1. Public Enemy - Welcome to the Terrordome
2. Dinosaur Jr. - Little Fury Things
3. Sonic Youth - Titanium Exposé
4. Joy Division - Warsaw
5. Black Lips - O Katrina!
6. Hüsker Dü - Dead Set on Destruction
7. Against Me! - Turn Those Clapping Hands Into
8. Iggy Pop - Neighborhood Threat
9. Atmosphere - Panic Attack
10. ...And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead - Baudelaire
11. Billy Bragg and Wilco - Feed of Man
12. The Flaming Lips - Slow Nerve Action
13. TV On The Radio - Young Liars
14. The Cure - 10:15 Saturday Night
15. Crooked Fingers - Destroyer
16. Bob Dylan - One More Cup of Coffee (Valley Below)
17. Nina Simone - Sinnerman
Epilogue:
18. Elvis Presley - Heartbreak Hotel
19. The Pixies - Cactus
20. Brother Ali - Freedom Ain't Free
21. St. Vincent - Your Lips Are Red
22. The Beta Band - Human Being
23. The National - Murder Me Rachael
24. The Velvet Underground - European Son
25. Tom Waits - Innocent When You Dream (78)
søndag 27. april 2008
fredag 25. april 2008
Split Open
Mark this day in your calendar folks! Today is the first day I have ever been struck by Elivs Presley's music.
And a holy shit. This song will be a counterpoint to the rest of this post. Just a warning of shift in mood...
This week has been full of warm sunny weather. It has probably been the best stretch of weather I've had being here. Seriously. And it has made me enjoy this city much more! It changes so much when there are actually people out on the streets and in the parks!
I have been taking advantage of the nice weather by going out on two extended skate sessions which have left my muscles sore, my body bruised, and me happy. :)
Isi is here! She is visiting this week! It is great! And Weibtke is coming! This makes me happy! I miss her tons. VEEBS!
My mom and sister are visiting in a week! I will be in Copenhagen with them, then they will go to Stockholm solo. A short rest in Oslo followed by a trip to Bergen. Then lots of Oslo. I am very happy about this! It seems so soon and kinda unreal.
5 weeks left! Again, June 1st grill out. I want you there! All of you!
And a holy shit. This song will be a counterpoint to the rest of this post. Just a warning of shift in mood...
This week has been full of warm sunny weather. It has probably been the best stretch of weather I've had being here. Seriously. And it has made me enjoy this city much more! It changes so much when there are actually people out on the streets and in the parks!
I have been taking advantage of the nice weather by going out on two extended skate sessions which have left my muscles sore, my body bruised, and me happy. :)
Isi is here! She is visiting this week! It is great! And Weibtke is coming! This makes me happy! I miss her tons. VEEBS!
My mom and sister are visiting in a week! I will be in Copenhagen with them, then they will go to Stockholm solo. A short rest in Oslo followed by a trip to Bergen. Then lots of Oslo. I am very happy about this! It seems so soon and kinda unreal.
5 weeks left! Again, June 1st grill out. I want you there! All of you!
onsdag 23. april 2008
Belated notes on remainder of trip
-I went to a karaoke bar last night in Warsaw. It was nuts. Most songs in Polish, although there was a rendition of "Lovers in the night." I actually went out with two of the students, a first this semester, but left after only a couple and sadly missed joining a rendition of the Beatles' "A Little Help from my friends."
-Krakow was incredibly beautiful and now ranks fairly highly on my Euro cities list. There is a beautiful old town (the city was one of two large cities now destroyed in WWII) and a hip formerly-Jewish quarter. There were a ton of young folks everywhere and not too many tourists. Or at least, city residents outnumbered tourists even in the old town. I recommend this city!
-I had a gigantic room overlooking a beautiful part and beautiful theatre. And I had a patio. It was overwhelming actually.
-Visited Auschwitz. I became numb probably a quarter of the way through. It was a physically and emotionally exhausting experience. Birkenau can only be understood as a factory of death, which is just so frightening...
-We also met with the Judaica Foundation (a centre for jewish culture), had superb guided tours of Kazimierz (above mentioned formerly-jewish quarter) and Nowa Huta (a
Commie built workers utopia), and had a workshop with the All Different/All Equal campaign.
-I had many fine polish meals. I can not believe how much I enjoyed Polish cuisine, and it wasn't just the price. Tasty meats and delicious soups. Yum Yum.
-I was physically drained in Krakow from the continued sickness. I started taking some prescription strength meds and finally picked myself back up. Still, it was disappointing that I spent so much of this trip sick. The program required a level I couldn't always provide, and I missed out on some of the fun I could have had traveling.
-I had a lot of fun hanging out with the students and without any of the problems that arose last semester. This group is comfortable enough with themselves, the program, and me as TA that we can be together as human beings. Yay!
-I finished reading Faulkner's "The Sound and the Fury" and Cormac McCarthy's "All the Pretty Horses." They were both a bit heavy for travel reading. Faulkner was mind expanding. McCarthy caused reflection.
-I bought a new skateboard because my old one broke days before leaving. It was made by Habitat Skateboards and proceeds for it go to "educating the marginalized peoples of Guayaquil, Ecuador." That is a direct quote from the deck. I tried to find a photo of it to post, but no success yet. The deck graphic includes a map of South America highlighting Ecuador with a tree growing out of it, a funky bird, and numbers drawn in chalk (like in a a school, y'know?). It is a very HECUA TA skateboard.
These were the things that stand out now. Unfortunately this doesn't provide anything like a travel diary but it gives an idea of my experience. Perhaps that is all you want to read anyway.
-Krakow was incredibly beautiful and now ranks fairly highly on my Euro cities list. There is a beautiful old town (the city was one of two large cities now destroyed in WWII) and a hip formerly-Jewish quarter. There were a ton of young folks everywhere and not too many tourists. Or at least, city residents outnumbered tourists even in the old town. I recommend this city!
-I had a gigantic room overlooking a beautiful part and beautiful theatre. And I had a patio. It was overwhelming actually.
-Visited Auschwitz. I became numb probably a quarter of the way through. It was a physically and emotionally exhausting experience. Birkenau can only be understood as a factory of death, which is just so frightening...
-We also met with the Judaica Foundation (a centre for jewish culture), had superb guided tours of Kazimierz (above mentioned formerly-jewish quarter) and Nowa Huta (a
Commie built workers utopia), and had a workshop with the All Different/All Equal campaign.
-I had many fine polish meals. I can not believe how much I enjoyed Polish cuisine, and it wasn't just the price. Tasty meats and delicious soups. Yum Yum.
-I was physically drained in Krakow from the continued sickness. I started taking some prescription strength meds and finally picked myself back up. Still, it was disappointing that I spent so much of this trip sick. The program required a level I couldn't always provide, and I missed out on some of the fun I could have had traveling.
-I had a lot of fun hanging out with the students and without any of the problems that arose last semester. This group is comfortable enough with themselves, the program, and me as TA that we can be together as human beings. Yay!
-I finished reading Faulkner's "The Sound and the Fury" and Cormac McCarthy's "All the Pretty Horses." They were both a bit heavy for travel reading. Faulkner was mind expanding. McCarthy caused reflection.
-I bought a new skateboard because my old one broke days before leaving. It was made by Habitat Skateboards and proceeds for it go to "educating the marginalized peoples of Guayaquil, Ecuador." That is a direct quote from the deck. I tried to find a photo of it to post, but no success yet. The deck graphic includes a map of South America highlighting Ecuador with a tree growing out of it, a funky bird, and numbers drawn in chalk (like in a a school, y'know?). It is a very HECUA TA skateboard.
These were the things that stand out now. Unfortunately this doesn't provide anything like a travel diary but it gives an idea of my experience. Perhaps that is all you want to read anyway.
fredag 18. april 2008
back "home"
Sorry no posts from Krakow. Things were a bit busy, and internet was not easily accessible. I am back in Oslo now. A small selection of photos up on Flickr. I didn't take many. I hope to get more from some of the students who took more.
Pretty much everything went very well, except for the sickness which spread through nearly the entire group and had me exhausted for nearly the entire trip. I'll write more at some point.
Pretty much everything went very well, except for the sickness which spread through nearly the entire group and had me exhausted for nearly the entire trip. I'll write more at some point.
lørdag 12. april 2008
Warsaw Pt 2
Well, the time in Warsaw is nearing an end. Tomorrow afternoon all us folks will be taking the train to Krakow. Its been a long and tiring week, but it has also been rewarding and incredible. Sickness has also been a central theme. I'm still getting over whatever it is I have, Tim has been in rough shape, and two of the students have come down with similar symptoms over the last couple days.
On Wednesday we visited the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, the Polish Federation for Women and Family Planning, and Youth Social Democrats. Tim and I also dined on pirogies and had a couple beers while I got to take my first look at the re-built Old Town.
Thursday we visited Caritas (a Catholic social aid org), the Historical Museum of Warsaw, and the Campaign Against Homophobia. I had delicious Chicken Masala and disgusting Chicken Kebab.
Friday began with a three-hour session at the Committee for European Integration. Over an extended lunch break I took a trip to the top of Warsaw's most famous monument, the Palace of Culture and Science. Our group reconvened for a two hour chat with the Norwegian Ambassador to Poland. Pat Mulvihill, Director of Operations at HECUA, arrived. He'll be joining our course for the next two weeks or so. We finished the week with a visit to the intense Warsaw Uprising Museum. I brought the group, sans Tim, to the Indian restaurant I had enjoyed the evening before. My night ended fairly early, but I still had a drink with the students in our hostel.
Today was a day off and I've been getting some needed rest. An easy morning and just walking around different parts of the city: the city center, the new town, and a neighborhood across the river, Praga. I picked up a book: Murakami's "The Wind Up Bird Chronicle." I also had a delicious chocolate eclair from the famed pastry-shop Blilke. Don't know what tonight will hold...
On Wednesday we visited the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, the Polish Federation for Women and Family Planning, and Youth Social Democrats. Tim and I also dined on pirogies and had a couple beers while I got to take my first look at the re-built Old Town.
Thursday we visited Caritas (a Catholic social aid org), the Historical Museum of Warsaw, and the Campaign Against Homophobia. I had delicious Chicken Masala and disgusting Chicken Kebab.
Friday began with a three-hour session at the Committee for European Integration. Over an extended lunch break I took a trip to the top of Warsaw's most famous monument, the Palace of Culture and Science. Our group reconvened for a two hour chat with the Norwegian Ambassador to Poland. Pat Mulvihill, Director of Operations at HECUA, arrived. He'll be joining our course for the next two weeks or so. We finished the week with a visit to the intense Warsaw Uprising Museum. I brought the group, sans Tim, to the Indian restaurant I had enjoyed the evening before. My night ended fairly early, but I still had a drink with the students in our hostel.
Today was a day off and I've been getting some needed rest. An easy morning and just walking around different parts of the city: the city center, the new town, and a neighborhood across the river, Praga. I picked up a book: Murakami's "The Wind Up Bird Chronicle." I also had a delicious chocolate eclair from the famed pastry-shop Blilke. Don't know what tonight will hold...
tirsdag 8. april 2008
Warsaw Pt 1
I'm in Warsaw, and wouldn't you know it I've come down with something. Nothing too bad, but its making me exhausted and stopping me from exploring and enjoying this place. Still, I've managed to have a hot cheap lunch at one of the traditional milk bars. Milk bars are thusly named because the don't serve booze, but they do serve Polish home cooking for super cheap. I had pirogies! They were good. I had hoped to explore the old town this evening, but I just didnt have it in me. There will be time though, we are here until Sunday.
Class wise we have visited the Sejm (the parliament) and the US embassy. The embassy was not so great, they just wanted to talk about the missile defense shield, aka star wars. Tomorrow should be an exciting day. We are visiting the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, the Coalition for Women and Families, and the Young Social Democrats.
I dont have too many first impressions. It is an ugly city since it was destroyed in the second world war and rebuilt by communists. There are huge billboards everywhere. There are huge boulevards dominated by car traffic. I smell car exhaust everywhere, dont know if its because Im more sensitive to it being sick or if the city is that much more polluted. Cars park half on the sidewalks here, so its hard to get away from the automobile domination. Not pedestrian friendly, from the bit Ive seen. But again, I havent gotten to explore too much yet.
Catholicism is fierce here and its tied up in a strange nationalistic thing. There are crucifixes and religious statues everywhere. That milk bar had a cross in it, for example. A church near our hostel had a big sign outside that said it was impossible to understand Poland without Christ. Here is a funny story*: In 1997 a right wing party was in government. Late one night they stealthily installed a crucifix in the front of parliamentary chamber, the Sejm. Since then, no one has dared to take it down.
Here is another fun fact about the Sejm: the final parliament of the second polish republic, in the interwar period, was made up of only 65% ethnic Poles. The remainder were Polish Jews and folks who were ethnicallz Germans, Lithuanians, Ukranians, Belarussians, etc. Today, all but 1 of the 565 members of the Polish Parliament are ethnically Polish.
*This story was not actually funny.
Class wise we have visited the Sejm (the parliament) and the US embassy. The embassy was not so great, they just wanted to talk about the missile defense shield, aka star wars. Tomorrow should be an exciting day. We are visiting the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, the Coalition for Women and Families, and the Young Social Democrats.
I dont have too many first impressions. It is an ugly city since it was destroyed in the second world war and rebuilt by communists. There are huge billboards everywhere. There are huge boulevards dominated by car traffic. I smell car exhaust everywhere, dont know if its because Im more sensitive to it being sick or if the city is that much more polluted. Cars park half on the sidewalks here, so its hard to get away from the automobile domination. Not pedestrian friendly, from the bit Ive seen. But again, I havent gotten to explore too much yet.
Catholicism is fierce here and its tied up in a strange nationalistic thing. There are crucifixes and religious statues everywhere. That milk bar had a cross in it, for example. A church near our hostel had a big sign outside that said it was impossible to understand Poland without Christ. Here is a funny story*: In 1997 a right wing party was in government. Late one night they stealthily installed a crucifix in the front of parliamentary chamber, the Sejm. Since then, no one has dared to take it down.
Here is another fun fact about the Sejm: the final parliament of the second polish republic, in the interwar period, was made up of only 65% ethnic Poles. The remainder were Polish Jews and folks who were ethnicallz Germans, Lithuanians, Ukranians, Belarussians, etc. Today, all but 1 of the 565 members of the Polish Parliament are ethnically Polish.
*This story was not actually funny.
onsdag 2. april 2008
tirsdag 1. april 2008
Solitaire
Not much going on around these parts. Over the weekend I went to a party held by a bunch of Spaniards, but otherwise it rained. I'm going to Poland next week, from the 7th to the 18th, for the big DSE field trip. We believe it will be an intense and rewarding two weeks. In other program news this morning I led a seminar on human rights that went pretty well. The program has been pretty fantastic, and the students have been a joy to teach and learn with. I'm home in two months which is difficult to understand and wonderful to look forward to.
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