It is the end of week 5 of teaching in the second semester. There are 3 more weeks before the students have a mid-term break and the teachers have the 'joy' of yet another Professional Development Week.
Continuous Assessment is underway and the first of the Self-Learning asssessments have taken place. Students are naturally very keen to do well in these as they all contribute to overall marks. My 'top' class, however, have marks in the bag for passing IELTS exams last semester and are, subsequently, unmotivated to learn anything new. It has been frustrating getting them to do anything. Class management is an issue, but generating interest in topics is the key. The 'holy trinity' (sex, politics, religion) has to be avoided, but i love crossing the line occasionally into subject matter which interests them, without causing offence or getting myself into hot water. I know for a fact that most of my students from both classes are interested in the political unrest around the region. I often walk into a darkened classroom with students gathered around YouTube watching the latest highlights of amateur footage from Bahrain, Yemen or Libya. Clearly this is something that the university do not want the students to participate in and, from next week, classrooms will be locked and only accessible by a teacher with a swipe 'smart' card. I made my first official complaint this week but I hope that nobody else needs to get involved and that I am left to manage the class how I see fit. Having the lack of a suitable textbook is an issue because there is no structure to what I am teaching, so I have to be resourceful and creative each day. But, hey... I like that!
Away from campus, I attended my 3rd session on cultural awareness. It was back to Al-Hamra mosque, near to the hotel, for a discussion about Sawm 'fasting' during Ramadan. During this time, muslims should avoid food, drink and "sex with their spouse(s)" during daylight hours. The discussion devloped, understandably, into a general discussion about the merits of abstention. God (Allah) states in the Qur'an: "O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed to those before you that you may learn self-restraint." (Qur'an 2:183) 
As ever, I found the discussion fascinating, but ultimately believe the idea is bonkers. Because all roads lead to Allah and that this entity knows everything that you do, you can only do it with your heart. I accept the idea of absention is prevailant in most dominate faiths. I accept the precept of self-denial to obtain some kind of god-consciousness but denying yourself sustinance results in physical, metabolic changes and malfunctions in the brain which could be taken as spiritual enlightenment.
Once again, I spoke with Ilyas Foy (pictured above), who I find very engaging. He explained his initial dislike of the period of Ramadan, but that out of duty it was something he had to get used to. Giving up smoking, which is also haram during this time, was his biggest hurdle. Again, I can appreciate the physical benefits of not smoking, without seeing it as a distraction on the path to 'god-consciousness'. These sessions do nothing to convince me to become a muslim or join any other faith for that matter. I remain agnostic because I can't prove that any deity exists. But the mere fact that so many people do believe, for whatever misguided reason(s) they have, affects any decision to 'become' athiest. Islam, in particular, has some characteristics, most notably in terms of obedience and discipline, but these are outweighed by irrational folk tales, very illiberal laws and a wholescale removal of 'free will' as epitomised by the constant reference to 'Inshallah'.
With a successful clampdown on all unrest in the Kingdom, and no significant political protests in on the horizon, it looks likely that I won't becoming home early. Saudi troops have gone into Bahrain to help prevent more unrest from the majority Shia population. Students remain fascinated, but their interest is merely as curious observers. The desire to study abroad remains strong, but this due to the fact that the King pays their tuition fees, wherever in the world they go.
Getting out of Riyadh for a day is still very much an option, and on Friday I venture to a place called 'Edge of the World', two weeks after my first sojourn into the desert.
In the meantime, it is the weekend. A chance to relax, get my laundry sorted out and prepare for week 6. That's all from me for now, except to say that a couple of the other guys in the Baron have blogs, filled with pictures. Check 'em out here:
Mikey Kettle's blog:
http://mikeket.wordpress.com/2011/03/15/route-de-la-morte/
Kevin Smith's blog:
http://unable.tumblr.com/
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