Greetings from AMIDEAST Education Abroad Programs in the Arab World!

Thank you for being a part of AMIDEAST’s larger mission to help develop mutual understanding between Americans and the peoples of the Middle East and North Africa! This issue of the Alumni newsletter includes the following sections:

• AlumniReunionAnnouncement

• EducationAbroadProgramsintheArabWorldUpdates

• AlumniResources:FeaturedInternships

• StaffReflection:“MakingConnectionsAbroad–WhatPanamaandFrisbeeTaughtMe”

• AlumniContribution:“WhyI(Still)LiveinMorocco”

• Fall2014andSpring2015PhotoContest

• Mosaic:ACollaborativeStudentBlog

As always, we hope our newsletters help you stay connected to AMIDEAST and provide creative ideas for ways to stay involved the Middle East/North Africa region.

AMIDEAST students in Morocco visit Fez during the Spring 2014 Area & Arabic Language Studies and Regional Studies in French Programs.

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Have you been pining for adventure after returning from your study abroad experience with AMIDEAST? Is it difficult to find others in your community who are passionate about the Middle East and North Africa region? Luckily, being an AMIDEAST Education Abroad Programs alum connects you with hundreds of other like-minded people who have also studied abroad on our programs!

We are pleased to announce that AMIDEAST Education Abroad Programs will be hosting the first ever Alumni Reunion in the summer of 2015! We invite all alumni from our programs starting in 2007 onward to join us for this fun evening of reconnecting, networking, and sharing of experiences from the Middle East and North Africa.

A more detailed overview of the reunion schedule will be provided closer to the date. Please RSVP for this event through this link as soon as possible so that we can adequately prepare for this event. We are excited to meet many of you in person for the first time and hear about your experiences both with AMIDEAST and since!

ALUMNI REUNIONAUGUST 2015

Date: Thursday, August 6, 2015

Time: 6:00pm – 8:00pm

Location: Busboys and Poets, 5th and K Streets, NW. Washington, DC

Address: 1025 5th Street NWWashington, DC 20001

Light refreshments will be served.

AMIDEAST Jordan students visit Wadi Rum during the Fall 2014 semester.

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UPDATESEDUCATION ABROAD PROGRAMS IN THE ARAB WORLD

As AMIDEAST Education Abroad continues to grow and change, we want to keep you updated with the most recent developments in our programs.

STAFF UPDATES

After a career of more than 40 years in international education and nearly eight years with AMIDEAST, Jerry Bookin-Weiner, our Director of Education Abroad will be retiring in early July. During Jerry’s tenure with AMIDEAST, he has overseen the development of high-quality education abroad programs in Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia, and Oman. His leadership and insight into the region in which we work will be deeply missed. We look forward to welcoming a new Director of Education Abroad this summer.

AMIDEAST/Rabat welcomes a new staff member, Annie Chen, to the Education Abroad team. A graduate of University of California, Los Angeles; Annie comes to our department after teaching English in Rabat, Moscow, India, Indonesia, Turkey, and Italy. Since late January, Annie has been working as the Program Coordinator for the Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Abroad Program and the National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) Academic Year Program in Morocco.

EXPANDING PROGRAMS: MOROCCAN ARABIC AND CULTURE

We are excited to announce the Moroccan Arabic and Culture Program. This is a three-week program which takes place prior to the start of the fall and spring semesters. Originally designed as an introduction to the diversity and linguistic reality of Morocco for students attending Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane as exchange students, the Moroccan Arabic and Culture program will now welcome all students who wish to spend three weeks immersed in Morocco’s rich culture in the classroom and living with host families in Rabat.

AMIDEAST IS MOVING!

AMIDEAST Headquarters in Washington will be moving on June 26. The new office will be at 2025 M Street NW, only three blocks west from our current location. The closest Metro stop will be Dupont Circle. We welcome alumni to stop by and see our new space later this year.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE PROGRAMS

High-School ProgramsThis fall and spring, we have been busy implementing our two academic year high school programs for the U.S. Department of State: the Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Abroad Program and the National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) Academic Year Program. This is our fifth year working to bring YES Abroad students to the Middle East and North Africa for a year of study and our second year working with NSLI-Y Academic Year students. We currently are serving seven YES Abroad high school students in Morocco and six in Oman. In addition, we have five NSLI-Y Academic Year students in Morocco participating in an eight-month intensive Arabic program.

AMIDEAST EDUCATION ABROAD HEADQUARTERS INTERNS

The AMIDEAST Education Abroad department in Washington, DC is pleased to welcome two new interns to our team for the spring term. Eli Loveman is an alum of the AMIDEAST Education Abroad program in Rabat, Morocco (Fall 2013). Eli is currently a senior at The George Washington University where he is majoring in Middle East Studies. Eric Stolz is a junior at The George Washington University where he is majoring in International Affairs, with a minor in History and a concentration in Security Policy. Eric studied abroad in the Fall of 2014 at Sciences Po, Paris.

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ALUMNI RESOURCESFEATURED INTERNSHIPS

EDUCATION ABROAD INTERNSHIP IN WASHINGTON, DC

MIDDLE EAST INSTITUTE INTERNSHIPS IN WASHINGTON, DC

The Middle East Institute (MEI) offers an array of internship opportunities that engage a wide range of professional interests and talents. On a given day, former US Ambassador to Syria Robert Ford’s research assistant might conduct open-source news analysis of extremist and moderate Syrian groups on Twitter and YouTube, while Programs and Communications interns might organize and help host a panel to discuss cultural racketeering and antiquities theft in Egypt. With over 20 intern positions across 7 different departments, MEI has a variety of positions that attract a very diverse pool of interns.

To apply, include the following in PDF format: cover letter, résumé, five-page writing sample, college transcript (official or unofficial), and one professional and two academic references (contact information only; no letters, please). The application deadline for the Summer 2015 term is March 15, 2015. Please send applications and questions to Peter Boal at internships@mei.edu.

AMERICAN CORNER INTERNS IN TUNISIA

AMIDEAST Tunisia is recruiting two American Corner Interns. One intern will be based at the AMIDEAST Office in Sousse and the other at the AMIDEAST Office in Tunis. The selected candidate must be available to start late Summer/ early Fall 2015 and make a one year commitment.

The American Corner is an independent library and cultural center sponsored by AMIDEAST Tunisia and the U.S. Embassy in Tunis. The library serves to provide accurate information (mainly about American history, politics, society, etc.) to the Tunisian public through books, films, and internet. In addition to providing reliable research resources, the American Corner also has a large selection of fiction and non-fiction books available for check-out by American Corner members. The American Corner also provides daily cultural activities and events aimed at helping patrons improve their English.

More information on position qualifications and responsibilities can be found on AMIDEAST/Tunisia’s website.

To Apply:Please submit your C.V. and cover letter to: Esther Kauffman, Director of Grants and Special Projects, ekauffman@amideast.org.

The Education Abroad Department of AMIDEAST‘s Washington D.C. office has an internship opportunity available in summer 2015. AMIDEAST’s Education Abroad Department is responsible for the design and implementation of study abroad programs in the Middle East and North Africa. Our programs include summer, semester, and academic year programs in Jordan, Morocco, and Oman.

Intern Requirements: The ideal Education Abroad Intern is a creative, motivated, organized individual who is able to work on diverse assignments and complete tasks within an articulated deadline. The Intern should possess the following:

• Solidoralandwrittenskills, preferably including website or social media development experience

• Keenattentiontodetail• DemonstratedinterestintheMiddle

East and North Africa, Islamic studies, international affairs, social sciences, and/or public diplomacy

• StrongMicrosoftOfficeskills;graphic design, marketing, and web design skills are also desirable

• Self-starterwiththeabilitytoworkindependently as well as with other staff members

Special consideration is given to those who have previously studied abroad in the Middle East and North Africa.

Intern Responsibilities: Interns report to the Education Abroad professional staff. In collaboration with the department staff, interns will engage in the following tasks:

• Assistwithimplementingand supporting Education Abroad Program marketing and outreach activities (which may include distributing materials, drafting text, and web research)

• AssistwithEducationAbroadPrograms website development and maintenance

• Provideadministrativesupportforapplication and student document management

• Assistwithmanagementofthe AMIDEAST alumni network, website, and newsletters

• Manageandupdatecontact databases

• Assiststaffintheirorganizationofpromotional visits and institutional relations

• Providesupportforadditional projects as necessary

Internship Dates and Schedule: This unpaid internship will begin in May 2015 and end in August 2015 (start and end dates are flexible). Additionally, there is a possibility of renewal of the internship for the fall 2015 term. Interns generally work 15-20 hours per week, but preference will be given to those with full-time availability. Business hours are Monday through Friday: 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.

Please submit a cover letter explaining your availability and interests in the Middle East and North Africa. Please also include a resume outlining study and work experience to DocsEdAbroad@amideast.org by March 15, 2015. Top candidates will be interviewed by telephone or Skype during the early part of April.

Whether you recently returned from an AMIDEAST Education Abroad Program or are pursuing graduate studies and looking for part-time opportunities, we hope the resources below will be helpful.

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“Making Connections Abroad - What Panama and Frisbee Taught Me”By Shino Marta Yoshen, Program Officer for AMIDEAST Education Abroad Programs

What happens after study abroad during your college years? If you choose to join the work force in the U.S. instead of pursuing international opportunities, how do you capture the depth of cultural discovery you grew used to during your foray abroad? How do you recreate the joy of building personal international relationships that you cherish, when you don’t have the kind of time to commit to travel that you used to have? After returning from an academic year abroad with AMIDEAST in Morocco, these questions plagued me. While I have had the opportunity to travel over the five years that have passed since I studied in Morocco, I often come back to the desire to build personal relationships while abroad. Just recently, I had an experience that helped me discover a strategy to achieve this goal (al hamdulillah!).

Prior to my time studying with AMIDEAST I didn’t fully understand the benefit of getting to know people in a deep way – one that reflects trust and reciprocity, instead of just enjoying casual friendly exchanges. As AMIDEAST alumni know, those relationships where genuine openness is possible are the ones that teach us about the deeper cultural values of the places we visit and broaden our worldview. Those are the connections we keep after returning home.

Fortunately, I have traveled internationally in a variety of ways since entering the work force. I have traveled professionally, independently for pleasure, to meet with friends already living abroad, and to coach a sport I am heavily involved in here in the U.S. To be frank, although relationship development is a key goal of mine when I travel, until recently I have been at a loss as to how to achieve this objective during my short trips abroad. In my experience, building meaningful connections abroad is, unsurprisingly, difficult. When interacting with a new

acquaintance abroad, not only must I navigate cultural differences, I also must manage the possibility that we might never see each other after my pre-determined time there ends.

For example, when traveling internationally for fun, either independently or when I’m with someone living in the place I’m visiting, I do not have the opportunity to get a sense of what daily life is really like for local nationals. Further, I don’t have strong motivation to maintain any connections once returning home. Life seems too full and busy to invest in someone half way across the world, especially when I don’t have the time necessary to really get to know them.

At this point you may be thinking that if my experience is the rule, then there are limited opportunities for building relationships when traveling for pleasure after study abroad. Don’t despair! My experience traveling for a purpose beyond tourism has opened my eyes to another possibility. From time to time I am given the opportunity to travel abroad to coach Ultimate Frisbee, which is a passion of mine. The U.S. is the leading country in this particular sport and is therefore seen as a resource to help develop Ultimate on an international level. Recently, I traveled to coach Ultimate in Panama and came to the realization that I am able to build meaningful relationships abroad, even when traveling for short periods of time. The key is that the reason for the travel be directly related to my daily life in the U.S.

While in Panama, I felt like I both saw regular daily life for locals and began connections that will be sustainable. My experience in Central America felt different, in large part because I was connected to the local Ultimate community. I was invited to travel to Panama by people who are as seriously involved in the Ultimate subculture in

Panama as I am involved in the Ultimate subculture in the U.S. Before I even arrived in Panama, I knew a key aspect of our lives that we had in common, and I have no doubt that I will be able to see some of the people I met again, whether in Panama or in the U.S. That knowledge meant that getting to know my hosts felt like an investment in a sustainable relationship. I was inserted into their community for a week and they welcomed me by inviting me to participate in day-to-day activities and conversations about their lives. I did not feel “hosted,” I felt included. For perhaps the first time during short-term travel, I felt part of a foreign community.

My experience in Panama showed me a new way of relating to people during international travel. Understanding that I had an easier time feeling connected to people because I was there for a purpose associated with something that I also do in the U.S., felt like a revelation. Funny how something simple wasn’t clear to me before, but now makes so much sense! Before studying with AMIDEAST, I didn’t fully appreciate the value of trusting and reciprocal friendships that can be built during international travel. And only after my trip to Panama, do I appreciate that these relationships can be developed in short-term travel when approached in unique ways. Traveling for an extended period of time and traveling for a purpose directly related to normal life are both relatively difficult to do, but now I know what kind of travel to actively pursue in the next five years of exploration!

FEATURED INTERNSHIPS REFLECTIONSTAFF

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“Why I (Still) Live in Morocco”Submitted by Eleanor Easton, Direct Enrollment at Al Akhawayn University, Fall 2012 participant

Casablanca is a big, sprawling, and complicated city. Sometimes the stoplights and walk signs don’t match up, sometimes simple tasks take hours to complete, and sometimes the garbage collector doesn’t come for weeks. But it also has some hidden gems: organic fruit stands on every street with the sweetest fruits I’ve ever tasted, markets tucked into corners of the city, waiting to be found and explored, and incredible diversity of language, culture, and history. There is always something new to discover or somewhere new to explore.

Nearly three years ago, I decided to apply for AMIDEAST’s direct enrollment program at Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane, Morocco. I chose the program because I wanted to be an exchange student at a university instead of traveling with a group of Americans. I thought I would learn more from being in a situation where I couldn’t easily rely on what I already knew. But the greatest benefit of choosing this sort of program was not just that I was able to experience life as a student in Morocco, but also that those I met during the program were people who lived semi-permanently in Morocco, and so are still here. After I finished my program with AMIDEAST, I returned to the U.S. just long enough to graduate from my university, and then came right back to Morocco. I started teaching English at AMIDEAST in Casablanca this fall, after a year of teaching at an American school, also in Casablanca. I am lucky to have old friends from my semester in Ifrane as well as new friends from my job in Casablanca.

Although there are moments when I feel like my classes are as chaotic as Casablanca at rush hour, teaching is one of the best ways to feel connected to Moroccan culture. I teach several different classes, and each one has to be approached totally differently. In my morning class, my students speak Arabic more fluently than French, so sometimes they teach me words in Arabic while I teach them English. In my children’s classes, most students prefer to speak French. In my business classes, I sometimes learn from adult students about their jobs and the companies they work for. I have students who are studying English so that they can live outside of Morocco, and I have students who are studying so that they can find their dream jobs without leaving Casablanca. Even though I am no longer in Morocco as a student, I feel like I am always learning something new.

Life in Casablanca is totally different from life in Ifrane; Ifrane is quiet, clean, and friendly, while Casa has too much traffic, too few trashcans, and not enough stop lights for its many busy intersections. But my time as an exchange student in Ifrane prepared me in many ways for life in Casablanca, despite how different it was. When I returned to Morocco as a teacher instead of a student, I felt that I was continuing something I had already started. And now it’s not just a place I live for the duration of a program; it’s my home.

CONTRIBUTIONALUMNI

Casablanca

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We look forward to receiving photo submissions for the upcoming Spring 2015 AMIDEAST Photo Contest. It is always thrilling to see AMIDEAST alumni and current student adventures from time spent in the Middle East and North Africa.

Semi-finalist photos will be selected at the end of March 2015. At that time, we encourage you to visit our Facebook page Study Abroad in the Arab World to vote on your favorite semi-finalist photo by clicking the “Like” button.

The first place photo will be awarded an Amazon gift card for $75, be framed in our Washington D.C. office, be published on our Facebook page, and be used in the AMIDEAST Education Abroad promotional materials for 2016. The second place photo will be awarded an Amazon gift card for $25.

After a winning photo is voted on in mid-April of 2015, the Fall 2015 Photo Contest will be open for submissions. Be sure to check the Guidelines and Submission Details and start sending photos to DocsEdAbroad@amideast.org.

FALL 2014 WINNERS:We received a number of beautiful photo submissions from both alumni and current AMIDEAST students. While it was difficult to narrow Photo Contest entries down to five semi-finalists, we hope you will enjoy the first and second place winners below.

UPDATEAMIDEAST PHOTO CONTEST

CONTRIBUTION

FIRST PLACE:

Kristin Licciardello, a Fall 2014 Area & Arabic Language Studies in Rabat, Morocco participant.

SECOND PLACE:

Mark Muniz, a Fall 2014 Area & Arabic Language Studies in Amman, Jordan participant.

CONTACT US

AMIDEAST Education Abroad1730 M St., NW Suite 1100EdAbroad@amideast.orgWashington, DC 20036

STAY CONNECTED

MOSAIC: A COLLABORATIVE STUDENT BLOG

We are always excited to receive student and alumni submissions for Mosaic, our ongoing collaborative student blog. Feel free to submit an article, blog entry, photos, or creative writing about your program abroad to DocsEdAbroad@amideast.org.

Below is an excerpt from the Spring 2015 AMIDEAST Blog Abroad Correspondent, Andrew Hanna. A student of Near Eastern Studies at Princeton University, Andrew describes his first experience of bargaining in the Meknes souq during his semester abroad. We hope you enjoy his entry, and we encourage you follow along with Andrew’s adventures in his Correspondent Blog on Mosaic.

“That is the price. I can go no lower.” I face my traveling companion, Ishaq, standing in the middle of Meknes’ overly-crowded souq. I try to signal my intentions without giving away our bargaining position, but I can’t say much without tipping off the vendor as to how much I want these skinny sweatpants. Luckily, I’ve been trained in the subtle art of negotiation.

“But ya basha,” I say, using the honorific term reserved for Ottoman-era Egyptian officials, “We are students. We don’t have a lot of money.”

“No, that is the price.”

“Well what if we buy two? Maybe you can lower the price.”

“No, that is the price.”

“But ya ustaadh,” I’ve called him a professor. Now that he’s buttered up, time to deliver the final blow. “I’m Egyptian. I’m an Arab like you!”

“… yes you are Egyptian. And I am Moroccan. And the price is still 20 dirhams.” I’m disgruntled, slightly peeved even. Meanwhile, Ishaq cannot contain himself from laughing at my abysmal bargaining attempt. We’ve lost the initiative. “So do you want them or not?”

I look Ishaq in the eye one more time. They really are nice pants. And last year my college roommates all had skinny sweatpants. This might be my only chance.

“Well of course we do.” I pay the equivalent of $2.09 and pick out the most comfortable sweatpants I’ve worn in my entire life. By the end of the day, I’ve bought a Moroccan wallet with coin and cash pouches, a (supposedly) Italian flat-cap and a sandwich all for less than $15. In subsequent negotiations, we rely on the skills of Ishaq’s new friend, a local Meknesian man named Aiz ad-Din, who is much better at bargaining than I am…”

From all of us at AMIDEAST Education Abroad Programs, we hope you have an exciting fall and warm holiday season! Please feel free to contact us if you have any suggestions for the Alumni Association, or just to update us on your current successes. We always enjoy hearing where life has taken AMIDEAST alumni. If you are in the Washington, DC area, we encourage you to stop by AMIDEAST Headquarters and say hello!

Best regards,

Jerry Bookin-Weiner, Cara Lane-Toomey, Shino Yoshen, Lauren Kardos, Kyle Axberg, Eli Loveman, and Eric Stolz

The AMIDEAST Education Abroad Team

The souq in Meknes, Morocco