Wednesday, November 26, 2008
thanksgiving
I'm bubbling over with thanks. The little bubbles are bursting and releasing little poofs of sparkle, much like synaptic vesicles spontaneously being released. They add up in the background where you don't even realize it- it determines your levels of excitability. I'm excitable!
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
a gesture life
It was not- by any stretch- a bad book. But it was only as good as a book about a detached older man can be.
No, I take that back. If anyone has seen (or read) Steve Martin's Shopgirl, then clearly that's not an accurate statement.
Let me start again. It was a story with strong character development but was of a character practically devoid of emotion. And while I appreciate how well the author explained how this mancane to be as he was- orphaned in a sense and through horrible war-related attrocities (what else can war bring with it?)- I cannot say I related to the main character, the protagonist, the hero.
Perhaps if I read this book at a later stage in my life I will better appreciate the pensive near-death feverless acceptance of life, but now it leaves me a little bit annoyed with the character and wanting him to pull his head out of his arse. Did I mention that it reminded me very much of the style of the Japanese writing of the English butler- what was that called? Stiff and cold- but well written and smooth reading.
It seems it has been a while since I read anything that absorbed me- not my mind but - what I can only refer to as- my soul. Perhaps it will take the discovery of a new favorite author- a new sea of tropical waters to explore. Perhaps it will take a reresding of one of Coetzee's or Oondatje's bests. Double vowels seem to be the thing to keep an eye out for- something with an aa or and ii or strangely a uu. Suggestions- as always- are welcome.
No, I take that back. If anyone has seen (or read) Steve Martin's Shopgirl, then clearly that's not an accurate statement.
Let me start again. It was a story with strong character development but was of a character practically devoid of emotion. And while I appreciate how well the author explained how this mancane to be as he was- orphaned in a sense and through horrible war-related attrocities (what else can war bring with it?)- I cannot say I related to the main character, the protagonist, the hero.
Perhaps if I read this book at a later stage in my life I will better appreciate the pensive near-death feverless acceptance of life, but now it leaves me a little bit annoyed with the character and wanting him to pull his head out of his arse. Did I mention that it reminded me very much of the style of the Japanese writing of the English butler- what was that called? Stiff and cold- but well written and smooth reading.
It seems it has been a while since I read anything that absorbed me- not my mind but - what I can only refer to as- my soul. Perhaps it will take the discovery of a new favorite author- a new sea of tropical waters to explore. Perhaps it will take a reresding of one of Coetzee's or Oondatje's bests. Double vowels seem to be the thing to keep an eye out for- something with an aa or and ii or strangely a uu. Suggestions- as always- are welcome.
Friday, November 07, 2008
the view from here
Some pics of the view from work. Not from my desk, but all the same spectacular. And this wasn't even a sunny day. Even Jersey City is beautiful from this high up.
The Statue of Liberty is also visible- I can't zoom in with this camera, but you get the idea...
Thursday, November 06, 2008
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
shoes and girlfriends
I have been wearing the same pair of black shoes to work practically every day for the past three months. I've added brown shoes to match my one pair of beigish pants but wear the black pair 4 days out of 5. Give or take a day.
Well just last week I was admitted into the pack at work. Two women with whom I work- on two separate days- independently commented that they like my shoes (the black ones). It couldn't be more obvious really- three months after starting, I was given what amounts to as an unspoken hug, an enfolding into the bosom of the family.
Time to decorate my desk-take off me shoes, so to speak- looks like I'll be staying a while.
Well just last week I was admitted into the pack at work. Two women with whom I work- on two separate days- independently commented that they like my shoes (the black ones). It couldn't be more obvious really- three months after starting, I was given what amounts to as an unspoken hug, an enfolding into the bosom of the family.
Time to decorate my desk-take off me shoes, so to speak- looks like I'll be staying a while.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
it almost made me cry
I am proud to announce the existence of a movie from Jordan made for a
global audience (that is my own definition of the movie). I have not
seen it, but the preview to the movie almost made me cry. I can't
imagine what the movie will be like.
Check out the preview/info: Captain Abu Raed.
I saw this around the time of Eid, the Islamic holiday. I spoke with my family in Jordan, and while nothing exciting was going on, I started to realize that the life I had there, the one I associate with Jordan, no longer exists. It is not that I am absent from it and can go back for a little taste of it if I buy a plane ticket for the right season- it is dead.
My mother's family used to get together for Eid on the first day (from what I remember) of the holiday (it's a 3-day holiday). We used to all (except for those with grudges or against whom grudges were held)get together at my grandmother's house. She and/or my aunt (as my grandmother got older, it was mostly my aunt- who lived with her) would prepare a big stuffed lamb. The day before, my uncle would buy it, and there would be a lot of shuffling of things in the fridge as space was made for it, gathering of pans, measuring of oven widths, etc. My aunt (I remember this more clearly) would chop up a lot of onions, and almost knead spices (and I think lemon or vinegar) into the onions- allspice, black pepper, salt, etc. Then the lamb was cleaned, rubbed all over with the onion-spices, and left in the fridge to marinate.
Of course, all sorts of other things were prepared on the side-delicious grape leaves and stuffed mini-zucchinis over a bed of lamb ribs- nobody made those better than my aunt. And salads and maybe mnukhiyah (the green sauce, as my nieces call it). And when the food was put on the table, my uncle would cut and serve the meat. And there were plates of yoghurt and pickles and olives scattered around the table.
The table too full of food to fit our plates comfortably, but we would manage. The kids delegated to eat elsewhere- in the informal living room (for the little ones) or near the dining table in the formal living room (for those of us who were older).
The afternoon would be spent eating- after lunch came tea, then fruits, then coffee and desserts. The desserts hold a special place in my memory- the pastries filled with pistachios or walnuts, sprinkled with powdered sugar, or with dates. And the Eid chocolates, waiting for guests in the crystal covered bowl, that we would take
right before we left.
Even though we had seen the entire family on the first day, we would later that day or the next day make the rounds to each of the families' houses for a short visit, where we would get tea and those pastries again (and you could compare and choose whose were the best)and then coffee and chocolates before you left.
Now, my family gets together on the second day (the first day the families go to their other side). They meet in (one of) my deceased aunt's house, and the lamb is purchased already prepared. It's not the same. It'll never be the same.
So, I felt homesick for the home I left, which no longer exists because the people do not reside there and because that life has, as with everything eventually, died.
It was those memories, together with scenes of Amman, together with the anticipated Eid dinner at the home of a family friend (for them, that life has not yet died), that made me homesick. And even if I probably could not get to the neighborhood in which the film is set, the seemingly endless hills of Amman, they spoke my language and they reminded me of home.
global audience (that is my own definition of the movie). I have not
seen it, but the preview to the movie almost made me cry. I can't
imagine what the movie will be like.
Check out the preview/info: Captain Abu Raed.
I saw this around the time of Eid, the Islamic holiday. I spoke with my family in Jordan, and while nothing exciting was going on, I started to realize that the life I had there, the one I associate with Jordan, no longer exists. It is not that I am absent from it and can go back for a little taste of it if I buy a plane ticket for the right season- it is dead.
My mother's family used to get together for Eid on the first day (from what I remember) of the holiday (it's a 3-day holiday). We used to all (except for those with grudges or against whom grudges were held)get together at my grandmother's house. She and/or my aunt (as my grandmother got older, it was mostly my aunt- who lived with her) would prepare a big stuffed lamb. The day before, my uncle would buy it, and there would be a lot of shuffling of things in the fridge as space was made for it, gathering of pans, measuring of oven widths, etc. My aunt (I remember this more clearly) would chop up a lot of onions, and almost knead spices (and I think lemon or vinegar) into the onions- allspice, black pepper, salt, etc. Then the lamb was cleaned, rubbed all over with the onion-spices, and left in the fridge to marinate.
Of course, all sorts of other things were prepared on the side-delicious grape leaves and stuffed mini-zucchinis over a bed of lamb ribs- nobody made those better than my aunt. And salads and maybe mnukhiyah (the green sauce, as my nieces call it). And when the food was put on the table, my uncle would cut and serve the meat. And there were plates of yoghurt and pickles and olives scattered around the table.
The table too full of food to fit our plates comfortably, but we would manage. The kids delegated to eat elsewhere- in the informal living room (for the little ones) or near the dining table in the formal living room (for those of us who were older).
The afternoon would be spent eating- after lunch came tea, then fruits, then coffee and desserts. The desserts hold a special place in my memory- the pastries filled with pistachios or walnuts, sprinkled with powdered sugar, or with dates. And the Eid chocolates, waiting for guests in the crystal covered bowl, that we would take
right before we left.
Even though we had seen the entire family on the first day, we would later that day or the next day make the rounds to each of the families' houses for a short visit, where we would get tea and those pastries again (and you could compare and choose whose were the best)and then coffee and chocolates before you left.
Now, my family gets together on the second day (the first day the families go to their other side). They meet in (one of) my deceased aunt's house, and the lamb is purchased already prepared. It's not the same. It'll never be the same.
So, I felt homesick for the home I left, which no longer exists because the people do not reside there and because that life has, as with everything eventually, died.
It was those memories, together with scenes of Amman, together with the anticipated Eid dinner at the home of a family friend (for them, that life has not yet died), that made me homesick. And even if I probably could not get to the neighborhood in which the film is set, the seemingly endless hills of Amman, they spoke my language and they reminded me of home.
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
organic milk
Can anyone explain to me why organic milk lasts about a billion times longer than regular milk? It's amazing. I had one container of organic milk, bought about 2 months ago (scary, maybe) and one container of regular milk (well, in reality it is lactaid, but I've seen this numerous times with regular milk), bought about a month ago (also, maybe scary).
Lactaid bad, organic milk good.
Inexplicable...
Lactaid bad, organic milk good.
Inexplicable...
Friday, October 03, 2008
lapel pins
I love Obama, but a double flag pin??
http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=20281881
Since when is Israel the official second half of the US of A?
Does this not bother anyone here?
Since we're on the subject of politics, a couple of points from last night's VP debates:
- I thought Biden did a great job when he used the word "maverick", he did not skirt around it, he took it on and showed how ridiculous it was. If they want to pretend McCain's a cowboy, well, I guess they need to see how absurd it is to hear others call him a cowboy.
- Palin tried to pull out her aces, using the "I'm from a cozy little state" and "I'm down with the people" and all of those little trick that seem to work on the American public. And Biden was right there with her- talking about his family, but not in the same tone. And from what I saw on tv today, when his voice cracked yesterday when he talked mentioned his late wife and child, the Palin audience boo-ed him. Didn't anyone teach them maners? Respect your opponent, have some integrity, all of that?
- I love the fact checking that Biden did. Palin wasn't in a position to do that- she doesn't know enough of the history. But Biden could call her on each of the mistakes- and could point out that for the very same thing she was accusing Obama of having voted badly on, McCain had voted the same way. She didn't finish her homework- she only looked up the encyclopedia entry on Obama!
http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=20281881
Since when is Israel the official second half of the US of A?
Does this not bother anyone here?
Since we're on the subject of politics, a couple of points from last night's VP debates:
- I thought Biden did a great job when he used the word "maverick", he did not skirt around it, he took it on and showed how ridiculous it was. If they want to pretend McCain's a cowboy, well, I guess they need to see how absurd it is to hear others call him a cowboy.
- Palin tried to pull out her aces, using the "I'm from a cozy little state" and "I'm down with the people" and all of those little trick that seem to work on the American public. And Biden was right there with her- talking about his family, but not in the same tone. And from what I saw on tv today, when his voice cracked yesterday when he talked mentioned his late wife and child, the Palin audience boo-ed him. Didn't anyone teach them maners? Respect your opponent, have some integrity, all of that?
- I love the fact checking that Biden did. Palin wasn't in a position to do that- she doesn't know enough of the history. But Biden could call her on each of the mistakes- and could point out that for the very same thing she was accusing Obama of having voted badly on, McCain had voted the same way. She didn't finish her homework- she only looked up the encyclopedia entry on Obama!
Thursday, October 02, 2008
farewell, olsson's
When I met Olsson's, I fell in love. I was loyal, dedicated to buying books from what I believed was one of the three stores of this local chain. Yes, there were jokes- I supported the local, independent bookstore, which was becoming a local giant with more like 8 or 9 stores. But still- a local DC chain. And I was smitten- I shifted my affections to now loving a successful, growing, local bookstore.
Well, the store in Georgetown closed, then the one in Bethesda closed. And I have to admit- I began to roam- B&N and Amazon became more attractive, more convenient.
I visited the Chinatown store when it closed, not long ago. The only stores left were those in Virginia. When I flew out of National, I would go visit the Olsson's there- but I didn't go to Virginia often. We drifted apart.
And then the final notice- Olsson's is closing for good.
So it ends.
Well, the store in Georgetown closed, then the one in Bethesda closed. And I have to admit- I began to roam- B&N and Amazon became more attractive, more convenient.
I visited the Chinatown store when it closed, not long ago. The only stores left were those in Virginia. When I flew out of National, I would go visit the Olsson's there- but I didn't go to Virginia often. We drifted apart.
And then the final notice- Olsson's is closing for good.
So it ends.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
empire state building celebrates
The Empire State Building is celebrating Eid al Iftar. I think that's
great- and was a little surprised to hear it. Apparently it wears a lot of dresses it wears:
http://www.esbnyc.com/tourism/tourism_lightingschedule.cfm.
Check out the little footnote:
During spring and fall bird migration seasons and particularly on cloudy, humid and/or foggy nights, when large numbers of birds are seen flying near the building, the tower lights are turned off. Observatory personnel on the 86th floor outdoor deck notify the engineers. The birds are attracted by the lights and there is a danger they will fly into the building and be killed.
Eid Mubarak.
great- and was a little surprised to hear it. Apparently it wears a lot of dresses it wears:
http://www.esbnyc.com/tourism/tourism_lightingschedule.cfm.
Check out the little footnote:
During spring and fall bird migration seasons and particularly on cloudy, humid and/or foggy nights, when large numbers of birds are seen flying near the building, the tower lights are turned off. Observatory personnel on the 86th floor outdoor deck notify the engineers. The birds are attracted by the lights and there is a danger they will fly into the building and be killed.
Eid Mubarak.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Introducing Bayaan
Here she is at one month. Precious! Big eyes, apparently blond highlights. She looks a lot like Iman did at her age.
Rawan wanted to eat and was told to wait just a minute until my sister finished feeding Bayaan. Rawan says: Bayaan is always eating. She's more important to you than I am.
Wow, a 5-year-old who can so easily express her feelings!
When Rawan was born, Iman (2.5-years-old) just said- we don't need her, why don't you throw her away...
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
birthday wishes
My 5-year-old niece and I have been having a funny little exchange over the phone regarding her birthday present. Her birthday was planned as an outdoor party, and because of rains from Hurricane Ike and the challenges of having a newborn in the house (her new little baby sister!), the date of the party was uncertain. So, it was difficult for me to plan to be there, and I tried to convey this to her on the phone.
Me: Rawan, I'm going to try to come to your birthday party, but I am not sure I can make it because you don't know exactly what day it will be.
Rawan: That's OK. If you can't come, you can just send me my present in the mail.
A practical solution. But it's not that she didn't really care either way...
Me: OK, but I'd really like to be there with you on your birthday.
Rawan: Yeah, me, too.
Me: Rawan, what would you like?
Rawan: Anything!
Me: Did you ask your mommy and daddy for anything specifically?
Rawan: No. You just get a present, and you open it, and you see what it is.
Me: OK, so you want it to be a surprise.
The follow-up conversation where we talked about the details of the present exchange after her party.
Rawan: You can just send me the present in the mail or you can bring it when you come for Eid (the Islamic holiday). But you can send itin the mail- that way I don't have to wait for it.
Giving me options, but sharing her preference.
Me: OK, tonight when I get home, I'll go online and see how long itwill take to send it to you.
Rawan: OK, but you can just go to the store, and buy it, and, and,and put it in the mail. That way you don't have to wait for it.
A pause as I think how funny she is in her subtle ways.
Rawan: But you can go tomorrow because today when you go home you maybe tired.
Me: Oh, Rawan, you are so sweet.
Rawan: Why? I didn't do anything.
Monday, September 15, 2008
when to touch people
During orientation, HR says there are two times it's OK to touch someone at work.
One, with a firm handshake.
Two, when someone falls, you can ASK them if it's OK to help them up.
That's more like one and a half times. Since we don't greet our co-workers daily with a handshake, here's hoping for more falls at work.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
New Jersey
A few more thoughts on Hoboken, New Jersey. I'd say it's not as polished as DC/Bethesda. Of course, this has to do with what part of DC you compare to, and so I'm comparing to the areas that I've lived in- Georgetown and Bethesda.
- There are a lot of people who smoke. Young people,young mothers, deep voices. It fits my idea of "new jersey culture", but it's pretty sad to see.
- There are a lot of parents (particularly mothers) YELLING at their kids in the street. Not for anything that needs yelling- no kids running into high-traffic streets. No, this is just communicating through YELLING instead of talking. Wow, almost makes me turn around and tell the mother to zip it- if you can't use your indoor voice, keep it shut.
- The upside of less polished are lots of family-run stores and restaurants. I've already mentioned the Italian population, and there are Italian delis/bodegas/ba'alaat (in Arabic) on the corners of streets in the middle of the neighborhood. You see signs written on posterboard "On vacation until August XX". There's one Indian store that looks like it's run by a band of sisters, and I can imagine that it's just them sitting around deciding what to add to their merchandise. I think I've already mentioned the coffeeshop I like- a young woman who made the price list at home with sticky stenciled letters (she told me in confidence- don't spread it around). Some chain fast food places, but mostly mom-and-pops and independent places.
It turns out it's hard to maintain the mom-and-pop even in Hoboken. There's a Barnes and Noble (kind of in keeping with the atmosphere of Hoboken, it's kind of cute and compact and cozy). There is also an independent used bookstore. However, in order for this independent bookstore to survive, the mayor's office or family or something actually helps support it financially- it's subsidized. Kind of funny, kind of sad.
Still likin' it!
Oh, and didn't even realize there was a tornado warning- never thought of tornadoes in NYC!!
- There are a lot of people who smoke. Young people,young mothers, deep voices. It fits my idea of "new jersey culture", but it's pretty sad to see.
- There are a lot of parents (particularly mothers) YELLING at their kids in the street. Not for anything that needs yelling- no kids running into high-traffic streets. No, this is just communicating through YELLING instead of talking. Wow, almost makes me turn around and tell the mother to zip it- if you can't use your indoor voice, keep it shut.
- The upside of less polished are lots of family-run stores and restaurants. I've already mentioned the Italian population, and there are Italian delis/bodegas/ba'alaat (in Arabic) on the corners of streets in the middle of the neighborhood. You see signs written on posterboard "On vacation until August XX". There's one Indian store that looks like it's run by a band of sisters, and I can imagine that it's just them sitting around deciding what to add to their merchandise. I think I've already mentioned the coffeeshop I like- a young woman who made the price list at home with sticky stenciled letters (she told me in confidence- don't spread it around). Some chain fast food places, but mostly mom-and-pops and independent places.
It turns out it's hard to maintain the mom-and-pop even in Hoboken. There's a Barnes and Noble (kind of in keeping with the atmosphere of Hoboken, it's kind of cute and compact and cozy). There is also an independent used bookstore. However, in order for this independent bookstore to survive, the mayor's office or family or something actually helps support it financially- it's subsidized. Kind of funny, kind of sad.
Still likin' it!
Oh, and didn't even realize there was a tornado warning- never thought of tornadoes in NYC!!
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Hoboken
Now in Hoboken. It seems everytime I say Hoboken, I get a comment on what a funny name that is. Turns out, according to the source of all knowledge (the internet), it is either from the name of a Flemish town or from a Native American (sorry, can't remember the tribe) word meaning something about peace pipes or something.
Here's the place (pre-moving in).
Livin' on Park Ave...
Here are some things I've noticed about Hoboken:
- There are a ton of funeral homes. There seems to be one on every other corner, practically. Considering Hoboken is a mile squared (that seems to be something everyone here is very proud of), that makes for a LOT of funeral homes. That might be related to the next point...
- ...which is that there are a LOT of old Italian babushkas (yes, I know that's Russian, but you get my meaning) wearing cute floral print cotton dresses and sitting on their doorsteps and cute little old Italian men wearing all sorts of great hats and belts up towards their necks.
- There is a shortage of good coffee shops. There are two (and a half) Starbucks- the one closest to me is the half- it's not open yet. Not sure what's going on- it's been in the same state for the past month. I've found one excellent coffee place (great espresso foam that makes you melt), but it's at the other end of town (yes, I know, it's only a mile squared) and, more importantly, doesn't have any tables. So, you can sit along the windowsill, but it's hard to spend a lot of time there reading or writing.
- The aforementioned coffeeshop is owned by an actress/artist want-to-be, apparently, which turns out to be a good part of the population here in Hoboken. So, the next point is about the diversity of the population here. I'm not sure how to say this in a PC-appropriate way, but it's obviously not just white-collar (like I'd say Bethesda almost exclusively is). It's different socio-economic classes, different colors, different religions...
- There are a TON of Christian churches of all types. Seventh Day Adventist in Spanish, for example, which I'm not sure I've seen before. And all sorts of Christian scenes on people's doorsteps and in their front windows- there's one I need to put up a picture of. Stay tuned. There are virgin Marys in a bunch of gardens, etc. There are also a good number of synagogues, but as far as I can tell, no mosque. Well, unless it's in a regular building, definitely no mosque.
Settling in... Cute place, amazing views of NYC. Check it out...
Here's the place (pre-moving in).
Livin' on Park Ave...
Here are some things I've noticed about Hoboken:
- There are a ton of funeral homes. There seems to be one on every other corner, practically. Considering Hoboken is a mile squared (that seems to be something everyone here is very proud of), that makes for a LOT of funeral homes. That might be related to the next point...
- ...which is that there are a LOT of old Italian babushkas (yes, I know that's Russian, but you get my meaning) wearing cute floral print cotton dresses and sitting on their doorsteps and cute little old Italian men wearing all sorts of great hats and belts up towards their necks.
- There is a shortage of good coffee shops. There are two (and a half) Starbucks- the one closest to me is the half- it's not open yet. Not sure what's going on- it's been in the same state for the past month. I've found one excellent coffee place (great espresso foam that makes you melt), but it's at the other end of town (yes, I know, it's only a mile squared) and, more importantly, doesn't have any tables. So, you can sit along the windowsill, but it's hard to spend a lot of time there reading or writing.
- The aforementioned coffeeshop is owned by an actress/artist want-to-be, apparently, which turns out to be a good part of the population here in Hoboken. So, the next point is about the diversity of the population here. I'm not sure how to say this in a PC-appropriate way, but it's obviously not just white-collar (like I'd say Bethesda almost exclusively is). It's different socio-economic classes, different colors, different religions...
- There are a TON of Christian churches of all types. Seventh Day Adventist in Spanish, for example, which I'm not sure I've seen before. And all sorts of Christian scenes on people's doorsteps and in their front windows- there's one I need to put up a picture of. Stay tuned. There are virgin Marys in a bunch of gardens, etc. There are also a good number of synagogues, but as far as I can tell, no mosque. Well, unless it's in a regular building, definitely no mosque.
Settling in... Cute place, amazing views of NYC. Check it out...
Friday, July 11, 2008
why Guatemala
This should be the last Guatemala-focused email. Then I'm ready to move on to the newer things in my life.
People asked me "Why Guatemala?". (Note that with slightly different punctuation, it could be "Why, Guatemala?", in which case I'd choose my nickname to be Guati.)
Simple answers:
- I could get the visa quickly. When I got my visa, it was the simplest process ever (second only to not needing a visa). The embassy is near Dupont Circle (easy metro ride). The website did not work, nobody answered the phone, and the email bounced back. So, I headed off to the embassy to inquire, taking with me my anticipated necessary paperwork. I showed up at the desk, was not asked for any of the just-in-case paperwork I had brought, and I was told to come back tomorrow to pick it up. Oh, and super cheap. And in the end, I told her I wasn't sure when I wanted to leave, so she gave me the visa starting that week for up to three months. Easy caneezy.
- The country was relatively cheap, making it more affordable to spend two weeks without many restrictions (any restrictions?).
- Spanish-speaking, which meant I could at last practice my Spanish. And the Guatemaltecos speak slowly and clearly, relatively to many other Spanish-speakers. It made it pretty easy to get around.
- Spanish classes are cheap and are one-on-one instruction with a teacher. Doesn't get much better.
- Never been to Central America.
Well, you get the picture. It's actually hard to pick a country to go to out of a hat- although affordability does really make half the decision for you in the end.
Simple answers:
- I could get the visa quickly. When I got my visa, it was the simplest process ever (second only to not needing a visa). The embassy is near Dupont Circle (easy metro ride). The website did not work, nobody answered the phone, and the email bounced back. So, I headed off to the embassy to inquire, taking with me my anticipated necessary paperwork. I showed up at the desk, was not asked for any of the just-in-case paperwork I had brought, and I was told to come back tomorrow to pick it up. Oh, and super cheap. And in the end, I told her I wasn't sure when I wanted to leave, so she gave me the visa starting that week for up to three months. Easy caneezy.
- The country was relatively cheap, making it more affordable to spend two weeks without many restrictions (any restrictions?).
- Spanish-speaking, which meant I could at last practice my Spanish. And the Guatemaltecos speak slowly and clearly, relatively to many other Spanish-speakers. It made it pretty easy to get around.
- Spanish classes are cheap and are one-on-one instruction with a teacher. Doesn't get much better.
- Never been to Central America.
Well, you get the picture. It's actually hard to pick a country to go to out of a hat- although affordability does really make half the decision for you in the end.
Monday, July 07, 2008
take that, martha
Beth, Juliana's mom, has this trick for serving potato chips straight from the bag- scissors only required to cut a hole. It was a hit, for sure.
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
civil war
The effects of the politics of a place on its people interests me, not only because I am Palestinian, but because I'm fascinated by how it affects the psyche of the people, the culture. In Guatemala, I think much of the violence and the crime are remnants of years of military rule, of the recent civil war, and of course, poverty.
I asked my host family if they knew anyone affected by the civil war. It turns out that their daughter-in-law's parents were killed. They lived in a town near Antigua. Both of her parents were teachers and were leftists/relatively involved in the political situation. They were missing for a few days, and then the mother of the woman found them in the woods behind the house, only their hands showing through the ground. Were they buried that way so they could be found? Or because of negligence? This is how I imagine them in the ground.
This was one thing I was not used to. Others included the landscape- I am from a land in which you can see far and wide without even trying. When we were going from Santa Elena in Tikal, in the subtropical rainforest, the rainforest had been cleared (slash and burn) for agriculture near el lago Peten Itza. And then we got into the rainforest, into Tikal park, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (check out the list of 851 properties here). And then my view was obstructed! I remember feeling claustrophobic after a few days in Asheville, NC because I couldn't get a view over the tree line. Well, in Tikal, we did get some excellent views- either from the tops of temples (maybe the Mayans also felt claustrophobic and decided to build high) and when we went zip-lining. On the way back to the airport, I loved the open space- as sad as slash and burn is for the ecosystem.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
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