Well hey there, blogosphere.
It's been a little while since I last wrote, obviously.
Admittedly, not a great deal has changed in the meantime. Just a couple of normal months continuing my somewhat stressful and tiring, but extremely enjoyable and monumental junior year.
Today I wanted to share a little blast from the past with you.
Remember back in my March 21 post when I mentioned the fact that some AFS Egypt staff from Cairo had come to Alexandria in order to film a video about my Egyptian experience?
Well, it's finally done!!! :)
And I'm going to share it with you all.
All kidding aside about the length of time it took, I feel like it was very well put together and portrays what my experience was like quite accurately.
Watching it made me feel very happy, and in spite of whatever trouble or trials I may have had, it reminded me that I do love Egypt, that I had a very rewarding overall experience, and that I do miss many things - the part of the video where my host mother talked about our experience at home almost moved me to tears. :') I miss her a lot.
So please kick back, relax, and enjoy a little 5-minute glimpse into my year in the mother of the world. :)
PS: So there are two other things to which I'd like to give an honorable mention: Firstly, last week was International Education week, which is a week celebrating "the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide." Normally, as in many other AFS chapters, my local AFS Washtenaw chapter celebrated by sending teams of hosted AFSers and returnees to various middle and high schools in the area to give presentations on countries represented. I presented about my experience in Egypt in my hometown's Forsythe Middle School along with a team from this year's batch of hosted students: Yuta from Japan, Irma from Bosnia, Nattakan from Thailand, and Marco from Germany. It was quite enjoyable, and I also enjoyed talking about a friend of mine from the chapter, Melinda, who accompanied us to the event along with Yuta's host mother, about her experience in Egypt, as she lived there for a year with her family back in 1975. It was fascinating to get a chance to compare and contrast experiences with someone who experienced Egypt in a different time and context than I did. :)
Here's another video about IEW in general:
Also, before I go:
I recently also had the honor and the privilege to be able to attend a symposium at one of the University of Michigan museums called "Arts of the Arab World Uprisings," which my mother, who works in the UM Department of Art History, helped organize.
It was a very fascinating event, focusing mostly on how people in countries affected by the Arab Spring used art, particularly graffiti, to express themselves.
Although the symposium has ended, there is a twin exhibit in the Arab American Museum in Dearborn, Michigan which features many of the same fascinating pieces and is open until February 9, 2014.
I highly recommend it (not to mention, the Museum itself, which is a wonderfully interesting place) to anyone interested who is a manageable distance from Dearborn. :)
Here's a link for anyone wanting to take a look.
That's all from me for now, folks.
Possibly more news on more things to come in the near future, but ma' as-salama for now.
-Nico
It's been a little while since I last wrote, obviously.
Admittedly, not a great deal has changed in the meantime. Just a couple of normal months continuing my somewhat stressful and tiring, but extremely enjoyable and monumental junior year.
Today I wanted to share a little blast from the past with you.
Remember back in my March 21 post when I mentioned the fact that some AFS Egypt staff from Cairo had come to Alexandria in order to film a video about my Egyptian experience?
Well, it's finally done!!! :)
And I'm going to share it with you all.
All kidding aside about the length of time it took, I feel like it was very well put together and portrays what my experience was like quite accurately.
Watching it made me feel very happy, and in spite of whatever trouble or trials I may have had, it reminded me that I do love Egypt, that I had a very rewarding overall experience, and that I do miss many things - the part of the video where my host mother talked about our experience at home almost moved me to tears. :') I miss her a lot.
So please kick back, relax, and enjoy a little 5-minute glimpse into my year in the mother of the world. :)
PS: So there are two other things to which I'd like to give an honorable mention: Firstly, last week was International Education week, which is a week celebrating "the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide." Normally, as in many other AFS chapters, my local AFS Washtenaw chapter celebrated by sending teams of hosted AFSers and returnees to various middle and high schools in the area to give presentations on countries represented. I presented about my experience in Egypt in my hometown's Forsythe Middle School along with a team from this year's batch of hosted students: Yuta from Japan, Irma from Bosnia, Nattakan from Thailand, and Marco from Germany. It was quite enjoyable, and I also enjoyed talking about a friend of mine from the chapter, Melinda, who accompanied us to the event along with Yuta's host mother, about her experience in Egypt, as she lived there for a year with her family back in 1975. It was fascinating to get a chance to compare and contrast experiences with someone who experienced Egypt in a different time and context than I did. :)
Here's another video about IEW in general:
I recently also had the honor and the privilege to be able to attend a symposium at one of the University of Michigan museums called "Arts of the Arab World Uprisings," which my mother, who works in the UM Department of Art History, helped organize.
It was a very fascinating event, focusing mostly on how people in countries affected by the Arab Spring used art, particularly graffiti, to express themselves.
Although the symposium has ended, there is a twin exhibit in the Arab American Museum in Dearborn, Michigan which features many of the same fascinating pieces and is open until February 9, 2014.
I highly recommend it (not to mention, the Museum itself, which is a wonderfully interesting place) to anyone interested who is a manageable distance from Dearborn. :)
Here's a link for anyone wanting to take a look.
That's all from me for now, folks.
Possibly more news on more things to come in the near future, but ma' as-salama for now.
-Nico
