This week in class we travel to Syria, a country where political troubles continually turn the nation upside down. Syria is a nation full of such hope, but one that continues to suffer setback after setback. Colonization by the Ottomans, colonization by the French, several wars with Israel, tension with Jordan and Lebanon, not to mention military coup after military coup, even war after war....

Despite a misconception in the West that Syria is a monolithic Arab, Sunni Muslim state, the nation of Syria is and always has been a complex mix of peoples from different ethnic and religious backgrounds. True, most Syrians are Arab (about 90%) and about 3/4 are Sunni Muslim, but there are also ethnic and linguistic minorities like the Kurds and Armenians. Religiously, there are also Druze, Christians, Shiite Muslims and Alawis.  

In class we don't dwell on politics and instead strive to meet real Syrians–despite the political turmoil, hospitable, full of life and always willing to dance.