Hey! You like travelling, right? So, do I. But you’re probably struggling with student financial problems, like me. While it may not be possible to travel now, there is always the future to look forward to, and maybe you’ll be able to visit the Middle East. Perhaps it’s a place you’re not really familiar with, and a place you didn’t think of visiting. I’ll be happy to introduce you to this culture worth experiencing in person.
Thankfully, I’m happy to give you a glimpse into a culture that you may not yet have seen and experienced. Maybe one day you’ll have the chance to see it for yourself.
Many people have misconceptions about middle eastern people: So like..what are you, a latina? , Hm, but you’re not wearing the headscarf…, I did not know Arabs have coloured eyes!, and the most infamous one wow…you’re an Arab? Damn, but you are so beautiful! Those are all classic examples of how people’s misconceptions have led them to have the wrong idea about Arabs.
My job today is to give you a tour around the Middle Eastern cultures, foods, architectures and more!
The first thing that we notice is that there are multiple looks to Middle Easterners! They don’t all just have brown skin, long beards, and wear scarves on their heads. There are Middle Easterners who live near the mountains who are fair skinned, have glistening blonde hair, and coloured eyes. We also have Middle Easterners who have beautiful dark creamy skin, with dark brown braided hair, and soft brown eyes. They come in different colours, with different dialects, different religions, and different styles.
Here is an example of beautiful men and women who are Middle Easterners.
There we have it ladies and gentlemen. Let’s go get a glass of water before we continue on the tour.
Many of you may have never pictured Arabs to look like this, I assure you that when you go down the streets of these countries, you will find all kinds of people there. Also, in the picture you may notice that some of these people are wearing traditional clothes, head scarves, and more. These are all indication on how versatile the religious,tribal,and traditional styles can be. In addition to clothes, food and daily activities are different.
Let’s tackle another misconception that many people have in this world: Arabs are not all Muslims. Not all Muslims are Arabs either. Middle Easterners have a multitude of religions that they practice, from Christianity,to Judaism,to Buddhism, to Islam and more. As you can see, there are many practiced religions in the Middle East. Therefore, some people will wear head scarves, while others will not. Some will wear burkas, while others will not. Etc
Besides looking at the beautiful people all day long, we also notice some amazing architecture! Middle Eastern houses have some of the most widely beautifully designed architecture!
Well, now I know how I want my house to look like! Wow. They are just amazing, eh? Arabic engineers and designers have exquisite taste and great knowledge when it comes to deciding what looks absolutely stunning.
Besides the looks, Arabs are very intelligent human beings. Some of the earliest civilizations are from the Middle East.
“The time interval from the 9th to the 13th century remained known as the ‘Golden period of the Arab science’, and a significant place among the taught sciences are occupied by Medicine and Pharmacy. In the history of medicine, Islamic medicine, also known as Arabic medicine, refers to the science of medicine developed in the Islamic Golden Age, and written in Arabic Arabs were able to use their cultural and natural resources and trade links to contribute to the strong development of pharmacy” -Izet Masic & et al, 2017. We know that Arabs have made some amazing contributions to medicine, architecture, math, and more. The number system that is being used in chemistry is Arabic, some of the most famously designed dresses are made by Eli Saab (a Labenese fashion designer), and there is evidence that Ibn Khladun might have been the first founder of sociology in the 14th century, as his Muqaddimah book has advanced social science and sociology.
Last but not least, food and dancing!
Some of the best dishes that I have ever eaten were, in fact Middle Eastern dishes! These dishes include chips and hummus, fattoush, grape leaves, manakeesh, and more!The flavours explode in your mouth, and the spices fill/feed your soul, and you can’t help but drool when you smell the food. With food comes dancing, because who doesn’t love dancing after having some chickpea on top of salad? I sure do! Arab dancing is unique because it primarily focuses on bringing communities together. Take Dabkeh for example– it focuses on bringing everyone together so they can dance and enjoy their time without having to worry about not knowing how to dance.