PocketCultures

Everyday in Iraq

Iraq is still in the news a lot, but many reports have a military angle. How can we find different perspectives on what is happening there? One way is to look for blogs written by ordinary Iraqis.

Iraq used to have a very lively blogosphere and there were several blogs dedicated just to tracking its updates. Unfortunately there hasn’t been so much activity in the last year. Baghdad Dentist wrote an update during Ramadan this August:

“its early morning. we’ll have electricity for a while. im sitting on the dental chair with my laptop since there is neither a space in the clinic nor chairs to sit on. the employees took them out to the garden of the health centre because we didnt have electricity and the generator was broken. my colleagues are talking about clothes and shopping…the working hour now starts at 7:00 a.m. its very early though its good for us because the sun is burning and the temperature hits over 50c many times.”

Searching further, there are more blogs to be discovered. In Iraq, sex is like snow (not as racy as it sounds), juxtaposes a cheery post about Eid in Baghdad with a more sobering near-death experience.

And Touta of Fog el nakhal writes a compelling account of a chance meeting with some village children.

Can you recommend any more Iraqi bloggers? Tell us in the comments.

Lucy September 14, 2010 0 comments

Across cultures / Blogs of the World

People of the World

If you’re a regular reader of PocketCultures, you’ve probably noticed that we have just renamed this section People of the World.

When we started My partner is a foreigner, we wanted to look at cultural differences in a light-hearted way. If you’re in a cross-cultural relationship, you come into contact with another culture every day, so you’ve got stories to tell.

But of course cross-cultural couples are not the only ones experiencing other cultures on a daily basis. As PocketCultures grew, we met many other people with global minds and outlooks. Some are part of multicultural families; some are Third Culture Kids; some are parents raising bilingual children. Some live in another country; some love to travel; some embrace other cultures and make friends in other parts of the world without even leaving home.

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Lucy September 10, 2010 0 comments

Blogs of the World / Kazakhstan

Take another look at Kazakhstan

Kazakh Nomad shows ‘A Westerner’s view of Kazakhstan’. It’s written by American teacher who would like to help other Westerners understand more about Kazakhstan and its history, traditions and culture.

There’s a lot of reading here for anyone who wants to get to know Kazakhstan. You could start with these photo posts: Kazakh faces, Kazakh costumes and yurts.

Next, discover the meanings behind some Kazakh names and proverbs. By now you might be planning your trip. Make your mind up with these recommendations from Kazakh students on why you should visit Almaty. And if you can’t make it, console yourself with the abundance of other facts and opinions you’ll find on Kazakh Nomad.

Thanks to KZ Blog for recommending this site.

Lucy September 2, 2010 4 comments

Blogs of the World / Malaysia

Eat Malaysian

Have your cake and eat it too is about food, and Malaysia, in that order. Posts are beautifully presented, photos are gorgeous, and the theme is a perfect way to learn something about Malaysia through its cuisine.

You could start by reading about the various holidays and festivals celebrated in Malaysia:

The seasons sure do fly, and although we theoretically only have one season in my country, ie, summer, we do have the entire year dotted with festivals that make this country the united colors of benetton as it were. In my country, in January & February, it’s usually Chinese New Year-ish, then we have the Hindu celebration of Thaipusam, where devotees fast and pierce themselves with hooks and such, and carry the portable deities called Kavadis. In the March – April months, we have a mixture of Qing Ming, Lent, Easter, etc… more minor, those, and don’t warrant a public holiday. At some point, the Chinese have their dumpling festival, and then we have the Mooncake festival, Deepavali, and Christmas.

Phew! If that’s whetted your appetite, delve more into some Malaysian celebrations with Buka Puasa, about breaking the Ramadan fast, and Moony Moony Moony about innovative kinds of Moon cakes already on sale in preparation for the Chinese new year.

Lucy August 26, 2010 1 comment

Blogs of the World / Romania

How to Overcome your Shyness

Getutza lives in Campulung Moldovenesc, a small, calm town in a mountain region of Romania. She is a timid person who has discovered that blogging can help her overcome her shyness. Here is her story:

Hello Getutza, thank you for accepting to give this interview to Pocket Cultures. What can you tell our readers about you?

I‘m 48 years old. Some time ago I was pensioned for medical reasons, after I had been working as a chemical operator in the lab of a geological prospecting plant. At present, I live alone in Campulung Moldovenesc. My parents passed away and my brother is living in another town.

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carmen August 12, 2010 11 comments

Australia / Blogs of the World

Black thoughts, multicultural perspective

Eugenia Flynn is a 27 year old, Larrakia and Tiwi woman from the Northern Territory, Australia. She now lives in Adelaide, where she works as the General Manager of an Indigenous youth performing arts company, and writes about identity and culture.

She has a background in government policy development, in the areas of young people, Aboriginal health and economic disadvantage. Eugenia says:

“I like to write about the world we live in from the point-of-view of an Aboriginal Australian, Chinese, Muslim Female. I know that’s a lot of labels, but you should know that I refuse to be wholly defined by any of them.”

Eugenia is exploring her Muslim identity after converting to Islam 8 years ago and maintains a strong Chinese identity through the Teo Chew language group.

Her blog, Black Thoughts Live Here, is written in an honest, engaging and conversational style that challenges readers to examine their own views.

One popular post generating discussion is Why yes, I am a woman….. Here Eugenia shares her views on the hijab as “a reflection of my personal modesty…a beautiful expression and adornment of feminine beauty”. These notions of femininity are explored further as she examines the roles of men and women in Muslim culture.

Check out the biography section of her blog to read about her contribution to political and racial matters. Black Thoughts Live Here is an insightful blog to visit for a thought provoking read and a multi-cultural perspective of Australia.

Image credit: Neuro74 on Flickr