Lebanons History, Culture and Diversity

Lebanons History, Culture and Diversity Some people migrate to the United States and just forget their home country. They find their way to assimilate in the American mainstream. However for me, even though Ive been in the U.S. since birth but I would still be pleasured to write on most of the things that I really would feel interested about; Lebanon. Modern-day Lebanon is like a mosaic, characterized by a diversity of cultures, traditions, and religions. Because of its location at the crossroads of Asia, Europe, and Africa; Lebanon has been shaped by many civilizations throughout its long history. These diverse influences are evident in the extraordinary richness of the countrys archaeological sites. From Stone Age settlements to Phoenician city-states, from Roman temples to rock-cut Christian hermitages, from Crusader Castles to Mamluk mosques and Ottoman Hammams (traditional clubs that include sauna, Jacuzzi, and steam rooms), the countrys historical sites are a true encyclopedia of ancient and modern world history. Modern Lebanese society is characterized by this same cultural and architectural diversity. As you walk the streets of downtown Beirut, you will pass domed mosques and steeple churches, French cafes and Arab Souqs (traditional markets). Cultural diversity is reflected in language, cuisine, the arts, and the countrys religious heritages Sunni, Shiia Muslims, and Druze; Maronite, Eastern Orthodox and other Christians; and many others (Helena 72). A visit to any of Lebanons ancient archeological ruins, traditional villages, or religious sites will truly give you a taste of the cultural mosaic of this captivating country. Lebanon is an ancient land that has embraced two of the worlds major religions, Christianity and Islam. Lebanons Christian heritage can be traced back to the Old Testament (Collelo 45). The Bible mentions the land of Lebanon on 70 occasions, and the famed Cedars of Lebanon are frequently cited as a symbol of beauty and strength. In addition to the many Biblical sites located in southern Lebanon, the Qadisha Valley, also known as the Holy Valley, reveals a wealth of hidden, rock-cut monasteries, grottoes, and sacred sites from the earliest days of Christianity. On the other hand, Lebanons Muslim heritage can be traced to the 7th century AD, when Islam was introduced by the Umayyad caliphate from the Arabian Peninsula. The Umayyad dynasty was the first of two major Muslim dynasties following the prophet Mohammed. The Umayyads and their successors, the Abbasids, ushered in a rich period of Islamic art, architecture, learning, and culture, and this tradition continues to flourish today. There are numerous mosques and spiritual places from the Sunni, Shiite Muslim traditions throughout the country. An ancient land, Lebanon features prominently in writings from the Old Testament to the History of Herodotus (440 BC). Its cities were major Mediterranean outposts and seaports in Phoenician, Greek, Roman, and Umayyad times. Consequently, the Lebanese countryside is awash with majestic and historically fascinating ruins. Five of the most outstanding sites Aanjar, Baalbeck, Byblos, Tyre, and the Qadisha Valley/Cedars Forest are listed as UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage sites. To explore Lebanon is to discover archaeological wonders that are windows into the cradle of civilization. Believed to be one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, the picturesque seaside city of Byblos is built upon multiple layers of ruins, dating back to as early as the Stone Age (5,000 BC). The kings of Byblos from the Phoenician period are buried in nine underground tombs in the royal necropolis. Columns lining the main thoroughfare, a theater, and a public fountain are among the architectural contributions left by the Romans. The Crusaders built their castle and a moat upon large Roman stones. Later, the castle was renovated and reused by the Mamluks and then the Ottomans. Lebanons official language is Arabic, but French, Armenian, and English are also widely spoken. Many Lebanese in fact speak a patois of some combination of these four languages, most commonly an Arabic-French mixture. Virtually all Lebanese are bilingual. Spoken Arabic is one part of a grouping of dialects called Levantine Arabic, differing greatly from the literary Modern Standard Arabic. It is a fusion between Syriac and Arabic, as well as some Turkish and thus in this respect can be more correctly classified as a language from Arabic, albeit very similar due to its relationship on the tree of Semitic languages. Regional influences and occupations throughout the centuries could possibly explain the reason why Lebanese people speak so many languages, even incorporating them into their own. Due to the importance of the Lebanese Diaspora and business interests of Lebanese worldwide, it has always been important to master languages other than Arabic. Lebanese music is known around the world for its soothing rhythms and wild beats. Traditional and folk music are extremely popular as are western rhythms. Perhaps the best-known and listened to Lebanese singer is Fairuz. Her songs are broadcast every morning on most radio stations and many TV channels, both in Lebanon and other countries in the Middle East and the Arab world in general. Other artists are also well known and loved like Majida El Roumi, Marcel Khalife who is also a composer, Oud player, and Julia Boutros. Over the ages, skilled Lebanese artisans have perfected the art of creating beautiful blown glass, jewelry, inlaid and engraved wooden boxes and furniture, textiles, and linens. The colorful, blown-glass decanters, water carafes, and glasses particular to Lebanon date back to Phoenician times. Wood workers carve intricately designed boxes and furniture and inlay them with mother-of-pearl or small pieces of wood. Traditional olive oil soap, increasingly popular here in the west, comes from traditional small factories that make this soup from the olive trees of Lebanon to be entirely natural, pure, and moisturizing. Lebanons primary religious groups, very roughly, are Shia Muslim (the largest group), Sunni Muslim, Christian, and Druze. Muslims represent roughly 60% of the total population, while Christians make up the other 40%. Of the muslims, the predominant Shia make up 60%, while the Sunni make up most of the remainder. Druze and Alawis are minorities. The division of political power between the religious groups is an interesting problem. The Lebanese have solved this by making different high ranking government positions represented by the different religious groups. The President must be Catholic, the Prime Minister must be Sunni, and the Speaker of the Parliament must be Shia. Some Lebanese nationals, particularly some Christians, tend to emphasize aspects of Lebanons non-Arab history as a mark of respect to encompass all of Lebanons historical makeup instead of only that which began during the Arab conquests, an attitude that prevails in the rest of the Arab world. In this respect, it would be wrong to dismiss Lebanons mosaic culture as merely Arab when it is clear that it is a blend of indigenous and invading or foreign cultures that have given it the title of the crossroads between east and west for centuries. This picture is seen most clearly in Lebanon, a land of complete contrasts and a land that cannot be defined by one culture alone, except if one were to bring them altogether and classify them as Lebanese. In a concession to Lebanons Eastern and Western heritage, some Lebanese prefer to see Lebanon as part of Mediterranean or Levantine civilization, neither Arab nor European. Everyone born and raised in Lebanon communicates using Arabic in a Leban ese dialect. This applies to its Islamic, Christian, Druze, and other religious practices. Language, food, music, arts and various cultural facets are local Lebanese and performed practically all in Arabic. The youth today are quite westernized and modernized breaking away with traditions like most other larger cities in the world (dating, western music, food, etc.) Compared to other Arab cities, Lebanese cities (especially Beirut) are more westernized and tolerant, and overt towards men-women relations than most Arab cities, like Damascus, Cairo, Baghdad Like other areas of the Middle East, Lebanon has a heritage almost as old as the earliest evidence of mankind. Its geographic position as a crossroads linking the Mediterranean Basin with the great Asian hinterland has conferred on it a cosmopolitan character and a multicultural legacy. Lebanon has an Arab culture colored by Western influences. As some Lebanese proudly say about their tiny country, Lebanon is small in size but huge in its influence.

The Worst Vacation Of My Life Essay -- Summer Vacation Essays

I used to spend the last part of my summer vacation with my uncle and aunt. As a continuation of a long-ago-established tradition we decided going to York - a small, picturesque tourist town at the seaside, located in the southeastern part of Maine. On the 27th of August, early in the morning we went to my uncle’s car with the entire luggage, prepared to leave and spend a nice, relaxing vacation, far away from the problems of the city. Unfortunately the unpleasant surprises started from the first second of our vacation. To our great disbelief the two front tires of the car were missing, and as later became clear, stolen during the night so at this moment the car was lying on the pavement, like a big wounded animal. I remember that my aunt said that this ought to be an omen of bad luck, warning not to go against your destiny and luck. After several hours repairing the car we, eventually, headed on, ready, for what turns to be the worst vacation in my entire life. However, our lack of luck was not over yet. On our way to the seaside we had a flat tire and after one more wasted hour searching for auto-service and proper repairment we were ready again. Unfortunately, our complete misfortune was still with us. Near Veliko Tirnovo the headway was closed, due to repair works, so we had to turn back a few kilometers and find another, this time not so good way. By this time the day was quickly turning into night. From the car windows I was seeing only the lights coming from the distant villages and the workers hurrying to get home. I thought for a moment, observing those people, that humans are very fragile. They were searching shelter from the coming night in those tiny lights, as they can save them from the perilous dark. ... ...one hospital I understood that she was lucky, because she had no other damages except 3 broken ribs and many bruises all over her body. That accident changed my prospective of seeing things. Long after the vacation I was feeling guilty because I had the chance of helping my aunt, but I failed. I was thinking that if I had not accepted her idea I might have prevented this. For the first time of my life I felt responsible for something. I discovered the meaning of the word â€Å"vulnerable†, and that made me even sicker. I was self-blaming for my inactivity and my helplessness. As the years pass I think that those memories are already left far in the past, that, slowly, I am surpassing them. But the changes are still visible- I am more cautious, knowing that every single moment is bringing certain risk and if I fail to notice it I may easily â€Å"fall from the cliff†.

If I Die in a Combat Zone

The novels If I Die in a Combat Zone and The Things They Carried were both written by Tim O’Brien. Tim O’Brien is a Vietnam War veteran and all of the novels he wrote are about his times in the war. He includes the same characters in the stories, but changed their names and descriptions. I do not believe that O’Brien wrote the books for any political reason. Both of the novels have very much in common including the style that it is written, and the stories that are told. There are also differences including the order of the stories, and the endings.These similarities and differences are important for the novels because it shows the diversity that different soldiers go through in times of war. The style that O’Brien writes in both novels is first person narrative. O’Brien tells the story in his point of view, and tells different stories. In If I Die in a Combat Zone the stories he tells his whole time in Vietnam. He starts with how he got drafted int o the war and his training. He considered leaving the country to go live in Europe. At the last minute he almost left, but then decided to stay and go to Vietnam.He continues the story in chronological order of the times and significant events that had happened throughout his duty. In The Things They Carried, O’Brien told significant stories that were told out of chronological order. The stories told in The Things They Carried were also less biographical and focused more on the men in his platoon. He also jumps back and forth between the war and post war, where he talked to the surviving men from his platoon. He tells the stories of the war, and the stories that the men told him. This is one of the differences between the two books.The ways the stories are told are different. Even though both books are told in the perspective of O’Brien, when he is telling the stories in The Things They Carried, we are more sympathetic to the other characters because it mostly focuses on them. In both of the stories, O’Brien also uses the same terminology in the books. He uses what I describe as â€Å"war† terminology. He uses words and acronyms. For example he said that they were looking for Charlie. I’m not very educated on the Vietnam War so I looked up who Charlie was. Then I realized that Charlie is the Vietnamese army.There were other terms including the different guns and different mine types. Thankfully, O’Brien explained those terms. O’Brien is consistent with his terms and it makes it easier to read one book after reading the other because of this consistency. The endings of If I Die in a Combat Zone and The Things They Carried are different. In If I Die in a Combat Zone, the end is O’Brien going home from Vietnam. He says that there is no joy in leaving Vietnam. He says that he thought of the friends he gained and the friends he lost. He reminisced what he learned, and realized that he did not learn a lot.The e nding of The Things They Carried is one last story that focused on O’Brien. It was the first time that he had seen a dead body in Vietnam. It then flashes back to his past where his girlfriend had died because of a brain tumor. That was the first time he had seen a dead body. The soldiers say that to keep a person alive is to always tell memories. But O’Brien didn’t do that, he just imagined that his girlfriend was still alive and waiting for him. Although collectively I did not like either of Tim O’Brien’s books, but I can say that they are well written.The reason I did not like the books was because of the graphics that were described. I understand that learning about the Vietnam War is important, and the horrific aspects are important to learn also, but I do not agree with describing in detail about bodies being blown to pieces. Both books have their similarities in being that they are about the Vietnam War, the style of the book, and the storie s and their content. Although the differences were big, including the order of the stories, and the perspective of the stories, the books are close in content. I believe that these books can be read simultaneously with each other.

Mental Health Of Public Schools - 3689 Words

Mental Health Education in Public Schools Diana Dorsey, Nicole Dunleavey, Erin Frye, Brittany Foote, and Ashleigh Weyant February 17th, 2015 NURS 430 Professor Pelland On our honor we have neither given nor received help on this assignment. Mental Health Education in Public Schools Suicide and self-harm are significant problems among adolescents aged 12-18 and has contributed to the major increase in suicide rates in the state of Virginia. Public schools in the state of Virginia are not doing a successful job at covering the topics of suicide prevention and mental health. We looked at the state requirements for education and mental health and suicide are required; however, the topics are covered for a very short time.†¦show more content†¦According to the State’s Public School curriculum, health and physical education classes are required to touch on mental health in 3 different grades and suicide prevention is only indicated for grade 10 (â€Å"Health Education Standards of Learning,† 2008). With the vast majority of adolescents attending public schools, there should be a mental health education program in effort to decrease the rise in suicide rates. Because the suicide rate is highest among adolescents ages 12-18, it is especially imp ortant that the state implements a mental health program into the public school curriculum. An education program to get adolescents involved in discussing mental illnesses in relation to suicide can be set in place for middle and high school students. The programs involve not only students, but also the faculty and staff, administrators, and parents. The goal of the execution of a mental health educational program in public school is to decrease the suicide rates of adolescents in Virginia ages 12 to 18 by eliminating social stigmas associated with talking about or seeking help for mental illness Statement of the Issue The state of Virginia requires that public schools address the issues of mental health and suicide during the health and physical education course. However, suicide prevention is only indicated for grade ten and the topic is not taken as seriously as necessary. Suicide prevention is covered for a very short time,