Monday, 28 November 2011

Sharjah airport 1937 and Dubai airport today

The first video shows the Sharjah airport in 1937.The population of Sharjah was about 15,000 instead of today; over half a million people are living in Sharjah. We can see how people transport using animals and walking to the destinations. Also we can see oyster beds and the pearls which were the main trade in the region that time. The design of the airport was like a fort and it was controlled by English. A Hanno airplane which reached the airport was built by Handley Page and it was considered the safe airplane in that time with zero record of any incidents. At night the guards brought out some mechanics to help the plane to see the runway for landing or take off.  



The second video shows some people dancing, showing I think the different people who visit the country in this time.  They all seemed happy, both the staff or the travelers in the airport. The two videos offer a sharp contrast between past and present. 

Sunday, 16 October 2011

Definitions



. Affluence = wealth.
Abu Dhabi is an example of an affluent society.

The opposite of affluence is poverty.

2. Ethnicity is related to culture, race, language.

Malaysians consist of three main ethnic groups: Malays, Chinese and Indians.

3. Ability = skill = aptitude.

He has the ability to get good grades.

4. Diversity = difference.

The UAE nowadays is an example of a culturally diverse society.

5. Assimilation = absorption.

People emigrating to other countries will gradually assimilate into a new culture.

6. Demographics = the study of population.

You can study a country's demographics in many different ways, e.g. race, language, religion, age, gender.

7. religion = a set of beliefs.

Religious people try to live according to the teachings of their religion.

8. race = a group of people with similarities, particularly physical appearance.

People of Malay, Chinese & Indian race share Malaysian nationality.

9. multiculturalism = many different cultures.

A multicultural society is one where people of different cultural backgrounds live and work together.

10. personality = individual character.

She has a very nice personality: kind, patient, tolerant and loving.

11. prejudice = bias.

Apartheid in S. Africa was based on racial prejudice against black people.

12. Acculturation = the mixing of different cultures.

It means different cultures borrowing from each other.

13. Bias = prejudice.

Bias is a negative opinion of a person or group based on race, colour, culture or whatever.

14. Discrimination = treating people differently.

Apartheid meant discrimination in favour of whites and against blacks.

15. Fringe = edge, margin.

A fringe group is a small minority, usually expressing an extreme opinion.

16. Population = the number of people.

A census is a count of the number of people in a country.

17.Stereotyping = making assumptions or generalisations about a person or group of people.

Americans are rich, while Mexicans are poor.

18. Gender = sex.

There are two genders, male and female.

19. Resistance = opposition.

There have been many signs of political resistance to established governments in the Arab spring of this year.

20. Advantage = a favoured position.

If you are an expatriate, being able to speak the local language is a big advantage.

21. Racism = hatred of another person or group of different race, often based on colour.

The apartheid system in S. Africa was an example of racism.

22.Ethics = morality, i.e. what is right or wrong.

Ethical behaviour is honest behaviour.

23. Productivity = the ability to produce something.

The company's productivity rates are rising.

24. Behaviour = the manner of acting/conduct.

The students' behaviour is very good.

25. Belief = confidence.

I have great belief in her.

Tibetans believe in re-incarnation.

26. Majority = most.

The vast majority of Arabs are Muslim.

27. Income = salary.

All employees have a monthly income.

28. Adverse = bad, harmful.

We didn't go on a picnic because of the adverse weather conditions.

29. Values = beliefs.

I value honesty very highly.

30. Traditions = customs.

They are handed down from generation to generation.

31. Generation = group of people born at about the same time

In some societies people talk about a generation gap; each generation has its own ideals & standards.

32. Sensitivity = empathy, awareness of someone else's feelings.

She's very sensitive. She cares about how other people feel.

33. Slang = slightly improper language.

Have a shufti at my blog.

34. Ethnocentrism = seeing everything from viewpoint of your own culture.

An ethnocentric viewpoint is narrow and limited.

35. Stratification = rigid division of society.

The Indian caste system is an example of social stratification.

36. Socio-cultural = relating to society & culture.

37. Resident = someone living in a particular place.

Khalid, Aziz and Hedley are all Abu Dhabi residents.

38. Poverty = being poor.

The opposite of poverty is affluence or wealth.

39. Nationality = the country you belong to.

You can have different race or ethnicity but the same nationality.

40. Minority = less than half.
Christians are a minority of the UAE's population.

41. Class = group.

You can have upper class, middle class, lower class.

42. Globalization = The creation of worldwide networks, businesses etc..
 The globalization of manufacturing.

43. Virtual = being almost or nearly

Her disability has made her a virtual prisoner in her own home.

44. Barriers = an object that keep people or things in one place .


Sunday, 9 October 2011

BLINDSIGHT

Types of cultural diversity in the film: the German woman who sets up a school for the blind in Tibet. Eric, the blind American mountaineer who volunteers to guide the blind children until they  reach the summit of Everest. Buddhist religion. Why does she believe that blindness is divine punishment for sins committed in a previous life or  incarnation, against the wishes of the West to overcome the deficit, and to achieve, to reach the summit. The support they received from Eric and his father, unlike the Tibetan women, who said, "without the eyes  the man is not perfect."
Challenges of the film: they are all, in the face of the campaign of physical and mental challenge of lack of oxygen at high altitudes. Blind children have the additional challenge to make a blind extreme feat. Blind girl with 2 brothers are blind and blind father and has mother died of a heart attack, leaving her daughter with the lack of effective support by the government or anyone else.
Eric loses sight of his mother at an early age is less than ten years.
The difficulty of Tashi the  street kid, to get acceptance from the other children.  He was sent away to live with a Chinese couple, and was beaten.

 The opinion of traditional Tibetan blindness: stereotyping / bias / prejudice / discrimination, failure to beg enough money, or when the money was stolen from him. Tashi hid the fact that he was Chinese, believing only Tibetan children may join the campaign.







Sunday, 18 September 2011

cultural diversity

The cultural variety and cultural differences that exist in the world, a society, or an institution. Dying languages and urbanization are threats to cultural diversity.

mhmed2020

UAE demographics



UAE

Introduction to Diversity

UAE Demographics:

Ethnic Groups Percentage 2,ooo

Arab 48.1%

12.2% UAE Arab

9.4% Bedouin

6.2% Egyptian Arab

4.1% Omani Arab

4% Saudi Arab

South Asian 35.7%

Iranian 5%

Filipino 3.4%

White European 2.4%

Others 5.4%


Religions Percentage 2000

Muslim 62% (80% Sunni)

Hindi 21%

Christian 9%

Buddhist 4%

Others 4%


Source: http://www.worldstatesmen.org/United_Arab_Emirates.html