Mahmoud El Lozy interview

Mahmoud El Lozy Interview by sara-radio

Denise Waszkowski Interview

Denise interview by sara-radio

During those couple of years, 2 very odd events have taken place, the swine flu and the revolution.

According to your experience,

1. What were the effects of those 2 events on the academic semester?

While I wasn’t present during the Swine Flu, I can say that the Revolution posted a challenge to colleges in Egypt and not just at AUC. There were many concerns about opening—namely the safety of the students.

2. Do you recall any other incidents that has… uh, that have had strong impacts on academic semesters?

Well, I am a new teacher at AUC—for that matter, I am new in Egypt. Having taught in California colleges and universities for the past ten years, I cannot recall a single time when the semester was altered due to a catastrophe, so this was a new experience for me.

3. So, how did professors adapt to the revolution?

I think that all professors should find a way to adapt to a changing environment and schedule. If you think about it even if we teach the same subject semester after semester, no two class populations are ever identical. Each grouping of students will be different. So, we have to adapt perhaps even alter our syllabi to reflect a given population.

4. In your opinion, what’s the difference between a standard semester and a semester with such dynamic issues taking place?

First, a standard semester can be boring and predictable. As I mentioned being… before being able to adapt to change is probably a good skill to have—a life skill, for both students and professors.

5. How does this affect your, and your students’ attitude, mood and performance?

Understandably, some students and professors become upset when there are changes. Some time ago, I read an article on ancient Egyptian civilization and the author had questioned as to why the art forms and depictions of royalty hadn’t changed in over 3000 years from the earliest art forms to the art of Cleopatra. Why would that be? Well one theory was that ancient Egyptians believed that it was good –that it was stable- that it gave stability to the civilization –that it was good to practice religious rituals in the same way for all time… And this idea of stability and promoting the status quo was attributed to the concept of Ma’at, you know M A ‘ A T, the goddess with the wings, she is a personification of that. As a Nile people, the ancients Egyptians could depend on the predictable patterns like the flooding of the Nile and the planting and harvesting seasons because they were farmers. Uh, Uh, many can wonder about this, but how much… I wonder this, how much change have Egyptians tolerated over the centuries in the past in comparison to other cultures?

Uh, Nevertheless, because the world is so different today, I think in these times it is an essential skill to be able to adapt to change.

6. Do you think it is better for me, as a student, to study in a steady semester or one with lively actions taking place?

Well, I think if you can adapt to the changes in Egypt, you have gained a skill that you can use throughout life because the world as we know it is highly complex and rapidly changing.

Mohamed Selim Interview

Mohamed Selim interview by sara-radio

"The Revolution of Spring Semester 2011 at The American University in Cairo" - Promo

Sara El Kady

Monday, 28 March 2011

Promo by sara-radio

30 seconds

MUSIC: (“Ezzay” by Mohamed Mounir, minutes: 00:00-00:19 – FADE IN, then under)

ANNC 1: Along with the changes that have taken place after the January 25th revolution, the American university in Cairo also witnessed change.

LOZY: Uh, the effects of the revolution on this semester… First of all it is not a revolution.

WASZKOWSKI: It’s an essential skill to be able to adapt to change

SELIM: You are affecting more than one person; you’re not only affecting yourself -FADE OUT

MUSIC: (“Ezzay” by Mohamed Mounir, minutes: 00:19-00:30– FADE OUT)

ANNC 1: Attend the listening session at AUC’s New Cairo campus on Sunday May 22nd and Wednesday May 25th at 10 am, each day in the BECC building, room 1060

                                                                        - end -

Interviewees:

Mahmoud El Lozy
Theater Professor

Denise Waszkowski
Rhetoric and Composition Instructor

Mohamed Selim
Mass Communication Professor

Mohamed Selim

Mahmoud El Lozy



The Barbeque Dragon



Dilly The Dragon final by sara-radio


When Dilly the dragon roared, flames came out of his mouth.

Then, it started to rain and Dilly got cold.There was no roar.
No flames.

"My fire is out!" he said. "I must breathe air to make air.
There is plenty of fresh air in the forest!"

In the forest there was a notice- BEWARE OF FIRE.
"Very wise," said Dilly. "But I need my fire!"
Another notice said - FIRE CAUSES DAMAGE.
"True," said Dilly. "But I NEED my fire!"

Another notice said- PUT FIRES OUT! Poor Dilly felt so cold!

"No fires, today!" a voice was saying. "It is too cold and damp!"

"So, can we have our barbecue party, Lina?" a girl called out.

"I don't think so, Penny," said Linda.
"It is raining again! Quick! We must shelter in the forest!"

Dilly went over to the barbecue.It was still warm.
He breathed in, feeling warmer inside. Just as the rain stopped
- R-OA-OA-RR! - Flames came out of his mouth!

"What was that?" a boy called out. "It sounded like thunder!" Everyone went to see.

"There is a fire for our barbecue!" cried Penny.
"We can have our party!"

"The dragon helped us!" said Holly.
"He roared like thunder and breathed flames! I saw him!"

"Dragons?" said Linda. "Dragons are only for story books, Holly!"

"But I DID see him!" said Holly with a simle. "Really, I did!"
And just then, Dilly let another roar.

R-OA-OA-RR!

This I believe: "Vision for the New Egypt"

This I Believe by sara-radio

In the new Egypt, I believe that people should focus on self-regulation instead of criticizing others. For a long while, a lot of people have been complaining from corruption and deterioration that have been taking place in Egypt; although many of them have been corrupt in some way themselves. Almost everyone has witnessed people asking for bribes, lying, harassing and doing all sorts of corruption within their own scale. While they themselves complain that political leaders are corrupt. This issue will not be solved unless everyone starts improving themselves through a balanced self development plan.

People first need to learn how to make constructive analysis; through which they can identify what the problem is and suggest solutions for it. In order to reach this, they need to move from the vague and broad opinions that they state, to identifying well organized, clear and specific thoughts; then start creating a list of solutions for it. For example, since the beginning of the revolution, people have been calling for the “removal of the regime”, while when I asked some of them to define the word “regime” I got different answers and at the same time many of them have made it a personal issue with Mubarak and anyone in contact with him. Instead, I think people should have a clear thought on what is it that they want along with how this can be done, so instead of saying “removal of the regime” they need to identify “regime” and what is it that they want to remove; in that case it can be “corruption” and then start developing a plan on how they think corruption can be terminated from the government system.

Moreover, people should start understanding the difference between justice and seeking revenge. They need to make a clear differentiation between what’s right and what they want. When corrupt politicians got arrested, many people have started demanding certain punishments and announcing that they are not settling for less; while the right thing to do is to call for their prosecution yet understand that it is the jury’s job to decide on the most appropriate sentence.

The new Egypt is going to be better if each of the 80 million citizens worked towards improving himself, analyzing issues constructively and stopped expressing their grudge instead of calling for justice. This I believe.