Work!?!
Things are actually going on in life, so it’s kinda strange to be occupied with work and other planning. For whatever reason, the Câmara is going to be reopening this Centro de Multimedia/American Corner and I will once again be gracing it’s presence in the late afternoons. I’d been getting used to doing practically nothing for them, but at least this way, I’ll a) actually be doing something that can count as a public service for people in Mosteiros and b) will give me some leverage if the Câmara gets weird ideas for things they want me to do before I go.
For my last few months here, looks I’m turning into a Volunteer of Library Science. I’m working with Nadia – who works with the deportees – to get a small library for the deportees going. I just need to iron out some details, send out a proposal or two, talk with some people, and we should be set. A lot of the deportees have nothing going on here at all, and having books for them to read will a) help keep up their English language skills, which will be useful if they decide they want to teach English in the future and b) hopefully keep them out of trouble.
Another project is going to involve a lot (A LOT) of K-12 books being shipped to Mosteiros. The U.S. Embassy in Praia is helping on this one, since it is way beyond what I can handle. I had gotten in touch (thanks to a hot tip from No Pun Intended) with the nonprofit in the States that sends books all across Africa. They offered to send books, a lot of books. More than I’d know what to do with them. The number of books, along with the shipping costs, made me think this wasn’t going to happen. Lucky enough, I know the Public Diplomacy person at the Embassy, and they’re going to be providing a hookup that will soon allow me to be swimming in tons of books. More details to follow, once I figure them out for myself.
This is also marking out a new phase of my PC experience; the phase of me leaving. On a work level, there isn’t a lot to finish up (honestly, I’m more busy with stuff now than I was a year ago) but I’ve still made a life here and have to wrap it up. This all came into sharp relief a few weeks back when Idealist ETed. She had been planning to do an early COS at the start of June, but some things came up in the States she had to attend to. Though she’s done here time here (so to speak) PC wouldn’t let her leave so early and still call it a COS, so she had to ET.
I had become pretty close to her, since I would always run and hide in São Filipe when I needed an escape from Mosteiros. We’ve spent a lot of time talking over the past two years, so it was a bit sad to see her go, even though I know I’ll still be able to see her in the States (“I’ll see you on the Vineyaarrddd!”).
As for myself, I plan to stick around CV until sometime after 15 August, which is the municipal festival in Mosteiros (though, coming back from São Filipe’s festival, I am less enthusiastic about ours – but more about that in a later post). Then, it’s off for a month long trip through the Middle East, then some couch surfing in D.C. for a few weeks, then the requisite pilgrimage home to the Twin Cities so that my father can drive me bonkers for a bit, and then it’ll be time to take up residency again in D.C. So, plan your schedules accordingly!
Book Reviews:
The Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
Another book loaned to me by She Who Runs From Dead Pig. I really could not get into it, and wanted to stop after the first 50 pages or so, because the main character was so annoying, but I pushed through, and eventually decided that the book wasn’t so bad. I am sure if I knew Ignatius in real life, I would want to punch him, so I’m glad he’s confined to the world of literature.
Elmer Gantry by Sinclair Lewis
Wow. I am really surprised Lewis was able to publish it when he did. Even now if a book like this came out, I’m sure some people would be pretty pissy about it. Sadly enough, the critiques he makes about those in religious leadership still apply today, so it seems that they’re just stuck in the same rut that they have been for hundreds of years, in more ways than one.
For my last few months here, looks I’m turning into a Volunteer of Library Science. I’m working with Nadia – who works with the deportees – to get a small library for the deportees going. I just need to iron out some details, send out a proposal or two, talk with some people, and we should be set. A lot of the deportees have nothing going on here at all, and having books for them to read will a) help keep up their English language skills, which will be useful if they decide they want to teach English in the future and b) hopefully keep them out of trouble.
Another project is going to involve a lot (A LOT) of K-12 books being shipped to Mosteiros. The U.S. Embassy in Praia is helping on this one, since it is way beyond what I can handle. I had gotten in touch (thanks to a hot tip from No Pun Intended) with the nonprofit in the States that sends books all across Africa. They offered to send books, a lot of books. More than I’d know what to do with them. The number of books, along with the shipping costs, made me think this wasn’t going to happen. Lucky enough, I know the Public Diplomacy person at the Embassy, and they’re going to be providing a hookup that will soon allow me to be swimming in tons of books. More details to follow, once I figure them out for myself.
This is also marking out a new phase of my PC experience; the phase of me leaving. On a work level, there isn’t a lot to finish up (honestly, I’m more busy with stuff now than I was a year ago) but I’ve still made a life here and have to wrap it up. This all came into sharp relief a few weeks back when Idealist ETed. She had been planning to do an early COS at the start of June, but some things came up in the States she had to attend to. Though she’s done here time here (so to speak) PC wouldn’t let her leave so early and still call it a COS, so she had to ET.
I had become pretty close to her, since I would always run and hide in São Filipe when I needed an escape from Mosteiros. We’ve spent a lot of time talking over the past two years, so it was a bit sad to see her go, even though I know I’ll still be able to see her in the States (“I’ll see you on the Vineyaarrddd!”).
As for myself, I plan to stick around CV until sometime after 15 August, which is the municipal festival in Mosteiros (though, coming back from São Filipe’s festival, I am less enthusiastic about ours – but more about that in a later post). Then, it’s off for a month long trip through the Middle East, then some couch surfing in D.C. for a few weeks, then the requisite pilgrimage home to the Twin Cities so that my father can drive me bonkers for a bit, and then it’ll be time to take up residency again in D.C. So, plan your schedules accordingly!
Book Reviews:
The Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
Another book loaned to me by She Who Runs From Dead Pig. I really could not get into it, and wanted to stop after the first 50 pages or so, because the main character was so annoying, but I pushed through, and eventually decided that the book wasn’t so bad. I am sure if I knew Ignatius in real life, I would want to punch him, so I’m glad he’s confined to the world of literature.
Elmer Gantry by Sinclair Lewis
Wow. I am really surprised Lewis was able to publish it when he did. Even now if a book like this came out, I’m sure some people would be pretty pissy about it. Sadly enough, the critiques he makes about those in religious leadership still apply today, so it seems that they’re just stuck in the same rut that they have been for hundreds of years, in more ways than one.
posted by jende turtle at 6:14 AM
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