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

Real Fans, Real Friends