When I first started studying the Middle East, Arab world, and the Muslim world, I was surprised to learn that the three were distinct. I always blurred the three different areas, and considered them to be of the same grouping. However, there are huge differences between the Arab world, Muslim world, and Middle East, which is why I chose to share this information with you all during this unit. In addition, I was surprised to learn that Arab-Israeli conflict began within the past century. Growing up, my father often told me that the conflict between the two groups had been going on for centuries. Little did he know (and little did I know, for that matter) that the conflict only arose after WWII. This was probably the greatest piece of information I gained in my studies, which is also why I chose to share this with you.
When I first started reading Arab literature, I was nervous that the story-lines were going to be difficult to follow. Because I had grown up in a small town in northern Michigan, I was nervous that I wouldn’t be able to relate to the story, as I had no idea what life in the Middle East/Arab world/Muslim world was like. However, I soon realized that a lot of experiences are universal, as you all will soon find out as well. 
