Global Muse

"And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments to palaces to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of the world, our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand." - President-Elect Barack Obama I left the high school around 7:45 this morning to run an errand at the elementary school. It was 10:45 pm eastern time in the States. On my way back to the high school, I passed a group of middle-school students. "We got Florida!" a boy yelled while pumping his fist into the air. "And we got New York too!" replied his comrade, a little blond boy. I smiled to myself, but I did not yet know if it was because they clearly understood the electoral process, or because they were so enthused so early in the morning that Black is the new president . As I walked, I was lost in my own thoughts regarding an earlier event in the morning. I awoke at 4:45 and c...

"Dreams pass into the reality of action. From the actions stems the dream again; and this interdependence produces the highest form of living ." - Anais Nin I was chatting with YG online one morning when I first arrived (actually it was about two weeks ago, but it feels like much longer...). How is dubai U like? 7:15 PM me : i do...but it's a little too western...i'll probably only stay 3 years too much air conditioning YG : Word 7:16 PM me : but i like. it's like living in new york 120 years ago YG : Lol me : you know, while they were buildin[g] everything and people just kept coming and coming and there was probably always construction Dubai does remind me of a growing New York, and the reason people come reminds me of the former American Dream. I say former because the American Dream does not seem as likely as it once did. Coining the term first in 1931 (according to the Library of Congress), James Truslow Adams in his book...

"Let us not look back in anger or forward in fear, but around in awareness." James Thurber This morning, at 8:10 local time, our school held a moment of silence for the victims of 9/11. We are an American school, therefore, I suppose, it is appropriate. My students and I sat quietly during our moment of silence, and a few of us teared up, but once it was over we moved on with class and did not mention the event. The destruction of the Twin Towers occurred seven years ago. Yes, the more than 3,000 people who died represented over 90 nationalities. I wholeheartedly concur that the day was tragedy. I remember. I was there. I was learning how to be a journalist. I was confused by the news reports, and I also cried. Sometimes, I still do. September 11 is a day that was tragic. It is a day that should be remembered. But it is also day in which the United States and the West are more solipsistic than necessary. Every year in the United States on September 11, the medi...

“Sure, where there is a will, there is a way. Too bad there is construction going on on my way.” - Loejse (Dutch Fictional Character) My first week in Dubai I knew I would never be late for work. At least, not because I overslept. The first morning I awoke in my bed in Dubai, it was approximately four in the morning. I looked out from my bed straight into the distance where I could see the lights of the city. I did not have curtains yet. I have huge picture windows in my bedroom. One faces the south and the other, the west. To the south is the sand for about one quarter mile and behind it the city; directly to the west is another new building under construction, and beyond that, more new buildings under construction. By about 5:00, I decided to get out of bed. I knew there was no more sleep to come, so I might as well unpack. I put on some yoga clothes and began piddling around the house. I noticed a bus full of construction workers drive up. About ten minutes later I walked ba...

"Sarah is a zealot, but she’s a fun zealot. She has a beehive and sexy shoes, and the day she’s named she goes shopping with McCain in Ohio for a cheerleader outfit for her daughter." Maureen Dowd, The New York Times There is nothing more American than the 2008 presidential race. First off, let's look at the cast of characters: we have Mr. Obama, a black man whose mother is from Kansas and his father from Kenya. In addition to his uncanny life story, he has a gift for rhetoric. A great gift. His wife grew up on the south side of Chicago, where she attended Chicago's public schools, and then went on to graduate from Princeton, followed by Harvard Law School. After working in corporate law, Mrs. Obama dedicated her professional self to social programs. She is now the ideal mother and wife. Mr. Obama's running mate, Joe Biden, is an all-American lawyer-turned-Senator, who respectfully commutes to Washington D.C. from Delaware and is married to an educator, ...

I can only guess that being called a Turk when one is an Armenian is as heinous as being called Ethiopian, when one is Aretrean. Apparently being called a Turk when one is Lebanese despite how much Turkish blood one actually has, is as despicable as being called German if one is a Polish Jew. And seemingly deplorable to name a Palestinian, Israeli and a Honduran, Salvadoran a Serb, a Croat. My experience was in disrespect of another sort color, class and sexuality outdissed religion and nationality my "now" kids historical reality Accustomed and acquainted with the American way of being hated I was less than prepared - hadn't fathomed these babes would dare to thwart me into a time when "get your dawg paws off me" OR "you f@^*!%$ faggot" seems a minor offense to the deafening words from a child of Lebanon to another of Armenia - ...and vice versa... !Turk!

"One moment of patience may ward off great disaster. One moment of impatience may ruin a whole life. " - Chinese Proverb For the past week, my colleagues and I have referred only to two points in time as of any importance. Before Ramadan and After Ramadan. Ramadan is the month of the lunar calendar in which the Qu'ran was said to be revealed. For this reason, Muslims fast for the 29.5 days in order to practice patience and humility. Ramadan begins tomorrow at sunset here and began in the Americas this evening. We arrived here in Dubai the first week of August. There is much ado about everything when one is settling into a new country and here is no different. Thankfully, the school cuts through much of the red tape for us, otherwise I imagine it could be much worse. Because life changes here during Ramadan, our goal was to complete logistical tasks related to residency, transportation and communication before Ramadan. I just made it. I have my residency vis...