Omani Born Confused Arab

Today's Interesting Facts (29/12/05)

2005-12-29T11:37:00.000-05:00

1 - There is an 8th-13th century Cypriot dialect of Arabic called Christian Maronite Arabic.

The unwritten dialect (or language?) is confined to a village of 1,200 people called Kormakiti, and has transformed over the years to the extent that Arabic speakers would not understand it. It is only used at home and for religious purposes. It is said that the dialect came to Cyprus with Lebanese Maronites who accompanied the Crusaders there.

I wonder what radical ultra-nationalist Lebanese-Maronite advocates of replacing the Arabic language and script to Phoenician or Latin scripts, have to say about this.

2 - American students prefer to study Arabic in Israel rather than the Arab world

Two-thirds of Americans choose to study Arabic in Israel rather than the Arab world. Why? Arab states don't have very encouraging educational institutions, many of these Americans are Jews and would rather go to Israel, the Arab world 'isn't secure enough' and Arab Americans don't do a good-enough job in promoting their countries.

Agreed, the Arab world isn't so secure, but isn't it more secure than Israel?! Also, I'm not too surprised about Arab Americans. Many Arabs in the US have chosen to leave their countries because of the regimes that rule them. Why would they encourage others to go?

3 - UK's top Jewish group apologizes to Palestinian charity

In a foot-in-mouth incident, the UK's top Jewish group has presumably made a fat donation to the Palestinian cause. In an out-of-court settlement (whose terms have not been made public), the Board of Deputies of British Jews has agreed to issue an apology for calling the charity, Interpal, a "terrorist organization" and has promised not to do it again.

Bigots in America, Part 1

2005-12-10T03:18:00.000-05:00

Because Arabs and Muslims are more of a risk as drivers than drunkards and junkies, the American 'Coalition for a Secure Driver’s License' has issued an ad campaign depicting them as terrorists. The banner shows men/boys dressed in military uniform and one in a kaffiyah holding a bomb. Of course, there's no mention of Arabs but to make their implications less ambiguous, the Coalition has pasted random Arabic letters at the top of the banner (God bless Character Map).

The Arab American Institute says the following:

The billboards unfairly conflate the question of immigration and national security and cast a shadow of suspicion on Arabs and Muslims, unfairly equating them with terrorism and encouraging an environment that can lead to prejudice and hate crimes. In doing so, the ads utilize false stereotypes and racist rhetoric to promote an anti-immigrant agenda.

and urges you to:

Contact the President and the Governors of North Carolina and New Mexico urging them to denounce the Coalition for a Secure Driver’s License’s bigoted attack on Arabs and Muslims and reject efforts to deny driver’s licenses based on immigration status

So sign and send the prepared letter here

Move the UN to Montreal?

2005-12-07T06:53:00.000-05:00

Here’s an article in the International Herald Tribune that suggests moving the UN headquarters. Where, you ask? Montreal, wonderful Montreal:

Is it necessary for a cash-strapped organization whose mandate is to preserve world peace and fight poverty to occupy one of the most expensive pieces of real estate in one of the world's most costly cities?

.. the new site should be in a developed, foreigner-friendly democracy with a good infrastructure and communication network in an uncongested environment where English is either spoken or commonly understood.

And guess which city he has in mind:

Such a site exists, less than 400 miles from New York - I nominate Montreal

Why I think this is a superb idea:

1- It would be in a city whose official languages are two of the six official languages of the UN (not to mention how widely-spoken 3 other official languages are – Chinese, Arabic and Spanish).

2- It would be in a country that is known for its peace-keeping, not for its wars; one that actually respects international treaties and resolutions.

3- America’s enemies won’t be barred from attending UN events because they can’t get American visas.

4- It would be outside the P5, whose dominance of the UN I cannot stand.

5- For a change, the UN will be not be hosted in a country that has caused the biggest blow to its credibility, whose ambassador to the organization doesn't even believe in it.

6- Most importantly, the fact that it will be off American soil would help the UN convince the world that it is not controlled by the US (good luck).

Oh, and:

7- Montreal’s the best place in the world.

Any more ideas?

The racism that Google promotes

2005-11-30T02:44:00.000-05:00

I subscribe to Google News alerts for certain keywords. What it does is send me a daily email with all the news reports that contain those keywords. It’s a really effective way to follow certain topics. I’ve been subscribing for a couple of years now and have recently noticed one news source which seems to be an Iranian blog that tries to present itself as a news site. Initially, I wrote to Google thinking they added it by mistake when I noticed how amateur the writing was. I got a thank-you reply (besides the autoresponder) and assumed that it would be removed but I continued to get some of the most racist articles from the source in my Google alerts. I wrote to Google a couple of times more and got a reply once again. Nothing happened.

My patience ran out last night when it popped up in my inbox again. The site was Persian Journal and the article was titled De-Arabization of Iran: a Mission for all Iranians. This is how it goes:

Iranians are not Arabs. The people of Iran do not care what is happening in Palestine. Even if they do, their feeling is in the same level as they care for the "Chechens in Russia". The feeling is mutual. Arabs look at Iran as another Israel. They do not see Iranians as Muslims. Iran is not admitted to any gathering of the Arabs.

The ‘article’ goes on about how Iranians have a unique culture very different from that of the Arabs and that they don’t have much to do with Islam “i.e. the nomadic Arabs who invaded Iran” and how “it is an important mission for the Iranians to make this distinction known”. It even mentions the “treacherous” Islamic regime in Iran and how it has sold the Iranians off to the Arabs.

Okay, I’ve heard these arguments from Iranians a lot but it never got this racist. Here’s what the author suggests Iranians do:

1- Take out Arabic words from your language as much as possible.
2- Do not listen to any speaker who uses too many Arabic words, especially the Mullahs.
3- Try to explain for as many as possible people around you, starting from the family members, and extending to the people you meet at work place, neighborhood and so on and take any occasion to explain that Iranians are not Arabs.
4- Explain your Iranian sentiments about the nomadic Arabs who invaded Iran in every occasion.
5- Do not let the issues about Islam, as a religion, which is like any other, block your view about the barbaric Arabs who plundered Iran and changed the fate of a civilized nation to the course of nomadic Arabs.
6- Find new ways to do this task and let others know them.

The most shocking, even from the most radical Persian nationalists, was this:

(The city in the center of the image is Ahwaz, an oil-rich, ethnically-Arab Iranian city close to the Iraqi border, which has seen some unrest recently)

So here’s how you can get in touch with Google:

Call, fax or snail-mail them at:

Google Inc.
1600 Amphitheatre Parkway
Mountain View CA 94043
phone: (650) 253-0000
fax: (650) 253-0001

Or go to the following site and launch a complaint:
http://www.google.com/support/news/bin/request.py

Hit ‘problem with news source’ (only appropriate option) and complain away.

Google News should understand that it can’t attempt to run a news site without being accountable for the content it carries. I wonder how much faster Google would have acted if the source was American and the targets were Black or Jewish.

This National Day...

2005-11-29T16:05:00.000-05:00

I attended the Sultan's School's national day celebration tonight. It was well organized and very entertaining, but very different from our days. For one, the show no longer starts with the reading of the Quran. It has also apparently become more conservative. I was told by one of the performers that the Board of Trustees demanded some last minute changes so that young girls weren't seen to be 'shaking' too much. In our days there was some real traditional dancing, not just 'shaking'. Tonight's show kept the audience entertained though.

One more thing I noticed was how incredibly nationalistic the annual event has become, probably because Oman celebrated its 35th national day this year. There were countless songs and performances about Oman and how much the school and its students have and will continue to contribute to this country. It reminded me of how the headmaster, at the beginning of every year, used to parade the incoming KG1 class in front of the rest of the school as ‘Oman’s future’. He was very optimistic about them. Perhaps too optimistic.

If the situation remains as it is today, most of the brightest students coming out of the Sultan’s School – and it has been known to produce some of the brightest – will probably work abroad, in Europe or North America, even Dubai, and possibly settle and immigrate there. If I think of the top five students from every class (that I have known) that has graduated from the Sultan’s School I can hardly count any that work in Oman. Can we blame them? Individually, it is a personal and pragmatic choice for most of these people, but collectively it is a disaster. This brain drain is worse for the country than many of us think.

I was sitting at a café the other day and I noticed that more than half of those sitting at the table were unemployed. Many have daddy’s deep pockets to rely on to continue to live lavishly, but what about those whose daddies don’t have such deep pockets?

Oh, and the English choir was absolutely amazing. The last solo-kid sang like a rockstar. I'd like to see where he is in ten years.

Mustafa Akkad

2005-11-15T17:57:00.000-05:00

Those responsible for the November 9th hotel bombings in Amman might be relieved to know that one of their victims had been trying hard to show the moderate face of Islam, as opposed to the monstrous one they are racing to put forward.

Mustafa Akkad, the director of The Message (الرسالة), was the victim.

Arabs like him don't come every generation.

For the past twenty years, Akkad had been looking for someone to finance an international, English-language epic about Saladin/Salahiddin, and had his eyes on top actors in the English-movie industry for the lead character.

He was specifically considering Sean Connery:

"He likes the Arabs and is familiar with our history. He always tells me off for having chosen Anthony Quinn to star in two of my films and always reminds me that he is looking forward to work with me."

The screenplay, written by an American and confirmed by Muslim scholars, was ready. Considering English-movie viewers' familiarity with Akkad and his chosen actors, and his credibility in the Muslim world for The Message, this movie could have really worked. I mean, after movies like Kingdom of Heaven and Paradise Now made it to Western cinemas and got good reviews, one can expect movies such as the one Akkad had in mind to successfully send a strong and refreshing message to the world, and of course, give us another epic to enjoy:

he explains that his main aim has been to shed light on the Arab historical heritage. “In the light of unjustified accusations of terrorism directed towards the Arab world, Saladin is—in my perspective—the most suitable character to present to the West as our mouthpiece. Is there a more barbaric example of religious terrorism than the medieval Crusades that Saladin confronted? However, nobody accuses Christianity of breeding terrorism.”

The same Crusades that Al-Qa'eda can't stop ranting about.

Mabrouk, Al-Qa'eda.

Mabrouk Saudiyya!

2005-11-15T09:01:00.000-05:00

Another Arab state, this time a regional giant, has been forced to reluctantly embrace Israel:

Amity with Israel opens WTO door

Saudi Arabia has agreed to end all economic boycotts of Israel, allowing the World Trade Organization (WTO) yesterday to admit the oil-rich kingdom as its 149th member, diplomats said

Why haven't I seen this in newspapers?

"I am very satisfied with the fact that Saudi Arabia has complied with all the rules of the WTO," said Itzhak Levanon, Israel's ambassador to the global trade body

Anything to make Israel happy.

What are we going to do next? Sell the Ka'ba?

Sajida Mubarak Atrous al-Rishawi

2005-11-15T08:27:00.000-05:00

I want to know what was going through this woman's head. Any TV stations care to interview her?

Unicef shows burning smurfs to evoke sympathy

2005-10-12T09:15:00.000-04:00

What has our world come to?

According to the BBC, UNICEF has decided to air advertisements showing injured and burning smurfs on Belgian television late at night to have a "positive reaction" with viewers to evoke sympathy for young victims of war.

What's it going to be next, children dying? Oh, but we see that already on TV. We're just too numb to it.

So I went to New York

2005-08-19T10:24:00.000-04:00

After four years of letting my American visa expire unstamped, I decided to take a trip to the good old United States. I felt very uncomfortable going to a warmongering country, contributing to their economy and having to subject myself to their humiliating policies. Yet, I was about to graduate and hadn't touched the soil south of the border since I stepped into Canada, and was told that New York's multiculturism and tolerance would make me feel at home.

So I went.

Yes, I did have to think a couple of times before taking pictures of famous landmarks, and had to avoid taking the bus or metro when I had a bag pack. New York is indeed very multicultural. Everyone is different yet the same. What I mean is, everyone looks different and speaks different languages, but lives in a New York bubble. The city is so dynamic and happening that most people act as if nothing exists outside Manhattan. Besides that, it was as I expected except for the smell, mention of which the pictures seem to have omitted.

At the border is where you can really feel like you've left Canada. It's amazing how man-made boundaries can have such an effect on human nature and behaviour. There, I had to go through 'special registration' procedures since I come from a Muslim country. That delayed the bus a whole hour, partly because of the immigration officer's inability to fill a form. The 50-or-so year old had two other officers help him. It wasn't hard to figure out his level of intelligence:

"Hey, do they write their dates backwards too?"
"Well, 27 can't really be a month, can it?" said his colleague.
"Aren't Americans the only country in the world who write their dates that way?" I asked
"I believe so, sir" said the second guy.

The first guy was obviously having many difficulties filling the form. I had to repeat most things twice (including numbers), and it was very irritating to hear them pronounce my country 'Omen'. It also took them a couple of minutes to figure out that my passport started on the 'wrong' side.

Before leaving, I was told that I'd have to ask the bus driver to bring me back there on my way back, because they had to know that I was leaving. So before getting on my return bus, I asked the African-American driver in New York whether it would be okay to stop at the American side of the border. When I mentioned 'special registration' I could see that he was worried. Probably something to keep him from falling asleep in the bus.

Right before dawn, the bus stopped and the man told me to get out and go. He said that if I took too long, he'd leave me and continue to Montreal. I had to resist swearing at him. I thought I'd leave that to when we reached Montreal, when I was back in my bubble.

At the American border, while my information was being confirmed I heard a few officers laughing about someone who had just passed the border:

"Man, shouldn't there be a minimum English requirement for people to enter our country"
"No, there should be a minimum IQ requirement. She couldn't even fill a damn form!"

Ironic, I thought.

Then, as the sun was rising, I ran to the Canadian side and asked the bus driver if I should go in. He asked me a couple of times if the Americans were done with me, and was surprised when I said yes.

Then, as we were waiting in line at the Canadian side, the bus driver went into the restricted area to speak to the Canadian officers. He felt embarrassed when the Canadian asked him why he was there. I saw him whisper something to one of the officers. When my turn came, I heard another officer ask a Bangladeshi man whether or not he had stopped at American customs before coming. I knew what was happening. I was the only one who stopped at American customs. The bus driver thought I was some kind of terrorist. I was very pissed off.

I cursed the bus driver the whole way.

It felt really good to finally get back to Montreal, my home (for just a few more days).

Globalization

2005-08-18T14:46:00.000-04:00

I wanted to buy some memorabelia from my university bookstore and got a Chinese-made maple leaf pin

Secularization

2005-08-18T13:49:00.000-04:00

I'm not arguing for or against secularization, but here's something I found interesting:

A Gulf News article about choosing the sex of a child said:

Margie Fourie, who has two daughters, condemned choosing the sex of babies as "wrong" and "against God's will".

and

German housewife Mona Schwiers, 38, who has two girls, also said couples were better to leave the sex of their children to nature.

Notice how 'God's will' is between quotation marks and 'nature' is not.
A result of having the media dominated by non-locals? Of course, you can't blame the foreigners for this. How many English-speaking Emaraatis are there with journalism degrees?

Besides, what's the point of discussing such issues when there is no local debate on it and the introduction of legislation allowing such moves is very unlikely (and isn't even being discussed)? The 'related story' at the bottom is of a British case, which has nothing to do with the UAE.

What a disgusting headline

2005-08-06T17:20:00.000-04:00

Article:
Muslim cabbie answers Jew's prayer

Why did this story make it to front pages in New York and Montreal today? Because it involved a Muslim and a Jew. Had this happened between two Caucasians, it would have stayed in the back pages of a tabloid.

Here's what the first paragraph of the story on Canoe.ca said:

Take a Muslim cabbie from New York City, a Jewish businessman from Montreal and a forgotten suitcase containing valuable diamonds and precious stones and what do you get?

How about an expensive suicide bombing?

All reports stress how a Muslim helped a Jew, and how that's a miracle. The cabbie himself put it right when he said:

"In a situation like that, you don't think 'What is he, Jewish Buddhist, Muslim?' He's just a human being working hard for his money."

Why do they have to stress the two men's faiths? It's as if this is proof that 'Muslims really aren't that bad'. Absolutely disgusting.

We're not all bin Ladens, you idiots.

The UAE does it again

2005-08-06T12:48:00.000-04:00

In less than a year of becoming president of the UAE, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed has proven to carry on his late father's commitment to the Palestinian cause, unmatched by any other Gulf monarch.

The building of a new city in the Gaza Strip is a great move, but I suspect that it has something to do with Mohammed Al Abbar's recent foolishness in offering to reward Israel $56m for the illegal colonies it has built in the Strip since 1967. Given Al Abbar's closeness with the UAE ruling family, this move caused serious damage to the UAE's image and resulted in local and Arab condemnation.

What Sh. Khalifa is trying to prove now is that contrary to Al Abbar's implications, the UAE does not see Palestine as just another hot economic opportunity for greedy real estate tycoons. Palestine isn't for sale.

Even the US would be weary of rewarding Israeli colonies. Al Abbar needs to keep his adventurous ideas to himself. Was he trying to pass this off as a good gesture towards the Palestinians? Does he know anything about this conflict?

This view is obviously shared by others, since Al Abbar won't be playing Donald Trump on the Arab version of The Apprentice anymore. Don't try too hard, Mohammed. Not just yet.

The Arab world and the Palestinians await such contributions from the rest of the Gulf. Should we expect to see Qaboos, Hamad and Abdullah cities in Gaza?

------------

Link: Rewarding aggression in Palestine

'Social correctness' and Islam

2005-08-02T13:32:00.000-04:00

Only in a sociology or anthropology class can you expect people to see a culture for what it is, without judging it. They are the few classes in which you will find almost perfect social and political correctness which is more than just lip service.

That is why I have thoroughly enjoyed every sociology class I have taken, some of the few classes that get my undivided attention and almost 100% attendance.

Yet, there are exceptions. My Society and Law class is one of those very interesting classes, and I have much respect for the professor (as I have for most sociologists) for his approach and analysis of cultures.

Last week, we were discussing the French hijab law which, to my surprise showed widespread condemnation by students - even for a sociology class.

Then, the professor brought up the subject of female circumcision, or genital mutilation, in Islamic societies. Before starting on the topic he made clear that there was no sanction of female circumcision in the Quran, but continued to describe it as a practice of Islamic societies. Although true, his wording was misleading to those not familiar with Islam. A Lebanese girl tried politely to explain why such terminology was misleading, saying that it is a pre-Islamic practice that really had nothing to do with the religion. The professor seemed to understand and agree but continued to refer to it as a practice of Islamic societies.

Then, while speaking in the context of women's submission to men, one student made an analogy about breast enlargement in Western societies. Yet no one referred to breast enlargement (or prostitution and pornography for that matter) as a 'characteristic' of Western or Christian societies.

The point is, no matter how sociologically or anthropologically enlightened one might be, reaching complete social and political correctness is almost impossible. And it's our job as ambassadors of our cultures, traditions and religion, to further enlighten our counterparts. And that is what I tried to do in the anonymous course evaluation today, following genuine praise for the professor and the class.

But there are other things that might bother some of us. For example, continuing to refer to Africans as blacks, Caucasians as whites and aboriginals as Indians deeply irritates me (at least in an intellectual context). White and black are colours that represent purity and the lack of purity respectively in many societies today. Referring to aboriginals as Indians is a continuation of a European colonist's ignorance, and its tolerance today is beyond my understanding.

Oman Pharmaceuticals eyeing US market

2005-07-31T21:08:00.000-04:00

Looks like the Oman Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals company has its eye on the US market.

A fruit of our FTA with the US? This one seems to be sweet. Let's wait and see if there are any sour ones.

An article in AME Info says:

Oman Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals is hoping to become one of the first drug manufacturers in the Middle East to export to the US, reported Gulf News. The company is in the process of seeking approval from the US Food and Drug Administration to export active pharmaceutical ingredients. OCPL holds more than 70% of the ME market and is the leading supplier of semi-synthetic penicillin

You should have rehearsed better, Saad

2005-07-24T15:20:00.000-04:00

Anyone watch Saad Al Hariri's interview on Wolf Blitzer (CNN) today? This guy really needs to take a public speaking class. He repeated the word 'circumstances' a couple of million times and couldn't answer any of the questions well.

Moreover, he found it very difficult to avoid blushing when Blitzer read out a very flattering article about him in an American publication. Is this a statesman?

Saad Al Hariri is eaxctly what's wrong with the Middle East today. Are the Hariris going to become the next Assads, Qaddafis and Mubaraks? Someone needs to explain to the Arabs that charisma and leadership qualities are not hereditary. The only legitimacy Saad Al Hariri has is his father's legacy (which he also repeated a couple of times), to which he seems to have contributed nothing. This is probably the only region in the world where people are given full credit for their parents' achievements. What a shame.

The Lebanese people are surely smarter than that. Please don't bring someone to power because of what their parents or ancestors did. This man has almost no credibility, and his seemingly rehearsed interview was horrible.

Wake up, Lebanon. Please.

Self-Absorbed Tourists

2005-07-23T21:57:00.000-04:00

Here’s an article from Gulf News:

A tourism survey has found that most Arabs want to be in a mini Arabia wherever they go, according to a senior tourism official from Malaysia. Even when Arabs are away from home, they still want to feel like they are at home; not to feel like a foreigner in a foreign country," said Syed Muhadzir Jamallulil, director of Tour-ism Malaysia.

That's quite disappointing. Not surprising though.
Are we self absorbed or have we just not matured as tourists?

I have seen how places like Edgeware Rd in London are always filled with non-resident Arabs. The Arab businesses there probably thrive because of Arab tourists. But then can we really call them tourists? Many have summer homes in London and aren't really coming to explore or have the typical tourist agenda.

Other preferences included seeing people dressed in traditional Arab costume and having more Arabic performances and shows

I wonder which Arabs this survey is referring to. Levant and northern Arabs seem to have downgraded their national outfits to be worn at home or cultural ceremonies, whereas Gulf Arabs wear them much more frequently. If I were a working Gulf Arab, I’d probably want to get a change out of the dishdasha for a holiday.

Looks like these mini-Arabia's are springing up in new places now that Arabs are choosing new destinations to holiday in. For the pest year, I've been reading about how Arabs are avoiding Europe and the US and choosing to spend their money in Arab and Muslim countries. I wonder how much Western cities are loosing out as a result. I know that Saudis are among the biggest spenders as tourists, but how much of the world tourist market do Arabs really constitute?

Its good to know that Arabs are finally spending locally and discovering new places. Its going to open our minds a little too, but not if we want a mini-Arabia everywhere we go. How ethnocentric can we be?

Mini Arabias are not necessarily a bad thing, but only if the come with the right purpose. China Towns can be found in almost every major world city, giving them a diverse character and helping export Chinese culture. But China Towns are usually built for Chinese residents of those cities, who want a piece of their old home in their newly adopted one. Mini Arabias, like those in East Asia (there is even a Muscat Street in Singapore), are being built specifically for Arab tourists.

I recently argued in an essay on Globalization and the Middle East that such Arab 'quarters' in cities around the world help globalize our culture, but if looked at closely, they seem to be built to keep us in our bubble even longer.

What is definitely clear is that Arab tourists are finally being targeted. Arab oil riches are pushing people to spend, and those who want a piece of the cake seem to be rushing to us.

---

And all this coming from someone who lives in the 'Arab quarter' of Montreal. But hey, rent here is reasonably priced, the area is lively and school couldn't be closer. Besides, there's almost no place in west Montreal where Arabs can't be found. Downtown Montreal is Arab Montreal.

Shameful Representation

2005-07-10T15:22:00.000-04:00

omanpharma.com
Originally uploaded by obca.

Take a look at the Oman Pharmaceutical Products web site. I thought Western glamour was a thing of the past today. This company's web site shows no connection to Oman besides its name and a few pictures of people dressed as Omanis. The front page shows a picture of a Caucasian girl and the web site is entirely in English. It reminds me of ads that can still be seen on Indian satellite channels boasting American/European imports.

This is a truly shameful representation of Omani companies. This company is trying too hard to either attract a Western clients or appear to be a Western company. Neither is an excuse.

Shouldn't there be laws in Oman requiring every Omani company to issue its publications/ads and design its web sites in both languages (or at least Arabic)? Not only will this promote the Arabic language and culture while it continues to be overshadowed by popular global culture, but also create jobs for Omanis and Arabs.

Can the Majlis introduce/recommend legislation?

Niagra Falls at sunset

2005-06-15T19:09:00.000-04:00

Toronto Trip 192
Originally uploaded by obca.

The CN Tower

2005-06-15T18:21:00.000-04:00

Toronto Trip 041
Originally uploaded by obca.

The tallest man-made structure, until Dubai builds its Burj Dubai, of course

Anglophone Canada

2005-06-15T16:49:00.000-04:00

Just came back from Toronto. My fourth trip in the four years I've been in Canada. All the times I had been to Toronto before, I lived in suburbs and never went downtown. I was always told there wasn't much to do or see there that I couldn't see in Montreal, so I chose to spend time with friends and family.

This time though, I saw downtown Toronto and got a different view of Canada. I always saw Canada through Montreal. Toronto showed me a completely different Canada.

As soon as we stopped half-way at Kingston (Canada's Sohar), I felt like we were in a different country. Everyone spoke English - in a very American-like accent. This was the 'real' North America. I felt like I was in the US. It reminded me of when Conan O'Brian came to Quebec, changed French street names to English and told random Quebecois in the street that they were in North America and that they should 'learn the language'.

It just shows how the Montreal I have taken for granted for four years is so unique, not only in North America, but Canada too.

I had always seen Canada through its French Quebec, and I think I like it better that way.

One more thing that could be irritating (besides the typical big-city rudeness) is the fact that there are far fewer French speakers in English Canada than there are English speakers in French Canada, yet Quebec's strong hold on its language and culture, including its harsh language laws, are often seen as arrogant outside Quebec. Most Anglophone Canadians would reply to a French speaker in English. Why is it then, that it is considered rude by some when a Quebecois replies to an Anglophone in French - in Quebec!

Canada's great source of pride, its bilingualism, is only a reality in Quebec, and that is why Quebec and Montreal are such great places to live in.