Samah's blog

2009-04-21T14:15:00.001-07:00

# 6

2009-03-04T10:31:00.001-08:00

First, I hope this will be my last semester in CESL. CESL is a nice place that you can meet new people from different countries. I like to meet new people and learn more about other culture. The best time that I had in CESL was last semester in EAP1. In that class we were from 7 different countries. That was really fun. We learned many different things about other cultures. Since I start CESL in the last summer, people usually wonder when they know that am from Saudi Arabia. I think some people have no idea or different idea about Saudi women. I remember once in the last semester one of my classmates told me that he had a wrong judgmental about Saudi woman. Bet after he met me he found that he were wrong. Because, unfortunately, the media shows the women in Saudi Arabia are not educated or they don’t have a choice to study aboard. And also I remember I did a presentation about my city. I can still remember how my classmates were shocked with the picture. I know how the media always shows Medal East. So, I am trying as much as I can the good things about the women in my country and my city. I am really glad that I have the chance to study in CESL. Something maybe you don’t knew Anna that ma father was a CESL student before 35 years ago. In the end I hope I present the good picture about my country in all these days. Thank you Anna and thanks to all.

2009-03-04T10:30:00.001-08:00

I will tell you Anna about my special day. Every girl has a dream about her wedding day. And hope every things will going well. I have two older sisters who I really love. They helped me in every detail in my wedding. We choose everything together from my wedding dress till what we will serve to inviters. Everything was ready to the big day. In that day I felt like everything is crazy. I was really nervous and worried. Everything went good till I started dress my dress. We found that the bouquet wasn’t the one we choose it before. So I start panic and almost cry. One of my sisters toke the bouquet and went to the shop that we bought it from. But she found it CLOSE. In my country the weddings start at 12 am and all the shops close at 11 pm, so that was difficult to find an open shop. She found a place they was closing the shop. She asked them to do a new bouquet the guy understands the problem and he tried to make calm. This guy made a really beautiful bouquet for free. When she came with the new bouquet I thanked god that I have my sisters. After that everything went great as a wonderful WEDDING day.

2009-03-04T10:26:00.000-08:00

In Saudi Arabia some people celebrate Valentine’s Day. The stores start decorates with red and pink things. People exchange gifts. The gifts usually decorate with red and hearts. I remember when I was in the high school one guy wrapping his car with a red wrap to make it as a gift. This year I bought for my husband a red sand watch has a heart and LOVE letter. I bought a card with it. But I couldn’t found the card in that day. So I give him the gift and I told him that I bought a card but I don’t know where it is. In my son’s day care asked me if I like to bring a gifts for his classmates and teachers. I liked the idea, so I bought kid’s books to his friends. And notebooks for his teachers with cards. I liked that idea even if they are still young. But it is nice to keep it as memories. And a bought a card with my son name for my husband. My husband really likes it and he put it in his bored. In the United States people have different ways to celebrate. For me and my husband we love celebrations. so we try to celebrate every special events. And also we try to celebrate Islamic events. We celebrate my baby’s first birthday back home in December. It was my favorite because I love to watch him growing up.

Misunderstanding

2009-02-08T23:52:00.000-08:00

Misunderstanding is easy to happen every time and everywhere. People can get Easley in misunderstanding when they meet now people, visit now cities, or learn another language. I remember first time when I came to the united state, I did know some English, I was always make mistake with using “join” and “enjoy”. That really cased many misunderstanding in that time. I remember once, me and my husband, were doing barbeque and I sow are neighbor and I start asking him to enjoin us!. I can’t forget his face what it looked like. My husband tried to correct me, but I wasn’t listening. Moreover, sure learning second language makes many misunderstanding for both the speaker and the listener. That is what happened with me when I used my second language. However, misunderstanding always happen in my country with the any new house made. In Arabic the word “put” and “throw” are sounds similar. First time when are house made came from Indonesia she wasn’t speaks Arabic. My mother asked her to wash the rice and put it cookware. But our house made hared it “wash the rice and throw it”. Therefore, she washes it and throws it in the garbage. It was a funny day, we ate are lunch without rice. Sometimes it happens even if people speak the same language. Misunderstandings cause a lot of problems between people. One person may say a word and he did not meant anything bad. But maybe the listener understands it in different way. I always try to say what I want to say clearly as much as I can. Because I don’t want anybody understand me with different meaning. hopefully you understand my writing clearly :)

My Country

2009-02-07T16:29:00.000-08:00

In every time I meet now people or I go to now country, and the people know that am from Saudi Arabia, they start asking many questions. Most questions about, how rich I am? How we cannot drive cars? And how women can wear the black dress “Abaya” all the time?. So, I decide to explain some stereotypes that other people think about us. That is true my country own a lot of money because of the Oil, but that doesn’t mean all Saudis are rich. In my country we have different traditions and customs. For example, in Saudi Arabia women are not allowed to drive cars for several reasons. But in other hand, almost all the families have drivers to drive the cars for women. I think it’s much easier for me when some one else drove me. I don’t have to look for a barking or I don’t have to wait till the car gets ready. Moreover, I don’t have to take my car and go to bay some grocery. I can just send the driver over to get what I want. Besides, we just were “Abaya” when we go to any public place. And also if there a irrelative men. “Abaya” is a traditional custom in my country. Also people think that we should cover are face in the street. But that is not true; because we just have to cover our hire. Last thing that I want people know about Saudis, we are Muslims and the Islam is not like what is shown in the media. I know there are many problems happen in the world by people who said they are Muslims. But the Islam never tells the people to do bad things. Islam is means peace, who could something means peace do bad stuff like what this group of people doing.

People who made Mark in my Life

2009-01-25T20:22:00.000-08:00

“Every day we learn more from this live, no one born has knowledge,” Arabic quote, and I believe it. No matter how old is you, because how long you live, you will learn new thing every day. I had grown up in a small family, but with a lot of values and ethics. My parents teach my how to love and give and how to have conviction. I thanking God everyday for have my family. When I was a child I loved to watch my mother while she talking, walking or the way she dress, and try to act like her. Maybe till now many of her acting still am using it. Whilst I became a teenager I thought I knew everything and I can deal with anything. However, I was wrong because I found am learning new thing every single day. Later than, when I came to the US I found that am learning how to deal with different people, different culture and how to live and enjoy it. In these 2 years I learned many great values. My father always behind me, and I like to have his opinion in every step in my live. He never forces me to do something I do not like. Sometimes when we argue about something he always tries to be calm and give me right advices. As well as, I won’t forget my husband, the person who teach me how to love and how to be strong. Mohammed, my husband, had been the guy who changed my life. He is the one who I choose to start a family with. Now after I became a mother I also start learning from my baby a lot of things. My baby teaches me how to be patient, how to smile to everyone, and how to be more responsible person. Those are the people who have a mark in my life. And I know they will be always here for me. I hope I can tech my son how to respect the other and how to love himself.

My Family

2008-12-03T23:27:00.000-08:00

I have two sisters and no brothers. My parents, my sisters, and I are having a good relationship. My family is small but has a big love. Let me tell you just a little about my family. My father is a writer; he has a good Wisdom and giant heart. My mother, oh mama I miss you, she is a lovely person that who from the first time will likes her, she has a white heart and that makes her so nice with all people. My oldest sister, she is a smart person. There are 12 years between us but we could understand each other always. The second sister I love her so much she is not just a sister; she is my best friend too. Even though, I am living far away from them, but we still have the same relationship or even more. Everything in my life connected with my family, and remained me how much I love them.

*in the Picture My father with my nieces and nephews

2008-11-18T23:05:00.001-08:00

Dressing up and wearing makeup were my favorite things to do in free time when I was young. I am a Social person and I like to spend time with my family and my friends, but sometimes I feel that I just need to be alone. However, after I had my baby and start study in CESL it’s hard to find a free time, am busy all the day from weak up morning to sleep tiredly night. I wish if I could have more time just to be alone, no homework, and no responsibility. I used to read every day, although now I am trying to read in the bed before sleep, but every time I sleep before finishing a page. My friends and I are going to smoky mountain in the thanks given break. So I will try to leave my son with them and hide to find a nice place to read and relax. . I think this will give me some energy and hopes to finish this term. In addition, I am going bake to my country in December, I think that going to help me to refresh my life.

2008-11-10T14:21:00.001-08:00

Since I was a child in every time I travel by plane, I try to go and take a look into the pilot cabin. I remember once we were traveling me and my family to London, and my father ask permeation for me to get into the cabin, it was my first time get in to it. I was so happy and the pilot start asking me what I want to be when I grow up. I really wanted to be a pilot. But after I graduate from high school I faced a big problem that there is no school to learning aviation to girls in Saudi Arabia and it was not easy to send a girl in my age to study out of the country alone. So I choose to study Human recourses which is I also like. And know after I married and had my lovely baby, I don’t feel sorry to not make my dream true because if I were a pilot by now I would not be able to spent much time whit my family. However, I still have some feeling in every time that I watch a pilot wearing his navy suite and cap.

Booo.. Halloween

2008-11-02T19:09:00.000-08:00

The Halloween this year was really exciting to me. We went to barn house in Marian, my husband, our friends, and me. It was my first time going to some place like this. When we arrived there, the place was very dark and quite. First of all, one with a scary mask open our car’s door, we shocked and start screaming. After that we went to the tickets box, while we are witting in the line, two men with huge bodies wearing scary customs try to scary us. I closed my eyes and try to hide by my husband, one of the men come directly to me and start to touch my hair, that frightening me out. Many of them surrounded my and my friends trying to scary us. I was really scary and trying to force my husband to go back home, but we did not. In minuets we were inside the barn, first thing I did, I closed my eyes and caught my husband hand, and I walk the entire barn closing eyes. Only hearing the scary sounds that frightening me out and made me screaming. I had a really bad night in that day, I could not sleep well and I had nightmares. Lastly, it was kind of fun because I spend my time with my wonderful friends.

The Marriage in Saudi Arabia

2008-10-26T20:49:00.000-07:00

In Saudi Arabia people get married in different ways. I met my husband randomly and we get married, now after two years I can say that it is a successful marriage. However, in some area of Saudi Arabia the families do not accept any one propose to their girls unless he is from the same family. In other area the groom not allowed to see his bride before the wedding day. But in my city the man can see the girl before the engagement, if they do like ache other or not. There is now some families accept the relationship before marriage, and some families not. This is all deepens in the culture and tradition of the area. Because Saudi Arabia is a big country and every area has different tradition, what it is accepted in some area may is not in other. Now in Saudi Arabia the marriage’s rules more easily than before. Lastly, the marriage is important relationship between husband and wife, so I think the marriage should be equivalent from all sides.

Dreams: making them work for us

2008-10-02T07:51:00.000-07:00

Summary of Dreams: Making them work for us

The article is about dreams and how we could remember them and change them, As a story begins, it is about Joseph, whose nightmare affects his energy in the morning; Milton Kramer is a dream researcher and he believes that the dreams are very important because they are messages from our mind. He found that the dreams affect people after waking. He suggested six ways to change our bad dreams to happy ones. First, we have to remember the dream and write it in a diary, and we have to tell ourselves that we want to remember the dream. Then there is different things like we have to stay in the bed for a while and recognize the important things. Also Dr. Cartwright said that we have to learn how to change our dream. She has several steps to do that. After that Joseph could change his nightmare to having better dreams. If the people start to use these methods to make their dreams much better, that means we all will have benefit.

Lucid Dreaming

2008-09-25T08:27:00.000-07:00

Summary of Lucid Dreaming

Author: Pamela Hartmann

In “Lucid Dreaming” by Pamela Hartman, she shows the history of lucid dreaming and how to do it. In Lucid Dreaming the person becomes more in control of his dream. A long time age Aristotle commented about the Lucid Dream, and also lucid dreams are related with some religions. Olever fox called them “dreams of knowledge”. There are several books that talk about lucid dreaming. Patricia Garfield wrote about it in her book. Stephen LaBerge has a method called MILD technique; if anyone starts doing or practicing using this method he will be able to control his dream and have it whenever he wants. According to the author you just have to pay attention to your dreams. If anyone wants to practice lucid dreams he has to start keeping a notebook behind his bed and start writing the dreams every morning and he will see how life will change.

Color associations

2008-09-15T22:25:00.000-07:00

Everything in this world has a color, and everyone in this world can see the same colors but in different meaning, it is all depends on cultures. Each culture has color associations, but there are some colors that have the same meaning in every culture. In my country, Saudi Arabia, pink color is a feminine and hopeful color, green is a life and natural color, and black has different meaning from death, formal, and happiness.

The first one is “pink color”, Pink is the color of love, sweetness, roses, and females. In some cultures such as the US, Arab countries and Saudi Arabia, pink is a feminine color. It is usually used by little and teen girls. In other cultures like Japan pink is not necessarily for females, but it could be used by anyone. However, in Saudi Arabia even in the advertisements they only use this color if the market for this product is girls. It is not common in Saudi Arabia for men to wear or use pink things, pink for men goes in and out of style, because pink is only for girls. In addition, a pink ribbon has been the symbol for Breast Cancer Awareness since the early nineties; pink is representing hope, happiness, romance and everything nice. Moreover; the Pink Panther is a famous cartoon character, and he has a big popularity over the years; Pink Panther is an example of how distinctive color can make a difference. In my culture it is very rude to wear pink on sad occasions. Furthermore, the older women do not prefer to wear pink; they think pink is just for little girls. For example, my mother wore pink in my wedding ceremony, but she did not feel comfortable with it because she believes pink is just for girls; however, she looked awesome in it. In the end there are synonyms for pink such as, blush, fuchsia, and rose.

The second “green color”, almost in every culture green provides a feeling of life, nature, growth, renewal, environment, and health; furthermore, green in traffic lights means you are allowed to go or you have permission to start driving. In my country green is the central color, the flag of Saudi Arabia is green and also the logo is green. Green also has close associations with Islam because green shows peace. In Saudi Arabia most hospital paint walls green because it makes the patients feel better and makes them relax. Moreover, around the entire world, every city tries to implant green grass on the empty places or around the houses, to make it look gorgeous and more acceptable. For example, when I flew back from Saudi Arabia to the USA, when I saw the green land, I felt more comfortable rather than feeling the fear of flight. So when we compare this color between different cultures, we find out that it is the color of life.

The third “black color”, black is the color’s king, because it could be worn in two different ways. First, in sad style, today almost all countries associate black color with death and mourning. People wear black on sad occasions, because black is supporting the meaning of sadness, unhappiness, seriousness, death and darkness; it usually has a negative feeling. For example, black is not colorful; this is why the people in my country wear black if someone passed away. Second black can be reformed as a formal dress color. People wear black in formal parties for class, and elegance; it also makes a body in a good shape. Furthermore, black could mean making money; in the US Black Friday is the Friday after Thanksgiving Day, the biggest day of shopping in the United States. When everyone is shopping it means you make a lot of money; therefore Americans call it “Black Friday”, and this is one more example where black can stand for happiness.

In conclusion, color association is different in each culture, and every color has different meanings. The pink color in Saudi Arabia is just for little girls, green color is central color for Saudi Arabia because the flag is green and the green is peace, and black color has different associations in Saudi Arabia. The people see the color’s meaning as what they feel or what they learn in their culture.

Easy Mony

2008-09-07T21:39:00.000-07:00

There are a thousand café shops in Jeddah and they are successful. One of my friends is studying business and he is willing to start a small business. I suggested to him that he open a Café shop in Carbondale. I think it’s a good idea because there are a lot of students studying in SIU, there are not too many café shops and it will not cost a lot of money.

First, it’s a good idea to open a café shop in Carbondale, because Carbondale is a college town and there are a lot of students, and the students like to hang out with their friends on the weekends or studying in public places on the weekdays. He has to make a good atmosphere for them to stay in it as long as they can. So he has to have a high speed wireless internet access; therefore, the students can study, look at the internet, and check Emails with soft music. The work time could be open 7:00 am before classes so the students can get their breakfast, and close at 10:00 pm.

Second, it’s a smart step to start a business in Carbondale like a café shop, since there are not too many café shops in the town. So I believe the possibility of profit is high, because there is almost no competition and the town keeps growing day after day. Furthermore, I think the location is the most important thing; it has to be close to the campus. Moreover the shop design has to be modern and simple.

Third, it will not cost him a lot of money to make a big kitchen or buy expensive machines, because all that he needs is a good coffee maker and a small refrigerator in a small bar. However the café shop will serve just different kinds of virgin drinks and small meals like a salad, cookies, cake, muffins, fruits, and sandwiches. Therefore the price shouldn’t be high or expensive for the students. If he does this he will not need more than 3 or 4 employees. That will make him save more money.

Finally, opening a business in Carbondale is a good way to make money. A Café shop is good business here because almost all the customers are students, there is almost no café shop in Carbondale, and still you can save your money plus have a profit; I like this idea because I think it’s easy to save and have money.

Carbondale's Graffiti

2008-08-25T18:50:00.000-07:00