Arabic at GSU: Jordan - The Royal Tour

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Jordan - The Royal Tour - Part 5

4 comments:

AdrianaFebruary 22, 2014 at 1:51 PM
Before watching this video I never thought much of Jordan. My favorite parts were them seeing Petra and when King Abdullah goes exploring through those caves towards the end. The King seems like he is a great leader who genuinely cares about his people and the country. It's nice to see that he is invested in the ecological health of the river and cones back yearly to check on the progress of the coral growth. This video got me interested in learning more about King Abdullah and the country of Jordan. I see that he met with President Obama just last week to discuss the U.S. providing aid to help Jordan with its 600,000+ Syrian refugees.
ReplyDelete
Replies
AdrianaFebruary 22, 2014 at 1:53 PM
Adriana Pulley
ARAB 1001
MWF 9:05
ReplyDelete
Replies
AnonymousFebruary 23, 2014 at 10:53 PM
Heather Yeomans
Arabic 1001 MWF 9:05
I think this video does a great job of showing how different Jordan is then what many westerners think. Its much more diverse and tolerant than its bordering countries. It is also full of culture and beauty. King Abdullah is far from your typical king, from sky diving to street car racing he seems like he does a little bit of everything. I think its so cool that he made himself available to give this tour through his country, not many kings or political leaders would do that. It makes him seem very down to earth and relatable, which is something I'm sure his people appreciate.
ReplyDelete
Replies
cngray94February 23, 2014 at 11:32 PM
Carmen Gray
Arabic 1001 MWF 9:05

This video was really an eye opener for me because I have never really known much about Jordan besides the fact that it was located near Israel and Iraq. However, after viewing these series of videos I've found that Jordan is truly an extraordinary country. It's religiously tolerant, has an active night life, contains a lot of historical sites, and is full of natural beauty. King Abdullah is also amazing in his own right because he's a young monarch that isn't afraid to do things unconventionally. Plus, he treats his duty as king as something extremely important. He views the people of Jordan as his family, and he looks out for them like a father. He really is an awesome man. I definitely would love to travel to Jordan one day.
ReplyDelete
Replies

Cairo: The City Victorious

In a country that has been ruled by the same man for the past three decades, it can be easy to forget that February's uprising is not Egypt's first revolution. In the book Cairo: The City Victorious, Max Rodenbeck ushers us through Cairo's complex and layered history, delicately moving through ancient and medieval times, then Cairo's colonization, nationalization and, finally, its modern-day state. Part personal commentary, Rodenbeck's book weaves in his experiences of growing up and living in Cairo, providing for the reader the smells and sights of this moving, breathing capital. Fittingly, the final chapter of the book is called 'The Voice of Cairo,' and although written over a decade ago, it gives us the perspective we need to understand the voices that have emerged from today's victorious city..

Arab personality of the week: Nawal Al Moutawakel 1962-

Born in Casablanca, Morocco, Nawal is an athlete and Olympic Gold medalist. In 1984, she won the gold medal in the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, and, in doing so, became the first Arab women, African woman, Muslim woman, Moroccan woman, and Cyclone woman to win Olympic gold. Her Olympic victory made her an immediate national hero in Morocco. In 1989, she was appointed inspector at the Ministry of Sport and Youth and then became the national sprint and hurdle coach for both men and women. In 1997 she became secretary of state for sport and youth. From 1998 to 2003 she was executive director of the Foundation for Education and Environment in Casablanca, and she was director of the Sahara Sports Academy in India, as well as president and founding member of the Moroccan Association of Sport and Development.  
Throughout her professional career, Nawal has used her popularity and influence to continue breaking down barriers for women. She has been an agent of change in the male-dominated Moroccan society, helping and inspiring other women to assert themselves through sport. She organized the first-ever Moroccan women’s 10K race through the streets of Casablanca, an event that now attracts more than 20,000 participants. She has led significant change for women in sport on the international level.
She is a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Coordination Commission for the London 2012 Olympic Games, and was president of the IOC Evaluation Commission for those same games, the first woman to serve in each of those capacities. She has also been a leader in AIDS education and tsunami relief efforts.  In 2007, Nawal was named the Minister of Sports in Morocco.