When Worlds Clash

I am on the airplane from LHR to GVA and I am finding myself in one of those moments where worlds clash.

I am grading one of my students project on women’s rights in the Arab world. He is asking himself questions about the current state of women’ rights: How have we gotten to a place where women are oppressed in our societies? How can this happen in such a stark contrast to what early religious beliefs were advocating? Why are women not allowed to speak up the same way that men are?

And next to me there is this Canadian woman. Exhausted from a 26 hour journey, she is breastfeeding her little girl who is 7 months old. Her husband is sailing on a ship and will meet them in Switzerland later. She is moving all their possessings with her to start a new life there. Going on this journey has been a huge challenge for her and she is freaking out when the plane is taking off. Nevertheless, she is smiling, talking with me about her life in all ease and making sure that her girl is fine.

Why these massive differences in what women do, can do, want to do? When will we get to a place where I can have the same interaction with a woman on a bus in Amman? Not only does it seem too much of a stretch for reality, it also requires a colossal stretch of my imagination.