During my time at the University of Oregon I worked as the Program Manager for an international lounge called the Mills International Center. I absolutely loved my job, the staff members, and the vast networking that I was able to do during my two years at the Mills Center. The experience that I gained from working with an amazing staff and team really set me up well for the work that I am doing here at Amideast, and has helped ease the transition as I began to receive more familiar tasks in coordination with the needs of Amideast.
I was overjoyed when my supervisor began to talk about International Edcuation Week and asked if I would like to take on this large project. At the Mills Center I successfully planned the week-long series of events two years in a row with the help of an amazing staff that really made the week a fantastic experience. Events ranged from informational and academic presentations to cultural discussions, fine arts displays, and informal concerts featuring music and dance from the geographic regional theme.
Here's a quote from the International Education Week (IEW) website http://iew.state.gov/index.cfm :
"International Education Week is an opportunity to celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide. This joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education is part of our efforts to promote programs that prepare Americans for a global environment and attract future leaders from abroad to study, learn, and exchange experiences in the United States."
This totally fits with Amideast's motto, so I was thrilled to work on a project that was familiar and challenging at the same time. The catch with the request was I had only three weeks to plan the events, and the only records for reference were from last year's activities. So, I dove right in to the process of planning the theme for the week, structuring the events with presentations and fun activities, reserving the rooms throughout the Amideast complex, ordering advertising space in local newspapers, and working with Amideast professional staff to help me navigate the logistics of really getting the word out on these events. I have learned that an event planner is never alone is his/her work because there are always people and resources to assist in the process.
Normally, International Education Week (IEW) happens this year from 15 - 19, but in Tunisia the academic break falls exactly during this week, so we pushed the events back a week. Afterall, it is the students that we want to target for our events, so we have got to make sure that they are going to be available to attend. Each day is broken up by a different theme related to the services offered through Amideast and the programs that we encourage students to take advantage of during their high school and college years. Here is the schedule of events that will take place next week at Amideast:
International Education Week 2010
Monday Nov 22 – Exchange Program Day
4:00 – 5:00: Presentation of study abroad programs available to Tunisian high school and university students for study in the United States
5:00 – 6:00: Exchange Program Alumni Social Hour (meet students who participated in these very programs)
Tuesday Nov 23 – American University Admissions Day
3:00 – 4:00: Presentation on three branches of university-level study in Humanities, Engineering, and Business (Amideast Villa)
4:00 – 5:00: Workshop on How to Write a College-level Essay and Statement of Purpose
5:00 – 6:00: Presentation by the US Embassy on the Process of Obtaining a US Visa for study in the US
Mecredi Nov 24 – Extracurricular Activities Day
4:00 – 5:30: Presentation on extra curricular activities that contribute to a diverse experience at an American University (Topics include student groups
(Fraternities, Sororities, Campus Government), clubs for international students, Music and Dance Groups, and Toastmasters (public speaking))
6:00 – 8:00: Film screening followed by discussion
Thursday Nov 25 – Thanksgiving Day
4:00 – 4:45: Presentation on the history of Thanksgiving and the modern day traditions in America
4:45 – 5:30: Interactive Thanksgiving Day quiz
Friday Nov 26 – Career Day
3:00 – 4:00: Workshop on How to Compose an American CV/resume and the Process of Obtaining Letters of Recommendation
4:00 – 5:00: Interactive Session on Professional Job Interviews
5:30 – 7:30: Panel Presentation “The Effect of a Study Abroad Experience on a Professional Career”, bi-lingual in English and French (Amideast Main building)
I am very excited to see how everything turns out and to see a project from start to finish here at Amideast. The event that I am most eager to attend and experience is the bi-lingual presentation on Friday. My vision was a presentation for both students and their parents that shows generationally the impact of a study abroad experience on an individual's personal and professional life, and ultimately motivate the student to participate in a study abroad experience. Its going to be a long week, but I am looking forward to seeing the results of my work over these past few weeks.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Eid Mabrouk, finding a Tunisian host family, slaughtering a ram in the process
Eid al-Kebir with Rania's family
I was invited to my friend Rania's house for the feast of Eid al-Kabir, which I gladly accepted as part of my promise to myself to always jump at participating in any family functions.
During this feast that happens 70 days after Ramadan, Muslims remember the story of the willingness of the prophet Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac (Ishmael) to prove his obediance to God. As Abraham prepared to complete the sacrifice, God sent an angel to stop him and instead replace his son Isaac with a ram. It is for this reason that lamb is eaten for the feast of Eid. There is also a general sense of goodwill towards others as the meat is shared with the poor and those who have no families with whom to celebrate.
During the taxi ride to Rania's neighborhood, she chided to me that her younger sisters (13 and 19) were so excited to have a "real American" over at their house for Eid. They were amazed and delighted that I spoke French AND was learning Arabic. After meeting three sets of neighbors along the way who had heard about the "little American" coming to visit, I finally arrived at Rania's house and was warmly welcomed by the family. I brought gifts of Stash Tea (packaged in my very own Portland, OR) and a 60-piece puzzle of the United States for the family. Both were big hits. The girls presented me with lovely gifts of traditional Tunisian pottery, a beautiful scarf with traditional designs, and a wall hanging with a colorful hand-sewn floral pattern that the older sister had worked on all week. Each gift was individually wrapped in Micky Mouse wrapping paper. Nice touch. I truly felt like a special guest in their home from the moment I arrived.
When I entered the family's carport, I looked over to see a very shy ram tied to a post. Although I wanted to pet him I knew that his fate would be arriving soon, so it was probably best to not become attached. The daughters asked if I was going to watch their father slaughter the ram and I answered, "Of course! I want to be part of all the work today". Rainia told me that she was surprised because many Americans that she had met didn't even like the idea of seeing fish with their heads attached in a restaurant, so she assumed that I would not want to watch this particular part of the event. Well, I would like to think that I am eager and willing to experience new things every day, especially while here in Tunisa.
Before the father slaughtered the ram in the carport, he cleaned the blade and asked for God's blessing not only on the meal that was about to be prepared, but also that it may nourish all who take part in the preparing and consuming of the meat. Although it was a little difficult for me to watch, I was very impressed with the matter-of-fact attitude of the family that only comes from familiarity with the process of preparing and consuming meat. The mother explained to me that every part of the animal would be used in one form or another. All members of the family were present to help clean the animal, skin it, and begin preparing for the meal together, and I was happy to help out in any way possible. The mother was very happy to have an extra person around who wanted to learn everything about the process. I decided to help her with cleaning the organs, stomach, and small intestines of the ram since the girls expressed NO interest in this task. Hey, someone has got to do it, and I learned a lot of new vocabulary words in the process so I think everything worked out in the end.
After more than three hours of cleaning, grilling, and simmering we all sat down to the table in their small living room to share our first course together. There was so much work to be done during the day that we broke it up by smaller meals. The first was chunks of lamb that had been rubbed with rosemary and herbs from the family's garden, salata mishweeyah (a mix of pounded grilled peppers, onions, tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil) and h'rooz (a spicy red pepper paste mixed with olive oil). All of this topped with a great basket of french bread made for a fantastic meal. The sounds of hungry people eating food that is fresh and made with love is the best sound in the whole world.
After this first course, we cleaned up the car port, cleaned the kitchen, and sat down to watch some TV together. I do not have TV at my apartment in Tunis, so I have not seen the ads for the special tv programs that were made especially for Eid when families have time to spend together. We watched a Turkish sitcom that was dubbed in Arabic with French subtitles. Just another example that globalization is always at work, my friends. The daughters had so much fun asking me to repeat words in Arabic, especially the ones that were more difficult to pronounce. They would giggle and ask me, "muara-thahneeya, Addree-ane!" (Say it again, Adriane!)
As the night progressed, I began to think about heading home and wondered if there would be any taxis or buses available. When I finally asked, my host mom told me that there would not be many left, and offered to make up a bed for me so I could spend the night. I totally took the offer and stayed up late with Rania talking about traveling, languages, family, love, and dreams for the future. All in English and French. It was wonderful, and really showed me a new side of Tunisian society that I have not experienced until now. This was the "warmth" and "welcome" that the guidebooks and websites had been talking about for so long. This was what I have been missing as I walk through the crowded city streets and try to ignore the stares and unfriendly attitudes on the metro. I finally felt more comfortable with the idea that I actually live in Tunisia now. I live and work in Tunisia.
That night I dreamed in Arabic for the first time since I arrived here. Although I do not remember much about the dream as I write this entry, I do remember waking up in the morning and easily transitioning into Arabic from English. That was a really good feeling. My host mother made us a late breakfast and we lounged around the house for the morning, re-doing the United States puzzle a few times with more rounds of questions for me about the US. I was happy to talk about my country, and once again learned new vocabulary in the process.
That afternoon when I finally left my friend's house I felt more solid, as if I had established new roots in Tunisia. I was invited back for a weekend in December, and plan to make the most of my time with Rania and her family. As we walked to the main street together, I noticed that we were walking very close to each other and talking as if we were dear friends. It was very comfortable, and I consider myself quite lucky to have been given the opportunity to spend time with her family during this celebration. The gifts from the family and the containers of leftovers in the fridge are all reminders to me of their incredible generosity.
I was invited to my friend Rania's house for the feast of Eid al-Kabir, which I gladly accepted as part of my promise to myself to always jump at participating in any family functions.
During this feast that happens 70 days after Ramadan, Muslims remember the story of the willingness of the prophet Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac (Ishmael) to prove his obediance to God. As Abraham prepared to complete the sacrifice, God sent an angel to stop him and instead replace his son Isaac with a ram. It is for this reason that lamb is eaten for the feast of Eid. There is also a general sense of goodwill towards others as the meat is shared with the poor and those who have no families with whom to celebrate.
During the taxi ride to Rania's neighborhood, she chided to me that her younger sisters (13 and 19) were so excited to have a "real American" over at their house for Eid. They were amazed and delighted that I spoke French AND was learning Arabic. After meeting three sets of neighbors along the way who had heard about the "little American" coming to visit, I finally arrived at Rania's house and was warmly welcomed by the family. I brought gifts of Stash Tea (packaged in my very own Portland, OR) and a 60-piece puzzle of the United States for the family. Both were big hits. The girls presented me with lovely gifts of traditional Tunisian pottery, a beautiful scarf with traditional designs, and a wall hanging with a colorful hand-sewn floral pattern that the older sister had worked on all week. Each gift was individually wrapped in Micky Mouse wrapping paper. Nice touch. I truly felt like a special guest in their home from the moment I arrived.
When I entered the family's carport, I looked over to see a very shy ram tied to a post. Although I wanted to pet him I knew that his fate would be arriving soon, so it was probably best to not become attached. The daughters asked if I was going to watch their father slaughter the ram and I answered, "Of course! I want to be part of all the work today". Rainia told me that she was surprised because many Americans that she had met didn't even like the idea of seeing fish with their heads attached in a restaurant, so she assumed that I would not want to watch this particular part of the event. Well, I would like to think that I am eager and willing to experience new things every day, especially while here in Tunisa.
Before the father slaughtered the ram in the carport, he cleaned the blade and asked for God's blessing not only on the meal that was about to be prepared, but also that it may nourish all who take part in the preparing and consuming of the meat. Although it was a little difficult for me to watch, I was very impressed with the matter-of-fact attitude of the family that only comes from familiarity with the process of preparing and consuming meat. The mother explained to me that every part of the animal would be used in one form or another. All members of the family were present to help clean the animal, skin it, and begin preparing for the meal together, and I was happy to help out in any way possible. The mother was very happy to have an extra person around who wanted to learn everything about the process. I decided to help her with cleaning the organs, stomach, and small intestines of the ram since the girls expressed NO interest in this task. Hey, someone has got to do it, and I learned a lot of new vocabulary words in the process so I think everything worked out in the end.
After more than three hours of cleaning, grilling, and simmering we all sat down to the table in their small living room to share our first course together. There was so much work to be done during the day that we broke it up by smaller meals. The first was chunks of lamb that had been rubbed with rosemary and herbs from the family's garden, salata mishweeyah (a mix of pounded grilled peppers, onions, tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil) and h'rooz (a spicy red pepper paste mixed with olive oil). All of this topped with a great basket of french bread made for a fantastic meal. The sounds of hungry people eating food that is fresh and made with love is the best sound in the whole world.
After this first course, we cleaned up the car port, cleaned the kitchen, and sat down to watch some TV together. I do not have TV at my apartment in Tunis, so I have not seen the ads for the special tv programs that were made especially for Eid when families have time to spend together. We watched a Turkish sitcom that was dubbed in Arabic with French subtitles. Just another example that globalization is always at work, my friends. The daughters had so much fun asking me to repeat words in Arabic, especially the ones that were more difficult to pronounce. They would giggle and ask me, "muara-thahneeya, Addree-ane!" (Say it again, Adriane!)
As the night progressed, I began to think about heading home and wondered if there would be any taxis or buses available. When I finally asked, my host mom told me that there would not be many left, and offered to make up a bed for me so I could spend the night. I totally took the offer and stayed up late with Rania talking about traveling, languages, family, love, and dreams for the future. All in English and French. It was wonderful, and really showed me a new side of Tunisian society that I have not experienced until now. This was the "warmth" and "welcome" that the guidebooks and websites had been talking about for so long. This was what I have been missing as I walk through the crowded city streets and try to ignore the stares and unfriendly attitudes on the metro. I finally felt more comfortable with the idea that I actually live in Tunisia now. I live and work in Tunisia.
That night I dreamed in Arabic for the first time since I arrived here. Although I do not remember much about the dream as I write this entry, I do remember waking up in the morning and easily transitioning into Arabic from English. That was a really good feeling. My host mother made us a late breakfast and we lounged around the house for the morning, re-doing the United States puzzle a few times with more rounds of questions for me about the US. I was happy to talk about my country, and once again learned new vocabulary in the process.
That afternoon when I finally left my friend's house I felt more solid, as if I had established new roots in Tunisia. I was invited back for a weekend in December, and plan to make the most of my time with Rania and her family. As we walked to the main street together, I noticed that we were walking very close to each other and talking as if we were dear friends. It was very comfortable, and I consider myself quite lucky to have been given the opportunity to spend time with her family during this celebration. The gifts from the family and the containers of leftovers in the fridge are all reminders to me of their incredible generosity.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Carthage and Sidi Bou Said
Last weekend I was able to check one site off of my personal list of "Things to do while in Tunisia": Carthage!
The ruins of the ancient city of Carthage are, in fact, a suburb of the sprawling city of Tunis. This made it convenient because I was able to hop in a taxi cab and twenty minutes late was standing in front of the tour buses waiting to enter the city of ruins. Cool fact: The city of Carthage is known as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which makes it protected and easily accessible to tourists. I was finally able to be a tourist today, so my American companions didn't roll their eyes at me in embarrassment as I captured our experiences with my camera through many pictues. There are times when one must take a "mental picture" in order to remember it in the heart, but there are other times when the sheer magnitude of the scenery mustbe captured on film for future reflection.
A little history first. Carthage, pronounced "kar-TAJ" by Arabic, French and other non-English speakers, was once the center of the ancient world. The first civilization that developed within the area are referred to as "Punic" (Phoenician, or Carthaginian). According to Roman legend, the city was founded by Phoenician colonists from the city of Tyre under the command of Elissa, or Queen Dido, as referenced in Virgil's epic poem "The Aeneid". Overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, the city of Carthage proved to be an advantagous position to control the trading routes and military expansion, which led to many conflicts between the Romans, Greeks, and Phoenicians over possession of the city. After several battles back and forth between the Romans and Phoenicians for supremecy, the Romans attacked Carthage and decimated the entire city. Houses were burned, buildings crumbled, and civilians were either killed or taken as slaves. All that remains now is the ruins of a once great city that was ruled by a once great civilization.
We visited the Antonine Baths near the sea and the ruins of several tombs and prayer sites. It was an amazing feeling walking amongst the ruins knowing that these fantastic events occured upon the same stone paths that I was walking on. The small scale model reconstructions created by archeaologists who were working on a dig site near the ruins gave me an idea of the vast expansion of the city and the fortification that once protected it's inhabitants from harm. Apparently it was not enough against the Roman army.
For more information on Carthage, visit:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carthage
After Carthage we visited the chic coastal town of Sidi Bou Said for a tour of the town and to enjoy the sunset over the Meditteranean. We walked up cobblestone paths through markets to the section of town that overlooked the sea for the best view. The area really reminded me of what I have always pictured Greece to look like with the white buildings and blue shutters and palm trees. The view from our cafe balcony was breathtaking, and I enjoyed my hot mint tea very much as the sea breeze cooled the evening air. I couldn't help but smile as I enjoyed the beautiful scenery and the company of fellow Americans.
The ruins of the ancient city of Carthage are, in fact, a suburb of the sprawling city of Tunis. This made it convenient because I was able to hop in a taxi cab and twenty minutes late was standing in front of the tour buses waiting to enter the city of ruins. Cool fact: The city of Carthage is known as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which makes it protected and easily accessible to tourists. I was finally able to be a tourist today, so my American companions didn't roll their eyes at me in embarrassment as I captured our experiences with my camera through many pictues. There are times when one must take a "mental picture" in order to remember it in the heart, but there are other times when the sheer magnitude of the scenery mustbe captured on film for future reflection.
A little history first. Carthage, pronounced "kar-TAJ" by Arabic, French and other non-English speakers, was once the center of the ancient world. The first civilization that developed within the area are referred to as "Punic" (Phoenician, or Carthaginian). According to Roman legend, the city was founded by Phoenician colonists from the city of Tyre under the command of Elissa, or Queen Dido, as referenced in Virgil's epic poem "The Aeneid". Overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, the city of Carthage proved to be an advantagous position to control the trading routes and military expansion, which led to many conflicts between the Romans, Greeks, and Phoenicians over possession of the city. After several battles back and forth between the Romans and Phoenicians for supremecy, the Romans attacked Carthage and decimated the entire city. Houses were burned, buildings crumbled, and civilians were either killed or taken as slaves. All that remains now is the ruins of a once great city that was ruled by a once great civilization.
We visited the Antonine Baths near the sea and the ruins of several tombs and prayer sites. It was an amazing feeling walking amongst the ruins knowing that these fantastic events occured upon the same stone paths that I was walking on. The small scale model reconstructions created by archeaologists who were working on a dig site near the ruins gave me an idea of the vast expansion of the city and the fortification that once protected it's inhabitants from harm. Apparently it was not enough against the Roman army.
For more information on Carthage, visit:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carthage
After Carthage we visited the chic coastal town of Sidi Bou Said for a tour of the town and to enjoy the sunset over the Meditteranean. We walked up cobblestone paths through markets to the section of town that overlooked the sea for the best view. The area really reminded me of what I have always pictured Greece to look like with the white buildings and blue shutters and palm trees. The view from our cafe balcony was breathtaking, and I enjoyed my hot mint tea very much as the sea breeze cooled the evening air. I couldn't help but smile as I enjoyed the beautiful scenery and the company of fellow Americans.
JCI Event with Special VIP Privilges
Apologies for the lack of entries lately. After being sick, I recovered and life has been a whirlwind ever since. Let's start wher I left off and catch up from there . . .
At the request of the director of Amideast, I attended an event at the Minicple Theater in downtown Tunis called the FYOTD (translated as the five opportunistic disabled youth of Tunisia) sponsored by JCI (Junior Chamber International). My task was to meet and mingle with the people at the event and find out if any of the nominees were of high school age, and if they would be interested in applying to study abroad in the US as part of the YES program through Amideast. I was happy to oblige . . . requesting that I attend a fancy event and mingle with motivated youth and professionals who are interested in bringing about change in the world? Ok, I'm in!
A little background first: JCI is a world-wide organization that provides development opportunities to young people to encourage activisim and positive change. I mentioned that I was attending the FYOTD event to my supervisor, and she suggested that I meet up with her neighbor later that day who was also attending the event. I was lucky enough to spend the afternoon with her and learn about her fulbright experience teaching Arabic while studying english at a university in the American South. As I am writing this entry I do not recall which southern university she taught at, so it shall remain a mystery.
The FYOTD ceremony was held at the beautiful Municiple Theater in downtown Tunis. It was built at the turn of the 20th century in classic French architecture style, and the balcony looks out over the famous bustling Avenue Habib Bourguiba. I was also lucky enough that my Tunisian companion's cousin happened to be one of the organizers of the event, so we were ushered around to the back of the theatre in order to enter through a seperate door. After coming up a sindy staircase,we were led to a VIP seating area with nice red velvet chairs. I was so surprised to have such fancy treatment, and repeatedly thanked everyone who worked the VIP area that night. We were given bundles of jasmine flowers and refreshments as part of the event as well. What can I say, it's good to have connections!
The ceremony honored the five most outstanding disabled youth in Tunisia in select categories of higher education, athletics, fine arts, computer science and communication, and traditional arts. Between each nominee, a famour singer, musician, or poet would perform his/her latest work for the audience as a form of support for the youth and to keep the event young and hip. These local artists added an interesting flavor to the overal atmophere of the event. A short introductory video was made in Arabic about each student explaining their disability and the reason for their nomination. I attempted to gleen as much information as I could from the videos and context, but was grateful to have a Tunisian companion for the evening. After the video, each student was asked to come up on stage in order to be presented with an award, and asked to speak a little about their plans for the future in regards to their specific field.
Nominees included a master's student in a wheel chair, a foot painter (an artist who paints with his/her feet due to lack of motor control in the arms), an olympic runner who is blind, a computer science engineer with severe speech disabilities, and a traditional textile and pottery artist who is blind. Each student was unique in their own pursuit of their passions, and from what I understood from their personal statements, each had overcome difficulties to establish themselves as "normal" in society.
One of the most touching points was when the wife of the computer software engineer shared the story of how they met and fell in love. They both worked for the same company and had worked together on several projects. She was inspired by his kindness and generosity to those around him, despite people not always providing the same respect and dignity when they initially interacted with him. In spite of this adversary, "he walks the walk and talks the talk", she said, "and for that he is better than any 'normal' person I know and an inspiration for everyone". His story was really quite amazing, and he looked so humble as he accepted the award, and so proud as he turned to his wife and smiled at her as she squeezed his hand. Ah, sooooo wonderful!
At the request of the director of Amideast, I attended an event at the Minicple Theater in downtown Tunis called the FYOTD (translated as the five opportunistic disabled youth of Tunisia) sponsored by JCI (Junior Chamber International). My task was to meet and mingle with the people at the event and find out if any of the nominees were of high school age, and if they would be interested in applying to study abroad in the US as part of the YES program through Amideast. I was happy to oblige . . . requesting that I attend a fancy event and mingle with motivated youth and professionals who are interested in bringing about change in the world? Ok, I'm in!
A little background first: JCI is a world-wide organization that provides development opportunities to young people to encourage activisim and positive change. I mentioned that I was attending the FYOTD event to my supervisor, and she suggested that I meet up with her neighbor later that day who was also attending the event. I was lucky enough to spend the afternoon with her and learn about her fulbright experience teaching Arabic while studying english at a university in the American South. As I am writing this entry I do not recall which southern university she taught at, so it shall remain a mystery.
The FYOTD ceremony was held at the beautiful Municiple Theater in downtown Tunis. It was built at the turn of the 20th century in classic French architecture style, and the balcony looks out over the famous bustling Avenue Habib Bourguiba. I was also lucky enough that my Tunisian companion's cousin happened to be one of the organizers of the event, so we were ushered around to the back of the theatre in order to enter through a seperate door. After coming up a sindy staircase,we were led to a VIP seating area with nice red velvet chairs. I was so surprised to have such fancy treatment, and repeatedly thanked everyone who worked the VIP area that night. We were given bundles of jasmine flowers and refreshments as part of the event as well. What can I say, it's good to have connections!
The ceremony honored the five most outstanding disabled youth in Tunisia in select categories of higher education, athletics, fine arts, computer science and communication, and traditional arts. Between each nominee, a famour singer, musician, or poet would perform his/her latest work for the audience as a form of support for the youth and to keep the event young and hip. These local artists added an interesting flavor to the overal atmophere of the event. A short introductory video was made in Arabic about each student explaining their disability and the reason for their nomination. I attempted to gleen as much information as I could from the videos and context, but was grateful to have a Tunisian companion for the evening. After the video, each student was asked to come up on stage in order to be presented with an award, and asked to speak a little about their plans for the future in regards to their specific field.
Nominees included a master's student in a wheel chair, a foot painter (an artist who paints with his/her feet due to lack of motor control in the arms), an olympic runner who is blind, a computer science engineer with severe speech disabilities, and a traditional textile and pottery artist who is blind. Each student was unique in their own pursuit of their passions, and from what I understood from their personal statements, each had overcome difficulties to establish themselves as "normal" in society.
One of the most touching points was when the wife of the computer software engineer shared the story of how they met and fell in love. They both worked for the same company and had worked together on several projects. She was inspired by his kindness and generosity to those around him, despite people not always providing the same respect and dignity when they initially interacted with him. In spite of this adversary, "he walks the walk and talks the talk", she said, "and for that he is better than any 'normal' person I know and an inspiration for everyone". His story was really quite amazing, and he looked so humble as he accepted the award, and so proud as he turned to his wife and smiled at her as she squeezed his hand. Ah, sooooo wonderful!
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Alcohol in Islam
Correction from a recent post: the production and consumption of alcohol is generally forbidden in Islam, but as we see in Tunisia, the rules are a little looser. In my sick state my editing skills were apparently not up to par. Sorry for any confusion!
Monday, October 11, 2010
Bar with Americans, SAT's, Sick all weekend
Alrighty, so for my first actual free weekend in Tunis I had these grand plans to go out with my new American English teacher friends, discover more parts of the sprawling city of Tunis, and eat some really good food. Well, I managed to do about half of the above...the first part of the weekend was fun and exciting at least.
Friday evening I was invited out to a nice restarant/bar on the other side of town called Le Beouf sur la Toit, translated as the Cow on the Roof (and yes, there was a large statue of a cow on the roof of the restaurant). After a crazy taxi ride where the driver claimed he "didn't understand my French" and coincidentally took me halfway across town in the wrong direction (I think he was trying to make a few extra dinars off of me for the cab fare), I arrived at the restaurant to my friends waiting for me outside the gates. I was so happy to finally get out of that cab!
Quick note: In my pre-departure research, I discovered that although Tunisia is a Muslim country, alcohol is still readily available and and enjoyed by both foreigners and locals. Tunisia is especially famous for its rose wine, and it is sold throughout the Mediterranean. Normally, the production, selling, and consumption of alcohol is prohibited in Islam. As I have learned, the further away a country is from the "Islamic cultural and religious center" of the Arab World, (which for my intent and purposes is Saudi Arabia) the looser the interpretations are for what is and is not prohibited. Noted, Tunisia.
Also, the cultural dress code for women is not as strict as I was told when I departed. I was told that I must have my legs covered at all times down to me knees, which does actually reflect the fashion and modesty values here in Tunis. However, in watching what other women wear I am allowed to wear t-shirts and conservative tank tops. This comes as a relief, because it has been very warm here since I arrived.
Anyways, the bar experience was very fun. The whole room was downstairs and with a decorative theme of chrome, metal, and black floral designs. The bar itself was set directly in front of a stage where a locally famous band was playing covers of American Rock songs. The guys were total rockers who wore black skinny jeans, torn t-shirts, and smoked cigarettes with an "oh-so-effortlessly-cool" attitude, which I found to be quite hilarious. We danced and cheered them on throughout the night before catching a taxi cab ride home at around 2am. I arrived back to my appartment smelling of cigarette smoke and the sweat of 100 other young Tunisian rock enthusiasts, yet i had a smile on my face as my head hit the pillow.
The next morning came earlier than expected, as my alarm went off at 6:45am. I had been offered to opportunity to proctor the Official SAT exam to Tunisian students who desired to pursue college degrees in the US. Of course I was going to jump at the chance, especially since they were going to pay me in addition to counting the experience as part of my internship. So, I arrived on time to pick up my exam manual materials, the packet of official test booklets and answer packets, and then head up to my room. I never realized how "official" everything really had to be when it came to these exams, especially when they happen on the same day across the world. I was to write down the passport IDs of every student that came into my testing room, document the order and direction that the test packets were distributed, and the exact length of time of each testing period down to the minute. Although there were a lot of details, it was a good experience to give such an important test. It allowed me to reflect on taking that very test several years ago and all the preparations that were made in order to achieve a good score. What really impressed me was that, although most of the students were from the International American school (mainly children of embassy and foreign officer parents), there were a handfull of Tunisian students who took the exact same test. Now, I remember the test being challegning and difficult, especially the essay section. I can't imagine taking it in another language . . . and that's exactly what these students were doing. Bravo and high five to them. I wish them all the best.
So, I got to be all official and read the texts like:
"you will have 25 minutes to complete section 1. Do not begin until I tell you to do so. Make sure that you are using No.2 pencil. You are allowed to use a calculator only if you are working on a math section. If you are not, place the calculator under your desk at this time. Open your test booklets to section 1. You may read the directions and begin at this time."
I felt so . . . teacherly! Another one I liked was:
"Stop now and put your pencils down. Place your answer sheet inside your test booklet and close the cover. If you were using your calculator, place it on top on your booklet. We will now have a five minute break. You may exit the room and use the restroom, but you must remain quiet as other students may still be testing at this time. You have five minutes [insert teacherly stare or confidence and supreme reign]."
I don't feel like Im a very commanding presence in real life, so I treated the situation a bit like an acting audition where I had to convince the students that I was a serious professor instead of a bubbly intern who is learning the ropes as she goes along. It's all part of the job,and it was a good experience.
Afterwards, I met up with some Tunisian girlfriends that I met from the American Corner (see previous post) for lunch. I was starting to feel a little sick to my stomach, so I shopped with them for a little bit in the market before calling my afternoon short with them and catching an early cab home. When I arrived back to my apartment I was uncomfortably warm and really dizzy. I ended up falling asleep almost as soon as I sat down on my bed, and woke up three hours later when my roommates came in to check on me. I was definitely sick with shaky fever-like symptoms and all the lovely uncomfortably intestinal problems that come with getting used to a new developing country. Let's just say I only slept on the bathroom floor once this weekend, which was plenty enough.
My roomies were great and gave me some pills that helped settle my stomach and reduce my fever on Sunday after I had gotten close to everything out of my system. I decided to take Monday off from work too and just let my body rest. I was able to sleep, drink lots of water, skype my family, and generally enjoy my quiet apartment during the day. My other roommate stayed home for most of the day with what we think might be tonsilitis, so that made for some interesting conversations and sharing our sick stories over cups of chamomile tea. Although it is terrible to be sick, I saw it as a good experience because it means that my body is "clearing everything out" and starting from new. It also means that I probably wont get sick again for a while and my general ability to digest foods will be improved from here on out.
I just checked my skype message board, and my boss sent me a message checking in on me. She offered to bring me medicine and/or take me to the doctor at any time if i needed it. That made me feel a lot better about my whole internship experience. It's encouraging to know that your boss cares about your wellbeing outside of your time at work.
Alright, let's get out the map and plan a trip for next weekend when Im done being sick!
Friday evening I was invited out to a nice restarant/bar on the other side of town called Le Beouf sur la Toit, translated as the Cow on the Roof (and yes, there was a large statue of a cow on the roof of the restaurant). After a crazy taxi ride where the driver claimed he "didn't understand my French" and coincidentally took me halfway across town in the wrong direction (I think he was trying to make a few extra dinars off of me for the cab fare), I arrived at the restaurant to my friends waiting for me outside the gates. I was so happy to finally get out of that cab!
Quick note: In my pre-departure research, I discovered that although Tunisia is a Muslim country, alcohol is still readily available and and enjoyed by both foreigners and locals. Tunisia is especially famous for its rose wine, and it is sold throughout the Mediterranean. Normally, the production, selling, and consumption of alcohol is prohibited in Islam. As I have learned, the further away a country is from the "Islamic cultural and religious center" of the Arab World, (which for my intent and purposes is Saudi Arabia) the looser the interpretations are for what is and is not prohibited. Noted, Tunisia.
Also, the cultural dress code for women is not as strict as I was told when I departed. I was told that I must have my legs covered at all times down to me knees, which does actually reflect the fashion and modesty values here in Tunis. However, in watching what other women wear I am allowed to wear t-shirts and conservative tank tops. This comes as a relief, because it has been very warm here since I arrived.
Anyways, the bar experience was very fun. The whole room was downstairs and with a decorative theme of chrome, metal, and black floral designs. The bar itself was set directly in front of a stage where a locally famous band was playing covers of American Rock songs. The guys were total rockers who wore black skinny jeans, torn t-shirts, and smoked cigarettes with an "oh-so-effortlessly-cool" attitude, which I found to be quite hilarious. We danced and cheered them on throughout the night before catching a taxi cab ride home at around 2am. I arrived back to my appartment smelling of cigarette smoke and the sweat of 100 other young Tunisian rock enthusiasts, yet i had a smile on my face as my head hit the pillow.
The next morning came earlier than expected, as my alarm went off at 6:45am. I had been offered to opportunity to proctor the Official SAT exam to Tunisian students who desired to pursue college degrees in the US. Of course I was going to jump at the chance, especially since they were going to pay me in addition to counting the experience as part of my internship. So, I arrived on time to pick up my exam manual materials, the packet of official test booklets and answer packets, and then head up to my room. I never realized how "official" everything really had to be when it came to these exams, especially when they happen on the same day across the world. I was to write down the passport IDs of every student that came into my testing room, document the order and direction that the test packets were distributed, and the exact length of time of each testing period down to the minute. Although there were a lot of details, it was a good experience to give such an important test. It allowed me to reflect on taking that very test several years ago and all the preparations that were made in order to achieve a good score. What really impressed me was that, although most of the students were from the International American school (mainly children of embassy and foreign officer parents), there were a handfull of Tunisian students who took the exact same test. Now, I remember the test being challegning and difficult, especially the essay section. I can't imagine taking it in another language . . . and that's exactly what these students were doing. Bravo and high five to them. I wish them all the best.
So, I got to be all official and read the texts like:
"you will have 25 minutes to complete section 1. Do not begin until I tell you to do so. Make sure that you are using No.2 pencil. You are allowed to use a calculator only if you are working on a math section. If you are not, place the calculator under your desk at this time. Open your test booklets to section 1. You may read the directions and begin at this time."
I felt so . . . teacherly! Another one I liked was:
"Stop now and put your pencils down. Place your answer sheet inside your test booklet and close the cover. If you were using your calculator, place it on top on your booklet. We will now have a five minute break. You may exit the room and use the restroom, but you must remain quiet as other students may still be testing at this time. You have five minutes [insert teacherly stare or confidence and supreme reign]."
I don't feel like Im a very commanding presence in real life, so I treated the situation a bit like an acting audition where I had to convince the students that I was a serious professor instead of a bubbly intern who is learning the ropes as she goes along. It's all part of the job,and it was a good experience.
Afterwards, I met up with some Tunisian girlfriends that I met from the American Corner (see previous post) for lunch. I was starting to feel a little sick to my stomach, so I shopped with them for a little bit in the market before calling my afternoon short with them and catching an early cab home. When I arrived back to my apartment I was uncomfortably warm and really dizzy. I ended up falling asleep almost as soon as I sat down on my bed, and woke up three hours later when my roommates came in to check on me. I was definitely sick with shaky fever-like symptoms and all the lovely uncomfortably intestinal problems that come with getting used to a new developing country. Let's just say I only slept on the bathroom floor once this weekend, which was plenty enough.
My roomies were great and gave me some pills that helped settle my stomach and reduce my fever on Sunday after I had gotten close to everything out of my system. I decided to take Monday off from work too and just let my body rest. I was able to sleep, drink lots of water, skype my family, and generally enjoy my quiet apartment during the day. My other roommate stayed home for most of the day with what we think might be tonsilitis, so that made for some interesting conversations and sharing our sick stories over cups of chamomile tea. Although it is terrible to be sick, I saw it as a good experience because it means that my body is "clearing everything out" and starting from new. It also means that I probably wont get sick again for a while and my general ability to digest foods will be improved from here on out.
I just checked my skype message board, and my boss sent me a message checking in on me. She offered to bring me medicine and/or take me to the doctor at any time if i needed it. That made me feel a lot better about my whole internship experience. It's encouraging to know that your boss cares about your wellbeing outside of your time at work.
Alright, let's get out the map and plan a trip for next weekend when Im done being sick!
Aliens, Karaoke, and the Everlasting "Coolness" of Michael Jackson
I started going to the Conversation Circle sessions at the American Corner last week, and it has been awesome. The American Corner is an independently run library and cultural center sponsored by the US Embassy and Amideast, and happens to be located in the building right next to my office. Here is a link to their blog if you want to check it out:
http://americancornertunis.blogspot.com/
The center reminds me a lot of the Mills International Center where I previously worked as the Program Manager at the University of Oregon. In a similar fashion, the Center is a space for students, staff, and faculty to come and lounge as well as learn about a different culture. With an Amideast Library card, visitors can check out any of the books, magazines, CDs, and DVDS from America. The American Corner puts on various events throughout the year geared toward the Amideast students to engage their English skills in discussions, workshops, and through presentations by community members and study abroad advisors.
I was invited to join in on the sessions this week by the intern who runs the Conversation Circles because they are always looking for more native English speakers to interact with the students. The topic of the day was "Aliens: are they real?", and was presented with a news article documenting mysterious lights that thousands of people saw over China a few years ago. Each student receives a copy of the discussion article with a list of key vocabulary words and a copy of the discussion questions. The level of English that these students showed was intermediate to high with good use of the vocabulary, which impressed me. I figured that the group would be split in half over the issue of the actual existance of aliens with one side agreeing that some form of extra-terrestrial life could exist, and the other half not believing in anything that they could not see. That is my experience with the issue divide in America.
However, the majority of the students said that they did not believe in the existance of aliens because they were not mentioned in the Qur'an. I thought this interpretation was interesting considering I saw no immediate religious connection, so I asked a few of the more talkative students what they thought about the existance of angels. "Perhaps angels could be aliens," I suggested. "Nope", they said, "that is completely different". Other students chimed in to say, "Perhaps the existance of other life was possible because God was so infinite in his wisdom that he could have created things that we do not yet understand." These same students were quick to add, "this does not mean that these hypothetical beings are 'god-like' in any sense". Again, a completely different take on the issue that I had never thought to explore. The overall conversation was very interesting to follow, and it gave me a good chance to see who the better speakers were in the group of about 20, and who were the quieter ones that I could seek out after the discussion to speak with in a smaller group. I remember what is was like to be in a foreign language conversation group and not quiet catch everything that was said. I remember wanting to participate, if only people would speak a little slower. s-l-o-w-e-r. It can be quite intimidating for some people, especailly with native speakers, so Im glad to help out in any way that I can. I plan on going back to the Conversation Cirlce at least once a week to join in on the discussions. I have already made a few friends who will come in handy as i begin to explore the city further.
One American Corner event that I thought was a great success was the monthly Karaoke Session that was started this fall. I attended the first session on Friday October 1, and the energy in the room was fantastic. Over 70 middle school and high school students crowded into the small library/study space to participate. Students signed up to sing their favorite American pop songs in front of their friends while the lyrics were projected onto the wall for everyone to sing along with. Those same students from the Conversation Circle were there singing along to many of the songs. Groups of students were allowed to sign up together, so at times there were three or four students crowded around the microphone enjoying their stage time as their friends cheered them on and sang to "Hotel California", "Hey Jude", and "Wild Thing" among many others. One kid, Mohammad, even got up and volunteered his dancing skills as he showed off to the crowd singing "The Way You Make Me Feel" by Michael Jackson. Imagine a room full of screaming teenage Tunisian girls that ensued. Yep, that was it. Mohammad must have thought he was the coolest 16 year old as he attempted to moonwalk across the stage. And at that moment, he probably was.
More to come soon. So much to catch up on from this week. Thanks for all the facebook messages of encouragement!
http://americancornertunis.blogspot.com/
The center reminds me a lot of the Mills International Center where I previously worked as the Program Manager at the University of Oregon. In a similar fashion, the Center is a space for students, staff, and faculty to come and lounge as well as learn about a different culture. With an Amideast Library card, visitors can check out any of the books, magazines, CDs, and DVDS from America. The American Corner puts on various events throughout the year geared toward the Amideast students to engage their English skills in discussions, workshops, and through presentations by community members and study abroad advisors.
I was invited to join in on the sessions this week by the intern who runs the Conversation Circles because they are always looking for more native English speakers to interact with the students. The topic of the day was "Aliens: are they real?", and was presented with a news article documenting mysterious lights that thousands of people saw over China a few years ago. Each student receives a copy of the discussion article with a list of key vocabulary words and a copy of the discussion questions. The level of English that these students showed was intermediate to high with good use of the vocabulary, which impressed me. I figured that the group would be split in half over the issue of the actual existance of aliens with one side agreeing that some form of extra-terrestrial life could exist, and the other half not believing in anything that they could not see. That is my experience with the issue divide in America.
However, the majority of the students said that they did not believe in the existance of aliens because they were not mentioned in the Qur'an. I thought this interpretation was interesting considering I saw no immediate religious connection, so I asked a few of the more talkative students what they thought about the existance of angels. "Perhaps angels could be aliens," I suggested. "Nope", they said, "that is completely different". Other students chimed in to say, "Perhaps the existance of other life was possible because God was so infinite in his wisdom that he could have created things that we do not yet understand." These same students were quick to add, "this does not mean that these hypothetical beings are 'god-like' in any sense". Again, a completely different take on the issue that I had never thought to explore. The overall conversation was very interesting to follow, and it gave me a good chance to see who the better speakers were in the group of about 20, and who were the quieter ones that I could seek out after the discussion to speak with in a smaller group. I remember what is was like to be in a foreign language conversation group and not quiet catch everything that was said. I remember wanting to participate, if only people would speak a little slower. s-l-o-w-e-r. It can be quite intimidating for some people, especailly with native speakers, so Im glad to help out in any way that I can. I plan on going back to the Conversation Cirlce at least once a week to join in on the discussions. I have already made a few friends who will come in handy as i begin to explore the city further.
One American Corner event that I thought was a great success was the monthly Karaoke Session that was started this fall. I attended the first session on Friday October 1, and the energy in the room was fantastic. Over 70 middle school and high school students crowded into the small library/study space to participate. Students signed up to sing their favorite American pop songs in front of their friends while the lyrics were projected onto the wall for everyone to sing along with. Those same students from the Conversation Circle were there singing along to many of the songs. Groups of students were allowed to sign up together, so at times there were three or four students crowded around the microphone enjoying their stage time as their friends cheered them on and sang to "Hotel California", "Hey Jude", and "Wild Thing" among many others. One kid, Mohammad, even got up and volunteered his dancing skills as he showed off to the crowd singing "The Way You Make Me Feel" by Michael Jackson. Imagine a room full of screaming teenage Tunisian girls that ensued. Yep, that was it. Mohammad must have thought he was the coolest 16 year old as he attempted to moonwalk across the stage. And at that moment, he probably was.
More to come soon. So much to catch up on from this week. Thanks for all the facebook messages of encouragement!
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