May 2000

I have included here my CV - the only text which tells something about myself, and which I don't have to write from scratch.

SUZY ASHRAF

Education

1999-2001 MA Islamic Socities and Cultures, PT SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies), University of London

Subjects: Central Asia: History, Politics and Religion, Major; Modern Trends in Islam

1995-1999 BA Comparative religions , SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies),University of London;

Result 2:1

1992-1993 International Baccalaureate, Impington Village College, Cambridge

• Higher Level: Mathematics, Social Anthropology, History, German
• Subsidiary Level: Biology
• Theory of Knowledge

Grades:
• 5 - Excellent,
• 4 - Good,
• 3 - Satisfactory,
• 2 - Unsatisfactory (fail)

Other courses

July 1998 Personal Assistant course, Kensington and Chelsea College, London

Jan-June 1998 LCCI course in Advertising, Mary Ward Centre, London

Summer 1997 Intensive course in Arabic, University of Alexandria, Egypt

Jan-May 1995 German, Advanced level, PT. Kingsway College, London

1994-1995 Certificate in Comparative Religions, PT. SOAS, University of London

• Introduction to the Religions of Asia and Africa
• Bengali 1

1991-1992 First Certificate in English as a Foreign Language,Cambridge Regional College, Cambridge. Grade B.




Skills
• Bilingual Russian and English, basic keyboard skills in both languages (English - up to 30 wpm).
• Working knowledge of Bengali, Arabic, German.
• Addicted to Internet.


Work
• Work experience:
         Aug. 1998     Bates VIAG Saatchi&Saatchi in Moscow.
         Feb. 1999     BBH, London
         Apr. 1999     Saatchi&Saatchi, London

• 03/94-04/94 Teaching English at my Secondary school, replacing a teacher on a sick leave.
• 03/92-09/92 Chadwick-Healey Ltd., Cambridge. Interpreter and guide for the Russian delegations visiting Cambridge University.
• 11/91-04/92 Au pair, Cambridge
• 04/92-06/95 Several PT or temporary jobs at various restaurants (waitress).
05/91-11/91
MONTEX International Ltd., Moscow, Russia
Manager in charge of purchase and sale of goods in the company's retail outlet.
11/90-05/91
"Green World" newspaper, Moscow
Assistant in the Distribution and Correspondence department. Sending promotional literature, receiving subscriptions.
06/90-11/90
"Semya" (Family) newspaper, Moscow.
Correspondence registrar. Reading, registering and answering personal letters to the newspaper. Drawing attention of journalists to the letters on their subjects.








• I find nothing more exiting than travelling to foreign countries.

• But I do not to go as a tourist: looking to take photos of the sites from a travel guide and to buy some cheap rubbish.
  I am interested in the people: who they are, how they live and interact.

• I have travelled all across the ex-Soviet Union, Russia proper and, as a child, lived in Ukraine (city of Nikolaev).

• I have been to Germany on a student exchange.

• In 1995 I took part in the "Student Peace Process Tour" to Jordan, Egypt and Israel.

• While studying in Egypt during summer 1997, I spent a lot of time travelling, explored Old Cairo in depth and made a short visit to Israel.

• I have visited briefly Austria, Italy and Oman.

• I have spent two holidays in Bangladesh, second time doing a vacation fieldwork for SOAS on
  "Customs Attributed to Islam in a Bangladeshi Village".





Other activities.

• Last year I have been actively participating in the work of Calamus-Maimonides student forum, taking part in planning and preparing events.

• From this year I have been elected a Childcare officer in SOAS Student Union. Considering that despite large numbers of students with children, SOAS provides no assistance with childcare arrangements at the moment, it is one of the most challenging positions.

• During my school years I was at the forefront of all the school activities. My personal achievements were organising several presentations and staging two plays, one of each with my own script.