I had my first day of teaching in two classes: Theories of International Relations (a first year course) and US Foreign Policy (2nd adn 3rd years). The theories class was very lively indeed and just plain fun. The students in AFP were a little reluctant to participate at first, but did so and did well. Clearly they have learned quite a bit from their first year classes. My IMLI students are all lawyers and practicing either private or public maritime law and quite a fascinating group. I think all three sets of students will keep me on my toes...and in a few weeks I'll pick up some 3rd year Intl Law students. I've been away from teaching for a while and wasn't sure how I'd do. But, all looks pretty good so far. I'm going to learn so much from them.
IMLI took some pictures, so they will appear eventually, though pictures of teaching are odd things.
Mary
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Reflection 2
Some things that appear to be different from home:
a) people just about never eat alone--they are very gregarious. Restaurants hardly know what to do with me.
b) dog doo and trash is everywhere; people throw stuff from cars.
c) national holidays are associated with specific political parties.
d) outsides often look modest; insides of places are great.
e) homes seem to have many framed paintings or sketches on the wall.
f) most doors are closed at school and students have to knock and queue up--even for dept offices. It might be in honor of air conditioning, the high number of part-timers, or the fact that classes really haven't started. So, I must wait to further evaluate this observation. LATER-- Classes started and mine is the only open door when I don’t have air conditioning on. I was locked in last night. Fortunately someone in another building was around and called security for me (I didn’t have the number, but I’ll get it for future reference). For some reason I am not authorized for a building key. That is not all bad-- zero chance I’ll be tempted to go to the office in the evenings or on weekends.
g) students do not engage in extracurricular activities much (hypothesis: they spend time with family and friends if they have time).
h) quite a few young adults seem to live with parents until they marry--even into the late 20s. But this is increasingly common in the US.
i) university education is tuition-free and students even get small stipends for living and books. This does not increase their desire to study (smile).
j) generally speaking [N=9], food is excellent in restaurants, but wine matching has yet to catch up with the food. In Houghton, the same could be said about wine matching, but only a few of the restaurants in town match what I'm finding here on the food count.
k) the drinking age is 16; the driving age is 18. I used that comparison in discussing jurisdiction in international law—states can prescribe rules and apply them to anyone in their territory. My IMLI students asked if the US embassy in Malta would serve drinks to a 17 year old. I said I didn’t know, but I seriously doubted it. Fun question.
l) Maltese are known for their tax evasion.
Things that seem similar
a) family matters
b) there is a serious lack of signage (Michigan Tech only recently fixed this, I still get lost driving at home now and then on back roads)
c) the local beer is good
d) food costs are very similar to Houghton (but the fruits and veggies are much more wonderful here)
e) everyone is friendly and helpful--I have even managed to get help from the bus drivers (who are known for in-your-face gruffness). People have been overwhelmingly generous with their time and help to me. Tech is very friendly, too.
f) people love dogs
g) there is a lot of entrepreneurial behavior..but it "feels" different, somehow, from home. Perhaps I'll do a reflection on it in a few months.
h) faith matters (Malta is virtually all Catholic--there was a mass at the opening of the public university, a point that should go up in the different category)
a) people just about never eat alone--they are very gregarious. Restaurants hardly know what to do with me.
b) dog doo and trash is everywhere; people throw stuff from cars.
c) national holidays are associated with specific political parties.
d) outsides often look modest; insides of places are great.
e) homes seem to have many framed paintings or sketches on the wall.
f) most doors are closed at school and students have to knock and queue up--even for dept offices. It might be in honor of air conditioning, the high number of part-timers, or the fact that classes really haven't started. So, I must wait to further evaluate this observation. LATER-- Classes started and mine is the only open door when I don’t have air conditioning on. I was locked in last night. Fortunately someone in another building was around and called security for me (I didn’t have the number, but I’ll get it for future reference). For some reason I am not authorized for a building key. That is not all bad-- zero chance I’ll be tempted to go to the office in the evenings or on weekends.
g) students do not engage in extracurricular activities much (hypothesis: they spend time with family and friends if they have time).
h) quite a few young adults seem to live with parents until they marry--even into the late 20s. But this is increasingly common in the US.
i) university education is tuition-free and students even get small stipends for living and books. This does not increase their desire to study (smile).
j) generally speaking [N=9], food is excellent in restaurants, but wine matching has yet to catch up with the food. In Houghton, the same could be said about wine matching, but only a few of the restaurants in town match what I'm finding here on the food count.
k) the drinking age is 16; the driving age is 18. I used that comparison in discussing jurisdiction in international law—states can prescribe rules and apply them to anyone in their territory. My IMLI students asked if the US embassy in Malta would serve drinks to a 17 year old. I said I didn’t know, but I seriously doubted it. Fun question.
l) Maltese are known for their tax evasion.
Things that seem similar
a) family matters
b) there is a serious lack of signage (Michigan Tech only recently fixed this, I still get lost driving at home now and then on back roads)
c) the local beer is good
d) food costs are very similar to Houghton (but the fruits and veggies are much more wonderful here)
e) everyone is friendly and helpful--I have even managed to get help from the bus drivers (who are known for in-your-face gruffness). People have been overwhelmingly generous with their time and help to me. Tech is very friendly, too.
f) people love dogs
g) there is a lot of entrepreneurial behavior..but it "feels" different, somehow, from home. Perhaps I'll do a reflection on it in a few months.
h) faith matters (Malta is virtually all Catholic--there was a mass at the opening of the public university, a point that should go up in the different category)
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Lunch at the US Ambassador's Residence
The US Embassy helps new Fulbrights meet people by hosting a lunch in their honor. Mine was this past Wed and quite lovely.
US Ambassador to Malta, Molly Bordonaro hosted it at the Ambassador's Residence. I met people from both political parties, the university and the Embassy. Mrs. Bordonaro was active in President Bush's election campaign, thus she is what we would call a political appointee. Fortunately for the United States and for Malta, she is doing a wonderful job. I have had people simply bring her up in conversation, because they are so impressed with her. "She is the best US Ambassador we've had in many, many years" is the sort of thing I've heard. I can see why. She is young, energetic, diplomatic and savvy. Here is the photo of the two of us.
Monday, October 1, 2007
Dry Dock Valletta
The harbor has considerable capacity to repair ships. So, in honor of my husband, who is the busines manager for the Society for Industrial Archeology,...here are a couple of photos.
Water Taxi
The water taxi was great fun. We piled in planning to spend a Lira each for a trip over to Valletta, but he proposed one lira more for a tour of all five fingers of the harbor. We took it and it was so fun. The boat in Maltese was called the Little Trouble. All boats, as they say, are a hole in the water into which you pour money, but the captain of this lilttle craft clearly took great pride in his boat. If some of the views look familar...the movie Gladiator was fillmed here in part.
Inquisitor's Palace
Zoe and her sister, Doris, took me out sightseeing today. We went to the Inquisitor's Palace, the Maritime Museum, on a water taxi, and to the St. John's co-Cathedral in Valletta. According to our guide (a former student of Paul's in Anthropology, who I met at a party last week), the Inquisition in Malta was not like the one in Spain. In two hundred years, only 4 people were executed (a better record than for the State of Texas!). But there were cells. Still, it was interesting to see the place, which the Maltese hope to turn into a museum about religion on the Island. I was interested to learn how some English Quakers were held in the palace in the 1700s for three years before being released. Photos are from the garden.
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