This subject has always puzzled me about Arabs here in Canada. Maybe I notice this more because I am one. Then I realized that I myself is guilty of such actions. I don’t want to act like an Arab or even want to be one. Here I admit it. I finally admitted it. The whole concept and word rebellious is due to my dislike of being one! However, I am not 100% ashamed of being one, I like the culture, but I don’t like the mentality. I don’t like how Arabs use and abuse the word “Arabic” for their advantage and to ridicule others with that word. I don’t like how parents shield their children to the point where my generation or even younger is trying to escape it so badly and resort to living a double life. Life has changed, but they didn’t. Arabs don’t change their mentality easily. Yet, we live here in North America and things did not change. It gotten worse. The generation X is completely rebelling and not wanting to be a part of their family’s generation. Our lifetime has easy immigration to the 1st world, technology, the internet, and globolization, and that has changed everything. Yet, how can you change some of the most stubborn and reserved cultural groups that move here?
So these thoughts have been battling me for years. Since I moved to North America when I was 11 years old. I was stuck between two worlds. The Arab world with its people who did not accept us, due to political and racist reasons, and people here who completely think we are from Mars or something because we look different. So what do you do? Seriously.
So going back to being an “Arab”. It is supposed to be a sacred lovely thing to be. Being an Arab. Being part of an marvelous and vivid history and religion. However, your culture is not accepting you because you are not so conservative and act like an “Arab”.. I mean who came up with that non-sense anyways. Act like an “Arab”. Is the word Arab a noun or verb? Seriously.
I can’t fathom or accept the idea of being an Arab anymore. I feel that my blood is inevitably drenched with it that I don’t know how to get rid of it. It’s like I wish I had new blood. It’s sick I know. I am just sick of who I am. I can’t change it. I can’t get rid of it. It’s like a permanent mark that I cannot remove.
Why was I brought up in such a closed minded environment and yet the world around me is different. I see so many variations. So many differences. Different Arab countries treat each other differently. But there are so many things in common.
This is what I despise:
- All Arabs seem to form a community and they all know each other to a point that they know what you eat and what you drink every day! (I’m not joking about this!)
- Mothers can’t stop bragging about their kids although half the crap they say is untrue. I know, I went to school with them.
- Mothers brag about the intelligence of their children and how they are straight A honor students. Then graduating from University with an honors and top of their class degree and getting a real permanent amazing job at a well respected company. Then the best one, which I discovered lately is comparison of salaries. (Those with the same degree as me. ) It’s funny, I been working for 5 years and I get the same salary as someone who has been working for barely a year. Really funny.
- Mothers brag about marriage proposals. How young and gorgeous their daughter are. For some weird reason everyone is still 20 years old! Daily things I hear.. “Oh this girl had 3 or 4 guys coming to see her for possible proposals, one is a doctor, and another an Engineer, etc. They are so lucky. Mona why not you?” I want to shoot my self every time I hear that.
- Arabs brag about their children to a point that they are angels although they are corrupt drunks, thiefs, or drug addicts. “My son never goes out at night so late, always behaved and prays 5 times a day, never misses a prayer.” They do go out late, but their excuse is staying over their friend’s house. In reality, they are out in clubs Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. Yes I did mention drugs. I am not joking about that. I seen it and I seen them smoking it at school. And for theft, yes they are many reported incidents of bank robberies in the past caused by Arab gangs.
- Arabs who walk in gangs and think they are bad-ass by speaking English in a bad accent with a mix of Arabic to insult non-Arabs walking down the streets. I feel like I want to take a bat and smack it on their heads every time I hear that.
- At weddings, all Arabs do is stare at each other and see who is dressed in more revealing clothes. The mohajabah (Veiled) or non-mohajabah. Yes the mohajabah wins this one, cause wearing a tight bare dress with a stupid skin tight shirt under is no longer covered.
- Arabs who speak loud. God they speak loud and are so embarrassing. Especially parents cause they don’t know how to lie or keep a secret. They don’t care if they embarrass you. You are still their little child. Forever and ever. Even if you have kids and their kids have kids. You are still their little child and many stories to tell! And they will tell it to complete strangers. Arabs don’t think other Arabs are strangers. Arabs are all the same to them. They speak Arabic. That’s it! They are are brothers and sisters due to their common Arabic heritage.
- Arabs are too emotional and dramatic. They sit in groups and tell old stories of how when they were 10 and they went to the butcher shop and saw a lamb’s head get cut off and brought it home for dinner. To them it was drama and a great story to tell!
- To Arabs, if a person is non-Arab, they treat them like the anti-christ. No hello, no goodbye, complete afraid of non-Arabs. Except Italians. Oh how much Arab guys want to be Italians. With the extra gel and the heavy cologne and the dark clothes. They love being an Arab and they talk shit about others, but they want to be Italians like the characters in the movie The Godfather.
- They would tell non-Arabs how Arabic they are and how much they love their culture and they try to convert people and want to show them how awesome it is to be an Arab. However, in reality, when they are around Arabs, they swear up and down and don’t even mention what country they are really from. Hence, the Palestinian-Jordanian thing. I could never tell if a person is really from Jordan or actually is of Palestinian origin. They just don’t want to admit it.
- I can’t stand Arab women who just go over to each other homes and have to welcome their guest with the most extravagant cooking and gold plated dishes and brag from where they got it from and which cooking show they saw the recipe at and how they perfected it with a few tricks and secret additions. Who cares! You bought the damn food from the Arabic variety store. And the sweets your husband bought it from there too. So give it a rest!
- How their grandchildren are white with light eyes (they say blue mostly) cause their sons married a gorgeous white Arabic girl with blue eyes. They love being an Arab but hate looking like one. Hypocrites.
Thirteen main points are enough. Yes, lucky thirteen. So I hate being an Arab just for those reasons. Even more. The worst thing was today. If I am busy or watching TV, my mom would sit next to me and starts criticizing me.
This is today’s conversation.
Mother: What are you watching and why?
Me: TV, can’t you tell.
Mother: Why you watching it, go clean or do something useful that requires body movement. You are so lazy. And stop drinking cola, juices or anything that is not water. All that stuff has gas, sugar, and caffeine. It will ruin your bones.
Me: my bones?
Mother: Yes, they had it on TV today. There is a bone disease cause of all this junk you drink where you will not be able to walk anymore. Your bones become brittle and weak.
Me: Mother, I don’t have a disease, I am not sick, I work out all the time, and I am not 50!
Mother (angry): You look 50! Anyways, age does not matter, it happens at any time. Just wait and see. Also diabetes. It’s all in your family.
Me: My family? You mean you?
Mother: No your father’s side. You inherited everything from him.
Me (sarcastically): ok, and your family is so perfect, I forgot.
Mother: Why you talk to me like this. I’m your mother. You act like you hate me. You never listen to me. Like I am a stranger to you. I will die early cause of you. If I die tomorrow it is all cause of you.
Me (angry) : Ok mom. Thank you. (I leave the room and go to my room and try to convince my self that I have short term memory).
Great life eh? That’s my 14th point. To Arabs, everything that they hear from TV is true. A doctor on some stupid Arabic show said so. It must be true. And they continuously criticize their kids for not following doctor’s advice! What doctor? Some stupid idiot who sucks at being a real doctor, but can’t do anything about it, so he goes on TV and brags about shit that he sucks at!
God! At this rate I will get seriously sick and die from a heart attack or stroke from the constant nagging and criticism!
