Reducing Chances of Being Sexually Harassed in an Arab country

The following list is by no means a guaranteed obliteration of all unwanted verbal or physical advances.

Seven Americans the World Hates

As an international student in America, I have heard countless accounts about American tourists and travelers. Although I have been living in America for a long time now, I have made a number of observations about American tourists in America and around the world as I travel. There are more than seven Americans the world [...]

MSAS with a touch of inRANTation: Knock-off Sooria…and other amusing Shami oddities

“Stars and Bucks Caffee,” Louis Vitton label-designed serving trays, and the copyright infringement-disrespecting use of Disney characters—familiar markers of an arrival to Levant land. Sooria, Syria, in particular stands out for its product-aping attempts, grammar-distressing translations, and ironic circumstances (although a puzzling find at the Amman airport in Jordan raises the highest eyebrow). As part of MSAS, I continue to bring you highlights from my summer trip. Below are some examples of what is meant by “Knock-off Sham”:

A keychain of a car logo that has been close to being banned by heavy import taxes and replaced by the more ubiquitous “CHERY” makes is apparently a hot item to floss in Souk al-Hamidiyeh.

Maytha’s Shami Adventure Series (MSAS)

Through various means of transit-plane, train, new model suburbans, taxi cabs, chartered 50 passenger buses-my family of 5 and I dragged eight full-size pieces of luggage and sleep deprived eyelids along with us as we visited five cities (Amman, Damascus, Latakia, Aleppo, in the region known as “the Levant” or in Arabic, “bilad as-sham” in an abbreviated two weeks time. If you do the math, that’s about 2-3 days in each city. Now, for my mother, who hadn’t returned to the region since her hurried exit at the onset of war in Lebanon, some 35 years ago, and siblings who had never visited the region and can barely string together a sentence in Arabic that doesn’t have to do with food consumption, the trip was especially meaningful.

Time traveling to the Middle East

In the Middle East, there is nothing to do but ride camels in historical parks like “Genesis Land” or buy rugs in ancient bazaars. It seems that there’s nothing Americans and Europeans like more than traveling back in time to see the rest of the world. Whether it’s a pilgrimage to Jerusalem or following the [...]

Gazamom held in Cairo while traveling with her children

UPDATE: She was denied entry for lack of security clearance. Thanks Egypt! Journalist Laila El-Haddad, author of the blog Raising Yousuf and Noor, has been held for over 24 hours in Cairo while attempting to go home to her parents who have survived the bombing campaigns against Gaza only three months ago. She’s been twittering [...]

The Beauty of Oman: Part I

The beginning of Wadi Shab

How to tell that you are in an Arab capital city…

1. There is a much raved about Corniche. (I had never heard of a “corniche” till I entered an Arab country).  2. As if part of one of the city’s must-see cultural monuments, a native excitedly points out and empathically insists you visit the high-rise rotating restaurant that would have probably been popular in the [...]

10 Ways to Tell That You Are in the Emirates…

1. Two men with ambiguous sexual preferences, one with his arm around the other’s waist, and the partner with his arm over his friend’s shoulder hit on you.  2. A spa for cars is all the rage.  3. On a plane flight from the states to Dubai, the overweight American hick with an stretched to [...]

My New Developing Country Diet

In preparation for my impending trip to Cairo, I am not only creatively managing the limited space in my world traveler bag, but I am also meticulously selecting food options for the next couple of days. Why? To avoid the Pharaoh’s Curse. Having unexpectedly bumped into Mr. Pharaoh’s cousin in Damascus, I now know the [...]