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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels November 19, 2004 Visitor from afar shares culture By Bill Choy Ashland Daily Tidings Kaoutar Abbouocherif had the group of first graders at Lincoln Elementary School enraptured as she told them about all the wonders one can find in a marketplace in her country of Morocco. Kaoutar Abbouocherif, 16, shows a group of first grade students at Lincoln Elementary School the Moroccan flag. Abbouocherif is an exchange student from Morocco studying for a year at Ashland High School. Denise Baratta | Ashland Daily Tidings Abbouocherif, 17, an exchange student studying for a year at Ashland High School, told students that the marketplaces in Morocco were not like a grocery store here, but had exotic things like snake charmers and dancing monkeys. The students gasped when they heard about the unusual finds, and shouted questions with much enthusiasm, wanting to learn more about Morocco during the Tuesday afternoon class. "I wish I was there so I could see a snake dance," a boy in the class said. "When they hear or see something that's different, they're so interested and curious and want to learn everything about Morocco," Abbouocherif said. Easton Bents, 7, was enthralled by the presentation. "I like learning new things so I could go (to Morocco) and do stuff," he said. "I would want to see that little monkey sit down because I think that would be a lot of fun." Abbouocherif and fellow exchange student Nabiha Tufail, 16, of Pakistan, are part of the Partnership for Learning Youth Exchange and Study, sponsored by Academic Year USA International, a nonprofit and cultural exchange program. In its second year, the Yes program, with help from a large grant from the U.S. State Department, has more than 200 Muslim students from throughout the world studying in the United States. Along with Lincoln Elementary, the girls are teaching students about their culture at Ashland High School and at St. Mary's School in Medford this week as part of the AUSA international education week. Tufail taught the class how to say good morning and good-bye in her native language and wore a traditional dress, a Shalwar Kameez, which got many smiles and compliments from the class. "We don't wear clothes like T-shirts and jeans that you do," she told the class. "We wear clothing like this." She also showed them pictures of Pakistan and of her country's biggest mountain - K2. Tufail said she has enjoyed talking to people here about her country and culture. "People have many questions and they are very happy to learn about different things and about my culture," she said. Tufail especially enjoyed talking to the first graders. "They are very innocent and ask sweet questions like if they can ski down the mountain (K2)," she said. "It's all very cute. ... Hopefully, this will build an interest in other people and areas." Aisha Thiaw, 6, said she was glad she and her class got to learn about different cultures. "It's good to learn about other people," she said. "If you learn about other people, you learn thing's you normally wouldn't know." First-grade teacher Lynnette Kelly said it's so vital for children at a young age to learn first-hand about other cultures. To have someone from another country talk to them brings their country and culture alive, she said. "It definitely brings the world closer," Kelly said. "To understand one another's culture shows how we're alike and to understand our differences and that they are meant to be celebrated." DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams