A Message from My Students

A Message From My Students
World Academy for the Future of Women
Imadol, Nepal
November/ December  2017

I spent 8 weeks in Nepal and taught young college women how to be global leaders.  I've taught in this program before, in China.  And like my Chinese students, these young women were filled with passion, good-will and an eagerness to change the world for the better. It was great fun to work with these women.

We Should Empower Women Sufficiently

Facebook Post

We Should Empower Women Sufficiently

World Academy for the Future of Women

Sias University

Henan, China

November 16, 2015 at 9:45 PM · 

I asked my students to tell me which UN Millennium Goal is most important to them.  Elena supports the goal of empowering women:

"In Chinese history, there were unequal between men and woman. A man could have lots of wife who should be stayed at home just to educate children and have no status in the family and society. In modern society, although the women's status has improved a lot than before. There are also unequal things happened. just like some companies do not admit women, some people think women should stay at home to take care of their family and it is unnecessary to have their own business. so i think maybe we should change some people's mind and empower women sufficiently."

Elena, World Academy for the Future of Women, China


When I posted her statement on Facebook, I received 21 "like" responses and only three were from men.  I thought this was very telling as to why this quest for empowerment is such an uphill battle.

21You, Erica Torregrossa, Judith Smith and 18 others

Alexandra Fiefie: Yes we should

I am Home

Facebook Post


Bridget E Kelly was traveling to BWI Marshall Airport station from Newark Liberty International Airport and Beijing, China
November 30, 2015 at 7:50 PM · Newark, NJ ·

I left China yesterday to head home. As I was leaving my students, I thought to myself, "but I am home,". With Monday Tao in China

Comments from friends:

Jackie Reviello Welcome back!!

Dawn Meade Branch Great feeling when you realize that. However, I'd prefer you not move away.

Doris Gough Always an educator!

John McLaughlin Welcome home, Bridget.

Karen Langford I heard there were pollution warnings and I wondered how u were fairing.
Bridget E Kelly The pollution in Beijing yesterday was unbelievable. It looked like dense fog.

Kathy Flatley Bandos Safe travels, my friend.

Lynn Talbot Just LOVE the teacher in you!

Kathryn T Nicolella The world is your home.

Maureen Patton Reis Safe travels!

Rosina Rucci What you are is a citizen of the world. What we all should be. There are no boundaries, no borders, no real divisions and separations and it is only by moving ourselves around that we come to understand that. I am proud of you, my Friend. So so so proud. Just get 'home' safely. #oneworld #onelove #onefamily

Leslie Coren Be safe, Homebody.

Lucinda Taber Safe journey home Looking forward to seeing pictures

Debra Ward Metz The world is such a better place because you are in it,
Dr. Kelly..

Gloria Handling They will surely miss you!!!

Jamie Downs Welcome back

Kathi Lewis Welcome back Bridget!!

Peggy Mills Rosa Have a safe trip.

Erica Torregrossa Welcome back.

Jaye Pedante Oh no you're not!
Bridget E Kelly Next time I hope you will come to China with me.

Why I Teach in Asia

Why I Teach In Asia

From one of my Nepali students

Kathmandu, Nepal

































July 26

Today is special day. Celebration day to say thank you to all teachers who always lend their hand to show us the way and choose right path. Huge thank you to all teachers for always being there with us whatever we do. Forever we will know that you have changed our minds and we are proud to be your student and will make you proud to be our teacher.

HAPPY TEACHER'S DAY

Unfair to Girls and Women

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Unfair to Girls and Women

World Academy for the Future of Woman

Sias University

Henan Providence, China

November 15, 2015 at 3:31 AM · 

When I asked my students, which UN Millennium Goal was most important to them, Tiffany said the goal to empower women was most important. There is her written response:

"When I was a little baby, I didn't get the affection from my grandfather because I was a girl not a boy. And he only like the boys among his grandchildren. meanwhile my father also didn't like me. until now he had an indifferent attitude with me. And my family has two girls, so he also complain to my mom.

When my mother was a little girl, her parents didn't allow her to study in the school but her brother. And my grandparents let her and her sister to do housework, to do hand making and to look after little boy. Later, my mother was very eager to go to school and my grandfather allow. But when my mother had a low grade in her senior high entrance examination as the same was my mother's brother. But my grandfather just let my mother's brother study in school continuely. (sic)

Totally, I think it is very unfair to girls and women."

Tiffany-

Comments from friends:

Kathy Flatley Bandos: Such a reminder of what we take for granted.

Libby Laitinen: Powerful. Tiffany is stronger than she knows.

Francis Mendieta Ward: Absolutely powerful!

The Girl from Nicaragua

The Girl From Nicaragua

Nicaragua

Spring 2013

This photo always draws my attention.  I love the penetration of her eyes, the intensity of her stare at me.  However, I truly have no memory of taking this photo.  I only know she is from Nicaragua because this photo was lumped in with all my other photos from that day.

Small Victories

Small Victories

Things I am Doing To Live A More Authentic Life

• I am no longer hiding the fact that I am agnostic. I was raised as a Catholic and I don't believe that Jesus Christ is the son of god.  And I don't have any respect for the Catholic Church.  And I don't consider myself to be a christian. This is a hard concept fro some of my family and friends and I have to gently remind them that we are all different.
• I am comfortable to travel to foreign places by myself.
• I retired at 55 so I could do something different.  I worked for 30 years as an educator and I needed to let that go.  I was finished with this important job.  So I retired early, took a big hit on my pension and set out on a new path.
• I am no longer hiding the fact that I am a democrat.  I was raised in a rigid Republican family and I had to be quiet, to stuff it in, for years.  I am an unabashed, rigid Democrat.
• I am finally comfortable to go in to a bar by myself and have beer. I never liked to do this because I felt like an alcoholic. But I really like to try flights of different beers.  So I will go to a brewery and have a flight and then leave.
• I am making an effort to meet new people.  When I was working, I was swarmed with people.  Now that I am not working, it's is so much harder.  But I am making an effort.
• I moved in to a new apartment, a new neighborhood, a new community and I did it so I could stay more engaged in life.

Gloria's Greeting To Me

Gloria’s Greeting to Me  
Thanksgiving
November 2012

Georgia was my student at SIAS University in China during the Spring 2012 semester.  She was wonderful and I hated to leave her.  She sent me this email on the following Thanksgiving

Hi Bridget!

I miss the time we spent together. I miss the coach we sit together. I miss the meals we had together. I miss you…

I believe you know how deeply I appreciate the help and advice you’ve given me. However I still want to say it to you, especially on this special day! Thank you for being there with me and all the World Academy members! Thank you for being supporting us! Thank you for having faith in us! Thank you for loving us! Thank you for providing the opportunity for us to explore the powerful ourselves and tears!

Happy Thanksgiving! I’m hoping to skype with you soon.

Longing to meeting you as soon as possible!

Gloria

My response to Gloria:

Now you are going to make me cry. Today as my family sat at the table and named everything that we were thankful for, I mentioned that I was thankful for all my new Chinese friends. I am one lucky woman.

Bridget

Gloria’s response to me:

we're all lucky for meeting each other in this big world! no one minute late, no one minute early~ :)

I just love this last statement!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What Would You Do....

What Would You Do If You Could Do Anything?

My Students

SIAS University

Henan Province, China

Spring 2012

I asked my students to write a  response to this question.  They looked puzzled at first but then they just started writing and writing and writing.  I thought I would give them just 10 minutes to respond but they needed 20 minutes.  They got out their dictionaries and they conferred with one another.   And then I asked if anyone wanted to read her response to us.  A student got up, stood up straight and tall and read her thoughts and her classmates cheered for her.  Then everyone wanted to read their responses and every response got a round of applause.

• “If I have the ability to change people’s skin color, I will do it. Because there is no difference between people’s appearance.  No discrimination anymore.”
• 
  
• “If I could do anything I want to do a leader who can lead other women do their life better or make a band with my best friends.  We dance and sing many beautiful songs. It is not important for our’s fame. But we love our life.  If I could do anything, I join in a party army to protect our country and our people.  If I could do anything, I travel our earth around with my husband.  If I could do anything, I want to do everything I want. I want to keep the world peaceful and to speak English perfect.”
• 
  
• “If I could do anything, I would want to be a superwoman to feed my family and protect my homeland.  I would show my love to my parents, every minute with them and I would like to travel all over the world with the person I love.  I would try to make the world more friendly and warm with my own efforts.”
• 
  
• “Last semester, my teacher asked us this similar question.  It’s a really good question.  I think I will bring happiness to the people around me if I could do anything.  Happiness is free; also it’s the best thing in the world. As far as I am concerned. In fact, being happy is really simple.  So I want to bring happiness to the people. Cherish those people around us. Try our best to do what we can now.”
• 
  
• “Yesterday in our school, I saw a boy hitting a girl with my own eyes. But no one stopped it.  I guess they are a pair of sweet heart.  So if I could do anything I would teach girls protect and rights and make girls stronger.”
• 
  
• “I believe that I will learn how to cook, make clothes, make shoes and draw.  One word, learning everything which I haven’t learned. Though I’m a common people, but I’m a happy girl.”
• 
  
• “I want to travel around the world and see what they are doing in other countries.  How can they balance themselves between life and work? How do they live their life and I also want to help these have no money to go to school.  I want to have a coffee shop. Have a house near the sea, want to fly like Harry Potter to see the blue sky and ocean.”
• 
  
• “If I could get the rule and the truth of human heart, I would try my best to help those who lose themselves in the hearts.  I want to help them to save themselves as well as me.  I think the life’s meaning is to make the man in our heart inside true love.”
• 
  
• “I want to come back to be a baby girl again and again.”
• 
  
• “I want to travel around the world because I am full of curiosity to the world.  I want to experience different cultures and customs. I also want to communicate with different people and learn many good things.”
• 
  
• “First donate money to help poor children on the west of China. Pure water, health-food, get rights to go to school. Second, I will go to America and England as an international student.  I want to learn more about western country’s culture.  Third, I want to make a better life for my family because I don’t want to living a poor life as I know.  I have never seen my parents have new clothes.  And they borrow money to give me the chance of educated in the college.”
• 
  
• “Absolutely, travel around the world to touch the culture I only heard about. People’s minds will be filled up in the route of traveling.  I can get touch with the society, find out the real problems and draw public attention.”
• 
  
• “I want to go back, go to 1990, and keep company with myself, tell myself, you should learn something you really like and keep moving on.  You should be kind to your family members, friends and teachers, you should keep health, you should be honest to be a friend and talk with friends happily, but I know it can’t achieve.  What I can is that improve myself in every aspect. To try not to shy, do not be guilty of wasting time in the future.”
• 
  
• “I would make a day from 24 hours to 30 hours or more.  So every day I can have more time to sleep and to do my work and to do some exercise making myself more healthy.  Every day I am very busy with all kinds of things and I always think my time is not enough.  I would go back to the past.  Go back to my 18 year old, because the time is my best recollection in my full life and I will value the time.”
• 
  
• “If I could do anything I would travel the world!  I love traveling so much.  I think it’s best to travel with my family. Although we haven’t travel together frequently, we love each other very much, besides, if I could do anything, I would do something to help develop the friendship among countries. It’s a simple of people’s happiness to have a warm world. In all, I hope that everyone in the world would be happy in their life.”
• 
  
• “If I could do anything I like,
• 1-     I wish I can swimming in future
• 2-     Remember all English words and use them
• 3-     Help who has disease have a colorful life.”
• 
  
• “I hope I can buy a house for my parents and let them live happily.”
• 
  
• “If I could do anything, firstly, I will try my best so I won’t feel regret one day.  And I wish I can become a teacher to teach the poor children in countryside, because it’s always my dream from I’m a child.  Even I don’t know why I want to do clearly.  Maybe it’s just a dream but I believe it must be a colorful experience.”
• 
  
• “At first, I want to go abroad or travel the world because I think knowing about other countries is important. It can help to widen our sight.  Secondly I will take my family do something that they haven’t experienced. Staying with my family is a happy thing.  At last, will have a good job and a bright future.”
• 
  
• “When I see this question, I have many thoughts.  And I want to do many things.  I will choose two that I want to do extremely.  I want to be a Chinese auditing leader.  It is not a member of the government. It is just a famous organization, an international organization.  Then I will use the fair principle to audit every company and government.  Then save more money to help the children who can’t go to school or many patients.  I am not a member of government so they can’t control me on the other side.  I want to sing. Maybe be a singer because I like to singing.  I hope my song can give many people hoping.  Maybe their happy too. When I earn money I will build a foundation to help people who need help.”