Currently viewing the tag: "Carrie Wagner"

Welcome Back!

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smile, welcome back!

Oh my!  Time does fly!  Universities are starting up (or have done so already), your inbox is slammed, you’re excited and inspired…and ready for the sprint that is the fall!

Melibee has been working hard this summer to prepare some new tools and workshops to make your work (and life!) easier.  Check out the MelibeeU page periodically as new classes are being posted every week or so.

Our new re-entry exercise tool took up the bulk of our summer – and our fabulous designer is buzzing her way through it to make it gorgeous (and user friendly)!  Stay tuned on that one too!

I have several guest blog posts in the queue and a FREE new tool on ethics in study abroad that will launch later in the semester.  So much to share with you!

The Melibee speakers have also been busy  and are very excited to get out in the field to share their wisdom.  Steve Moore, our safety guru, has a new book (you can order it below):  “Special Agent Man: My Life in the FBI as a Terrorist Hunter, Helicopter Pilot and Certified Sniper.”  His book publisher is covering his travel for speaking engagements this fall, resulting in less direct costs for any bookings! Carrie Wagner is on a family sabbatical in Ecuador!  Her sons are in a local school and practicing the fine art of global citizenship as well as their new found Spanish language skills!  Carrie will be available again for speaking engagements this spring.  Will and Kane (our new speakers) taught youth spoken word workshops around the region and took their students to a national competition in California.  Aman and Bassam from 30 mosques actually stayed local this year and instead aggregated Ramadan data from around the world on their website.  Ibrahim Abdu-Matin presented at a conference in the Middle East. Things are indeed BUZZING with this outstanding group!  If you’d like to learn more about them for future speaking events, check them out here!

I am just coming off a much needed few days of vacation.  We drove to New York this past week and one of the highlights was visiting the 9/11 memorial.  My oh my, that deserves a blog post indeed!

As you buzz through the next few busy weeks, keep positive, inspired and know that YOU are helping to craft a more peaceful, thoughtful, joyful world!  Keep buzzing! :)

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Livestream Chat with Carrie Wagner – TODAY (11/10/11) at 3 pm EST

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© Carrie Wagner

Carrie Wagner will join me, LIVE, at 3 pm EST to talk about her time in Uganda with Habitat for Humanity and global citizenship.  To join us, you simply need to click on the VIDEO in the next column just shy of 3 pm EST.  Be sure to sign into the chat feature so that you can network with others on the livestream and ask Carrie questions.

Carrie is the author of “Village Wisdom:  Immersed in Uganda, Inspired by Job, Changed for Life.”  She is a teacher trainer, educator, professional photographer – and a tremendous inspiration!

NOTE: Livestream is a free service. It is free because they place an ad at the beginning of each video and sometimes a text ad at the bottom of the video. I have no control over the ad selection or frequency, so I apologize in advance. I recommend that you keep your speakers low when you first click into the video as an ad will roll!

We hope to “see you” at 3 pm!

 




The Global Ed Collaborative Conference 2011

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Are you anxious for professional development?  Are you so ridiculously busy that you can’t read all of your email?

STOP for one minute and hear me loud and clear:

You must schedule The Global Ed Collaborative Conference into your busy calendar.  MUST!

The 2011 Global Education Conference will be held November 14 – 18,  during international education week – and it is online and free. Sessions will take place in multiple time zones and multiple languages over the five days. The 2010 Global Education Conference had 15,028 unique logins and presentations from 62 countries.  Isn’t that incredible!

Educators from around the world will present on topics from global water issues, K-12 digital literacy, internationalizing the curriculum, connecting the global STEM classroom, service learning and more!

And Melibee’s own, Carrie Wagner, is one of the global keynote speakers! Carrie has had a phenominal career carrying forward what she learned during her six years in Africa.  (By the way, Carrie is helping Melibee Global kick off International Ed Week by being my guest on a free, online book club discussion on November 10th.  You can get more details here.)

International Education Week 2011 is going to be chock full of learning tools and inspiration!  I cannot wait to hear what you all glean from these wonderful free events!  Please be sure to share with Melibee readers, ok?

 




Online Global Education Book Club: “Village Wisdom”

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Melibee Global is launching its first, FREE, online book club, on November 10th at 3 pm EST. Our first book will be Carrie Wagner’s “Village Wisdom: Immersed in Uganda, Inspired by Job, Changed for Life.”

There are 3 easy steps to participate:

1) Purchase the “Village Wisdom” book and read it before November 10th.  The book has a lot of beautiful photos, so it is a faster read than you may think. Carrie is kindly offering a 30% discount off the book (PDF and ebook versions.) Use the discount code: “Melibee.” If you individually purchase the hard copy (vs. the ebook), Carrie will autograph the book for you too! (Note: Melibee does not receive any revenue from book sales.)

2) If you work at a high school, college/university or other organization, book a meeting room and make this a public event. You’ll simply need a computer, internet access, screen and someone who can type questions and comments into the chat room.  Announce this event as part of International Education Week and be sure to open it up to the local community too! High schools and colleges should feel free to partner together on this also.

3) On November 10th, just prior to 3pm, open up this webpage.  (Please note, we are using “Livestream” which means that an ad will play when you visit this website. This helps to keep this event FREE, so thanks for your understanding.  I have no control over the ads, which include a pop up ad at the bottom of the screen which you can close, but it shouldn’t be too intrusive.) Then sign into the chat space (on that same page, just right of the video) so that you can discuss the book amongst yourselves and so that you can ask Carrie questions too!

Here is a trailer for the book!  We look forward to talking with you on November 10th!

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Innovative Ideas for International Education Week 2011

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Here are Melibee’s top tips for an innovative International Education Week for 2011:

1)  Join a FREE online international book club event:  Melibee will be hosting a FREE, LIVE video book club event just prior to the start of IEW 2011! We will be reading Carrie Wagner’s “Village Wisdom.” This wonderful book documents her experience in Uganda with International Habitat for Humanity and her return to the country with her young sons many years later.  Carrie will be LIVE with us on November 10, 2011 at 3 pm to share her story and to answer questions that viewers can submit on an internet backchannel.  Schools can simply set up an internet connection with a screen in a large room and have a phone with a speaker to listen into the discussion. Meanwhile, Carrie has kindly agreed to offer a 30% discount on the book to anyone participating in this event.  The discount code is Melibee. Carrie will sign any books that are purchased through her website also! Purchase the book and we hope you’ll join us for a lively discussion about Uganda, global citizenship, service abroad and more!  Click here for more information about this event!

2) Teach peace despite pain:  This year, I would recommend “Killing in the Name.” This short documentary was nominated for an Oscar. It tells the story of a couple’s wedding that was devastated by a terrorist bombing. Despite the death of his immediate family members and friends, Ashraf Al-Khaled chose to reach out to terrorists to educate them about what they are doing “in the name.”  His journey teaches us that peace and education are the better option, despite the tragedy and pain caused by violence.

3) Play an international board game:  Have an international board game like Carrom set up in your student union!  Teach students this popular board game, which is a mix of air hockey and pool, that is commonly see in India. You can order a Carrom board here.  Here is a tutorial:

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4) Language lessons:  Offer 15 minute language lessons.  Bring your international students and returned study abroad students in to teach the basics and to wow students with new slang, sounds and vocabulary!  Find the most unique languages that are not taught on your campus and set up the lessons in rooms on the same hallway, so students can pop from one room into the next. This was a HUGELY popular suggestion from the Melibee IEW 2010 post – so give it a try!

5) International Speakers: Consider a Melibee global ed speaker! They have personally inspired me and I promise, they will have your audience putting down their smart phones while they present (the true sign of “engaging”!)  Melibee speakers present on global citizenship, diversity, the environment, Africa, service abroad, social entrepreneurship, life in the FBI, safety abroad, crossing cultures and more!  It is not too late to inquire about a speaker – there are still several dates open for bookings!  You won’t know unless you ask – and you’ll be surprised how relatively affordable they can be!  Some also offer book signings and some will speak in classrooms for free if you book them.  :)

6) Teach meditation: I recently attended a local Korean Buddhist temple and really enjoyed the meditation.  Meditation helps to focus and center you, and to make you more open.  Contact your local Buddhist temple and ask them to teach a meditation session on your campus during IEW.  Here is a directory of global Buddhist temples.

7) Global eats:  Ask your food service provider to offer a few cooking lessons from different regions of the world during IEW 2011.  In this tight economy, this is an excellent way to share culture and the international language of food!

 

 




Demystifying the Other: Tools for International Educators

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I had the pleasure of presenting at NCAIE this past week with Carrie Wagner, Author of Village Wisdom and Bonnie Parker, Study Abroad Director from UNCA.

We crafted a session that was meant to be more interactive and less power point driven, as we all have had near death experiences caused by “too much powerpoint”!

Our session was described as follows:  “Muslim”, “Israeli”, “African”, and “American” – the labels that we use to describe others come with heavy baggage and a tremendous burden. This session will provide resources that can be used in community programming and/or as part of the curriculum to create dialogue that will aid in demystifying and humanizing “the other.”

Note: The “other” in our training meant a person or culture that one did not have first hand experience with, or one that generated stereotypes due to limited first hand experience. It was meant to acknowledge that we each have limited understanding of certain people, places and cultures in this world, and as a result, we often relate to them through stereotypes. These stereotypes create a disconnect between us and “them.

That’s a lot to tackle in 75 minutes, right?  Here was our approach:

Icebreaker: This was designed to create dialogue about “the other” and to help identify our own “others” or that of our students/community. We talked about the importance of setting up a trusting environment before doing this exercise. We had four different photos and asked people to go to the one that intrigued them.  Participants were then asked to write down words that came to mind as a result of viewing the image and to discuss the image and the words. For example, a photo of two young people sitting on the side of a street with a musical instrument garnered words such as “poor” and “talented.”  Then we briefly heard from each group – why did they choose those words?

1st Exercise: We worked in small groups and each read a specific section from Carrie Wagner’s book “Village Wisdom.” The groups each identified which phase of the cultural adjustment the section of the book related to and then discussed how that particular phase contributed to how the sojourner perceived “the other.”

2nd Exercise: We watched a 12 minute clip from the film “Crossing Borders.” In this scene, the students (American and Moroccan) visit the Sidi Moumen slum and met with local Moroccan youth who live there. The film clip illustrated the several layers of “the other” – the Americans experiencing a Muslim country for the first time and a slum for the first time, the Moroccan students meeting their fellow countrymen who live in a slum, which was a new experience for them as locals.  We discussed how “the other” can be people in our own society or people half way around the world, and that often changes over time.

We also spoke about how these two educational tools can be used in schools – for example:

- Instead of a common read, have a common film experience and weave it into the curriculum.  Assess the change in world view as a result of this experience, using a tool like the BEVI.

- Use these tools in orientation, pre-departure and re-entry meetings.

- Weave these tools into an interdisciplinary course.  Push the boundaries of what the items on the list were originally intended for!

- Use these tools for STAFF training and retreats.  We need to be inspired too!

- Create a book/film club and invite students and larger community to participate.

Bonnie, Carrie and I prepared a “toolkit” that is meant to be a living document that we can always update.  What resources would you want to share for those interested in exploring “the other” further?  How can the resource be used?

Free Download: Demystifying the Other Toolkit (PDF, 53.5kb)

Training at NCAIE was very rewarding.  I love to interact with my colleagues and I always learn from each group. I hope that this little training module will inspire you to demystify “the other” on your campus and in your community.




Interview with Carrie Wagner, Author of Village Wisdom (Part 2)

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Here is part 2 of my interview with Carrie Wagner, Author of the book “Village Wisdom:  Immersed in Uganda, Inspired by Job, Changed for Life”. This part of the interview only has one question! (Not to fear – part 3 will follow eventually!) Carrie’s response to this question warrants the spotlight. You have my permission to use this clip as a tool for those who are planning to serve abroad and those who have returned from such an experience. Carrie’s words about what “life changing” REALLY means and “the beauty of a global citizen’s no man’s land” will resonate with anyone who has served or lived abroad.

Carrie is available to facilitate a thought provoking workshop on global citizenship. Here is a description:

This 3-hour workshop is designed for those who are serious about global engagement. Prior international experience is helpful but not required. Prerequisites include a heart for service and a desire to be a life-long learner.  Through this hands-on workshop participants will 1) discuss the complexities of crossing cultures and international development work, 2) identify their own learning style and begin seeking opportunities which stimulate personal growth and 3) begin to explore their own path to global citizenship, utilizing intuition, connections and personal goals.

Feel free to contact me at info@melibeeglobal.com if you’d like to learn more about how Carrie can share her “Village Wisdom” and workshop with you and your organization.

(For those of you who missed it, here is part 1 of my interview with Carrie Wagner.)




Melibee Global Update

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Coming up on Melibee Global:

*  Part 2 of Carrie Wagner’s interview.  Carrie is the author of Village Wisdom.  (Here is part 1 for those who haven’t seen it yet.)

*  Commentary on the Amanda Knox case.  A controversial movie about the case will air on Monday, February 21st on Lifetime channel in the US.  It will also be followed by a documentary about the case.  I’ll once again explore how this impacts study abroad.

*  “To fee or not to fee – THAT is the question”:  I’m considering writing about this hotly debated issue.

*  Announcement about a new international speaker – stay tuned!

*  A guest blog about diversity in international education.

*  Blog to reflect on the 30 mosques presentation.  I spoke with some students who saw the presentation and it makes me want to attack the keyboard with their feedback!

Please feel free to email me at info@melibeeglobal.com or to comment on this post (you do not need to register) to tell me what you’re interested in hearing more (or less) about.  As always, I am open to reviewing guest blog postings, so feel free to email to discuss.

Have a great week everyone, wherever you are in the world!




Interview with Carrie Wagner, Author of Village Wisdom (Part 1)

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Photo by Carrie Wagner

I didn’t realize, until I met Carrie Wagner to interview her about her book “Village Wisdom:  Immersed in Uganda, Inspired by Job, Changed for Life,” that I have been following Carrie’s international career for nearly two decades. While Carrie was in Uganda, I was a graduate intern in Lugano, Switzerland along with Carrie’s childhood friend, Bonnie. Bonnie received Carrie’s letters and shared stories about her friend in Uganda with Habitat for Humanity International. Nineteen years later, as I sat down to conduct this interview with Carrie, I felt that I was meeting an old friend.

Carrie’s book is exquisite. It is chock full of photos, letters and journal entries from her three years in Uganda. The book also includes vibrant photos from a recent trip back to the village. She and her husband Bob (who served in Uganda with her) traveled back last year with their two young sons, who are just beginning to carve their own paths as global citizens.

As I read about the personal transformation that took place during her three years abroad and the years that followed, the hurdles she and Bob faced in Uganda, the challenges within the community, the cultural learning, the beauty of the people she befriended and the inspiration of her friend and colleague Job, I literally wept.  It was hard not to well up as I told Carrie how much her book and her friend and colleague, Job, inspired me.

Needless to say, it is with heartfelt pleasure that I introduce you to Carrie Wagner – author, photographer, trainer, speaker, educator – as well as mother, wife, daughter, Christian and more!  (Please note that this interview was a very authentic conversation between two very passionate educators – and like great conversations, it was not short! This video interview is part 1 of 3.  Parts 2 and 3 will follow soon!)

You can purchase Carrie’s book here. (A portion of the proceeds go to Job’s village in Uganda.) It is an incredibly honest book. She does not provide a flowery cushion through the tough parts of her experience; they are graphic and very real.  And because of that, her book and journey are that much more meaningful and inspiring.

I am honored that Carrie has agreed to join the Melibee Global speaker series.  Please read more about her workshop here and contact me if you’d like information about how to book her.  And please stay tuned for parts 2 and 3 of Carrie’s interview – they’re coming soon!