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Selma impresses visitors
Published Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Selma served as a melting pot for 14 Birmingham Southern College students from various parts of the world on Tuesday.
The students converged on Selma via an exchange program through the Ellie and Herb Sklenar Center for International Programs. The group represents seven countries — the Netherlands, China, England, Morocco, Brazil, Rwanda and Germany.
Anne Ledvina, the center’s associate director, said the trip is intended to give the students a better understanding of the state that will be their home for the next year.
She said Selma was chosen because of “how important this city is to the state of Alabama, and how important in a positive and powerful way and I am prepared to move here.”
Despite different backgrounds, the students shared two things. All of them saw similarities between Alabama and their home countries. But, they are still trying to decipher the Southern accent.
“It’s very similar to my country. The weather, the people are very warm,” said Nawal Ziad, a native of Casablanca, Morocco. She enrolled in the program as a Fulbright scholar, and teaches Arabic at Birmingham Southern.
“All the people know each other. The accents: I need more time to understand them,” she said.
“There’s a few things like words,” added Emma Tilley. Tilley is from the southern part of London, and a student at the University of Birmingham. “You you don’t have duvets, you have comforters.”
Larissa Borges, who calls Belam, Brazil, home, is also a Fulbright scholar. She teaches Brazilian Portugese at Birmingham Southern, which differs from the Portugal variant in accent and vocabulary.
“I feel like I am at home,” she said. “They just say hello in the streets. I like this.”
The group stayed busy Tuesday, visiting St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, walking the Edmund Pettus Bridge, listening to author Kathryn Tucker Windham at the Selma-Dallas County Public Library and visiting historical monuments and landmarks in Selma.
“They touched us,” said Borges. “They shared their stories and the history of this place.”
Ledvina was impressed by Selma, and said the group will be back in the future.
“We hope this is not our last trip to Selma,” said Ledvina. “We hope this could be the beginning of a good, long relationship.”
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Comments
Posted by eyeonyou (anonymous) on August 26, 2009 at 8:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Where were you "Bg"????
Posted by yellowroseofTexas (anonymous) on August 26, 2009 at 9:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I am glad to hear about those visitors in Selma. I do shudder at the eyesores they must have seen.
On the other hand, I have to question just how "important this city is to the state of Alabama" or even the rest of the nation. Jubilee is celebrated every year. Beyond that, Selma is forgotten unless there is something really negative happening similar to the recent Marion situation.
Posted by Bg (anonymous) on August 26, 2009 at 9:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)
? where? what?
Posted by eyeonyou (anonymous) on August 26, 2009 at 10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree "yellow". How much federal or state help has come Selma's way over the last several decades? You have to really ask yourself why? It always seems that outsiders (visitors, politicians, business, investors) always praise this town, its importance, its story, its potential, etc. but stay at a comfortable distance. I guess when you are looking at it from the "outside", it does seem to be something else. On the other hand, when it's looked at from the "inside", this town seems to shoot itself in the foot. Selma tends to be a victim of its own circumstance more than anything.
Instead of truly capitalizing of its assets and story, Selma is doing nothing more than obsessing, talking and creating overkill. After awhile, you have to move forward and into the stage of "history". There are people here that live(or rather hold the mentality) of being stuck in this past timeframe. If these people can ever grasp the concept of "live and let live", then Selma will truly progress. Until the chips on the shoulders, the grudges, the grinding of axes, the inferior complexes and the us versus them mentality can stop, then here we are.
Posted by OldTownie (anonymous) on August 27, 2009 at 8:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Thanks for an interesting and positive story!
Posted by Bama123456 (anonymous) on August 27, 2009 at 12:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Its nice to read something positive about Selma for a change.
Posted by NeilTheasby (anonymous) on August 27, 2009 at 3:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
My daughter was one of the English students who visited Selma on Tuesday - under the aegis of Birmingham Southern College. She received a lovely Alabama welcome from the people she met. Reading up about Selma on the internet makes me realise just how important your city was in the struggle for equal rights. This is something to be immensely proud about. However, my heart goes out to the many people in the Selma region who are now suffering unwanted unemployment.
Best wishes from across the ocean,
Neil Theasby (Sheffield, Yorkshire, England)
Posted by gladimoved (anonymous) on August 27, 2009 at 7:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Thank you, NeilTheasby. Out of towners can see the importance of Selma. I moved to Selma in 2004 and left in 2006. I am gladimoved because people are too divided. If you have friends of the opposite race, people look at you strangely. The town is where civil rights began not where eternal hatred towards one another began. Love one another no matter what the race. Stop blogging about thugs when you know you are referring to black young men. White young men have been in this paper doing wrong also. Stop complaining about every. Before I complained all the time, I left. Maybe some of you need to leave if you're so unhappy. For those trying to make a difference and better the town- God Bless!
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