International Day Mexico - Part III

Today, twenty-seven seventh and eighth-grade students from Amna Bint Wahab Preparatory School for Girls participated in Planet Georgetown’s third session of International Day Mexico. The event provided the girls with a glimpse of Mexican history and culture and an introduction to International Relations programming of SFS-Q.

Over the course of the morning, students took part in several hands-on activities, including mapping exercises and Spanish vocabulary lessons. At the end of class time, students used their imaginations and new knowledge of Mexico to write their own postcards as if they were Mexican tourists. Many chose to practice their Spanish as they wrote home about the beautiful weather (“lots of sol – meaning sun”) and spicy food Mexicans eat.

During a scavenger hunt, staff led teams of students around the LAS building, collecting hidden items. The friendly competition allowed students the opportunity to learn more about Georgetown’s campus and the programs it hosts, while interacting with SFS-Q faculty and staff.

After the students worked up their appetites, a full spread of Mexican finger foods provided byCooking with Gill Catering awaited them. As usual, Gill’s chili-packed snacks were a great hit, attracting a number of SFS-Q faculty and staff to join the students for lunch.

The girls wrapped up the day in art class, where they crafted their own Mexican paper flowers. Full of energy, the students snapped several pictures to remember the day by, as they left with bouquets of their own tissue paper creations and certificates of participation.

Planet Georgetown staff would like to thank Amna Bint Wahab Prep for their lively participation in today's event.  Next stop: International Day Nigeria!

International Day Mexico - Part II

Al Doha Preparatory School for Boys participated in a second run of International Day Mexico hosted on Monday, March 23, 2009. Twenty-four students took part in a full morning of activities inspired by the vibrant history and culture of Mexico.

Throughout the event, the boys learned about the geography and traditions of Mexico as well as its language and Indian heritage. To follow along with lectures, the students recorded maps, Spanish phrases, and other observations in their Planet Georgetown journals.

After a short video of the sights and sounds of Mexico City, students were given a taste of Mexican cuisine provided by Cooking with Gill Catering. Lunch also provided SFS-Q faculty and staff the opportunity to drop in and welcome the students of Al Doha Prep, while sampling homemade guacamole and chili tarts.

The day’s events were capped off with an hour of craft time, where the boys created Ojos de Dios (God’s Eyes), yarn weavings native to Indians of Jalisco, Mexico. The boys left with their own colorful string creations as well as a Planet Georgetown certificate of participation.

International Day Mexico - Part I

The fourth event in the Planet Georgetown series, International Day Mexico hosted twelve eighth-grade students from Al Wajba Independent Preparatory School for Girls this afternoon. A full morning’s worth of activities tested and expanded Al Wajba’s knowledge of Mexican history and culture.

To welcome Al Wajba, students were led through a mock review by Planet Georgetown’s Passport Control as well as traditional Latin American songs and a game of Mexican trivia.  

Students received an hour of class time facilitated by Project Coordinator, Kathryn King, and SFS-Qatar students, Tara Makarem (’11) and Kawthar Ahen (’11).  During this time, mapping and writing exercises challenged the students to identify significant Mexican cities as well as Mexico’s borders with the US and Central America.   Students also learned about Mexican currency and the various historical figures printed on the peso Mexicano.  After a short Spanish language tutorial, students practiced several key phrases in Spanish and learned about the language’s origins. 

 

Class time wrapped up with a video that introduced the youth to Mexico’s capital, Mexico City. The video provided a glimpse at modern-day Mexico City – its cuisine, diversity of lifestyles, and ecological concerns – as well as its ancient inhabitants, the Aztec Indians. 

 

Students were given a break for outdoor fun and games, allowing them to work up an appetite for a full spread of traditional Mexican finger foods that awaited them for lunch.  The smells of homemade guacamole, fajitas, and ceviche drew a number of students, staff, and faculty of SFS-Q into the food lounge, giving Al Wajba the opportunity to meet and mingle with the greater Georgetown community.   

Art time capped off the day’s events.  The girls learned to craft their very own paper flowers, which are traditional décor in Dia de los Muertos and Cinco de Mayo celebrations.  Within minutes, students created full bouquets of paper blooms to take home along with their certificates of participation.

The Office of Educational Enrichment wishes to thank Al Wajba Independent Preparatory School for Girls and all SFS-Q staff and faculty who helped make International Day Mexico a great success!

International Day - Russia

Dobro pozhalovat'! Greetings!

Twenty-five seventh graders from Al Razi Preparatory School for Boys received a warm Russian welcome at Planet Georgetown’s third International Day held on February 25th. For three full hours, Al Razi’s students learned about the people and history that make up the vast nation of Russia through games and interactive presentations.

Following a mock review by Planet Georgetown’s very own “Russian Passport Control,” SFS-Qatar students Hanouf Al Buainain (’09), Nadim Rifai (’12), and Basil Makhfuz (’11) helped kick things off with a game of Russian trivia.

Students exercised their minds and English writing skills through lessons on the geography and history of Russia. To follow along with lectures, each student was given a journal to keep as a travelogue, in which they pasted stamps, maps, and photographs. A postcard exercise encouraged students to imagine themselves as tourists writing home to their friends and families about their experiences of life in Russia. Postcards covered a wide range of topics from the below-freezing temperatures of wintery Siberia to the colorful architecture of St. Basil’s Cathedral.

To familiarize the youth with the SFS-Qatar campus, students took a break from their time in the classroom to participate in a scavenger hunt. Several of SFS-Qatar’s faculty and staff got in on the action as teams of students raced against the clock to locate hidden objects while exploring the LAS building and the many programs it hosts.

In the final segment of the afternoon, students were given the chance to the test their creative skills with lacquered art, a centuries-old Russian craft. After a brief lesson on the art form, each student personalized their own wooden box with paint, replicating the elaborate designs of lacquered art.

Participants were awarded certificates before heading home from an action-packed afternoon.

Thanks to Al Razi Preparatory School for Boys and the SFS-Qatar faculty and staff volunteers who helped make International Day Russia a great success!