Nabi Elias

10:00 The class awaited us with an electric heater already lit.

An enthusiastic welcome, as usual.  The students participated very actively in the lesson.  Two, a man and a woman, aren’t at the class’s level and since it’s held in English someone always has to translate for them.  Brenda thinks it would be better to teach them separately in order not to hold back the others.

The class opened with a discussion about Norway, their homework assignment.  They were amazed at how beautiful were the photographs they’d found on the internet and at the descriptions of the country.  It turned out they’d known nothing about it prior to the lesson. 

The second topic dealt with the position of women in the Middle East, on the basis of an article (not too difficult) from the New York Times.  It discusses expectations in Arab society for female modesty, and the fact women are almost never seen in advertisements.  But it refers to two female photographers with exhibits in museums in Boston and New York which allow them to express themselves, represents other Arab women as well.

When the class was over the women invited Brenda and Rachel for refreshments at the home of one of the village women who prepares pitas; this time there was also tea.