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Country Challenge: Where did you teach?

Created on: 11/02/14 05:53 PM Views: 9416 Replies: 16
Count the "Countries" Where you Taught
Posted Sunday, November 2, 2014 05:53 PM

Background (from Joe Arden):

Several months ago, when speaking with two veteran Maryland faculty, Charles Brumfield and Richard Adams, both of whom taught in both Asia and Europe, I asked each "How many different countries have you taught in with Maryland...?" Listed below the countries for each.  This led to me also contacting other names from the past...including Bill Berglof, David Glaser and Irv Tucker. How many "Countries" did you teach in while with UMUC?  Please post your count and list of Countries/Entities to this Colleague Forum.

NOTE: But... a word with regard to "Countries/Entities"---"definition."   

A)  Generally, must be a country---for example if in U.N., then no question.

B)  But...can also include "nations."  With, for example, the "nations" of the United Kingdom---England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland---counting,  Here, the precedence would be FIFA---Federation International Football Association, which sees each of the four above participating as a "Nation."   Thus, if someone taught in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, one could claim four different "countries/entitites."

C)  Can also include certain territories that have a status distinctly diffeernt from its governing authority.  Specific examples would include Hong Kong, Midway, Guam, and Diego Garcia.  

D)  But, islands that always been part of a country do NOT count...for example, someone who might have taught in Naples, Sicily and Sardinia, can claim only one country:  Italy.

One possible exception:  since after WW II, the U.S. "took over" and "governed" Okinawa until the 1972 "reversion," if one taught in Okinawa before 1972, then can claim, and could also claim Japan if taught there.  On other hand, if someone taught in Okinawa AFTER 1972, when again was part of Japan, then can NOT claim Okinawa seperately.

-------------------

Obviously, the above "definitions" are NOT cast in stone.  Indeed, I just more or less made them up when consdiering.  And, so, if some OMA folks wish to suggest different criteria, then please do so.   


Anyway,  listed below are the countries in which each has taught:

BILL BERGLOF----13
Australia, Belgium, Ethiopia, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Korea, Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, Taiwan (Republic of China), and Turkey.

IRV TUCKER------13
Australia, Belgium, England, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Portugal, Spain, Taiwan (Rep of China), Thailand, Turkey, and Vietnam.

DAVID GLASER----15
Australia, Belgium, England, Egypt, Germany, Greece, Guam, Japan, Singapore, Scotland, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam and Wales.

RICHARD ADAMS---15
Bahrain, Belgium, England, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Kosovo, Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Russia, Turkey, and Uruguay.

CHARLES BRUMFIELD--15
Belgium, Bosnia, China, England, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Korea, Pakistan, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, and Turkey.

------------------------------------

So....would think there may well be other OMA folks...who will be in the running for "Most Countries/Entities" in which taught with Maryland.

Looking forward to hearing from others. Click the "Reply" button to enter your list of countries.

 
Edited 11/03/14 11:43 AM
RE: Country Challenge: Can you top this?
Posted Monday, November 3, 2014 07:50 AM

Can we open up a side discussion for administrators?  As one who was never a teacher my country count in that regard is, of course, zero!  But as an administrator I think I can legitimately claim 5 for my count:  The longest tenure is, most obviously, Japan, but I was blessed with some short stints elsewhere:  here I must include Okinawa since it was administered/managed separately from mainland Japan, Korea, Germany (Heidelberg), and the U.S. (Maryland).  I won't count my quick sojourn to Hawaii (a non-CONUS location after all) once to deliver the RFP.  Now, if I were to count time spent vicariously in other regions in a somewhat subordinate area director role or support in other capacities, then my count would become 10 or 11 as Bangkok, China (Beijing/Xian), Kwajalein, Russia, and Singapore could be added to the list.

This measly count will not, I'm sure, compare to many other august members who served as area directors or in other positions and had administrative time in both Divisions.

Bragging rights nonetheless!  

Cheers!

 
RE: Country Challenge: Where did you teach?
Posted Monday, November 3, 2014 12:34 PM

Ah Joe, you never did teach Geography.  "Nations," "countries."  There are of course "nation-states" that even include the like of the (almost dis-united) "UK."

O.K.  Do we count Berlin as a separate 'place' before the reunification?

If so, I've got from North to South:  Iceland, Scotland, Wales, England, Netherlands, Germany, Italy,  Turkey,both 'European' and Asian, and "West Berlin."

When one thinks of the costs of all that administrator travel, one appreciates the low salary structure for non-anuals.

 

 
Count the "Countries" Where you Taught
Posted Monday, November 3, 2014 12:59 PM

Guam, Japan, Korea, Taiwan (Republic of China).

 
Edited 11/03/14 01:00 PM
RE: Count the "Countries" Where you Taught
Posted Monday, November 3, 2014 06:47 PM

Iceland

Germany

Spain

Italy

Greece

Japan

S. Korea

Okinawa (1971)

Taiwan

Vietnam

Thailand

 

-----Tom Jackson

 
RE: Country Challenge: Where did you teach?
Posted Tuesday, November 4, 2014 06:58 PM

I'm a one-country gal. It's Spain Spain and more Spain. Taught English and Spanish. American women writers and how to order a meal in a Spanish restaurant. How I would love to teach there again.

          Linda

 

ps Buck Hosman taught in Italy(Brindisi) and Spain

 
RE: Count the "Countries" Where you Taught
Posted Wednesday, November 5, 2014 12:32 AM

Thanks, Forrest....

And...an intriguing question/comment...reference Berlin. 

Had never thought about...But, a very good query/point.

---

Let us wait a bit...and see whether others offer views.

------------

 

 

 
RE: Country Challenge: Where did you teach?
Posted Wednesday, November 5, 2014 09:29 AM

James A. "Jim" Moss.  Total Countries = 20 from 1987 through 2008.

I list here in order of 1st assignment to each country because in and out of Belgium, Germany, Greece, Spain, and Turkey multiple times.  

1. Italy  2, Germany  3. Turkey  4. Iceland  5. England  6, Spain  7. Greece  8. Russia  9. Korea  10. Japan  11. Saudia Arabia  12. Hungary  13. Belgium  14. Uruguay  15. Bahrain 16. Croatia 17. Bosnia 18. Kuwait  19. Qatar  20. Portugal

 
RE: Count the "Countries" Where you Taught
Posted Wednesday, November 5, 2014 09:51 AM

WOW...WOW...Jim.

MORE than IMPRESSIVE...!!!!

 

Thanks for informing everyone...

 

See you in Naples...

Joe

 
RE: Count the "Countries" Where you Taught
Posted Wednesday, November 5, 2014 02:03 PM

Joe, I think you short changed Richard one country.  I know he also taught in South America, Uruguay I believe.  I think he taught in one more country than I did.  I taught in 40 locations in the 15 countries to which I was assigned, don't know how many different locations Richard taught in.  But we're hardly unique over the decades UMUC has been sending professors all of the world.

Can I count West Berlin as a separate country since it was surronunded by East Germany and was almost autonomously isolated from the west at the time I taught there?  If so, I'm up to Richard's level.  But I don't think that counts.  Officially 15 countries for me.

Each of us has a unique story to tell.  Bet there's no one left around who can claim to have taught in Pakistan.  Small spy base up north.  Taliban country now.  

But then there are many UMUC countries that I never taught in.  I never got the chance to teach in France, Iceland, Ethiopia, or Libya when we still had programs there.  I wanted to.

You raised an interesting question about "nations" v. "countries".  People often ask me how many countries I've visited in my  25+ years of living and traveling abroad.  My answer always is, "It depends." Maybe 100-120 depending on how you count countries.  If each of the parts of what makes up the UK are counted separately, I've been to all of them.....England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Add one country or four?.  

I visited Czechoslovakia when it was one country and the Czech and Slovak Republics after it was peacefully separated into two countries.  So count that as one country, two countries, or three?  I visited East Germany and West Germany before 1989.  Is that one country or two?   

I visited all of the provinces of Yugoslavia when it was considered one country and each of the provinces again after it broke up into 7 separate countries.  Is that one or eight?  Is Crete a separate country?  Is Cyprus one country or two or zero since each half is claimed by other countries that count?

Is Puerto Rico a country?  Bermuda?  The Bahamas?  The Virgin Islands?  The Faulklands? Greenland?

What about Lichtenstein, Andorra, San Marino, The Vatican, Gibraltar?  Do those count as countries?

Does the fact that I was technically in North Korea for 30 seconds count?  Do Hong Kong and Macau count as separate countries if you visited them before they were turned back over to China?  "One country, two Systems."  What about, "Two systems, three countries? 

What about the Marianas and other island chains?  Is that one country or a confederation of small island nations?   Is Antarctica a country in any sense of the word?

China claims to own Taiwan (Formosa).  Is Taiwan really a separate country then?  What about Tibet?

I never considered Okinawa separate from Japan in any country count.  But then, I've never counted countries anyway.   

Finally, is Texas a separate country like they think they are?  Is Canada a separate country when 67 percent of Tea Party voters think we own it?  Is Africa only one country because 98 percent of Fox "News" watchers think it is?  Sorry conserves, just joking around.

 

 
RE: Count the "Countries" Where you Taught
Posted Wednesday, November 5, 2014 02:17 PM

Oops, I see you did include Uruguay in Richard's country count, Joe.  Maybe we are equal, unless the concensus is that West Berlin counts separately before the curtain came down.

 
RE: Count the "Countries" Where you Taught
Posted Saturday, January 24, 2015 10:47 AM

Marilynn Draxl and I both hit double figures.  She taught in Belgium, Bermuda, England, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Spain and Turkey [11].  My countries/entities include England, Germany, Greece, Guam, Japan, Korea, Okinawa, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam [12].  Between us we had 17 unique, paid for by Maryland destinations.  What was especially nice was when Joe and/or Julian placed us in the same country, or within commuting distance such as Marilynn in Mons, Hugo at Ramstein; Hugo at Torrejon, Marilynn in Rota; or Marilynn in Iraklion, Hugo in Athens.

Hugo Keesing

 
Six Years / Five Countries
Posted Saturday, January 24, 2015 12:05 PM

Although I only taught overseas with UMUC for six years (2004-2009), I managed to do it in five countries: South Korea, Japan, Spain, Kuwait, and Italy. After returning to the US in 2009, I continued teaching online, so I guess I could include USA in the total. While serving as Academic Director in the Asian Division, I visited classes in Guam and Okinawa. Before joining the UMUC faculty, I taught in Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Mexico, and Costa Rica. I'm often asked which was my favorite country with UMUC, and I invariably name Japan. 

 
RE: Country Challenge: Where did you teach?
Posted Sunday, January 25, 2015 11:12 AM

Just 9 
Philippines  Japan  S.Korea  Australia  1989-90
Germany UK Spain Belgium Turkey  1997-2013

About 15 different bases in Germany though, lots
of autobahn kilometers!

Cheers!
Carol

 
RE: Count the "Countries" Where you Taught
Posted Friday, August 28, 2015 05:59 PM

I don't come anywhere close to the Unsinkable Jimmy Moss, with a mere 10 countries:  England, Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Greece, Bahrain, Kuwait — and Pakistan, since, while I was teaching in Bahrain, I was asked to teach a course on the USS Coronado while it made a "show the flag" run from the emirate to Karachi and taught my last session while moored in Karachi Harbor.

Parenthetically, while I was in Bahrain I began writing a series of crime stories set in the emirate for Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine.  There wound up being 10 of them, and they've just been collected into a single volume by Wildside Press and are available from Amazon in paperback as The Tree of Life and as a 99-cent ebook titled The Mahboob Chaudri Mystery Megapack.

Cheers!

 

 

 

 
RE: Country Challenge: Where did you teach?
Posted Saturday, September 12, 2015 01:18 PM

I didn't list the countries in which I taught for UMUC in my message above.  They are:  Belgium (2 bases), Bosnia (2 bases), China NPU Summer Program, England (2 bases), Germany (14 bases), Greece (1), Italy (1), Japan/Okinawa (9), Korea (7), Pakistan (1), Portugal (1), Singapore (1), Spain (1), Thailand (1), Turkey (1).  A friend made a count for me a long time ago, and told me I had visited 60 some odd countries at that point.  I've done a lot of traveling since then, and now it's well over 100.  I'm not going to try to name all of them, and, besides, there's still that controversy as to what constitutes a country.  

Like some of you, I am often asked which country I've liked best in all my travels. Each one is unique, of course, and I've loved them all in different ways.  That's my standard answer.  In Europe I'd have to say Yugoslavia in the 1960s, but now probably Portugal.  But overall favorite?  Hands down, Thailand! 


 

 
RE: Country Challenge: Where did you teach?
Posted Wednesday, September 16, 2015 03:47 AM

To date, eleven countries: 

Germany

Italy

England

Belgium

Netherlands

France (I'm assuming field Studies count)

Ireland (ditto)

Bosnia

Kuwait

Afghanistan (twice)

Diego Garcia

But I'm still working to pad this out. Trying to catch Moss, but it will be tough in my time remaining.  If all goes as planned will do Bahrain starting in January for an even dozen!