Delaney Glass in Menara, Morocco

Delaney Glass, Arabic Language Institute participant 2011 sends  her enthusiastic thanks, her experience in the ALI program has changed her life’s direction and defined her future career plans. Delaney was one of twenty US students to travel to Morocco in the summer of 2011. Legacy has provided this program to US high school youth since 2006.

“By being granted this honorable scholarship to study Arabic in Morocco my entire life changed. I gained a new perspective on North Africa and the cultures that intertwine to create a beautifully complex whole. My passion for Arabic has increased to the point that I would like to pursue Arabic for the rest of my life.

The classes were extremely helpful because I had the opportunity to study with some of the greatest teachers in the world, in my opinion. They are extremely talented and opened the door to a new confidence with in myself, not only linguistically but culturally.

I improved from Novice High (with little confidence in writing, reading and speaking) to Intermediate Mid (with a greater confidence in speaking, writing, reading and a huge improvement in understanding).

Through my studies linguistically and culturally I have become aware of an entire world of new perspectives, appreciation and insight. As of now, I am continuing Arabic in my high school and hope to become a linguist in Modern Standard Arabic.  I want to use my passion for Arabic to learn as much as I can, become fluent, help those in need and be an advocate of cross cultural knowledge and understanding.

I had an amazing experience in six weeks and I hope to return again for a gap year to continue my studies of Modern Standard Arabic as well as to learn Moroccan dialect.”

This program offered by Legacy International (USA) in partnership with the Center for Language and Culture is part of the National Security Language Initiative for Youth. Twenty US students and two adult escorts  travel to Morocco and explore new cultures, develop friendships, and increase knowledge of Arabic language and Islamic culture. The program is  6 weeks long, intensive, academic, and highly interactive.

IULX participants were presented with traditional batik clothing – a gift from Legacy partner CCEI. Wearing batik is considered ‘dress’ attire for special occasions.

They visited their Indonesian counterparts in Borneo and Malang, and shared reports on their environment and conservation projects.  While visiting the Indonesian schools, they discussed environmental issues and how the world’s youth can make a difference  in their schools and communities.

Utilizing the leadership development skills they acquired during the IULX program they were able to share with each other the results of their efforts.

What they accomplished in their projects:

• Students presented 70  Environmental books, written in English, collected in a ‘Library Fund Drive’ to benefit the Borneo School  library of fellow IULX participants.
• They  joined forces with Balikpapan participants and 100 volunteers to continue cleanup efforts on Montero Beach, Borneo
• They presented funds raised  to support  fellow IULX Indonesian participants recycling project of wearable clothing made from recycled packaging labels.
• They spoke about organizing Environmental Clubs in their communities and how they are inspiring fellow students to “get involved”.
• They shared insights on how to raise awareness among fellow students and how to access and take action on waste and recycling

(Click here see slideshow of program photos)

Abdullah Al-Awadhi, Kuwait

Abdullah Al-Awadhi, Legislative Fellows Program, participant

Abdullah, who is the Chief of Staff for Kuwaiti parliament member Dr. Aseel Al-Awadhi, was placed in the office of U.S. Senator Joseph Lieberman, where he worked closely with the staff, learning about media strategy, policy formulation, and working with stakeholders. Abdullah returned home to Kuwait to institute the first ever internship program into the Kuwaiti Parliament, seeking to inspire college age students in Kuwait to choose civil service as a career.

He also implemented a social media campaign for Dr. Al-Awadhi, the first of it’s kind, inspired by the use of Twitter and Facebook that he saw in the U.S. Congress.A peaceful world becomes increasingly possible when citizens are engaged in their communities, know their rights and responsibilities, and there is strong rule of law.

“Kuwait is in the midst of a changing political, economic, and social environment… being the youngest chief of staff to 1 of 4 women parliamentarians I am committed to raising the level of professionalism amongst support staff for MPs. Through the exposure of Legacy’s programs I gained new ideas on how to run an office effectively and increase the accessibility of the MP to the people. I am also interested in inspiring other young people to pursue careers in public service.” -Abdullah Al-Awadhi,  Kuwait

Abdullah was one of Legislative Fellows who participated in Legacy’s  Legislative Fellows Program 2009-2011 (LFP) which is designed to link community leaders  from the US with their counterparts  from Kuwait and Oman.  This two-year program identifies and supports social innovators from the Arabian Gulf, build capacity in local Civil Service Organizations (CSO) and strengthening mutual understanding of the legislative and policy making processes.

These young activists will have a unique glimpse into the lives of the Indonesian people in three separate provinces and share perspectives on environmental advocacy and leadership with Indonesian peers.

Senior Alyssa Higgins (Left), a native of Broomfield, Colorado, is one of the six U.S. high school students selected to participate in this program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and administered by Legacy International.

At 17, Higgins already has an impressive service resume. She’s has interned for Congressman Jared Polis, participated in the Marie C. Wilson-led White House Project, worked with Habitat for Humanity and the Denver Rescue Mission.

She is president of her National Honor Society, as well as her Spanish National Honor Society, is in four Advanced Placement classes, and a member of the swim team.  Her dream school is Princeton, where she wants to study international affairs or political science. She plans to pursue a career as a diplomat or a speech writer. Read more about Alyssa in an article published in her local paper, the Broomfield Enterprise.

Learn more about  IULX and apply for the 2012 program

We are please to announce that our alumna Maddy Bersch (Summer 2009  Arabic Language Institute) has been selected for the Virtual Student Foreign Service eInternship, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State.

Announced by Secretary Clinton at the 2009 New York University commencement speech, the Virtual Student Foreign Service is part of a growing effort by the State Department to harness technology and a commitment to global service among young people to facilitate new forms of diplomatic engagement.

Working from college and university campuses in the United States and throughout the world, eInterns (American students working virtually) are partnered with our U.S. diplomatic posts overseas and State Department domestic offices to conduct digital diplomacy that reflects the realities of our networked world.

Rachid Lamjaimer: It has been a little over a week since I arrived in Roanoke, VA . The experience thus far has been very rewarding. Based on my experience, the most exciting component of the program was meeting various health care professionals. Through discussions and field visits, I began to develop an appreciation for the opportunities and challenges facing health care providers in Roanoke city and Roanoke County.

My first visit was with the Child Health Investment Partnership (CHIP). CHIP is a home visiting program that promotes the health of medically underserved children by ensuring comprehensive health care, strengthening families and coordinating community resources.  I accompanied CHIP’s Family Case Managers (FCMs) to three home visits. I got to experience first-hand how the FCMs conduct their educational visits. Compassion, love, caring, and thoughtfulness on the part of the FCMs showed their genuine dedication and passion for helping the families. In all the three visits, the educators came fully prepared and took the time to make sure the families got the most of the visit. The combination of informal conversations and written questionnaires provided enough information for the mothers to make informed decisions on either improving certain health behaviors or seeking services to improve their education and/or secure a job.

My second visit this week was with Virginia Department of Health-Environmental Health Program.   The latter is responsible for many programs, three of which are solid waste disposal, liquid waste disposal/Septic tank system,   and water.  I had the opportunity to visit Roanoke’s solid waste transfer station, a state of the art facility that has a life span of 70-75 years.  I also had the chance to visit the Spring Hollow Water Treatment Facility which treats about 7 million gallons daily. Finally, it was interesting to learn about the septic and lagoon systems used for liquid waste disposal.

In short, this experience, so far, has been enlightening, rich and very informative. ; I say these things because of the people I met, and all the things I learned in the field and in formal classes at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital.

This first week would not have been successful without the great support, the dedication and the professionalism of the following people: Leila Baz, Matthew Lakenbach, Mitra Nafissian Rash, and Innocentia Afa.

I also would like to extend my gratitude to  Melissa Ferguson, my wonderful mentors: Donna Sams, Claudia Newton, an d Cindy Booth. Many thank s also to Lin Young from Child Health Investment Partnership, and Dick Tab, Environmental Health and their teams for allowing me the opportunity to learn about their programs.

Last but not least, I am very grateful to my host Caryl Zaronikos for her warmth and her great sense of humor. She carries a wealth of knowledge and experience and I am just honored to have her share that with me.

With these words from Sr. Francis Bacon, I shall leave you in peace: “Begin doing what you want to do now. We are not living in eternity. We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand-and melting like a snowflake…”

Dr. Rabiî Larhrissi: I had the misfortune to be sick the first day of my work at Carilion Clinics. Misfortune? No. Not at all. It was rather a chance for me to observe the work of Carilion’s professionals, but from the point of view of … a patient.

Once at Carilion Community Hospital, I found enough panels showing me where to go and what I have to do without feeling the need to ask. After gathering some brief information, I was gently led by a nice nurse in an examination room where I had to dress a suit rather special. I will not tell you more about this clothing, but it seems that it allows professionals to do their job easily.

After multiple tests, I had the verdict. Not what I expected, but I didn’t care. Anyway, I did sign a document at the entrance saying I have no guarantee that my diagnosis would be correct. I still liked the way in which I was treated, mainly by nurses of Carilion Community Hospital. The funny thing in this story is that the nurses were providing me health care and, before leaving, were… thanking me. So, I was confused. What would I be expected to say?  You’re welcome?

I understood later that they thank you to… have trust in them! Isn’t it amazing? So, a huge tribute to all Carilion Clinic’s professionals.”

Community Health Fellows and Legacy staff pose for a group picture

]]> http://www.legacyintl.org/moroccan-fellows-learn-about-healthcare-in-virginia/feed/ 0 http://www.legacyintl.org/kyrgyz-project-improves-inter-ethnic-relations/ http://www.legacyintl.org/kyrgyz-project-improves-inter-ethnic-relations/#comments Tue, 11 Oct 2011 20:10:07 +0000 ivyadmin http://www.legacyintl.org/?p=3210

Zhumagul Bolponova (Osh, Kyrgyzstan)

Zhumagul Bolponova, Kyrgyz Women’s Initiative, participant

In April 2010 civil unrest broke out in the Kyrgz Republic and hundreds were killed or wounded in ethnic and political violence.   As head of Too-Moyun Aiymdary (Women’s Organization of Too-Moyun) Zhumagul oversees the organization’s work of improving the socio-economic condition of women and youth. She designed a project to improve the inter-ethnic relations between Kyrgyz and Uzbeks through the mobilization of women in the south of Kyrgyzstan. Zhumagul hopes to change ethnic relations beginning at a grassroots level.

She is training an initial group of 16 women from 4 villages experiencing ethnic tension. Her project will expand as the initial trainees then train an additional 70 women and printed instructional materials are distributed and used in conflict management and prevention trainings around the region.

Zhumagul was one of 11 Kyrgystan women who participated in the Kyrgyz Women’s Initiative, a 2 year and multiphase Legacy’s  program for Women’s Leadership Development and NGO Capacity -Building. The project is designed to positively impact emerging professionals (community leaders, political leaders, educators, and youth workers), to strengthen grassroots organizations in the Republic of Kyrgyzstan, as well as the mutual understanding of the role of civil society in the U.S. and Kyrgyzstan.

Read about other Kyrgyz  follow-on projects carried out by each alumna, each supported by $1,000 mini-grants from Legacy.

Catherine Haslam

Catherine Haslam, Arabic Language Institute 2010, participant

“ Not only did my Arabic improve significantly through the intensive study and structure of the  [ALI] Morocco program, but my understanding of Islam and Muslim culture. Within my host family, there were women who wore hijabs, women who didn’t, a very conservative uncle and a more liberal father, and teenagers who reminded me of my friends in America. I was able to achieve the intermediate Arabic certificate from the Center for Language and Culture, Marrakesh, and with it, an improved sense of diplomacy and awareness when speaking to the Moroccans. I developed the curiosity and drive to perfect my Arabic and learn as much as possible in the fields of international relations and the Middle East. …[it] stirred more curiosity that will take me through my goals in diplomacy and government, but most importantly, understanding. Oh, and it was SO MUCH FUN.”

Catherine  first attended a different NSLI-Y Program in Egypt in Summer of 2009, and then attended Legacy’s  Arabic Language Institute program in Morocco in Summer 2010. She expresses the kind of positive  ”life changing” experience that we find happens with those attending Legacy’s programs.

Were you a beginner in the language when you went to the country for the first time?  Was it your first trip abroad?

I didn’t even know the Arabic alphabet. It was not my first trip abroad–I was actually born in Liverpool, UK–but it was my first extended trip in an Arabic-speaking country.

What about your first NSLI-Y program experience made you want to re-apply for a chance to go back abroad?

It’s impossible to answer this while staying away from cliches, because I really did fall in love with the language, the people, and the culture. The structure of the program was exactly what I had hoped for–rigorous, while flexible. AFS volunteers and our teachers worked with us, keeping in mind that while we were there to study, we were also going through the stages of integrating into a country so different from our own, and living with host families. I learned enough Arabic during my first stay to keep up with it on a half-independent, half-tutored basis throughout the year, so that when I applied for the second program, I could test into the next level. I made some of the best friends and, as I consider them, family, of my life, and not only practice my Egyptian Arabic with them now, but met with them during a visit my friends took for a reunion last summer. These ties have made me the quasi-reporter for our school regarding the protests in Egypt. Those in my community who were once ignorant of the people, the government, and our diplomatic relationship with the country now know the truth about the people and nation as a whole after my experience there. I had conversations with parents in Egypt about politics, social life, and the history of our culture while there–things I couldn’t have learned in a textbook. The wealth of information, language-learning, independence, self-learning, and cultural-learning that took place during my time in Egypt made it impossible for me not to reapply.

What were you/have you been able to achieve on your second NSLI-Y program?

As a result of my experience in my first NSLI-Y program, I came to my second, in Morocco, with more questions to seek answers for. These were questions about language, culture, religion, politics, family life, my limits, and, of course, how many more stories my friends could take about my NSLI-Y experiences. Not only did my Arabic improve significantly through the intensive study and structure of the Morocco program, but my understanding of Islam and Muslim culture. Within my host family, there were women who wore hijabs, women who didn’t, a very conservative uncle and a more liberal father, and teenagers who reminded me of my friends in America. I was able to achieve the intermediate Arabic certificate from the Center for Language and Culture, Marrakesh, and with it, an improved sense of diplomacy and awareness when speaking to the Moroccans. I could pick up on the dialect, Darija, much better, and thus take part in interesting taxi ride conversations where I learned more than any student studying Arabic in the U.S. could have. I developed the curiosity and drive to perfect my Arabic and learn as much as possible in the fields of international relations and the Middle East. My second NSLI-Y program expanded my skills and stirred more curiosity that will take me through my goals in diplomacy and government, but most importantly, understanding. Oh, and it was SO MUCH FUN.

Do you plan to continue your study of the language/country in college and beyond?

Absolutely. Next year I will be attending the University of St. Andrews in Scotland and I am double majoring in International Relations and Arabic. I hope to join the Peace Corps later on, and to ideally, eventually work for the government in my fields of interest. In what way did the experience make you change your career/life goals? I used to want to be a doctor–then I took Biology. Then, before my NSLI-Y experiences, I began taking interest in the Middle East, and enjoyed languages, but never imagined I would be where I am today. I was a different person, more driven by grades than learning. Egypt shaped what it meant to excel, understand, be confident, ask questions, and truly learn, for me. I now, as I said above, want to eventually become fluent in Arabic and work for the government to use my language and create the relationship between America and the Middle East that now, in light of the protests, is needed more than ever.

Legacy International’s Arabic Language Institute program is in partnership with the Center for Language and Culture and  is part of the National Security Language Institute for Youth (NSLI-Y).  To apply to Legacy’s Arabic Language Institute program fill out initial applications on the NSLI  website Applications are due November 3, 2011.

“The NSLI -Y is part of a broader government-wide presidential initiative that prepares American citizens to be leaders in a global world. Now more than ever, it is important that Americans have the necessary linguistic skills and cultural knowledge to promote international dialogues, support American engagement abroad, and attain better understanding of global cultures and issues. NSLI-Y encourages a lifetime of language study and cultural understanding by supporting K-12, undergraduate, graduate, and professional language programs for languages that have traditionally not been taught in the United States.”

Two of the delegates are blogging to share their experiences.  Shanna Flowers, Manager of Volunteer Services of Carilion Clinic, has a blog called: Notes from Kygyzstan and Johna Campbell, Managing Partner with Cogent Management Resources, is blogging at Kyrgyz Journal.

Shana (left) with Kyrgyz journalist Aimira Urustemova

Read excerpts below:

“‘A Purpose-Driven Life’ comes to mind when I think of some of the women I’ve met this week. They’re so focused, so determined, so passionate about their endeavors, most aimed at improving the lives of women, children and the disabled.”

“That’s what a small, but determined group of nonprofit agencies in Kyrgyzstan is doing. Our six-member delegation is here to share with them our various expertises i.e. marketing, international commerce, nonprofit service industry, human resources, prenatal care and of course, volunteering. Change is challenging, but Kyrgyzstan has a group of women who inspire change with their tenacity.” (Shanna Flowers)

Group attending the Legacy training for non-profit leaders

“The Legacy International training in Bishkek was so much fun! Our delegation trained about 70 women and a couple of brave men in topics related to “Creating a Sustainable Organization”… In [a] short time, they went from being a handful of ladies much like I have met any times in my life, to a group of passionate, independent, beautiful, diverse women. They have the same basic challenges that I have, plus so many more. They have so much to be proud of because they are driving change in a whole new world in Kyrgyzstan.” (Johna Campbell)

Tyler Jones, Arabic Language Institute participant 2008

“In case you do not remember me, I traveled with your Legacy group in 2008 to Marrakesh. I am now a student at the University of Michigan and am studying abroad in Meknes, Morocco this summer as an Arabic Flagship student. I just visited Marrakesh this weekend and I felt it appropriate to email you about the trip.

Being back in Marrakesh was an experience like no other. The smells in the market, the songs of the snake charmers — I can only characterize it as feeling at home. I met with Sif, my home stay brother from 2008. He and I have stayed in contact since that summer and we decided to catch up. I still remember the walk from the main square back to his house. I sat with him, the two Legacy students who are currently studying with him, and the young man who lived with Sif the year before me and is now a Boren student in Fes (he was visiting Sif for the weekend). There we were, 3 generations of Legacy students, sitting in Sif’s living room, drinking juice and sharing old war stories of the souq. It was truly remarkable talking with Sif and the other American students about Morocco, the Arabic language, and how far we have all come.

After saying goodbye to Sif’s mom and brother, I ventured back into the souq. I left with a profound feeling of pride and gratitude, and I wholeheartedly believe I have the Legacy program to thank for that. Without those 2 months in 2008, I never would have understood the value of the Arabic language. As a student, it is very easy to lose sight of the overall goal behind language study: to connect with others.

Tyler and friends in Morocco

Cramming vocabulary and grammar, it becomes easy to forget that language is about people. Every time I sat down to eat dinner with my family, every time I walked to the market with my home stay brother, I understood firsthand the value of language — I have Legacy to thank for that. The connections that Legacy helped me foster are still very strong today. Perhaps even more important than the language, Legacy gave me a second home, situated very nicely in Jamaa al-Fna.

Again, I just want to thank you for the experience you provided me 3 years ago. It is still paying dividends today. I was so glad to see the next generation of Legacy students staying with Sif — I have no doubt they will feel the same way I do.

Best Regards,
Tyler Jones