LIVE FROM SRI LANKA:
So this may end up being a post-post of Pat, but, as much as I hate the practice, I figure it'll probably be another week before I make it to the internet again, so I should probably say something now. Besides, it's already the 25th here, so that should count for something.
No doubt most of you have already heard (or maybe you haven't, since most of you are in college bubbles) about the recent flare of violence in the country, beginning with a large suicide attack in the North and followed by a naval base attack in Galle, which led to some communal rioting down south. The fact that both these attacks occured in what's considered the "safe zone" is the most troubling piece of it. Right now, the country's a bit on edge and everyone's holding their breath for the peace talks in Geneva coming up this weekend.
The ramifications for the ISLE program aren't too serious. The board of directors met recently and decided not to cancel the program. The individual universities also agreed not to pull their students. In return, the ISLE program has restricted our travel to the greater Kandy area. Nobody was allowed to travel last weekend and that rule also applies to this coming weekend. After that, all that's left of the program is our independent studies, which are now being modified, since most of the people planned to go to the south for at least of portion of the project. I'll still be allowed to go to the small village of Wahakotte (where I plan to study interesting Catholic people), but sadly I won't be able to meet back up with my excellent contact in Galle. Everyone is bummed about the changes, but we agree that it's better than going home.
Some students, however, have decided to go home due to their parents' wishes. Right now, two people, one from Bates and one from Holy Cross, have confirmed that they'll be flying home after this session of classes ends on November 6th. The program is working very hard to accomodate those who wish to go home because of the recent events, and the students will get full credit. Naturally, I don't plan to pull out so soon. The only way I'm leaving is if things get bad enough for the U.S. military to take us away in helicopters, with myself dangling 100 feet in the air from a rope ladder.
Of course, the mood around the ISLE center has been a bit dazed and sullen of late, but we're trying to make the best of the situation. Last weekened I had time to hang around with my family, which was a relaxing break from constantly having large amounts of work or travel to do. This weekend we're going to try and take advantage of all the things in Kandy we haven't seen yet, like the enourmous botanical garden near the University campus. Plus, we'll also be occupied with the end of term papers and independent study proposals that we have to write. Aside from the restrictions imposed by the program, life in Kandy really hasn't changed at all. Contrary to the fiery personalities of the southern people, those in the hill country are too laid back to get worked up over the types of things that Sri Lanka has been dealing with for the past 30 years.
I hope everyone is healthy and happy back home. We're having a Halloween part at the ISLE center here. I'm going as a cricketer.
Take Care,
Alex
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
I’m here today to talk to you about two bands, both of which many of you should already know and love:
First off, Boys and Girls in America is spectacular. Craig Finn is unstoppable. They have an acoustic song; it is stunning (“Citrus”). The opening trio of “Stuck Between Stations”, “Chips Ahoy!”, and “Hot Soft Light” start off strong and grow on you with time… In general, there’s maybe a little more of a Springsteen-type influence spread through this, compared to Separation Sunday, a little straighter of a throwback overall, but it’s still all unmistakably Hold Steady, down to the “new direction” (whoa-ho oh-oh oh-oh-oh) on the backing vocals that we heard on “Massive Nights” at Lolla, which is even better on “Chips Ahoy!” And if I wanted to quote great lyrics at you, I would be here all day. So get the album. I’m going to see them on Thursday.
Now, that’s a tough act to follow, but I’m still going to mention that I’m linking to the one, the only Con Amor Siempre. For starters, the fact that they did a cover of “Sugar High” from Empire Records has really endeared them to me (because clearly, I hated Maciej before now). Also, I kept getting “Allen Bean” stuck in my head this summer, and more recently, “Ballroom Dancing Saved My Life”. If you happen to not already know Maciej, then seriously, just look at that song title, and follow that link.
I was bitten by a spider a few weeks ago. I’ll keep you posted on any incipient superpowers.
Also, I am an evil poet -- really unspeakably evil. Oh man, but that was fun. I really hesitate to submit a poem to my workshop class that includes
“A tiny dancer
And Tony Danza
Debate on a napkin
For twenty stanzas”
And other things in that vein. Or maybe the fact that incredibly silly rhymes fill me with maniacal giggling should be more of a concern. Damned if I know.
First off, Boys and Girls in America is spectacular. Craig Finn is unstoppable. They have an acoustic song; it is stunning (“Citrus”). The opening trio of “Stuck Between Stations”, “Chips Ahoy!”, and “Hot Soft Light” start off strong and grow on you with time… In general, there’s maybe a little more of a Springsteen-type influence spread through this, compared to Separation Sunday, a little straighter of a throwback overall, but it’s still all unmistakably Hold Steady, down to the “new direction” (whoa-ho oh-oh oh-oh-oh) on the backing vocals that we heard on “Massive Nights” at Lolla, which is even better on “Chips Ahoy!” And if I wanted to quote great lyrics at you, I would be here all day. So get the album. I’m going to see them on Thursday.
Now, that’s a tough act to follow, but I’m still going to mention that I’m linking to the one, the only Con Amor Siempre. For starters, the fact that they did a cover of “Sugar High” from Empire Records has really endeared them to me (because clearly, I hated Maciej before now). Also, I kept getting “Allen Bean” stuck in my head this summer, and more recently, “Ballroom Dancing Saved My Life”. If you happen to not already know Maciej, then seriously, just look at that song title, and follow that link.
I was bitten by a spider a few weeks ago. I’ll keep you posted on any incipient superpowers.
Also, I am an evil poet -- really unspeakably evil. Oh man, but that was fun. I really hesitate to submit a poem to my workshop class that includes
“A tiny dancer
And Tony Danza
Debate on a napkin
For twenty stanzas”
And other things in that vein. Or maybe the fact that incredibly silly rhymes fill me with maniacal giggling should be more of a concern. Damned if I know.
Sunday, October 15, 2006
LIVE FROM SRI LANKA:
So our streak of at least one post every month has been broken. Really there's no one to blame for this but Pat, since he is not in Sri Lanka right now. But since I'm posting this, he'll probably get all inspired to make a post of his own, much in the same way that if you give a mouse a cookie, he'll probably ask for a glass of milk to go with it. Anyway, on to the update.
The program here is more than halfway over and we're settling into our second round of classes. I'm taking a Mahayana Buddhism class taught by an ex-monk who may or may not have been thrown out of the order for doing too many drugs. I'm also taking an Environmental Studies course, which took a field trip last week to Nuwara Eliya, a city located south of Kandy higher in the hills.
The temperature there is much cooler than Kandy, cool enough to have to wear a jacket, which was a nice change for us. The landscape is absolutely gorgeous. Bright green hills covered in neat rows of tea plants that periodically disappear into rolling misty clouds. We visited a tea factory as well as vegetable farms in the hills. Though human agricultural use of the land may be beautiful, it's also encroaching on the supposedly protected forest land and destroying the soil. Much of the weekend was spent debating whether or not Environmentalism and Development have to be at odds.
We also visited a hydro-electric project, the damn of which will result in the loss of a waterfall and the relocation of 500 families. The project was a hot political topic here, but compromises were eventually made. The original plan called for the destruction of several waterfalls, but that was brought down to just the one. The people are being moved farther up the hill and having brand new houses built for them, which they will have complete ownership over. This is very expensive land that they could not otherwise afford and it's predicted that many families will choose to sell their new homes after a couple years and move elsewhere.
Sri Lanka is actually leading all Asian countries in terms of environmental programs. They have a very large amount of land set aside as wildlife reserves and they are paying particular attention to watersheds, realizing that such a small country has little room for error when it comes to water pollution. In fact, the massive hydropower development project that began 20 years ago has actually resulted in more land being set aside for wildlife reserve than for development. Sri Lanka currently gets 50% of it's power from hydroelectric sources. Once the newest dam is complete, it will be 65%.
While in the hill country, we traveled to World's End, located 7500 ft. above sea level. It's so named because there's a sheer drop at the edge of about 1000ft, but also because the entire country is laid out before you. One can mark the transition from rainy hills, to arid plains, and (on a clear day) can even see the shimmering of the Indian Ocean (keep in mind that Nuwara Eliya is almost in the center of the country). From that point onwards, there's no more land until Antarctica. Perhaps the most fascinating thing about Sri Lanka is that it has so much environmental variation packed into an area about the size of West Virginia.
That's about all I have to report for now. I suppose that if you don't much care about the environment, this update was a tad dry. I'll try to get possessed by a demon or something this week.
Take Care,
Alex
So our streak of at least one post every month has been broken. Really there's no one to blame for this but Pat, since he is not in Sri Lanka right now. But since I'm posting this, he'll probably get all inspired to make a post of his own, much in the same way that if you give a mouse a cookie, he'll probably ask for a glass of milk to go with it. Anyway, on to the update.
The program here is more than halfway over and we're settling into our second round of classes. I'm taking a Mahayana Buddhism class taught by an ex-monk who may or may not have been thrown out of the order for doing too many drugs. I'm also taking an Environmental Studies course, which took a field trip last week to Nuwara Eliya, a city located south of Kandy higher in the hills.
The temperature there is much cooler than Kandy, cool enough to have to wear a jacket, which was a nice change for us. The landscape is absolutely gorgeous. Bright green hills covered in neat rows of tea plants that periodically disappear into rolling misty clouds. We visited a tea factory as well as vegetable farms in the hills. Though human agricultural use of the land may be beautiful, it's also encroaching on the supposedly protected forest land and destroying the soil. Much of the weekend was spent debating whether or not Environmentalism and Development have to be at odds.
We also visited a hydro-electric project, the damn of which will result in the loss of a waterfall and the relocation of 500 families. The project was a hot political topic here, but compromises were eventually made. The original plan called for the destruction of several waterfalls, but that was brought down to just the one. The people are being moved farther up the hill and having brand new houses built for them, which they will have complete ownership over. This is very expensive land that they could not otherwise afford and it's predicted that many families will choose to sell their new homes after a couple years and move elsewhere.
Sri Lanka is actually leading all Asian countries in terms of environmental programs. They have a very large amount of land set aside as wildlife reserves and they are paying particular attention to watersheds, realizing that such a small country has little room for error when it comes to water pollution. In fact, the massive hydropower development project that began 20 years ago has actually resulted in more land being set aside for wildlife reserve than for development. Sri Lanka currently gets 50% of it's power from hydroelectric sources. Once the newest dam is complete, it will be 65%.
While in the hill country, we traveled to World's End, located 7500 ft. above sea level. It's so named because there's a sheer drop at the edge of about 1000ft, but also because the entire country is laid out before you. One can mark the transition from rainy hills, to arid plains, and (on a clear day) can even see the shimmering of the Indian Ocean (keep in mind that Nuwara Eliya is almost in the center of the country). From that point onwards, there's no more land until Antarctica. Perhaps the most fascinating thing about Sri Lanka is that it has so much environmental variation packed into an area about the size of West Virginia.
That's about all I have to report for now. I suppose that if you don't much care about the environment, this update was a tad dry. I'll try to get possessed by a demon or something this week.
Take Care,
Alex
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