This presentation will discuss the women in contemporary Iran. They are actively involved in the social affairs, work force and to some extent in the politics and government. Women were active participants in the Islamic Revolution of 1979 that toppled the Shah. Following the revolution, the traditional middle class captured the power and enacted laws to enforce the traditional and Islamic values on women.

Instructor: Mehry Astaneh completed her undergraduate and graduate studies in Iran and England and came to the United States in 1978 with her family. She has been living in the Bay Area since 1986.

1 lecture - $10 (Free to EC members)

The only way to learn a language well is to practice, practice, and more practice. This class is designed to help students who already have a general knowledge of the Italian language hone their speaking and understanding skills. All students will participate in friendly discussions and various question and answer sessions.

Instructor: Lucia Falcone, born and raised in Murano, Italy, is a graduate of UC Berkeley. She has published her first book, Over Bridges Across Tables, a collection of short stories that celebrates small town life in Italy.

5 classes - $60 ($55 EC members)

Join us in conversational Spanish classes especially designed for travelers, and those who want to learn "key phrases" for everyday use. We will put emphasis on widely used expressions to make your stay more pleasant and help you converse with the locals.

Instructor: Ricardo Rodriguez, born and raised in Lima, Peru, holds an MBA and has more than 18 years experience teaching Spanish.

5 classes - $50 ($45 EC members)

Apply the principles of Hatha Yoga to achieve lifetime fitness. Learn ancient yoga postures (asanas) designed to strengthen and tone your body, increase flexibility and balance, focus your mind, and relieve tension. Effective posture positioning, breathing, relaxation, and meditation techniques will be demonstrated throughout the course. Bring a yoga mat.

Instructor: Wanda Bishop, MA Pacific Oaks College, Lifetime teaching credential; Community College District, Physical Education and Yoga, is a certified sports yoga instructor and has been a yoga practitioner since 1979.

5 classes - $50 ($45 EC members)

Apply the principles of Hatha Yoga to achieve lifetime fitness. Learn ancient yoga postures (asanas) designed to strengthen and tone your body, increase flexibility and balance, focus your mind, and relieve tension. Effective posture positioning, breathing, relaxation, and meditation techniques will be demonstrated throughout the course. Bring a yoga mat.

Instructor: Wanda Bishop, (see bio previous class)

5 classes - $50 ($45 EC members)

We will discuss the latest ongoing political, sociocultural and economic developments in Russia, most of which have caught the West by surprise. Why do Russians state a crisis of national identity as the root of degradation of the country’s political institutions? Participants will view two documentaries and 18 clips that will help them to better recognize the nature of ongoing developments in modern Russia.

Instructor: Ismael Agayev, PhD, Philosophy and Religion, is the author of 16 published articles on the History of Shi’a Islamic development in Iran and the Caucasus. He has taught in educational institutions in the U.S. and overseas.

5 classes - $50 ($45 EC members)

We will analyze the major political and social developments in Iran for the last 27 years and discover the reasons why the Islamic Republic has continued to claim a position of leadership in a strategically crucial region. We will discuss how the Islamic Republic is functioning today, its current economy, and the latest developments in relations between Iran and the world.

Instructor: Ismael Agayev, PhD, (see bio previous class)

5 classes - $50 ($45 EC members)

The City on the Bay has been the setting and inspiration for crime drama and mystery writers from the early days of the Barbary Coast to the present. We will consider a wide range of mystery writers from Dashiell Hammett to Laurie R. King and Michael Chabon. We will discuss why mystery is the favorite genre of so many people. What makes San Francisco such a great place to set and write mysteries? We’ll find out!

Instructor: Anne E. Nicolson, MA, English Literature, MLS in Judaic Studies, has taught composition, literature, film, and ethics at colleges and universities around the U.S.

2 classes - $20 ($18 EC members)

Experience the beauty of the Dolomite Mountains via a slide presentation of the flora and fauna of this diverse and beautiful territory. We will explore the peaks of the rocky mountaintops, the many valleys, as well as the small villages that nestle in their midst. Travel back in time and learn about natural resources, customs, inhabitants, and delicious regional food.

Instructor: Lucia Falcone (see bio class 17)

2 classes - $20 ($18 EC members)

The Greeks of classic times considered Egypt to be the repository of all wisdom. What were the characteristics of its civilization that led to this evaluation by the Greeks? What happened to Egyptian culture after it became a province of Rome? In addition, important for today, what were the results of the Islamic conquest of Egypt? The class will include slides of some of the wonders to be seen in Egypt.

Instructor: Gay Joyce, MA, has taught Western Civilization and US History for over 30 years. She is a member of the American Historical Society and National Association of Scholars.

2 classes - $20 ($18 EC members)

Explore a fascinating piece of Cuban culture rarely known to outsiders – the world of rhythmic, traditional a capella songs called mouth music. Travel freely through Cuba with music as your passport, while we investigate traditional work songs (trabajos), drum songs (rumbas), improvised poem-songs (decimas), and singing cries of street vendors (pregones).

Instructor: Pam Swan recently returned from a trip to Cuba to gather and record traditional a capella songs.

1 class - $15 ($13 EC members)