Kristin above veiled with a friend and her drawing of a camel during her visit in Morocco.

THE THINGS KIDS WILL DO TO US! TRY THIS ONE ON FOR SIZE: THE 19-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER OF FORMER SEVENTH ^TH STREET ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL COMES HOME AND SAYS: OH, PARENTS, BY THE WAY: I’M MOVING TO MOROCCO TO STUDY ARABIC FOR A FEW MONTHS

THAT’S WHERE SHE IS NOW-- STILL UNMARRIED--DESPITE A FEW PROPOSALS; YOU CAN VISIT HER FASCINATING BLOG AND READ ABOUT HER ADVENTURES WHICH WILL CONTINUE ON TO CASABLANCA, MARRAKECH AND THEN GREECE: NEXT SUMMER, TURKEY, JORDAN AND WHEREVER ELSE SHE SEE FITS

By Diana L. Chapman

She’s worked her way around the marriage proposals, ignored the grabs and accepted the “male-dominated” society she currently lives in.

She doesn’t wear veils since she is not Muslim, fearing it would insult residents of her hosting country; And she tries to steer clear of thinking like a Long Beach coastal gal -- and a bit more – while like a Moroccan.

Not always an easy approach for a single, young westernized woman, who has discovered a large part of her plans to study Arabic wound up being more about learning to live within someone else’s’ culture and attempting to think like them.

Getting a grip on the cat calls, the proposals and men following her wasn’t easy, but it came with the territory. As an American, she stood out and she knew it.

“The harassment is hard to explain,” emailed Kristin Colazas Delfs, who announced to her parents a year ago that she was headed for Morocco alone to study Arabic and had found a small school there she could afford to attend in the country’s capital, Rabat. “It seems terrible from a Western perspective that I've dealt with that at the age of 19, but by Middle Eastern standards that treatment is sort of mild. It has never gotten violent, and I really do believe that it has more to do with me not being Moroccan than anything else.

“…Usually a "la shukran" (no thank you) is enough, but if not I just leave the situation. I've only been stuck once or twice; I was in a cab once when the cab driver kept trying to hold my hand, asking me to marry him, and took me the long way home. It's times like those when I'm glad I speak some Arabic, glad I know Rabat, and glad I'm not just a tourist.”

Her fascination with languages started when she was young and also being a product of two parents who left their own country to study Spanish in Mexico and became fluent speakers. But Kristin found her four years in Spanish classes frustrating, especially as they were taught in English, and “I never really felt a connection.”

North Africa and the Middle East fascinated her, however, especially after reading books like A Thousand Splendid Suns, Reading Lolita in Tehran and The Saffron Kitchen. Having earned a year’s worth of college credits through AP classes in high school, Kristin forged ahead at Long Beach State University and saved all year long working weekends at the Long Beach Aquarium and becoming a crew-leader for the U.S. Census to pay for her upcoming trip.

Knowing her parents would be nervous about her traveling anywhere in some of the nations that were facing war or other disruptions, Kristin, said: “I tried to chose one that was somewhat less turbulent and narrowed my search down to Morocco, Jordan and Syria.”

Discovering a small language institute called Qalam wa Lawh in Rabat would cost her less than three months of Arabic schooling in San Bernardino, she settled on Morocco.

Going abroad made her parents nervous, she admitted, but she didn’t want to be deterred from her goal.

Her father, Zan Colazas, the former principal of Seventh Street Elementary School, agreed having his daughter go to North Africa alone made him fret.

“I was a little apprehensive of course with all the things going on in North Africa,” he said. “But I have a lot of trust in her. She’s mature beyond her years and has a good head on her shoulders.

“Sometimes, you have to let them go into adulthood.”

Not that it was easy. Even Kristin, feeling somewhat strained with intensive study of Arabic for eight hours each day for two months. She found herself ready to cut back her schooling by a month and will extend her travels to Casablanca, Marrakech and Greece.

She wouldn’t change what she’s learned in Morocco for all the tea in North Africa, she exclaims.

“Through my reading and research I have discovered that both the East and
the West have their own traditions and an intense sense of pride and
individuality,” she wrote. “It’s their pride and commitment to tradition and values
that keeps them from understanding one another. Each is set in their own ways,
and neither is willing to change those ways for the other.

“Growing up in America, I always only understood things from the Western perspective. I wanted to understand the other side, and I knew that the best way to do that was to learn the language, communicate with the people of the region, and try to interact with them on a level that we could both understand.”

For the most part, she found the people loving and friendly and she made plenty of friends. She followed a dress code wearing no shorts and making sure her shirts were at least elbow length or long sleeved and that her skirts were knee length.

Moroccan women, she said, could get away with wearing less attire, but they didn’t stand out like a young, visiting American woman who had no “fathers or brothers nearby to protect their honor.” Because the city is filled with politicians, ambassadors and business professionals, she said, “not veiling” was much easier than if she was visiting smaller villages.

In the states, she studied Modern Standard Arabic. She explains, however, it is not a spoken language and is typically used in university settings and in writing. Arabic is broken down into different dialects, which also differs from country to country. Egyptian Arabic is the mostly widely used and understood. In the future, she hopes to pursue a Master's degree in Middle Eastern Study and head into international development.

She attempted to learn the Moroccan dialect, which residents found amusing.

“ Moroccans generally laugh when I try to speak their dialect, but they always smile, tell me welcome and shake my hand--- men and women alike,” she said.
“There is nothing else like speaking to them in their own language and being able to communicate clearly with the people of this country. They are some of the nicest people I have met in my life.”

For more about Kristin’s adventures, visit her blog at: http://berriescastdarkhooks.tumblr.com

A HALF HOUR WITH BAXTER: WELCOME: STEP INTO OUR HOME AND REMEMBER WHAT IT’S LIKE TO HAVE A BUBBLY, BOUNCY, BOISTEROUS PUP

By Diana L. Chapman

“No, Baxter, NOOOO!”

I’m running down the hallway with Baxter at my heels, digging his teeth deep into my pants leg. I try to pry our darling new puppy loose from the heel of my foot. It’s not working.

“No, Baxter! That hurts! Ouch!” Those yelps go to no avail as his baby teeth hit skin, setting off a rippling, prickling sensation.

I’ve never raised a puppy before. Can you tell? Typically, we’ve gone for adult animals. Even this time, we were planning on another veteran until our son spotted a curly, white-haired mop with a black eye patch, black ears and a skinny rod-shaped tail that looked like it was pinned on as an afterthought.

We found this 9-week-old pup at our favorite pet rescue facility--Hearts for Hounds--in an open pen with brothers, sisters and a variety of other small dogs. They waddled about barking and chirping, looking for someone to take them home.

The day was sunny but cool in the parking lot near the Long Beach Marina where we dragged along Ryan--the 16-year-old-son--to pick out a new canine for our family. Already, our clan included Buddy (a brute of a cat who, if human, would be riding a Harley with chicks, beers and tattoos) and an 8-year-old shepherd/collie mix, Boo, who believes in herding animals and people--especially me.

All those words of age and wisdom flew off the leash the moment Ryan pulled Baxter out of the pen. “No,” Mom and Dad said promptly, in unison. But Ryan wouldn’t let go of Baxter, no matter what we said. We finally convinced him to put Baxter down so we could talk as a family.

“A puppy is a lot of work,” we told him.

“I’ll do it,” Ryan said with all the genuine assuredness a teen-ager can muster.

“You’ll clean up the poop?”

He nodded.

“Play with him?”

He nodded.

“Take him for walks?”

He nodded.

The list went on. And you know how this works with teen-agers. Their guarantees come with a caveat you should never forget, but always do: They are rarely home.

At last, we agreed. Bonnie Sheehan, the founder of Hearts for Hounds, was delighted when we selected one of her eight bearded collie/miniature poodle pups – especially since we have a large backyard. The doggy deed was done. Soon, Baxter was driving home with his new family. What a surprise!

Here’s a composite of one half-hour with Baxter. All of these stories are true; the names have not been changed. I’ve read enough of Cesar Millan’s “Perfect Dog” book to know that I’m not a dog whisperer, but I’d better learn quickly.

· Baxter stands playfully in front of the water dish so Buddy the cat can’t get any. The other dog, Boo -- irritated he’s become a puppysitter -- rushes over and herds Baxter into his crate, standing guard until our feline has a chance to drink.

· Baxter races over to Boo’s dish (even though there’s food in his own bowl), grabs a few bites and flees – knowing that this action could trigger chaos. Which it does: Boo doesn’t quit a barking for 10 minutes. Manners, Baxter. Manners!

· ”Oh, Baxter, you pooped again,” I remark while cleaning up the kitchen floor. Going around the corner, I spot a giant puddle just before I step in it . Cleaning that up, I turn again and find wet footprints traipsed across the living room. Baxter apparently figured he should walk through the pool and stamp his mark on the hardwood floors. Out comes the Lysol, along with the paper towels. This happens daily.

· ”Play with me! Play with me!” Baxter seems to say, standing with his head down on his front paws, furiously wagging his tail. First he tries to convince Boo, but the old grump ignores him. Then he chases Buddy all over the house until the cat jumps onto the back of the couch. Buddy doesn’t want to play, either. Now, it’s my turn. He tugs on my pants! He leaps onto my legs until I pick him up! I can’t wait for Ryan to come home to take Baxter out and play ball. That, of course, will be a long time from now, so I realize I’ll have to stop writing and take him out myself.

· ”Give me that, Baxter! Give it to me! Thank you very much,” as I wrestle my shoe from his mouth. Slyly, he moves behind me into the closet and grabs the other shoe, running for dear life to the living room. At last I retrieve it before I realize Ryan’s socks are wound tightly in his mouth.

As I’ve been told, these puppy moments fly by quickly until the dog is an adult. Baxter, already stretched to twice his size, eats like a horse. The rescue gal thinks he won’t grow larger than 20 pounds. I’m not so sure.

Amid these exhausting baby moments, there are bright stars such as the mornings that the bickering dogs, still getting used to each other, surprise me. I awaken to find them curled up, sleeping side-by-side.

Then there are the quiet moments when Baxter, tired from playing puppy all morning, just wants to be held in my lap, which he soon won’t fit in. Or the more joyous moments when he thinks he’s in a rodeo, leaping around the living room floor like a bucking bronco, waving his toy duck.

All in all, we love our Baxman, even when he’s chewing my jacket, snapping at our toes, barking madly into Boo’s face or gloriously chasing the cat.

Perhaps the truth is this: Although we believed we adopted Baxter for Ryan, we unwittingly took him home for all of us. Because all too soon Ryan will be off to college, and we’ll be empty-nesters wishing our son would come home.

Instead, we’ll have Boo, Buddy and our youngest--the adorable but sometimes bad Bax.

LAUSD SUPERINTENDENT CORTINES TAPS THE DISTRICT’S SOUTHERN HEAD TO MIND HIS LARGEST REGION: GONE IS THE LOCAL SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT WHO SHEPHERDED THE BUILDING OF A CONTENTIOUS NEW HIGH SCHOOL IN SAN PEDRO – AND GUIDED SAN PEDRO AND GARDENA HIGH THROUGH A MECCA OF CRITICISMS DURING PUBLIC SCHOOL CHOICE

Diana L. Chapman

Linda Del Cueto, who led the way to build a new high school in San Pedro

despite a storm of sharp criticism and steered a collaborative principal to the

area, stepped down from her post in June where she headed all of Los Angeles

schools in its southern region.

She left the job with “mixed feelings” somewhat “bitter-sweet” to head Los

Angeles Unified’s largest region of schools, plopped in central area of Los

Angeles starting in July.

“I loved it here and I’m really going to miss everyone,” Del Cueto explained

during a June interview. “I worked really hard to learn all the unique and

diverse communities and I loved it from the spirit of San Pedro to the

uniqueness of Gardena.

“It’s a lateral move, but it’s one that that Superintendent Cortines asked for.”

LAUSD Superintendent Ramon Cortines needed an experienced

official to manage the largest area of LAUSD which boasts 131 schools, 15 of

which are high schools.

Her new post, she said, will primarily concern an effort to make those campuses competitive enough to keep middle class residents in public schools who are racing to charters and private facilities.

During her three years of heading the southern region, which runs from northern

Los Angeles above Gardena and swoops all the way south to the cliffs of San

Pedro and encompasses Wilmington, Carson, Rancho Palos Verdes, and Lomita, Del Cueto leaves behind her a repertoire of successes – perhaps the most difficult,

finding a principal to rescue the beleaguered San Pedro High.

San Pedro High was thrust into a “public school choice option,” meaning it would

have to compete to maintain its schools against outside operators, such as

charters or non-profits. It also suffered from revolving door leadership,

drooping test scores, poor accreditation and an entrenched staff.

When the last principal retired shortly after a brief two-year stint, Del Cueto

went out of her way to find a successful, “collaborative,” “drill-down,”

principal, one who this time lived in San Pedro, understood the community and

had a keen ability to bring players together.

So far, new principal Jeanette Stevens, who Del Cueto nabbed from another region of the district to prop up San Pedro High School -- has proven to be popular

with the community and scores of teachers within her first year. The school is

expected to pass its accreditation this month – without much trouble – and has

launched a new layout of small learning communities at the overcrowded school of 3,500.

Del Cueto also showed her expertise in manning such a vast area of schools after

weathering the brunt of intense criticism in San Pedro when the district agreed

to build High School 15 at the Upper Fort MacArthur reservation, called Angel’s

Gate.

Despite massive opposition from a narrow contingency of neighbors, the school

board agreed to build the 800 seat campus, which is expected to open in 2012.

Del Cueto braced the swirling controversy in which residents relentlessly

complained about massive traffic in their neighborhoods, dangerous access on

Alma Street and the destruction of the serene area that overlooks the Pacific.

“I learned through this that the district can do a better job of communicating

with the public,” the regional superintendent said. “Just because I’m passionate

about building a new school, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be sensitive. When the

district rolls out such large projects, it has to be done in a much more

communicative manner.”

Los Angeles Unified had owned the 28 acre site for years. The school will be an

annex of San Pedro High and will partially house San Pedro High’s Marine Magnet

students. The campus will be surrounded by educational resources, including the

Marine Mammal Care Center and the International Bird Rescue Center.

Other areas Del Cueto said she’s proud of include:

--Changing the definition of “articulation” so that it doesn’t mean students get

just a tour of their next school. Now, she leaves behind plans for feeder school

teachers to meet with the faculty at the students’ next educational level. For

example, middle school teachers will talk with high school teachers about

algebra and math, she explained, and what students learned as well as their

strength and weaknesses. In some cases, teachers will even visit students at

their new school.

--Turning Gardena High, another struggling campus under the “public school

choice option,” to small learning communities, but in this case a 9th grade

academy was added. Ninth graders will wear uniforms “to minimize potential

conflict” and be separated from sophomores, juniors and seniors who are not

required to wear uniforms. “We felt the students really needed this as a safety

step,” Del Cueto explained.

--Working with LAUSD's school board member Richard Vladovic’s office in obtaining $25 million worth of funding

to give Harbor Teachers Prep Academy – a nationally recognized high school that

boasts the highest test scores and graduation rate in the district – a permanent

home at Los Angeles Harbor College. It currently operates in bungalows at the

college and has no access to sports facilities. She considered the project a top

priority as the school draws students from Wilmington , Carson and San Pedro.

With Del Cueto’s recommendation, Michael Romero has been named interim local district superintendent.

Vladovic, who Del Cueto worked closely with, said she will be missed, but that Romero is an excellent pick for a replacement.

“Linda did a good job and cared about kids, Vladovic said. “She had a

fundamental belief that all children can learn and exemplified effective

leadership at Local District 8. We will miss her greatly but we have a new Local

District Superintendent Michael Romero who can hit the ground running and who

has very similar traits.”