JC:HEM

today was my last time volunteering with JC:HEM. JC:HEM International offers refugees who had had limited access to postsecondary education courses university-level courses. JC:HEM classes can apply towards a diploma in liberal studies or one of the community service learning tracks. the former is more focused on enhancing vocational education and skills, though classes taken towards the diploma in liberal studies can help a student have a competitive edge among other employees due skills JC:HEM aims to instill in its students. i heard about the organization through ads that had been posted around my language institute. the amman branch has a school in the district of ashrafieh at a roman catholic school (I believe?). i’ve gone to help out at the school 3 times, each for 2 to 2.5 hours. i have pretty much been a writing tutor. the days that i have gone in to the school have served as writing labs, where students are given an opportunity to work on their weekly assignments. there are maybe around 10 students in the class, but only around 4-5 show up at the writing lab each week (i can’t really vouch for the other days of the week). the class that i worked with was taking a class on leadership theory. they were taught out of a corny sounding book called the leadership theory. the chapters are about 30-40 pages long. not an easy read, but the students in this class have a pretty good command of the english language. not only are they required to read a chapter (sometimes 2) a week, they are also required to submit a discussion post online and write an essay (usually 4-5 pages). pretty intensive & lots of writing. they are really impressive. the students in my class come from jordan, palestine, somolia, and iraq. i have had a really good time volunteering with jc:hem. it’s just too bad that my time with them was so short. it would have been nice to form deeper friendships with the students and learn their stories. one of the girls that i sorta got to know has pretty excellent english comprehension, is into k-pop and asian culture, from somolia, and works at a henna shop. she always has really great outfits too. for a time, she didn’t have internet/computer access at home and so would arrive to class early in order to use the lab. her dedication was inspiring. however, she’s lost motivation lately because she lost 2 of her essays due to computer troubles and feels too behind to be able to catch up. but i disgress. i feel like this is definitely an institution that i would come back and volunteer at if i were ever to be back in amman. the students are so respectful and nice. often, i’m usually only helping 1 student but to be able to provide that kind of 1-on-1 support always makes me feel so good and accomplished. the bus rides back can be fun, as well, talking to students from other classes. i tell them that i’m here study arabic and they can understand my troubles when i tell them that the grammar is hard, for grammar is hard for arabs, as well. so many rules for case endings, for one… today, i gleaned a little bit of insight into one of the students that i was helping and it was cool to see the ways that she involves herself in her community. the essay required students to build a leadership profile. in this essay the student talked about her experiences as a volunteer for jordan’s winter elections and being a member of an initiative that helped clean up trash and raise awareness about the importance of neighborhood tidiness in one of the districts in amman. she was also saying that when arabs think of leadership and leaders, they immediately think of political leaders and most believe that only political leaders display leadership. she believes that leadership is for everyone. that the prophet muhammad was a leader and that he led leaders. strong women everywhere inspire me and i thought it was great that there were things outside of being a housewife and tending to children that concerned her. it’s empowering.



writing lab



in front of the school.



nearby. you can see the students crowded out front.