I don't remember the first time i watched an American movie or the first time i ate a hamburger (though i remember the first McDonald's in
Daoura). I don't remember my first English class and I don't remember the first time I knew that Washington DC was the capital of USA -and not New York. I thought that the American culture was part of my culture.
The first time I heard about culture shock was a month before I left to the states in a
pre-departure kind of orientation. An American woman who has been living in Lebanon for over 15 years, was jumping up and down in a very interactive way trying to compare and contrast the American culture to her oh-so-loved Lebanese one. I remember what stroke me was the fact that she used "We" to speak about Lebanese and "Them" to speak about Americans. A way to let us feel closer to her, a denial of her origin, a desperate urge to be a
Lebanese, I wonder. Anyway I don't remember much about her talk, at that point I was thinking that if she knew Lebanese people well, she shouldn't be giving this talk. WE (proud Lebanese) know Americans more than she does, WE speak English fluently, WE adapt to different cultures easily, WE are Lebanese!
My first culture shock was in Paris airport on the gate of the United Airlines, Paris-Chicago flight. I looked at the chairs in the waiting room, there was an American couple, older than 50 of age with 3 adopted Asian girls aged between 9 to 13-or maybe they all had the same age, not sure. There was a big group of American teenagers who were on some kind of camp or seminar, they were all wearing the same outfit, boys and girls and 75% of the kids were overweight. There was an Asian family, the mom and the dad and 2 very well dressed and well behaved boys wearing glasses who spent their time playing video games.
And so I started to first enjoy this "melting pot" looking right and left observing this and that and trying to let the time pass.
When the gate was opened my Lebanese friend and I stood up wanting to get on the plane early. I leaned on the wall behind my friend when one of the security officers asked her to see her passport.
I should add here that when we were checking in, the employee asked us to pass by his colleague. His colleague checked our passports and asked us about our luggage number and he put a red sticker on our passport with the letter "S". Later on I noticed that only us Lebanese had our passport marked with the flashing letter "S" on the back.
So the security noticed our passports and asked us to follow her. Instead of going right to the tunnel leading to the plane we went left where there was a table, a thin sheet folded into four and place on the
floor next to the table, a man and a woman both wearing gloves- Exciting!
Note that the people sitting in the waiting room of the gate can see the table, the sheet and the gloved people since the separator is made of glass. Therefore, all passengers had the opportunity to see us and wonder why we were having this special treatment.
The special treatment consisted on emptying all our handbags and checking each and every item for ... no idea actually. What I know is that she
literally touched every item. My friend was the first to go so I waited and watched. Since we were moving to the states we both had 2 fully packed bags which made the job harder and longer.
When the guy-who looked like
"un sale arabe"- was done searching the purse of another Lebanese man I asked if I should move my stuff to his side and if he should start palpating my stuff. He smiled at me and said: " I wish, but I only do guys." I smiled.
And then he went on asking me if I was from Lebanon too and if my friend and I were sisters and few more friendly questions of the kind.
When it was my turn the girl asked me in English with a french accent if she can open my bag, I smiled -at the fact that she is actually asking me if she could- and said yes. She then asked me if she can open the small purse where I had all my money, smile and yes. She said: "Oh you are rich!" We both laughed. Then I added: "
Je parle francais si c'est plus facile pour
vous." She smiled a big smile and told me: "Ah
vous parlez francais! Ton
amie ne parle pas
francais,
alors j'ai cru...
Bon je m'excuse pour
ce protocol...
je sais,
c'est pas
agreable." I replied that I was OK with that. She repeated her apology several times which made me aware of the awkward situation I was in. I looked at the people who were in the same waiting room as I am, coming through the door, no problem and I felt even worse. She then asked me to take off my shoes, stand on the folded sheet so she can palpate my body and she apologized for the final time. Finally she asked me if I prefer to put the things back in my bag or if she should do it. I did it.
This "protocol" was done once again in Nashville airport, the passport control guy was not very knowledgeable about what to do in a situation where you have a Lebanese
Arab in front of you. He looked at a list he had. I took a peek, it was a list of countries that do not need a visa to enter the USA, yeah right!
Then he asked one of the other security guys about
Lebanese citizens. He showed him another list, the "black listed
countries"? Anyway, Lebanon was listed, so he marked my passport again and I moved to palpation. I have to admit this one was smoother:
One- I did not have to observe my luggage being emptied and searched-I was in the glass room where everyone else can see me, my luggage was on a table outside the glass room.
Two- The thin sheet was replaced by a rug that had two feet printed telling us exactly where to stand, no confusion.
Three- After the body palpation, I was asked to sit down for a feet and toes palpation which I considered a very relaxing massage for travellers.
I got my bag
faster then the security explained to the the other girl what she should do: "You take the ticket and you stamp it like that, here and here. If you forget, you're in
trouble!" I was happy that I got two star stamps on my ticket and that no one was in trouble.
I have to also add that many of the airport employees in the US were old, yes old, not sure why though and most of them were friendly, asking me about
Lebanon and Fulbright. The security staff not very friendly though, but I guess that's part of their job, so no hard feelings. I was allowed 2 bags on an internal flight thanks to some tears and complaints, saving myself around 50$.
And after more than 30 hours of airports and airplanes I finally arrived to
Fayetteville!
Cut a square paper
fold it in half
and once again
open one of the two sides
and press on it
like this :)
do the same 
then fold one corner
and the second
flip it
and fold the upper corner
past the lower edge
fold the sides
symmetrically
flip it
and then fold the tip
flip it
now fold it into two
and fold the wings to a shape
VOILA! 
