Being in the third year (the year before last) in college, I started worrying about my career after I finish and all these stuff. So, I started asking some of my graduate friends about the most required skills I should have and write in my CV. To my surprise, they all agreed upon two things: second language and computer skills.
As for the computer, I sure agree about that, we are in the age of technology after all, everyday appears a new gadget! But what surprised me is the second language thing.
I live in Egypt, which is -supposedly- an Arab country. My mother tongue is Arabic, my culture is that of an Arab nation, why then should I have a second language in order to find a proper job?!
When I thought about it, I found that it's not only about finding a proper job; it's become a style of life! I have lots of friends who speak English most of the time, thinking that by doing this, they will appear more educated or something. I also know some people who can't express themselves in Arabic, even though they were born in Egypt and raised here. And the strange thing is that they don't feel ashamed of themselves or even think that there is anything wrong with them.
Could globalization be an answer for this strange phenomenon? Then why don't people in America and England speak Arabic? Or does this globalization process works only one way?! Or maybe it's the effect of the English colonization, but I think that people use a second language nowadays more than they used to do during the colonization times.
Well, I think it's just a natural result for the European and American ideological invasion which the Arabs follow blindly.
I know some people may think that it's highly ironic to write about such a topic using another language other than the language I'm trying to restore in our Arab society; but the truth is, I, myself, am a victim of the education system in my country. I was in a language school and when I finished it I joined a department in college in which everything I study is in English. Yet, that doesn't mean that I use words like "Hey dude!" and "cool" in my everyday life conversations; and I also don't my ignore my own language favoring the English one; on the contrary, I do enjoy reading Arabic books and articles and try to develop my written Arabic.
