{"id":1295,"date":"2017-06-01T08:30:07","date_gmt":"2017-06-01T08:30:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/fulbridge.org\/?p=1295"},"modified":"2019-11-26T03:03:33","modified_gmt":"2019-11-26T03:03:33","slug":"eta-spotlight-joseph-massad-bahrain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fulbridge.org\/w\/eta-spotlight-joseph-massad-bahrain\/","title":{"rendered":"ETA Spotlight: Joseph Massad, Bahrain"},"content":{"rendered":"
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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.<\/p><\/div>\n

Every month, Fulbridge interviews an ETA from around the world to get a glimpse of what life is like in different placements. This month, Zo\u00eb Gioja, 2014-15 ETA in South Korea\u00a0and Fulbridge’s Founder, talked with Joe Massad, current ETA in\u00a0Bahrain.\u00a0<\/em><\/h5>\n

Q: Why did you choose Bahrain?<\/strong>
\n A:\u00a0<\/strong>As a student of Arabic, I had three options as a prospective Fulbright ETA: Jordan, Morocco, and Bahrain. \u00a0I had previously studied abroad in Jordan for a summer and just completed two years in the Peace Corps in Morocco. \u00a0I picked Bahrain as it is a good litmus for the Arabian Gulf. \u00a0Bahrain is more developed than Oman, more liberal than Kuwait, more relaxing than the U.A.E. \u00a0Historically, Bahrain has been at the crossroads of the Indian sea trade routes. \u00a0Indeed, 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.<\/p>\n

Q: Where are you located and what school\/university do you teach at?<\/strong>
\n A:<\/strong> I live in the south, in a town called \u2018Zallaq,\u2019 but I work across the country in Manama, the capital. \u00a0I commute every day, but it only takes 25 minutes (35 with traffic)! \u00a0I teach at the Arabian Gulf University, a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) university. \u00a0This is the only medical school funded by the GCC and it boasts students from across the Arab world.<\/p>\n

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A grilled dinner spread at the boys\u2019 hostel<\/p><\/div>\n

Q: Since every country ETA program has different requirements, what all does your grant entail?<\/strong>
\n A:<\/strong>\u00a0Fulbright ETAs are expected to work 20-25 hours at their host institutions each week. \u00a0Applicants should also have a good working knowledge (intermediate level) of Arabic, though this is not a hard rule (I\u2019ll explain more later!).eQ:\u00a0What does a normal weekday look like for you?<\/p>\n

Q: What does a normal weekday look like for you?<\/strong>
\nA:<\/strong>\u00a0On a typical day, I wake up around nine, exercise, and eat breakfast before driving to Manama. \u00a0I punch in at eleven and help students with their homework, reports, presentations, and speeches for a couple of hours. \u00a0After that, I check in with the other English teachers and assist their lessons or run a few exercises myself. \u00a0By 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. \u00a0Until four, I host discussions, suggest speeches, play language games, or recommend books and articles to the students. \u00a0Depending on the day, I will then stay in Manama for while longer, usually at a caf\u00e9, and grab some dinner before returning home. \u00a0In the evenings, I relax Bahraini-style: drinking tea and talking to family and friends.<\/p>\n

Q:\u00a0If you have, how have you gotten more involved with the university outside of the classroom? How have you gotten involved with the community?<\/strong>
\n A:\u00a0<\/strong>I was lucky enough to be invited to teach an extra course outside of my host institution. \u00a0Since October, I have taught a Creative Writing course at a local youth center in Manama. \u00a0This 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. \u00a0My Creative Writing students are twelve to thirteen and entirely Bahraini. \u00a0Through my connections at the youth center, I have participated in a number of extra events, such as attending an \u2018Ashoura parade, visiting a local art competition, and meeting diplomats that have made gifts to the center.<\/p>\n

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A weekend international fair (Punjabi dance with the audience)<\/p><\/div>\n

Q:\u00a0What has your experience been like using or learning the language in the host country? Any challenges? Funny moments?<\/strong>
\n A:\u00a0<\/strong>Interestingly enough, Arabic is not the lingua franca in Bahrain. \u00a0The country is very small (only 1.2 million people) and half of the population is from other countries. \u00a0Workers from Thailand, the Philippines, India, Pakistan, Egypt, France, England, the US and many other countries all come together in Bahrain. \u00a0English is routinely used as the day-to-today language for a large portion of the people. \u00a0This isn\u2019t too surprising as it was a British protectorate for many years. \u00a0The biggest challenge has been finding people to talk to in Arabic! Regardless, funny moments abound. \u00a0As an American, people find it hard to believe that I know Arabic (and harder still that I can speak it)! \u00a0Whether it\u2019s from joining a conversation or saying \u2018Inshallah,\u2019 the facial reactions seem to have been taken right out of a comedy.<\/p>\n

Q:\u00a0What have been some challenges?<\/strong>
\n A<\/strong>:\u00a0Living and working Bahrain has posed some unique challenges, but let me focus on just a couple. To be coy, I\u2019ll say that the attitude toward work in the Gulf is much different than in America. \u00a0Class attendance, tardiness, and enforcement of classroom rules have taken on new meanings here. \u00a0I\u2019ll conclude by saying that I am looking forward to returning to the States for the sake of efficiency.<\/p>\n

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Traditional Bahraini drum and singing circle (Bahrain Fort is lit up in the background).<\/p><\/div>\n

Another major challenge has been integration. \u00a0Without my Creative Writing course, I would have very little insight to the cultural norms in Bahrain. \u00a0As a foreigner (and doubly so as a male), considerable aspects of domestic life are off-limits. \u00a0Social functions are primarily family-based and located at the family elder\u2019s house. \u00a0For obvious reasons, these social circles are beyond my reach.<\/p>\n

Q:\u00a0What have been some highlights?<\/strong>
\n A:\u00a0<\/strong>The most recent highlight was the annual international F1 race in Bahrain. \u00a0For 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. \u00a0To 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\u2019m not a fan of racing, to participate the universal excitement for the event was thrilling.<\/p>\n

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Fulbrighters on a trip to Jordan<\/p><\/div>\n

Q:\u00a0What was your best lesson plan?<\/strong>
\n A:<\/strong>\u00a0My favorite lesson plans have all revolved around writing. \u00a0One in particular that stands out is an icebreaker of a game that I call \u2018Write-Draw-Write\u2019. \u00a0Each student writes a single sentence on a small piece of paper and passes his or her stack to the next person. \u00a0That student then reads the sentence, puts it on the bottom of the stack, and draws a picture portraying the sentence. \u00a0Once finished, it is again passed to another student who looks at the picture and describes it in one sentence. \u00a0This process repeats until each group (about eight students) had the chance to write or draw for each other student\u2019s stack. \u00a0In the end, the students look through their initial stack and see how their story progressed. \u00a0I\u2019ve found that this is a great way to help the students relax, laugh, and build bonds with one another. \u00a0It also gives them an additional incentive to learn zany vocabulary!<\/p>\n

Q:\u00a0What will you miss the most?<\/strong>
\n A:<\/strong>\u00a0Without a doubt I\u2019ll miss my students the most. \u00a0The student-teacher relations are completely different in the Gulf. \u00a0While at times (i.e. teaching) this can be infuriating, outside of class it is a blessing. \u00a0There is a unique bond between the people here, and I feel that it is one worth emulating across the entire world.<\/p>\n

Q:\u00a0Why should prospective grantees apply to your host country?<\/strong>
\n A:<\/strong>\u00a0Prospective grantees should apply to Bahrain as it\u2019s one of the most accessible countries of the Arabian Gulf. \u00a0For some, the Gulf is a daunting area. \u00a0Oil, 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. \u00a0Bahrain has its share of difficulties but it comes with some incredible benefits. \u00a0Food is actually deceptively cheap and is almost always a delicacy from somewhere in the world. \u00a0I don\u2019t know of any other country that has blended several traditional cultures and modernity better than here.<\/p>\n

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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\u2013 family is extremely important here.”<\/p><\/div>\n

Q:\u00a0Anything else you\u2019d like to add?<\/strong>
\n A:\u00a0<\/strong>I want to conclude with my reiteration of Bahrain as an international crossroads. \u00a0Throughout history to the present point, Bahrain has been a hotbed of world trade. \u00a0In many ways, the culture reflects this. \u00a0Bahraini Arabic has a tinge of Farsi, Bahraini food has a dash of curry, and Bahraini attitudes have an air of open-mindedness. \u00a0In this country, I have celebrated Muslim, Christian, and Hindu holidays without reservation. \u00a0I have made friends with people from Lebanon to Bangladesh. \u00a0I routinely have an American breakfast, an Indian lunch, and a Persian dinner. \u00a0Bahrain has long been a country defined by intersecting cultures and from this I find much of its beauty.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Every month, Fulbridge interviews an ETA from around the world to get a glimpse of what life is like in different placements. This month, Zo\u00eb Gioja, 2014-15 ETA in South Korea\u00a0and Fulbridge’s Founder, talked with Joe Massad, current ETA in\u00a0Bahrain.\u00a0 Q: Why did you choose Bahrain? A:\u00a0As a student of… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":1298,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[191,190,375],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/fulbridge.org\/w\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/14370053_10157589881420651_8168594532613560083_n.jpg?fit=720%2C960&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fulbridge.org\/w\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1295"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fulbridge.org\/w\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fulbridge.org\/w\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fulbridge.org\/w\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fulbridge.org\/w\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1295"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/fulbridge.org\/w\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1295\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1381,"href":"https:\/\/fulbridge.org\/w\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1295\/revisions\/1381"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fulbridge.org\/w\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1298"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fulbridge.org\/w\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1295"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fulbridge.org\/w\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1295"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fulbridge.org\/w\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1295"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}