Viking_Yearbook_71

54 Arab Student I have been at Portland State for two years. I went to Oregon State before then. Oregon State is good for Engineering. Portland State is one of the best in Business. That is why I transfered here. I am graduating this June. Oregon State is more conservative than Portland State. There are more foreign students at Oregon State than here– about 500 or more. I like the campus there. I feel like a student at Oregon but here I don't feel like a student. By that I mean there is no communication between the foreign students and the Americans at Portland State . At Oregon I lived in the dorm and had many American friends . Here, when one has a problem in Business or something the Americans are silent or have no time to talk . They say they have to go to work or something . You sit down to have coffee with someone and 5 or 10 minutes later they have to get up and go to work. It is hard to make friends here. There is no commun ication between Americans on this campus . There is also no communication between the Americans and the foreign students. I am from Lebanon. When I graduate in Business I will go on and get my masters degree. My family supports me in school. They pay $461 per term for tuition . I will go back home to work. It is very easy to get a job in underdeveloped countries. I want to go back and help my country. I believe you have enough educated people in your country. My people need me badly. I will apply the American system of business in Lebanon-get a job as a trainee in a factory . I could have gone to the American University in Beriut. But I wanted to see a different culture, a different way of life . I think the students in this country really work hard to make it. I saw the confrontation in the Park Blocks last spring. I saw how the police treated the students. I have an idea, but I don't know, what is going on. I hear that the demonstrations were caused by people outside of Portland State and some of the students followed them. I think students are students everywhere. When we have a problem with out educational system at home we have demonstrations to our parliament. Sometimes they don't listen to us; sometimes they do . I don't think riots accomplish anything. Peaceful demonstra· tion can accomplish a lot. There is a big difference between Arabian girls and American girls. American girls have freedom . Arabian girls have freedom but it is limited. By limited I mean she has the right to work, to vote, to do everything, but here you have dangerous freedom . You are asking for too much for your freedom-like women's lib. I believe women should be feminine . It is what they were created to be. The women in Arabia are really feminine . In Arabia the man is the boss and the woman is the woman, which is completely different from some American families I have seen with my own eyes. In most of the American families the mother is the boss. Life is business, only. There is no emotion . The family is broken down here and not like at home where it is very close . The women here have too much freedom . Too much freedom is bad for a woman , you know. I don't think Americans know the meaning of life. I saw the movie Love Story . Most Americans left crying. I did not because I am used to this emotion . You are not. I think it's the capital · istic and materialistic system here . Life here is running - fast . In Arabia life is simple. I think every country will someday be Iike the Un ited States. I give Lebanon about 25 years, but I hope Lebanon will never be completely like it is here. There people work but enjoy their life. People go to church, go to mosques, see nature. I think the Vangua rd and the Viking are wonderful. I read the Vanguard and I am sending a Viking yearbook back home because I am graduating and my family will like to see it. I am not concerned with graduating . The most important thing is to learn about people. It is important to go to other countries. The people here have a lot of freedom. You can say whatever you want. You can state your opinion . You can riot . In some states you cannot . It is right when you say that the United States is the mother of freedom. You cannot appreciate this country until you go to another country. I did not appreciate my country until I came here.