I started my sub-speciality (fellowship) in Infectious Disease last week. I spent it in the lab with Chris, another colleague. We were sitting on the same bench enjoying watching viruses under the microscope.
Chris, "Where are you from Ferris"
I said, "Jordan"
"Aha, speaking of Jordan..... have you heard about that Jordanian doctor in London who..."
I interrupted him, "Yeah it's so sad how a doctor can do something like that".
Then I was hoping we would go back to watching viruses.
Instead, he pulled over to the next computer and opened a webpage. He started reading.... "Forty-five doctors inside the US planning terrorist activites on American Soil"
"Are you serious?"
"Yes!" and he read the whole article.
I went back to watching viruses with Wung but he opened another website.
"Dude, this Jordanian doctor contacted the ECFMG (Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates). He wanted to come to America!"
"Yeah I heard that, I also had to apply here through the ECFMG"
"Is that right?"
"Yes, all foreign medical graduates have to apply through the ECFMG"
"Did that guy study in Jordan"
"Yes, he went to the University of Jordan"
"Is that where you went for medical school?"
"Yep"
"Was he a creepy student?"
"I don't know man, I finished 2 years ahead of him, don't remember seeing him before"
Although I'm on good terms with everyone here, but I'm sure that some of my colleagues thought, at least for a second, whether or not I could be involved in this or if I could be one of those "forty-five doctors" who are planning to kill people here in America.
----------------------------------------
This week we had a small conference. I was sitting there and incidentally another Jordanian doctor was sitting there as well.
One doctor said after he saw both of us, "Well I'm sure you heard the news about Jordan this week!"
As I was thinking "Please God kill me before I hear this story again" the other Jordanian was more positive and she knew that he was referring to Petra being chosen as a new world wonder.
"It seems to be a very beautiful city" he said.
"Oh yes" and she spent the next five minutes talking about Petra and its history.
Although I previously considered this contest rubbish, and that civilizations should not be compared and voted for, but I was really glad to see Jordan being associated with a very positive thing. Our reputation in "the West" is not all that goood but that's partially our fault.
We should focus on any achievement Jordan reaches even if it was a Jordanian winning a contest for the man with the longest moustaches or the one who can eat most pickles in a minute.... anything , anything but violence and backwardness can always be appreciated.
By the way, I invited Chris to a big mansaf that day in a local restaurant, after he was done he forgot all what he had read that day in the news.
8 minutes ago
Posts
9 comments:
Allah yi3eenak Firas. I know that discomfort all too well. I was asked a lot of questions when the events of 2001 took place. I was praying that I had an invisibility cloak at the time.
Yalla 7ayyak yal nashmi :D
You should not even worry dude. If Americans and brits can kill about a million Arabs in broad day light and without a provocation and still roam the streets of Arab cities as if it's not a bog deal, knowing they have elected the killers to kill let alone the possibility they may have been involved in the slaughter. why should you worry about a Jordanian doctor who acted on his own, assuming he is guilty, and we know enough about the integrity of the anglo justice system.
So there's a local restaurant in Arizona that makes Mansaf? :) neat!
On another related (or unrelated) note, my sister was denied a visa to go do her medical elective in Glasgow!!
{sigh}
the thing u must do is set a good example for all jordanians arabs and muslims .... if others did that as well ... it would become better
wow. mansaf eh?
ziad d, i understand man , i hope people will have short memories.
mohanned, shokran khayyo
oja, the world is unfair but we have to be smart and wise about what we do, but the fact that he was a doctor makes it worse.
Lina, yes there is that makes my life much better :D
Sorry to hear about your sister although I'm not surprised. Let her apply to the US it should be easier.
isam... will try!
moey... ah walla
I interrupted him, "Yeah it's so sad how a doctor can do something like that".
It seems that you are among the ones who already convicted him upon well lets see "absolutely nothing" oh no no no wait. because he grows a beard? is that right?
I'm so disappointed I have no words to describe it.
and I thought you were different.
what a shame!!!!
anonymous.... I still believe he might be innocent, but unfortunatley the way Americans deal with it is that he's guilty until proven otherwise. I can't prove it otherwise myself so shutting up is the best thing for me to do.
Post a Comment