Since Raz is getting quite busy with marriage preparations, I've found a new tutor. A supplementary tutor, if you will, so if Raz cancels I still get my weekly Kurdish fix. His name is Sarmad, and we're meeting twice a week to have conversation classes. Strictly speaking, it's not proper for an unrelated or unmarried … Continue reading Kurdish: Studying & Dating
Category: Language
Recent teaching developments: I've started teaching "y" as "ee," and "w" as "oo." When Kurdish is written in Latin script, "ee" is always conveyed as "y," and where I'd expect a "u" to go, there's always a "w." For instance, the word "short" is written as "Kwrt," but pronounced "Koort." . The kids were (are) … Continue reading Linguistics
I have been considering taking an intensive language program next year. Either beginning in September or January. I am thinking of doing a Kibbutz Ulpan - a Hebrew course on a kibbutz - in Israel, but I'm morally conflicted. I love Hebrew, I love Israelis. And I hate Israeli politics. Just because I'm a Jew … Continue reading Arabic, Hebrew Programs
ME (pointing to the word "did"): Can you sound out this word? STUDENT: d........i........d....... ME: mm-hmm? STUDENT: .....Elephant. I'm teaching them well.
Last Friday, I embarked on my adventure. I had been planning on somehow going alone, by bus and taxi. But this was not to be. I found someone with a car who wanted to road-trip as much as I did. Sam, the head of catering for the school, was my travel buddy this past week. … Continue reading Day 1: Kirkuk
...from EVERYWHERE. Here is what the itinerary turned out to be: Day 1 (Friday): Suli, Chamchamal, Kirkuk, Arbil Day 2 (Saturday): Arbil, almost Mosul, Dar Mar Matta (St. Matthew's Monastery) Day 3 (Sunday): Mar Matta Day 4 (Monday): Mar Matta, Shekhan, Lalish, Al Qosh Day 5 (Tuesday): Al Qosh, Dohok Day 6 (Wednesday): Dohok, Amediya … Continue reading I’m BACK…
IT'S SO COOL. Watching scribbles turn into symbols is one of the best, giddiest, most empowering experiences. First, it all looks like swish-curlycue-swish-dot-dot-swish-swish. Then you learn one letter and you suddenly see it everywhere. And then you learn more, and you realize that they link up just like cursive, and some of the letters look … Continue reading I’m Learning How to Read (again)
So, making friends... it's hard. And it's also really, really crucial. Here's why: I'm in a new place, about which I know next to nothing. I don't speak the language. All the friends I've made over the past 22 years are thousands of miles away. I have a bunch of new co-workers with whom I … Continue reading Hi, I’m Rachel. And you are…?
I decided to explore the bazaar on my own today, to brave the stares (single white woman!! *gasp*) and do my own thing. This meant that I had to get 2 cabs on my own, something that people have consistently told me never to do. But today is Friday, which means that everything's a bit … Continue reading Taksi Drivers
I started decorating my classroom today! The best part of decorating was meeting the children trickling into the school. They need to purchase their uniforms before class begins next week, and so as I was creating this sea-scape, they were running around the primary school building. I met three little ones, Ara, Ana, and Nazi. … Continue reading Little Kurds, and Kurdish Gifts
In Mutual Weirdness 