Assumptions on fluency and professionalism

Originally written March 2019

"You have been here long enough to be perceived as civil"

Very often, people say things like: " Your English is very good, for how long have you lived in the US?" and then they are very surprised when they realize it was a very short time for developing this level of proficiency they've observed.

There is a wrong assumption that immigrants and refugees develop strong language proficiency through merely "living" in the United States when in most cases this is not true.

 
In fact, a significant proportion of immigrants come to the US already fluent or with an upper-intermediate level of proficiency because of the quality of language education they received in their home country, as a result of sincere self-learning efforts, or because of prior exposure to the English language and culture in their home countries (Most of African and Asian countries were former British colonies).
 

Meanwhile, some immigrants live in the US for decades and decades and never learn English or never reach a higher level of proficiency for so many factors mainly because second and foreign language acquisition is not a magical process, and English isn't a mineral in the American drinking water or air.

Most importantly, the United States -at least right now and in my experience in the last decade-is also built to facilitate the creation of linguistically and ethnically isolated communities, where you can live and work on the margins with your own folks without having to interact in English or with English speakers, it is not a place where people will welcome you with open arms and say hi to you if you look or sound different.

Besides being totally inaccurate and entitled, the assumption that any forms or signs of so-called "professionalism" you may show particularly with spoken language, is due to your prolonged exposure to "the American culture" suggests that other countries, their education, and professional settings, are almost always inferior and less developed than the US. 

So yeah, next time you want to compliment someone's ability to speak English, an international language and a dominant global culture, don't say stuff like that.

The divine gift of writing

Written originally on January 29th, 2023

 

ٱقۡرَأۡ بِٱسۡمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَ (1) خَلَقَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ مِنۡ عَلَقٍ (2) ٱقۡرَأۡ وَرَبُّكَ ٱلۡأَكۡرَمُ (3) ٱلَّذِي عَلَّمَ بِٱلۡقَلَمِ (4) عَلَّمَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ مَا لَمۡ يَعۡلَمۡ (5)

1. Read! In the Name of your Lord who has created all that exists.
2. He has created humans from a clot.
3. Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous.
4. Who has taught ( the writing ) by the pen.
5. He has taught mankind that which they didn't know.

The first Quranic revelation to Prophet Muhammed صلى الله عليه وسلم

As I was going through my blog drafts on this blog from when I first began my English writing/blogging journey back in 2008 (90 unpublished drafts!), something I find myself doing every year or so, I found myself thinking of those commonly known, memorized, and recited verses of the Quran from Surat Al Alaq, I found myself feeling a sense of content and gratitude for the precious gift of writing and the ability to express oneself in spoken or written words to convey feelings and thoughts to others. 

As I read my posts on experiences I have passed, and experiences I still deal with, I also feel grateful that I have access to a good deal of my own words, thinking processes, and my feelings from a long time ago that feels like another lifetime, from times when I perhaps had more clarity at times, and more intensity at others, from stages in my life when I might have had more space to reflect, analyze, and contemplate, and better tools to navigate the world.

The irony in all of this is how I continue to experience navigating this world in similar ways, because I'm still the same person on the outside for all the environments I'm put in. It's crazy to think now that as time passes in years and decades, while a lot changes, a lot also remains the same. Not in so many good ways. 

It makes me a bit frustrated to imagine going through similar patterns and experiences since the first time I stepped out of Egypt in 2009, and until this day and time in 2023. Is this what they refer to with some fancy terms in English as re-exposure, or pro-longed exposure or something of that sort? Is that what they do research studies over years to write papers about?

On a good note and back to the beginning of my post, it does help me to see how I viewed novel experiences when I first went through them as a teenager who had just began wearing a scarf and spoke intermediate English with a British accent, and how I felt, versus how I might feel and respond now as a woman in her early to mid thirties who became an American citizen but still gets treated the same exact way no matter how far she has walked in the world and in her own internal journey.

We are fortunate when we can feel our feelings, and when we can understand why we feel them, we are fortunate when we can record those feelings and reactions and go back to them another time for guidance. Because we are living in a world where most people are conditioned to not feel their feelings, or don't have the space- or choose to not- to process feelings. 

The Lantern (Fanoos) Lady

From Middle East Eye Discover's post on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CpfKZxfDY_8/ 

During the Muslim holy month of fasting, Ramadan, and in the weeks leading up to it, it is hard to find a street in Cairo without the familiar glow of the fanous - or Ramadan lantern - displayed for sale.

The Ramadan lantern is a folkloric symbol that goes all the way back to the days of the Fatimid Caliph El Moaz (932- 975), whose chief general Jawhar al-Siqilli ordered the people of Egypt to go out in the streets lighting candles to welcome the Caliph home from Africa.

The night was windy so the Egyptians used simple fanous - lanterns - to protect the candles from the wind. Having seen the luminous and beautifying effect, the Caliph became enamoured with the idea and ordered that every mosque in Egypt should have a lit lantern in front of it.

Over the centuries following this incident, the lantern became inextricably linked to the holy month of Ramadan in Egypt. Even today, every house in Egypt makes sure to buy at least one lantern at the beginning of the month.

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Bringing Ramadan Spirit to American classrooms and libraries Ramadan 1444 Hijri/2023 AD:

Bringing Ramadan and Eid's spirits and how I relate to them as an Egyptian who was uprooted from my homeland and culture into an American classroom is a wonderful healing experience. 

It's a blessing that God opens such rare opportunities I have been yearning for, who knew that would be even possible?

This year feels really special in this regard, I was able for the first time to talk about how special Ramadan is in Egypt and how a lot of the cultural manifestations of the celebrations started in the heart of old Cairo, my beloved home town. Lanterns, tent makers quilts, the Mesaharati (the drummers who walk aroudn before dawn to wake people up) and so many more things that became an association with Ramadan worldwide. 

This is my 9th Ramadan away from Egypt, and as I approach the 10th I still struggle to think about those years passing, I obsess over decorations now more than ever because I feel like I need every single visual reminder possible to stay connected to my history. It's hard to speak of the intense emotions associated with my Ramadans in Egypt and to put it out in words, but despite the difficulty I deal with each year, I'm happy that I spoke of the beauty and shared it with so many more people this year.

Supporting awareness around Arab Heritage Month in schools

Some of this year's new efforts and small success, connecting closely with the School District of Philadelphia to bring more context on the underrepresented experiences and stories of my people.

I feel grateful for having this opportunity to write something about Arab Heritage Month and Arab communities in Philadelphia for the April newsletter issued by The School District of Philadelphia's Equity Coalition. I will also be hosting a learning session mid-April to talk about best practices around the integration and celebration of students, families, and community members who have Arab heritage and shared experiences with Arab cultures in schools and beyond.

"Equity in Practice is a monthly lunch and learn series in which district stakeholders can learn about what services our partners throughout the city offer and learn ways to engage with the communities they serve."

Register here

Wednesday, April 12th, 2023, 12pm – 1pm, Virtual on Zoom, FREE

Read it all and pass it on, let's continue to shed light on our communities and their contributions. 

 https://www.philasd.org/dei/2023/03/27/april-2023-newsletter-2/

  

 “The Philadelphia area has been home to immigrants with Arab heritage from as early as the 1800s, the Arab community in Philadelphia has continued to grow rapidly and become more diverse in the past two decades. The Arabic language is now among the 5 most spoken languages in our school district by English language learners and their families.

Arab families in Philadelphia are concentrated in South, North, Southwest, and Northeast Philadelphia and while some have been here for 5 generations, many are also newcomers.

The Arabic language holds a special place for Philadelphia residents of many diverse cultural backgrounds who don’t necessarily hail from the Arab world with West Africans, Southeast and Central Asians, and African American Muslim communities in Philadelphia as examples.

Despite a long history of existence dating back prior to the US independence, Arab American communities from the Middle East and North Africa are still not included in the U.S Census, but there are national and local campaigns for their existence to be recognized.

We hope that this Arab Heritage Month is an opportunity for us to explore and reflect on the history, contributions, as well as current challenges that Arab heritage communities, students, and families in our school district strive to overcome.”

Our Names أسامينا

I ride the Uber today with a driver, his Uber name is Charles. My Uber name is Sarah. 

I overhear him say "Shabaan, Ramadan, InshaAllah" to someone on the phone, he speaks in a West African language, I'm curious and happy.

I smile and ask him about his phone conversation, I figured I can do because we are both African, Muslim, and immigrant, we can do that, he tells me that he is explaining the lunar Muslim calendar for his friend in Africa.

We start talking about Ramadan, immigration, and living as a Muslim in Philadelphia, how much we agree that we love being Muslim in Philly despite all the issues, how our Black Muslim brothers and sisters put the foundation for us to come here and be safe, somehow, in comparison to other places.

I didn't tell him how lovely it is that this week in particular I see so many Black sisters wearing Hijabs and Black and bright pink Abayas, and how that compensates for the Ramadan decorations and lantern and nuts vendors in Cairo whom I miss, the sights that usually tell me that the Holy Month is approaching, my heart jumps on the MFL.

I ask him what his real name is, he says I'm Ismail from Ghana, I tell him my real name is Shimaa and I'm from Cairo. 

 

We change our precious names to protect ourselves from harm and ignorance.

We talk about how much we love and appreciate Ghana and Egypt and start calling each other brother and sister, like all Muslims and many Africans do. I have interactions like this with many of my Uber drivers, Ismail, Younousa, Mohammed, from Algeria to Niger, to Mali, to Albania.

But I also get those weird and awkward reactions once some others see that Sarah is an immigrant visibly Muslim women.

I get them when I walk into a room to be the presenter, doing the professional development, when they didn't expect someone who looks like me to stand in front of the room and lecture, in English.

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During the CAIR - Philadelphia Chapter banquet last weekend, Muslim Comedian Dean Obeidallah was telling jokes about how some Muslims have their own "Starbucks Names", that Mohammad goes by Bob and the like. It instantly made me think of my Uber Name, our Uber names.

I change my name to Sarah on Uber's app to avoid not being picked up because of my name. I know many drivers will see my name and not want to pick an "Alshimaa" up. But nobody will have a problem with picking up a "Sarah" or a "Charles".

I don't change my name in other settings and replace it with "an American name" because it's difficult to pronounce, I love my name, and I also don't care how people pronounce my name, but I'm noticing how everyone is becoming hypersensitive about saying your name correctly which is not of important to me personally.

Besides, what is the point of trying to say my Arabic name "correctly" when you don't want to hear what I have to say or treat me as an equal? As a thought partner? As a professional and a citizen?

You can call me Sponge Bob or Shaimaaaaouaaa, I can take this as long as you will not be biased or disrespectful in how you treat me.

You share these experiences with some people from here who don't understand why your name can be a problem and they think you are weird. I liked that we joked about how people use different names to become invisible, to avoid racism and discrimination, and sometimes even persecution.

You are lucky if that is not a concern of your's, but you gotta do the work to know what others might be experiencing.

 

 

(Our names "Asameena", a song by Legendary Lebanese singer: Fairouz")

The ongoing conversation on Hijab in the west

Since humans existed clothes have had social implications no matter where you are, the way we end up dressing up is never entirely a free choice. Cultures, religions, legal regulations, peer-pressure, fashion industry, movie industry, and now social media influencers, and the list goes all contribute to the final choice you make about how you leave your house looking like.

Truth to be said, some societies and cultures have more room for people to make certain choices, and this room can be wide and narrow. I remember that growing up in the big city of Cairo, Egypt I had room to continue to wear shorts and T-shirts and dress up like a tomboy until almost high school while some of my relatives wore only black cloaks and just showed their eyes. I knew I couldn't continue to do that for a long time because of peer-pressure and being from a low-middle class economic background.

That however wasn't my main motivation for choosing to cover my hair eventually. I was always taking the different direction and I could've easily found ways around something I'm not fully convinced with. 

That being said, it's worth mentioning that middle and upper middle class Egyptians have the space to dress up as they wish, in fact, if you choose to dress up modestly while belonging to this particular class in Egypt it will have a major significance on how you're perceived as they generally consider dressing up modestly as a sign of backwardness and poverty. There are religious and culturally conservative elements of upper-classes in Egypt and everywhere but I'm just pointing out to how this is very different from places where a dress code is required and mandated by the state: This is not the case in Egypt.

Traveling and experiencing the western world as a Muslim woman wearing a headscarf requires a book. I get a wide range of active responses from shocked looks, to dirty looks, to hand gestures threatening with death, to passive responses like being passed and ignored at check outs in grocery stores, and no response to greeting strangers etc etc etc. Not to mention the social and professional implications in the US: Nobody wants to hire women with Hijabs. Nobody trusts women with Hijabs to be intellectually competent. People are mostly and generally terrified and pitiful towards me.

I'm a woman so I don't really care too much or obsess about how other women dress up, I connect with fellow women on so many other levels besides looks. 

While I choose to dress up the way I do for religious reasons and also to send a certain type of social message, I think it's purely nonsensical to impose the way I dress up on all women. 

The way headscarves have been politicized in the west and the east is so disheartening for Muslim women who choose to either wear it or choose not to, it's sickening to have to put ALL women through all of this b.s regardless of their decisions or lack of it. What's even more infuriating is that women are seldomly asked to share their very own reasons or experiences. 

Now, does any of this nuance make any sense to the ignorant westerners who're so excited about headscarves being burned and hairs being shaved?

In the light of the ongoing conversation on countries the United States has business with (Iran and Afghanistan), why do you assume that you have any superiority because you think you can show more hair and skin?

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Some educational links:

 Politicizing The Hijab: How The Hijab Became A Political Symbol

Muslim Women and the Politics of the Headscarf: For many women, wearing the hijab was—and is—an element of piety, but it’s been coopted into a political symbol.

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The caption which came with the design by the author says:

Yes, you can compliment my hijab. No, I'm not forced to wear it. Yes, there are places where they force women to cover. No, that practice is not compliant with the teachings of Islam. See less

We shall climb this mountain, Mourid Barghouti

A screenshot of a video released recently of Mourid Al Barghouti reciting his poem we shall climb this mountain on AJ+ Arabic

The sudden death of Palestinian poet Mourid Al Barghouti has left many of us who were touched by his life and his family's incredible talents baffled and saddened. I've been a big fan of his son's work since my college years and had the pleasure of seeing the two recite poetry in Cairo.

I found myself translating this poem of his in my head after his son Tamim introduced it in a video a few days ago, I figured it would be a nice tribute to just type this translation down and share it with the rest of the world since Mourid isn't as familiar as I wish he'd have been in non-Arabic speaking circles. 

Tamim mentioned at the beginning of the video that his father wrote down the first verse of this poem after he'd been diagnosed with cancer back in November 2020. It was originally published in Arabic in 2002 under the title ولدان يصعدان جبلا "Two boys climb a mountain". 

The line he wrote on a piece of paper was: We shall climb this mountain.

Here's a short tribute in English on Mourid Barghouti by Middle East Monitor:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrTTs_k87qE

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قصيدة مريد البرغوثي الذي رحل عنا كتبها في ٢٠٠٢، وترجمتي السريعة لها تكريمًا له..

توجع قليلاً.. توجع كثيرا

سنصعد هذا الجبل

متعبين تماما

و حولي و حولك يأسان

يأسي و يأسك

رعبي و رعبك

Be in pain for a bit, be in a lot of pain

You and I shall climb this mountain,

Completely exhausted,

surrounded by two despairs,

your's and mine

your horror and my horror

يا صاحبي

نحن لسنا جبانين

أو بطلين

ولكننا ولدان بسيطان

مثل مكاتيب فلاحة غربوها

بسيطان

مثل نعاس الرعاة ومثل العطش

بسيطان

كالعائدين من الحقل للبيت

كالعائدين من الويل للبيت

نحن بسيطان

يا ليت قصتنا مثلنا

My friend, you and I are neither cowards,

Nor heroes,

we're merely two simple boys,

as simple as the letters,

a forcibly exiled woman from the village would write,

we're as simple,

as shepards' slumber, and thirst

we're as simple as folks,

coming home from the fields,

coming home from woe,

we're simple, and how I wish our story was simple, too.

الطريق إلى السهل هذا الجبل

الطريق إلى الأهل هذا الجبل

كل ما تشتهي كل ما أشتهي

يبدأ الآن أو ينتهي.

والأمل ذروة اليأس يا صاحبي!

الأمل..

توجع قليلا .. توجع كثيرا

توجع.. فإن الأمل ذاته موجع حين لا يتبقى سواه.

سنصعد هذا الجبل.

The road to the valley is this mountain,

The road to our family is this mountain,

All that you desire, all that I desire,

Starts or ends right now,

And hope, my friend, is the peak of despair!

Be in pain for a bit, be in a lot of pain

Be in pain, for hope itself is painful,

when it's the only thing left.

we shall climb this mountain!

#JusticeforGeorge: The need for a conversation on anti-Blackness

It's heartwarming to see folks particularly immigrants and/or Muslims in the United States who usually are on the I don't-talk-politics-ever side of things make supportive statements or share content in relation to the uprising for social justice and equity for Black people. For the first time many immigrant dominant mosques and immigrant oriented organizations are making statements about the elephant in the room they've been quiet about, and let me also tell you, complicit in.

I used to get called out constantly for trying to point out problematic attitudes, behaviors, statements in the communities I belong to by way of racial and national origin and religious practice (Arab, Egyptian, African, immigrant, and Muslim).

I also try to understand that Institutionalized racism and the history of racial inequity in the United States are not something that people who're not from here 'just get' or learn about in schools in our countries and you could live here for years and still don't get it if you don't get the right exposure, and if you don't talk to Black people and learn from them.

That being said, it's very crucial right now more than ever during this historical moment that a candid conversation about anti-Blackness within those communities takes place, that people realize that by being a minority or a member of a marginalized group in the United States isn't an excuse for ignoring or perpetuating oppression and that it's better for everyone to come together and form alliances than be divided.

#Coronadiaries: The Sanctity of human life in a pandamic

The Sanctity of Life:

From Wikipedia:

In religion and ethics, the inviolability or sanctity of life is a principle of implied protection regarding aspects of sentient life that are said to be holy, sacred, or otherwise of such value that they are not to be violated as a violation. 
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As a Muslim who's striving to be more observant to God's guidance, by doing more good in the world and not doing harm as much as I can, and by standing up for the truth even if it's against my own preferences.

The general objective of the Islamic teachings /law can be summarized in the following:

"The attainment of good, welfare, advantage, benefits and warding off evil, injury, loss of the creatures". 

The second most important principle of these general objectives is "The preservation of human life/soul" حفظ النفس. 

I had to say all of these things to explain why I have been feeling very disturbed and distressed, maybe a little bit shocked and disappointed too, as I continue to see how some people are reacting and acting towards the current pandemic particularly in the United States. 

I said the following as a response to an online thread where some Americans in my local community were debating the protests against the current lockdown, a pretty soft lockdown and the least we can do to protect our lives and those of other people in my opinion for the scale of danger that we are all under. 

"It's mind-blowing to those of us who are not from here to watch people wanting to open up the country with the highest number of positive and death cases in the entire world and to also see other people defending their right to protest and the Constitution even if they disagree with them, nobody else in the world does that, who gives a damn about political correctness when it means innocent people losing their lives! It's so freaking scary to be stuck here."

I still had to listen to some lecture me on democracy, freedom of speech, and the American constitution so I said:

"Good luck with American exceptionalism. Good luck trying to get morons with rifles to express their opinions without causing harm because they have the right to do so.
It's not surprising that there aren't any similar idiotic reactions from other peoples in other democratic and constitutional nations under lockdown all over the entire world, only here. That definitely says a whole lot about the dominant American mindset."

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Seeing people say things like: Some people will just die, people die every day, we can't stay in our safe homes with tons of food and entertainment forever and we need to get our hair and nails done, while thousands are losing their lives and many are struggling with their health makes me ask many questions about the logic that guides morality for some people. 

What is more important? Is it life itself? Or money, entertainment, and the freedom to express hatred and carlessness?

 

What is the definition of freedom in this context?

Where does it stop? What is the meaning of freedom if it entails causing harm to yourself and others? 

What good are laws for if they discriminate in punishment between people based on class, race, country of origin, or any other differences? 

As someone who lived through political turmoil and instability over a decade, and witnessed people fight and die for true freedoms and to have access to basic human rights, I find it very hypocritical and silly that those who recognize the danger would still be encouraging the behavior of irresponsible selfish people in the name of "Democracy and Freedom of Speech", instead of calling it out. 

For me, and I'm sure for so many others, there is nothing more important than the life of an innocent human being. 

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said: 

“We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people, but for the appalling silence of the good people.” 

More than 50 years later, this is still a very true reality.

#Coronadiaries: Ramadan 2020 under quarantine

The blessed Holy Month of Ramadan starts tomorrow night, during this time Muslims are encouraged to practice several forms of personal discipline and acts of charity to support those in need which helps them reflect on all the blessings they have such as food, material wealth, health, safety, and others.

When you're practicing intermittent fasting from food and drink from sunrise to sunset the purpose isn't that you'd be experiencing hunger and thirst, or that you suffer, but most importantly it's training yourself on self-restraint, not eating all the time, any time, and all you want, not having access to the things you desire right away and being okay with that.


When you give the needy from what God has blessed you with, you're simply showing thanks and gratitude for what you've been given initially, you come to appreciate God's provision and not take it for granted.

While many might be disappointed this year, it's actually a whole lot better and more spiritual to be spending Ramadan while quarantined, you get to worship and reflect without showing off or feeling proud, you're not being seen by others when you stand in night prayers, everything you choose to do remains between you and your Lord.

Sometimes the social aspects and folklore distract us or get in the way of our sincerity and why we are doing what we are doing. Think about this self-isolation as a blessing in disguise and an act of worship. I wish you all a blessed Ramadan, please reach out to me if you want to talk, vent or need advice.

اللهم بارك لنا في رمضان وأعنا على ذكرك وشكرك وحسن عبادتك فيه وارزقنا العبادة دون شرك ولا رياء ولا فخر