Joe, on the far right, graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 2013, where he studied Political Science and Arabic. He served in the Peace Corps in Morocco for two years before becoming a Fulbright ETA in Bahrain.
Every month, Fulbridge interviews an ETA from around the world to get a glimpse of what life is like in different placements. This month, Zoë Gioja, 2014-15 ETA in South Korea and Fulbridge’s Founder, talked with Joe Massad, current ETA in Bahrain.
Q: Why did you choose Bahrain?
A: As a student of Arabic, I had three options as a prospective Fulbright ETA: Jordan, Morocco, and Bahrain. I had previously studied abroad in Jordan for a summer and just completed two years in the Peace Corps in Morocco. I picked Bahrain as it is a good litmus for the Arabian Gulf. Bahrain is more developed than Oman, more liberal than Kuwait, more relaxing than the U.A.E. Historically, Bahrain has been at the crossroads of the Indian sea trade routes. Indeed, some of the earliest archaeological evidence suggests that Bahrain was initially settled as a watering hole for merchants making the trip between the Near East and India.
Q: Where are you located and what school/university do you teach at?
A: I live in the south, in a town called ‘Zallaq,’ but I work across the country in Manama, the capital. I commute every day, but it only takes 25 minutes (35 with traffic)! I teach at the Arabian Gulf University, a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) university. This is the only medical school funded by the GCC and it boasts students from across the Arab world.
A grilled dinner spread at the boys’ hostel
Q: Since every country ETA program has different requirements, what all does your grant entail?
A: Fulbright ETAs are expected to work 20-25 hours at their host institutions each week. Applicants should also have a good working knowledge (intermediate level) of Arabic, though this is not a hard rule (I’ll explain more later!).eQ: What does a normal weekday look like for you?
Q: What does a normal weekday look like for you?
A: On a typical day, I wake up around nine, exercise, and eat breakfast before driving to Manama. I punch in at eleven and help students with their homework, reports, presentations, and speeches for a couple of hours. After that, I check in with the other English teachers and assist their lessons or run a few exercises myself. By two-thirty, the students and I reconvene in the Self-Access Center where I provide support for the students to find their own lessons through various ways. Until four, I host discussions, suggest speeches, play language games, or recommend books and articles to the students. Depending on the day, I will then stay in Manama for while longer, usually at a café, and grab some dinner before returning home. In the evenings, I relax Bahraini-style: drinking tea and talking to family and friends.
Q: If you have, how have you gotten more involved with the university outside of the classroom? How have you gotten involved with the community?
A: I was lucky enough to be invited to teach an extra course outside of my host institution. Since October, I have taught a Creative Writing course at a local youth center in Manama. This opportunity has allowed me to see a different side of Bahrain as my university students are eighteen or older and from all across the Gulf. My Creative Writing students are twelve to thirteen and entirely Bahraini. Through my connections at the youth center, I have participated in a number of extra events, such as attending an ‘Ashoura parade, visiting a local art competition, and meeting diplomats that have made gifts to the center.
A weekend international fair (Punjabi dance with the audience)
Q: What has your experience been like using or learning the language in the host country? Any challenges? Funny moments?
A: Interestingly enough, Arabic is not the lingua franca in Bahrain. The country is very small (only 1.2 million people) and half of the population is from other countries. Workers from Thailand, the Philippines, India, Pakistan, Egypt, France, England, the US and many other countries all come together in Bahrain. English is routinely used as the day-to-today language for a large portion of the people. This isn’t too surprising as it was a British protectorate for many years. The biggest challenge has been finding people to talk to in Arabic! Regardless, funny moments abound. As an American, people find it hard to believe that I know Arabic (and harder still that I can speak it)! Whether it’s from joining a conversation or saying ‘Inshallah,’ the facial reactions seem to have been taken right out of a comedy.
Q: What have been some challenges?
A: Living and working Bahrain has posed some unique challenges, but let me focus on just a couple. To be coy, I’ll say that the attitude toward work in the Gulf is much different than in America. Class attendance, tardiness, and enforcement of classroom rules have taken on new meanings here. I’ll conclude by saying that I am looking forward to returning to the States for the sake of efficiency.
Traditional Bahraini drum and singing circle (Bahrain Fort is lit up in the background).
Another major challenge has been integration. Without my Creative Writing course, I would have very little insight to the cultural norms in Bahrain. As a foreigner (and doubly so as a male), considerable aspects of domestic life are off-limits. Social functions are primarily family-based and located at the family elder’s house. For obvious reasons, these social circles are beyond my reach.
Q: What have been some highlights?
A: The most recent highlight was the annual international F1 race in Bahrain. For three days, it seemed the entirety of the country (and several thousand visitors) flocked to the racetrack to watch the racing events, cultural events, animatronics show, and music concert. To celebrate, Bahrain had lights hung across the palm trees, flags decorating the highways, and a sense of Christmas in the air (more than one student told me that this was their favorite time of the year)! While I’m not a fan of racing, to participate the universal excitement for the event was thrilling.
Fulbrighters on a trip to Jordan
Q: What was your best lesson plan?
A: My favorite lesson plans have all revolved around writing. One in particular that stands out is an icebreaker of a game that I call ‘Write-Draw-Write’. Each student writes a single sentence on a small piece of paper and passes his or her stack to the next person. That student then reads the sentence, puts it on the bottom of the stack, and draws a picture portraying the sentence. Once finished, it is again passed to another student who looks at the picture and describes it in one sentence. This process repeats until each group (about eight students) had the chance to write or draw for each other student’s stack. In the end, the students look through their initial stack and see how their story progressed. I’ve found that this is a great way to help the students relax, laugh, and build bonds with one another. It also gives them an additional incentive to learn zany vocabulary!
Q: What will you miss the most?
A: Without a doubt I’ll miss my students the most. The student-teacher relations are completely different in the Gulf. While at times (i.e. teaching) this can be infuriating, outside of class it is a blessing. There is a unique bond between the people here, and I feel that it is one worth emulating across the entire world.
Q: Why should prospective grantees apply to your host country?
A: Prospective grantees should apply to Bahrain as it’s one of the most accessible countries of the Arabian Gulf. For some, the Gulf is a daunting area. Oil, heat, and opulence might be the most commonly imagined aspects of the Arabian Gulf, but even a short trip to Bahrain provides a fuller understanding of the region as a whole. Bahrain has its share of difficulties but it comes with some incredible benefits. Food is actually deceptively cheap and is almost always a delicacy from somewhere in the world. I don’t know of any other country that has blended several traditional cultures and modernity better than here.
The “Tree of Life,” growing in the middle of the desert. No water has been found around it, though Bahrain has deep aquifers. Local tradition says that its from the Garden of Eden, and thus, has a mystical source. As Joe reflects: “I like to think that it represents the Bahraini attitude toward life: it can thrive in the desert with deep enough roots– family is extremely important here.”
Q: Anything else you’d like to add?
A: I want to conclude with my reiteration of Bahrain as an international crossroads. Throughout history to the present point, Bahrain has been a hotbed of world trade. In many ways, the culture reflects this. Bahraini Arabic has a tinge of Farsi, Bahraini food has a dash of curry, and Bahraini attitudes have an air of open-mindedness. In this country, I have celebrated Muslim, Christian, and Hindu holidays without reservation. I have made friends with people from Lebanon to Bangladesh. I routinely have an American breakfast, an Indian lunch, and a Persian dinner. Bahrain has long been a country defined by intersecting cultures and from this I find much of its beauty.