Despite having no groundbreaking news, I'm doing this because I feel vaguely responsible for putting something up here, even if it is fairly airy and insubstantial. Just in case you were genuinely worried, I've got some ideas for future posts at various stages between "steaming curry-flavored marination" and "half-baked too-gooey-to-eat without inevitably dropping a sizable chunk on your freshly-pressed white collar." Unfortunately for you, they still require a day or two at 350 degrees.
Yesterday and today mark the end of Ramadan, that month-long festival in which we are all reminded that not eating during the daylight hours can indeed bring a country's infrastructure to its sandy, scraped-up knees. School has slowed to an almost complete stop, allowing me time to reflect on the fact that the most I've gotten accomplished in the past month and a half is the reading of some twenty-odd books. This is, of course, more than I can say for whoever's working to power the city of Nouadhibou, as we've been plagued by rolling blackouts, effectively dunking my darkness-loving-insect filled apartment in blackness on an average of 1.4 times a day. This wouldn't be so much of an issue, except that water makes it all the way up to my second floor apartment by way of an electric pump. Lights go out, toilet doesn't flush. Also, I have bedbugs.
So what's in store for my three loyal readers? Well, I've been meaning to create a video tour of my apartment, which hasn't happened, because really, how interesting is a dirty apartment? Also, I'm waiting for the rights to Greenday's "Time of Your Life" for the tearjerker soundtrack. I've also been meaning to actually leg it around this city and take a few photos, which I also have yet to do, because I am lazy. Municipal elections are due for November, which promises to interrupt school and hopefully make for some good writing and reportage. I've also got a little ditty on the whole social atmosphere around here. Finalement, I'm about to start reading the Koran, which promises to be an exciting journey of spiritual awakening. Oh yeah, and I'm tossing around the idea of a total overhaul of this website.
Things continue to chug along over here on the East Side. Next week is predicted to be the unofficial beginning of school, and my class size should grow exponentially. Tomorrow NDB will officially be left in the hands of the fresh-faced 2006 volunteers, and your's truly is the PCVR[egional]C[oordinator], a whole lot of letters meaning I'm responsible for paying the rent on our office.
Yep, sooo, that's about it. I've got an ftp set up with the help of Sam, to which you can upload music (slowly) and I can download it (even slower). Send me an email if you want the login and password, and I'll happily fire it over to you. While I'm thinking about it, I could sure use "Turn on the Bright Lights," (the whole album, please) which, shamefully, I neglected to procure prior to my departure. Also, I'm inviting some more input into this site. See the comments button? Click on it and say something. Please. And I'd like a few more suggestions on the name of the gecko. Interestingly, Carl and Steve are a pair of characters that I often use in dialogues when I start my English classes. Weird.
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9 comments:
Good to talk to you yesterday. We miss you here on the West side. Leaves are falling like crazy and it has become chilly. Remember chilly? Go take some pictures. I would love to see more of Nowaidibou. Get out there and meet some people. I will find the running shoes to go back with your friend. talk again in a few weeks.
I like the wholesome name of 'Jack' or 'Frank'. Could you take two second in your next post to enlighten uneducated ftp folk (such as myself) how to set it up? Don't I need to download an FTP server or something like that? (Pat tried to explain it to me and it made less sense after he did).
Bed Bugs are good for you, they clean your skin.
bobo. i think you should name the gecko bobo. didnt we name something in our apartment bobo? --Lucy
http://grumpyoldbookman.blogspot.com/2005/02/mfa-many-fools-available.html
you'll like this. particularly the discussion about masters.
I like the name "Buddy." It's descriptive, you like piano, and I like puns. Stay warm.
Hey John:
Lita and I are keeping up with your blog from Oxford... and marveling (with some masochistic envy) at your anecdotes. There are some fascinating folks here, although not nearly enough from Africa. Although, I have managed to find a supervisor who studies West Africa (and is himself Nigerian) and he insisted that I'll have to travel to do field work in Africa. Which means that I still fully intend to make good on my promise to visit. Also, my to do list includes sending you a sweet package, so email me (or post here) a wish list.
While I've been immersed in dry political science literature over the past few weeks, I've been taking refuge in good 'ol development studies. One particularly good (and insightful) piece of work on science, religion, and development is here: http://www.bcca.org/ief/isgpsrd.htm . Thought you might find it relevant to your, um, situation.
Anyway, do take photos, post them and show us your life. And keep writing. Damn, John. I would pay a monthly fee to read daily updates of your blog -- I hope you'll make a serious effort to write and publish a journal at the end of your period in Mauritania.
As for names for the Gecko: you could always follow the lead of my Ghanaian landlady, who named her dog 'Abacha' after the Nigerian military dictator. She just wanted to disparage his name by ordering around (and beating) an animal. While I don't condone similar abuse for your Gecko, you could always name him Mr. Henry or something.
Oh, and if you're feeling lonely, then email me. I'm up for correspondence.
-geoff c.
I will premise this comment with the acknowledgement that what I am about to write likely seems trivial and irrelevant to your life. But I will barge ahead.
Tonight, biking to a friend's house, I rode slowly past Thom Yorke and looked him in the eye. That's right: Thom Yorke, of Radiohead fame. I almost drove into oncoming traffic and then crashed softly into the curb, while Lita quietly laughed at the spectacle. What a moment... in the most common circumstances I came face to face with a teenage idol -- on the street corner of my college, no less.
The first thing you may ask is whether I am sure it was Thom Yorke. Yes. 100% positive. He lives in Oxford, and I've seen enough pictures. The second may be why I am writing this on your blog. Lita fails to appreciate the singular potency of that moment of recognition, and I feel the need to tell *someone* who will appreciate it. Since my first exposure to Radiohead was at your place -- listening to OK Computer and the Bends at 3am -- I thought I could tell you and feel some degree of satisfaction.
Okay. That's all. Goodnight.
Geoff.
Well, I think the key question here is whether or not your gecko is a guy gecko or a doll gecko. I'd be fascinated to know how one might tell the difference, but when that factor is determined, I think you can officially make the name decision (I realize this comment relates to your posting of two weeks ago, but I like this discussion thread). In the meantime, you can entertain unisex names like Bear. If its a dude gecko, my vote is Bertrand. If its a lady gecko, I think the only approporiate name would be Jeanne Fourneyron, Fourney for short.
So here's my latest dilemma, my grand life plans involved visiting my other PCV buddy in South America in spring '07, and then journeying to West Africa to see you in spring '08. However, my Paraguayan PCV has decided that she wants to go to Carnavale in Brazil in February this year, which obviously is amazing but also costs about 4 times as much as going to Brazil any other time of year. So you have to keep me updated on your life and travel plans, because I could conceivably switch it up and meet you somewhere this coming year. Thoughts? Miss you. Love reading your posts.
love you, Grammie Lucy
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