Hoorah Teachers Day!
On Monday it is National Teacher's Day. There's a great idea; a day to celebrate teachers in society. Do we have one of those at home? I think it is called "Winter Break." Anyway, our school threw us a party at a really swank restaraunt last night that went until about three in the morning. Chris and I only lasted 'til about one-thirty since we arrived ON-TIME with the other westerners and the rest of the staff came between one and two hours late.
Yesterday we had a competition for the middle school that was called "Master Minds." There were three groups of four teams that competed in rounds to score the most points relating to educational and trivia questions. The top four teams competed for first place, and the first through third teams won trophies. It was all done really well except for the gramatical errors, and random indescrepancies in questions that only the westerners seemed to notice. We were in the back making bets with each other on the questions. All errors aside it went off really well and the kids LOVED the competition.
On Wednesday of this week the teachers played the middle school kids in a game of basketball. The westerners (like with all things)had fun and passed the ball around, while the Syrians were really serious and only thought about winning. One of the Syrians was running over the kids driving to the basket. None of the kids or teachers seems to know anything about teamwork when it comes to sports. We won but not by very much, and nobody really cared except the Syrians. The teachers are giong to start playing B-Ball every Wednesday after school. I hope we can keep it fun. As any of my friends and family know I can be super competitive but there is a time and place. Playing a bunch of kids is neither the time nor place. Hopefully we can rub off some teamwork on our co-workers the same way we try with our students.
I felt after the game for the first time that I belonged to a community here. We were all having fun and somewhat working together with the kids. Even at the party last night I felt the same thing, but after a short while I also felt more out of place than I had ever before. I know everyone, danced some, at the food, smoked a 'nargileh, but I really noticed how out of place I felt. The food is good but it isn't my food. The music sucks and it deffinitely isn't my music. The people are my co-workers, but very little effort has been made to make them my friends. I realized that no effort has been made to make us feel welcome as westerners, or has any effort been made to make this place more western. Everything stays the same. The curriculum at school has been modified to be more Syrian. No western food, music, ideas or classroom techniques are really tolerated. The only thing western here is the style of clothes, and the desire for modern social status via the purchase of a really expensive phone that really doesn't get used for anything. Last night made me realize that we are making all the changes to ourselves, our classrooms, and abilities to accomodate to the Syrian style. I left the party last night slightly annoyed becuase this has been the first time averything sank in at the same time. People ask why I don't want to come back next year and they don't understand why I start laughing. Well lets see: I can't teach the way I wan't because the school won't back me up as a teacher, I have no resources in or out of class for teaching, I have no way to learn more about teaching or anything else for that matter while I am here, I am not religious which removes me from both sides of the dating pool in Syria, I can't have many friends because not very many people speak English and, out of the ones that do, very few of them are educated to a level that I would enjoy speaking to them. I have nothing in common with ninety-nine percent of the people here, I don't care about wealth or money, I can't hang out with girls without their family or friends being involved. Basically this is the opposite of every place I have ever been and the only redeeming quality is the people here are probably the friendliest people in the Middle East. So with only one good quality in the pro's box people usually slink away hating their own country after we have that conversation. "You asked!"
Today Chris and I intend on kicking a football around and reading some, and later tonight we will shop and cook. Our lives are very regimented now with the missing link always being activity. Our school days are set with teaching football, playing football, now playing basketball, on Sundays staying home, and and Thursdays going somewhere for the weekend. During the day we plan, teach, grade papers, and now we have managed to get arabic lessons three times a week. We are in Kindergarten! Our kids think it is hilarious and we get ribbed every time we come from a class and the kids see what book we are using. Kids love to make fun of the teacher at any chance.
Politically it is the same as the first day I came. Nobody is worried about Lebannon. No one here believes Syria would bomb Hariri, but people are worried about the unemployment rate going up once the military is pulled out of Lebannon. The country gives a facade of jobs by having a large military. Even though these guys don't make shit and are forced into service, it keeps Syria looking like they have more jobs than they actually do. Honestly a non-partisan country needs to keep offering the olive branch to the president to help guide political and economic reform. It would never be accepted by Syrians if one of the western powers tried to intervene - we already have a bad rap for Iraq. If someone new and out of the picture came in and started talks about investment into the economy and political reforms I think the people would be more open. You have to understand that the average Syrian isn't that educated, believes what he reads in the party papers, and is very religious. Just like the lowest common denominator in every country. You need to appeal to them. That is why religious leaders are so popular. It's why Bush got re-elected. People don't want to think about stuff, they want someone to tell them God loves them, they are going to Heaven, and everything will be ok as long as that person is in control. This place is too secular for a religious leader, much like Lebannon, and needs to find a way of true group representation. People love the president but resent the party and the Alawi. For years the party and the head family have been skimming the top and keeping power at the cost of the common man. If you ask they will fight any forces that come into their country. They want to originate the change but they don't know how. Most would accept mediation from a third party with Arab people doing the lions share. This is something I discuss with so many people rich and poor. The common belief is the party is needed, but also needed to be reformed. The government is needed but needed to reform. They believe in their country and themselves, and are wanting reform. Then again many are worried about food at the bottom, and when they are going to be shown in the latest society magazine at the top. No matter what, I still believe people shouldn't be forced to change but should work for the change in their own way, and only helped when asked by a legitimate majority.
Hope all is well in the western world. Boys and girls intermingle for me :)
Yesterday we had a competition for the middle school that was called "Master Minds." There were three groups of four teams that competed in rounds to score the most points relating to educational and trivia questions. The top four teams competed for first place, and the first through third teams won trophies. It was all done really well except for the gramatical errors, and random indescrepancies in questions that only the westerners seemed to notice. We were in the back making bets with each other on the questions. All errors aside it went off really well and the kids LOVED the competition.
On Wednesday of this week the teachers played the middle school kids in a game of basketball. The westerners (like with all things)had fun and passed the ball around, while the Syrians were really serious and only thought about winning. One of the Syrians was running over the kids driving to the basket. None of the kids or teachers seems to know anything about teamwork when it comes to sports. We won but not by very much, and nobody really cared except the Syrians. The teachers are giong to start playing B-Ball every Wednesday after school. I hope we can keep it fun. As any of my friends and family know I can be super competitive but there is a time and place. Playing a bunch of kids is neither the time nor place. Hopefully we can rub off some teamwork on our co-workers the same way we try with our students.
I felt after the game for the first time that I belonged to a community here. We were all having fun and somewhat working together with the kids. Even at the party last night I felt the same thing, but after a short while I also felt more out of place than I had ever before. I know everyone, danced some, at the food, smoked a 'nargileh, but I really noticed how out of place I felt. The food is good but it isn't my food. The music sucks and it deffinitely isn't my music. The people are my co-workers, but very little effort has been made to make them my friends. I realized that no effort has been made to make us feel welcome as westerners, or has any effort been made to make this place more western. Everything stays the same. The curriculum at school has been modified to be more Syrian. No western food, music, ideas or classroom techniques are really tolerated. The only thing western here is the style of clothes, and the desire for modern social status via the purchase of a really expensive phone that really doesn't get used for anything. Last night made me realize that we are making all the changes to ourselves, our classrooms, and abilities to accomodate to the Syrian style. I left the party last night slightly annoyed becuase this has been the first time averything sank in at the same time. People ask why I don't want to come back next year and they don't understand why I start laughing. Well lets see: I can't teach the way I wan't because the school won't back me up as a teacher, I have no resources in or out of class for teaching, I have no way to learn more about teaching or anything else for that matter while I am here, I am not religious which removes me from both sides of the dating pool in Syria, I can't have many friends because not very many people speak English and, out of the ones that do, very few of them are educated to a level that I would enjoy speaking to them. I have nothing in common with ninety-nine percent of the people here, I don't care about wealth or money, I can't hang out with girls without their family or friends being involved. Basically this is the opposite of every place I have ever been and the only redeeming quality is the people here are probably the friendliest people in the Middle East. So with only one good quality in the pro's box people usually slink away hating their own country after we have that conversation. "You asked!"
Today Chris and I intend on kicking a football around and reading some, and later tonight we will shop and cook. Our lives are very regimented now with the missing link always being activity. Our school days are set with teaching football, playing football, now playing basketball, on Sundays staying home, and and Thursdays going somewhere for the weekend. During the day we plan, teach, grade papers, and now we have managed to get arabic lessons three times a week. We are in Kindergarten! Our kids think it is hilarious and we get ribbed every time we come from a class and the kids see what book we are using. Kids love to make fun of the teacher at any chance.
Politically it is the same as the first day I came. Nobody is worried about Lebannon. No one here believes Syria would bomb Hariri, but people are worried about the unemployment rate going up once the military is pulled out of Lebannon. The country gives a facade of jobs by having a large military. Even though these guys don't make shit and are forced into service, it keeps Syria looking like they have more jobs than they actually do. Honestly a non-partisan country needs to keep offering the olive branch to the president to help guide political and economic reform. It would never be accepted by Syrians if one of the western powers tried to intervene - we already have a bad rap for Iraq. If someone new and out of the picture came in and started talks about investment into the economy and political reforms I think the people would be more open. You have to understand that the average Syrian isn't that educated, believes what he reads in the party papers, and is very religious. Just like the lowest common denominator in every country. You need to appeal to them. That is why religious leaders are so popular. It's why Bush got re-elected. People don't want to think about stuff, they want someone to tell them God loves them, they are going to Heaven, and everything will be ok as long as that person is in control. This place is too secular for a religious leader, much like Lebannon, and needs to find a way of true group representation. People love the president but resent the party and the Alawi. For years the party and the head family have been skimming the top and keeping power at the cost of the common man. If you ask they will fight any forces that come into their country. They want to originate the change but they don't know how. Most would accept mediation from a third party with Arab people doing the lions share. This is something I discuss with so many people rich and poor. The common belief is the party is needed, but also needed to be reformed. The government is needed but needed to reform. They believe in their country and themselves, and are wanting reform. Then again many are worried about food at the bottom, and when they are going to be shown in the latest society magazine at the top. No matter what, I still believe people shouldn't be forced to change but should work for the change in their own way, and only helped when asked by a legitimate majority.
Hope all is well in the western world. Boys and girls intermingle for me :)
posted by chris @ Saturday, March 05, 2005
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