THIMUN Experience

Juniors in The Hague
Aya Kordy

This year, ten students in the Model United Nations (MUN) class represented Andorra in the Hague International Model United Nations Conference (THIMUN). It was held in The Hague, Netherlands, from the 26th to the 30th of January. Ingy Fahmy, Aya Kordy, Saad Attia, Shereen El Khazendar, Marina Guirguis, Hanna El Amrawi, Farah Kashwa, Arnab Chaudhuri, Nada Abou-Gad and Nikhil Krishnan were the delegates of Andorra along with their advisor, Mr. Mike Collins.

About 3500 Delegates from all around the world negotiated various issues from establishing peace in the Middle East to human rights issues all over the world. Students believed that even though the debates were lengthy, they were still very enlightening.

Delegates were divided into ten different committees where they had the opportunity to debate and submit amendments as well as resolutions. Students engaged in informative discussions that are very similar to those held in the United Nations.

On the other hand, students also had the opportunity to go shopping, clubbing and even exploring the wonderful city of Amsterdam. "It was a once in a life time opportunity that is for sure!", explained Farah Kashwa.

The Cosmopolitan Man

Andre Aciman Remembers Luxuriant Alexandria

Heba El Sahn

Following the devastating incidents of 9/11, many relationships among different groups of people became strained. Nowadays, the concepts of multiculturalism and tolerance are missed on a daily basis. These concepts were readily grasped long ago by a student attending Schutz from the years 1962-1964. This student was fluent in English, French, Italian, Arabic and knew a little Hebrew and Armenian as well. This one very diverse student is Andre Aciman.

Andre Aciman was born in Alexandria and raised in Egypt, Italy, and France. He attended Schutz for a period of two years. He loved the school since it had a more friendly and relaxed environment that was unlike his previous school, Victoria College. The school was a haven for him, guarding him away from the rising nationalism and anti-Semitism that was taking place outside of Egypt. Aciman writes about his time in Alexanria in his acclaimed memoir, Out of Egypt, (available in our school library). He explains that his family was exiled from Turkey during the early 1900s, and so they came to cosmopolitan Alexandria.

The city, at that time, was truly luxuriant and multicultural containing many different ethnic groups. Then, this era was followed by the rule of Gamal Abd El Nasser and his overly patriotic regime. Under his command, the Egyptian government was determined to clear the land from Jews and Westerners. This motive was of course due to the unstable politics back then and the impending Six Days War. Since Aciman’s family members ware both Jewish and European, they decided to leave.

The memoir delves in deep details about the writer’s life and introduces the reader to his extremely interesting and unusual family. He narrates about his notorious Uncle Vili, who was a spy for the Italian army in the Second World War and then switched to spy for the British halfway through, and of his two grandmothers (the Saint and the Princess) who gossip in six languages. The reader feels the strong love the author has for his mother, even though he feared people seeing them together in public. She was deaf and her loud, open outbreaks in the middle of the street caused people to sneer at the Jewish tarsha. Aciman’s aunt’s husband was a very close friend with King Farouk and with the coup d’etat that took place in Egypt, the family found itself in peril too. Their strong connections were no longer protecting them as much as they used too. They faced financial and social problems. The Arabs, who were viewed by the Europeans as being inferior to them, were gaining power and control of their own land. The government feared that any Westerner might betray Egypt by providing information to the enemy and so decided to force them out. Andre Aciman truly enjoyed his time in Alexandria and only left because he had to and not because he wanted to.

Aciman then led a successful career. He received an M.A. and Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from Harvard University and a B.A. in English and Comparative Literature from Lehman College. He taught in Bard College and Princeton University. He specializes in sixteenth and seventeenth century literature; and he is the author of three novels and is he co-author of two others. Right now, he teaches Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center in New York City. Aciman lived a while in many parts of the world. From Egypt to Italy to France to the US. He states in many of his writings that this got him to feel out of place and not really having a place that he calls home. If it were not for these profound events in his life, Andre Aciman probably would not have held this diverse and understanding world-view. If it were not for him leaving Alexandria and living in many parts of the world, he would not have been the truly cosmopolitan man he is today.

The Arabic Connection

Wessam Hamza Critically Assesses the Schutz Students

Mahmoud Ben Halim

Mr. Wessam Hassan Hamza is Schutz’s new gift. Mr. Wessam’s home town is Alexandria. He majored in Arabic Language at the Alexandria University. Mr. Wessam always wanted to teach the Arabic language. He thinks he is talented at it and knows all the tricks to teaching it well to students.

Before Mr. Wessam joined Schutz American School, he was teaching at the American School of Alexandria (ASA). What inspired Mr. Wessam to come and teach at Schutz is the fact that there is a good system in the school. Mr. Wessam thinks that at Schutz everything is organized, and that everyone knows their job well. He finds that the most interesting part of his career is dealing with students who think and act differently. Sometimes, he sees difficulty in dealing with students who just do not care about learning and want to fool around all the time.

When asked about Schutz students overall, Mr. Wessam said that he would like to see Schutz students become more responsible. Howver, Mr. Wessam thinks that the Schutz students are really kind deep inside. This is manifested through their participation in community service activities.

He recently coached the Varsity Basketball Girls team. He evakuated the experience as very interesting, and he has truly enjoyed the tournament that was held in Oman.

Keeping Our Options Open

Schutz Seniors Are Doubting Egyptian Education

Heba El Sahn

College applications deadlines are closing in on Schutz seniors from every side. The seniors are hurrying up and doing their best to send the requirements on time. It is interesting, however, to notice how nine out of thirteen seniors are considering colleges abroad. The other four students are not applying out of Egypt mostly because their parents are not supportive of the idea; but if given the chance, they say, they would rather pursue their education outside their home country. This raises the question of whether Schutz truly empowers the students to pursue the best education they can get, or does it make the students simply feel doubtful of Egypt’s educational system?

It goes without question that the United States contains some of the best universities in the world, but when a senior considers going to a college over there, he or she needs also to consider what is being left behind. The students’ families, their main support system, will be at an extremely long distance from them. They will also have to leave their childhood friends behind. This can play a crucial factor in their academic and social lives. These students might face a decrease in their grades. They may also suffer home sickness and depression.

It is very exciting to imagine living as an independent student. It is equally as formidable to speculate how one will manage one’s life completely solo. There will come a time when even the most fearless student will have a moment doubting his own decision-making and wonder: was it all worth it?

The main motive that pushed most of these students to go after their education in a foreign country is because they believe that there are no good colleges in Egypt. This belief is in many ways inaccurate. The former UN Secretary General Boutros-Boutros Ghali graduated from the University of Cairo. The Nobel-prize winner Ahmad Zewail spent his college years in the University of Alexandria. Also, the renowned American University in Cairo has among its alumni Egypt’s first Lady, Suzanne Mubarak and Queen Rania of Jordan. All of these highly respectable people were educated in our institutions, on Egyptian soil, so are there really no good colleges in Egypt?

A student needs to reconsider his or her options. Schutz seniors should not automatically scratch off all possibilities of learning in Egypt. The choice of a college should be based on the quality of education and personal goals and capabilities. Students should not cosider applying to a college to imitate someone else; they should rather follow their own aspirations. In the meantine, they need to be realistic about their abilities to meeting challenges. So, a piece of advice to all students: keep your options open.

Sending Their Message through Satellite

Preaching the Middle Way

Malak Kira

For the past years, Muslims have thought of Islam as either black or white; a split of either mad religious fanatics who isolate themselves from the rest of the world, or the secularits who want to undermine the role of religion. Now, a new generation of preachers has arisen in the Arab world preaching the middle path. Ahmad El Shugairi, Moez Masoud, and others like them are promoting a moderate and inclusive strain of Islam.

These preachers live in the West. Nevertheless, they think of the Quran as a modern ethical guide. They appeal to the people because they explain to them their own struggle with the issues of decadence and extreme faith. They suggest a way to reunite a world completely divided between East and West, pleasure and duty, the strictness of the mosque and the limitless freedom of the twenty-first century. Their moderate message is the best way to fight extremism, advocating that thinking moderately is the track to follow. They prove to the people that Islam is not about living in caves and being isolated from the world, but it is rather about being broadminded and contemporary. They inspire the people to identify with their religion instead of clashing with it. They also reassure the young generation that there is no conflict between modern life and religion.

Over the past decade, the number of satellite channels committed entirely to religion has increased from one to 30 channels. Preachers in these channels have succeeded in persuading the young generation to search for their religious identity and not become totally separated from both politics and the traditional religious beliefs.

The proliferation of Internet sites and Facebook groups has alo helped spreading the message of the new generation of "satellite sheikhs" across the Arab world. They appeal especially to the young generation because they share the same mind and education as they do. They share their experience and explain to the youth what drove them to Islam. These preachers explain to them how they can live their lives, retain their independence, and at the same time be good Muslims.

They believe that "Islam’s greatest strength comes from its diversity and its openness to new ways of thinking". It is very important to have role models like these preachers share their experiences with the Arab youth and lead them on the right track. They preach moderation, and prove that religion is not static. As the world changes, we change and so do our interpretations of religious tradition.

Ask Mahmoud

Mahmoud Ben Halim

From: Anonymous
Q: Hey, I am a student in grade 9. I studied really hard for my semester finals and did not do that well. I feel bad, and I feel that this semester will affect my college future. What should I do?
A: First of all, I would like to tell you that you should not think that way at all. The past is the past, think of the future. If you think of your past you cannot change it. I would suggest moving on. Another thing, do not be pessimistic, always be optimistic, meaning think of the good things. Thinking of why you did badly will influence or may influence how you do on future finals. One semester will not influence your college future. You are still in grade 9, think of how many more finals you will take, it is not the end of the world. Just think positive, be positive, and expect positive things to come.

From: Staff Member
Q: How do you think we should manage speaking Arabic on campus? This is becoming a great problem in and outside of class?
A: This is a hard one. Speaking from a student’s point of view, I think it is even hard for me to speak English all the time. I think you are right. The problem is there but the solution is hard since most of the students on campus are Egyptian, and they are used to speaking Arabic outside of school. I think a good way to solve this issue is to think of a way that will strongly affect the people speaking Arabic as a whole. For instance, if you have detentions this will not solve the problem; some people do not care to sit after school for an hour. They would rather do that then get points deducted from their grades. I think students in Schutz are grade-oriented, and they hate it when their grades get affected or drop at all.

I think teachers in class should warn the student who speaks Arabic then send him out after he has been warned. Sending the student out not only will limit him from learning the lesson being taught but will cost him a penalty of 5 points.This means that if he gets kicked out twice, he loses one percent of his final grade. That takes care of the issue in class. Outside of class, I have no solution since teachers can not monitor speaking Arabic. I think the teacher has the right in class but outside of class in breaks and lunch, it is the student’s choice.

From: Anonymous
Q: Hey, I like this girl for a long time but every time I approach her I think that she tries to avoid me and does not feel the same way towards me. I try to talk to her all the time but it does not work .What should I do?
A: I think you should stop chasing her for a while. Take time and think of yourself before thinking of her. Think of your character. Do you do certain things around her or around people that make you look bad? Do you chase her too much? Another thing to think about is your appearance. It might not be as important as your character, but girls care about how you look. Try to stay fit. Wear elegant clothes and have your own style. If you chase her too much it will make things worse. Girls do not like guys giving them too much attention; it ruins the fun and mystery of relationships. Just stand back, think about how you should change, and let her notice you. But do not chase her twenty four seven. That is not how it works.

A New Phenomenon in the Language of Communication

Shoe Throwing Becomes a Common Action Around the World

Alaa El Damaty

It has become a trend for people to communicate their views and opinions with shoe throwing. What has led those people to commit such aggressive actions?

In Iraq, during a conference, as George Bush was making his farewell visit, an Iraqi journalist, Muntadhar al-Zaidi, decided to throw both his shoes at the U.S President.

In the Egyptian Parliament, when Ashraf Badr, a Muslim Brotherhood (MB) Parliament member, disagreed with what was being said, he attempted to throw his shoe at Hassan Nashaat, a National Democratic Party (NDP) Parliament member.

In Iraq, President Bush was visiting to celebrate the conclusion of the Security Pact, which extended the stay of the US troops in Iraq until December 31, 2011. During the speech, President Bush was expressing his assurance that the extension in Iraq will help to bring more democracy and freedom in the region. In contrast, Al-Zaidi believes that the United States’ intervention has not brought democracy but has "killed the Iraqis!" He could not bear the idea that the US has got three more years to stay in Iraq. What really pushed him to throw his shoes was that, at that moment, George Bush was noting how progressive the stay in Iraq was for the Iraqis, which to the journalist, was a complete twist of reality. The journalist was arrested and sentenced four years of prison.

In the Egyptian Parliament, tensions arose when a debate between Ashraf Badr and Hassan Nashaat about the situation in Gaza escalated out of proportion. When the National Democratic Party (NDP) member accused the Muslim Brotherhs (MB) of working for the benefit of the enemies of Egypt and called them traitors, rage prompted Badr to throw his shoe at Nashaat. Badr was later heard to say, "The traitors are those who close the Rafah border and export gas to Israel." The MB member was suspended from Parliament until the next session in November and was referred to the Ethics Committee for further interrogation.

It is evident that all of the shoe throwing cases happened because of pure frustration. It is probable that in each case, all other methods of communication were exhausted before the people opted for the frustrated action of shoe-throwing. In Iraq, the frustrated journalist has been expressing his views about the U.S. intervention in Iraq in Al-Baghdadiya News Channel time and time again, but no changes took place. His anger about the unchanged status quo pushed him to throw his shoe at Bush, whom he believed to be responsible for the crisis in Iraq. In Egypt, the MB member has been constantly attacked because he represents the opposition. He attempted many times to express himself in the Parliament, but his views were often undermined just because he belongs to the Muslm Brothers. With all of this built-up frustration, when he was called a traitor, he also decided to express his anger by attempting to throw his shoe at Hassan Nashaat.

Observers think that shoe throwing has become the new trend of expressing frustration in different parts of the world. Therefore, they urge diplomats to recognize this problem and deal with it.

A Message from the Past

Remembering the Class of 2008

Youssef Talaat

After students graduate, it is hard for them to keep in touch with everyone back at school. Students go their separate ways, and their memories are blurred with passing time. It is important to find out how the Schutz graduates are adapting to college and what they miss about Schutz. For this reason, we decided to contact the entire Schutz class of 2008 to learn more about their college lives.

Currently, more than 70 % of the class of 2008 is studying abroad. Suraj Baadkar is studying Computer Engineering at Pune Institute of Computer Technology in India. Laila Afifi is studying Management, and Hannia Zanana is studying Management/ International Business at Royal Holloway University of London. Tatiana Shehfe is studying Marketing/Psychology & Communications at Richmond American University in the UK. Karim Sayegh is studying Medicine at Ruprecht-Karl-Universitae in Germany. At the Untied States, Seif El Attal is studying Manufacturing Engineering at Boston University, and Wael Leheta is studying Industrial Engineering at Northeastern University. Tarek Talaat is studying Architecture at Boston Architectural College. Over in New York, Omar Zahran is studying Marketing Management at Pace University. Kara Newell is studying Elementary Education at Elon University in North Carolina. In the West Coast of the United States, Nour Kotb is studying Marketing at Concordia University. In Canada, Kartikya Pareek is studying Environmental Engineering at Carleton University and Seif Zahran is studying Business Management at Concordia University.

At the American University in Cairo, Shereen Hassan is studying Biology/Pre-Med, and Ali Seif is studying Construction Engineering. Karine Aziz and Gelan Badr are both studying Industrial Engineering at the Arab Academy for Science and Technology in Alexandria. Roba Mahfouz is studying Economics/Management at the Alexandria-based branch of the London School of Economics. Tarek Ibrahim, who was ranked at the top of the class, joined the German military and had to defer university for one year.

When asked, the majority of the class said that they are adapting very well to college life. At first, some of them had trouble adapting to such a new and unknown environment, but once they got used to it and started making friends, it became better. One student, Laila Afifi, commented, "College life is great, very different from the bubble we used to live in. At first, it is difficult, but once the second term gets going, it gets a lot easier." Those who went to Europe and the U.S. had mixed feelings about the cold weather: some liked it and some did not. Overall, the class of 2008 is adapting very well to college especially in the second semester.

Most students miss the same thing about Schutz: the intimacy. They miss the closeness and familiarity of the Schutz family. They also miss the student-teacher relations at Schutz; very few professors know each of their students personally. Suraj Baadkar said, "The thing I miss about Schutz is the family environment we have on campus."

The environment at school is friendlier than the environment at college, and that is why most students had a hard time adapting socially to college life. Wael Leheta explained, "There are so many people in college that there is no way you can know everybody like we did at school." Most members of the 2008 class also miss the extra-curricular activities at Schutz, such as EMAC and ISAC tournaments, Sports Day, and Spirit Weeks.

The class of 2008 would like to thank the Schutz family for fully preparing them to meet the many challenges that come with college.