As a university student, I shared an apartment with a Arab woman who was studying to become a lawyer. (She eventually went on to become a judge - but that's another story!)
One of my favorite movies is on TV this afternoon, she told me one day when neither of us had a class. Come watch it with me - it really is a great movie!
Is it in Arabic? I asked.
She nodded.
Well, I won't understand it...
Don't worry. I'll explain everything to you.
So we sat down to watch the only Arabic movie I have ever seen...
The setting was a large modern city, perhaps Cairo or Beirut; the characters, a happy young couple dressed like any North Americans or Europeans. I don't remember all the details, but at some point early on, the wife's younger sister appeared in the story. Before long, she became ill with a mysterious illness. Nobody could understand why she was getting sicker and sicker every day.
Everyone, of course, was very concerned... Doctors were called. But the young woman didn't improve.
But (as movies can't go on forever), eventually the mystery was revealed. The girl was lovesick: She was in love with her sister's husband!
At this point, I threw up my hands in disbelief.
That girl is a spoiled brat! I exclaimed. She needs to grow up...
My friend looked horrified... Wait, and you'll see what happens. It has a happy ending.
So I waited...
After thoughtful consideration, the older sister told her husband to divorce her - and marry her sister.
Isn't it wonderful how much she loves her sister? my friend commented as the movie ended. She even gave up her husband so that her sister would get better...
I didn't know what to say. I think I muttered something like.. That would not be a happy ending in any North American movie I know!
The experience taught me an important lesson: It showed me that people from different cultural backgrounds viewing the same series of events may well see them in a totally different light - and in the end, come up with radically different conclusions.
We can't assume that everyone sees things the way we do!
Hello Marlene, you alway´s come up with the most interesting and amusing story´s...And you are right with your conclusion...Sometimes we need a little reminder that it might be a good idea to step back and look at things from a different perspective...0r at least try to...Greetings Karin
ReplyDeleteYes, I think that we tend to assume that everyone in the world has the same ideas that we have, and sees the world as we do. And they really don't!
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