School's Out!

If you’ve ever taught before (at any level), you know what the last week of class is like.  There’s a sense of excitement.  The students are anxious to finish, and you even find yourself becoming extremely excited about the end of class.  You might let a few things slide that you normally wouldn’t, and on the last day, you can’t help but be in a good mood.

This week I have experienced the euphoria associated with the last week of class.  Like previously mentioned, I have mixed emotions about the course ending.  I am definitely excited because we are taking a vacation, but at the same time I have become very comfortable with my students and enjoy teaching them.  Nonetheless, I can definitely say these young women have taught me as much as I have tried to teach them.

They speak with such passion about their beliefs.  They speak with hope for their future.  They love their culture and country, but at the same time, there is a sense of activism about them.  I firmly believe this is the generation of young women that will make changes in this country.  Yet, at times, their level of optimism is realistic.  As much as they would like to change to occur here, they recognize that it might not happen in their life time.  That does not deter their hope or their drive.  I wish that some of my American students could have just as much drive or passion as these young women.  They see the value in education, and most are working hard towards their goals. 

Now not all of my students possess such characteristics.  Unfortunately, a sense of entitlement is a trait that many in this country possess.  Some of my students carry that trait with them, but I hope that I have challenged that.  There are no exceptions.  It doesn’t matter what your last name is, how much wealth you possess, or what you bring me.  If anything, I hope that I have demonstrated a sense of fairness to everyone.

Because it is the end of the term, many of my students are traveling for the rest of the summer.  While American students head to the lake or go camping with their family, these students do it big.  I spoke with one student who is spending seven days in Dubai with her family and then headed to safari in Oman.  Another student is headed to France and Egypt.  Others are headed to Jordan, Beirut, or London.  Pretty nice summer vacations if you ask me.

Final Presentations

For their final presentations, students were asked to create a persuasive presentation.  Again, I was very interested in finding out what they would select as topics.  Topics ranged from typical:  “Car Accidents Can be Prevented,” Junk Food is Unhealthy,” “Water Conservation,” “Recycling.”  Other topics were less typical:  “Crisis of Globalization,” Interfaith Marriages- Shia and Sunni,” “Dark Chocolate is Healthy,” and even “Fast Food is Healthy.” 

Again, presentations ranged from bad to very good.  What I noticed is that many did not seem to grasp the concept of evidence to support their claims. We spent considerable time in class discussing the important of providing support to back their statements, but that did not seem to sink in.  It wasn’t uncommon to find words like “a lot,” “many,” or “much” as their support.  I wonder why that is?  Is it that because of their culture, they are forced to take such statements as fact?  Or is it laziness? I’m not sure, but I found it very interesting. 

After the final presentations were completed, two students asked me to coffee at the campus Starbucks.  Their rationale: “You’re not our professor anymore.   You’re our friend.”  You learn quickly here that if you turn anything down, it’s considered very rude.  I obliged their request.  The ensuing conversation was very culturally enlightening. 

I can’t express to you how much I learned from these two young ladies.  The conversation was very candid, and they spoke with great passion about their culture and their upbringing.  They both believe that women in this culture can have a voice and have power, but those woman are not viewed as marriage material.  We also talked about that many Kuwaitis get married at a very young age.  Here, if you are an unmarried woman at the age of 25, you might be labeled as a “spinstress.”  They talked about their plans after college, and we even discussed the subject of religion.  They told me that as women, they do not feel completely free.  They feel pressure from their families, and that often they do not feel as if they can do as they please.  It was a very rewarding conversation, and it is something I will remember vividly once I leave Kuwait. 

Overall, teaching these young ladies has been a great experience, and I am eagerly waiting for the next group. 

Other Items of Interest

Dunkin’ Donuts.  Once again, we have progress!  As Emily, Jill, and I were waiting for a cab the other morning, we peered into the open door.  They were pouring the floor.  We could have sworn we smelt fresh donuts baking.  Or maybe it was just the fresh Kuwaiti morning breeze.  Gross.

Dust Experiment.  I have been approved to conduct my dust experiment.  After we return from our travel to Jordan, I am beginning a dust experiment.  I talk about the dust, but sometimes words just don’t do justice.  For a week, I will dust half of the table each day and leave the other have undusted.  I think this will prove the amount of dust we collect weekly.  (The picture here is pre-dust experiment. The table was dusted about three days prior).  I’m not sure if I will need IRB approval for this experiment, but I know that the results will be published somewhere.  I’m definitely first author. 

Cabs. It’s not been a good couple of weeks for cabs.  After our experience at the mall last weekend, this week hasn’t been great either.  One driver this week chose to smoke on our morning commute.  Classic.  Yesterday’s driver did not use his air conditioner, and chose to beep his horn at EVERYTHING.  I’m not kidding you.  The morning conversation went like this:

Cory:  “How was BEEP your evening?”

Jill:  “It was BEEP good.  I got to BEEP  Skype with several BEEP people.”

Emily:  “Mine BEEP was good BEEP too.”

Jill:  “Forget BEEP  it. We’ll BEEP talk at BEEP work.”

Not only did he beep at everything, we were less than two blocks from campus and he clears his throat which obviously produced enough phlegm to spit out.  He leans to his left and spits out the window.  Jill had to dodge the spit.  Meanwhile, I had to turn the other way so he wouldn’t see me laughing.  It was CLASSIC!

Vacation.  Tomorrow at 11:05 a.m. Jill and I will be on a flight to Amman.  Pray for safe travels to and throughout Egypt and Jordan.  My pictures and a blog will come once we are back.