Happy Ramadan!!

Sunday, June 29--From Tom: (who else? Ronna's in Utah)

Happy Ramadan-- So how would you like Fast Sunday to last for a month? And if they catch you snacking in public, you might get arrested.

I wondered about Ramadan but here I am enjoying it--well at least experiencing it. It's an Islamic practice--actually it's regarded as one of the Five Pillars of Islam. It's the 9th month of the Islamic calendar and lasts for a month. No drinking, eating, smoking or sex from dawn to dusk. For us foreigners, at least you can't do any of those in public. Three of those are easy (you can guess), but it's now over 100 degrees here so I have my hip flask for a little nip of water.

Muslim people are supposed to focus on spiritual things, read their scriptures, try to read the entire Quran if possible, and give to the poor. Sound familiar. They can have large meals before  sun-up and after sunset, which often involves major parties. I went swimming at a nice hotel nearby. No one could tell if I was swallowing the water, so is that cheating? I didn't get arrested.

They also decorate the highways and downtown areas in (guess what) Christmas lights. Well, at least they look like our Christmas lights. Except there is a lot of purple and green. Actually it's pretty cool.

Store windows celebrating Ramadan--they like purple or violet

A vendor's cart decorated for Ramadan

Ronna is back in Logan-- She arrived in Utah on Thursday, greeted by Lindee, Cori and their kids, all wearing yellow shirts. I don't know if she has a phone yet and I don't think she's connected yet on email. But if you contact Lindee, she can help. Not everything went well on her flight home, but she's safe. We skyped Friday for a while, but my connectivity is so bad that it's difficult.

So I'm here alone. :(  But I'm having some pretty incredible classes to teach. I'm teaching Appreciation of Art with 52 students, Cultural Development with 44 and a small Architectural Design Class. I teach all classes each day for 4 days and then have a 3 day weekend. So it's a lot of studying night before. It's been really fun. Comments by students in the Art Appreciation class were very uplifting. In answer to the written question on their first assignment of "Why are you taking this course?" came these responses.

"Well basically I had to take this course……up until today when you, sir, really changed my view….and really got me thinking about things in a different way".

"I need to finish the university, so need to take the course, but after the first lecture I am here because of this amazing lecturer and a class full of girls, he he !!"

The second student, named Fanous, is a bit of a smart aleck and after I showed an image of a painting by Mondrian he blurted out, "I could paint that in 3 minutes." I said, "Great, I'll give you the weekend and we'll see what it looks like…. and if it sells for over $40 million". I think he's going to do it and it will be fun to see. Their assignment was to describe how a work of art, including music, has touched them emotionally. I had described how several art, architecture and music experiences had brought me to tears. It's getting interesting.

The Culture Development class requires the students to find an issue or problem in their community and work on a solution for the semester. That is what I've been doing in Utah for the last 35 years or so. It should be a lot of fun also. I have kids fighting to get into the class now.

Our phone connection is down so I'd love to hear your comments or responses via email.

Miss you!
Tom

Outing in the Scandinavian Forest

Sunday, June 15: From Tom

Fathers and Sons Outing: So what was I supposed to do? I left all my sons, sons-in-law and grandsons back in Utah and the Fathers and Son's outing was happening. Some of the families suggested that I adopt a son and go anyway. So I did.

The last time I did serious camping I was younger than Chandi and much more resilient. My favorite camping sites now are rated 4 or 5 star. I struggle with walking up stairs now.

We drove about an hour north ( toward Syria ) to a forested area in the mountains somewhat southeast of the Sea of Galilee. It's also near where Jacob wrestled with an angel. It was donated by the King of Sweden on behalf of the Scandinavian people's friendship with Jordan

Scandinavian Forest in Jordan--looks like parts of Arizona or Utah

Looking over Jordan River Valley towards Israel

Old pioneer games--pulling sticks

Elder Ron Hammond, former General Authority,  is a Humanitarian Missionary in our branch. We rode up together. 

Makes me homesick!! Where's my grandsons when I need them?

The best part was playing Capture the Flag. Running is almost impossible anyway for me and the ground was very rocky, so they used me for a "decoy" just to let me feel that I contributed.

I could hardly walk for a week.

Most of the other men are much younger than me and work for the US Embassy

Warren Leishman--Green Beret, mountain man type--works at the US Embassy

This is my idea of an outdoor adventure--on our front portico.

Ronna's idea of an adventure--dining at the Four Seasons Resort in Amman

Exams, Our Friends in Jordan and Baptism at Site

Sunday, June 8, 2014: From Tom

Final Exams-----Finally!!
We're giving final exams this week. I think it's harder on us than the students. We obviously have to make up the exams, prepare the students as well as possible, proctor the exams, grade them, listen to the whining, create the grading spreadsheet and post the grades. But we also have to make up a Portfolio of what happened in the class including syllabus, schedule, exams, projects, notes, and examples of their work. Then we have to do an elaborate analysis of the learning outcomes to see if the students actually  learned what we intended.

Final Exam in my Design Principles Class--Note the spacing to try to reduce cheating.

Rules in the Exam---Do you really need to tell them to use the toilet?? Yes, they have magical powers to enable cheating at any price. They can drive 5 hours without a stop, but need to use the toilet twice during a class lecture. Mostly it's to go get a "smoke".  We don't let them leave during the exam though.

I gave them a pretty tough exam, especially for students who struggle with English and are highly protected by their rich parents. On the first day I asked if any of them had worked in a design office (none), visited an office (none), visited an architectural project (none), read a book or article on architecture or design (none). I was amazed! I had done all of that when I entered college. So we're starting from zero. I pushed them to read, go to sites, analyze, measure and observe. By the end of the semester a good number were showing great promise--even brilliance.

While I'll need to fail about 4 that should never have been there in the first place, there are 6-8 that are very talented and amazing at grasping the concepts. It's fun to challenge their minds. The Jordanian system is based on rote memorization. "Give them a list and they will memorize it". I have them look at new images and try to analyze the systems and concepts. They need to start to think "out of the box" because we are always dealing with new situations.

Excuses, excuses!! It's always someone else's fault, always. It seems that the culture doesn't accept taking personal responsibility, certainly they never take blame. A sample of excuses: "my driver doesn't get me on time", "my mother needed to go to the dentist", "I lost my notes", "But I don't like to read," and the best one is "but I was absent on those days". There is a huge cultural difference between the Western kids who are raised to explore, seek challenges, and to try something and the Arab culture which protects their kids too much and even is adverse to exploring new ideas.

Yet I have found some very bright lights. One student believes that he will eclipse Steven Spielberg in movies. He's already starting to shoot his movies. In my Theories Class I had them all start a new company, at least on paper. It was tough but they had some good thinking. Many of the students said that I was the first professor that asked their opinion. The others just lectured.

Half of my crazy Design Theory Class--Jude, Mira, Razan, Abed and Noodles ( Anoud). Lots of energy. 

Two favorite students, Malek and Nadeen. Malek is a disc jockey and manages parties. He struggles with English but really tries. I was told to flunk him early last year when he was not doing well. I showed extra interest and let him use an Arabic-English Translator on his phone and he's doing A- work now. 

Nadeen, is always on time and does perfect work. On April Fool's Day, she called her friends to come to the class, pretend they were Security and tried to arrest me. 

 Rand, is probably my best student always getting a 98 or 99 on her exams and assignments. But she came down with a rare disease called Wilson's Disease where her body retains the copper. It could have been fatal but they caught it in time. 

Some of my fellow faculty members: 

Dr. Ali Shurman

Dr. Ali Shurman is a Musicologist, trained in Italy and Russia. He is acting Dean while Ra'ed  is presenting in Dubai. It was Ali's shoe that I tossed  a few weeks ago.

Zena

Zena, is a Graphic Artist from Dubai. She is trained and worked in San Francisco. Extremely talented.

Dr. Yasser, architect--He led the conference on Urban Minorities

Baptism at the Site:

One of our members got permission from Jordanian authorities to have their son baptized at the site of Jesus' baptism. Normally this is done on the Israel/ Palestinian West Bank side of the Jordan where there are large wide stairways leading down to the river. Many people go to be baptized and get a white gown from the local Catholic priest and essentially baptize themselves. 

The Jordan side has wooden steps under a small pavilion. Both sides are guarded and controlled by military with submachine guns since it is an international border that was at war only a few decades ago. 

Looking across the Jordan to the West Bank, where the Catholic Church provides white gowns for those wanting to be baptized, mostly baptizing themselves.

Entering the Jordan--there was a big drop off in a few feet. 

Cameron Birchenough--newly baptized

"Shoe Fly--Oh My" and Our Change in Schedule

Sunday, June 1, 2014--From Tom:

Shoe Fly--Oh My-------Oh Why?
When Ronna and I decided to come to this very interesting part of the world, we were obviously concerned about safety and health issues. We also were concerned about doing something that might not be acceptable or even offend the local culture. So we read a lot and talked to many people and thought we were prepared. Not so!

I was walking down the corridor in our department and some of the other professors were 'horsing around'. Ali, a professor of music, was doing a little dance and singing in the corridor. As I passed him I noticed his shoes had come off. Without breaking stride, I reached down and spontaneously picked one of them up and kept walking. When I got about 15 feet away, he noticed his shoe was missing. I was standing in front of another professors' office and, to get rid of the evidence, I flipped the shoe in the office and kept going. BIG MISTAKE!!

In a few minutes I was visited by a very angry professor, whom I will call Omar. He informed me that,  in the Arab culture, throwing a shoe at someone was the deepest, most serious insult possible. I was mortified. I certainly didn't intend to insult him nor did I even throw it at him, but he perceived and interpreted that I had meant it as an insult. I apologized profusely and told him that it was part of innocent horseplay and I made a mistake and did not intend an insult. He seemed to accept that and I thought everything would be OK. He is a native Jordanian who lived in London for over 20 years. He is a professional architect and editor and publisher of an international journal on Arab architecture. So he's lived in Western, rather liberal cultures.

Over the months I had helped him with his classes, given him rides out of my way, paid great attention to his family and children, had wonderful conversations, etc. But this event overshadowed all of that. He went to other professors, had a long and difficult conversation with the Dean and threatened to quit. He didn't express direct anger at me but still the insult had hurt him emotionally. I heard about it again from Ali. So I went a 2nd and 3rd time to apologize and ask forgiveness. He said he accepted my apology and knew that I didn't mean any offense. He said all was forgiven. And I thought it was.

A week or two later I found that he had gone to the President of the University and the Provost telling of the horrible insult he had received. He expresses friendship and kindness to me but keeps rehearsing the insult. My colleagues and the Dean have all told him to let it go and move on. They know I was ignorant of this tradition and didn't intend it. So it's been a hard lesson. Oh my!

You may recall that in December 2008 an Arab journalist threw his shoe at President George W. Bush while in Iraq. He was arrested, allegedly tortured and sentenced to three years in prison. But he also was  deemed a hero by the people. A Saudi businessman offered $10 million for the shoes but they were destroyed.

The shoe covers the lowest part of the body and is what steps in the filth. Thus it is seen as the worst insult. So I've learned a lesson.

While this may be interpreted as a reflection on the Arab culture, it shouldn't be. Many Arab colleagues have been puzzled by his unwillingness to let go. He's rather rigid in his classroom style and intolerant of  some of the students playfulness.


Our Change of Schedule: Unless we stay out of the US for over 330 days we pay a significant tax penalty on top of the taxes we already pay in Jordan. So we decided to have Ronna come home as scheduled and Tom will stay in Jordan and teach Summer Semester. So Ronna will be home in Utah from June 26 to September 3 when she will go to visit Chandi and Geoff in Pennsylvania. I will come home on August 23 and return to Jordan on September 13. We have an apartment in North Logan.

We have so many people to visit. Can you tell we are homesick?

Jordanian Recycling Program: Instead of the US system where we sort our waste and put it in different containers for recycling, the Jordanians put everything into one container. Then a few days later the gypsies come along and empty all of our trash into the driveway and pick out what they want and go to the next house, leaving all the trash.

So here I am cleaning up. The alternate plan is that many Jordanians just light the whole thing on fire.