Conversation Partner Meeting 2

Date of Occurrence : Feb 16,2015

Sari and I met at the exact same table to continue our discussion. This conversation mostly focused on American culture and media and the contrast or similarity between Saudi Arabia. My 21st birthday was a few days prior to our meeting and the topic of alcohol and related banned substances in Saudi Arabia was brought up. I was familiar enough with Sharia law and some cultural differences in Saudi Arabia, so I knew beforehand that alcohol and drugs were strictly not tolerated in Saudi Arabia. Sari began asking about American culture as it relates to college, partying, and alcohol or drug consumption. I clarified this by stating that while there may be a stereotypical idea of a "college experience", each student has a unique background and differing goals regarding their college experience. While some aim to party 24/7, others have their sights set on obtaining a certain job, garnering a diverse set of knowledge and skills, or preparing for graduate school. With this in mind, Sari had an interesting question that made me think about the influence of American media. His question was basically, "Why does a certain ethnicity in America tend to use or deal drugs more than others?" I was taken aback by the bluntness of this question, but made sure to point out that your ethnicity does not determine your tendency to use or deal drugs and it's more of an environmental situation. We talked about the concept of "inner-cities" and lower-income communities where drug use and dealing is prevalent and seen as a form of income for some. Obviously, this comes with risks of jail time for breaking the law and the effects of drug abuse. Sari's comments about the law in Saudi Arabia and the rarity of drug use magnified the effect in my mind of how strict in comparison their legal system is and its effectiveness.  More importantly, I wondered how such a question came to fruition and actually asked him about this thought process. Interestingly, he said he's noticed that trend on the news and media outlets. I never thought about this, but an international student who did not grow up with American media acts as a blank canvas for the media to instill certain ideas or trends like we discussed.

We also talked about state vs national law and the conundrum of Colorado legalizing marijuana, but that it is still a federal crime to transport it across state borders or use it in states where it is not legalized. Sari's insight on hookah use in Sari Arabia was interesting because I have heard about hookah bars back home and their popularity among citizens from the Middle East.

This turned to a conversation about food and family traditions in regards to restaurants or personal traditions. To my amusement, his mother forced the family to put their cell phones on the table so they would speak to each other and turn them off. I laughed and told him about the similar American "game" where people would go out to dinner, place their phones on the table, and the first person to grab their phone would have to foot the bill. This amused Sari greatly and he said he would pass along the idea in the future.