October 8th Update

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Update October 8th!!

A Global Perspective.

Well, I have been here for about two weeks now, and I can say that I am beginning to get more settled, starting to experience a resemblance of a routine, and though classes are not in full swing, a steady and consistent workload. All that aside, I want to talk today about what I think may be the most important, and surely the most enjoyable, part of my year abroad.

I am speaking, of course, about all of the people I have met so far, and the curious inquiries into their backgrounds and histories. I know I have done this already, but I am going to attempt to list all the places that I have met people from. Keep in mind that I am doing this so that I can remember, so if you aren't interested, just scroll down and check out the rest of today's entry. I am using a map to help this time, so I don't forget anyone.

From The World: From Wales: Caerphilly, near Cardiff. From England: Huddersfield, Lincolnshire, Brighton, Cornwall, Liverpool , Leicester, London and Outlying suburbs. From France: Normandie, Paris, Lille. From Portugal: Lisbon. From Norway: Oslo. From Sweden: Stockholm. From Finland: Helsinki. From Germany: Kassel, Frankfurt. From Austria: Vienna. From Spain: Barcelona. From Italy: Triste? From Greece: Thessaloniki. From Romania: Bucharest. From Hungary: Budapest. Don't confuse the two, both nations hate it when you do. From Bulgaria: Sofia. From Cyprus: Nicosia. From Singapore: Singapore. From Hong Kong: Victoria. From India: New Delhi.

From North America: Toronto, Canada. Saratoga Springs, New York. Newark, New Jersey. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Amherst, Massachussetts. Durham, North Carolina. Houston, Texas. Smalltown, Kansas. Knoxville, Tennessee. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. San Diego, California. Marin, California. Walnut Creek, California...Oh Wait That is ME!!

I almost have carpal tunnel syndrome after all of that, but I will tell a short story about why I think that meeting people from all over the place is educational and exciting.

I think that for many of us, it can be grueling to pick up a textbook and read about another country, all the while expecting to know what that country is like upon completion of the text. This couldn't be further from the truth, at least in my mind. With a book, you can learn all about the politics, society, and culture of any given country, but when you meet someone from that country you get a personal perspective that is unparelleled by any writing. You may wonder, doesn't a book accomplish the same thing that a lecturing person will. I don't think so because it is not interactive and the book is exactly that, a lecture. With a discussion, both sides participate and control what information is transmitted between parties. A book is good, but the author must guess what the reader wishes to know. It's hit or miss.

Well You Have Made It This Far!!

Read That Too!!!

Part Two

Let me give you an example: One of the friendliest people I have met since I have been here is Rhys Parsons, who you might see in some of the pictures on this site. Rhys is from Caerphilly, Wales, which is very close to Cardiff, the largest Welsh city. Wales is part of the United Kingdom, it has MP's in Parliament, participates in International events with the English and Scottish as a unified British entity. Yet all the while, there is a deep seated dislike for the English in Wales. And vice versa. In the mid-1980's Margret Thatcher's Parliament forced the closure of hundreds of coal mines in Wales, thereby erasing Wales' largest industry and most of its jobs. Wales has never been the most affluent part of Britain, and because of the closing of the mines, many Asian multi-national corporations have inhabited Wales in search of semi-skilled labor at competitive wages. In addition, the Welsh people speak a Celtic language that is entirely different from the English language. On top of all of these social and political cleavages, the people of Wales do not have sovereignty over their own tax rates, which, naturally, infuriates many Welshmen, Rhys included.

Wales, to at least one American, signified royalty and riches. But in fact, Wales is none of the above. The titles, "Prince of Wales" is just that, a title, and nothing more, and Wales is perhaps one of poorest areas in all of Great Britain. Rhys is a Welsh Nationalist, Welsh Baptist, Soccer and Rugby aficianado, and he had no problem rooting for Germany when they played England in the last soccer match at London's famous Wembly Stadium. You see, the Welsh are not friends with the English and the English are not friends with the Welsh, and though there has been a militant wing of the Welsh Nationalist Political Party, it does resemble a mirror of the IRA in any tangible way. Nevertheless Rhys does express disgust for the way things are.

Without making Rhys' acquaintance, I would never have known any of these things. Above all, however, I would not be able make it clear that this hillarious, gregarious and good-hearted fellow is an eligible bachelor. Any takers?? more to come....