Wednesday, November 21st
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