Ask the Author: Alesa Lightbourne
Answered Questions (8)
Alesa Lightbourne
Hi May,
Great question.
Actually, the school where I taught was on the outskirts of Arbil (also spelled Erbil or Irbil). However, I did not have a chance to get to know many educated or professional Kurds except for the ones at the school. I was there for only six months. So I just know about the people I taught with and lived amongst.
I was hoping that the book would not give a dark picture of the village. There were so many things that I appreciated and respected about the village culture. The way they handled grief together was something I envied, since my own family and community at home doesn't cry together. I was amazed at Ara's generosity, saying that she would feed and house me for the rest of my life after I was made penniless. The wisdom and spirituality of Old Houda was amazing. And the patriotism expressed by virtually all Kurds I met was inspirational. These and other things were of great beauty to me. And I missed Ara, Bezma, Houda and Seema incredibly after I left.
The lives of city Kurds are indeed very different. The women don't wear abayas most of the time. They drive. They are not as likely to be cut. Many of them have professional jobs. Let's hope that one of these educated city women writes a book soon, so that we all can have insights into that aspect of society.
Great question.
Actually, the school where I taught was on the outskirts of Arbil (also spelled Erbil or Irbil). However, I did not have a chance to get to know many educated or professional Kurds except for the ones at the school. I was there for only six months. So I just know about the people I taught with and lived amongst.
I was hoping that the book would not give a dark picture of the village. There were so many things that I appreciated and respected about the village culture. The way they handled grief together was something I envied, since my own family and community at home doesn't cry together. I was amazed at Ara's generosity, saying that she would feed and house me for the rest of my life after I was made penniless. The wisdom and spirituality of Old Houda was amazing. And the patriotism expressed by virtually all Kurds I met was inspirational. These and other things were of great beauty to me. And I missed Ara, Bezma, Houda and Seema incredibly after I left.
The lives of city Kurds are indeed very different. The women don't wear abayas most of the time. They drive. They are not as likely to be cut. Many of them have professional jobs. Let's hope that one of these educated city women writes a book soon, so that we all can have insights into that aspect of society.
Alesa Lightbourne
Hi Alice,
Thanks for your question.
Yes, Theresa continued to teach, but went back to the college level. She became a professor in Singapore, and her second year there she was promoted to dean. By living frugally, she was able to recover most of the money taken by Wells Fargo.
Leaving her son proved to have been a mistake. So she brought him to Singapore with her, where he graduated from an international business school with a degree in finance. He is now the head of the data analytics department for one of Sweden's largest banks, living in Stockholm, and working on a masters degree.
The Fortress (not its real name, of course) continues to operate schools very successfully in many countries around the world, including Iraq. I considered it to be the antithesis of Western education. However, the whole concept of "good education" is very much determined by culture. Who knows? Perhaps it really is appropriate in more authoritative parts of the world -- and it was my own cultural bias that made it so difficult for me to bear.
~ Alesa
Thanks for your question.
Yes, Theresa continued to teach, but went back to the college level. She became a professor in Singapore, and her second year there she was promoted to dean. By living frugally, she was able to recover most of the money taken by Wells Fargo.
Leaving her son proved to have been a mistake. So she brought him to Singapore with her, where he graduated from an international business school with a degree in finance. He is now the head of the data analytics department for one of Sweden's largest banks, living in Stockholm, and working on a masters degree.
The Fortress (not its real name, of course) continues to operate schools very successfully in many countries around the world, including Iraq. I considered it to be the antithesis of Western education. However, the whole concept of "good education" is very much determined by culture. Who knows? Perhaps it really is appropriate in more authoritative parts of the world -- and it was my own cultural bias that made it so difficult for me to bear.
~ Alesa
Alesa Lightbourne
Writing helps a person align with their own soul. I can't explain how this happens. It just does. Perhaps it has something to do with EM Forster's quote, "How do I know what I think until I see what I write?" I love that quote.
Alesa Lightbourne
Practice writing on a regular basis, regardless of what you think of the output, until writing becomes almost second nature. Avoid self-criticism as much as possible. Believe in your own voice.
Alesa Lightbourne
I am trying to figure out how to adapt some of my cross-cultural experiences to another novel, set outside of Kurdistan this time. The challenge is, how to blend fact with fiction to create an intriguing plot. It hasn't become exactly clear to me yet...
Alesa Lightbourne
I've been blessed with a rather unusual life, spent in many different cultures. The things that occur to real people offer more inspiration than anything my imagination could come up with.
Alesa Lightbourne
The time I spent teaching in Kurdistan burned itself into my being, more intensely than any other overseas stint had. The stories of my friends there just HAD to be told. I knew I would not be at peace with myself until they were written down and shared with the world.
Alesa Lightbourne
I set aside four to five hours every day when working on a book, and just write, trying not to judge whether it's any good or not. My job during the first-draft phase is just to get words on paper. Only later will I worry about cutting, moving things around, or polishing. If I'm super stuck, then going on a run or walk outdoors often helps. I ask my spirit-self to resolve the issue before setting out on the run or walk, and just trust that an answer will come. It always does, but not necessarily by the time the run is over.
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