Habits

“A southpaw, I instinctively reached my left hand toward the-
“La! La!” twelve voices cried in unison. No! A man put his left hand on his backside, reminding me of its proper use.” (p.55)

In chapter 4 of Baghdad Without a Map, Tony Horwitz talks about his journey at the Persian Gulf. When he goes over to ask a group of Persian men to ask directions, the hospitable men offer him lunch. Tony, however, forgets one of the basic etiquettes of Arabic culture, which is to only use the right hand to eat food with, because the ‘unholy’ left hand is used to take care of one’s ‘backside.’ It is interesting to see how these generous people can be very protective of their distinct culture that can be seen almost habitual. Having come with a background of a very different culture myself, I understand how these Persians would like to teach Tony about their religious customs. I also think that Tony is reacting correctly in what may be seen as scolding. He does not become embarrassed or irritated; instead, he tries to fit in and admit his mistake with an open mind to embrace the different culture. When I talk about my cultural customs, I often want to teach other people what I do at home; for example, I teach some of my friends how to use the chopsticks correctly, which is perhaps complicated at first. But when the friends are willing to learn about my culture, I feel proud to be a representative of the people in where I come from. If this kind of pleasant relationship develops more broadly between maybe America and the Middle East, there would be less tearing apart, ignoring, and making fun of each other’s cultures.

SL