photo by Megan Morr
Mbaye Lo, program leader for DukeEngage in Cairo, recently won the Alumni Distinguished Undergraduate Teaching Award. Professor Lo is featured in the July-August iissue of Duke Magazine.
Read the article here.
Less than twelve hours have elapsed since my passport was irreverently stamped and I sauntered onward towards the heat of the desert. I immediately became aware of the foreignness of my new environment. The bus ride to the apartment initiated the culture shock as we experienced the mayhem of Cairo traffic. The two lane road routinely fit three cars across amid a symphony of horn blasts. Even purchasing some groceries for a morning breakfast initiated more trouble than anticipated. My Arabic ability is limited; hopefully this will change in order to allow smoother exchanges.
The first day culture shock was exhilarating, expected, and at times a tad frustrating. Prior to our departure the team participated in a training experience which in part attempted to help us interact with a new culture. But after actually experiencing the first day, I do not think any piece of advice could have prepared us for the experience. I think the issue is that we attempted to “prepare”; we set out to make a list of ideas and precautions in order to help the transition. Much of the information was useful, maybe even essential, but perhaps we could have set out with simply a positive attitude and a taste for adventure.
This is the entire Duke Engage Cairo Team outside one of our sites.
I can only tell of my own experiences. To read the blogs of other members of Duke Engage Cairo, visit dukeengagecairo.blogspot.com/
Duke faculty member Mbaye Lo, who co-leads the DukeEngage - Cairo, Egypt program, reflects on the "psychology of engagment" in a recent Duke Chronicle editorial.
Says Lo, "In my two years of involvement with DukeEngage's international programs, I have learned that there are three types of DukeEngagers: those who join the program as part of their innocent pursuit of a meaningful college experience; those who embrace the program due to a sincere belief in DukeEngage's mission of addressing "societal issues within the U.S. or abroad;" and those who come to the program in order to serve their personal or professional needs. Although DukeEngage's director, Eric Mlyn, has noted that "all participants in the program regardless of their motives will gain from it," I have found working with the first two groups to be inspiring, while working with the third group has caused me to reflect upon the real purpose of engagement."
Read the entire editorial here.