Running head: REFLECTION VOICE PROJECT

Reflection Voice Project

Female Muslim Students
Carine Verlin
Wright State University
SAA7610
Dr. Carol Patitu

REFLECTION VOICE PROJECT FEMALE MUSLIM STUDENTS

For my voice project, I chose the population of Muslim students and in particular female
Muslims. It took me a while to decide which group of students different than myself I wanted to
focus on for 10 weeks. I realized that the more I learn about diversity, the more I see my
ignorance about other identity groups than mine which is why I had hard time to choose among
the different population groups. The choice of Muslim students came to me because I
recognized that Wright State University hosted a lot of International students and in particular
students from Saudi Arabia. I wanted to learn more about what it meant to be from another
country but especially what it meant to live another religion and especially a religion that is not
always welcome due to some terrible fanatical acts, and how it is portrayed by the media.
I really enjoyed this project that included varied activities. Whether it was by reading
articles about the different experiences students encounter on campuses, or by listening to a Ted
show about what Islam was really about, each week helped me to understand more about Muslim
culture, its beauties, and its challenges. I recognized the need to read and watch documentaries
to educate ourselves and especially to help us identify the truth from myths. But education does
not end when the book is closed or when the project is over. Even if I learned a lot of good
information through my research, the biggest impact this project had on me did not happen
behind the computer screen or the pages of an article, but it really did happen in real life when I
went out of my comfort zone, and put myself in the shoes of the other person. It especially
occurred through the interaction I had with a Muslim Wright State student. The time spent with
this student helped me to be more objective, humble, and open to listen and understand a
different culture, religion, and lifestyle than mine. All presumptions or erroneous beliefs I had
when I started the interview with her were gone before the end of this one. I did not expect to be

REFLECTION VOICE PROJECT FEMALE MUSLIM STUDENTS

so touched by both the interview I had with this Muslim student, and by the time I went to her
private home; but I did.
This experience was very educational on many levels. On a personal level, I felt grateful
and honored for having the opportunity to share a part of her daily life. It opened my mind, and
changed some of the beliefs I had for the better. For instance, I always thought that female
Muslims who were wearing the hijab were oppressed women; oppressed by their husband or by
their religion. Reading or watching the testimony of female Muslims improved my way of
thinking, but my views on the subject changed radically when I personally visited F at her own
place and really saw how she was living. She did not seem oppressed or submissive at all.
On an intellectual level, I was able to become more educated on the subject, while
differentiating between what the media was portraying and what was the reality. For instance, I
had no idea that education was so important in the Muslims life. And I was very surprised to
learn that education was not essentially for men only, but that it was for men and women equally.
I really loved the fact that Muslims are always looking to improve themselves. I discovered that
their development and growth, never really stopped. On an education level, they do not look at
earning a bachelor degree just for the sake of earning a degree, but they want to do it to learn, to
grow, to expand who they are. Obtaining a doctoral degree would be their goal because they
have high expectations for themselves, but not in a selfish way. On a micro level, they want to
improve themselves to become better persons, better friends, better coworkers, better neighbors,
and later on better parents. And on a macro level, their goal is to become better Muslims, and
also better citizens for the sake of their country.

REFLECTION VOICE PROJECT FEMALE MUSLIM STUDENTS

On the interpersonal level, because the communication with F was a two-way
communication, we both exchanged information, therefore we ended up learning new things but
more importantly, we were able to correct our erroneous preconceived ideas.
Also, when I was at Fs place, as I wrote in my last entry, I downloaded on my cellular an
application with the times of the five prayers. And after my visit, on my way back home, my
phone started to ring to remind me that it was time to pray. And, before going straight home, I
stopped at the grocery store, and as soon as I unpacked my car and put away the items I bought,
my phone started to ring AGAIN for the last prayer of the day. This application about prayer
helped me to realize how much the five prayers a day take so much space in the life of Muslims
lives. In a way, it reminded me the meals in France, because all your daily schedules are
organized around the three meals a day. Here with the prayers, even if the prayer in itself does
not last long (around two minutes) because it is repeated five times a day, it can disrupt any
chores, work, or activities. Since my visit to F, I left the application on my phone, and tried to
stop everything I was doing, and pray each time the application was ringing. What a challenge!
It rang when I was in meetings, when I was in class, when I was driving or even when I was
sleeping! I could not believe how the prayers were so present in the Muslims lives. And while
the morning has only one prayer, the afternoon has in itself four prayers! And there is less than
one hour and a half between the fourth prayer and the last one! To give you an idea, when
writing this paper, I had to stop already twice for the prayer.
My conclusion to the voice project is that if I would do it again, I would try to spend less
time behind the computer, and more time interacting directly with the population I am focusing
on, because it is really there that we can have an impact and make a difference in the lives of
others. Also, in the future, and for my personal development, instead of focusing for 10 weeks

REFLECTION VOICE PROJECT FEMALE MUSLIM STUDENTS

on the same population, I would want to try to interact one week with one identity group and
switch to another identity group each other week. While at first, it can be uncomfortable to share
activities or conversations with people with other identities than us, I believe that change
happens outside of our comfort zone where we feel vulnerable. I would like to finish with a very
popular quote from Gandhi if you want to change the world, start with yourself.