating we were bombarded with noise of a loud beating drum. Considering this is a relatively quiet area of town, our journalistic instincts forced us to jump to our feet and find out what was happening.

There were signs posted in the hotel that a wedding would be happening this evening, so we assumed this must be related.

As we walked into the parking lot outside the hotel entrance there were a group of men dancing and singing.

As the drums continuously beat the men we perched on one another’s shoulders singing and dancing. There was a leader who was yelling (in Arabic so we did not understand) and had all the men following around.

They proceeded to bring out swords and some sort of metal awnings. They lit several torches on the awnings and danced under and around them. The drums continued to beat throughout the ten-minute ceremony, although one obvious absentee was the bride.

After a few minutes we were informed that women were not allowed to be a part of this celebration, but we stayed anyway. It was such a clear example of being in the right place at the right time.

Throughout this trip we have had the experience to meet with dignitaries and ministers, which has been amazing, but it is these spur of the moment experiences that are truly once in a lifetime. My camera died while taking pictures so I will add photos of this amazing night tomorrow.

Syrian Dep Minister of Foreign Affairs

Syrian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdul Fattah Ammourah, spoke with several American students at a meeting on Sunday afternoon.

The meeting began with Ammourah providing some background information about Syrian history.

As we began discussing the Iraq war it became evident, as was expected, that Ammourah felt very strongly about the U.S.’s decision to invade Iraq.

Syrians told the West that Sadaam was dangerous long ago, but they did not listen. Ammourah said that when the Iraq war began Syria said that it was unjust, and illegal. He claims that they knew a military use of force could not solve the Iraq problem. He feels the solution must be political.

The withdrawal of U.S. troops is critical to stabilize the area because it will give the Iraqis hope that they can protect themselves. He feels that the militias must be disarmed and the National military must be properly trained.

Ammourah said that Syria would be willing to help train the Iraqi soldiers and assist in a National reconciliation.

There are over 1.5 million Iraqi refugees living in Syria. No one is helping to take care of these people, especially not the wealthy country that they came from.

Ammourah said the Syrian government is waiting to see what Obama will do in order to help with peace between Israel and Palestine. Syria talks to Israel through the Turks, but says that the peace must be based on national dialogue.

“We will never compromise land for peace.” He feels that no Syrians will accept any form of peace offering while the land they believe belongs to them is still occupied.

Ammourah said Syria attaches great importance to America as a broker of peace between the regions. He feels that it is within everyone’s best interest for this to be achieved.

He believes that there is no chance for peace with Israel due to their extreme government. Israel had refused the Arab peace initiative. Instead Israel invaded Palestine using internationally banned weapons.

As the Bush era has come to a close, Ammourah said that there is a hope for change. He believes the dialogue between the regions will bring an end to the Bush principles of isolation. He believes that Iran should be viewed as a geopolitical force that can help broker stability in the region.

According to Ammmourah, Syrians believe in peace. “Killing is not the way.” It will be an open dialogue that will lead to political solution. With the hopes attached to Obama, he explains that there is no reason for people to hate Americans.

“We are all creatures of God. There is only one civilization, the human civilization.”

Syrians believe in a distance between citizenship and religion, but we can all live together. “We suffered before you (Americans) suffered, because of extreme terrorism.”

We are now looking to the younger generation with feelings of hope. The mass media can be used to assimilate love and friendship.

American University in Cairo

The American University in Cairo is home to more than 5,000 students from around the globe. As a dialogue student we were given the pleasure of having an interactive classroom discussion with one of the other local dialogues. Our physical appearances may have differed, but our structural beliefs we not that far off. The first issues poised for discussion were the Cairo Zoo and the zabaleen. Being an overly sensitive animal lover, I chose not to visit the zoo. After hearing about the atrocious conditions, I was pleased I had made the right decision. Some of the AUC students wanted to remind us that the conditions of the zoo paled in comparison to the conditions in many of the local slums. Having not had the experience of the zoo I chose to keep my opinions to myself. But my question is…if they cannot afford to care for them, why don’t they let them go? The students made the point that the animals are seen as a means of income and with the poverty level so high they must make money by any means necessary. Then, within the same breath, they began to quote the Koran and cite versus about prostitutes getting into heaven for giving a thirsty dog water. Alas, we moved on to the Westernization of Egypt. Many of my colleagues expressed their surprise at seeing such a rampant blanketing of the English language and American products within Egyptian culture. “We are a tourism state,” a student said. They went on to explain that people must learn several languages in order to communicate. Years of colonization by the British have also contributed to this fact. Speaking English is not just for the rich, lower and middle class people are also taught the language because of their involvement with tourism. Then I decided it was time to open the can of worms that is women’s rights. One of the students said that some of the “bad things” that come from the West are too much sex and that women are too free. That’s a fantastic way to set me off. Now, I must note that the views in this blog do reflect the class as a whole on either side. As we sparred back and forth I realized that there are two sides to the story. One of the students brought up the fact that men do not always have a choice of whether or not they have to work because in this culture they must provide for their families or be disgraced. While I feel that is a strong point, I do not believe that it justifies denying rights to women. Men may not feel they have a choice because they need to provide, but at the end of the day they do have a choice. I will not continue on with a women’s lib rant, but the ability to interact with these worldly students was an enlightening opportunity.

Alexandria- The Pearl of the Mediterranean

The drive to Alexandria was an extended version of our daily treks around Cairo, which meant we were in the vans and heavily guarded.

The scenery along the way had a mid-western feel to it; fields, dirt, crops, random housing, and something I think was a prison.

Then we reached the rest stop. It was as if it was taken directly out of a Hunter S. Thompson novel.

A children’s playground, loaded with questionable apparatus’, was the first to catch our attention. As we entered the large cafeteria-like building there were trinkets for sale, along with food and supplies. Just like any rest stop I had ever been to, they were stocked to the brim with anything a person could need.

Then we entered the bathroom. It was just as grimy and dirty as those in the States, but here you get to pay for T.P. and paper towels. This was nothing new for us, so we came prepared.

The boys were kicking around a soccer ball when we were done, preparing for their upcoming match. This allowed us time to take in the stop in its entirety. Egyptian music was blaring from the little record hut and children were playing all around. The rest stop sign was painted in primary colors and just felt a little off. Nonetheless, we were back in the vans before we could overanalyze our surroundings any further.

For the first time in a long time, we seemed to forget we were in a completely different country, environment and culture.

We read celeb-rags and mentally de-stressed from school and life. We were just girls in a van chatting about dresses and the never-ending Jolie/Aniston debate. It was nice to feel normal and relaxed.

Crossing through the delta, where the Nile enters Egypt, the feeling that we were in for something special wafted over us.

We pulled into Alex, as the locals call it, around sevenish.

The view was breathtaking. The sun was just setting into the endless horizon.

Thinking that our accommodations were relatively set, we dropped off our faculty and headed to our hotel.

Did I say hotel? I meant hostel.

As we approached the building it seemed questionable, but a lot of places around here are like that and turn out to be wonderful. This was not one of those places. The bathroom was community, the shower was unusable, and the linens were questionable.

Since this was booked as a relaxing weekend, the situation was unbearable. Several of my colleagues opted to stay here; I was not one of them.

The last paragraph should be prefaced by the fact that there was a large medical conference in town and our options were severely limited. Luckily, those of us that needed new digs found a gorgeous hotel just around the corner from, “the hostel from ##@@ – as someone referred to it.”

 

The hotel from heaven

 

The best money I have spent on this trip.

The sheets had to have been 1000% Egyptian cotton and I think the pillows were stuffed with little pieces of cloud.

After check-in and bag drop, we were off to the fish market. This is a local restaurant, not a fish throwing, Seattle-esque area.

Unfortunately our cabbie did not speak English, or any language that the four people that tried to help us spoke for that matter. As we cruised down Caitlin’s aptly named “Alexandria Ave,” we truly thought he was driving us to a fish market. Streets filled with clothes and shoes (we are talking Imelda Marcos style, or Kimora Lee Simmons for the younger audience) adorned either side of the street, accompanied by cotton candy and bumper cars.

Finally we saw a restaurant with the glowing letters FISH MARKET.

We thanked the cabbie and headed in for dinner.

Before deciding on an entrée, each customer heads to the ice bar where the fish, clams, and shrimp are laid out for your choosing pleasure. I saw a piece of grouper with my name on it and was set.

WOW! It was only a piece of grilled fish, but I could eat there every day, every meal, and never tire of it. There has got to be something in that Mediterranean water that affects the taste of the fish.

After a long day and night, the bed was calling my name. As I watched my friends ascend the stairway to imminent torture I could not have been more pleased with my decision to relocate. Slept like a baby, aside from the 4am disturbance from the bellboy, but nothing is perfect right?

The next morning I awoke rested and refreshed. Walking back to the hostel, I wondered how my colleagues had survived the night.

8:50a.m. – no one at the downstairs meeting spot. Agreed upon meeting time was 9am and meeting spot was the bottom floor of the hostel.

9:00 no one to be found.

9:05 no one still.

9:10 starting to worry

9:15 fear

At this point the jokes about the hostel being similar to the ones in horror movies where no one comes out alive became less funny.

We agreed that someone should go look for our friends and I nominated myself. As I approached the stairs I tried to grasp the idea of finding a horrific scene on the fifth floor.

Can you say I have seen way too many horror movies in my life! Everyone was fine. There was a “miscommunication” about the price- 15 pounds really was fifty pounds, another problem that has been reoccurring on the trip.

We were finally reassembled and off to the beach. Spending as much time in Florida as I have, it is difficult for a beach to impress me, until I came to Alex.

 

Montaza Beach

 

 

 

We had a little attention paid to us since we were not in berka’s and long skirts, but no more than we have become used to on a daily basis.

The sun beating down on us, combined with the relaxation of the water, was truly embraced by the entire group.

After the beach we decided it was time for a nice, splurge of a lunch. What better place to do that than the four seasons?

To our surprise it was not that expensive. The chicken marsala on steroids I had was worth far more than the 18 $ I spent. Covered in a delectable marsala sauce, there were sun-dried tomatoes, almonds and onions strewn about the chicken. It was truly one of the best meals I have ever had…right up there with the fish from the night before.

How everyone in Alex does not weigh 500lbs. I will never understand.

Not only was the meal truly extravagant, the scenery was breathtaking.

 

Four Seasons

 

Having a day in such stark comparison of our arrival, we reconsidered our decision to leave early. Luckily Ian had a lonely planet (everyone should study this like a manual if you are traveling) that told us about local hotels. I found one that sounded cheap and reasonable, and to our amazement they had open rooms.

The van recollected us and we headed to the much-anticipated new hotel. Pulling up to the Swiss Canal rekindled a little of the hostel fear, but the guidebook warned us not to judge this book by its cover.

After our previous rooming debacle we inspected the rooms before agreeing to anything. They were truly the Motel 6/ Holiday Inn type of digs we were looking for. Cheap, clean, big, clean, cable ready, clean, and…oh clean!

After a long day of sun we just wanted to rest, unfortunately this was not in the cards for us.

When half of the group left the beach before us they accidentally took some of our bags with them. We hoped that they would realize what had happened and would reconnect with us later that day.

That was not in the cards for us. We tried to track down the driver of the van that had our luggage, but due to miscommunication the driver we had been with all day returned for us. After driving back and forth along the Corniche trying to find our bags, drop some of the girls at another hotel, we made it back with no time to spare. I believe the term “kidnapped” by the vans may have come up a few times. But this is a different world over here and we have to adjust.

We cleaned ourselves up and were off to eat again. I think we loved it so much there because all we did was eat!

The next morning we went to what we thought were the catacombs, only to find out afterwards it was Pompey’s Pillar. After a few more stops we headed back to Carlene’s hotel, of course to find food.

 

James and I at Pompey's Pillar

 

Men are allowed to lie down in mosques and our guys were not about to let the opportunity pass them by

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once again, we found another amazing restaurant directly across from the Corniche and this one was even cheaper.

 

My new home away from home

 

 

We lounged about for an hour or so and as they dragged us away kicking and screaming (not really but internally I felt like it) we were headed back “home” to Cairo.

NU Women 1- Egypt Women 6

The first ever-Northeastern Women’s Dialogue Team v. the Egyptian Women’s National Team did not disappoint.

Although some of the women were unable to make it, the group that had assembled felt relatively confident that they would not be completely embarrassed. Some of the women played as recently as a year ago and for others it had been more than a decade.

 Being one of the decaders, I was concerned if the skills I once embraced would come back to me. They did, to an extent. Although I had a few opportunities to score that I missed, I’m rather satisfied with my play.

“Cover your girl!”

“Stay on her!”

“Get back! Get back!”

“You got it! Cross it over and shoot!”

We screamed from the sideline while trying to catch our breath and then I screamed again from the back of the field while playing goalie.

This is the outlet that so many members of this trip have been longing for. Bonding together as a team to defeat a common opponent brings a group together. The ability to scream, yell and run around doesn’t hurt either.

Coach Christina provided guidance and direction for those in need. She also managed to get everyone some play time and leave no one out.

I dubbed Stephanie MVP at the end of the game not only for scoring the only goal we had, but also for being an all around excellent player. Not to take away from anyone else’s accomplishments, but she did score the GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After a frustrating first half with many missed opportunities, getting that goal reignited our fire.

Unfortunately, it was too little too late. Sam’s brilliant first-half goalie performance was tainted by my less-brilliant second-half performance.  Not having played the position since fourth grade was going to be my excuse, until I discovered Sam had not played since second. Now that’s not to say I did not make any stops, I did, but I wish I had played better.

The common consensus among the group was that we definitely could have beaten them, if we only had time to practice.

Although defeat is difficult, I have developed a way to get over it: challenge the men to a girls v. guys game. Outcome to follow….

After the game was over, not only did we leave our aggression on the field, we were given some time to interact with the other team.  As everyone in this country has been, they were wonderful.

Usually after losing a game 6-1, socializing with your opponent is not commonplace. This was different. We took about forty pictures together (continuing the ongoing celebrity-like treatment we are feeling) and then had a few minutes to chat.

We all joked that the guy’s game started long after ours and ended long before. Women’s pride is prevalent everywhere.

If only we had more time here, I think a rematch would be explosive.

 

NU Women and Egypt Women

Journalists do make a difference here

“Journalists do make a difference here.”

It may seem like an obvious statement, but in a time where newspapers are disappearing as fast as the ozone layer, it is still comforting to hear.

In a world where non-professionals are rapidly becoming self-proclaimed journalists, I find comfort in knowing that there is hope that true journalists will have a place in society.

Michael Slackman, the Cairo bureau chief for the New York Times, provided us with a first hand look at the life of a foreign correspondent. He has been in Egypt for four years and feels that he has the best of both worlds. He is given the freedom to work on virtually any story he finds interesting and cover the important events of the area.

“The greatest thing about being a foreign correspondent is that I’m here and they’re not.”

Slackman spoke of Egypt’s renewed sensitivity towards Americans as a result of the administrative change in Washington. The Egyptian government is concerned with how America views their practices and do not want to draw any negative attention on themselves.

The current Egyptian government is desperate to attain a sense of stability. “They have been lurching from crisis to crisis,” said Slackman. 

The bombing at the Khan el-Khalili market in February is another incident in the laundry list of issues plaguing the country.  Slackman said that when the Parliamentary building burned to the ground in August 2008 that was the most embarrassing event to happen to the government, until the pigs.

In response to the swine flu pandemic the Egyptian government has ordered 300,000 pigs to be slaughtered. The method in which they are carrying out this order is an animal rights activist’s worst nightmare. They are using a construction equipment to raise the pigs up into a massive container of death.  Then they pour chemicals into the holding bin and wait for the pigs to die, which takes roughly an hour. Then they dump them all into a massive grave.

Some believe this is not only an attempt to protect the country from swine flu, but also a deeper sinister attempt to eliminate the zabbaleen. The zabbaleen are literally the people of the garbage. The men drive go around Cairo and gather the city trash in pick-up trucks. Then they bring the garbage back to where they live.

The women and girls will then spend all day sorting through the trash to separate out recyclables and organic waste from the rest of the garbage. The recyclables will be sold and the organic waste is fed to the pigs. This is their livelihood. With the elimination of all the pigs there is nowhere for the organic waste to go.

Slackman does not believe the government is effective enough to ensure their elimination. “There is a system, but the system doesn’t function.”

In an authoritarian state there is no presumption of accountability. The government will make a decision and enforce it, no debate, no protest, and no question. Decisions are made by fiat and only if there is an overwhelmingly large outcry will they consider changing any laws.

When asked about the differences between Egypt and Syria Slackman said that in Egypt people have the freedom to speak. “They have the freedom to scream. They can scream all they want, just don’t act. In Syria there is no ability to scream.”

Cross Cultural Mosh Pit

It is said that forms of art can transcend time and space. I believe age, language and culture should be added to that list. The rock performance held at the Culturewheel, the local youth community center, was a mirror image of those in the States.

As we entered the “River” section of the center there were roughly fifty people hanging out with one another, doing homework, chatting, and playing games. They seemed comfortable and relaxed. This was the first insight into youth culture I have seen in Cairo. We then entered the staging area and waited for the band to take the stage.

Four teenage boys took the stage, guitars in hand, they were ready and so were we. The electronic beats came through the speakers, and the scrawny lead guitarist began strumming at a pace only witnessed by true punk fans.

 

Although the mood was fun and enjoyable, when the fourth song was indiscernible from the first we began to wonder if there would be singing involved or someone other than the computer playing percussion. We always we a little intrigued by the fact that the bands members kept sitting down on the stage when they were in between songs as if they had been flailing around like fish out of water.

As the set came to a close and their friends cheered valiantly for them Jon said, “Well that’s about what I would expect from a four dollar show.” We thought that was all that was in store for us. Boy were we wrong.

Luckily a gentleman sitting next to Emily told us they were simply the opening act, and The Room was coming on in twenty minutes.

And then the show began…

Adorned with a tongueless KISS mask, the lead singer lit up the keyboard with some electronic metal grooves. 

AS the bongo drums and electric guitar screamed to a halt, the mask finally came off.

The second song continued the electronica style rock form, but was finally accompanied by singing. In what James has described as a cross between Tool, NIN, and MGMT, with a side of Kurt Cobainesque lyrics, the show was underway.

Unfortunately, the masked opening scene was the highlight of the performance. Well that is until the lead singer proclaimed that Egypt has produced no descend music since the seventies and asked the audience to, “get into it a little more.”

This was all Jon and James needed to hear. As they approached the stage the handful of fans that were slowly nodding their heads along with the beat looked noticeably uncomfortable.

Then as the riffs intensified it was time to mosh. As the guys jumped into one another the band seemed delighted. Unfortunately another guy from the audiemce thought they were being too rough and told them to stop. The bongo drummer lept off the stage to call off the self-proclaimed bouncer and encouraged the moshing to continue. Jon and James had had enough. As we feel very comfortable here, no one wants to purposely upset anyone, so they decided to sit down.

 

James and Jon moshing

 

As the show came to an unexpected close, the band claimed technical problems but it seemed more like disappointment with the crowds lack of enthusiasm. If interested in learning more about the band their web site is:

www.theroomband.com