Hello all! Sorry it has been a few days since my last post. It has been extremely busy here. The Director introduced a reorganization at the Training Center last week and it has taken a great deal of my time. The employees were very concerned about the reorganization (change is difficult sometimes) so I met with them individually for several days to answer questions, confirm their position in the reoranization, and determine the training needs for each person. There has been very little technology use over the past years so there is a great need for the basics - Word, PowerPoint, Excel, etc. We just hired a new IT Professor from Eqypt that is fluent in Arabic so I anticipate that we will get started on the needed training after the first of the year. Their second request was for English Language Courses so we will begin to look at expanding the number of courses offered in basic English skills. They are so eager to learn!
I have also been working on developing a two-day Advisor Induction Training Program. Currently, when new advisors arrive at MNSTC-I, they receive little to no information about the local customs, culture, language, and government. The two-day course will occur within the first two weeks of their arrival and will hopefully help them to make the transition easier. We offered the first course yesterday and today. Between this and work at the Center, I have had some long days but the time is flying! Only 118 days to go! (but who's counting:)
Over the past week, I have received numerous Christmas cards and care packages. Thanks to all of you for sending them. I would take them back to my room at night to read and they definitely brought a smile to my face! (and occassionally a tear) A special thanks to Mrs. Radcliffe for sending all the cards from Maury students; to Mrs. McGaha's classes for the cards and goodie box - I especially enjoyed the chocolate; to Mrs. Missy and the 3rd and 4th grade Sunday School class at New Union Baptist Church for the cards and care package. I even received a picture of Maury's Santa Claus (Mr. Day) that is priceless. Thanks to the MMS office staff for the recorded card! All of these and more made my Christmas special even though I am far away from home. I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas with your families and all the best in 2009! I promise to post more pictures soon! Once I get through the Advisor Training today, I will have more time to add to the blog. Take care and stay safe!
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Blue Christmas!
(Office area at MNSTC-I)
(Blue velvet walls in my office area)It is Sunday morning and the Iraqi instructors and students have returned. Most of them seemed to enjoy their week off. My translator says that she spent her week with her family, eating and sleeping late. I told her, "That is the same thing we do in America during our holidays!" I am including a couple of pictures of the blue velvet walls in my office area.
A friend from Jefferson City sent the silver tree and blue balls. It was a perfect match to the walls. I put it in the area where the professors have their desks at MNSTC-I. The second tree and decorations were sent to me by my sister. Since I hate to put up and take down decorations, I was very glad when the translators offered to decorate. They did a much better job than I would have done!
This morning I sat in on a Basic English class. The instructor is Iraqi and she is working with a class of future Iraqi Air Force pilots. They are required to be proficient in English prior to pilot training since a lot of the radio communication is in English. I also attended a course on Women's Rights in Iraq. The instructor is an Iraqi female lawyer. This is the first class she has taught so I tried to provide some moral support. She had seven students in the class, five women and two men. There was some very lively discussion during the class. My translator had trouble keeping up with the conversation!
The days will go much quicker now that I am busy! I will try to get some pictures of the instructors, classes, and students at the Center during the next couple of weeks. We currently have 11 courses being taught that will lead up to the end of the year. I don't expect to get any snow days this year since I am surrounded by sunshine and palm trees! Take care.
The days will go much quicker now that I am busy! I will try to get some pictures of the instructors, classes, and students at the Center during the next couple of weeks. We currently have 11 courses being taught that will lead up to the end of the year. I don't expect to get any snow days this year since I am surrounded by sunshine and palm trees! Take care.
Monday, December 8, 2008
IMCO
On Thursday, I went with some of the other MTDC staff to conduct a site survey at the Iraqi Mine & UXO Clearance Organization (IMCO) at the RONCO Corporation compound. IMCO is a State Department funded organization that focuses on humanitarian mine action, unexploded ordnance (UXO) clearance, and small arms and light weapons (SALW) destruction. They've cleared over 150,000 mines/UXO and 18,000 SALW in Iraq so far, and have a "certified" destruction facility where these activities can be performed safely and securely. Iraq is currently the most contaminated country in the world for land mines and UXOs.
A display of some of the items that have been found throughout Iraq.
The purpose of the meeting was to encourage the cooperation between IMCO and MTDC. The Training Center will have IMCO do information briefings in a number of courses -- ranging from International Law (focusing on the Ottawa Treaty -- which bans the production, stockpiling, and use of anti-personnel landmines) to International Relations. 
We were able to view the SALW cutting process and the scrap metal heaps and bins as well.
Some of the pieces are being turned into artwork. Currently there are three artists that create structures like these.
This week, I will be working on developing a reorganization chart for the MTDC along with job descriptions for the positions that currently exist. That should take most of the week. The challenge will be in getting the individuals to tell me what they do on a daily basis. I will hold meetings with them next week when they return from Eids. Hope everyone has a wonderful week. I am sure it is getting exciting there as the semester comes to a close. Take care!
Friday, December 5, 2008
Friday
Al salam al laikem! (Peace on you.) I am learning Arabic from my interpreter, Fatima. She is teaching me a word a day. If someone says this phrase to you, then you respond, Al laikem al salam (On you, peace). I’m sorry it has been a few days since my last update. I have been fighting what is called the Baghdad Crud. It is basically a bad chest cold. I finally broke down on Wednesday and went to the hospital to get some medicine. I am now on the mend and feeling much better.
I began working at the Ministerial Training and Development Center (MTDC) on Sunday. The “ministerial” is not like we think of ministerial. It represents the different ministries that are a part of the Iraqi government. The school building and classrooms are very much like what we have at home, however, there are very few supplies for the students. We currently do not have a library or media center. The instructors must rely on the Internet or what few books they can acquire in their subject area to create the course materials. Fortunately, there is a computer lab with about 35 computers. During Saddam’s reign, no materials were allowed from “outside” so the books and materials they do have are very dated. They are learning to use technology more and more as a tool but they still have a long way to go.
The Center currently has about 75 employees. There are five large office spaces that are crammed with desks for the staff. You learn to give up your personal space here. The rest of the building is devoted to nine classrooms and one conference room. All of the Iraqi people I have met have been extremely friendly and welcoming. As a whole, the Islamic faith is built on servant hood and kindness. The terrorist acts that you read about in the paper are only carried out the extremist groups. This week, the Hajj began and the students will be out of school next week for Eids. It is considered a religious holiday for the Islamists.
The students at the school are all adults and work somewhere in the Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Interior, or one of the other branches of the government. They are eager to learn new ways of doing their jobs and seem to want to better their country. It is hard on them as many live outside the IZ and travel a long, and dangerous, distance to the Center. One student missed class last week because his street was in “lock down” due to a car bomb that had been discovered outside his home. He was very apologetic for missing class when he arrived at school the next day. It just continues to amaze me how much we take for granted in the United States.
I am already starting to work on several items for the Center that will keep me extremely busy while I am here. As a tradition, the Iraqi people have not been exposed to short or long range planning. I am working with them to set goals and measureable objectives for this coming year, as well as benchmarks and assessment tools that will be used. Guess I am going to do a School Improvement Plan after all! Then we will begin looking at a five year plan for the Center after the first of the year. They have not had a lot of experience with this so it will be interesting work. I am also helping with professional development, another concept they have had little to no experience with before.
I hope all is well in East Tennessee. I understand that the weather has been cold and snowy. Hopefully, you will get to use all of the snow days this year. It has been awhile since we have had a white Christmas so this may be the year! Take care and I will post more pictures soon!
I began working at the Ministerial Training and Development Center (MTDC) on Sunday. The “ministerial” is not like we think of ministerial. It represents the different ministries that are a part of the Iraqi government. The school building and classrooms are very much like what we have at home, however, there are very few supplies for the students. We currently do not have a library or media center. The instructors must rely on the Internet or what few books they can acquire in their subject area to create the course materials. Fortunately, there is a computer lab with about 35 computers. During Saddam’s reign, no materials were allowed from “outside” so the books and materials they do have are very dated. They are learning to use technology more and more as a tool but they still have a long way to go.
The Center currently has about 75 employees. There are five large office spaces that are crammed with desks for the staff. You learn to give up your personal space here. The rest of the building is devoted to nine classrooms and one conference room. All of the Iraqi people I have met have been extremely friendly and welcoming. As a whole, the Islamic faith is built on servant hood and kindness. The terrorist acts that you read about in the paper are only carried out the extremist groups. This week, the Hajj began and the students will be out of school next week for Eids. It is considered a religious holiday for the Islamists.
The students at the school are all adults and work somewhere in the Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Interior, or one of the other branches of the government. They are eager to learn new ways of doing their jobs and seem to want to better their country. It is hard on them as many live outside the IZ and travel a long, and dangerous, distance to the Center. One student missed class last week because his street was in “lock down” due to a car bomb that had been discovered outside his home. He was very apologetic for missing class when he arrived at school the next day. It just continues to amaze me how much we take for granted in the United States.
I am already starting to work on several items for the Center that will keep me extremely busy while I am here. As a tradition, the Iraqi people have not been exposed to short or long range planning. I am working with them to set goals and measureable objectives for this coming year, as well as benchmarks and assessment tools that will be used. Guess I am going to do a School Improvement Plan after all! Then we will begin looking at a five year plan for the Center after the first of the year. They have not had a lot of experience with this so it will be interesting work. I am also helping with professional development, another concept they have had little to no experience with before.
I hope all is well in East Tennessee. I understand that the weather has been cold and snowy. Hopefully, you will get to use all of the snow days this year. It has been awhile since we have had a white Christmas so this may be the year! Take care and I will post more pictures soon!
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