And so should you. As I lay in bed, listening to the drunks outside my house belt out…well, i dont know exactly what, ranchero maybe, could be a mangled version of some 80s power ballad that they love so much here in nicaragua, i just finished watching a TED talk by William Kamkwamba, a young man from Malawi who brought himself and his family electricity and water by constructing windmills outside his home. he was entirely self-taught, garnering his knowledge from the few physics and energy books he could get his hands on (this was actually a follow-up presentation and my second introduction to William, as he gave his first TED talk two years ago; he makes an impact each time). I love his story. It gives me faith in the human mind and spirit. It emboldens the confidence I have for development in Africa (in another TED talk, one presenter claims that by the end of this decade there will emerge an Einstein out of Africa, and my bet is now on William Kamkwamba). (another side note: yes, I have been watching tons of TED talks as they are the fasting loading video podcasts I can get on my slow and sporadic wireless connection). It gives a short pang to my heart that I am here and not there with peace corps. I am hopeful that the same spirit exists here in Nicaragua.
Perhaps it is. The other week, the director of the school I work at here in Jinotega approached me asking if I might be able to translate a document for him. So I said, sure, id take a look. Then I was handed a 45 page manual on how to construct a wind turbine. I’m still staring at it, wondering how I can make this 45 page document, written in English, relevant to this school (and also wondering why the group from the United States who came to build the first turbine would leave this 45 page document with a group of people who do not speak a word of English).
I also wonder if this killer headache of mine will ever go away, if the boy I am tutoring in english will ever grasp the “th” sound, if my high school students will ever take me seriously, if I’ll ever digest the mass quantities of tortillas I have been eating, if I’ll ever have a fluid conversation in Spanish, if cindy lauper really is as amazing as Nicaraguans believe.
So I am going use this crush I have on William Kamkwamba, and believe, just believe, and maybe he’ll notice and we can run away to Africa together in August 2011.
book reviews
Labels:
book reviews
Been getting busier here with work, but still finding time to get some reading in...here are my reviews and reflection:
The Irreversible Revolution by Shane Claiborne
I would recommend this to any Christian looking to point their religion in a productive and loving direction. Just a touch self-righteous and naïve, but with a big heart. Some good tips on sustainable living.
Rumi in a Nutshell
Excerpts from Islamic philosopher and poet Rumi. Eh, nothing very inspiring. Main message: be learned and do good.
The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut
The longer I sit and ruminate on this book, the closer I feel to tears, and I’m not quite sure why. Told with the cunning wit and creativity that is Vonnegut, it's my favorite of his so far. He speaks of love, greed, foolishness, God, beauty, a perfect world, the meaning of life.
Child of the Dark by Carolina Maria de Jesus
Signet Classic version has a dumb, irrelevant cover for this book. It is the diary of a poor black mother in the slums of São Paolo in the 1950s. It is raw, no flowery language, some fleeting characters, worth your time.
Tortilla Curtain by TC Boyle
A compelling story following two opposing couples: a pair of suburban whiteys and two struggling illegal Mexican immigrants. I think Boyle’s writing style is too obvious. Go read it, enjoy the story and the insight, but try not to be distracted by the blaring stereotypes.
The Irreversible Revolution by Shane Claiborne
I would recommend this to any Christian looking to point their religion in a productive and loving direction. Just a touch self-righteous and naïve, but with a big heart. Some good tips on sustainable living.
Rumi in a Nutshell
Excerpts from Islamic philosopher and poet Rumi. Eh, nothing very inspiring. Main message: be learned and do good.
The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut
The longer I sit and ruminate on this book, the closer I feel to tears, and I’m not quite sure why. Told with the cunning wit and creativity that is Vonnegut, it's my favorite of his so far. He speaks of love, greed, foolishness, God, beauty, a perfect world, the meaning of life.
Child of the Dark by Carolina Maria de Jesus
Signet Classic version has a dumb, irrelevant cover for this book. It is the diary of a poor black mother in the slums of São Paolo in the 1950s. It is raw, no flowery language, some fleeting characters, worth your time.
Tortilla Curtain by TC Boyle
A compelling story following two opposing couples: a pair of suburban whiteys and two struggling illegal Mexican immigrants. I think Boyle’s writing style is too obvious. Go read it, enjoy the story and the insight, but try not to be distracted by the blaring stereotypes.
1 comments
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Meeting inspiring people
So the United States does not necessarily have a history of youth respecting their elders. It’s not part of our culture, or lack there of. I have always admired my grandparents. My grandma Pearl was the most elegant woman I’ve known. Grandma Skip, she’s a spitfire, the matriarch, and at almost 90 years old she might be more active than me. Grandpa Harry is quite the character; he’s got strong opinions and a strong will. Even with these influences in my life, I can’t say I’ve been put too much thought into respecting my elders.
This Peace Corps experience is certainly expanding my outlook. There are four older volunteers in my group of 33 that arrived in May. And as some of the young folks have left for a variety of reasons, these four are holding strong. And they amaze me. One left behind his wife, his life, to follow his dream. Their courage and motivation are immense.
In this past week, I have connected with 3 older (older than me that is, not retirees just yet, I’m thinking late 50s early 60s in age, I just can’t think of a less loaded word than “old”) people. One woman just came on vacation with a Nicaraguan friend of hers. And she fell in love with the place. And road in the bed of a pickup truck. Her exact quote is that coming to Nicaragua is “better than Disney.” And no offense Allie and Pam, but I agree :P She also introduced me to someone who she was helping with English. As she left, I have taken over. He’s really bright, and we’re working on pronunciation, because that seems like the hardest part for most people studying English here. Many times even if people speak some English, I can’t understand a word they say because of pronunciation problems. So that’s a new side project I’ve started. I enjoy working one on one with someone, it’s a nice break from working with classes of 30-40 students.
I also had the pleasure of meeting a couple who has been coming to Jinotega every summer for the past few years working with an NGO called Círculo de Amigas. They are so motivated, and have done a ton for the community this NGO works in. Though from California, I must say I’d have pegged them for Midwesterners, maybe from Minnesota. Pretty unsuspecting. People who I could definitely see sponsoring a child in a foreign country, but maybe have never and will never leave the U.S. And I would be WRONG. They wore fanny packs and spoke broken Spanish, but the love and caring that they have for this organization and the people it supports is just incredible. They are definitely not in it for the tax write-off. One of their projects that I found particularly interesting is the films they make about the projects Círculo de Amigos is involved with. Starting as a video to give to donors showing where their money was going, the project has grown. They train kids (~10yrs to 17) to use all of the equipment they have, cameras, lighting, etc. And the kids help write the scripts. And they are of course the stars. These short films have won awards at film festivals and have been shown on Nicaraguan television. Can you imagine the excitement of a 12 year old Nicaraguan (and they work with children in a very very poor area), being trusted with expensive equipment, seeing themselves on TV?
And they completely welcomed me into their enthusiasm. Through them I will be starting two new and exciting projects. This organization works with a group of women who crochet recycled plastic bags into beautiful purses (they really are great, I just bought one, and not just because I’m a hippy peace corps volunteer, the stylish New Yorker in me took the lead on that decision). Right now their processes are a little sluggish and expensive, and hopefully I can provide some help by bringing some ideas to make it more efficient.
Now, this next project I am the most excited about. Just the most. The details haven’t been worked out yet, but hopefully by the end of September, maybe October I will start to teach a ballet class to the young girls in the organization! EEEEP! I’m kvelling. I need to start investigating the possibilities of getting a ballet barre made. But in reality, one of the best aspects of this is that no additional resources are needed. The girls can take the class in socks, or barefoot. And most of the names of positions and moves are in French anyway, so the pressure of translating shouldn’t be too heavy. I have the entire nutcracker soundtrack on my computer, so that is a place to start, but here is a:
***CALL TO ACTION*** If you have some time and would like to download or purchase a CD of ballet class music to send to me, that would be AWESOME. Sending it in a padded envelop shouldn’t be too expensive. I have a new address, a PO box here, check the side bar →.
So anyway. I’m feeling rejuvenated by the energy these older people, (guh, people with more life experience? Professionals? If you asked me to describe them, I wouldn’t say old.) have brought to Jinotega.
This Peace Corps experience is certainly expanding my outlook. There are four older volunteers in my group of 33 that arrived in May. And as some of the young folks have left for a variety of reasons, these four are holding strong. And they amaze me. One left behind his wife, his life, to follow his dream. Their courage and motivation are immense.
In this past week, I have connected with 3 older (older than me that is, not retirees just yet, I’m thinking late 50s early 60s in age, I just can’t think of a less loaded word than “old”) people. One woman just came on vacation with a Nicaraguan friend of hers. And she fell in love with the place. And road in the bed of a pickup truck. Her exact quote is that coming to Nicaragua is “better than Disney.” And no offense Allie and Pam, but I agree :P She also introduced me to someone who she was helping with English. As she left, I have taken over. He’s really bright, and we’re working on pronunciation, because that seems like the hardest part for most people studying English here. Many times even if people speak some English, I can’t understand a word they say because of pronunciation problems. So that’s a new side project I’ve started. I enjoy working one on one with someone, it’s a nice break from working with classes of 30-40 students.
I also had the pleasure of meeting a couple who has been coming to Jinotega every summer for the past few years working with an NGO called Círculo de Amigas. They are so motivated, and have done a ton for the community this NGO works in. Though from California, I must say I’d have pegged them for Midwesterners, maybe from Minnesota. Pretty unsuspecting. People who I could definitely see sponsoring a child in a foreign country, but maybe have never and will never leave the U.S. And I would be WRONG. They wore fanny packs and spoke broken Spanish, but the love and caring that they have for this organization and the people it supports is just incredible. They are definitely not in it for the tax write-off. One of their projects that I found particularly interesting is the films they make about the projects Círculo de Amigos is involved with. Starting as a video to give to donors showing where their money was going, the project has grown. They train kids (~10yrs to 17) to use all of the equipment they have, cameras, lighting, etc. And the kids help write the scripts. And they are of course the stars. These short films have won awards at film festivals and have been shown on Nicaraguan television. Can you imagine the excitement of a 12 year old Nicaraguan (and they work with children in a very very poor area), being trusted with expensive equipment, seeing themselves on TV?
And they completely welcomed me into their enthusiasm. Through them I will be starting two new and exciting projects. This organization works with a group of women who crochet recycled plastic bags into beautiful purses (they really are great, I just bought one, and not just because I’m a hippy peace corps volunteer, the stylish New Yorker in me took the lead on that decision). Right now their processes are a little sluggish and expensive, and hopefully I can provide some help by bringing some ideas to make it more efficient.
Now, this next project I am the most excited about. Just the most. The details haven’t been worked out yet, but hopefully by the end of September, maybe October I will start to teach a ballet class to the young girls in the organization! EEEEP! I’m kvelling. I need to start investigating the possibilities of getting a ballet barre made. But in reality, one of the best aspects of this is that no additional resources are needed. The girls can take the class in socks, or barefoot. And most of the names of positions and moves are in French anyway, so the pressure of translating shouldn’t be too heavy. I have the entire nutcracker soundtrack on my computer, so that is a place to start, but here is a:
***CALL TO ACTION*** If you have some time and would like to download or purchase a CD of ballet class music to send to me, that would be AWESOME. Sending it in a padded envelop shouldn’t be too expensive. I have a new address, a PO box here, check the side bar →.
So anyway. I’m feeling rejuvenated by the energy these older people, (guh, people with more life experience? Professionals? If you asked me to describe them, I wouldn’t say old.) have brought to Jinotega.
1 comments
Saturday, September 12, 2009
cat calls
Adios mi amor.
chica bonita, la mujer más linda.
Wouldn’t it be lovely? To hear these words. Whispered to you. Everyday.
How romantic. Well, I do hear these words…whispered to me…everyday. And no, I haven’t found a nica boy. And no, I don’t feel special at all, since every other woman here in Jinotega hears these same words…whispered to them…everyday. So here it is, one month into service and I have finally been pushed to the breaking point on Nicaraguan cat calling. I used to walk with my eyes up and head held high, but I find myself staring at the sidewalk more and more. Avoiding eye contact doesn’t make a difference though, except for the fact that I don’t have to remember what the creep looked like. The men here have a way of making you feel completely naked walking down the street. They wait until you take one step past them, your back now facing them, to hiss whatever “romantic” slur they’ve come up with, letting you know that they are still looking as you walk away, rigid now, trying desperately not to swish your hips, which is tough for a hippy girl like me.
Listen, I’m pretty girly. I like to wear makeup and dresses. I like floral prints. I think the color purple is fierce. I use the word fierce. But I’m considering wearing a burlap sac accessorized with greasy hair and no make-up if it means I wont get cat-called on the street anymore. At first it made me laugh. Maybe a nervous giggle of culture shock, but still. And sometimes it still makes me laugh (I’m telling you, some of the things they come up with are outrageous). But feeling eyes on you at all times is just not comfortable. Now people will throw around the word machismo. Excuses. I don’t buy it. And this certainly isn’t an ailment of all Nica men, I have met plenty of perfectly respectful guys here. But, there is a “type” and I am worried by its omnipresence. So this is a call to all Nica dads out there, teach your sons right.
And don't worry, i have a super positive, upbeat post in the works, cuz life is great for the most part.
chica bonita, la mujer más linda.
Wouldn’t it be lovely? To hear these words. Whispered to you. Everyday.
How romantic. Well, I do hear these words…whispered to me…everyday. And no, I haven’t found a nica boy. And no, I don’t feel special at all, since every other woman here in Jinotega hears these same words…whispered to them…everyday. So here it is, one month into service and I have finally been pushed to the breaking point on Nicaraguan cat calling. I used to walk with my eyes up and head held high, but I find myself staring at the sidewalk more and more. Avoiding eye contact doesn’t make a difference though, except for the fact that I don’t have to remember what the creep looked like. The men here have a way of making you feel completely naked walking down the street. They wait until you take one step past them, your back now facing them, to hiss whatever “romantic” slur they’ve come up with, letting you know that they are still looking as you walk away, rigid now, trying desperately not to swish your hips, which is tough for a hippy girl like me.
Listen, I’m pretty girly. I like to wear makeup and dresses. I like floral prints. I think the color purple is fierce. I use the word fierce. But I’m considering wearing a burlap sac accessorized with greasy hair and no make-up if it means I wont get cat-called on the street anymore. At first it made me laugh. Maybe a nervous giggle of culture shock, but still. And sometimes it still makes me laugh (I’m telling you, some of the things they come up with are outrageous). But feeling eyes on you at all times is just not comfortable. Now people will throw around the word machismo. Excuses. I don’t buy it. And this certainly isn’t an ailment of all Nica men, I have met plenty of perfectly respectful guys here. But, there is a “type” and I am worried by its omnipresence. So this is a call to all Nica dads out there, teach your sons right.
And don't worry, i have a super positive, upbeat post in the works, cuz life is great for the most part.
1 comments
Monday, September 7, 2009
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