President Clinton is greeted by Dr. Leyah (Vicki) Bergman-Lanier at Fayetteville Airport.
Excited SILC students eagerly wait to meet him!

Clinton greets each one of the 2004 PLUS Grantees...


Clinton, Jana (Lebanon), Laaziza (Morocco), Zineb (Morocco), Ahmed (Saudi Arabia), Mahmoud (Palestine), M.Ouazzani (Morocco)


Comments by these 2004 PLUS Grantees after meeting the former President of the United States:

    I had never thought in my life that I would have the chance to meet such an influential political figure as former U.S. President Bill Clinton. Such a possibility had never crossed my mind. As I stood there, in the mounting heat of anticipation, I kept thinking how lucky I was to be given this opportunity. The moment I saw him walking towards us, the PLUS students, I lost sense of time and place. To me, everything was happening in slow motion. His tall physique and his focused look were giving off vibes of strength and significance. I guess all of us just stood there hypnotized by his unparalleled charisma. The first moment I realized that he was real was when we shook hands. I was a bit surprised, because I had imagined his hand being cold and firm, but it wasn't; instead, his hand was very warm and somehow feeble. Watching his subtle movements, gestures, and the lines on his face, I realized that this is a man who had experienced countless sleepless nights, shouldering heavy responsibilities related to U.S. and world politics as well as economy; this is a man who had to make up decisions of serious local and global impacts leading to life-altering consequences. Indeed, being a president is an extremely difficult task.
     He was very humble and considerate of each one of us; he asked each student what his or her home country was and discussed the current situation there and the interrelations between the United States and that country. Through his conversation with us, I realized how deep his concerns were with establishing peace in the Middle East, and his strong desire to change the status quo there to help secure a stable life for the people in that portion of the world.
     His diverse experience in different parts of the world is fascinating; he is a richly informed person of acute wisdom. It was a great honor for me to meet face-to-face with such a charismatic man. There were moments when I couldn't hear what he was saying because I was so overwhelmed with his presence in front of me.
     I believe that such an opportunity comes once in a lifetime. It was a truly amazing and unforgettable experience, thanks to Dr. Vicki Lanier who made it possible for us; I deeply appreciate her efforts and admire her soul, strength, spirituality and determination. She is a great woman and a strong inspiration for me. Thank you again.--Jana Al-Farou, Lebanon

     Meeting the president Bill Clinton was one of the important activities I had the chance to experience in Spring International Language Center. The president was totally different from what I expected. I really thought he would take the picture with us and leave, but he gave us his valuable time and talked to us. While listening to him talking about the Middle East and Iraq, I really wished he were of an actual strong position so that he could propose some pragmatic solutions to these conflicts in these areas.
     He was a very humble man seeking peace in the world. Not only had I the chance to meet the U.S former president, but I also knew how the Democratic politicians think of the actual hard conditions in which the world is living now. What amazed me also was that he visited Morocco several times and he knew everything about many parts of the world, especially the Arab and Muslim world. Last but not least, it was really a very special opportunity for me to meet the American Democratic president, and realize how informal he is.
     I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Dr. Vicki and all the Spring International stuff for their help and support during our pre-academic training. They really exposed us to much of the American culture while learning English language.--Laaziza Toumma, Morocco


Sarkawt (Kurdistan Iraq), Zineb, Mahmoud, Dr Lanier, Clinton, M.Ouazzani, Mahdy (Kurdistan Iraq), Fatima (Morocco), Mouna (Syria)

     "As I sat with the late President Assad…"
     Chills ran through my body as I listened to former President Bill Clinton talk about my country, Syria. I never thought that I was the type who would be especially excited or nervous about meeting a famous person or celebrity. In fact, when we were first told that we might have the chance to meet Bill Clinton, I was interested but not overly excited or anxious. But standing there in front of him and hearing him talk about each of our countries, it finally hit me that I was talking to a very influential and powerful man. The minute he walked into the room, you could feel this power but at the same time there was a certain charisma. This man had made decisions that affected the world. His private conversations with my country's late president and with those of other countries are now a part of history. I was suddenly nervous and overwhelmed. I thought of the many times I had seen him on TV with the most important and influential people in the world, and here he was standing with us, talking to us. To me, he suddenly seemed larger than life.
     He, however, soon put us all at ease. We had previously been warned that Mr. Clinton didn't have much time and that he was already running late. But when talking to us, he seemed relaxed and calm. He took the time to address each one of us and gave a short story about each of our countries, seeming not to care that he still had thousands of books to sign that day. I was beginning to feel calm again. He seemed like an ordinary man and in his stories he made it seem like talking to other presidents and prime ministers was the most normal thing in the world, that there was nothing special about it. I was happily surprised to see how knowledgeable he was of our countries and their traditions. For example, he knew not to shake hands with the women and he gave specific examples of each country and the cities he had visited or planned to visit. He was a person genuinely interested in our part of the world. Now, he seemed completely human. Looking at him more closely, it seemed that he was a little tired and that his eyes were a little red, and I thought of how hectic his life must be and wondered if he ever had time to simply relax. It didn't seem like he did and I felt even more special that he had taken time to talk to us and let us be pictured with him.
     Even though I hadn't expected it, this day will be one of the days I will never forget. Meeting former president Bill Clinton has pushed me even harder to reach my goal, to be a peace-promoting diplomat.--Mouna Kekhia, Syria

     Dr. Vicki Lanier managed to have us meet the former president of the United States. Mr. Bill Clinton. We were three privileged groups namely, the PLUS grantees, the Mexican teachers and the Fulbrighters. At the old airport of Fayetteville, we were waiting, our hearts beating at the ascending rhythms of emotion, and feeling the sweet moments of impatience that separate you from being important.
      I felt important and proud because Mr. Bill Clinton spent a long time talking to our group. He discussed political and cultural issues about each of our countries, even those he did not visit before. I always had respect for him, but that day, I was more impressed by his personality because he showed the highest concern for my culture and my religion. He did not shake hands with veiled girls and which made me feel more dignified. Most people here in the United States understand when I explain, but he knew it without my telling him. He is really such a tactful and understanding person. He knew about our countries, about mine more than I did. He said that he visited Morocco in the funerary march of Hassan 2nd and in the wedding of our king Mohammed 6th. He went to many cities and enjoyed being in Jamae Lefna, Marrakech.
     We took pictures and listened to a wonderful speech about cultural exchange. He said that in order to achieve understanding between U.S. and Arab countries , people should travel and see each other to build bridges of fruitful and healthy communication. Definitely, it was a memorable meeting, a never-to-be forgotten: July 31st 2004.--Fatima Lbida, Morocco


Ahmed, Zineb, President Clinton, Mahmoud, Fatima, M.Ouazzani (behind)

     Guess what! I met the former president of the most powerful country in the world, Bill Clinton last weekend. It was 31st of July, a very shiny day when so many people from different countries were longing for the arrival of the president. Not only our eyes but also our hearts were craving for his meeting. This meeting was the second important event after coming to the U.S.A that has ever happened to me this year. Finally, he showed up in the airport, and all people, the Americans, the Mexicans, the Moroccans, and the Middle Easterns started clapping loudly to express their admiration to that great, unprecedented man who ruled a huge country for eight years.
     The unexpected surprise was when he saw my friends and me, he did not shake hands with us because we were veiled. He seemed that he knew our culture more than the Moroccans themselves did. I was really amazed and impressed when he just said hello to me and did not extend his hand to greet me. This has made me respect him more than I did before, changed the picture that I had in my mind about him and corrected the stereotypes that I had about the Americans.
     Actually, he is a close friend of the king of my country, Mohammed the sixth. That is why he is very famous in Morocco as he visited several cities and attended the king's wedding. In fact he talked about his experience in Morocco, but he also talked about different issues related to the Middle East and the events happening nowadays in the world. He showed a tremendous concern to all the international students by sharing with us his experiences in all the countries he visited. I kept staring at him because I could not believe my self that I was standing in front of such an important leader. He was so kind and humble that he made me feel that I was just talking to a friend of mine. I wanted to ask him many questions, but I could not utter a word as I was filled with awe and reverence.
     It was such a special and memorable moment because it was honored by such a unique man who entered the history of the world through his valuable accomplishments to his country and humanity as well. That moment was impossible but the efforts of Dr. Vickie Lanier made it possible and unforgettable.--Zineb Gormat, Morocco


Laaziza, Ahmed (Saudi Arabia), Zineb, Sarkawt (behind), Dr Lanier, Mahmoud, Clinton, Fatima, M.Ouazzani, Mahdy, Mouna

    During the last few months, my life has witnessed some basic changes that were undreamed of before. First, I traveled to the United States, which was really a good surprise for my family and me. Before my coming here I experienced some problems related to my study at the university and my life in general; therefore, my coming to the U.S. was really a solution to many problems in my life. Second, I met the former-American president Bill Clinton. Actually, I dreamed of many things before, even traveling to America, but I have ever fancied that I can meet an American president. I called my friends and family in Morocco to tell them that I met Clinton, but they thought I was just kidding, so I am intending to send them some pictures to prove it.
     When I was standing close to Clinton, I told my self that I had to say something. Dozens of questions came to my mind, but none of them, I thought, was appropriate to ask a president. Finally, I opted for one, it was very simple, but enough to make me feel proud, and make Mr. Clinton talk to me for a long time. I felt very important at that time because he was concentrating on me in his eye contact to the extent that I felt that he was talking to me personally.
     While Mr. Clinton was talking, I was gazing at his face and thinking how important he is. Oh God! I was talking to a person who was one day the president of the most powerful country in the world, who was one of the most influential leaders in the world, and who made many decisive decisions about America and the world. All these filled me with awe and reverence. Then, I convinced myself to say something because that moment was unprecedented and may not come again. I told him this " Mr. The president, when I was a child, I used to see you in TV, but now I am shaking hands with you." He laughed mildly and everybody did.
     After meeting Clinton, I came to some important conclusions. Now, I believe that everything is possible in this life because I did not dare to include "meeting Clinton" in the realm of my possibilities, but it happened eventually. Also, I realized that famous people are ordinary people, only the job they are doing which makes them different from the others. And finally, that meeting made me realize that Dr. Vickie Lanier is a great person because of the tireless efforts she made, and the precious time she invested to make us meet Bill Clinton. Indeed, July 31 2004 will stick to my memory forever because it reminds me that even the impossibilities are attainable sometimes. --Mohammed Ouazzani, Morocco


Jana, Ahmed, Laaziza, Sarkawt, Zineb, Dr Lanier, Mahmoud, Clinton, M.Ouazzani (behind), Mahdy, Mouna

     On July 31 we, PLUS grantees, met with the former president Bill Clinton in Fayetteville, Airport.
     We waited for a while until he appeared. Frankly speaking, before his appearance, I thought that he might show himself as a superior one, but when he appeared and approached us shaking hands with most of us, the idea became quite the opposite.
     Subsequently, we received him warmly. He was so eager to meet and speak with us. While he was speaking, I noticed he is a calm, out-going and peaceful person as he pointed out some good relations between the Middle Eastern people and the U.S government during his presidential period.
     In fact, we enjoyed a good time taking some pictures with him. That moment was unforgettable as we gathered all having a very pleasant time. When president Clinton began talking to me, he asked me whether the autonomy for which the Kurdish people claim works. But unfortunately, because the time was too short, I just expressed uncertainty, and I said no more. Although I had some comments to say, the time and the situation did not allow me to say any more.
     In brief, it is worth mentioning that he talked to us PLUS grantees for about half an hour. We observed that he wanted to stay and talk to us if he had had enough time. After having spent a good time, he saw us off and departed. --Sarkawt Muhamed, Kurdistan, Iraq


Jana, Ahmed, Laaziza, Sarkawt, Zineb, Mahmoud, Dr Lanier, Clinton, M.Ouazzani, Fatima, Mahdy, Mouna

    August 31st in Northwest Arkansas was a special day. It was the day that the former US president (Bill Clinton) visited the area. He came to the city of Fayetteville with the aim of signing a number his books (My Life). From the early morning of that day, from the surroundings, people were coming to Wal-Mart store, where the ex-president supposed to put autographs on a number of his books sign at the afternoon.
     Passing by Wal-Mart, one might have imagined that all the people in the area left their homes and gathered there. The crowed was so huge that some of the attendants might have missed the chance of seeing the author of (My Life) as they had hoped.
Dr. Vicki Bergman Lanier, director of Spring International Language Center (SILC), where ten PLUS grants are attending their pre-academic classes, managed a meeting with the former president out of the crowd for the PLUS grantees and a group of Mexican teachers, who are also studying there on a special program. The meeting was in Fayetteville airport when Mr. Clinton was on his way to the gathering.
     We went to the airport before his arrival. Other than the two groups mentioned above, who were accompanied by a number of (SILC) staff, some exchange program students (Fulbright) were in the airport. Each group stood in specific spot.
     At around 2:00 pm Bill Clinton entered the waiting hall. The first group he met was our group (PLUS students). After shaking hands with the guys and taking some pictures with us, he asked about our nationality individually, then he shed a light on the situations in some of our countries during his governing and talked about current events in some others.
     When one of the PLUS students asked him if he had some words to say to such group of students, he said that we are here on an important mission and encouraged us to take the advantages of the program. Then, concerning PLUS program he confirmed that the idea of such program is developing mutual understanding through learning about other cultures. To conduct this mission, he believed that the linked sources to educational affairs in United States should send out more American students to our countries in Middle East and North Africa beside inviting students from these parts of the world. " I see the necessity of sending more American students there on this mission," he said. Later, he implied that this way the misinterpretations in both sides, which still exist,can be eliminated.
     In a part of his speech, the former president mentioned the historical role that the University of Arkansas has played in building cross-cultural bridge. " In 1950s, during the time of Senator William James Fulbright, the University of Arkansas had the highest percentage of Exchange students in the United States," he said.--Mahdy Abd-Alkareem, Kurdistan, Iraq