Friday, October 18, 2013

Tahir and my students

Life in Saudi Arabia...my co-teacher Geologist and students.




Tahir- my co-teacher for the first four weeks of my course. He is a Geologist for Saudi Aramco and has raised two children on camp. One of his children lives in Connecticut and his daughter goes to U.T. San Antonio and eventually wants to transfer to U.T. I hope I will get to meet her when I return home in December.


For anyone who has met my father-in-law, Don Art- both he and Tahir share some qualities.  My daughter once wrote her grandpa Don was “as sweet and strong as a cherry tree”.  This is an fair description of Tahir.  He is an excellent teacher. I love his style.  

Very thorough in his detailed knowledge of the geological periods-Triassic, Jurassic, Cretaceous and how Petroleum systems have formed over millions of years. And he is so patient with the students, never loses his temper (even when he has told the whole class the answer or exercise and they re-ask) and he does not take himself too seriously. Often he teases the class, making pretty laughable comments. He has a competent sweet quality.   

Having run marathons across the world he is super fit and is a golfing champion.  I feel totally at ease with him and have been frank when I am feeling vulnerable or inept with the students.  He is supportive while providing realistic advice. I feel very blessed to have him as my own Geological tutor and co-teacher in my inaugural class.  These simple words say it the best. Tahir is a good man.

He is from Pakistan and is currently traveling back to see his sister and 82 year-old mother over the two-week holiday.  He also skypes with his Mom regularly and like me she does not understand how Skype work technologically (some sort of magic to her and myself).


My students!  25 are Saudi and one is Brazilian.  They are very kind to me and seem to laugh along and give me a break when I am befuddled. This course has so many moving parts it is a HUGE challenge to teach the course for the first time; grades for teamwork for 6 teams, grades and individual feedback for 7 team leaders, memorizing my content, knowing the schedule, coordinating with the scientists, presentation coaching…and on it goes!

The room is divided in half so half the students sit on one side and half the other.  One side is an extroverted party.  The students are very diligent and attentive during lectures and then supremely collaborative when working on projects.  Each is a member of a four-person team but often can be found checking out answers/approaches with other teams.  YAY! 

Student in the other half of the room are methodical introverts.  They work more in their individual teams, with little cross pollination and also produce great results. Quietly.

All are engineers.

Some characteristics.  Women in general rarely answer questions in public and get embarrassed if you call attention to their excellent classwork.

We had a funny incident which reflects the best of culture and my student’s sense of humor.  They were working hard on this project and stayed late one night and I with them. So I decided the day before to order in pizza for the students.  Of course this sounds so easy.  Well, since only certain vendors can come onto Saudi Aramco property I had to go with the pizza place on camp. I twice confirmed the night before the amount of pizza, the security gate I would meet them at, the time and the cost.  Then two of my students walked with me to the gate at the appointed time.  We waited and waited and no show. 

The students took it in stride.  The greatest thing is it has become a class joke. A student will say to another student, “you have to figure out X problem or else you will have to eat invisible pizza.”

Why do so many things gone wrong turn into great jokes and stories? I ask you this?



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