I hope you had a great weekend after a busy Friday Morning Coffee and International Autumn Swap on Friday. Did you find what you were looking for? Or perhaps you could finally get rid of some things you no longer need? In any case I hope you found the Swap useful and fun!

To me and I think most of us, the Swap seemed like a great success! Big congratulations to the team behind the Swap and all the people who brought and exchanged things on Friday. There were at least 70 people there to exchange things with each other! The things that were left over are now being donated to the CCIS loan closet – a great resource for new students and families to Stanford. For more information about the loan closet, see this website:
https://www.ccisstanfordu.org/programs/loancloset.htm

Are you wondering where you can have the unusually tasty and strong coffee that you had at the Welcome Friday Morning Coffee? Just go to the COHO, or the Stanford Coffee House at the Tresidder Memorial Union at Stanford. We would like to send our warmest thank you and appreciation to the COHO for their generous donation of coffee and milk to our Welcome Friday Morning Coffee. If you like coffee, this is a great place that is nearby with long opening hours.

The Fall Quarter classes are up and running. I hope you have found at least one class that interests you. If you are new and have not yet picked up a schedule at the Icenter, you can always check our classes on our website: https://icenter.stanford.edu/families/classes.html?id=2

VOLUNTEER WITH US!
We need more regular volunteers for our Friday Morning Coffee. If you would like to become a regular volunteer at the Friday Morning Coffee please come on Friday and tell our coordinator Akiko and she will tell you more about what we do to prepare for the Friday Morning Coffee.

HELP TRANSLATE
Do you speak another language? Help us translate!
For our new spouses we upload Welcome Letters in English and in many other languages. Now we need volunteers with language skills to check our translations. Do you speak Farsi, Arabic, Gujurati, or Hebrew. Just email me, Karin, at [email protected] and I will send you the information. Thank you!

BOLLYWOOD WORKOUT CLASS – CANCELLED TUESDAY
Unfortunately the Bollywood workout class has to be cancelled tomorrow, Tuesday October 16. Next class will be Tuesday, October 23.

YOGA CLASSES – CANCELLED THIS THURSDAY
This Thursday, October 18, there will be no Yoga Classes at all. That means no Yoga for All and no Pre- and Postnatal Yoga classes. We have unfortunately had to cancel the class this time because of an extra event. See below the lecture on Foreign Policy that you are all invited to. Classes will resume next week.

CHINESE CLASS – CHANGE OF TIMES
The Chinese class on Fridays will now start at 10:30am and finish at 12:00. The classroom has not changed.

KNITTING WORKSHOP – SIGN UP NOW! –
You can now sign up for knitting workshops held by Olga. They will start next week Thursday, Oct 25. The workshops will focus on different topics such as Purl Patterns, Cables, Lace, Colors, Pockets, Neck, Plackets, Baton wholes and Decoration. Sign up and pay at the front desk. The fee, $15 is for the materials that Olga will provide for that day. For more information on specific workshop dates and topics, please see the bulletin board at the Icenter.

ENGLISH DISCUSSION & PRESENTATION CLASSES - REMINDER
This is a reminder of Henry Lum’s English Discussion and Presentation classes for Moms with Babies that are back this Friday and next Monday.

There will be a Friday morning English Discussion Class for Moms on Friday, October 19th.
The next Monday morning Presentation Skills Class for Moms on will be on Monday, October 22nd.

WOMAN’S NIGHT OUT – NEXT DATE
For the next WNO we will meet on Tuesday, Oct 23rd, 8 p.m. We will meet again the Coupa Cafe in Palo Alto (Coupa Cafe, 538 Ramona Street, Palo Alto). See map
Please let RSVP to Ragna by Monday, Oct 22nd if you plan to come so she can reserve a table. [email protected]

INTERESTED IN CAREER WORKSHOP IN THE WINTER QUARTER?
Last year Stanford's Career Development Center (CDC) sponsored a series of ten career counseling workshops for international spouses. The workshops were very well received and over-subscribed. An intern conducted them as part of program requirements in group counseling. This year CDC is considering sponsoring a similar series of workshops in the Winter Quarter 2013. For planning purposes, CDC needs to know how many people would like to attend.

The workshops would cover topics such as exploring your interests and values, various kind of job and volunteer strategies, resume and cover letters, preparing for interviews and goal setting. 2013 topics may differ somewhat from last year's offering, based on the intern's interests and internationals' needs, but this will give you some idea.

If you are interested in attending a similar series of career workshops, please respond to [email protected] by November 15 . Please include your name, visa status, profession, and telephone number.

LOCAL VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

ENVIRONMENTAL VOLUNTEERS –
TRAINING STARTS TOMORROW
Become a nature docent in local schools with the Environmental Volunteers! No experience needed! Teach kids to love science and nature! Our next volunteer training begins on Tuesday, October 16th from 9:00am-1:30pm at our offices in Palo Alto. If you would like to join us, please contact Brittany at 650 493-8000 x338 or email her at [email protected].

THE CENTER FOR COMPASSION AND ALTRUISM RESEARCH AND EDUCATION
The Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE) is striving to create a community of scholars and researchers, including neuroscientists, psychologists, educators and philosophical and contemplative thinkers around the study of compassion. They run programs in research, education and meetings and conferences. If you would like to learn more about their work and see if you can volunteer, see this website https://ccare.stanford.edu/node

UNAFF 2012 – OCT 18 - 28
The 15th UNAFF (United Nations Association Film Festival) at Stanford will start this week and you can get your tickets now. This festival will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and will show 70 documentaries from around the world. It will be held from October 18-28, 2012 in Palo Alto, Stanford University, East Palo Alto and San Francisco. The theme for this year is HUMAN DIGNITY.
https://www.unaff.org/2012/index.html

EVENTS – GENERALLY
Would you like to keep an eye on what is going on around campus in general, and not find out too late? I can recommend this site for you. I keep it as my starting page, this way I always look at the list of coming events to see if there is anything in particular I would like to go to.
https://events.stanford.edu/

BLOG
I hope you are reading our blog Life in the Bay that Clara is currently editing. You can find stories of being a spouse at Stanford living in the Bay Area, tips on life here, do's and don'ts and much more! Read, comment and share on https://www.life-in-the-bay.com/

You can follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BechtelInternationalCenter
Please always remember to check for updates and changes on our website: https://icenter.stanford.edu/families/classes.html or stop by the I-Center to check our bulletin board and sign up for events.

UPCOMING EVENTS:
1. FRIDAY MORNING COFFEE
2. CAMPUS TOUR
3. BOOK CLUB
4. LUNCHTIME DISCUSSION ON FOREIGN POLICY
5. ZUMBA
6. U.S PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE LIVE SCREENING
7. SALMA ARASTU: ARTIST PRESENTATION
8. CCIS SPOUSE EDUCATION FUND AND OTHER CCIS NEWS

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1. FRIDAY MORNING COFFEE
Friday
10 a.m. to noon
Bechtel International Center
Free

This informal gathering is an ideal way to meet other spouses and learn about the many options for enriching your stay in the Stanford area. Join us every Friday, between 10 a.m. and noon! We each bring a snack or fruit or juice to go with the drinks provided by the I-Center. Volunteers are always needed to help set -up (at 9:45 a.m.) and put away afterwards! Everyone (with and without children, new and returning) is equally welcome. Conversation tables offer an informal way to meet others, practice English and share experiences.

2. CAMPUS TOUR - CANTOR ARTS CENTER
Wednesday October 17
10:45am – 11:30am
Meet in front of the Icenter at 10:15
With Britta Janssen
Bring Cash for snack after tour

Join us today for an introduction tour at the Cantor Arts Center. Learn more about the Stanford Family Room and Modern and Contemporary Room. Bring some cash with you, so you can stay for lunch at the museum.

3. BOOK CLUB
Wednesday
October 17 and November 14
7:30 pm to 9:00 pm
With Isabel Jost
Post Room at the I-Center
Free
On October 17th we will welcome new members and plan the next books. The next book to discuss is The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri A book about immigrant experience, the clash of cultures, the conflicts of assimilation, and the tangled ties between generations.

4. U.S. FOREIGN POLICY & THE 2012 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: LUNCHTIME DISCUSSION
Thursday, October 18
11: 45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.
Assembly Room at the ICenter
Free talk and free lunch! Don’t forget to RSVP

In the wake of recent developments, Foreign Policy is one of the most trending topics of this election. Join us on Thursday, Oct. 18th for a discussion on the Role of Foreign Policy in the U.S. Presidential Election 2012, by Kenneth Schult, Professor of Political Science and CISAC affiliated faculty member at Stanford University . Professor Kenneth Schultz regularly teaches Political Science 110D: War and Peace in American Foreign Policy, which examines decisions about the use of military force in American history, from Vietnam to the present.

Professor Kenneth Schultz's webpage: https://politicalscience.stanford.edu/faculty/kenneth-schultz
Free lunch will be provided . Please RSVP on our Facebook event page at https://www.facebook.com/events/481721175194584/

5. ZUMBA
Mondays – Starts October 15
5:30pm – 6:30pm
With Katie Detwiler
Free

This is tonight! Are you ready to party yourself into shape? That’s exactly what the Zumba program is all about. It’s an exhilarating, effective, easy-to-follow, Latin-inspired, calorie-burning dance fitness-party™ that’s moving millions of people toward joy and health

6. THE FINAL U.S. PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE: LIVE SCREENING
Monday, October 22
6pm-7:30pm
Conference Room at the Icenter
Free

We will be screening the last and final U.S. Presidential debate, moderated by Bob Schieffer (Host of Face the Nation on CBS). The focus of this debate is going to be Foreign Policy. Join us at the Bechtel Center to watch the debate (live) in the Conference Room.

7. SALMA ARASTU: MY JOURNEY TO GOD THROUGH MY ART
Wednesday, October 24
6 p.m.
Assembly Room at the ICenter
Free. Food will be served

The Stanford Cultural Interactions Club has invited Salma Arastu, a visual artist from Berkeley, to share her journey as an artist and show slides of her work.

Bio: "Salma Arastu is a visual artist from Berkeley and apart from painting she does metal sculptures, Arabic calligraphy, digital creations and writes poetry. She has exhibited her works extensively in the United States, and also in India and Europe. Many of her works are in private and public collections. Her art book with her paintings and poems The Lyrical Line has been published by Half Full Press from Oakland in 2009. Her work is also featured in Your True Greetings, a successful greeting card company that uses her paintings and calligraphy to serve the needs of Muslim communities in the US, Canada, Japan and the United Kingdom."

8.CCIS SPOUSE EDUCATION FUND AND OTHER CCIS NEWS

SPOUSE EDUCATION FUND - NOW TAKING APPLICATIONS!
The Spouse Education Fund (SEF) will award grants of $100 to $500 to help international spouses take advantage of local academic and professional-development opportunities. The grants are intended to provide spouses with encouragement and a little financial support to take a class to pursue their own personal or professional interest.
For more information and to apply: https://ccisstanfordu.org/internationals/SpouseEd.htm

CCIS PROFESSIONAL LIAISON PROGRAM
Do you speak English, but maybe you are unable to work in the US? Would you like to have local contacts in your professional field?
CCIS Professional Liaison Program (PLP) accepts applications throughout the year. Applications for the Professional Liaison Program may be found at the front desk in the I-Center or on-line (https://ccisstanfordu.org/internationals/ProfLiason.htm).

ENGLISH CLASSES
All Week
Starts September 24
Classroom (Bechtel International Center)
Free
CCIS English classes started Monday September 24.
Here you find the fall schedule: https://ccisstanfordu.org/internationals/englishCl.htm
Registration is not required to take any of the classes, which are held at the Bechtel International Center. To attend, simply go to a class at the indicated starting time on the course schedule. There is no tuition charge, and students may take more than one class. Please arrange child-care for babies.
To see a video of the classes please go the homepage of CCIS (the video on the bottom right) https://ccisstanfordu.org/index.htm
Have a great week, and we hope to see you soon at the I-Center!

Warm regards,

Karin

Karin Baage

Classes and Programs for Stanford Spouses & Families

Stanford University

Bechtel International Center

584 Capistrano Way

Stanford, CA 94305

https://icenter.stanford.edu/families/index.html

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I-CENTER RESOURCES FOR SPOUSES & PARTNERS:
Karin Baage, Coordinator of Spouse Classes & Programs [email protected]
Akiko Knott, Coordinator of Friday Coffee [email protected]
Resource Center for International Families https://icenter.stanford.edu/families/resources.html
For advice please send an email to [email protected]
To unsubscribe please follow this link: https://mailman.stanford.edu/mailman/options/icenter-spouseprograms

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