Reports from Amman Jordan
by Samah Sabawi
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Canada... Things here aren't as perfect here as they are in Canada. Everything here almost works well almost all of the time. |
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October 21, 2004
Amman, Jordan Our journey to reconnect with our Palestinian roots have thrown us a surprise twist: in the process we have discovered the real bonding we have with our home, Canada, and the importance of working toward keeping that home free of the racism and hate that has driven out too many Arab-Canadian families in the past three years. The Arab-Canadian return immigration from North America was evident the day I went to register my children at the Amman Modern Montessori School. I was surprised to see the number of new students there who proudly displayed maple leaves on their caps and knapsacks. I asked the school's vice principal, Ms. Huda Hassan, if they’ve always had this huge number of Arab-North-American kids registering, and her response was, “No, just the last two or three years we’ve seen this dramatic increase of people returning from North America.” In fact, the number of students from Canada this year is four times the number it was last year and more than seven times the number it was before 9/11. The school has had to open a new department for teaching Arabic as a second language to Arab-Canadian and Arab-American students whose first language is either English or French. How are these kids coping with having to leave their homes abroad? Much like my own, they are homesick and anxious to return, but many will not be able to. Fearing the dangerous poisons in the air - Islamiphobia, racial profiling - and feeling repelled by racist radio broadcasts and hateful newspaper editorials, their parents have sold their homes, quit their jobs and packed up and left Canada for good. I must admit that I too am happy to be taking a break from all of that. When the Beslan school tragedy occurred, I and everyone I know here felt shock and sadness for the innocent lives that were lost, but it didn’t occur to me for a minute that I, as a Muslim, must once again issue a public apology. It wasn’t until I read some of CanWest's editorials on the Internet, that I re-experienced the nagging concern that I and my kind would again have to publicly condemn, explain and defend ourselves personally and as a people. I remember complying vigilantly in the aftermath of 9/11. For one whole year, I wrote letters to the editor which, looking back, all sounded the same: "Dear Editor, We condemn….Islam is not a terrorist….We are Canadians…” Our sojourn here has other great advantages as well. My children are learning about Palestinian poetry in their schools; they are developing a taste for the culture, and gaining an understanding of the conflict that goes beyond the simplistic skewed version often offered to us in the media abroad. They play in the school yard with Iraqi and Palestinian children whom they will not forget when they go home. They eat Falafel, not fries, and they get high on knafeh*, not donuts. They know as well as I do, however, that things here aren’t as perfect as in Canada. Everything here almost works well almost all of the time. Everybody drives like a maniac but no one ever makes it on time. Five minutes can become five days. A simple procedure can take hours to get done, and a really complicated one that deserves hours can be rushed in five minutes. I complained about these imperfections to a Canadian-Palestinian friend of mine who plans to stay here for good, and he joked “It is all worth it when you don’t have to put up with Lowell Green** and the Aspers***”. I can’t say I miss Lowell Green’s morning show, or reading the Asper version of world events, but I do know beyond doubt that, with our Palestinian roots well grounded, I look forward to returning home to Canada. I am willing to put up with a little bit of Asper poison in the hope that one day the country that my kids yearn for and proudly call home will be free of racism and hate. Maybe one day Canadian kids will learn about Palestinian poetry. And maybe…just maybe…one day…"Palestinian" will no longer be a dirty word. *For a mouthwatering description of knafeh, scroll to "Sweets" on this page. **580 CFRA Ottawa - News Talk Radio - a far right talk show host , abusive to callers who don't agree ***CanWest owners Samah
Sabawi, originally from
Gaza
and whose permanent residence is now
Ottawa, is a writer, playwright and well-known activist. Her articles
appear in several popular online journals. Her Palestinian Diary
is exclusive to YayaCanada.
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