LarkAbroad

Friday, June 5, 2015

Tbilisi Day 1: the Silk Museum (part 1)

A Polish Architect designed this building back when Tblisi was the center of Caucasus culture.

You can really see the layers of choices and history and time.

Security guy finds us a tour guide who can speak English.

Monday, June 1, 2015

100 Books: Update

Due to erhm, "suggestions" of some readers last year, I realize that my reading list can be a bit klunky. As a result, I will be dividing the reading by category and only list what is finished.

Total: 11

Arabs/MENA
The Yezidis: The History of a Community, Culture, and Religion by Birgul Acikyildiz

The Olive and the Tree: The Secret Strength of the Druze by Dr. Westheimer and Gil Sedan

Origins of the Druze: People and Religion by Hitti

The Druze in the Middle East: Their Faith, Leadership, Identity, and Status by Dana

An Introduction to Shi'i Islam by Moojan Momen

The Essentials of Ibadi Islam by Valerie Hoffman

Food
Catching Fire: How Cooking Made us Human by Richard Wrangham

How Carrots Won the Trojan War by Rebecca Rupp

Religious/Culture Studies

Fields of Blood: The History of Religion and Violence by Karen Armstrong

The Yezidis: The History of a Community, Culture, and Religion by Birgul Acikyildiz

The Olive and the Tree: The Secret Strength of the Druze by Dr. Westheimer and Gil Sedan

Origins of the Druze: People and Religion by Hitti

The Druze in the Middle East: Their Faith, Leadership, Identity, and Status by Dana

An Introduction to Shi'i Islam by Moojan Momen

The Essentials of Ibadi Islam by Valerie Hoffman

War/Armed Conflict
Lair, Temptress, Soldier, Spy: Four Women Undercover in the Civil War by Karen Abbott

Women/Gender/Gender-based Violence
Lair, Temptress, Soldier, Spy: Four Women Undercover in the Civil War by Karen Abbott

MISC
Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? And Other Concerns by Mindy Kaling

Friday, May 29, 2015

U.A.E. Day 309 : Maybe I've arrived

When I was teaching at JP Stevens in Texas, I met a woman who made a strong impression on me. She was really good at her job and kind to me when not many people were. She had recently finalized her divorce and had just, at the end of the academic year, purchased her first couch. She was so proud and her emotion just stayed with me. Today, after 10 months or so of being in U.A.E., my 2 book cases have arrived. Maybe, just maybe, I have too. :D

Sunday, May 24, 2015

U.A.E. Day 304: a bit sick...

My department had this waiting on my desk the day I returned to work. Amazing support and people. I am blessed.

My coworker's sons brought me their teddy bear in the hospital because he helps everyone sleep when they don't feel well. So sweet, made me tear up.

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

U.A.E. Day 299: Turkish Day

I co-sponsor the Turkish Club at my campus. It's rad. A whole group of girls who LOVE Turkey! In order to honor Turkey, we had a festival on May 19th, which is the Turkish Youth & Sports Holiday in Turkey. Perfect!

I made, with some help from indulgent colleagues, the colorful Turkish/English banners that span the entry. It is hard to tell, but the letters, of course, are outlined with fabulous glitter glue.

Exhibits in the hall included Turkish language, Turkish arts, and crafts Turkish folk dance, Turkish music, Turkish TV, Turkish food, Turkish coffee, Turkish sweets, Turkish tourism, and Turkish heritage/history. It was a smashing success!

The Turkish version of River Dance- set a world record for the most steps in a single minute.

The posters were made by me and my co-sponsor, but the work, the sales, and the excitement was all managed by the students. Well done!

They handmade the flags!

U.A.E. Day 299: D.I.Y. & Recycle, Reduce, and Reuse

I taught a unit last week about D.I.Y. projects. This week I taught a unit about recycling, reusing, and reducing. To make a learning-by-doing challenge for my students, I combined these ideas by asking them to collect used water bottles from all over campus and repurpose them into cute pencil holders to give to each of the professors in my department.