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First Call Dispatch: Syria
Lena Zurkiya
October 30, 2006 |
During one of my first weeks as a student studying abroad in Syria, a bomb exploded at the entrance to the American Embassy. I arrived at the embassy about 30 minutes after it happened, for university paperwork, and it was complete chaos. Two American students I know well were inside for the same paperwork when it happened, and they later told me they were forced to hide in a nearby school while the situation calmed down. The men involved and a Syrian guard died from shots that were fired in the confusion following the explosion.
The attack has been the only such incident during my stay here, and with the consequences of the Hizbollah-Israeli war still raw, the experience of studying and living in Syria has changed palpably for the locals and foreigners. Our society is bulging with political pressure, masses of refugees and asylum seekers, and a quickly rising cost of living. The wars in Iraq and Lebanon have not only been a tragedy for those nationals but are also taking its toll on the city of Damascus. Resources are being pulled, with rent, food and transportation becoming increasingly expensive. Syria is probably the country most affected by the war in Lebanon, after only Lebanon and Israel.
Interestingly, at the Damascus Language Institute, Americans are the most represented nationality (along with Italy). Although Americans still number less than Europeans overall, there is undoubtedly a strong interest from US universities to not only study Arabic, but also to come to a country politically at odds with their own. In regards to the last course, all the Americans have been from the best universities and colleges in the United States: Middlebury, Duke, Princeton, Amherst, Georgetown, and many other prestigious names. Many students are willing to look past political tensions in order to come to a city that has the reputation of being the best city for true immersion in Arabic. But their experiences have not been easy, both because they are Americans and simply because they are foreigners to this country. The Syrian people are famous for hospitality, but Syrians also recognize that Americans and other foreigners have deeper pockets. They face a certain tax on everything they purchase. For every item, the offered price before bargaining is usually at least twice what a Syrian or Arab would receive. This is particularly true of shopkeepers and taxi drivers. The unequal treatment is somewhat understandable considering the price difference involved is usually to the tune of no more than a U.S. dollar, not exactly an amount that will break the bank in the West.
The elevated prices don’t matter too much to American students here; the cost of living still remains much cheaper than Philadelphia. However, the neighboring wars will undoubtedly affect any American’s study abroad experience. As a student holding two passports, Jordanian and American, study abroad seems to exist within two worlds in a very strained community. For example, after choosing to not stay with a host family, I began searching for small apartments in the city through real estate agents and the local newspaper listings. I never mentioned to renters that I was from America, because foreigners from the West are almost always quoted much higher prices. However, even as a Jordanian, I was refused two apartments after agreeing on a price once my nationality was mentioned to the owner.
The political tension has affected Syrians in different ways. From my attempts at getting housing, I was introduced to the small segment of society that benefited from the local political tensions. It consisted mostly of merchants and businessman who are receiving more demand for their products. Many agents and owners tried to start bidding wars between other customers and me. To put this into perspective, less than a year ago, a nice, independent one-bedroom apartment in the city would have cost roughly 200 U.S. dollars a month, whereas now I was rarely quoted anything less than 400 dollars.
Damascus is the oldest continually inhabited city in the world, but its fame today comes more from its government’s political stance locally and globally. The United States and Syria have a rocky relationship, to the say the least – the US State Department lists Syria as a state sponsor of international terrorism – and Syrian frustration with American politics is widespread. Syrians generally distinguish between government and people, and American students here should and do feel safe. In fact, many Syrian youth are fascinated with American culture and music. Americans recognize, however, that their country’s politics are far from popular in this country – and sometimes, as in the embassy attack, violence results.
This violence presents a dangerous situation for American civilians here and would deter some students from coming. The American women I knew in Syria had only just arrived in Damascus, and explained how shocking it was to be there. But it is also interesting that those same students are still planning to stay a full year here, and I see them personally learning to love a culture and understand Syrians for their enormously rich culture.
Lena Zurkiya is a junior studying in Syria. You can write to her at zurkiya@wharton.
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