Today a man cam to talk to the students here. Though interesting, I couldn't get as connected to his speech. It wasn't the language barrier, I understood the 45 minutes he spent talking about his life and his times as Editor in Chief of the newspaper here, but I couldn't feel it was really useful. I feel aweful saying that but it's true.
I gotta run home and write the letter for class this afternoon, and make a copy of my passport again. It was a 4 song walk so if I go briskly I can get everything done.
And lunch. And paying for social security here. Today is busy. Tomorrow should be better. Pengy has been lounging on top of my fridge and he guards my change. Matt said somethingblast night about how if you pay with coins here it doesn't feel like real money. It's true though, using 1€ and 2€ coins doesn't feel like I'm spending that much money. I don't mind it and actually I think it's a good idea. It was funny to come back after a few days and recgonize that I had 10€ on coins in my pocket, and had thought nothing of them because they feel like quarters and nickels.
I need to do laundry today. Socks and boxers mostly. I really thought I had more pairs of socks with me. I might just wash socks in my sink and shower...
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
French Market was awesome. The weather was picture perfect. Blue skies with clouds painted with a soft stroke. An occasional breeze swept in a refreshing counter point to the warm sun. It was never what I would have considered "hot" but if you were in the sun all day you would have gotten some color.
ReplyDeleteThe new layout worked well. The stage was facing north with its back to the school. Food booths were repositioned and a beer garden was planted on the east end of the School. The event had a good feel and it was crowded in a very cozy and comfortable way. The food was all sold out. The last band (Living Proof) had the crowd rocking. At 10:00 pm no one wanted to leave. The band even stayed around to do one last number after the prizes were announced. As they progressed through the winners your mother called out the names. When they got to the $1,500 cash prize they handed her the raffle ticket and she looked at it and said, "No, draw another one." It wasn't obvious to everyone but I was close enough to understand. It turns out that I was the winning ticket but she veoted that. (She didn't think it would look good.)
We're enjoying your postings and I'm glad to hear that things seem to be going well. I remember some of the transitional issues I had to deal with in the Peace Corps. The funniest one was that the bank would not accept a signature unless it was written with a fountain pen. If I endorsed a check with a ballpoint pen they rejected it. The other thing was tea. A common greeting was, "Will you have tea?" which was equivalent to saying, "How are you?" During the first week on our own we took it literally and when people asked we said yes and we drank tea seven or eight times a day. We got over that quickly.
The visit to the cathedral was beautiful. We could practically hear the organ. Architecture will be a highlight of this semester I'm sure. Last night after Print 09 we took the time to walk to Navy Pier and took the architectural tour on the river. It was the first time for me (as well as for Milan and Klara). It was facinating and all the more dramatic because we started at dusk and were able to watch the city transform from day to night.
Your speaker may have taught you a valuable lesson. Teaching is about more than talking. . .you must connect with your audience and unlock their soul. But you must also listen. And sometimes it doesn't connect.