Concrete and Clay
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The Namibian experience was just that, an experience that will live with me forever. It's not often that you have to go 120km just for a bit of food shopping, and when you get there they are playing Bloc Party over the radio. I wasn't expecting that, let me tell you.
The highlights: seeing rhinos and leopards (apparently cheetahs don't climb trees!) as well as 10 lion cubs in the same day; teaching a class of 35 18-28 year olds who just couldn't get enough knowledge into their heads (hmm why aren't all my students like that?); playing pool in the shebeen and being whisked off my feet onto the dance floor; sitting on the verandah, listening to music, reading a book, feeling fine; just being able to be.
The lowlights: no hot water for days, it's not much fun washing in a bowl; leaving.
#01 September 2005
Comments...
If you find yourself feeling "Far from Africa", pick up a copy of "The Constant Gardener" by John Le Carre. Actually, you can see it in the movies now. It's a pretty good adaptation. It probes the alleged corruption between Big Pharmaceutical Companys, African Governments, & the UN and how untested meds are being used on African patients to gather research. All set against a backdrop of Greed, Lust, Love, and Regret, Le Carre style.
Highly Recommended.
Posted by: Ken Ya | 8:37pm 8 September 2005
cheers Ken, i may well do that having finished my stack of books this summer. Whilst we're on the topic can I recommend 'We need to talk about Kevin' by Lionel Shriver, the best book I have read in years. It is the correspondance of a woman (kevin's mum) to her estranged husband about their son who has committed a Columbine style school shooting. It's unbelievably good.
Posted by: youcancallmesir | 9:37pm 8 September 2005
Sounds a little depressing. But the angle of the estranged husband seems interesting. I'll look out for it. I am reading nonsense at the moment but I got it from the library so...
Posted by: Ken Ya | 2:46am 9 September 2005