The following is a post from AUA Network member and guest blogger Kyle Scott Herman who is teaching History in Lebanon.
I have a long-term career objective of influencing and representing America’s foreign policy, perhaps by joining the U.S. Foreign Service as a diplomat. My goal is to be in a position where I can help make progress on some of the inter-related challenges that are facing our global community – including security, development, and sustainability. However, international relations is a difficult field to break into. A graduate degree and international professional experience are necessary for most jobs.
So in April, while I was agonizing over whether to go straight to grad school or to gain professional experience first, I decided to look at international job listings. I focused on the Middle East because of its diverse and fascinating cultures, the opportunity to learn Arabic through immersion, and my interest in U.S.-Muslim world relations. Misunderstandings between Americans and citizens of Muslim-majority countries are among the worst in the world. Yet mutual understanding and cooperation are vital to international stability - especially in light of the current wave of democratization we know as the “Arab Spring”. A couple years working in the Middle East could give me valuable insight into perspectives and ways of life that America’s citizens and policy-makers desperately need to understand. And on the grassroots level, I could make a real difference through people-to-people interactions as an unofficial American ambassador.
 Lebanon is in the heart of the Middle East, a fascinating region most Americans don't understand. Yet building mutual understanding and cooperation are vital to global peace and prosperity. |
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On
idealist.org, I found a job listing in Lebanon at an English-immersion school founded by Christians. The teaching position was for 9th-11th grade history, geography, and civics. This listing excited me because I could make a positive impact in the lives of young people by teaching subjects I am passionate about. There is no silver bullet that can solve the challenges of security, development, and sustainability, but education is one of the most promising tools we have. I also felt called to this position because of the school’s values and the opportunities I would have to continue my faith journey. I was even invited to replace my predecessor as faculty advisor to a student organization focused on faith and service – similar to groups I was involved in at Ohio Wesleyan.
I was ready to commit to two years of teaching when I was presented as the top candidate for a phone interview with the headmaster. One of the questions I asked him was about the “athletics” team listed on the school’s outdated website. His response: “Well, we have some students who can run but we don’t have anyone to coach them.” So of course I volunteered! That sealed the deal.
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Last Supper at Smith: I’ll miss my OWU teammates dearly, but at least
I can continue running with a new team – this time as the coach. |
As though through divine providence, I was invited to continue many of the same endeavors that enriched my life so much at Ohio Wesleyan: learning about cultures and history, expressing my faith through fellowship and service, and running with a team. But this continuity is also a transition toward maturity: the student becoming the teacher, the disciple becoming the mentor, the athlete becoming the coach.
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