Yesterday was spent in orientation at Boston University. Not my favorite town, Boston, but BU has gone a long way toward rehabilitating that bias.
I am staying in a BU dorm. 12th floor. With four other fellas, all of them very nice----2 anthropologists and one professor of world religion. We all have our own room in a suite and there is a common area with TV(This has not yet been on---nice!)
Yesterday's training consisted of several irritating "icebreaker" routines. As if a bunch of adults with PHDs need to be badgered into talking to each other. Nevertheless, really good folks....funny, diverse, curious. We also had some preliminary "lectures" on the qualities of several Muslim Sufi sects in Senegal....and the unique cultural characteristics that may cause "moderation" as opposed to extremism.
Pizza for lunch. 6 pieces for me. Nice. An Asian fusion place called Noodles for dinner. I had a middling duck curry that to my chagrin had several chunks of eggplant.
After dinner, I took a walk of about 1/2 hour up the main thoroughfare. On my return I heard some voices and honking up ahead----as I approached there was a young woman wailing by the side of a bus stop, having just been ejected from a vehicle. Just as I headed over, a young burly, bearded fellow on a skateboard headed over to her. She had just been punched by a boyfriend, had no place to go, and was distraught. The young man reached over, hugged her, and told her that nobody should have to experience this. He was so kind, so empathetic. I'm going to put a hold on millennial selfishness comments for a while. She was worried the boyfriend would circle back around, but it seemed as if she was going to get off the street soon and was calming down. I stuttered a couple of things about calling the police, shelters etc., to no avail, and soon left the two young people to figure it out. Boston.
Today will be 8-9 hours of more of the same. Probably necessary and I will try to keep my "friendly Miguel" percolating.
I am staying in a BU dorm. 12th floor. With four other fellas, all of them very nice----2 anthropologists and one professor of world religion. We all have our own room in a suite and there is a common area with TV(This has not yet been on---nice!)
Yesterday's training consisted of several irritating "icebreaker" routines. As if a bunch of adults with PHDs need to be badgered into talking to each other. Nevertheless, really good folks....funny, diverse, curious. We also had some preliminary "lectures" on the qualities of several Muslim Sufi sects in Senegal....and the unique cultural characteristics that may cause "moderation" as opposed to extremism.
Pizza for lunch. 6 pieces for me. Nice. An Asian fusion place called Noodles for dinner. I had a middling duck curry that to my chagrin had several chunks of eggplant.
After dinner, I took a walk of about 1/2 hour up the main thoroughfare. On my return I heard some voices and honking up ahead----as I approached there was a young woman wailing by the side of a bus stop, having just been ejected from a vehicle. Just as I headed over, a young burly, bearded fellow on a skateboard headed over to her. She had just been punched by a boyfriend, had no place to go, and was distraught. The young man reached over, hugged her, and told her that nobody should have to experience this. He was so kind, so empathetic. I'm going to put a hold on millennial selfishness comments for a while. She was worried the boyfriend would circle back around, but it seemed as if she was going to get off the street soon and was calming down. I stuttered a couple of things about calling the police, shelters etc., to no avail, and soon left the two young people to figure it out. Boston.
Today will be 8-9 hours of more of the same. Probably necessary and I will try to keep my "friendly Miguel" percolating.
