ARAB 1001, 1002, and 2001 assignment: Saudi Arabia
Watch the videos about Saudi Arabia, and write a 50 + words comment. To leave a comment, simply click on the comment button below the video, type your comment, and then click the publish button. Don't forget to write your full name and your class.
All five video clips posted about Anthony Bourdane's travels to Saudi Arabia were interesting. Even though his show is mainly for the exhibition of food, his guide Dana took him around the city and explored the cultures. Some of the more stranger dishes were made of sheep hoof, yogurt and barley soup, lizard for breakfast, and camel for dinner. It was strange how they value the camel so much that they even use it's urine for tests on curing cancer. I enjoyed how the women there have a sense of fashion beneath their long gowns, but it is unfortunate how much they have to cover themselves and can only show off their sense of style at all-women gatherings. One thing that sparked my interest and that I would like to have here in the U.S. is for all of us to have to stop and pray at one time during the day,as they did in Saudi Arabia.
I have never seen a show about an Arab country before so this show was really interesting to me. I thought it was awesome how family oriented Saudi Arabia is. It also made me want to try camel. I love trying new foods so all the dishes looked pretty appetizing...except the lizard. My favorite part though was how they will go driving out in the desert in their free time. I would love to be able to ride a four wheeler on some sand dunes. Elizabeth Gunnels Arabic 1001
I really liked the fact that he made it a point to say that even through there are many differences between there culture and our culture, there are just as many similarities. They are extremely family oriented and just as adventurous as we are. They have a sense of humor and they don't always dress in full body cover, especially the females. I loved the diferent types of food that they had and how readily available they were. I love trying new foods so that was something I really enjoyed and the fact that she had never tied them either made show more realistic. I though it was interesting how se was allowed special privileges that other women were not allowed; to me. it said that their culture is slowly changing towards a more equal culture. The restaurant with the door was the best retaurant to me, but I really liked the camel meal after the desert ride. Over all, I really enoyed watching th videos and the information that was on them was great!
At first I was really surprised to see how westernized Saudi Arabia was. I didn't exactly expect just camels and desert, but I also didn't expect a 3-story mall and arab barbie dolls. After seeing that part of the video, though, I was then surprised to learn that 95% of the country is desert. I think it's kind of cool that the women are covered head to toe. Although I was brought up in a very liberal environment, I don't think I would have any problem dressing like that on a daily basis. It would be nice to be able to walk around without worrying about what others thought of your clothes, your hair, etc. I mean, aren't there more important things to worry about in life? And I thought it was interesting that she sees it as the women/children/family being given preferential treatment by not having to sit with the single men. It looks like a beautiful country and I would love the opportunity to visit. I will pass on the camel and lizard though :) Kimberly Ballard Arabic 1001
This video does a good job in showing how Westernized this part of Saudi Arabia is. They compare it to Las Vegas and New York. As far as the women Abaya I know first hand that they are very hot to wear outside, as I had to wear one while visiting the Grande Mosque in Abu Dhabi. And that was only for a few hours. I have never been to Saudi Arabia but it reminds me a lot of Abu Dhabi and makes me miss my old home! Unfortunately of the four years I lived there I never went for a camel ride and I have certainly NEVER eaten one! These videos are great.
I love Anthony Bourdain. I like that he explores the link between culture and food, and the places where there's a sort of disconnect. (Yes, this is a traditional food, no, I don't like it.) Jeddah is beautiful! The lamb especially looks delicious, though I would probably try the camel or the lizard at least once, because I am curious like that. I love the doors on the booth at the fast food place. I kinda wish we had that here. Danya's comment about culture struck me as very positive. There's nothing wrong with the way things are elsewhere, but she values the culture where she is too, and if it changes, it will take time. No Reservations has been to several Arab countries over the years. They are always among my favorite episodes.
I absolutely love Anthony Bourdain's shows and was really excited to see that it was the video.I really like how they showed the very Western aspects of not only Jeddah while still putting an emphasis on Old Jeddah. I find it amazing that despite aggressive westernization Saudi Arabia and most of the Arab world retain their own unique cultural identities.
The videos about Saudi Arabia were extremely insightful. Their emphasis on family, religion, and hospitality has helped me create a new appreciation for Saudi Arabia. It is relatively easy for us (Americans) to speak negatively about the role of women in Saudi Arabia, but Danya Alhamrani displayed both the positive and normal side of women in her country. Also, the food looked amazing and it also looked fun to eat. Almost every meal in the video looked like a Thanksgiving celebration at my house. Although, some of the food choices might not have been my first choice, they all looked tasty. Saudi Arabia may be different from the United States of America, but we have a lot of similarities.
I was not sure what to expect when I began watching the videos. Beyond talking to one of my father’s friends in Morocco, I had little or no knowledge of the cultural aspects of life in the region. I would have to say that my favorite portion of the show was the brief clip of the reef in the red sea! I have always wanted to travel to this area of the world and now, I can’t wait! The food and culture showcased in this episode of No Reservations gave me new insight into the realities of a beautiful dessert country I had rarely thought of before.
After watching these videos, I realized some assumptions I had in regard to Saudi Arabia were incorrect. I didn't realize the Saudi women were permitted to dress differently within the confines of their homes, due to usually seeing them in the black Abayas in the streets. Unexpectedly, all the Arabic people filmed were laid back and quite hospitable. I was impressed with the vast variety of foods shown in the videos and I would like to sample some of the dishes someday; the camel looked especially enjoyable. It seems the more I learn about the Arabic culture, the more fascinated with it I become. Exposed to common misconceptions about Arabs throughout my life, I am now starting to realize that these people have a very unique and rich culture that I feel fortunate that I am able to learn about. I was also impressed with the architecture of the old and new buildings in the video. Seeing everyone bow to Mecca in prayer,the dress that the men and women wear,the laws against women driving, and the segregation of singles and families were really enlightening for me and they just go to show how remarkable an effort has been put forth in preserving their native culture. I think it would be incredible if other countries throughout the world attempted to better preserve their culture instead of leaning towards a more westernized standard. The insight I gained after watching No Reservations left me with a positive impression about Saudi Arabia and it's culture.
Diana Moore Arabic 1001 MWF 12:20-1:10 I enjoyed all of the videos very much. All of them were so interesting to watch. It was cool to learn about the culture, food, religion, and way of living through the eyes of a Saudi. It was also interesting to see all the similarities that Saudi people have with Americans. I really liked the mall and the vehicles they drove in the dessert, that looked like a lot of fun and something that is done right here in the U.S too. It was also nice to see how hospitable the people were to guest.
It was very amazing how opened minded Anthony bourdain was during his trip to Saudi Arabia. I liked how he tried a lot of the traditional dishes from there and some dishes that looked like they wouldn’t taste good at all. I was very inspired by Dania when I saw that she was the first female in Saudi Arabia with permission to run a production company without a male. I also found it interesting when Anthony Bourdain brought up the segregation between the races and Dania told how it was from her point of view that the women were being protected. I never thought of it that way. There were many things that I saw on the episode of no reservations about Saudi Arabia that I had no idea about, like how they use camels for many different functions and women wear normal clothes when they are around only women are in the home with just family. I also didn’t know there were many different types of abaya’s, it was interesting for me to see the aqua abaya. Hearing that gas is less than a dollar in Saudi Arabia was not so much surprisingly but astounding to compare to the price of gas in the United States. Overall I fully enjoyed watching the videos though and hope to learn a lot more.
This episode of "Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations" was very informative and entertaining at the same time. The episode was set in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and co-hosted by Dania Nassief. Dania, a filmmaker, is the first women in Saudi Arabia to be granted permission to run a production company without a man present. In the city of Jeddah all women must wear an abaya in public to "preserve" their beauty. Religious law is observed in everyday life, citizens pray five times a day. The fact that oil was discovered by accident while looking for water is very interesting. I learned that Saudi Arabia is 95% desert and gas is less than a dollar a gallon.
I have always enjoyed learning about new cultures. I really enjoy watching Anthony Bourane as well. I thought that it was really interesting to see some similarites in their culture that we can also see here in ours. I have always thought of the middle east as a far off exotic place filled with very different customs and not at all like the United States. But watching these clips showed me how developed the country of Saudi Arabia was and showed me many things in their culture that I would like to see and try for myself. I have always enjoyed traveling and I would love to go to Saudi Arabia and anywhere in the middle east for that matter.
I enjoyed the No Reservations videos about Saudi Arabia. We often imagine such countries as merely deserts, nomadic tribes and camels. While the country is mostly desert, the populated areas are highly modernized. Seeing the clothing in the shopping mall and the Saudi version of KFC really surprised me. The 4-wheelers on the sand dunes was by far the biggest contrast of western and middle eastern culture in the same place.
After reviewing the 5 videos I realized that western civilization lacks the simplicity of Saudi Arabia. In the sense that we over complicate things such as a basic family dinner where the entertain in America usual consist of a television or some type of machine that keeps us entertained but, unaware of the emotions and thoughts of the people in the room. I loved the way their bazaar was laid with various items that were quite exotic. I really would like to travel the through out the middle east to see the wonderful sights they have to offer.
The series of videos about Saudi Arabia set a stark contrast to what I initially thought about when Saudi Arabia came to mind. I've always believed that Saudi Arabia was one of the strictest and most unwelcoming countries in the world, due to the propagated information supplied by many people here in America such as politicians and the media. But I must say that Saudi Arabia is extremely intriguing and it comes to show that we as Americans can no longer simply accept what is told to us, whether it be about foreign countries and their cultures or anything else in that respect. It is apparent that there are many bridges that can bring our cultures together, while at the same time keeping the most important aspects of our separate cultures intact, and I believe we should begin to explore the cultures that are so much more different than ours for the betterment and progression for all.
Honestly, I had no idea about how amazingly alike our American culture some parts of Saudi Arabia are. Usually, when someone thinks of an Arabic community, because of history textbooks no doubt, we tend to think "third-world" immediately. Although these videos had a lot to di about food, I thouroughly enjoyed going on a miniature journey through different parts of Saudi Arabia via video. I really began to appreciate the new things presented to me, such as the fact that women do actually have more freedom than just wearing their long clothing everywhere. It was a cool thing to learn among other things, such as the fact that all parts of a camel are used, basically. I'm not sure if I would eat it, but I would most likely be willing to try any food out there. Jeremy Busbee, arab1001
I really liked the videos on Saudi Arabia. As I have always enjoyed the middle eastern culture being that it is my culture, I think these videos to a great job of educating others of a culture too many know too little about. Of course the food looked amazing and made we want to book a flight back home to have my mom cook the same for me. I also liked that they went beyond just the food in the videos and really tried to show some different cultural aspects of Saudi Arabia as far as religion and lifestyle go. It was surprising to know how much gas is there, since I dont think its been that low here in america since before I was born. Samira Murphy ARAB 2001
All five video clips posted about Anthony Bourdane's travels to Saudi Arabia were interesting. Even though his show is mainly for the exhibition of food, his guide Dana took him around the city and explored the cultures. Some of the more stranger dishes were made of sheep hoof, yogurt and barley soup, lizard for breakfast, and camel for dinner. It was strange how they value the camel so much that they even use it's urine for tests on curing cancer. I enjoyed how the women there have a sense of fashion beneath their long gowns, but it is unfortunate how much they have to cover themselves and can only show off their sense of style at all-women gatherings. One thing that sparked my interest and that I would like to have here in the U.S. is for all of us to have to stop and pray at one time during the day,as they did in Saudi Arabia.
ReplyDeleteI have never seen a show about an Arab country before so this show was really interesting to me. I thought it was awesome how family oriented Saudi Arabia is. It also made me want to try camel. I love trying new foods so all the dishes looked pretty appetizing...except the lizard. My favorite part though was how they will go driving out in the desert in their free time. I would love to be able to ride a four wheeler on some sand dunes.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth Gunnels Arabic 1001
I really liked the fact that he made it a point to say that even through there are many differences between there culture and our culture, there are just as many similarities. They are extremely family oriented and just as adventurous as we are. They have a sense of humor and they don't always dress in full body cover, especially the females. I loved the diferent types of food that they had and how readily available they were. I love trying new foods so that was something I really enjoyed and the fact that she had never tied them either made show more realistic. I though it was interesting how se was allowed special privileges that other women were not allowed; to me. it said that their culture is slowly changing towards a more equal culture. The restaurant with the door was the best retaurant to me, but I really liked the camel meal after the desert ride. Over all, I really enoyed watching th videos and the information that was on them was great!
ReplyDeleteAt first I was really surprised to see how westernized Saudi Arabia was. I didn't exactly expect just camels and desert, but I also didn't expect a 3-story mall and arab barbie dolls. After seeing that part of the video, though, I was then surprised to learn that 95% of the country is desert. I think it's kind of cool that the women are covered head to toe. Although I was brought up in a very liberal environment, I don't think I would have any problem dressing like that on a daily basis. It would be nice to be able to walk around without worrying about what others thought of your clothes, your hair, etc. I mean, aren't there more important things to worry about in life? And I thought it was interesting that she sees it as the women/children/family being given preferential treatment by not having to sit with the single men. It looks like a beautiful country and I would love the opportunity to visit. I will pass on the camel and lizard though :)
ReplyDeleteKimberly Ballard
Arabic 1001
This video does a good job in showing how Westernized this part of Saudi Arabia is. They compare it to Las Vegas and New York. As far as the women Abaya I know first hand that they are very hot to wear outside, as I had to wear one while visiting the Grande Mosque in Abu Dhabi. And that was only for a few hours. I have never been to Saudi Arabia but it reminds me a lot of Abu Dhabi and makes me miss my old home! Unfortunately of the four years I lived there I never went for a camel ride and I have certainly NEVER eaten one! These videos are great.
ReplyDeleteAustin Lowe
Arabic 1001
I love Anthony Bourdain. I like that he explores the link between culture and food, and the places where there's a sort of disconnect. (Yes, this is a traditional food, no, I don't like it.) Jeddah is beautiful! The lamb especially looks delicious, though I would probably try the camel or the lizard at least once, because I am curious like that. I love the doors on the booth at the fast food place. I kinda wish we had that here. Danya's comment about culture struck me as very positive. There's nothing wrong with the way things are elsewhere, but she values the culture where she is too, and if it changes, it will take time. No Reservations has been to several Arab countries over the years. They are always among my favorite episodes.
ReplyDeleteCathy Harris
Arabic 2001
I absolutely love Anthony Bourdain's shows and was really excited to see that it was the video.I really like how they showed the very Western aspects of not only Jeddah while still putting an emphasis on Old Jeddah. I find it amazing that despite aggressive westernization Saudi Arabia and most of the Arab world retain their own unique cultural identities.
ReplyDeleteLangston Middleton
Arabic 2001
The videos about Saudi Arabia were extremely insightful. Their emphasis on family, religion, and hospitality has helped me create a new appreciation for Saudi Arabia. It is relatively easy for us (Americans) to speak negatively about the role of women in Saudi Arabia, but Danya Alhamrani displayed both the positive and normal side of women in her country. Also, the food looked amazing and it also looked fun to eat. Almost every meal in the video looked like a Thanksgiving celebration at my house. Although, some of the food choices might not have been my first choice, they all looked tasty. Saudi Arabia may be different from the United States of America, but we have a lot of similarities.
ReplyDeleteYavaria Ryan
Arabic 1001
I was not sure what to expect when I began watching the videos. Beyond talking to one of my father’s friends in Morocco, I had little or no knowledge of the cultural aspects of life in the region. I would have to say that my favorite portion of the show was the brief clip of the reef in the red sea! I have always wanted to travel to this area of the world and now, I can’t wait! The food and culture showcased in this episode of No Reservations gave me new insight into the realities of a beautiful dessert country I had rarely thought of before.
ReplyDeleteGibson Pope
Arabic 1001
After watching these videos, I realized some assumptions I had in regard to Saudi Arabia were incorrect. I didn't realize the Saudi women were permitted to dress differently within the confines of their homes, due to usually seeing them in the black Abayas in the streets. Unexpectedly, all the Arabic people filmed were laid back and quite hospitable. I was impressed with the vast variety of foods shown in the videos and I would like to sample some of the dishes someday; the camel looked especially enjoyable. It seems the more I learn about the Arabic culture, the more fascinated with it I become. Exposed to common misconceptions about Arabs throughout my life, I am now starting to realize that these people have a very unique and rich culture that I feel fortunate that I am able to learn about. I was also impressed with the architecture of the old and new buildings in the video. Seeing everyone bow to Mecca in prayer,the dress that the men and women wear,the laws against women driving, and the segregation of singles and families were really enlightening for me and they just go to show how remarkable an effort has been put forth in preserving their native culture. I think it would be incredible if other countries throughout the world attempted to better preserve their culture instead of leaning towards a more westernized standard. The insight I gained after watching No Reservations left me with a positive impression about Saudi Arabia and it's culture.
ReplyDeleteMatthew Horne
Arabic 1001
Diana Moore
ReplyDeleteArabic 1001
MWF 12:20-1:10
I enjoyed all of the videos very much. All of them were so interesting to watch. It was cool to learn about the culture, food, religion, and way of living through the eyes of a Saudi. It was also interesting to see all the similarities that Saudi people have with Americans. I really liked the mall and the vehicles they drove in the dessert, that looked like a lot of fun and something that is done right here in the U.S too. It was also nice to see how hospitable the people were to guest.
Samone Finley
ReplyDeleteArabic 1001
It was very amazing how opened minded Anthony bourdain was during his trip to Saudi Arabia. I liked how he tried a lot of the traditional dishes from there and some dishes that looked like they wouldn’t taste good at all. I was very inspired by Dania when I saw that she was the first female in Saudi Arabia with permission to run a production company without a male. I also found it interesting when Anthony Bourdain brought up the segregation between the races and Dania told how it was from her point of view that the women were being protected. I never thought of it that way. There were many things that I saw on the episode of no reservations about Saudi Arabia that I had no idea about, like how they use camels for many different functions and women wear normal clothes when they are around only women are in the home with just family. I also didn’t know there were many different types of abaya’s, it was interesting for me to see the aqua abaya. Hearing that gas is less than a dollar in Saudi Arabia was not so much surprisingly but astounding to compare to the price of gas in the United States. Overall I fully enjoyed watching the videos though and hope to learn a lot more.
Corey Jones
ReplyDeleteARAB 1001
This episode of "Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations" was very informative and entertaining at the same time. The episode was set in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and co-hosted by Dania Nassief. Dania, a filmmaker, is the first women in Saudi Arabia to be granted permission to run a production company without a man present. In the city of Jeddah all women must wear an abaya in public to "preserve" their beauty. Religious law is observed in everyday life, citizens pray five times a day. The fact that oil was discovered by accident while looking for water is very interesting. I learned that Saudi Arabia is 95% desert and gas is less than a dollar a gallon.
I have always enjoyed learning about new cultures. I really enjoy watching Anthony Bourane as well. I thought that it was really interesting to see some similarites in their culture that we can also see here in ours. I have always thought of the middle east as a far off exotic place filled with very different customs and not at all like the United States. But watching these clips showed me how developed the country of Saudi Arabia was and showed me many things in their culture that I would like to see and try for myself. I have always enjoyed traveling and I would love to go to Saudi Arabia and anywhere in the middle east for that matter.
ReplyDeleteBrennan Patrick
Arabic 1001
I enjoyed the No Reservations videos about Saudi Arabia. We often imagine such countries as merely deserts, nomadic tribes and camels. While the country is mostly desert, the populated areas are highly modernized. Seeing the clothing in the shopping mall and the Saudi version of KFC really surprised me. The 4-wheelers on the sand dunes was by far the biggest contrast of western and middle eastern culture in the same place.
ReplyDeleteJohn D Howard Jr.
Arabic 2001
After reviewing the 5 videos I realized that western civilization lacks the simplicity of Saudi Arabia. In the sense that we over complicate things such as a basic family dinner where the entertain in America usual consist of a television or some type of machine that keeps us entertained but, unaware of the emotions and thoughts of the people in the room. I loved the way their bazaar was laid with various items that were quite exotic. I really would like to travel the through out the middle east to see the wonderful sights they have to offer.
ReplyDeleteLatane' Brackett, IV aka "Elmo"
Arabic 1001
The series of videos about Saudi Arabia set a stark contrast to what I initially thought about when Saudi Arabia came to mind. I've always believed that Saudi Arabia was one of the strictest and most unwelcoming countries in the world, due to the propagated information supplied by many people here in America such as politicians and the media. But I must say that Saudi Arabia is extremely intriguing and it comes to show that we as Americans can no longer simply accept what is told to us, whether it be about foreign countries and their cultures or anything else in that respect. It is apparent that there are many bridges that can bring our cultures together, while at the same time keeping the most important aspects of our separate cultures intact, and I believe we should begin to explore the cultures that are so much more different than ours for the betterment and progression for all.
ReplyDeleteChristopher "Chris" Ware
Arabic 1001
Honestly, I had no idea about how amazingly alike our American culture some parts of Saudi Arabia are. Usually, when someone thinks of an Arabic community, because of history textbooks no doubt, we tend to think "third-world" immediately. Although these videos had a lot to di about food, I thouroughly enjoyed going on a miniature journey through different parts of Saudi Arabia via video. I really began to appreciate the new things presented to me, such as the fact that women do actually have more freedom than just wearing their long clothing everywhere. It was a cool thing to learn among other things, such as the fact that all parts of a camel are used, basically. I'm not sure if I would eat it, but I would most likely be willing to try any food out there.
ReplyDeleteJeremy Busbee, arab1001
I really liked the videos on Saudi Arabia. As I have always enjoyed the middle eastern culture being that it is my culture, I think these videos to a great job of educating others of a culture too many know too little about. Of course the food looked amazing and made we want to book a flight back home to have my mom cook the same for me. I also liked that they went beyond just the food in the videos and really tried to show some different cultural aspects of Saudi Arabia as far as religion and lifestyle go. It was surprising to know how much gas is there, since I dont think its been that low here in america since before I was born.
ReplyDeleteSamira Murphy
ARAB 2001