I work for two institutions in Aden. At the University of Aden in Khormaksar, I teach Speaking II to 4 groups of sophomores.. Classes last 2 hours and I have a total of 189 students there. I am the only native speaker of English in the department and they are very happy to have me on board. I am humbled by the hospitality I have received and student enthusiasm to learn from me. Even students that are not in any of my classes, have gone out of their way to welcome me and chat between classes.
Because we only meet once a week for 2 hours, it is imperative that everybody get a chance to speak. Much of the class period is devoted to pair work and small group discussions. I learn so much from their discussions about them, their family, their community and Yemen. Occasionally, I will share cultural notes and anecdotes about San Antonio and other places I have visited in my life. To alot of people here, my appearance seems Yemeni, Arab or Asian (Pakistan/Indian). I have an opportunity to share with them some of my Mexican roots. There really isnt much of a Latino presence here, but one of my students did mention that her doctor is from Cuba. Maybe I'll get to meet him someday. Ojala...
I also teach an intermediate course to 13 students at Amideast Aden five days a week for six week sessions. Due to the intensive nature of this class, I have gotten to know a fair amount about these Yemenis. They are also quite nice and really want to develop English proficiency. One of them, visited the US last year as part of a cultural exchange program. She visited San Francisco, Chicago and Washington, DC and hopes to return to study there for a longer period.
There are several educational grants available for Yemenis such as: the Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistantship Grants, the Middle Eastern Partnership Initiative's Business and Legal Grants for Young Middle Eastern Women, and YES Scholarships for high school study in the USA. I encourage all of my students to look into the possibility of studying in the US or in another English speaking country. I hope one winds up in my hometown, San Antonio, Texas.
I am also a team leader for the ACCESS microscholarship program here in Aden. Under the aegis of this program, promising English learners who demonstrate need receive tuition to continue their studies of English. Part of the program includes service learning through community volunteer work. Having worked in the Peace Corps in Africa, and having coordinated volunteer activities for visiting Central American teachers in San Antonio, I am glad to participate in fulfilling and enriching activities with the students here in Aden. The ACCESS program in the past, has organized beach clean-ups and visits to the orphanages and senior citizen homes.
The majority of my students are women. All wear abayas (robes that cover the arms and leg) and a scarf to cover the head. At the university, most are also veiled so I can only see their eyes. Before arriving, I wondered how it would be to teach a foreign language to veiled women. It is challenging I admit, but I have found that many are quite talkative and expressive in practicing English. At the beginning it was very different, but now, I am more used to it. In general, most women in Yemen do not allow their picture to be taken, so that is only males appear in these photos.
Having so many students has introduced me to many Arab names new to me. Some of them have interesting translations:
Ladies names:
Abeer: floral scent/perfume. Umniya: Wish/Dream. Gamila: Beautiful. (in Mauritania it's pronounced "Jamila")
Men's names:
Mahdood: Lucky.
