QUOTES ABOUT CULTURE AND BELONGING

Uyghurs in Exile

When people hear our story, they let us tell our story in other forum. We are few in exile but do our best to raise awareness in West. I told my story in a newspaper and people in the city know more now about Uyghurs. In Germany Uyghurs say Sherqi Türkistan. In America Uyghurs are not so political. They say Xinjiang. In German lesson we had to practice a grammar form. And I wrote, 'If I was a bird, I flew to my homeland and kissed the ground.'

Being Arab in the United States.

I am working as a cab driver and the first question they ask me is, Where are you from? Ehm ninety percent I tell them I am from Iraq. Sometime I make joke and say I am from China because I don't like everytime they ask where you are from because I've been asked this. Then, I tell them I am from Iraq. Then they ask are you Kurdish and I tell them I am Arab, Shiite. I am an Arab, I am an Egyptian, I am a Muslim, I'm an African, I'm an American. I am so many things, there are so many aspects of the Egyptian or at least to my upbringing, so that's not just one or two labels. I think that people are so ignorant that they only think I am Mexican or Italian. It never comes to their head that I am an Arab, especially not because I don't cover. I am very open with my clothing and I wear make-up and I talk to guys. So in their head they are thinking, oh she can't be Arab because she is not covered. I think I understand there are two ways of defining yourself as an Arab. If you define it culturally, there is no problem. If you want to define it more politically right now, saying I am Arab is meaningless because the Arab countries are so divided. Especially after I moved here I tended to notice more what it means to be an Arab. Like but prior to September 11 I just took it for granted and now that it happened I feel that I am more on guard. And I am more like I am able and ready to educate people more because I am tired of being slammed, and that's where I say that we come together as a community as different parts. It's like now I associate myself with yes Arabs all together because it will affect me regardless whether I am Lebanese or not. Every time we get together at a gathering, a birthday or a wedding, it reminds you to be Arab and Lebanese. The less gatherings we have, the more we pull away from our culture. I say Arab. I haven't met anybody who knows what Druze is. My parents when they are asked for their religion they say Islam. Sometimes it feels like when I make the statement, I am Arab American, it's stronger than saying Arab. Even back home when we are talking and they would ask this question, How much do you consider yourself an Arab Palestinian versus an Arab American? And I say well, I can't deny the fact being an American. It is a big part of me, you know? I have been here almost ten years, so my adult life is here. Yes, I do consider myself an Arab American. I don't think anybody can tell that I am Arab, especially with my white skin. I don't have an accent, so I could be American, you know? We are just normal people, that's it. And we had a couple of speakers, one was a Junior High kid who talked about being an Arab and being a Muslim and just a normal kid. That's what we want people to think of us. And one thing actually. I always like people to think of me as whether I am from India or Egypt or whatever is that before you judge me by the way I look, ehm see if I am up to standards, see if I believe in the same things you believe in, and we do not have to agree on everything, but like in a workforce, in school, respect each others cultures. The word Arab to an American is even more vague than Muslim. I know I was talking to this one guy, and he says he's talking about Afghanistan, and I say, have you ever been? He says, no. I say, what are ethnicities there? He says Arabs and Arabs and Arabs. I say, what? There are no Arabs. Therefore, sometimes saying Arab is very vague.