What defficulties Saudi Student face>>>>
Most of the teachers in school love to make working groups in the class. Moreover, I think its worthless way to encourage each student to participate in class but there is some difficulties faced Saudi students in working groups most of Saudi students do not experience this kind of exercise in their country in boy's schools or girl's schools. Some teachers assuming that if Saudis working together in the same group that will help them a lot to feel more comfortable and cooperate with each other. This is somewhat true if those students come from another country rather than Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia apply the separation policy in every part of the life in schools, hospitals, Universities, Work, and any where you can imagine in order to protect the society from unethical or unacceptable behaviours according to the religious people. Therefore, there is no real contact between men and women in Saudi society and that helps to build a huge wall of distrust, shyness, unhealthy relation ship as human being between them as a consequences.
For me I can control the situation, become more open, and be funny sometimes because that is help a lot not even for me but also for the other side to feel comfortable but still every day, I hear a bunch of stories from my friends who traveled abroad for continuing their study. One of my friends told me that she could not speak in front of Saudi students or any Arab students. I think they still have the old feeling from their countries and maybe they need long time to overcome this problem. All that separation destroys people's skill to communicate with each other and this is just one result of separation.
Posts
9 comments:
Hala!!! I found your blog from Susie's Adventures blog and I read through your posts on this blog and your other blog too (Daughter of the Peninsula)......I do hope you continue to write more frequently. Your posts so far are very good, mashallah :-)
I am American, but have a deep interest in all things Middle Eastern. I actually traveled the Gulf countries a couple years ago and trying to learn Arabic. I tried to go to SA, but it's very, very difficult, almost impossible for a single woman to go there on her own :-(
I have many friends from SA, almost all of them male though. I have never been able to find and befriend any girls from SA. The few Saudi girls I've met are the wives of male students at my university, and I hardly ever see them and they all seem too shy to hang out! I would love to read your blog more and hear your thoughts as a Saudi woman. You write very thoughtful posts, mashallah!
Being a Canadian I cannot understand the severe division of sexes. I grew up in a neighborhood where kids my age were boys and thus I played with them.
I like to think this gave me a greater understanding of the male sex and helped me in my later years when it was time to settle down and marry (on my own accord of course).
Cannot imagine a land where the sexes are so strictly divided. And how odd it must be to marry and be expected to take what it so sheltered as your husband.
Loving reading your blog, keep at it!
Thank you Eastern Reflections .ur comment here encouraged me to keep writing. There is one significant thing i like it in western people in general (they want to learn new things and know about different culture unlike some people like Arabs for example (not all of them) they conceder every thing different is strange and unacceptable. I agree with u, its hard for woman to visit Arab countries by her own especially Saudi Arabia even for me i found it hard to study in any other Arab country there is no organization :(.and less respect for women in general therefore I chose Canada to study in. and for sure i would be happy to be ur friend. You know hat I believe asking question is a magic key to know people and understand things there is no bad questions so, you are welcome and feel free to ask that what make me happy and give me ideas to write about .
You too amyinbc Thanks for ur comment. I grow up in place that I can join boys and play with them till I start kindergarten and after that separation starts from first grade.
Its really tough I understand that teenage is one of sensitive phase that student experience I just want to understand why its at University or other places like work place .Believe me they are using religion just for their advantage and forget it when they can make more money and have more women. Its black and whit society as Suse said in her blog. Any way I would love to be you friend both of you and let us find way to share e-mails but I don’t know I dont want to post my e-mail here.
sorry but i tryed to view ur profile but i couldnt i dont know why?
Hi Daughter of Arabia,
my e-mail is acidflower83@hotmail.com. I hardly ever use that one, it's old and it only gathers junk mail and spam. Send me an e-mail, and then I can e-mail you my more private e-mail account so we can communicate by that one.
Does separation in SA start at 1st grade??? What about in family homes or outside in public? I always thought that a Muslima would start wearing the hijab and segregate herself from males that she could marry when she started her menstrual cycle, usually around 12 or 13. Some of my Saudi friends talked about hanging out and playing along with their female cousins until about 12 ,13, or even up to 14 years old. Is it different with every family?
I traveled by myself to a lot of the Mid-east countries. And I agree, sometimes it was very hard. I had to be wary of everything I said or did b/c I was told that people would think badly of me "oh she's looking for sex!" or "oh she must like me!"....I remember being with my Omani host in a grocery store and I walked away briefly to look at some items on another aisle, and when I came back he gave me this huge lecture about walking away from him b/c if men in the store saw me walk away from him (they would assume that he was my husband or family member), then that must mean I am looking for sex and/or a boyfriend. I really couldn't understand it. I am so used to traveling alone all the time by myself here in the U.S. and even to other countries. Traveling the Mid-east was a huge culture shock, but I really enjoyed learning a lot. I wish I had the money to go back. I still would love to visit SA one day.
Maybe your next topic can surmise about who has a harder time adjusting to another culture. An Arab Muslim visiting the West or a non-Muslim Westerner visiting the Middle-East. Then give examples of your own experience. Keep posting!
Oh also, I forgot to add to your post "What Difficulties Saudi Students Face??".
When I was in college, I worked in the ESL program for internationals they had at my university. I was an office assistant and interacted with a lot of Middle Eastern students, and others from all over the world. I remember hearing and seeing some of the frustrations the Saudis were having (they there the largest group of students there, besides the Koreans). I heard one say that it was really hard for him b/c in SA, the public high school system is more about memorization and rote, whereas the teaching methods here are more about questions and analysis. Some of the students got frustrated b/c they would ask or even tell the teachers to give them a better grade than they were warranted. I remember reading a memo that was given out to all the teachers and was written by one of the department heads who lived and work in SA years ago; it talked about the cultural differences in learning methods between Saudis and Americans.
He said that the teachers shouldn't think that the Saudi students were belligerent for demanding better grades that they don't deserve, but that it is so ingrained in them b/c of the idea of "wasta" and also, the emphasis on memorization in the school systems. This led to many of them being frustrated. What is your opinion about it? Is the learning/teaching method that different in SA? And have you experienced frustration also?
Hi there its nice to come back and replay on ur comment.i think its better to answer ur questions by writing a new post.so wait for me i might be late cos i have to finish my report paper.i print out ur commet i'll read them again and try to give u an clear view.
Salam,
I really enjoyed your blog. I am also studying at University.
I have a great interest in Saudi culture. I have known quite a few Saudi guys, and have notice many patterns in their behavior.
I've always wanted to meet a Saudi woman. I realize all the female Saudi students are here with their husband or guardian, and it prevents me from trying to talk to them.
I will continue to read your blog. I also have a blog that depicts my affairs with Saudi men. It may not be your cup of tea...as I realize you come from a very conservative background.
Ma Salama
Hello Sahar, thanks for your comment. which uneversity u r studying in?
Post a Comment