Grant Plotkin ’16: Ham Clark, former Episcopal Academy Head Of School, recently visited EA for the first time in six months since his departure. Scholium decided to check in with Clark and learn about his experiences as the new headmaster of the American Community School (ACS) in Beirut, Lebanon.
Clark described the American Community School (ACS) as “very different from EA, not as academic and far less athletic.” When asked about the differences between the two schools, he stated that while both contain high achievers, EA students can be more motivated than ACS students who mainly plan to continue their family businesses. All in all, Clark shared, “there is a lot to get used to.” Despite the differences, Clark feels that “Lebanon, like Philadelphia, is very family oriented. People care about quality education, and they work hard to support and position their children for success”.
Photo Courtesy of Ham Clark
When Clark first arrived in Beirut in August, he came amidst the turmoil in Syria. “We were anxious about the US bombing Syria and what the implications for Westerners would be in Lebanon. Fortunately that did not happen, but I was challenged to get quickly up to speed on our school security plans and to know who to talk to in emergency situations.” In response to concerns about living in the Middle East, Clark said, “We have never been worried about our personal safety. Westerners do not seem to be in danger, the current bombings are all tit for tat Shia-Sunni retaliatory strikes.” Clark added that he runs through the city almost every day and is never concerned.
One of the largest issues that does confront Lebanon, Clark believes, is corruption. “Lebanon is somewhat of a lawless society. If you know or take care of the right people, you can do almost anything or move any project forward. As a result, we have limited zoning, traffic signals are only advisory, and corruption is widespread.”
Still, Clark said that he is “loving the challenge of learning new things.” He added, “The city is fantastic, a real melting pot where East meets West.” Since making the 5,000+ mile move to Lebanon, one of the unique opportunities Clark has had was his ability to attend a conference in Kathmandu, Nepal in the fall. “I loved visiting all the temples and hiking through the countryside. The people are incredibly friendly there.”
When asked to give advice to anyone who wanted to travel outside of their comfort zone, Clark responded, “As the Nike ad says, ‘Just Do It.’ You will reap the dividends of growing, learning, gaining confidence, and becoming more open minded.” Though it has only been six months, he said he and his wife have met some fascinating people so far, and learned numerous valuable lessons. “We have learned that we have skills that are transferable, and we have learned to pay less attention to the headline stories.” He concluded, “Life is sometimes challenging here, but mostly it is fascinating and a lot of fun!”
When asked to give advice to anyone who wanted to travel outside of their comfort zone, Clark responded, “As the Nike ad says, ‘Just Do It.’ You will reap the dividends of growing, learning, gaining confidence, and becoming more open minded.” Though it has only been six months, he said he and his wife have met some fascinating people so far, and learned numerous valuable lessons. “We have learned that we have skills that are transferable, and we have learned to pay less attention to the headline stories.” He concluded, “Life is sometimes challenging here, but mostly it is fascinating and a lot of fun!”