It never ceases to amaze me how people can be right in the middle of something and still be blind to the reality that surrounds them. I have met some very interesting, educated, and involved individuals from other countries throughout my travels. My Arabic class is full of people that fit this description. Most are in their early to late thirties and are here working for various political organizations including the European Union, United Nations, and the like. As class progresses, more and more frequently we (the students) tend to get together after for dinner or coffee. While some in my class inspire great discussion and provide me the opportunity to learn from their experiences, others disappoint me with the insights they've developed over their time here. Even some that do have insightful things to say about the region concern me with how disconnected they are in certain regards.
By no means do I claim to be an expert on the conflict in this country let alone on the politics and culture that govern the region. Nonetheless, I still get more than a sense that many of the people in positions of authority here don't really understand what they're entangled in. How can they be expected to do their jobs satisfactorily if this isn't the case? In the end, I think its obvious who suffers from this.
I'm aware that people often travel without really experiencing the place they visit. They fly thousands of miles only to surround themselves with people from similar backgrounds, with similar thoughts and opinions, who engage in activities similar if not identical to those that they entertain at home. Being aware of this phenomenon is one thing, but as of late I've been able to observe it first hand while interacting with the other Arabic students. Many of them (though thankfully there are some exceptions) don't engage with the culture or travel throughout Palestine/Israel unless they need to do so for work. While most of the professions represented by my classmates offer wonderful opportunities to see certain aspects of this country and conflict, how and what they're observing is still only a partial perspective. There is so much complexity here that in order to truly do it justice it must be examined from every possible angle. While such a method should be applied to any situation, no where is it more crucial than here.
I'm thankful my Arabic partner Yvette seems to possess a more accurate idea of the situation here and makes an effort to do so. Its nice to know that when I listen to the information she dispenses, it comes from a reliable source.
By no means do I claim to be an expert on the conflict in this country let alone on the politics and culture that govern the region. Nonetheless, I still get more than a sense that many of the people in positions of authority here don't really understand what they're entangled in. How can they be expected to do their jobs satisfactorily if this isn't the case? In the end, I think its obvious who suffers from this.
I'm aware that people often travel without really experiencing the place they visit. They fly thousands of miles only to surround themselves with people from similar backgrounds, with similar thoughts and opinions, who engage in activities similar if not identical to those that they entertain at home. Being aware of this phenomenon is one thing, but as of late I've been able to observe it first hand while interacting with the other Arabic students. Many of them (though thankfully there are some exceptions) don't engage with the culture or travel throughout Palestine/Israel unless they need to do so for work. While most of the professions represented by my classmates offer wonderful opportunities to see certain aspects of this country and conflict, how and what they're observing is still only a partial perspective. There is so much complexity here that in order to truly do it justice it must be examined from every possible angle. While such a method should be applied to any situation, no where is it more crucial than here.
I'm thankful my Arabic partner Yvette seems to possess a more accurate idea of the situation here and makes an effort to do so. Its nice to know that when I listen to the information she dispenses, it comes from a reliable source.
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