Amira isn't really her name, but it is close. I met her a couple of months ago when she came into our office with her mother-in-law. She came in looking for some help with her English, and had been told that she had missed the current term and would have to wait until January to join the next set of classes. They came to my office to see if there was anything I could do to help. Amira is from South Yemen, and I was touched immediately by how familiar her looks were, how much she looked like hundreds of young women I had met there twenty some years ago. She is petite too, and careful and meticulous in her dress. I doubt that she weighs more than 90 pounds, and to some she might look like a large doll.
Her mother-in-law did most of the talking, and I watched Amira as we chatted. She was very attentive and polite, and a noticed a determined if not slightly playful sparkle in her eyes. It has long been my custom to tutor a few students each term on my own, and I was considering offering to help Amira myself. I floated the idea past them, cautioning them that I understood the culture and I didn't want any difficulties. They both got very excited by the prospect, and Amira's mother-in-law promised me there would be no issues, that she understood what I was saying, but that she and her son wanted the best for Amira. We set up a schedule to meet twice a week until January straight away.
From the start, I have really enjoyed our time together. We meet in the open conference room in my department, and we work for an hour at a time on Tuesday and Thursday. We have a few workbooks we use, an English-Arabic picture dictionary, and lots and lots of homework. Amira has been in the States for five years and she has a decent vocabulary. Working with her is a bit challenging because she is a perfectionist and doesn't want to make any mistakes, which of course inhibits our progress a bit. Amira has a son and daughter, and her life seems to be pretty full and somewhat complex, but she is always on time, cheerful, and usually prepared. We laugh a lot and Amira keeps me on my toes. I will miss her when she joins a class in January.
I chuckle when I think of Amira and the typical American's view of Arab women. Amira is diminutive, usually reserved, and probably appears to them to be a down-trodden and subservient female. Nothing could be further from the truth. There is a subtle strength in her that often amazes me. Amira has a very firm backbone, and I see it many ways. When we talk and she is certain about something, she gets a small smile on her face, tilts her head a bit and tells me matter of factly what she thinks. When she comes to the conversation group, she waits her turn then speaks confidently and well, all the while with that small head turn and smile. She is a strong young woman - strong and graceful.
Amira will do well as she continues her language studies. She will raise good and strong children, and I am sure she will explore a career as well. Like so many of my students, it is so cool and so much an honor for me to intersect with her, even briefly, during this point of her trajectory. I have the best job on earth..............
Her mother-in-law did most of the talking, and I watched Amira as we chatted. She was very attentive and polite, and a noticed a determined if not slightly playful sparkle in her eyes. It has long been my custom to tutor a few students each term on my own, and I was considering offering to help Amira myself. I floated the idea past them, cautioning them that I understood the culture and I didn't want any difficulties. They both got very excited by the prospect, and Amira's mother-in-law promised me there would be no issues, that she understood what I was saying, but that she and her son wanted the best for Amira. We set up a schedule to meet twice a week until January straight away.
From the start, I have really enjoyed our time together. We meet in the open conference room in my department, and we work for an hour at a time on Tuesday and Thursday. We have a few workbooks we use, an English-Arabic picture dictionary, and lots and lots of homework. Amira has been in the States for five years and she has a decent vocabulary. Working with her is a bit challenging because she is a perfectionist and doesn't want to make any mistakes, which of course inhibits our progress a bit. Amira has a son and daughter, and her life seems to be pretty full and somewhat complex, but she is always on time, cheerful, and usually prepared. We laugh a lot and Amira keeps me on my toes. I will miss her when she joins a class in January.
I chuckle when I think of Amira and the typical American's view of Arab women. Amira is diminutive, usually reserved, and probably appears to them to be a down-trodden and subservient female. Nothing could be further from the truth. There is a subtle strength in her that often amazes me. Amira has a very firm backbone, and I see it many ways. When we talk and she is certain about something, she gets a small smile on her face, tilts her head a bit and tells me matter of factly what she thinks. When she comes to the conversation group, she waits her turn then speaks confidently and well, all the while with that small head turn and smile. She is a strong young woman - strong and graceful.
Amira will do well as she continues her language studies. She will raise good and strong children, and I am sure she will explore a career as well. Like so many of my students, it is so cool and so much an honor for me to intersect with her, even briefly, during this point of her trajectory. I have the best job on earth..............
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