Guest blog: Half-truths and cultural learnings

Two blog posts ago, I copied what was in actuality a "guest blog" I wrote for my classmate "Zeke's" blog. In response, he has offered the following reciprocal blog. Please enjoy - any comments you see fit to share I will pass along!

"For an example, [Student A] says to me, 'I love your clear method of teaching,' but what I hear is her say, 'I love you.' The words are correct: she said that. But I took her true words out of context and therefore erred in my understanding."

This is how our instructor introduced yesterday's lesson. We were reading from al-Kitaab a cultural lesson on "Arabic sayings" and when to use them. Our teacher wanted us to know one of the major problems in learning about foreign cultures, and about al-Kitaab in particular.

There is SO MUCH to learn but we're given just little snippets of information from time to time. At one point he attempted to explain his issue with al-Kitaab visually.

This box contains everything you need to know:



You could cover everything this way, growing in stages:



You could cover everything this way, crossing everything bit by bit:



al-Kitaab covers it this way:



He's not wrong. I'm constantly frustrated that we'll learn a concept in al-Kitaab and think we've got it down until six chapters later when we learn there's more to it (and just wait 'til you see it again in Book 3, totally revamped!).

Our instructor continued, making the extremely rational point that Westerners must view Arabs through the eyes of Arabs and Arabs must view Westerners through the eyes of Westerners: we won't properly understand anything if we attempt to view the actions of others through our own eyes.

We have gotten used to our instructor going off on political rants when talking to us: especially when talking to us about culture and politics. This time was no different, and -- like in the past -- his pace quickened as he got more passionate and we tried to keep up.

As we were talking about Arabic sayings he brought up a very important one: "Tawakalt ala Allah" ("I rely on Allah"). This phrase was uttered continuously by Gamil el-Batouti, the co-pilot of EgyptAir Flight 990 on October 31, 1999, as his plane crashed into the Atlantic Ocean south of Nantucket, killing all 217 on-board.

This phrase, our instructor informed us, is said by Arabs as they seek the assistance of Allah in their daily tasks. Viewed through Western eyes, however, this Egyptian pilot was viewed as a religious fanatic, purposely taking down the plane.

Our instructor made an excellent point. How often are we concerned about the actions of others, because of our own prejudices and worldviews? I really felt I learned a lot yesterday!

... Then I did a little research for this post. It turns out that, two years later -- and over Egyptian protest -- the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board officially blamed el-Batouti for the crash.

Well, it was still a good lesson learned!