I am Thana, one of group that participated in the Amman training sessions that started on 18th, Nov. that Simmons College is responsible for.

I want first to thank Dr Michele, Dr Harvey, and Meaghan about the big efforts they did to succeed in geting this training, and many thanks also for each one who shared and supported this training program.

I like to talk about the name of our 2 group – for our group work , we choice this 2 names – 1. Chula College and 2. Lala College.

When we call anyone chula in Iraq that means he is a trouble maker. A chula is a small cooker that works in ceirouseen (kerosene) and almost all Iraqi use it in cooking because of gas and power problems. Using a chula is always boring and exhausting and needs a long time for cooking.

Lala is a lighter – we use it for lighting because of electricity problems. If u forget lala at night, you will find your face at morning like aubergine. (This was all done in good fun and made each group – each team – compete with each other in a productive way. Harvey)

At training we enjoyed our lessons and discussion and also the time for fun and shopping was wonderful.

I hope we will meet again, and we wish another meeting that will be in Iraq. We pray that Iraq will be safe to meet our american friends and make them show how much Iraqi people are generous and how much Iraq is wonderful place.

(Note: the above only lightly modified by Harvey Varnet, who was asked by Thana to do so and send to the blog.)

The last class was lively and mutually informative. I discussed theories about leadership as well as how to teach leadership in LIS management courses. Harvey and I had the Iraqis work further on their curricula. We set up the groups so that each one had representatives from the LIS programs in Mosul, Basra, and Baghdad. The timing was appropriate: in Iraqi universities programs revise their curricula every four years. The LIS programs are half way through their cycles. We showed them curricula from various parts of the world. The two they found most useful were from Simmons–because we offer so many courses–and the University of Kuwait, which is a new program.

When the working groups reported their results, we could see how the workshops which we have organized over the past three years have influenced their thinking. Since 2004, when we had the initial planning meeting in Amman, we have been bringing them new textbooks. The textbooks, in combination with the workshops we have taught, have helped to bring them up to date. They are excited about continuing to be able to add new courses to what they already offer.

These workshops have also been an excellent forum in which the Iraqis can get together with each other. Colleagues at different universities in Baghdad don’t see one another because of the continuing violence there. And of course it is also nearly impossible for people to travel across Iraq to see one another.

As always, I said goodbye to the Iraqis with much trepidation. One of the participants has received death threats, others continue to worry about their day-to-day safety. In Baghdad, safety continues to be an issue, as well as electricity. It has been nearly four years since the Americans invaded Iraq and yet electricity is still only available a few hours a day. Text messaging has become a more effective way for Iraqis to communicate than e-mail.

Once again I wonder whether we will be able to fund any further workshops. I can only say, “enshallah.”

It is 2:30 pm on a quiet Friday at ACOR. Almost all of the Iraqis have departed – two to go at 3pm and then I bug out at 3:30. Michele and Meaghan have left as well, making ACOR seem way-too-quiet.

We concluded our week with a wonderful dinner at the best Lebanese restaurant in town, Fakhir El Din. All 13 of us went, so it was a 4-taxi adventure to get there (my taxi driver was clueless…). It was even harder getting taxis back, as the restaurant is located off of the main road. Interestingly enough, Fakhir El Din is right behind the heavily guarded Iraqi Embassy – hmmm…

It is always bittersweet when one of these programs ends. We have renewed old acquaintances and made several new friends. It seems to me that a working group this size is so much easier to deal with in all ways – logistics (and there have been many challenges with regards to passports, arrivals, money and bank transfers, letters of invitation, etc.), discussions, lectures and actually having meaningful two-way conversations. We’ve learned much more about their institutions and how things are run – they have a fair amount of independence on each campus, yet they also have ‘national’ constraints.

This program was focused mainly on curriculum issues. Laying out the 5 institutions’ curriculums alongside each other made it clear that they have lots to do in updating/modernizing their programs. We shared with the Iraqis various programs from the USA, Kuwait, Europe and even Vietnam (where Simmons has been instrumental in developing librarians – Can Tho University has a brand new BA curriculum that looks challenging and promising).

This week, again perhaps due to the size of the group, I saw for the first time discussions that involved professional differences, clearly stated to each other. The culture in this part of the world is not one where junior people openly challenge senior people – we’ve talked about this in the past. This time, however, there were discussions by the junior attendees that were firm, well-stated and where they did not back down. In the past, department heads have dominated discussions – more ‘voices’ are now being heard – a very good sign.

To a person, our LIS colleagues from Iraq realize that they have to make big strides in the area of technology in all aspects of librarianship. Right now, they simply do not have the tools, the faculty expertise, examples in country of how a model library functions, nor an infrastructure that works – you can’t run computers without electricity, a daily problem all over the country.

We may be near the end of training programs that take a group if Iraqis out of the country to a neighboring country site. The truth of the matter is that the countries surrounding Iraq don’t want any more Iraqis emigrating – there are millions of refugees in Syria, Jordan, Beirut, etc. – so they make getting visas a royal pain in the —-. With the situation in the north of Iraq becoming more stable, this may be the location where future workshops occur – now there will be an interesting set of logistics challenges to overcome!

Thanks must go to: the US Embassy in Baghdad for the funding and a tremendous amount of cooperation; the USA’s ISU, Iraq Support Unit, here in Amman that did up several versions of a “travel facilitation letter” that helped the Iraqis get through Jordanian Immigration; the US Embassy Kuwait for all the local assistance and encouragement I received; AUK where the Finance people came through and where the administration allowed me to do my thing; ACOR – a tremendous site staffed by terrific, caring professionals; Michele Cloonan for taking on the lead in teaching this week; and, Meaghan O’Connor, a future library wizard and a young woman with a ‘curious mind’ and great spirit.

Of course, sincere thanks (that sounds so trite compared to what I actually mean) go to our Iraqi colleagues. They deal with life-threatening stuff every day, yet they remain remarkably sanguine about it all!! These folks really do want the best for themselves, their students and their country. We find them generous, gracious, talented, resilient and intellectually curious – a wonderful tribute to them all!!

What next? Well, we are not at all sure, but… we will keep trying to help as much as we can. Anything we do that is positive is worth the effort.

Ma’a salaama from ACOR in Amman.

Excelsior!!!

Today Michele and I are off to the Dead Sea for a little tourism and relaxation, and we fly back to Boston on Saturday morning. Not sure if I’ll have internet access between now and then, so this may be it for a few days, but I’ll be sure to send in some concluding thoughts at some point.

Encyclopedia

Originally uploaded by Meaghan K

A general encyclopedia in the ACOR library.

ACOR has a small but excellent library to support the archaeologists stationed here. History, mythology, and many other things relating to the ancient civilizations of the Middle East and the study of those civilizations. I think I must have been an archaeologist in another life.

Camels!

Originally uploaded by Meaghan K
]]> http://alanis.simmons.edu/blogs/dispatches/2007/11/23/camels/feed/ 0 http://alanis.simmons.edu/blogs/dispatches/2007/11/23/here-we-go-red-sox/ http://alanis.simmons.edu/blogs/dispatches/2007/11/23/here-we-go-red-sox/#comments Fri, 23 Nov 2007 05:52:40 +0000 Meaghan http://alanis.simmons.edu/blogs/dispatches/2007/11/23/here-we-go-red-sox/

Here we go Red Sox!

Originally uploaded by Meaghan K

You know your team has made it when people around the world start ripping off your logo.

Greetings from Jor-raq-us, my nickname for our “republic” within ACOR. Harvey, Meaghan, and nearly all of the Iraqis are in Petra today. Unlike summertime, this is a quiet time of year at ACOR.

The rain is falling crisply and loudly against the stone surfaces of ACOR. Now the drops are knocking loudly against my window. It is a good day to be inside working.

ACOR feels like a home away from home. There is a new director and assistant director, but all the other staff members are still here: Cathy, the manager, the short cook and his two tall sons, the librarians. Harvey, Meaghan, the Iraqis, and I are all here, with adjacent rooms and suites so the setting is intimate. The ACOR fellows are in the library and computer room all night so scholarly energy fills the air.

Last summer there were 30 Iraqis, 8 faculty, and Carla. The Iraqis stayed in dorms and we stayed in a hotel across town. Since men and women in the UAE aren’t allowed to stay in the same dorms, we (the faculty) had to stay in a hotel in order to get our work done. This year with 2 faculty, Meaghan, and only 10 Iraqis, it has been much more festive and collegial. The teaching is going well; Harvey and I are a good team. However, this is the first year that we don’t have a translator. Most of the participants understand English well, but every so often I hear someone utter David’s name. David Hirsch is a translator without equal.

In the past I have taught preservation and collection development there. There are special challenges to teaching management, however. So many elements of management are influenced by cultural practices, religious beliefs, and so on. I am trying my best to draw in as much as I can from other cultures.

An added challenge is that we are trying to teach the Iraqis new ways of teaching management to their students. Harvey already told you about the challenges we had trying to apply the case study method to curriculum development. We had a more successful session using two case studies from Library Journal.

But it’s not all work. In the evenings we go shopping. The Middle East is hands-down the most vivacious and entertaing place to shop. Every store holds new items to admire. It’s not just about bargaining. People love to show you their wares. Sometimes they give you coffee or tea. And they always provide entertainment.

As far as I can tell (without speaking Arabic), after three years of shopping in Jordan (2004, 2005, 2007), I would say that the Iraqis are some of the best negotiators around. They certainly know how to wear the Jordanians down. Meaghan and I are the lucky beneficiaries of the Iraqis’ shopping skills.

Last night we had a pizza party at ACOR. David Hirsch’s friend Rajai and his daughter Jude joined us, as they did for my 50th birthday bash here in 2005. Because we were a mixed group, the Iraqis didn’t dance. Therefore, Harvey, Meaghan, and I kindly provided all the entertainment.

Harvey stole the show, though. After we played an hour of Lebanese music he turned on the Bee Gees. To the beat of the Saturday Night Fever sound track, Harvey jumped on one of the dining rooms tables (which is now sagging) then boogied onto the floor. Ten phone cameras went off in unison. We will either become celebrities our we’ll have to go underground. (Now you know how I coined “Jor-raq-us.”)

Tomorrow, Thanksgiving, is our last day of teaching. Back on July 4th, 2005, the ACOR cook prepared hot dogs, hamburgers, and watermelon. Can’t wait to see what he serves up tomorrow. We will be sure to let you know.

In the meantime, a very Happy Thanksgiving to all of you.

Michele

DSC01745

Originally uploaded by Meaghan K

Well, the canyon is not really in a crescent shape, but Petra is absolutely stunning and somewhat unreal. 10 of us left on a bus at 6:15 this morning for the three hour ride. I had planned to sleep during the bus ride, but it was my first experience in a desert environment so I was awake and looking out the windows most of the way. We passed a camel herd and some shepherds with their goats.

From the entry gate of Petra it’s about a 1km walk through the canyon to where all the really cool stuff begins. From there you can explore more or less at will, and you’re free to walk anywhere in the site. This was surprising, because in America all of these sites would be roped off.

At the Treasury we split into two groups. Some people wanted to explore at a leisurely pace, and a few of us wanted to take the more serious hike up to the Monastery. It wasn’t too difficult a hike, although I was pretty tired from not sleeping well all week (I have a busy head from all that is going on). There were merchants along the route selling Bedoin necklaces and other wares. For a slightly different experience, you can pay for a donkey ride to the top, but I’m the kind of gal who feels that taking the donkey ride isn’t the “real” experience because you don’t have to work for the view. Sharing the small trail with the donkeys was sometimes challenging, but it was impressive to watch how sure-footed they were on the rough terrain.

I think I must come back to see Petra again on another trip. It is enormous, and we only had time to see a very small piece today. At night the pathways are light with candles, and there are singers and performances in front of the Treasury. Dr. Harvey tells me that this is quite an experience, and you feel like you’re a traveler on the frankinsense route.

Everyone fell asleep almost right away on the bus ride home, and after we stopped for tea at the halfway point the ladies played us some Arabic music on their cell phones and then sang for us. Back at ACOR now relaxing, hoping for a restful night before the last day of workshop.

DSC01753

Originally uploaded by Meaghan K

DSC01754

Originally uploaded by Meaghan K

Hi from Harvey at 6:40 pm. We have had another good and long day with the Iraqis. We started the day with having them teach us about the case study method. This is an effective technique for placing students into situations that are pseudo-real. We outlined the approach yesterday and wanted them to ‘experience’ it. We gave each group a different case, both of which indirectly dealt with change and the impact of technology on our profession. They did an excellent job at case analysis and I think found the technique something they might use.

Michele spent some time talking about “research vs. assessment” and the great challenges of teaching the former to BA and MA students. With the emphasis being on assessment in the USA and Canada, M felt they’d benefit by hearing about the situation as it shifts emphasis in LIS graduate school programs.

We re-did the curriculum exercise after lunch and frankly (my own opinion) it didn’t go all that well. One sub-goal of mine is to get them to think beyond what they know. This is hard-going any time, but seems especially so with our Iraqi colleagues. They were given a slightly different scenario today, but they just did very minor tweaks on what they had designed yesterday. What was good about the repeat exercise was the post-presentation discussion that outlined some of the differences they have among themselves with regard to some aspects of curriculum. This is normal and healthy discussion for us in the west, but it is not normal in the Middle East. Usually, senior people dominate such discussions and junior faculty doesn’t rebut their seniors. Today was different and that was encouraging.

Tonight we are planning an in-building pizza party (some are now off shopping before the gathering). We’ve got a boombox, Arabic and western music, and we’ll see how loose this gang can get Tomorrow we are off to Petra, one of the world’s great sites. I was able to get ACOR to organize a bus trip down. It will be a long day but I think they’ll find Petra as fascinating as I do – I hope so, anyway. We depart at 6 a.m., hence the pizza party tonight and inshallah a good night’s sleep. We are able to use tomorrow this way because, at their suggestion, we’ve gone much longer the past two days with our sessions. This is what negotiations are all about – win win, I think.

We all seem to get along quite well – another plus. M & M and I work well together. Meaghan is very adaptable and I think thoroughly enjoying the experience. She makes excellent contributions to the discussions, and she is super efficient at getting things organized for our presentations and discussions. It also certainly helps that we have dealt with some of those here three times now – there’s a kind of personal and professional familiarity that breaks barriers down quickly. Michele is really in her element during these sessions – it shows in how she works with them and in her positive body language.