Don't Believe The Hype

"Are you dodging bullets?"

"How do you manage to escape from the bombs?"

"You'd better be careful! Aren't they kidnapping Americans?"

"Why would you want to live there? It's not very safe."

These are some of the questions that I have been asked before and after moving to the United Arab Emirates, which is located in the gulf region of the middle east, to teach 2nd grade at an international school. In all honesty, I have to admit that I had been approached about teaching in the middle east on several occasions in the past and refused to even entertain the idea due to fear. Fortunately, I talked to people who had either visited this part of the world, or knew someone who lived here and changed my mind. Fact: there are countries in the middle east that are safer to live and work in (for Americans) than many U.S. cities!


Using fear to control the hearts and minds of the American people, the U.S. media perpetuates this stereotype by only showing news coverage that focuses on the war torn countries in the middle east; thereby painting a negative image of the whole region. The U.S. has several cities which have very high crime rates and are dangerous; however, to say that the whole country is violent and unsafe in extremely erroneous! The same is true of the middle east. I have lived in the Emirates for almost one year and can say that is a lot safer here than, Los Angeles, my hometown.




Unfortunately, since September 11th, when the words Arabs and middle east are mentioned, it conjures up images of Muslim extremists declaring Jihad or a Holy War and blowing up both themselves and the "infidels" in order to find favor with Allah and obtain their 70 virgins in the afterlife. Living in Los Angeles, I, too, lived in a constant state of fear after the 9/11 attacks. Each day I was told to be vigilant and remain on guard for possible terrorist attacks. My anxiety was heightened by the various stages of alerts that the U.S. government informed us we should be aware of on a daily basis: yellow, red, orange...


Are there religious Muslim extremists hell bent on waging war and destroying America, and its citizens???? Absolutely!! However, contrary to popular belief, the average everyday Muslims that I've encountered have informed me that, although they do not care for the current political administration, they like Americans, in general, and wish us no harm. They have also informed me that they hate the way the media portrays all Muslims as terrorists. Extremists come in many varieties and religions: remember the Oklahoma City bombings?? Waco, Texas?? Americans were responsible for those acts of terrorism.





Understanding their point, I shared my feelings about the negative way that many African Americans are portrayed in the media as well. Although there are many blacks in the U.S. who do, in fact, commit violent and heinous crimes, that is not representative of every single one. However, when watching the news, the majority of the coverage about African Americans is negative. Likewise, although most Americans are law abiding and decent citizens, the images that are shown all over the world are of us going ballistic, rampaging across college campuses on mass killing sprees, then blowing our brains out afterwards. How many times have we either used or heard the expression: "Don't make me snap and go postal on your ass."


While it is important to keep informed about world events, and to be concerned and aware of the possible threat of terrorism - both at home an abroad - we need to be vigilant in discerning fact from fiction, and not allowing ourselves to be biased towards a whole group of individuals based upon the actions of a few insane extremists.

Jordan: A Journey Back In Time...Part 2

My apprehension quickly turned from relief to curiosity when I realized that I was about to be given a private tour of various rooms within the castle that I would not have found on my own. This unofficial Bedouin docent, proud of the castle and its history, turned out to be both sweet and harmless. "Look in here! " he exclaimed. "This is the wine cellar." On and on we ventured from room to room. "Careful. Watch your step." He cautioned as we arrived at a hole in the ground that had been covered with protective metal bars. He informed me that it had once been used as a well. Swatting down over it, he motioned for me to join him. "Here. Throw this down inside of the well." He instructed as he handed me a stone. I took the stone and threw it in. Noticing how it bounced lightly off one side of the stone wall. "Did you see the snake?" He asked. "Noooooooo! What snake?!?!"" I yelled, jumping up and away from the well as quickly as I could. "No! No! No!" he replied. "It's not a real snake, it's a fossil. Look! There it is. See???" Peering down into the well, sure enough, along the side where my stone had originally bounced off, I saw what appeared to be a fossilized shape of a snake. "Oh my! Yes, I see it now!!" I squealed excitedly. I was enjoying myself so much that I had become oblivious to the fact that my friends - who had left a while ago - were probably wondering what on earth had happened to me. I slowly realized that I was holding up my companions; so I reluctantly thanked my wonderful guide, and told him that I had to get going. He led me back to the entrance, and bid me farewell.




Next stop: Petra. What a sight to behold!!! My visit to this magnificent place was one of the highlights of my trip! Wanting to get an early start, as there was quite a bit of walking to do through this marvelously ancient city (ever see the first Indiana Jones movie?? It was filmed in Petra!), we excitedly arose bright and early at 6 A.M., ate a not so delicious breakfast in the hotel restaurant, and anxiously sat in the lobby waiting for our guide - who was supposed to show up at 7 A.M., but was fifteen minutes late. He was very apologetic as he walked us down the hill to the entrance, purchased our tickets, and handed us over to our tour guide, Hamad, for the morning. The tour included a horseback ride from the main entrance to the actual entrance of Petra. My companions chose to walk, but a diva should be carried like a queen on a throne. (besides, my lower back had a dull ache from the uncomfortable hotel mattress the night before, and I decided it would be best to sit as much as possible since I'd be doing quite a bit of walking for the duration of the tour). My poor horse was so bone thin I was fearful that he wouldn't be able to hold the weight of my body...yes...I've put on a few pounds since I've been in living in the gulf.. but he proved to be up to the task and managed to carry me without collapsing.


Riding along, like a bonafide cowgirl, I had the pleasure of being stopped by a rather good looking Jordanian cowboy. "Good morning madam!" he happily greeted me as he rode up next to me on his horse. "How are you? Where are you from?" He asked. "Good, thanks. I'm from the U.S." I replied. Secretly admiring his gorgeous chestnut brown eyes with hazel highlights. "Welcome to Jordan, and to Petra!!" was his enthusiastic reply. Observing that his horse was in much better condition than mine, he then offered to switch with me. Little did he know that it wasn't his horse that I was interested in... my mind began to drift off fantasizing...

But I digress.....I let him keep his horse, bid him a fond goodbye, and continued on my way. As it turns out, Hamad, our tour guide; in addition to being very knowledgeable, turned out to be an excellent photographer as well. As we meandered along the dusty pathways of this centuries old city carved from stone and rock, he had us stop and pose at various points of interest for a variety of photo shots which captured some of the stunning beauty and awesomeness of this incredible place.


A few of the caves were still inhabited by the Bedouin people. Some of which accosted tourists in the hopes of selling various trinkets and souvenirs; as well as camel and donkey rides for those of us who were too tired and exhausted to continue on by foot. "Like to rent a Ferrari today ladies!?" one cleverly creative young entrepreneur called out to us. "Do you have a Mercedes?" Sue asked. "No, madam. I only have Ferraris for rent today." he answered "Too bad. You're outta luck. I wanted a Mercedes." she replied. "Sorry. Madam." he called after us as we continued along on our journey.

To be continued....

Jordan: A Journey Back In Time... Part 1

Contrary to popular belief, not all middle eastern countries are oil rich nations. Jordan, which produces no oil, is in fact, very poor and many Jordanians live either barely above, or just below the poverty line. However, what Jordanians lack in material wealth is more than made up for in the kindness that they extend to foreigners who visit their country. I was extremely impressed with their warmth and hospitality.

My traveling companions and I spent the first two days in the capital city of Amman where we explored the downtown markets in search of exotic and authentic Jordanian souvenirs. Unlike the humid UAE climate, the weather in Jordan reminded me of the mild and temperate Mediterranean climate of Southern California. Thus making our walking tours quite pleasant and enjoyable.

Our guide, Mohammed, who was born in Palestine, but has both a Jordanian (he is a Palestinian refugee who fled to Jordan with his family when Israel became a nation in 1948) and American passport (he lived in the U.S for 25 years prior to retiring from a Civil Engineering job and moving back to Jordan to remarry and start a new family), drove us around the city to various historical spots.

Our first memorable stop was at the Roman ruins of Jerash. Walking through this ancient city gave us the feeling of taking a journey back in time: my companion, Sue, envisioned herself charging along the ancient streets at full speed in a chariot, pulled by magnificent white horses, which raced around the historic plaza as a crowd of cheering onlookers watched from the stadium seats above; my other companion, Marian, envisioned herself strolling along the bustling and busy streets of the marketplace in search of delicious red wine; I, the sensuous diva that I am, envisioned myself being pampered and catered to by tall, dark, and handsome muscled bound Roman servants who attended to my every need....after all, my name does mean Queen... should I settle for anything less?

Traveling along the Kings Highway to our next memorable stop: Mt. Nebo , which is situated high on a cliff with sweeping views of the Jordan Valley, Dead Sea, and far in the distance, the Holy land of Israel/Palestine. This is the place from which Moses first viewed the promised land, and where he is reported to have died and been buried. A uniquely designed cross made of steel and intertwined like the branches of a bird's nest appeared to mark the place where Moses may have stood as he gazed down at the holy land.

We continued on to the Kerak castle were we ate a scrumptious lunch and then ventured off to explore the old castle ruins. Feeling adventurous, I wandered off on my own to explore the hidden nooks, crannies, and dark empty rooms of what remained of this vastly enormous place. To my surprise, and before I knew what had happened, I became lost! Struggling to find my way back and rejoin my companions, I was startled to hear a deep voice directly above me ask, "Hello, are you alone?" Looking up, I was surprised to see a middle aged Bedouin man, dressed in traditional clothing standing on a rock above me. I hesitantly replied, " Well...sort of. I lost my friends and I am trying to find my way back to rejoin them." Smiling, he replied, "Follow me. I will show you the way." He reached out his hand, took mine, and helped me climb up to the small ledge where he was standing. Moments after we began walking, I realized that he was NOT taking me back the way that I had come. In fact, he was leading me deeper inside the ruins of the castle....I hesitated. "Please follow me." he beseeched. "I want to show you something." With a twinkle in his eyes he gently commanded. "Come. This way." And like a sheep being lead by a Shepard, "I obediently followed behind him."....

Traveling While Black

This is an expression that I came across on the Black Travels Forum which refers to the experiences of blacks - both positive and negative - who leave their comfort zone in order to travel abroad.

I have been traveling internationally for about ten years now, and living abroad for two. Over the years, I have received emails from African Americans who are interested in traveling overseas, and wanted me to share my experiences with them. Most of the questions pertained to race: Do you experience racial discrimination? Is is safe for a black female to travel abroad solo? How are blacks treated overseas? Will I encounter racism?

Sadly, since the U.S. is so race obsessed, many blacks feel that they will be the focus of unwanted attention based upon their skin color if they venture out to explore foreign lands. In all honesty, depending upon where you go, you very well may be the focus of unwanted - or perhaps wanted attention (depending upon each individual situation) because of the color of your skin. This isn't always a result of racism. Rather, it is often simply a sign of curiosity. If you visit a country in which the citizens have never seen or encountered blacks before, you better believe that you are going to be the center of attention! I have been photographed, hugged, kissed, received special treatment, and in some rare cases called a nigger, a black monkey, and spat upon (in the Czech Republic). Fortunately, I am happy to report that while living in both the the U.S., as well as living and traveling abroad, I have actually experienced very little racism, overall, in my lifetime.

The best advice that I can give to any person of color who is curious about the world and wants to travel internationally is - GO FOR IT!!!! Life is simply to darn short to be worried about whether or not you will encounter racism. In my experience, I have found that most people are decent and fair human beings. Therefore, I wouldn't let the small percentage of jerks out there hinder me from seeing the world. As the African American astronaut Mae Jemison once said, "I belong anywhere in the universe that I want to be."

Happy travels!!!

Juggling Act

When I decided to embark upon the journey of pursuing an online Masters working with visually impaired children at Western Michigan University, in Kalamazoo, Michigan, I was filled with excitement, anticipation, and fear. I was excited because I was finally pursuing a career that had sparked my interest over eleven years ago when I volunteered to work in a VI classroom. Yet, I was fearful because it had been ten years since I'd completed my B.S. degree and I wasn't used to buckling down and studying anymore.

In spite of my fears, I decided to give it a go and although it's been a struggle balancing three online university courses and a fulltime teaching job, I do not regret my decision. This past summer, I had the opportunity to live on campus and surprised myself by successfully completing five classes!! Talk about intense!! Fortunately, I didn't have to work and could concentrate all my energy on my course work.

The fall semester, however, has been more of a challenge. It helps that the UAE is celebrating Ramadan - which lasts from September 13th to October 13th - and the school hours are from 8 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. I try to grade all of my students assignments as soon as they leave so that I can go home and hit the books.

True, my social life (what social life?!?!!) has been drastically affected, but I am planning on making up for that when I head off to Jordan this Thursday with my boss and another co-worker...HOORAY!!!!

Check out my upcoming travel blog to find out more details about this historic and holy land!!

Finally, A Blog Is Born!

Well....after living and working abroad for over two years, I have finally taken the time to sit down and actually set up a blog of my overseas adventures....better late than never! Prior to moving to the Emirates, I lived and worked in Prague, Czech Republic for 15 months. I left that cold, grey and stunningly beautiful historic city in favor of the hot, dry westernized city of Dubai, United Arab Emirates almost one year ago. My, how time does fly!


I am happy to report that almost one year later, I am still enjoying my job teaching 2nd graders at an American International School, as well as the perks: a tax free salary, free housing, and utilities. Surprisingly enough, I had initially been terrified of coming to the middle east to live and work. Frightening images of terrorists with bombs strapped to their waists screaming "jihad against the infidels!" reigned supreme in my head. Yes, these types of extremists are alive and well in this part of the world. Fortunately, I have never had the misfortune of meeting any of them. Instead, I have been received by the arabic people - in general - with warmth, kindness, and friendliness.


My first impression upon arriving at the Dubai International Airport was that the people looked like members of the United Nations. There were hundreds of Africans (from various parts of Africa), Indians, Pakistanis, and Filipinos wearing a myriad of rainbow colored traditional clothing....it was a feast for the eyes to behold!! Most impressive, however, were the disdashas (long white gowns worn by the Arab men) and the burkas (long black dresses worn by the Arab women). The men - in my opinion - looked stunningly handsome; whereas the women, due to the fact that you could only see their eyes peeking out from underneath their veils, looked frightening to eyes that were not used to witnessing such exotic attire. Fast forward one year later.......as I walk through the malls, go grocery shopping, travel around the city, and head off to work each day, I am no longer intimidated by the women in black. In fact, I even purchased my very own burka and have worn it to an Iftar (a feast that is eaten daily when the sun goes down after fasting all day during the month of Ramadan) just last week.


As I type this post, I am reminded of the one thing that I still have not become accustomed to after living here for a year........the call to prayer!!! Five times a day the caller beckons and beseeches (in a high pitched and screeching voice that rattles the nerves) faithful muslims to enter the mosques and pray. Now don't get me wrong, I'm about as tolerant as they come - until you interrupt my good night's sleep! Since the mosque is located directly behind my apartment building, and has LOUDSPEAKERS right next to my bedroom window, I am awakened from a deep and glorious slumber at 5:00 a.m. daily.....#%*@!!!!! If you want to know the truth, I think this guy adds a little extra umpfh in the mornings because he can't sleep and doesn't want anyone else to either!!!! Thank goodness for earplugs!!!!! Even though they don't block out the sound completely, they do a great job of muffling it....combine that with a glass of red wine before bedtime, and I've had mornings where I was knocked out so cold, the locals could've declared a holy jihad and I wouldn't have been none the wiser.


Until next time......