Meg Fanney's Portfolio
I am a North Carolina native making my home in Raleigh with my husband and the two, in my opinion, best dogs out there. I graduated from Elon University in 2005 (Go Phoenix!), traveled to Edinburgh, Scotland (to avoid beginning my real adult life) where I worked many jobs but most impressively, in a dungeon in a pirate themed shop in Edinburgh Castle. Once I ran out of money, I made my way back home and began teaching in Wake County and going to grad school full time at NC State (Go Pack!). I currently teach 10th grade English, 10th grade sheltered ESL English, and 12th grade AP Literature in Wake County at Sanderson High School (Go Spartans!). I love music, traveling, laughing, and sarcasm. |
Cultural Connections Project 1: Global Collaborative Project (Video Synopsis)
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Cultural Connections Project 2: Scripted Duologue Based on Meetup Group or AirBnb City Experience (GoAnimate)
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Cultural Connections Project 3: Experience-Based Travel Writing Based on Meetup Group or AirBnb City Experience (Post on Travel Blog)
Cultural Collections Project 1: Mapping Culture (Google Maps)
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Cultural Collections Project 2: Timelining Culture (MyHistro)
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Cultural Collections Project 3: Curating Cultural Objects (Voicethread)
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Cultural Reflections Project 1: The Last Word, Czech education articles
After reading about the Czech educational system, there seem to be a lot of similarities to our own system in terms of money spent per pupil and the value of educators in general. I appreciate that Czech education promotes and encourages technical and vocational educational paths as opposed to what we often do in America. The general consensus for so many years in America is that college is good and college is for everyone when in reality, college has never meant to be for everyone and is not the answer to bettering our society. We need people who can learn and provide services that are not paths of study in the university system such as electricians, plumbers, auto-mechanics, etc. Although I see decision-makers in our system are slowly coming around to the fact that not all students want nor need to attend college, I wish we had the option for students to come to that decision at a younger age as opposed to post-high school like in the Czech system when students choose a path at a younger age. In our Last Word discussion, we highlighted the statistic that only about 50% of college applicants in the Czech system who apply to college are accepted. This, to me, reflects the highly competitive nature universities seek, yet it also makes me wonder about the diversity found in the university system. If societies reject students seeking college education, does that limit the potential innovations to help better our society as a whole? I have mixed feelings about this because I do think colleges should be competitive, but I also want college access for more types of students.
A point that stuck with me in the readings is that the current literacy rate in the Czech Republic is above 99%. That is an amazing statistic that I think is possible because of widely available early education programs and more specialized education to meet wants and needs. I tried to find America's adult literacy rate and could only find a number from 2013 that about 86% of American adults are literate. Teaching high school, I see young adults struggling in all levels of class from academic courses to advanced placement. I see a wide range of struggle in literacy, too. Whereas many students can read words on a page, those same students cannot always recognize and find meaning in texts. This leads me to think about, too, that Tomas pointed out that there is frustration in the Czech system that the curriculum has remained stagnant for so many years. I wonder if this will cause the 99% rate to fall in years to come as literacy in America remains stagnant because of a curriculum that in some ways is still largely based on 19th century agrarian needs.
After reading about the Czech educational system, there seem to be a lot of similarities to our own system in terms of money spent per pupil and the value of educators in general. I appreciate that Czech education promotes and encourages technical and vocational educational paths as opposed to what we often do in America. The general consensus for so many years in America is that college is good and college is for everyone when in reality, college has never meant to be for everyone and is not the answer to bettering our society. We need people who can learn and provide services that are not paths of study in the university system such as electricians, plumbers, auto-mechanics, etc. Although I see decision-makers in our system are slowly coming around to the fact that not all students want nor need to attend college, I wish we had the option for students to come to that decision at a younger age as opposed to post-high school like in the Czech system when students choose a path at a younger age. In our Last Word discussion, we highlighted the statistic that only about 50% of college applicants in the Czech system who apply to college are accepted. This, to me, reflects the highly competitive nature universities seek, yet it also makes me wonder about the diversity found in the university system. If societies reject students seeking college education, does that limit the potential innovations to help better our society as a whole? I have mixed feelings about this because I do think colleges should be competitive, but I also want college access for more types of students.
A point that stuck with me in the readings is that the current literacy rate in the Czech Republic is above 99%. That is an amazing statistic that I think is possible because of widely available early education programs and more specialized education to meet wants and needs. I tried to find America's adult literacy rate and could only find a number from 2013 that about 86% of American adults are literate. Teaching high school, I see young adults struggling in all levels of class from academic courses to advanced placement. I see a wide range of struggle in literacy, too. Whereas many students can read words on a page, those same students cannot always recognize and find meaning in texts. This leads me to think about, too, that Tomas pointed out that there is frustration in the Czech system that the curriculum has remained stagnant for so many years. I wonder if this will cause the 99% rate to fall in years to come as literacy in America remains stagnant because of a curriculum that in some ways is still largely based on 19th century agrarian needs.
Cultural Reflections Project 2: Czech Book Club
The Unbearable Lightness of Being follows the lives of a couple and their dog, another man, another woman, and how their lives all intertwine through Communist Czechoslovakia. Each of the characters is connected in some way to the intellectual or artistic world of Prague during the 1960's and 70's. Tomas serves as both an intellectual and prominent surgeon in Prague, and although he marries and takes care of Tereza, he continues to philander his time away with many, many women including his favorite mistress, Sabina. Whereas Tereza fulfills Tomas' need to care for someone, Sabina further fulfills his sexual needs and intellectual connection through her work as an artist. Sabina never seems to be fulfilled by either sex, love, or intellectual ventures, rather her art is the only fulfillment she finds. In fact, throughout the novel, she moves place to place never truly feeling at home, her dearest possession a bowler hat from her grandfather. After losing contact but never losing the memory Tomas, Sabina connects with a professor, Franz. Franz is locked up in the world of academia. From the outsider perspective, Franz leads a sad life never truly taking risks until the one risk that ultimately leads to his downfall. No one really loves Franz, but he never realizes this living happily in his academia bubble. Tereza wants to be an intellectual but because she comes from a poor background, she merely lives that lifestyle through books and leaving her poor life behind to be with Tomaz. What makes Tereza most happy is her dog, Karenin (who also makes the reader most happy). In addition to the four main characters, the narrator serves as a character as well periodically stopping to address the reader. All in all, this is not a terrible book, though, I might not suggest it for anyone to read.
The Unbearable Lightness of Being follows the lives of a couple and their dog, another man, another woman, and how their lives all intertwine through Communist Czechoslovakia. Each of the characters is connected in some way to the intellectual or artistic world of Prague during the 1960's and 70's. Tomas serves as both an intellectual and prominent surgeon in Prague, and although he marries and takes care of Tereza, he continues to philander his time away with many, many women including his favorite mistress, Sabina. Whereas Tereza fulfills Tomas' need to care for someone, Sabina further fulfills his sexual needs and intellectual connection through her work as an artist. Sabina never seems to be fulfilled by either sex, love, or intellectual ventures, rather her art is the only fulfillment she finds. In fact, throughout the novel, she moves place to place never truly feeling at home, her dearest possession a bowler hat from her grandfather. After losing contact but never losing the memory Tomas, Sabina connects with a professor, Franz. Franz is locked up in the world of academia. From the outsider perspective, Franz leads a sad life never truly taking risks until the one risk that ultimately leads to his downfall. No one really loves Franz, but he never realizes this living happily in his academia bubble. Tereza wants to be an intellectual but because she comes from a poor background, she merely lives that lifestyle through books and leaving her poor life behind to be with Tomaz. What makes Tereza most happy is her dog, Karenin (who also makes the reader most happy). In addition to the four main characters, the narrator serves as a character as well periodically stopping to address the reader. All in all, this is not a terrible book, though, I might not suggest it for anyone to read.
Cultural Reflections Project 3: Czech Film Club
Kolya begins as the main character sexually harrasses his colleague while she sings professionaly at a funeral ceremony--not ideal for proponents of the #metoo movement nor those generally against the ill treatment of fellow humans. However, once the blatant offenses are viewed through the Czech, late 1980's lens and as the movie progresses, they do not become acceptable, rather they become a part of Louka's (the patriarchal figure) development proving him to be ill-equipped to handle a real relationship with anyone other than the women he cycles through in his philandering. By chance, though, Louka comes into a money-making opportunity involving marrying a Russian woman in order to give her Czech citizenship. While Louka uses his new wife for money, she in turn uses him to emigrate to West Germany to be with her boyfriend while leaving behind her five year old son, Kolya. With no one else to care for him, Kolya falls into the hands of Louka whom has yet to form a bond with anyone other than his mother and a few select friends. Kolya and Louka's relationship is at first cold and almost clinical--a place for Kolya to lay his head while Louka deals with the consequences of entering into a fake marriage. Slowly, Kolya warms up to Louka as Louka calls on the women he formerly called on for sex now for help caring for the boy. By the end, Louka proves to be capable of loving someone other than himself as he fights to keep Kolya under the threat of foster care looming in the background. Luckily, as Kolya and Louka seek refuge from the Communist regime, the Velvet Revolution takes place forever changing both of their lives. Kolya finds his way back to his mother while Louka finds his way off the blacklist and back into the Czech orchestra. What begins as the story of a completely cowardly, cheeky man ends as the story of a man finding love and compassion in the unlikeliest of places.
Kolya begins as the main character sexually harrasses his colleague while she sings professionaly at a funeral ceremony--not ideal for proponents of the #metoo movement nor those generally against the ill treatment of fellow humans. However, once the blatant offenses are viewed through the Czech, late 1980's lens and as the movie progresses, they do not become acceptable, rather they become a part of Louka's (the patriarchal figure) development proving him to be ill-equipped to handle a real relationship with anyone other than the women he cycles through in his philandering. By chance, though, Louka comes into a money-making opportunity involving marrying a Russian woman in order to give her Czech citizenship. While Louka uses his new wife for money, she in turn uses him to emigrate to West Germany to be with her boyfriend while leaving behind her five year old son, Kolya. With no one else to care for him, Kolya falls into the hands of Louka whom has yet to form a bond with anyone other than his mother and a few select friends. Kolya and Louka's relationship is at first cold and almost clinical--a place for Kolya to lay his head while Louka deals with the consequences of entering into a fake marriage. Slowly, Kolya warms up to Louka as Louka calls on the women he formerly called on for sex now for help caring for the boy. By the end, Louka proves to be capable of loving someone other than himself as he fights to keep Kolya under the threat of foster care looming in the background. Luckily, as Kolya and Louka seek refuge from the Communist regime, the Velvet Revolution takes place forever changing both of their lives. Kolya finds his way back to his mother while Louka finds his way off the blacklist and back into the Czech orchestra. What begins as the story of a completely cowardly, cheeky man ends as the story of a man finding love and compassion in the unlikeliest of places.
Cultural Reflections Project 5: Urban Neighborhood Analysis (from Field Research)
Cultural Reflections Project 7: Czech Literature Analysis (from Field Research)
The Hike: A Kafkaesque Semi-Biographical Story |
Cultural Reflections Project 8: Czech Art/Visual Analysis (from Field Research)
I was first drawn to the art outside of the museum, most notably, the crimson horse and rider entitled The Rider. The color first pulled me in as my eye is drawn always to bright colors. I also tend to like crisp, parallel lines like those provided by the horse’s legs and the rider’s arms that reached all he way to the ground. Rather than hands, the rider’s arms came down to what look like horse hoofs to blend in with the horse itself. The rider’s face is solemn near expressionless looking forward. In looking at The Rider through the lens of the museum’s benefice, Meda Mládek , it represents her steel reserve to preserve Czech art during the Communist attempt to stifle the creative community. Just as Meda Mládek never stopped working to save Czech culture, the rider digs into the ground refusing to move showing his own steely reserve.
Another piece I found interesting may not have had any significance to the politics of Czech at all. Rudolf Nemec’s piece of a quiet, Czech countryside with a lazy boat on the water in the background and a horse grazing in the foreground. The whole piece is covered in colored pixels in various shades to give depth to different aspects of the piece. The water, for example, has hues of purples and blues to show reflections of the mountains that lie above whereas the tree line includes a darker green to show the woods’ thickness. Also in the trees, the pixels are stretched slightly parallel to indicate the parallel nature of the trees. This piece, although created using more modern techniques, is far more calming than Nemec’s earlier works created during Communism. Those pieces are larger, darker, and more demanding in terms of attention as contorted bodies dominate the pieces.
I was first drawn to the art outside of the museum, most notably, the crimson horse and rider entitled The Rider. The color first pulled me in as my eye is drawn always to bright colors. I also tend to like crisp, parallel lines like those provided by the horse’s legs and the rider’s arms that reached all he way to the ground. Rather than hands, the rider’s arms came down to what look like horse hoofs to blend in with the horse itself. The rider’s face is solemn near expressionless looking forward. In looking at The Rider through the lens of the museum’s benefice, Meda Mládek , it represents her steel reserve to preserve Czech art during the Communist attempt to stifle the creative community. Just as Meda Mládek never stopped working to save Czech culture, the rider digs into the ground refusing to move showing his own steely reserve.
Another piece I found interesting may not have had any significance to the politics of Czech at all. Rudolf Nemec’s piece of a quiet, Czech countryside with a lazy boat on the water in the background and a horse grazing in the foreground. The whole piece is covered in colored pixels in various shades to give depth to different aspects of the piece. The water, for example, has hues of purples and blues to show reflections of the mountains that lie above whereas the tree line includes a darker green to show the woods’ thickness. Also in the trees, the pixels are stretched slightly parallel to indicate the parallel nature of the trees. This piece, although created using more modern techniques, is far more calming than Nemec’s earlier works created during Communism. Those pieces are larger, darker, and more demanding in terms of attention as contorted bodies dominate the pieces.
Cultural Reflections Project 9: Czech Site Analysis, Site-Based Travel Writing (Post on Travel Blog)
Prague Riverside Parties
For an authentic Czech experience through the eyes of Aussie and New Zealand expats, Prague Riverside Parties walking tour should be the top of your list. We hustled our way through the tourist crowds in Old Town to the Recovery Room making sure we got there in time for the 6:00 start. After walking past the alleyway in which the bar resides at least three times, we found our meeting place only to be greeted by, “Oh, you didn’t hear? We’re starting an hour late to watch the World Cup final.”
“No, we didn’t hear. How did anyone hear?”
A shrug of the shoulders, an air of indifference, “You can go downstairs and have drinks and wait.”
The terrifying spiral staircase lit only by dim Christmas lights brought us to a dank, dungeonlike party cave with several rooms reminiscent of a college frat house. “Go to the bathroom in pairs and watch your drinks,” we agreed. Things were looking bleak for us.
The bar has two drink options—Czech light beer from cans poured into plastic cups and sangria dipped from a large plastic jug also poured into plastic cups. We all agreed the sangria was college house party PJ, a drink typically consisting of leftover liquors and a fruity juice. With no music only the faint sound of the Aussies watching the France v. Croatia game in the den next to us, we fired up a saved Spotify playlist on a phone and waited. Like eager freshmen ready for their first frat party to begin, we were on time and self-decidedly lame. Fortunately, it was only about half an hour before other partygoers trickled in seeming somewhat as confused as ourselves.
Just as we decided to get some air, the guide ushered us back downstairs for his pre-walk schpill. In essence, he said the tour wasn’t for everyone, and if easily offended by non—PC talk, this tour was not for you, and you could both leave and ask for a refund at any time. Since none of us are too easily offended (and we all wanted to try the savory pies), we were off.
Like a herd of turtles, we meandered through the streets of Prague with a mobile bar (aka a cart carrying previous mentioned jug of PJ and more cans of beer) stopping first at a David Cerny piece called The Embryo and what a piece it is.
For an authentic Czech experience through the eyes of Aussie and New Zealand expats, Prague Riverside Parties walking tour should be the top of your list. We hustled our way through the tourist crowds in Old Town to the Recovery Room making sure we got there in time for the 6:00 start. After walking past the alleyway in which the bar resides at least three times, we found our meeting place only to be greeted by, “Oh, you didn’t hear? We’re starting an hour late to watch the World Cup final.”
“No, we didn’t hear. How did anyone hear?”
A shrug of the shoulders, an air of indifference, “You can go downstairs and have drinks and wait.”
The terrifying spiral staircase lit only by dim Christmas lights brought us to a dank, dungeonlike party cave with several rooms reminiscent of a college frat house. “Go to the bathroom in pairs and watch your drinks,” we agreed. Things were looking bleak for us.
The bar has two drink options—Czech light beer from cans poured into plastic cups and sangria dipped from a large plastic jug also poured into plastic cups. We all agreed the sangria was college house party PJ, a drink typically consisting of leftover liquors and a fruity juice. With no music only the faint sound of the Aussies watching the France v. Croatia game in the den next to us, we fired up a saved Spotify playlist on a phone and waited. Like eager freshmen ready for their first frat party to begin, we were on time and self-decidedly lame. Fortunately, it was only about half an hour before other partygoers trickled in seeming somewhat as confused as ourselves.
Just as we decided to get some air, the guide ushered us back downstairs for his pre-walk schpill. In essence, he said the tour wasn’t for everyone, and if easily offended by non—PC talk, this tour was not for you, and you could both leave and ask for a refund at any time. Since none of us are too easily offended (and we all wanted to try the savory pies), we were off.
Like a herd of turtles, we meandered through the streets of Prague with a mobile bar (aka a cart carrying previous mentioned jug of PJ and more cans of beer) stopping first at a David Cerny piece called The Embryo and what a piece it is.
Side note: Part of the beauty of this tour is the guide's interpretation of everything. Because I truly cannot do it justice nor do I want to give away what the guide has in store for tour goers, I will simply list the places in which we stopped--you will have to go on the tour to experience his commentary, and believe me when I say, if dark comedy is your thing, this s a tour for you.
After the babies, we ate pies and made stencils to then spray paint on the John Lennon wall nearby. Fun fact! John Lennon never even visited Prague, but he has an entire wall named for his beliefs in free love and peace. In our group, we had an apple (since we're all teachers), a LOVE sign, a lightning bolt, some initials, and a panda (mine because pandas are the best no matter what my brother says).
We had fulfilled all of our wants and needs on the tour after spray painting, we separated, though, the rest of the herd carried on through the streets. Even though things began terrifying with many of us willing to bail as soon as we ate savory pies, we actually had a blast on this tour. I would absolutely do it again and suggest all you dark souls do it, too!
We had fulfilled all of our wants and needs on the tour after spray painting, we separated, though, the rest of the herd carried on through the streets. Even though things began terrifying with many of us willing to bail as soon as we ate savory pies, we actually had a blast on this tour. I would absolutely do it again and suggest all you dark souls do it, too!
5 Things to do on Petrin Hill
Petrin Hill dominates Prague's landscape when in the city's center, and from bottom to top, it never ceases to amaze. Here are 5 things every Prague traveler should do on the hill.
Petrin Hill dominates Prague's landscape when in the city's center, and from bottom to top, it never ceases to amaze. Here are 5 things every Prague traveler should do on the hill.
5. Beer Garden
I've been spoiled by North Carolina craft beer. There are so many, many delicious options and breweries throughout the state and in Raleigh that I just assumed beer that good could be found anywhere. Don't get me wrong--I have loved the beer in Prague, but the options are pretty limited in comparison to what home has to offer. On Petrin Hill, though, is Strahov Monastery and at the monastery is a brewery and at that brewery is the craft beer for which I have become accustomed. Truthfully, this was my end goal on the hill, and I was not disappointed. Even if you are not a beer drinker, the beer garden is a great place of refuge from the bustle of the city, the tourists vying to get to the lookout tower on the hill, and the beating sun on a summer's day. Not only can you taste a brew from the monastery's Klaster brewery, but you can also get a meal or non-alcoholic drink to sit and enjoy the space.
I've been spoiled by North Carolina craft beer. There are so many, many delicious options and breweries throughout the state and in Raleigh that I just assumed beer that good could be found anywhere. Don't get me wrong--I have loved the beer in Prague, but the options are pretty limited in comparison to what home has to offer. On Petrin Hill, though, is Strahov Monastery and at the monastery is a brewery and at that brewery is the craft beer for which I have become accustomed. Truthfully, this was my end goal on the hill, and I was not disappointed. Even if you are not a beer drinker, the beer garden is a great place of refuge from the bustle of the city, the tourists vying to get to the lookout tower on the hill, and the beating sun on a summer's day. Not only can you taste a brew from the monastery's Klaster brewery, but you can also get a meal or non-alcoholic drink to sit and enjoy the space.