Had breakfast with the acting ambassador this morning (Dawn Liberi awaits Congressional approval). Yet another perk of living in Nouadhibou is that, in addition to being to my knowledge the only Americans up here, we are living in a city that actually garners direct US attention. Thus, when the official US convoy rolls north, we get a few stolen rays of State department sunshine to make us feel a little more important than our village counterparts (psshaw, my Rolodex is full of presidential appointees). Ambassador Twining (link should be a photo) was, well, a man who seemed to retain a surprising and refreshing amount of Kennedy-era idealism. While, for reasons that I have yet to really articulate to myself, I will refrain from completely recounting our conversation here (believe me, there was nothing said that would qualify as profound and/or unprintable - just going with a gut feeling), I will say that he was pleasantly straightforward with my questions and our conversation. Details available to those curious enough to email me. I will say this: incredibly nice guy; he struck me as the product of a substantially different era.
Additionally, number two in charge seemed to take an interest in my labors at the Lycee Nouadhibou, and will be coming up in about a week with an unverified number of English novels and texts to start an English section of their library. He also asked me to scout around for potential homes and staff for an NDB branch of an American Center (computers and books and general information about the pastoral glory of America), and we will be meeting next Friday.
In other news, the misspelling on the survey submission redirect page has been, ahem, "duely" noted. Also duely noted is Sam's egregious flaunting of a spell checker. Because I felt that my voice in the survey is irrelevant (I do wield the power, of course, to toss the votes entirely and decide to name the little bastard "Steven," should I so choose to abuse the democratic process), I had yet to actually check what the voter was presented with upon successful submission of his/her vote. Lo, I will henceforth trust all copyediting to myself. Please reinstate me in your collective mind as the infallible example of proper syntax that you know I am.
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2 comments:
I love the new picture. Is it a pointing dog or a dragon crawling across the sand? Neat rock formations. A package was sent off to you Tuesday. Inside some treats and reminders of upcoming holidays. I hope it gets to you before the holiday. Good post. Never hurts to be useful to the state department.
I don't know if I ever told you this, John, but while travelling in West Africa there was a widespread rumour among Ghanaians and Burkinabes that PC volunteers were American spies. Upon returning to Accra I had a meeting with the Canadian High Commissioner and I made a joke about poor, misunderstood, well-meaning Americans. He remarked in response that the volunteers probably *were* (unwitting) spies.
As your Mom says, it never hurts to be useful to the State department... until the American war machine rolls in to divert attention from the Iraq quagmire with an easy win.
geoff.
PS: I suggest you post a Christmas wish list on your blog -- for your friends who are willing to send you something, but are unsure what would be most welcome in your corner of the world, this would be very helpful. Call it PC registry or something.
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