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July 2010 issue of the El Djazair Alumni Newsletter is now available for you to read. News Alumni stories and Embassy's activities featured in this edition, special attention is to be paid to the EducationUSA Opportunity and more stories about our Essay contest winners. Enjoy it!
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took advantage of being a Fulbright
scholar and also a Wellesley student and tried to attend all the lectures, cultural events, receptions. I still
cannot believe that I met some people who I had only heard of such as Madeleine Albright, Noam Chom-
sky, Chinua Achebe and much more.
Wellesley College is also very near to Harvard University and MIT so I
had the chance to make very smart acquaintances! In a nutshell, with all the good and bad moments I lived, I am very satis-
fied with my American experience and very enthusiastic to share the little knowledge I brought from
there with my community. I really hope I was an effective FLTA and gave the American students as much
as I learned from them.
I have always dreamed of visiting the US.A. but never imagined that
one day I will be both teaching and studying in one of the best Liberal
Art College in the US, Wellesley
College. I was extremely blessed when I was selected to be an Alge-rian ambassador in such an amazing
place. My experience as an FLTA started in the summer orientation which took place in wonderful
Egypt. There, I met other FLTA’s from different Arab countries, for a start it was very informative because
I had to know about the different dialects and traditions of the Arab countries; I also liked the meetings
where I met some important profes-sors and personalities who shared their experiences with us.
We had another orientation
session, after our arrival in the USA, Mine was at Syracuse University.
That orientation was more diverse than the previous one since there were FLTA’s from all over the world intending to teach various
languages. I also met other impor-tant people and attended very re-warding lectures. The International
Institute for Education (IIE) staff was very kind and generous to us. They answered all our questions and
concerns and did their best to make
our experience the most comfort-able one.
To be honest, my first day at Wellesley College was not that
great. I was a bit disappointed
maybe because I had very high ex-pectations. When my host family dropped me there, I felt really lonely
and I did not like the place at all. Though it is very beautiful and does look like a little paradise. It is also a very quiet place and a bit isolated
from the city. However, when the classes started, I got very busy with my teaching duties and the classes I
took. I had very nice colleagues who gave me precious help during my stay. I also made a lot of American
and international friends who made my journey the most agreeable one. Being an FLTA helped me improve
my teaching skills and also over-
come many weaknesses that I used to have in the past. The classes I
took also had a great impact on my personality. They opened my eyes to different realities that I ignored. I felt really at ease speaking my mind
and did not face any problem being an Arab and Muslim student. On the contrary, in all the classes I took, all
my classmates and teachers were eager to hear my point of view concerning the different matters we
were discussing in class. In fact, I
Being FLTA
Fulbright Language Teaching Assistant (FLTA) The Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (FLTA) Program
enables young educators to refine their teaching skills, increase their English language proficiency and
extend their knowledge of the cul-tures and customs of the United States while engaging in non-degree
studies at accredited post-secondary U.S. educational institutions. Along with their studies, FLTAs teach language courses, supervise language
labs and lead language table discus-
sions. FLTAs may serve as an in-structor of a foreign language class
or have a purely teaching assistant role. FLTAs may also act as re-source persons in conversation
groups, cultural representatives, attendants in language laboratories, coordinators of extra-curricular
activities, guest speakers in civiliza-tion courses, head's of language clubs, houses, tables and much more.
Many institutions request FLTAs
who have an interest and ability to live in small towns or are adaptable
to living in rural areas, and who are outgoing and energetic representa-tives of their culture and language.
Most of all, host institutions look for candidates who demonstrate flexi-bility and a willingness to learn.
flta.fulbrightonline.org
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
July 2010 Volume I, Issue 8
El-Djazair Alumni Newsletter
Inside this issue:
Being FLTA 1
ACCESS To
Alumni
2
Featuring
Nadia
3
ACCESS
Teachers’
Retreat
3
EducationUSA
Opportunity
3
Los Angeles
Dairies
4
Latifa Krachai in D.C.
The ACCESS To Alumni
in Algiers and Mr. Lawrence
Randolph, Public Affairs Offi-
cers, who were both happy to
present the ACCESS students
from these cities with their
certificates in their respective
schools.
More to come The graduation ceremonies are
still running as other cities are
concerned, Batna, Constantine,
Oran, Bechar and Bejaia. Stu-dents in these cities will also
receive the visit of U.S. Em-
bassy representatives to re-
ceive their certificates and
celebrate with them the end of
this beautiful experience.
What now? Completing the ACCESS pro-
gram is not the end but the
beginning of a new experience.
As any other students who
have taken part in a U.S. Gov-
ernment sponsored programs,
all graduates are considered to
be Alumni and so they get into
another world of opportunities,
spreading the positive aspects
of the program in their com-
munity, accessing to new chal-
lenges by sharing their experi-
ence and through registering in
STATE ALUMNI, be part of
a greater community of Alumni
from all over the world.
Congratulation then to all of
our ACCESS students and
welcome into the Alumni com-
munity.
A.B
The U.S. Embassy in Algiers
launched, on June and July
2010, the ACCESS program
graduation ceremonies which
started in Ouaragla. After two
years of bi-weekly classes, stu-
dents from different part of
Algeria graduated and were
rewarded with certificates de-
livered to them by U.S. Gov-
ernment representatives. The ACCESS program, one of
the most important U.S. Gov-
ernment sponsored programs,
is directed to young high
school students from disadvan-
taged areas and is a program
that was created to give these
students access to English
learning, American culture and
diversity. The program allows them, not
only to improve their English,
but also to develop other ac-
tivities, mostly extracurricular ones, some in poetry, music
and other cultural directed
project such as writing short
stories, discussing movies or
books, all activities that enabled
them to develop sharing their
ideas, thoughts and community
projects. ACCESS students from
Ouaragla and Algiers had the
privilege to be the first, as they
received the visits of H.E.
David Pearce, U.S. Ambassador
“Completing the
ACCESS
program is not
the end but the
beginning of a
new
experience”.
Page 2 El-Djazair Alumni Newsletter
ACCESS Graduates from Algiers
H.E. David Pearce, U.S. Ambassador in Algeria Presenting some
of the ACCESS Students from Ouragla with their Certificates.
PAO, Lawrence Randolph with an ACCESS Graduate from Algiers.
Degree: B.S.
Business Administration An international student from Algeria,
Nadia lives in the campus dorms. She has many hobbies like playing and
watching soccer games. She also enjoys watching NBA playoffs, reading novels,
the outdoors, and trying different kinds of food.
The Campus Slate: What are your career plans after graduation?
Logab: I intend to find a job in a marketing agency. I’ve been inter-
viewed several times and I haven’t decided which job to choose yet be-
cause all of them are offering entry level jobs with little pay. I think maybe
it is because I don’t have experience and I’m an international student.
Slate: What have you accomplished
throughout your time at NYIT? Logab: I only spent one year at
NYIT. I’m a transfer student from Algeria. I enjoyed going on a trip to
Europe (Brussels, Amsterdam, and France), an opportunity offered by the
Department of Management. It was really a beneficial experience in terms
of being exposed to different cultures through this program.
Slate: Where do you see yourself in five to ten years as far as your career concerned?
Logab: I’ll probably do my graduate school in diplomacy and international
relations. I’ll move to another state to pursue a good graduate school like
Tufts University in Boston. I heard it offers that program and it’s rated one
of the best graduate schools.
Slate: What are your most memora-
ble moments at NYIT? Logab: I really enjoyed that trip to
Europe. It was a lot of fun. Even though when the volcano erupted and flights
were canceled, I thought we weren’t going to travel. But then everything
worked out and we went on the trip. Slate: What is your ultimate career
goal after graduation? Logab: Becoming an ambassador of
Algeria in the United States or any other country. If not, I would like to
work in the UN.
TheCampusSlate.com
zold facilitated the workshop and
led most of the training ses-
sions. The workshop was held at
the Muslim Scout Camp Sidi
Fredj.
Participants shared best prac-
tices and lessons learned from
current Access programs. The
RELO also led a session on how
to write a good proposal for
those interested in the Access
Program. DCM William Jordan
greeted the participants on their
first day and stressed the impor-
tance of the Access Program for
both Algeria and the U.S. Pet-
zold emphasized that the spirit of
The Public Affairs Section at
the U.S. Embassy in Algiers coor-
dinated Algeria’s first English
Access Teachers’ Work-
shop. Held from June 22-25, the
workshop focused on classroom
dynamics, summer enhancement
activities, use of information
technology, writing, and drama
and public speaking in the class-
room. More than seventy teach-
ers from more than ten differ-
ent wilayas attended the re-
treat. PAS opened the workshop
to current and potential Access
teachers. Regional English Lan-
guage Officer (RELO) Ruth Pet-
the program is key and allowed
current Access teachers to talk
about the “Access differ-
ence.”
Currently there are eight
Access schools in Alge-
ria. Through funding from a
MEPI, PAS just posted a request
for proposals for new Access
schools. Those interested in
running an Access program have
until July 30 to submit their pro-
posals.
Featuring Nadia
First ACCESS Teachers Workshop
Page 3 Volume 1, Issue 8
RELO, Ruth Petzold
(middle), With Algerian Access Teachers.
Nadia Logab
EducationUSA Opportunity: Funding to Help You Take the Next Step Toward Study in
the U.S.!
Opportunity is an EducationUSA
initiative to support talented
international students who may
need financial assistance to take
the next steps toward studying in
the United States at an accred-
ited institution of higher learning. These grants are available now to
help cover the upfront costs of
seeking higher education in the
U.S., and are part of Educa-
tionUSA’s broad range of assis-
tance to international students.
The aim is to demonstrate that
international students like you
are welcome in the U.S., and
increase access to U.S. institu-
tions of higher learning for de-
serving students who have
broad interests and ambitions
but modest means. These
grants make it possible for stu-
dents who would be otherwise unable to afford the costly appli-
cation process to take the next
step toward an education in the
United States. Apply by requesting an appli-
cation from the Educa-
tionUSA Advisor:
Boussoufaa@state.gov Apply now, deadline August 8,
2010.
Algerians in L.A.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Mazouz and her son Mohsen,
Omar Baha and his French wife
Anaïs, Djafar Hidouche, Fethi
Boukli and Mustapha Baha. The program set up by the
LAFC was very rich. It included
visits to Hollywood Hills, Hol-
lywood Boulevard and Santa
Monica; tours of Beverly Hills,
Universal Studios, UCLA and
NASA’s center Jet Propulsion
Laboratory (JPL) as well as a
jazz concert, with a special
guest star…Macy Gray, at Cali-
fornia Plaza. Mounia and Yacine really
enjoyed themselves. They
highly appreciated the opportu-
nity to visit the United States—
a life’s dream for both of them.
Mounia and Yacine witnessed
the openness of the American
society to people of other
countries. Mounia and Yacine watched
the U.S. vs. Algeria match on
June 23 at ESPN Zone with
more than 20 members of the
Algerian community in LA.
Mounia and Yacine met with
“genius” Said Kaki at ESPN
Zone. Said was among JPL
researchers who designed cam-
eras for the Cassini spacecraft
(for the exploration of Saturn).
Said offered Mounia and Yacine
a tour of JPL. The most interesting aspect
of the trip was the gathering of
The two first place winners
of the U.S. Embassy/Le Buteur
& El Heddaf’s “Sports and Peo-
ple-to-People” essay contest,
Mounia Benbelkacem (18, Al-
giers) and Yacine Benziane (17,
Oran), spent eight days in Los
Angeles, from June 18 through
25. The trip was co-organized
with the Los Angeles Football
Club Foundation (LAFC). The Embassy is very grateful
to the LAFC members includ-
ing President & Founder Don
Sheppard, Director of Pro-
grams Christina Baglin and Lori
Nahas Capello. However, the
trip could not have been possi-
ble without the tireless efforts
of Executive Director & Gen-
eral Counsel Hisham ElKoustaf.
Hisham was the architect of
the trip! Soccer for Don
Sheppard and his team is not
only a sport; it’s a medium to
bring people together. The host families were the
best we could ever have.
Ouenda Baaissa Charlet, her
husband David Charlet, her
father Abderrahmane Baaissa
and her mother Zohra Baaissa;
Sounia Khadraoui Johnson, her
husband Tony Johnson and
their daughter Angela were
very hospitable. And so were
the other Algerians that
Mounia and Yacine met—
Yakouta Chebli Barry, Wafa
Algerians. The visit helped the
host families meet new people,
make new friends or meet old
friends again—Ouenda Baaissa
and Wafa Mazouz, for example,
had not met for more than
three years.
Soccer did bring people to-
gether!
H.M
Los Angeles Diaries
Mounia and Yacine with the Algerian Community in Los Angeles
Don Sheppard (1st left) and
Hisham ElKoustaf (1st right) hosting Mounia and Yacine.
U.S. Embassy Algiers http://algiers.usembassy.gov/
Alumni Coordinator/Education Adviser at the U.S. Embassy:
Boussoufaa@state.gov
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