Art

My students love me - or at least know me.  I found this work of aesthetic brilliance when I walked into my COR 330 Dar al-Islam class today.  The artist is a mystery, although I would suspect a certain gentleman (and I use the term loosely) by the name of Spencer may be responsible (and I especially use that word in its broadest possible context).

It is a good likeness.

Trade Winds

Maybe it's just another bitterly cold day in Vermont, or maybe it's reflecting on the more sedentary nature of my life now, but I'm suffering from some serious travel blues at the moment.  I guess one never gets rid of the travel bug when you've been bitten.  Mainly, I keep hearkening back to places like Sana'a and Zanzibar, maybe simply because they are so exotic and thus the opposite of my decidedly non-exotic life.  Also, I just have very fond memories of both places, especially Zanzibar, which was one of the most wonderful experiences of my entire life.  I found myself staring at this mask that I brought back from Stone Town, and which hangs on my wall - and stares accusingly at me.

I actually use this mask in my Aesthetic Expression class and have my students analyze it as compared to an African aesthetic of beauty.  No matter how it's judged, it's one of my favorite souvenirs.

OK, time to get back to work.  Actually, I'm getting some productive writing done lately on my long-delayed epics project.  This morning I actually felt that I had found my voice, which is not an easy thing to develop.  It also seems like the voice is different depending upon whether you're doing scholarly vs. creative writing, and I suspect there are sub-sections of both categories.

Nano Cheating

In more whimsical moments I've proposed that while each new technological innovation might have had noble goals, in the end they are always subsumed by the need to provide porn more quickly and elegantly.  This is, sadly, probably true whether you're talking about the printing press or radio or TV or the Internet or smart phones.  Following hard on the heels of porn, however, is the endless ways that technology allows students to cheat.  Here is a classic example, a Nano wristwatch that was confiscated from one of the students at Zayed University when I taught there.  Essentially, it's a class Powerpoint called up on the device.  If only the students devoted as much time and dedication and innovation to studying as they do to trying to find ways to get around studying.

Russian Memories

Just a brief post inspired by my excellent friend Kerry sending along a picture from the time I led a team of Champlain professors to Moscow as part of the now sadly-deceased Global Modules program.  Home visits - and meals - are always the best parts of overseas trips.

Yemen Stories

Following up on an earlier post - I've gone ahead and set up a new blog devoted to providing a more balanced view of everyday life in Yemen.  I've called it Yemen Stories and I'm in the process of looking for pictures and related stories from Yemenis or folks who have a lot of experience within the country.  Do I think I can change the world?  Hardly.  Even my ego isn't that big (although, as my friends are wont to point out, my plans never stay small for very long).  Mainly I'm trying to present a more balanced view of a mysterious and sadly demonized country.  Essentially I want to take advantage of the power of story-telling.  One of the things that blew me away about the Museum of Broken Relationships (discussed in an earlier posting under Croatia) was how a simple picture tied to a few explanatory sentences could tell a story and create an entire world (and break your heart).  I'd really like to take a similar approach with this blog.  

Red Colobus Monkeys

Just a reflection on the blissful tranquility of Zanzibar on a cold Vermont day.  Here are a few shots of Red Colobus Monkeys, which are native to Zanzibar - and sadly endangered.

Dreaming of Yemen

I'm settling in quite nicely into my much more sedentary existence here in Vermont, although I guess a hint of wanderlust still haunts my dreams.  This summer, for a number of reasons, I turned down an amazing job offer at Hong Kong University.  It was really a tough call, but in the end I think it was the right decision.  However, once you've been bitten by the foreign travel bug you never really get over it.  I've really been thinking a lot about Yemen lately, as I have ever since too short but eventful trip there a year and a half ago. In between reading books on Yemen and constantly following blogs and tweets from Yemeni writers the plight of this amazing place is on my mind.  As in my wont I'm putting together a proposal for a website devoted to life in Yemen as a mechanism for changing perceptions, and am forging a letter to some folks that I follow on Twitter to see if I can put something together.  Don't know where it will lead, but I'm jazzed about it - and there was a time when the Global Modules were just an odd little concept that was seemingly just my crazy little scheme.  Beyond the fact that Yemen is such a fascinating place I don't know why it has so completely captured my imagination.  Maybe it's because it is about as far removed from life in Vermont as I can imagine, and this is just my means of dealing with my slower-paced life and more limited universe.

The sun setting in Sana'a.