Cita
Posted : 12/1/2007 3:17:12 PM
dgriego
And be very careful even if you intend to respect their laws. Chances are you may offend anyway, there are numerous things one should not do in a muslim country and most of them would not even cross our minds as being bad.
If you happen to be female then how you might dress will be considered offensive (some places you must be in traditional dress), you may not be able to drive a car. Do not show the soles of your feet to anyone, watch which hand you use to eat with and especially to shake hands or touch someone with. Watch who and what you take a picture of as some things are ilegal to take pictures of (and it is nothing that us westerners would ever consider). Do not discuss sex even at its most clinical level, do not discuss religion even if you think you are praising their faith. If female do not ride a bike. If you happen to be gay keep it a secret. Do not take any book that might be considered religious, nor any newspaper or magazine that might have bra advertisments. Do not book a room with your significant other unless you can prove you are married, do not wear shorts....... sorry that is all that comes to mind at this time.
Oh and I forgot!!! Do not bring your teddy bear if his name is Muhammad!!!
lol, true 'nuff, the bear should be left at home!
As for all these rules... definitely true, but not so hard to learn. Back in the mid-90s my mother taught a public speaking class for a bunch of Saudi businessmen who were doing a lot of business in the U.S. The class itself was in the U.S., but most of these men lived at least half-time in Saudi Arabia and had families there. In order to avoid offending them and to make the experience as pleasant as possible for all involved, my mother worked her behind off to become well versed in their culture, particularly in potential cultural faux pas. She didn't dress in a burkah or anything like that, but she kept to pants suits and was very careful about things like showing the soles of her feet. She also kept a respectful and open dialog with them to help accommodate their needs, such as several class breaks during the day for prayers. The whole thing was a big success! These highly educated men knew very little of "real" American culture, as they tended to keep to themselves and not have much free time, and had based their views of the United States on television shows like "Jerry Springer." 
I'm incredibly proud of her because by creating a comfortable and respectful atmosphere she created a really powerful learning experience for everyone.
My point to the rambling is if my mother can be culturally sensitive for a one-week training class in the United States, people who voluntarily go to a foreign country known for having very "special" rules and sensitivities (particularly towards Christian women) and then are in a position of high public scrutiny (think how careful teachers in our own country have to be about things like religion - creationism, anyone? - to avoid public outcry!) need to behave like the most culturally sensitive people in the universe. Even if they don't agree with the cultural norms/rules.
I'm actually surprised/impressed that the government gave her the milder sentence. To me, it says that even though I think they might be crazy, maybe they haven't lost their marbles entirely. Of course IMO all the hubbub is ridiculous and sad, but I'm not at all surprised by it. The poor woman shouldn't be, either!
I'm guessing the woman wasn't even thinking about The Prophet Muhammad when she let the kids name the bear, but gosh darn it, she should have been!