As I search for a blog topic to write about each week, my heart never fails to ache as I read endless articles on the people being effected by the Syrian conflicts. Two BBC news articles struck my attention this week; both having a common theme of Syrians being unable to have their old lives […]
Read more "Lives Lost, and Lost Lives"The city of Jerusalem is significant in a number of ways to many Jews, Christians, and Muslims. It is holy for the three monotheistic religions because of the religious significant events that took place there. Although Jerusalem is unique, it’s important to why it’s significant to different types of religion. Significance of Jerusalem to Jews […]
Read more "Jerusalem’s Significance"Recently, there have been constant reports about frequent hostage crises in the Middle East. These kidnappings have increased each year and spread to places where footholds of (typically) terrorist groups reside. It is not unheard of for hostages to be sold or traded to other groups in return for other individuals, goods, or territory. The […]
Read more "Don’t Take Them!"This past week, I was graced with the presence of an Omani student here at Ohio University. With this experience I learned that his family consisted of TEN children, 5 male and 5 female with ages ranging from 7 to 24 years old. I also learned that most of his siblings lived at home, even […]
Read more "We Are Family!"Here in America there are a few foods that are so integrated into the American culture that they have become some of the most popular foods. Some of these foods can include: a cheeseburger, hot dog, nachos, pizza and chocolate chip cookies. After thinking about all of the foods that I love, and especially with […]
Read more "Mouth Watering Middle Eastern Food"One of my favorite things to do is try new food. When I was in Washington D.C. a few weeks ago, I decided to go to a Lebanese restaurant for lunch. I’ve never been to a traditional Lebanese restaurant before, so this was a completely new experience. I was pleasantly surprised by the delicious taste […]
Read more "Middle Eastern Foods"The advertisement business is a competitive market that strives for consumers’ attention. Many companies fail to acquire the interest of their buyers through ads, but there are always those companies that win peoples attention through a memorable commercial, usually from humor or something cute like a puppy. The “Never Say No To Panda” campaign has […]
Read more "Never Say No To Panda"Yum! Foods, the corporation that operates fast food giants such as Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and KFC does not currently have a KFC in Gaza. However, in light of the current news, it seems as though they should. One delivery company is taking advantage of demand of KFC and smuggling it to the Gaza people. […]
Read more "Colonel Sanders Smuggles into Gaza"A few weeks ago, I wrote a post about some of the major environmental concerns within the Middle East and how these issues are often overlooked because of the political unrest of the region. I’ve since been interested as to what actions are being taken by people in the Middle East to preserve their land. While […]
Read more "Environmental Spotlight: Friends of the Earth Middle East"In America, health care and health policies are becoming more and more of a debated issue. What is the right way to handle the issue? What stance should be taken? Well, for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) regions, they are gearing up for the same topic. I was intrigued on what was being […]
Read more "Public Health – What’s Everyone Talking About?"Today, November 4th, 2014, is a big day for the democratic process in the United States. Today, the people of the United States will elect who they see fit to fill 33 seats in the Senate and all of the seats in the House of Representatives. Eligible citizens make their way to the designated polls […]
Read more "Election Controversies in the Middle East"The socialization of young women in our culture occurs through many institutions and by means of numerous materialistic items. The familial institution is crucial to how a young woman perceives herself and the world, but her peer group, school, and toys all play a role into her view of what is right and wrong, and […]
Read more "Like a Girl"When many Americans think about people in the Middle East, they create stereotypes based on what they think they know. Believe it or not, people in the Middle East do the same with Americans. We all have our own stereotypes about each other, so I’m going to create a list from both points of view […]
Read more "Perception vs. Reality: breaking stereotypes throughout the world"I am a pet lover. I have had dogs, cats, hamsters, and fish in my life, and have loved them all. I eagerly await the days that I have the opportunity to raise a husky or a German shepherd, my girlfriend longs for an English bulldog named Winston, and cats will always have a place […]
Read more "Pets or Pests?"Through traveling to New York City to the Rockefeller Center and to San Francisco to see the Golden Gate Bridge I have developed a particular interest in architecture. Growing up in a small, country town I wasn’t exposed to any big cities until towards the end of my high school years. After looking at different […]
Read more "Architecture in the Middle East"ISIS. This is a name we have all come to know while researching and learning about the Middle East. ISIS stands for Islamic State in Iraq and Syria but has become more recently known as ISIL, which stands for Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant. They are an extremist group that started as an […]
Read more "The Slave Market"It always fascinates me when I look down from an airplanes window and see the Earth from a different point of view. From this perspective, one can see the ground in a different way, and perceive the land they stand on as patchy, colorful squares divided by trees, bodies of water, roads, homes, etc. The […]
Read more "Stone Rings Decorate The Middle East"“The President of the Republic is the head of the state and the symbol of the nation’s unity. He shall safeguard the constitution and Lebanon’s independence, unity, and territorial integrity.” -Article 49 of The Lebanese Constitution For the last five months the presidential seat in Lebanon has remained vacant. On October 29, 2014 the Lebanese […]
Read more "Lebanon: Divided Nation Remains United Without President"In ancient legend, it is believed that the evil eye was the biggest threat to someone who accepted praise for something beyond what they truly deserved. That person would become “so swollen with pride” that doom would come from the evil eye in the form of incurable illnesses. Society thought that “gods were punishing those […]
Read more "Evil Eyes All Around!"With the fights in the Middle East, it’s worth noting who has the biggest arms when it comes to military might over there. These rankings are based on statistical numbers and progress made over the past decades. #5: Iran- With a 6.3 billion dollar defense budget and over 500,000 active front line soldiers, Iran has developed […]
Read more "Top 5 military powers in the Middle East"
Across Cultures 