The past two nights have been spent visiting this funky new guesthouse and cinema that's opened in Jenin, run by German fellows. (and funded by many, including Roger Waters of Pink Floyd fame!). It was like being in another world! They had beer in a vending machine, the only alcohol license in Jenin. I wish it very well but I fear the conservative residents of Jenin won't. They'll have to be very careful about what they show; for any kissing type stuff will be more than frowned upon and locals fear that men and women mixing in the private darkness of the cinema will lead to immorality.
There's a similar progressive place just outside of Jenin camp, The Freedom Theatre. They show plays and make films with foreigners and not enough locals, for they worry on the impropriety of it all as well as the colourful manager. He's half Israeli and half Palestinian, hailing from Tel Aviv and some think he is an an Israeli spy! It was firebombed and robbed initially but think it's doing ok now.
Apparently Jenin used to be more liberal, but following the second Intifada (Uprising against Israeli occupation) in 2000 the place became more 'traditional.' As well as being anti-Israeli the Intifada also served to beat down more progressive traits and hark back to a stricter time. I'm not sure how much the Israeli opression affected this desire to hang on to the 'old' ways, or whether it was just used as an excuse to enforce them. Probably a bit of both.
It's pretty powerful too, for as we've seen the University often has to cowtow to traditionalist views. And although some of the youth drink and attempt illicit affairs, they are terrified of any consequences so I can't really see any sign of change. We shall see. (said the blind man)
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Monday, May 17, 2010
Teaching
I haven't written about actual teaching in a while so I guess I should. Well, I don't call it teaching here anymore, we are just processing them really. All they want to know is information to pass the exam (In which they all cheat anyhoo) and extra bonus marks which they don’t deserve.
But! If they know it's bollocks and I know it's bollocks and they know that I know, we can have some fun with it and just look for the productive and good moments. It's also more relaxing because I am reaching the end – only two or three weeks left, readers – and I can be honest with them about the material being badly presented yet important. It's difficult having to use dull material, especially when you don't have the time in the schedule to add supplementary fun stuff. One just has to rely on charm, wit and presence alone! Ahem. As such I think it's going quite well at the moment, I am pushing them through and getting some good stuff done. 'Good humoured yet firm,' that's the ticket!
I'm quite interested as to how far mood affects the vibe of the room – if you appear too relaxed and jokey the students will slide too far to meet you there, and if you are too strict it's no fun at all for anybody, so like everything you have to reach a happy medium. If I'm pissed off then things just slide and they will find it funny, as I'm not really the scary type.
Surprisingly I've found being nervous to be ok – sometimes when a class starts I'm a little nervous and the students don’t pounce, but I'm quite good at hiding it and it soon goes anyhow. I suppose it would be different if I was literally scared, but I've never been so, thank gosh!
But! If they know it's bollocks and I know it's bollocks and they know that I know, we can have some fun with it and just look for the productive and good moments. It's also more relaxing because I am reaching the end – only two or three weeks left, readers – and I can be honest with them about the material being badly presented yet important. It's difficult having to use dull material, especially when you don't have the time in the schedule to add supplementary fun stuff. One just has to rely on charm, wit and presence alone! Ahem. As such I think it's going quite well at the moment, I am pushing them through and getting some good stuff done. 'Good humoured yet firm,' that's the ticket!
I'm quite interested as to how far mood affects the vibe of the room – if you appear too relaxed and jokey the students will slide too far to meet you there, and if you are too strict it's no fun at all for anybody, so like everything you have to reach a happy medium. If I'm pissed off then things just slide and they will find it funny, as I'm not really the scary type.
Surprisingly I've found being nervous to be ok – sometimes when a class starts I'm a little nervous and the students don’t pounce, but I'm quite good at hiding it and it soon goes anyhow. I suppose it would be different if I was literally scared, but I've never been so, thank gosh!
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Drinking / Ex-pat teaching
Today I got two Palestinians drunk for the first time. Haram! (that means forbidden by Allah) It was their idea but. Two friends of mine asked me to get them liquor and I was kinda thrilled at the prospect, as well as being keen to show off my knowledge and expertise in this area.
I think part of the appeal of being an ex-pat teacher in a foreign environment is the ‘big fish in a small pond' thing – back home we are nothing special, but we are made to feel important here just for being different and possessing culturally specific knowledge; like what alcohol is good to buy and what pornography and dating is like.
Similarly, going by the characters I have come across, I think that some are running from something or just can't fit into the 'real' world so they take the opportunity to get away from it all for a bit. Or longer, if they can hide away forever. It's kinda tempting in a way, but not too much!
It's also a good place to experiment, career wise. To quote a long-term teacher here, the good thing about teaching in the Middle East is that you can't fuck things up much more than they already are.
Anyways, I bought the booze from the local Christian village (small bottle of Smirnoff and red wine) and we got drunk and that was that. It was quite sweet to see them lounging around and talking the rubbish of first time drunkards worldwide; you might know the kind. ‘Ask me any question! Go on!’ ‘My head feels fine but I can’t quite control my body!’ One had this repugnant habit of tipping the ash from his cigarette into his drink and then drinking it. Maybe he thought it was a madcap thing to do!
I think they enjoyed it but I don’t know if they’ll do it again, just because it's too taboo, different and can't fit into their regular lives unless I am there all the time to buy it for them. (which I'm not). It made me wonder a little about the reason we all do it in the west, probably just because it's part of our culture.
Was funny, when I was filling them in on it (they were quite anxious beforehand - "I don't want to piss in my pants") all I was doing was listing the possible consequences and bad points, so they asked me what the good ones were. I couldn't really think of them, and in the aftermath I still can't really. One of the bad points I mentioned was feeling melancholy afterward, and funnily enough that's how I feel now. Oh well!
I think part of the appeal of being an ex-pat teacher in a foreign environment is the ‘big fish in a small pond' thing – back home we are nothing special, but we are made to feel important here just for being different and possessing culturally specific knowledge; like what alcohol is good to buy and what pornography and dating is like.
Similarly, going by the characters I have come across, I think that some are running from something or just can't fit into the 'real' world so they take the opportunity to get away from it all for a bit. Or longer, if they can hide away forever. It's kinda tempting in a way, but not too much!
It's also a good place to experiment, career wise. To quote a long-term teacher here, the good thing about teaching in the Middle East is that you can't fuck things up much more than they already are.
Anyways, I bought the booze from the local Christian village (small bottle of Smirnoff and red wine) and we got drunk and that was that. It was quite sweet to see them lounging around and talking the rubbish of first time drunkards worldwide; you might know the kind. ‘Ask me any question! Go on!’ ‘My head feels fine but I can’t quite control my body!’ One had this repugnant habit of tipping the ash from his cigarette into his drink and then drinking it. Maybe he thought it was a madcap thing to do!
I think they enjoyed it but I don’t know if they’ll do it again, just because it's too taboo, different and can't fit into their regular lives unless I am there all the time to buy it for them. (which I'm not). It made me wonder a little about the reason we all do it in the west, probably just because it's part of our culture.
Was funny, when I was filling them in on it (they were quite anxious beforehand - "I don't want to piss in my pants") all I was doing was listing the possible consequences and bad points, so they asked me what the good ones were. I couldn't really think of them, and in the aftermath I still can't really. One of the bad points I mentioned was feeling melancholy afterward, and funnily enough that's how I feel now. Oh well!
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