Dogs, Here and There

Dogs, Here and There

If you visit Saudi Arabia, you would not see anywhere as many dogs as in the United States. It is very rare for any Saudi to have a dog, unlike Americans that most of them like to get one. Most of people who own dogs in Saudi Arabia are using them to protect their territories or their farms. In contrast, many Americans like dogs because they think they are best friends.

Most Saudis don’t have dogs, and don’t like to have one because of religious thing. Islam religion allows Muslims to have a dog just for protecting from thieves or predators. Islam divided dirt into three kinds، and the spit of the dogs has the worst kind of dirt. There is a special method in Islam to get rid of this dirt, and it is not just a regular cleaning. Also, Our prophet Mohammad peace be upon him said "The angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog or a portrait”. Therefore, we have to do what our prophet commanded us to do.

Some people are less religious than the others, but they still don’t like dogs. Some of them are just scared from dogs, and some are taking the traditions from their fathers. For example, our friend “Anas” is scared from dogs, and when a dog comes to him, he suddenly run away from the dog. The reason for people to be afraid from dogs is that people In Saudi Arabia are not used to have dogs.

Halloween Day

 Musaed Aljameel

 11/4/2013

Halloween Day

            At my first experience in Halloween, my friends and I went to a small event in a specific building with other international students. Before that, I was excited to wear my costume because I chose it two months before the Halloween. When I just came to that event, there was a photographer who asked me if he could take a picture of my costume. All students and instructors in that event were very surprised by my costume. Basically, my costume was imitating the Jack Sparrow character.

            After that event we went downtown to watch people celebrating that day, and to watch creative costumes. In fact, I was so passionate to see people with costumes because we don’t have Halloween in Saudi Arabia, so this was my first time to celebrate the Halloween. The best costume I saw in downtown was iron man. I felt it is real iron man because it looked exactly like the real hero in the movie. Around seven of my friends and I were thinking to wear unified costume, so that would look so attractive. However, that was too late because we had to decide much earlier than that, so that we can prepare carefully. Each one of us ends up wearing different costume.

            Halloween is one of the American holidays that Saudis don’t celebrate in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, this Halloween was the first Halloween I have celebrated. I like that day because people go crazy, and the downtown was so crowded. Unfortunately, I wish if I could have time to carve a pumpkin.

American and Saudi Police

American and Saudi Police

Any person living in big city should keep emergency contact numbers in mind, and write them down just in case of any danger. In America, it is no need to save any number except two numbers, “911”, and “311”. “911” is just for emergency situations such as, robbing, fighting, kidnaping, and life-threatening situations. In contrast, In Saudi Arabia people have to know every number for police, ambulance, civil defense, and so on. Therefore, I like what the American government used to unify all emergency contact into one number.

 

Also, the most important thing about all the emergencies is not the contact numbers, but it is how they respond to people. For instance, I noticed that here in America the police respond to any report so much faster than what the Saudi police do. That is because the police cars are everywhere inside any city in the United States. On the other hand, most police cars in Saudi Arabia stay near police offices. The reason for this is that Saudi Arabia has many fewer emergencies than the United States.

Emergency numbers in every country in the world have to be easy for citizens. The United States did that and made two easy numbers that everyone can keep in mind. Also, Saudi Arabia made easy numbers, but there are too many numbers to keep in mind so that is the problem. In addition, because of fewer emergency situations in Saudi Arabia, police tend to be less active. In the end, I really appreciate American police for their help toward citizens. I hope from the Saudi government to unify all emergency number into one number.

Green Spaces

Green Spaces

The green planet “the earth”, I heard this a lot when I was a kid. This phrase was nothing to me during my life in Saudi Arabia. However, most Arabian countries are located in desert areas. I was saying that why do people call this planet as a green? The answer of my question was easy because since I studied geography subject, I have known that most people in the world live in green areas except us.

I came here to the United State, and I was impressed, because it is my first time to go to a country has green lands. I can see trees and grass everywhere, finally. In contrast, in Saudi Arabia I used to see grass only at parks and beaches. Therefore, green spaces could be a positive point to me towards living in the United States. Also, the more trees around a city, the weather become nice and less hot. In Saudi Arabia, there is no grass outside cities, so the dust can rise easily to the air. Then, when the wind comes toward a city, the atmosphere would be full of dusts. In addition, since I came to America, I have never seen dust in the air, and that is because all places around Austin has plants, and that keep the sand on the ground.

I like green spaces, and when I see them, I became optimistic. Saudi Arabia is located on the other half of the globe. The rainfall in Saudi Arabia and in Arabian countries is much less than, so that is the reason for not having green spaces.

Relationship Between Children and Parents

Relationship Between Children and Parents

Because of the big distance between Saudi Arabia and the United States, there are many differences between these two cultures. How the children deal with their parents is not similar in these two countries. What really caught my attention are the relationships among parents and their children in the United States.

Parents in the United States let their sons and daughters to go out of the house and be independent at a specific age, and these children may not see there parents again, and parents will end up be alone. As a human nature, any father or mother feel sad when they are losing one of their children, so why do this happen while no one want to lose their children? On the other hand, what happen in Saudi Arabia is that children don’t go out of their parents house until they get married. However, they will visit their father and mother. Usually, one of the sons stays in the house after he get married, so he can take care of parents.

Both of the American and Saudi cultures have their own opinion towards vision of life. I found what happen in America is not right, but other may found it right because they see that the independence is more important than anything else. People in Saudi Arabia don't let their parents to go to any home for aged, so Saudis take care of their parents because parents took care of them when they were children.

Roots and Sky

Musaed Aljameel

9/17/2013

Final Draft

Roots and Sky

      Aljameel is my family name that means handsome. However, it belongs to one of my great-   grandfathers. That man lived in a small village that is located in Albaha region in the south of Saudi Arabia. Jameel is the actual name because “Al” is like “the” in English. Basically, most Arabic people use “the” article before every last name. Aljameel is just one of many families that belongs to a big well-known tribe in Saudi Arabia that is called “Zahran”. Therefore, people that have Alzahrani as a last name are originally from the Albaha region.

      Saudi Arabia has several deserts, and when I see a desert, I remember when I was with my family on a journey. My family and I love to spend our time on journeys in deserts. After we stop at a good place to stay, my father and I start to explore the area and bring some sticks to light a fire while my mother is preparing our lunch to cook on that fire. I think deserts are a good place to relax the brain from distractions that urban areas have. I love motorcycling in the deserts especially in the rain. 

      I like playing piano when I have free time. It is my favorite instrument. It makes me feel good if I am not in a good mood. In addition, even though that I am not a professional player, I can create my own tune, and I am very interested in that. Sometimes I create silly tunes, and sometimes I can play some songs by ear, but that is just the beginning because I have been playing piano just for one year.

      I am a loyal person, so I am like a dog in loyalty. I feel I have to be honest to people I’ve known and even to strangers. I get angry and not relaxed when I do something wrong toward someone. I love to be believed by others. Moreover, I grew up with this behavior, and my parents are like me, too. For instance, when someone needs to keep something with me, I will never refuse his request if I can, and I will keep that thing in a safe place. You can ask my friends about me and you will see.

      My Chemistry book that I have studied in high school inspires me. Therefore, I will be studying Chemical engineering as a major in university. That book was very interesting to study, and I loved it, so I am interested in Chemistry because it was my favorite class when I was in high school. Also, my teacher is very good at chemistry, and he explains lessons easily, so that played a role for majoring a chemical engineering. After I study this major, I will be working at a chemical company in Saudi Arabia.

      “To be or not to be” is an important quote I like because it gives me energy to do more and work hard, and enhances my feeling about being unique. When I work on something, I should be confident and do it as completely as possible. To be someone who thinks and acts differently from the community is much better than follows what others do because that is what geniuses do. This quote is so simple, but it is a guide to motivate people. Everyone should think how to be unique and how to be a person that people follow. Therefore, this quote is something paramount that could be affecting my future life.