Friday, October 23, 2009
رسالتي الدكتوراه
أهتم بمشاركة سياسية النساء في العالم العربي خاصةً النساء الأميات وأنشطتهن السياسية.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Plainte à Monsieur l'Ambassadeur
Today is the first day that something Barack Obama did has made me sad. I attended the monthly meeting of the American International Women’s Association (AIWA) of Rabat to hear the new US Ambassador to Morocco give a talk. Before I even made it to the meeting, I was very disturbed by scuttlebutt about Ambassador Kaplan’s credentials. I would universally assume that high ranking appointed diplomats have no knowledge of Arabic. But here in Morocco, I am appalled and deeply disappointed that the new Ambassador can’t even speak French. My immediate reaction is what the f***? Let’s ignore the foppish hair cut and the artless admission of little prior knowledge of Morocco. What the hell President Obama?!? They’re clearly a likeable couple but how does being a lawyer and activist prepare one to be an Ambassador? I suppose I can assume that since it’s the junior diplomats that do the real work, credentials are less important in appointees, but still. I am ashamed on behalf of the US. Why can’t a great nation appoint at LEAST a French speaker? Ugh.
Perhaps I might temper my disgust by reminding myself of one sentiment expressed in the MN Daily: though Mr. Kaplan may “not yet understand all the intricacies of the U.S. –Moroccan relationship…[he and his wife] present a double dose of professionalism, stamina, and exceptional potential…(in addition to their deep pockets and solid connections)…” You can listen to Ambassador Kaplan here and here.
Ugh. I might aspire to those same qualities (or even embody them-scribbly requires stamina for sure) but I’m far too fond of mentioning my first experience with dysentery to anyone who will listen. I have done my best to exhaust all possible nepotism available to me…but without the deep pockets and connections, I actually have to learn Arabic to get anywhere important in Arabia.
Whoever authored this graffito in Rabat’s Les Orangers neighborhood will be displeased with this article about Ambassador Kaplan. (Anticlimax--I can't get any photos to upload at the moment).
Otherwise, my new alarm clock makes me happy beyond measure and terrifies me with its shrieking Arabic devotion--instead of buzzing it reminds of prayer time!
Perhaps I might temper my disgust by reminding myself of one sentiment expressed in the MN Daily: though Mr. Kaplan may “not yet understand all the intricacies of the U.S. –Moroccan relationship…[he and his wife] present a double dose of professionalism, stamina, and exceptional potential…(in addition to their deep pockets and solid connections)…” You can listen to Ambassador Kaplan here and here.
Ugh. I might aspire to those same qualities (or even embody them-scribbly requires stamina for sure) but I’m far too fond of mentioning my first experience with dysentery to anyone who will listen. I have done my best to exhaust all possible nepotism available to me…but without the deep pockets and connections, I actually have to learn Arabic to get anywhere important in Arabia.
Whoever authored this graffito in Rabat’s Les Orangers neighborhood will be displeased with this article about Ambassador Kaplan. (Anticlimax--I can't get any photos to upload at the moment).
Otherwise, my new alarm clock makes me happy beyond measure and terrifies me with its shrieking Arabic devotion--instead of buzzing it reminds of prayer time!
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Clean clothes without holes
The maid came again and spared me the banal task of doing my own laundry. She also prepared some zaalouk, chicken with preserved lemon and olives and another dish with red bell peppers. On Friday I dared to lunch at a little restaurant around the corner from my house and ordered the Friday couscous. The meal from the maid and the Friday couscous are my only sources of vegetables, as I have been too lazy and indifferent to buy any myself to prepare, and the lures of merguez sandwiches and cumin-y cheeseburgers with fries which constitute my usual dinner are hard to resist. The only time I found merguez in North America was in Montreal during the American Thanksgiving of 2005. I became fond of the delightful Moroccan sausage when I lived in Issy-les-Moulineaux in late 2004 when I first had it at a little grillade nearby.
In non-food related news, I am fond of my Arabic class at Qalam wa Lawh. The other students are extremely good, which both shames me and motivates me to giddy-up. One of my classmates is Maltese, which reminds of the fact that an Arabic teacher I know authored a Maltese dictionary, in addition to having an MBA. My weekdays begin with Arabic class from 8.30 to 1. I then eat lunch at home before I bus to ADFM to work from 3 to 6 usually. I walk home, taking in the city, and spend the evening relaxing from interacting all day in foreign languages. Mornings are all in Arabic and afternoons are in hybrid French and Moroccan. By the time I get home from ADFM, my head is pretty much done in, and I am not sure if I am ambitious or clever enough to keep it up AND get to dissertating. On that note, it’s funding application time once again, and writing proposals does lend itself to dissertation work. So I will give myself the month of October to negotiate how I spend my time, which will necessarily include dissertation work IF I am serious about a year of research in Egypt after this delightful Boren year ends.
I have also been accepted to present at a conference in Bristol in January, which will hopefully include visits to friends I’ve been missing for a while. I must now get more serious about finishing my essay for tomorrow and reviewing grammar and vocabulary.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
What is a Ph.D. (aka PhD or Doctorate)?
Based on my specific education with the Graduate Program in International Studies at Old Dominion University, I have adapted the following information from various sources to inform my intimates about how I've been spending (and will be spending) my life these days.
Usually based on at least 3 years graduate study and a dissertation; the highest degree awarded for graduate study beyond the bachelor's or master's degree to candidates who have demonstrated their academic ability in oral and written examinations and through original research presented in the form of a dissertation.
Latin Philosophiae Doctor
1. Abbreviation of Doctor of Philosophy, a terminal research degree.
2. The highest of academic degrees conferred by a college or university.
Comprehensive examination
Ph.D. students must pass a written and an oral comprehensive examination prior to beginning their dissertation. The written examination transpires over two days and lasts six hours per day. The oral exam lasts approximately two hours. The Ph.D. comprehensive examinations may not be scheduled before students have completed all core, methodology, and language requirements, nor may the Ph.D. comprehensive examination be scheduled prior to the last semester in which regular course work is taken. Ph.D. examinations are scheduled twice a year, at the beginning of the Fall and Spring semesters. If Ph. D. students fail the written comprehensive examination on the first attempt, they may retake the written comprehensive examination only once, no earlier than one semester later. Note: Ph.D. students can only advance to the oral part of the comprehensive examination after passing the written portion.
Dissertation
A dissertation (also called thesis or disquisition) is a document that presents the author's research and findings and is submitted in support of candidature for a degree or professional qualification. In some United States doctoral programs, the term "dissertation" can refer to the major part of the student's total time spent (along with two or three years of classes), and may take years of full-time work to complete. At most universities, dissertation is the term for the required submission for the doctorate and thesis refers only to the master's degree requirement. The completion of a book-length project of independent research is the sine qua non of the Ph.D. program. The Ph.D. dissertation is also a significant and important life achievement that will serve as the defining product of your doctoral career. Preparing a doctoral dissertation is a complex and demanding process which may at times seem quite overwhelming. By definition a dissertation project is an effort at independent and individual work, so there can be considerable variation in how the process works for different students. Nonetheless, there are some basic procedures and minimum standards that apply to all dissertation writers. These guidelines were developed to help clarify that common process.
Dissertation Defense
In North America, the dissertation defense or oral defense is the final examination for doctoral candidates. The examining committee normally consists of the dissertation committee, usually a given number of professors mainly from the student's university plus his or her primary supervisor, an external examiner (someone not otherwise connected to the university), and a chair person. Each committee member will have been given a completed copy of the dissertation prior to the defense, and will come prepared to ask questions about the thesis itself and the subject matter. Doctoral defenses are open to the public. The typical format will see the candidate giving a short (20-40 minute) presentation of his or her research, followed by one to two hours of questions.
Usually based on at least 3 years graduate study and a dissertation; the highest degree awarded for graduate study beyond the bachelor's or master's degree to candidates who have demonstrated their academic ability in oral and written examinations and through original research presented in the form of a dissertation.
Latin Philosophiae Doctor
1. Abbreviation of Doctor of Philosophy, a terminal research degree.
2. The highest of academic degrees conferred by a college or university.
Comprehensive examination
Ph.D. students must pass a written and an oral comprehensive examination prior to beginning their dissertation. The written examination transpires over two days and lasts six hours per day. The oral exam lasts approximately two hours. The Ph.D. comprehensive examinations may not be scheduled before students have completed all core, methodology, and language requirements, nor may the Ph.D. comprehensive examination be scheduled prior to the last semester in which regular course work is taken. Ph.D. examinations are scheduled twice a year, at the beginning of the Fall and Spring semesters. If Ph. D. students fail the written comprehensive examination on the first attempt, they may retake the written comprehensive examination only once, no earlier than one semester later. Note: Ph.D. students can only advance to the oral part of the comprehensive examination after passing the written portion.
Dissertation
A dissertation (also called thesis or disquisition) is a document that presents the author's research and findings and is submitted in support of candidature for a degree or professional qualification. In some United States doctoral programs, the term "dissertation" can refer to the major part of the student's total time spent (along with two or three years of classes), and may take years of full-time work to complete. At most universities, dissertation is the term for the required submission for the doctorate and thesis refers only to the master's degree requirement. The completion of a book-length project of independent research is the sine qua non of the Ph.D. program. The Ph.D. dissertation is also a significant and important life achievement that will serve as the defining product of your doctoral career. Preparing a doctoral dissertation is a complex and demanding process which may at times seem quite overwhelming. By definition a dissertation project is an effort at independent and individual work, so there can be considerable variation in how the process works for different students. Nonetheless, there are some basic procedures and minimum standards that apply to all dissertation writers. These guidelines were developed to help clarify that common process.
Dissertation Defense
In North America, the dissertation defense or oral defense is the final examination for doctoral candidates. The examining committee normally consists of the dissertation committee, usually a given number of professors mainly from the student's university plus his or her primary supervisor, an external examiner (someone not otherwise connected to the university), and a chair person. Each committee member will have been given a completed copy of the dissertation prior to the defense, and will come prepared to ask questions about the thesis itself and the subject matter. Doctoral defenses are open to the public. The typical format will see the candidate giving a short (20-40 minute) presentation of his or her research, followed by one to two hours of questions.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
The dudest picture of Moh VI ever.
Friday I woke leisurely, keeping an eye on my email for messages from my internship and prospective language school. After receiving a message with great directions to ADFM, along with a lunch invitation, I prepared myself for the day. The taxi ride was a dream (I even got change back without asking!!)
and I found rue Ibn Mokla without any problems. I got a tour of the office from my new boss and lunched with the staff. Afterward I fulfilled my first duty of helping to prepare for the press conference on the liberalization of the communal land law. The beneficiaries, the women of Soulaliyates, were invited to attend the press conference and ask questions. You can read about here (it is only available in French). I decided to walk home, which was delightful and uncomplicated. Saturday I was able to move into my room in the apartment and even did a little grocery shopping where I picked up my beloved yoghurt with cereals in it 
and mortadelle aux olives. 
Today the perfect loveliness continued as I rejoined dear Hind, who taught me the Moroccan words for pillows, shower curtain, toothbrush and other useful darija.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
I am an illiterate adult, according to motivational literature
Arrival in imperial Rabat
After traversing the Atlantic yesterday, I arrived in Rabat with the whole day ahead of me. Unfortunately, I was too delirious to seize the daylight, but I did buy shampoo and Oulmès (Moroccan fizzy water) after lunching with my two new roommates at Salés Sucrés. I woke up today with ease at 7.40 AM (oh that waking at that hour were always so easy) and spent much of the morning trolling the internet for information. I have also acquired a sim card for my well traveled Jordanian Nokia.
This morning, I found this advice, which I will try to follow:
In learning Arabic: “Our goal cannot be to sound Moroccan, but it can be to sound "neutral foreign".”
Thus my mantra is “neutral foreign” instead of “specific foreign.” In addition, the same text conveyed this useful tidbit:
“In Morocco there are also books made for illiterate adults, which is exactly what we are.”
Today was a wonderful day in every way. My new friend, Hind, allowed me to tag along on her errands. We dined at Dar Naji just outside the Kasbah. On her recommendation we had salad Zaalouk
with bread and Chicken Rfissa Medhoussa (trid au poulet). 
She took hers with white meat and I with dark. You can take a look at both the process of preparing the dish here and the delicious finished product here. The hosting institution of my internship expects me tomorrow, and I begin my Arabic and Moroccan classes on Monday!
After traversing the Atlantic yesterday, I arrived in Rabat with the whole day ahead of me. Unfortunately, I was too delirious to seize the daylight, but I did buy shampoo and Oulmès (Moroccan fizzy water) after lunching with my two new roommates at Salés Sucrés. I woke up today with ease at 7.40 AM (oh that waking at that hour were always so easy) and spent much of the morning trolling the internet for information. I have also acquired a sim card for my well traveled Jordanian Nokia.
This morning, I found this advice, which I will try to follow:
In learning Arabic: “Our goal cannot be to sound Moroccan, but it can be to sound "neutral foreign".”
Thus my mantra is “neutral foreign” instead of “specific foreign.” In addition, the same text conveyed this useful tidbit:
“In Morocco there are also books made for illiterate adults, which is exactly what we are.”
Today was a wonderful day in every way. My new friend, Hind, allowed me to tag along on her errands. We dined at Dar Naji just outside the Kasbah. On her recommendation we had salad Zaalouk
with bread and Chicken Rfissa Medhoussa (trid au poulet). She took hers with white meat and I with dark. You can take a look at both the process of preparing the dish here and the delicious finished product here. The hosting institution of my internship expects me tomorrow, and I begin my Arabic and Moroccan classes on Monday!
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Back to Africa
I returned home from Cairo on 8 August 2009. Although I ought to have been thinking about my PhD written comprehensive exams that were to take place just 6 days later, I was already scheming about how to return to the Victorious City. Written comps finished, I enjoyed some idleness in Norfolk and elsewhere while I suffered the agonizing month between writing my exams and defending them. On 16 September I passed my oral defense and can now enjoy the title of ABD—all but dissertation—a title of little importance to most Anglophones, but one that I am nonetheless reveling in until I can upgrade to Ph.D. I arrive in Rabat on Wednesday 23 September, where I will reside for a year at least.
I did punctuate the idleness between trips to Super Saharan Africa (thank you Alex for your enthusiasm) with A) reading about Morocco’s many delights, B) planning a trip to Kenya next spring and C) happening upon validation in mainstream media sources.
First the Morocco books:
1. Morocco (Eyewitness Travel Guides) by DK Publishing (ISBN 9780756605094)
2. Living in Morocco by Barbara Stoeltie and Angelika Taschen (ISBN 9783822813836)
3. Flavors of Morocco: Delicious Recipes from North Africa by Ghillie Basan and Peter Cassidy (ISBN 9781845976064)
4. Living in Morocco: Design from Casablanca to Marrakesh by Landt Dennis and Lisl Dennis (ISBN 9780500282649)
5. Culture Shock! Morocco: A Survival Guide to Customs and Etiquette by Orin Hargraves (ISBN 0761425020)
6. Fodor's Morocco, 4th Edition (Fodor's Gold Guides) by Fodor's (ISBN 9781400008049)
7. Made in Morocco by Julie Le Clerc and John Bougen (ISBN 9780143019428)
Second--In the mainstream media, women in development has gotten some great attention here and here.
I did punctuate the idleness between trips to Super Saharan Africa (thank you Alex for your enthusiasm) with A) reading about Morocco’s many delights, B) planning a trip to Kenya next spring and C) happening upon validation in mainstream media sources.
First the Morocco books:
1. Morocco (Eyewitness Travel Guides) by DK Publishing (ISBN 9780756605094)
2. Living in Morocco by Barbara Stoeltie and Angelika Taschen (ISBN 9783822813836)
3. Flavors of Morocco: Delicious Recipes from North Africa by Ghillie Basan and Peter Cassidy (ISBN 9781845976064)
4. Living in Morocco: Design from Casablanca to Marrakesh by Landt Dennis and Lisl Dennis (ISBN 9780500282649)
5. Culture Shock! Morocco: A Survival Guide to Customs and Etiquette by Orin Hargraves (ISBN 0761425020)
6. Fodor's Morocco, 4th Edition (Fodor's Gold Guides) by Fodor's (ISBN 9781400008049)
7. Made in Morocco by Julie Le Clerc and John Bougen (ISBN 9780143019428)
Second--In the mainstream media, women in development has gotten some great attention here and here.
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