Global Literature: This is the first class of the week, Sunday morning. I have it with a friend and international student from Milwaukee. We have been reading a lot of poems. The first book we were supposed to start reading two weeks ago didn't get in to the bookstore until two days ago, so we just now started reading The Europeans. I don't understand it and won't understand until tomorrow morning's class (or when I check out sparknotes after this). The professor is Dr. Melaney and he is a weirddddoooo. Eccentric, bald but holding on to whatever hair he's got, wears the same sweater everyday, and very talkative. He loves poetry so much, that's why, instead of starting our second or third novel, we just read more and more confusing poetry. He makes me feel awkward, I think his social skills are just off. Maybe he's here at AUC for a year or two but he doesn't seem to know any Arabic or Middle Eastern studies whatsoever. Another reason this class is irritating is because ALL the authors we are reading this semester are American. I'm not sure how it's even passing as a global literature class but we will see, perhaps he'll tie it in somehow. In fact, The Europeans is about Americans who lived in Europe for most of their lives and are returning to America. It takes place in America! Oh well. This is my easiest class but not interesting enough to be fun or even enjoyable.
Making of the Modern Arab World: This is by far the hardest course I'm taking this semester (maybe I've ever taken). Every class starts with a "one minute quiz" consisting of one question. A point is added to your grade for every 7 of these quizzes you pass. I have yet to pass one. They are to test if we've really done the reading, and I always do the reading. Sometimes I even do the reading two or three times to prepare for these quizzes and I still can't answer her questions correctly. We had our first exam on Sunday. It was rough. It was partially a group exam. I've never had a group exam before but we will see how it turned out. We will have two "role plays" over the course of the semester. They are based on real trials in the Middle East and real issues. They are fascinating but I am still nervous for them. I'm more excited for a role play than another one of those exams, however. The professor, Dr. Keaney, is a petite woman with fairly long brown hair. She's very excited about history. I didn't think anyone could be that excited about this stuff. Sometimes, she'll be so into whatever she's lecturing on and her voice will get increasingly high-pitched. That's how excited she is about it. She also interrupts herself, it's strange and catches me off guard. I get confused! She'll start explaining something, "so then the Ottomans were fighting for their--and again!--they were blah blah blah.." I have no idea what she talks about really, that's my problem. But she's always interrupting herself saying "and again!--" And I sit there trying to remember when she had said that before, because the "and again!--" is her emphasizing that we already knew this because she's repeating it. I hope I can pass this class because I do NOT want to take another history course, especially one at CLU. I'm trying to make myself like this class, so far though, it's really not working.
Educational Psychology: Finally, something that applies to my life and major! The more I think about it, the more I realize how important this class is for what I want to be. A high school guidance counselor or elementary/middle school psychologist would need to take a class like this, and many more. I still have issues with this course. Dr. Hala Abd Alhak has her hair wrapped up tightly in a handkerchief. She's kind but her smile makes her look a little wicked, it's similar to a grimace. My psychology courses at CLU have taught me to be skeptical of a lot of things related to psychology (thanks a lot Dr. Diriwaechter). Our book is severely outdated. I'm not sure what I expect to get out of this class as far as content but we've been reviewing cognitive theorists (understandable) and developmental theories as well. We've been talking about "at this age children develop their ___ skill." That's NOT what I expect to get out of it. I already took a child development class, so have all the other students in this class! It's also an easy class. We have 4 "Journal Entries" over the semester and have already completed two (wahoo!). When she handed them back to us, she would look at her notes on the journal and comment out loud, to the entire class, whatever she wanted to say about that student's paper. It was embarrassing, even if she wasn't reading mine. We have two exams and a couple group projects, interesting projects though. I can tell you about those later. I've boiled it down to this: since she's an educational psychologist professor, she should know how to be a flawless professor. I expect too much from her. I expect to learn a lot, be challenged, be respected, and aspire to be her. So far, none of that has happened. I focus on how she teaches more than what she's teaching because I want to make sure her technique is working (I suppose). This class has the most frustrations because it is so important for my career and my life and other students give me the impression that they don't understand. At the college level it's difficult to consider the different areas of understanding/learning we are all in and have effective teaching. Maybe I'm not making sense because I am being an educational psychologist in simply talking about my educational psychology class right now. It makes sense in my head, maybe I'll explain it to you later.
Cultural Anthropology: Last class of the day/week. This is the "nap-time" class. Right after lunch and right before the weekend (or tuesday off day). At the same time, anthropology is the most interesting, challenging, and least frustrating. Dr. Hanan Sabea is a heavy smoker and Frida Khalo enthusiast. She's like a Middle Eastern hippie, I love it! She is also passionate about anthropology and cultures in general. The entire class gets into debates and discussions that make the class even more interesting! Sometimes it's difficult. There is a student in that class from Australia and another from somewhere in the US but I don't really like him, he has this very "I'm better than you" attitude whenever he talks. It gets difficult because we are different cultures/backgrounds talking about culture. This is a good and bad thing. Even though the class isn't over, I'm glad I'm taking cultural anthropology abroad, best decision ever. I'm learning about what it means to study a different culture from the perspective of a different culture. Sweet right? Sometimes the students use Arabic phrases or places in Egypt that I didn't even know existed. I'm getting used to it. Most students are taking this course as a core requirement. There's one girl, she's gorgeous, named Karema, who is an anthropology student. She is the only one in the class who seems to know everything! I like it.
Academics is different here. I take my studies seriously. Between classes I am either studying or eating lunch. I wont skip a class (unless I'm traveling or sick). I'm never late. Other students in my courses come late with only their cellphone in their hand. I'm constantly asked for a pen-- I mean, come on! Bring a pen to class! Students text message all through class. They interrupt the professor. In Egypt, schooling starts younger. Some of these students are 17 and I have a hard time with them because it is as if they are in high school still. I already told you about the student asking for a photocopy of my notes. It is a different culture and world than I am used to. Maybe it's customary or a compliment to ask for a copy of someone's notes. It seems like it is very normal to interrupt a professor with a question that you could easily ask at the end of class (meaning some of these questions have nothing to do with what the professor was talking about) or in an email. There is at least one international student in all 4 of my classes, so it helps to talk to them and know that I'm not imagining these crazy students. I have a lot to learn from them, actually. Alright, this is getting long, sorry!
