Before the Holocaust

What do I still have to lose in USA now, if I already lost the greatest men who I consider their integrity and fairness as divine cause for my protection in USA: President Barack Obama and my boss. But the biggest problem is that I did not just lose these men only, but I also lost their valuable heritage.

Before the election, I considered Trump as just a man who does represent anyone. Even his political party does not agree with him. So, even if he will be elected he would not be able to push his racist agenda. But Trump now is the US president elected by landslide. Also, he has overwhelming majority in the Congress. So, no one can stop him.

Dear God! What is your wisdom behind that? Is that your second flood? If so, where is Noah's ark?

Yes, I still have good friends, colleagues, and neighbors who I trust their integrity and fairness. But they do not have any power to protect themselves, not even me.

Yes, we still have a good constitution. But it is just a word and the sophist mind still can interpret it as they want. They interpreted God's word to justify wars and killing! They hijacked religions, and they hijack democracy now.

If Americans did not learn a lesson from Germans, Muslims should learn a lesson from the Jews' experience.

The Jew was sent to the Holocaust, just because he was a Jew. It did not make any difference if he was a good citizen or not. Whatever if he served Germany or did not. So do not tell me: "You are good Muslim".

"It is ok! It will be ok! You will be ok!" That is what Germans told the Jews while they were riding the trains to the Holocaust.

Although all evidences referred to the Holocaust were coming, the German Jews trusted in God and their society. They did not give up or lose hope for the future. They were too optimistic. So they waited until they entered the Holocaust. But it is not wisdom to stay in some place where you are suspicious, target, and blamed for every problem. God told us "Do not throw yourselves into destruction" Quran 2:195

So we have 2 choices: to join the "Anti-Trump" movement that started already, or to leave now before the Holocaust will open its doors; because if the doors closed on us no one will listen to our appeal!

When Politics Drive Religion

Even though the cold war was an ideological war, the West decided to take it to religion rather than ideology. So, the political currents that use the religion as a political approach were escalated, during the Cold War, to fight against communism, as if the communist is a synonym for atheism, and as if the West was against the communism only for a religious reason.

The examples of these political currents are the Republican Party in the United States, the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom, and the Islamist groups in the Middle East. The coalition between these currents was very clear in The Soviet–Afghan War, during the eighties of the last century, when the Reagan administration trained the Islamist groups there, and supplied them with weapons.

So, when the Soviet Union fell the ideological war was ended, to start the religious war. These political currents become savages. In America, the Republican Party sponsored the marriage between politics, religion, business, and media. This marriage gave birth to the corruption that we see every day, for example when arms factories paid a lot of money to Republican senators to oppose gun control bill. This corruption explains why the Republican Party stands against social and economic Justice, so it opposes Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, the health insurance (Obama Care), same sex marriage, gun control, and raising the minimum wage for ordinary workers. On the other hand, it defends only the big business men, and justifies wars by using the media that wears the mask of piety, faith and morals, such as Rupert Murdoch's media “Fox Network”.

In the Middle East, because of the absence of democracy, the Islamist groups could not impose their agenda in democratic means, like the Republican Party. So some of them took up arms and turned to terrorism and political assassinations.

The structural similarities between these currents do not appear only in the exploitation of religion to justify their political agenda. They clearly appear also when both justify their existence and extremism by the other's extremism. For example, Bush justified his extremism by Al-Qaeda's extremism, ISIS justifies their extremism by occupying Iraq, and Trump justifies his extremism by ISIS's extremism.

Despite these structural similarities, their ideological differences and the end of their common goal (fighting the Soviet Union) led to a clash between the Conservative Western currents and the Islamist groups.

But it seems that these currents started to burn themselves in recent years. For example, 80 years of political arrests did not perish the Muslim Brotherhood. But one year of fail in ruling Egypt perished them. Similarly, nominate a decadent businessman is a big fall that led to the defection of the Republican Party, division its leaders, and alienated a large number of its supporters.

Trump’s supporters

Not all Trump’s supporters are racists. Some of them are just very committed to the Republicans conservative values, so, they will vote for the party's nominee, even though if he does not present these values. They would see devil as a saint if he will get the republican nomination, and would see Jesus as devil if he will get the democratic nomination. 

I do not agree with these supporters; because I see Trump as a pig, whatever he is republican or democratic. But I respect these supporters, and I pity them, because they feel as if their party disappointed them by nominating such this man. Of course, it is very bitter for them to see that the conservative nominee is not conservative. 

But some of his supporters are very racists, and his hate speeches attracted them. Who you are is who you attract. And Trump attracts KKK. These supporters hate everything but WASP. For them, the word "great" means "white", so, to make America white again is how to make America great again. I cannot understand this statement in a different way; because America is still great. I am very worried about these supporters of Trump. I am not worried about this election anymore. Even republicans now know Trump will not be able to win. But I am still worried about what is after this election. 

One month before the election, 3 men who are members of Right-Wing ‘Crusaders’ Militia Group were arrested because they plotted domestic terror attack on Muslim immigrants in southwest Kansas. I wish this domestic terrorism is not just their first response, when they knew that their Trojan horse will not be able to jump in the White House.

http://kmuw.org/post/3-men-southwest-kansas-charged-domestic-terrorism-plot-targeting-somalis

Removing the religious mask of the Republican party

1- Yes, Abortion and homosexuality are sins in all Abrahamic religions. I disagree with my liberal Christian friends when interpret the biblical verses about homosexuality. But sin does not mean illegal. Sin is something God will punish me if I do, but illegal is something the government will punish me if I do. Sin is something I believe it is wrong and I should not do it, whatever it is legal or not. Your religion asks you to avoid the sin, not to forbid it. What makes a difference between a believer and sinner if the sin is illegal and unavailable? Do you think God should punish the people who desire the sin but cannot commit, just because it is illegal or unavailable? Should government punish the sinners or God? God allowed the sins in our life to challenge us: how can we live by it but not commit it. Abortion and homosexuality were legal in Jesus' time, and he never said they should be illegal. Rather, he distinguished between the state and the church when he said: “give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” (Matthew 22:21) That is why you can be believer person and secular professional.

2- God is fair. He will not punish you for others’ sin. He protected the prophet Lot and his daughters. He did not destroy all Sodom’s people, just because some of them were sinning. The angels said after they destroyed Sodom: “So we brought out whoever was in the cities of the believers. And we did not find within them other than a single house of those surrendered to God.” (Quran 51:35-36)

3- Abortion and homosexuality are not topics in this election. Even the candidates did not discuss them in their debates. The republicans use them just to attract the conservative voters, but they would not change legislation of abortion or homosexuality, if they will win. Abortion is legal in the USA since 1973 during the republican administration of Richard Nixon. and the republican conservative presidents Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, and George W. Bush stayed 20 years in the white house without changing the abortion law.

4- Legalization of abortion or homosexuality is not the president’s job. It is the Supreme Court justices’ job, and I believe that the justices do not decide based on their political views rather than on the constitution.

Tennis Class

When my daughter joined the tennis team in her school her trainer asked her about her name.
- “Aitene.” My daughter answered.
The trainer opened her mouth and eyes widely, and yelled:
- “ISIS?!!!”
That was in front the whole team. Of course, all of them fell in continuous laugh. My daughter smiled and said:
- “No. Aitene. (Ai) like the letter I, and (tene) like number ten”
I am sure the trainer heard the name wrong, but why? Of course, it is not because my daughter could not pronounce her name. It might be because the trainer did not hear this name before. But why ISIS? I believe that what was in her mind when she saw my daughter in her hijab. Also, she might not have a Muslim girl in her team before, or it might be a first time for her to meet a Muslim while she knows s/he is a Muslim. Beside she might wonder: “How will this girl wear the tennis uniform?”

Donald Trump

Linguistic Analysis on a Political Statement

 “What the hell do you have to lose?  Vote for me.” This statement has 2 sentences. The first one is a question and the second one is a command. The expected answer of this question is the reason behind the command.

The question is an indirect speech act; because, even though it is an interrogative sentence, it is declarative functionally. It does not elicit information, but it assumes that our society is divided into 2 classes: The first class that has something to lose, and the second class that does not have anything to lose.

The speaker talks to the people of the first class as a business man talks to his customers. He promises them that his goods (such as the wall and banning the Muslims) will protect what they have. But when he tried to talk to the people of the second class he talked as a business man who holds his employees’ weak points, to convey them to accept lower salaries! That is why he used his request in a direct speech act... imperative... a command verb. That is the speaker’s logic to convey people to vote for him... the logic of business man, not a politician who appreciates his voters.

Plus, no professional person can use this phrase “What the hell” in his work and not get fired. Looking at the situational context, we will find this phrase violated 2 maxims of conversation (i.e. conversation conventions): maxim of manner and maxim of quality, because the person who said it was a presidential candidate in his election rally in 2016, and he wants to present 300 million citizens of the most powerful state in the world!

Current Election's Goal

So, why the Republican Party nominated Donald Trump as their presidential candidate even though he does not have any political experience and he speaks and behaves in non political manner? Is that because the Global capitalism is no longer content with the politicians to lead the world for its interest, and it decided to lead by itself? If it is right it means that the Republican Party hanged itself -as a political party-by this nomination.

A lot of republicans understand that, and they understand the riskiness of their party's nomination for Trump. Also, they know that even though if Trump will win the election, he would not be able to achieve a lot of plans, such as banning the Muslims, because they are not constitutional. But the problem is that he would be still able to feed the hate in the society.

So, the goal of this election could be to defeat Trump as he presents the hate, authoritarianism, fascism, and Global capitalism's controlling over the politics. We know that Hitler has a lot of supporters, and he was elected by democratic means and free election. So, we cannot take the adventure and repeat the same mistake. We need to learn from others' mistakes. But this goal cannot not be achieved if Clinton, Stein, Castle and Johnson cannot not come together, and not divide the voices of the people who are against Trump.

On the other hand, some of Bernie Sanders supporters do not like Hillary Clinton. So, the vote of this election will be based on hate, not love. Most of those who will vote for Trump will not vote for him because they love him, but because they hate Clinton. And most of those who will vote for Clinton will not vote for her because they love her, but because they hate Trump. Both will not choose who they love more, but who they hate less. Both anti-Trump and anti- Clinton think if they will vote for the green party or independent candidate they would throw their vote in the trash.

So, it might be a historical chance for a third party to gather all these people behind it. But, which goal is more important: defeating Trump or to have a strong third party?!

White

The first day I worked in the Islamic school, the principle took me to the 11^th grade class. She introduced me to the students and then she left. Before I even opened my mouth, to say anything, a student raised her hand. I referred to her to talk.

-          “Are you Arab or white?” She asked.

I did not understand the question, because I thought she referred to my racial identity by “Arab” and my skin color by “white”.

-          “Cannot I be both?” I replied.

Later, I realized that these students were not just Muslims. They are American Muslims. So, they still looked at the whole world (including their religion) through their American culture. And “white” in American culture is not just color. It refers to the Caucasian race and European origin. 

How can we look at other cultures?

When you look at someone through your glasses, you do not see him, but you just see your impression about him.

When you try to look at him through his glasses, you do not see him neither, but you just see his impression about himself.

The only way you can see someone is to use both glasses when you look at him to see him between these both impressions.

Same thing when try to look at a different culture.

Prejudice is so deeply rooted in human nature, but that does not mean it can never be eliminated, or at least minimize its effects, the question is how.

Samovar, Porter & McDaniel (2013) considered knowledge as one of components of intercultural communication competence that influence one’s ability to interact effectively and appropriately in another culture. I think we cannot treat everyone with fairness and equity before we know their point of view and perspective.

But how can we learn about others' cultures? You cannot be tolerant of others' differences if you will try to perceive their differences based on your culture. That will lead to impede empathy in intercultural communication. So, you need to perceive others differences based on their cultures, not your culture.

We need to be able to see the world from others’ point of views and perspectives, not to see others from our point of view and perspective, and then we will be able to apply the professional and ethical standards that are free from cultural bias.

Native Americans

As an Egyptian, all my information about Native Americans was from western movies. That means all my information was just stereotypes. When I started to work as an Islamic spiritual guide in a federal prison, one of my colleagues was a Native American spiritual guide. He was the first Native American I met in my life. We had a great chance to learn about each others’ culture from within the culture, not from the stereotypes.

From my conversations with him, I learned a lot of cultural characteristics of Native Americans, such as all their actions must be in harmony with nature, they respect and protect the aged who provide wisdom, they have a strong degree of self-sufficiency and being in harmony with knowledge they gain from the natural world.

In religious appreciation seminar, each spiritual guide explained his faith. When his turn came, He held the mic and started taking the Native American language. Everybody looked at each other. “Anybody understand anything?” He asked. The crowd said: “No”. He smiled and said: “That is my mother language and it is a foreign language in my home land!”

I remember he cried when he explained how he is trying to conserve his heritage that is going extinct. Also, he complained about all Abrahamic religions (including my religion) consider Native Americans as non believers. He said: “Yes, I do not believe in God, and the creation story, but I still have my spiritual faith. So, I am not an unbeliever”. Before he left his job in the prison, he asked me to record the Islamic call to prayer "Athan"  on a C.D. for him to listen to in his car, because he liked it. I leaned from him to enjoy other spiritualities, even if I still have my own faith, because all spiritualities should complete each other, not conflict with each other. That is how I can direct my perceptions and my colleagues' perceptions toward a more positive viewpoint.

My father

My father was a great painter, but his responsibilities, as a father of four kids, did not give him any chance to continue as a painter. He used to work two jobs: a full time job from 7 am to 3 pm and a part time job in the evening. So, he did not have enough time or enough patience to communicate with us. He was neither talkative nor open in his emotions; rather he was a nervous and angry man.

Because all these reasons, I did not feel his love, care, and role in my life. Plus, I considered myself closer to my mother, loved her more, and enjoyed her conversations. She was a very talkative woman who was open in her emotions.

But all these facts did not prevent my father from being a great father. I will never forget that before I even knew the alphabet he brought Comics, sit with me on the floor and point out the pictures while he was telling me the story. He made time to sit with me to tell me the creation story and stories of the prophets. He was insisting we sit together at the table to eat our dinner every day at 3:30 pm between his two jobs. In the beginning of the weekend, he used to put us on the bed in front the T.V. to watch a movie while he was serving us making our food and hot drinks. Every weekend, he used to take me and my sister to the zoo, downtown, or visit my aunt. He used to take me to the Mosque every Friday for prayer. I still remember the first time I went to the Alexandria national museum and the castle of Qaitbay on the Mediterranean Sea. It was when he took me there. Once a year in Ramadan, he was taking us shopping for new clothes. He bought me my first book (Prophets Stories for children). I loved painting after him and I loved reading after I found his huge library that my mother hid in the attic.

When I got married, had kids, and realized the responsibilities of a father, it was too late to appreciate him; because he died four months after I had my first baby.

I was alone in the hospital when the doctor told me:

-          Your father died.

 I shocked because when he walked to the hospital was not very sick, and we thought he will stay a couple of nights and then come back to home again. Thirty minutes before, I asked him in the intensive care:

-          Do you want me to bring anything to you from home?

He told me:

-          No, it is just two days then I will be home, God’s will.

I remembered an Arabic poem that says “Who does not get glee of the life is stupid.”
But my father was not stupid. Yes, he did not have a car, cell phone, or even home phone. He did not party, travel, or took nice vacations. Also, he was not eater, even though before he got Stomach ulcer. He delayed all these enjoyments until he would retire. But he died three months after his retirement.

That does not mean he did not enjoy his life. He enjoyed simple things, such as fishing, reading, watching old American movies, filling his role, doing his responsibilities, and completing his message. He really enjoyed the fruit of his work. I remember how he was proud of me when I published my first article in a magazine. He did not tell me anything. But I saw he took the magazine to his work to show it to his colleague.

Oh God, forgive my dad and have mercy on him.

11- Essential value

There are a lot of moral values in each holy book, but there is an essential value (the most important, not the only one) in each one.

For example, I think the essential value in the New Testament is the forgiveness that is based on love. That is why Jesus said: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth. But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:38-48)

On the other hand, I think the essential value in the Quran is justice. Even God –in the Quran- consider justice is the goal of sending his messengers and their holy books: “We have already sent Our messengers with clear evidences and sent down with them the Scripture and the balance that the people may maintain [their affairs] in justice.” (57:25)

Beside, God commanded his last prophet “Muhammad” to do justice among people:  “Do not follow their inclinations but say, "I have believed in what Allah has revealed of the Qur'an, and I have been commanded to do justice among you." (42:15)

In addition, God commanded the believers to deal with people justly: “Indeed, God commands you to render trusts to whom they are due and when you judge between people to judge with justice. Excellent is that which God instructs you. Indeed, Allah is ever Hearing and Seeing.” (4:58)

But they need to avoid favoritism with relatives: “O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm in justice, witnesses for God, even if it be against yourselves or parents and relatives. Whether one is rich or poor, God is more worthy of both. So follow not [personal] inclination, lest you not be just. And if you distort [your testimony] or refuse [to give it], then indeed God is ever, with what you do, Acquainted.” (4:135)

Also, they need to avoid prejudice with enemies: “O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm for God, witnesses in justice, and do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness. And fear God; indeed, God is Acquainted with what you do.” (5:8)

10- Reading the Bible

Literary criticism theories and schools have developed into three levels:

         1-   Schools and theories that focus attention primarily on the author and intention of the author, such as the historical criticism, sociological criticism, and psychoanalytic criticism.

         2-   Schools and theories that focus attention primarily on the content and form of the work. Such as Structural theories and Formalism schools (Russian formalism as an example).
       3-  Schools and theories that focus attention primarily on the reader (or "audience") and his or her experience of a literary work. Such as Deconstruction and Reader-response criticism.

Modern theories shows us how different readers receive, perceive, and extract the meaning from a text in different ways, based on their culture, purpose of reading, and the context in which they read the text. Therefore the reader might have different interpretation for the same text if he re-reading it again. Also, reading the Bible will be a big different if you believe that it is holy book or not.

For me, I read the Bible in early 90’s. I was in my early 20’s studying the literature in Alexandria University. I was so attracted to poetry and philosophy. I read a lot of books, but never read a religious book except Islamic. I asked myself many times: “How can I be sure my religion is right and others religions are not?”

I had a Christian classmate in high school, and then when we went to the same university, we became closer friends. Someday, I asked him to give me a copy of the Bible.

I found the Old Testament very close to the Quran. Both offer a practical law... what is allowed for the believers and what is forbidden. They are full of orders and prophets’ history. Sometimes, I found the same verses in both books in the same meaning, same words, and even same pronunciations) because Arabic and Hebrew are from same family language). For example, the Verse “Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth” is in Exodus 21:24 in Old Testament, and in the Quran 5:45.

New Testament is different. It surprised me because it does not have any rules or law. I saw it closer to poetry and philosophy books more than religious holy books. It offers an idealistic (not realistic) religion that cares about the spirit of the law more than the law itself.

I discussed my opinions with my Christian friend, but he really disappointed me. For example, I told him:

-          I loved when Jesus said: “What goes into someone's mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them."  Matthew 15:11

-          Yes, that why we can eat and drink anything.

-          WHAT????!

-          Yes, this verse teaches us that there is no forbidden food or drink for Christians.

-          No, this verse does talk about what we can eat and what we cannot. It teaches us that what you eat or drink would affect you only, but what you say will affect others and could start a war!

He was religious Orthodox who reads and understands the bible literally to extract his rules or law, and of course, he depends on his pastors to guide his interpretation. That was different for me, I was completely free, I depend on my reading skills and experiences, not on a pastor, and my goal was just exploring the book, not find any rules for me.

9- The Bible in Islam

Muslims respect the Bible as a holy book from God; even there are a lot of Muslims scholars, such as Ibn Kathir, consider the Bible as one of their resources to explain what is summarized the Quran.

Quran itself talks very highly about the Bible’s book. For example God said in the Quran about the Torah: “Indeed, We sent down the Torah, in which was guidance and light. The prophets who submitted [to God] judged by it for the Jews, as did the rabbis and scholars by that with which they were entrusted of the Scripture of God, and they were witnesses thereto. So do not fear the people but fear Me, and do not exchange My verses for a small price. And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed - then it is those who are the disbelievers.”  (5:44)

Beside, He told his last prophet (Muhammad): “Indeed, We have revealed to you, as We revealed to Noah and the prophets after him. And we revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, the Descendants, Jesus, Job, Jonah, Aaron, and Solomon, and to David We gave the book [of Psalms].” (4:163)

Also, God described the Gospel very highly when He said in the Quran: "And in their footsteps We sent Jesus the son of Mary, confirming the Law that had come before him: We sent him the Gospel: therein was guidance and light, and confirmation of the Law that had come before him: a guidance and an admonition to those who fear God," (5:46)

Although Muslims respect the Bible they do not depend on it to get their knowledge or to worship God, because even though they believe that parts of the Bible are a revelation from God they do not believe it, nor disbelieve it; because they believe it was changed, distorted, or corrupted by additions and subtractions.

When the Qur'an speaks of the Gospel, it refers to an original divinely revealed Book that came to the Prophet Jesus Christ. It does not refer to any Gospel written by any of Jesus's disciples, such as the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

8- Learning other languages

I believe that grammar must be taught, in striking a balance, in which grammar is not the primary focus, but an adjunct leading to communicative development. My experiences of developing foreign languages confirmed this belief.

After my puberty period, I studied two languages: French and Hebrew. I studied each one for three years. I studied French in high school. The curriculum was focusing on how we can explore the French documents and how we can use the language in different places and situations, such as in the airports, restaurants, and clinics, etc. When I came from Egypt to the USA, I stopped in Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris for three hours to change airplanes. I told the officer in the security check, “Je ne parle pas français”, which means “I do not speak French.” The officer smiled and told me, “But you said it in French.” This story showed me that, you can use the language even if you barely learned the grammar.

In the University of Alexandria, my major was Arabic language and Arabic literature. I had to choose a Semitic language to study for three years. The goal was just to compare the Arabic language with another language from the same family. I chose Hebrew language. There was no material other than the books. The curriculum was higher-order language functions, such as semantic relations. The instruction was focusing on reading and writing skills and ignoring listening and speaking skills. One day, I met a person who speaks Arabic (my native language) and Hebrew. I told him, “I study Hebrew.” So he asked me in Hebrew “What is your name?” I did not understand, and I could not answer. So he told me, “So you study Hebrew but you did not learn it.” This story showed me that, you cannot use the language if you just learned its grammar.

7- Instruments of love

My tear. .

       Will travel through the white of the eye

              Searching for a shore.

Trembly, seeing the sun              

              Lowering his eyelid             

              Writing a dream in his notebook,

Then he returns, and forgets that:                                                 

                                          He was writing it. .                                                 

                                          A letter by a letter.

He cries if he loses his love.

He forgets that:                  

                He drew the rendezvous. .                 

                 He drew the farewell.

Oh my tear. .      

     Instruments of love are not for sale!

6- The result

What was the result of this education system?  Actually, the grammar helped me in some way. For example, the morphemes system eased my learning by understanding the functions of each bound morpheme, so I did not need to memorize the meaning of each word in the dictionary. It was enough to memorize the free morphemes, and then I could use them in many different meanings by adding bound morphemes. I used to translate every English sentence to my first language to understand it. Of course, both languages have different tree diagrams. Therefore, I needed to compare the tree diagrams of my first language to the English. When I understood English syntax very well, I could correct the word order for my English sentence, and make a limitless number of sentences.

It was very easy for me to make a sentence in English, but it was not easy to pronounce it. I could understand the written language much easier than verbal. Reading a short article was taking a long time for me, because I was using the dictionary to translate most words. When I was writing, I focused on grammar and spelling more than expressing myself, so I was very slow. I was very happy when I started to write on Microsoft Office Word program, because it helped me with grammar and spelling, so it gave me a chance to focus on expressing myself. I could not watch an American movie without Arabic subtitles. I could understand people from their body language more than their English, unless they talked really slow and very clear. I have a very deep accent that made it difficult for some people to understand me, so if I met foreign people I tried not to have a deep conversation with them, because I knew that I would not be able to express myself well. Also my deep accent made Egyptian people make fun of my pronunciation when I tried to speak English, so I did not try.

I learned American History in Arabic language, so I did not understand American people when they talked about their history, even though I knew the topic, because I did not know the vocabulary of this topic, so I tried to translate them literally. For example, I called the civil war “national war” and the world war “international war”.