foreigner in syria?
have you ever been to Syria? u donno what u r missing
Just before u jump into conclusions this article is not about promoting Syria as a tourist attraction. It's more about analysing some strange phenomenon widely spread among my people in Syria.
If you happened to be a foreigner visiting Damascus for a reason or another, you cant but notice the very funny way in which you r being approached by the locals.
In general Syrians are very friendly. Friendly to a point that you, the visitor, start wondering what is wrong with these people, and why do they act in such a way?
Damascus is the Syrian capital with a population of more than any city in the UK beside London. With its suburbs, Damascus extends over a very wide geographical area. Yet, you will never see a taxi driver with an A to Z map, ehem…actually, there is no such A to Z map for Damascus, but hey who needs it! for its people, Damascus seems to be too small, everyone seems to know all its districts, streets, alleys for some reason I cant explain.
Maybe for the reasons stated above, Damascus may seem like a village where you can spot a foreigner quite easily, especially when they look like one (blond hair, coloured eyes, u name it).
Now, if you r spotted as a foreigner, u have to, mentally, prepare yourself for the privilege!!. The over reaction of the locals in welcoming you " to souria" as if you were a VIP or someone who they know personally and have not seen for a long while.
People will start giving you free advices, volunteering to show you places, offerring help that you have not asked for at the first place. Everyone wants to socialise with you, from those who don't know but the word "welcome" supported with a stupid smile and funny arm waving in a traditional souq, to those very educated young lads u'd meet out on a street of a market cruising area, at some restaurant, or a café shop.
Strangely enough, people in my country think that it's a national duty of theirs to reflect a very good image about their homeland to any foreign individual they meet. Ahhh…especially if this individual is American or brit, a typical conversation would be literally as follow from the very first moment,
"Hey welcome to Syria, so where u form? U from the states? We really like you guys, plz don't believe what you hear about us in the U.S its the media, we just dislike your president but we have nothing against you..why don't you join us for some drink and we'll explain it all" !!!! they'll leave you speechless .
yep, apparently the Syrians believe in changing the typical image about the Arabs through building the individual links with every single tourist or visitor they may meet. I don't blame them, they feel its its unfair the way they r being represented to the "west" through the media, and they want to try whatever possible for them to change that, using whatever mean available.
Personally, I'm against this, and I see it as a weak point in the Syrian mentality rather than a way of delivering a msg.
It's cool to be warm and friendly to foreigners but only when you are as friendly and warm when dealing with your fellow citizens, and only as long as its not in such a stupid overreacted way.
Just before u jump into conclusions this article is not about promoting Syria as a tourist attraction. It's more about analysing some strange phenomenon widely spread among my people in Syria.
If you happened to be a foreigner visiting Damascus for a reason or another, you cant but notice the very funny way in which you r being approached by the locals.
In general Syrians are very friendly. Friendly to a point that you, the visitor, start wondering what is wrong with these people, and why do they act in such a way?
Damascus is the Syrian capital with a population of more than any city in the UK beside London. With its suburbs, Damascus extends over a very wide geographical area. Yet, you will never see a taxi driver with an A to Z map, ehem…actually, there is no such A to Z map for Damascus, but hey who needs it! for its people, Damascus seems to be too small, everyone seems to know all its districts, streets, alleys for some reason I cant explain.
Maybe for the reasons stated above, Damascus may seem like a village where you can spot a foreigner quite easily, especially when they look like one (blond hair, coloured eyes, u name it).
Now, if you r spotted as a foreigner, u have to, mentally, prepare yourself for the privilege!!. The over reaction of the locals in welcoming you " to souria" as if you were a VIP or someone who they know personally and have not seen for a long while.
People will start giving you free advices, volunteering to show you places, offerring help that you have not asked for at the first place. Everyone wants to socialise with you, from those who don't know but the word "welcome" supported with a stupid smile and funny arm waving in a traditional souq, to those very educated young lads u'd meet out on a street of a market cruising area, at some restaurant, or a café shop.
Strangely enough, people in my country think that it's a national duty of theirs to reflect a very good image about their homeland to any foreign individual they meet. Ahhh…especially if this individual is American or brit, a typical conversation would be literally as follow from the very first moment,
"Hey welcome to Syria, so where u form? U from the states? We really like you guys, plz don't believe what you hear about us in the U.S its the media, we just dislike your president but we have nothing against you..why don't you join us for some drink and we'll explain it all" !!!! they'll leave you speechless .
yep, apparently the Syrians believe in changing the typical image about the Arabs through building the individual links with every single tourist or visitor they may meet. I don't blame them, they feel its its unfair the way they r being represented to the "west" through the media, and they want to try whatever possible for them to change that, using whatever mean available.
Personally, I'm against this, and I see it as a weak point in the Syrian mentality rather than a way of delivering a msg.
It's cool to be warm and friendly to foreigners but only when you are as friendly and warm when dealing with your fellow citizens, and only as long as its not in such a stupid overreacted way.
posted by roudy | 3:52 AM
4 Comments:
Welcome to the blogsphere. RAY!
I always say that in Syria we have something that is called "The Foreign Complex"..3e'det el ajanabi"...which is pretty much what you said in the last few lines of your post...They are fascinated by foreigners (blond westerns in specific). They don't hesitate to kiss a white ass at the time they may be giving a finger to other Syrians.
Salam
Well Ihsan, I would not be telling a secret if I say that you were my motivation to start a bog.
And yeah i know you dont like nick names and i'v got your hint of "RAY" :P
Now back to your comment..
The funny thing is that when u spend like couple of years in a western country, then go back home on a vacation or something and meet some new people, they'll be dazzled by the fact that you live abroad as if you were living in the wonderland!
No one can deny the hospitabilty you get in Souria, from all the different types of people. I remember the 1st time I went there, I thought people wear 2eb2ab in real life!! Anyhow, back to the point, lovely people, great country.. still to be discovered..
Dear Roudy,
I have always wanted to visit Syria. I have a chance to do just that this summer. I am an American, living in New York.
Given the obvious tensions Syria is now experiencing, do you think it would still be O.K. to visit Damascus? I suppose we can hide in our 5 star hotel if things get really gnarly, but I pray they will not, as sensible reforms will be offered, and accepted. What do you think? Many thanks.
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