North Carolina State Fair

I totally don’t have time to be doing this, and I’ll probably regret it when I’m working frenetically to get a million things done at the last minute, but I just have to get down some of my thoughts about this past weekend.

During the fall orientation for my Killam Fellowship, all the Fulbright Students and Scholars that are/will be doing research in Canada during this academic year were also present. During introductions, one of them, a professor at North Carolina State University (in Raleigh – pronounced Rolly) who will be in Vancouver on her Fulbright next semester, extended an invitation to any Killam wishing to experience the American South; in Raleigh, NC, today is the last of 10 days of the largest state fair in the country...

Friday morning, for $36, I was on a train to Raleigh and when I arrived at 5pm, Toddi was there to pick me up. We went straight to her 125-year-old home, through my stuff in the guest room, and headed off to Durham, NC (the home of Duke University) for a real Southern dinner at a family restaurant. Hushpuppies (fried cornbread), Brunswick Stew (hmmm... tasty corn and bean goop?), string beans, fries, fried chicken, and of course, Bar-B-Que (some sort pork cooked with vinegar and hot sauce), this – and the traditional Southern breakfast I had this morning – reminded lots of what one might find at a family restaurant in rural New Brunswick – and so did the customers’ waistlines.

Saturday was the 6th birthday party of Lina, Toddi and Joe’s daughter. I find, as a uni student, it’s always so nice to be exposed to family life, and putting up balloons and streamers in the morning for the Cinderalla Party was no exception!

After the party, it was time for the fair! I’d never seen any one thing like it before, but it was something like a combination of an amusement park (really big and with some serious rides), a midway (some smaller rides and a rather low-profile atmosphere), a craft fair (lots of craftwork and food), and a zoo (all sorts of farm animals included a cow I had the pleasure of milking!).

A few things I found noteworthy:

-signs with pricing in Spanish and even one guy advertising his little game (e.g. throw darts at balloons and win a prize if you pop one) in Spanish

-mixing of all racialised and socio-economic groups

-a real sense of safety: despite not having any police or guards visible except at the entrance and being so crowded we couldn’t even move in some places, nobody seemed afraid of pick-pocketing or obsessed with keeping their children in sight; like at the ice-cream shop we went to the night before, the sign prohibiting concealed weapons on the way in didn’t really seem necessary

-a significant agricultural connection: farm animals (some that had won prizes and been auctioned off: a $25 000 pig, for example), prize-winning produce (including a pumpkin weighing over 1000 pounds), every kind honey product, a huge exhibit on ethanol and conservation, etc.

-a lot of politics including a booth for the Republicans and one for the Democrats, a pro-life booth, and a peace booth (with a petition to close Guantánamo)

And now, I only have time for one more very important thing: I’d like say a huge thank you to Toddi, Joe and Lina for their incredible kindness and hospitality, for taking time to share their ideas with me, and just for giving me such a fantastic opportunity! Gotta love Americans!

The Uncle I Never Knew

In university, everybody wants to see the world, broaden their horizons. And I think that's great: a bit of perspective surely never hurt anyone, and what better time is there to travel and entertain all sorts of crazy new ideas than in university?

So if you could go anywhere on a trip – an exchange, for example – where would it be? China? Germany? India? Guatemala? Ghana? New Zealand? I'm sure I'm missing a whole slew of countries people would choose, but somehow, I don't imagine anyone is objecting too strongly to my omission of the USA.

I know, I know: it's just like Canada but way more capitalistic; you'll probably get shot; a country governed by George W. Bush! Enough said. But have you ever wondered what lies beneath all these generalisations? And really, how many people actually carry weapons? What are these people like? Aren't Canadians more wasteful than Americans? And what's a young Republican like? Just a mini version of George Bush perhaps?

I guess what I'm getting at, is that during the last two months, I've been studying in Washington, DC on a Killam Fellowship (if you don't know what that is, you better find out soon) and my experience so far has been more incredible than I could ever have imagined! I've learned so much American history and seen it manifested in the culture that surrounds me; now, I can actually fully understand how one could view the invasion of Iraq as the only right thing to do; I met a lovely Evangelical Baptist girl from the Bible Belt and we had a great discussion about religion during which she not once mentioned any reason I should believe anything different than what I believe now. Of course, I also got to see the Dalai Lama share a stage with Bush and Richard Gere, I heard the National Symphony Orchestra play in the Kennedy Centre, and I attended a speech by a death row inmate who was acquitted 15 hours prior to his scheduled execution thanks to new DNA evidence.

Having also been blessed with the opportunity to study in Costa Rica and travel Europe, I must concede that there's much to learn in every country. But if you're interested in travelling but not in languages, or if you'd like to be somewhere close enough to home to be able to go back for Thanksgiving, or if your program would require very specific courses from time spent abroad, maybe you should consider the US?

A comparison I can offer to give you an idea of the value of studying in the US is the following. Imagine two Canadian physicians. One decides to spend a year studying Eastern medicine in China and the other decides to work in a hospital in Costa Rica. The first would likely learn a plethora of totally new treatments and techniques and would develop a broadened understanding of health and wellness. Although he may not be able to apply the Eastern treatments to his practice, his new understanding of health and wellness would undoubtedly be quite valuable.

The second physician, on the other hand, might learn some useful and cost-effective alternatives (still acceptable by most Western patients' standards) to more expensive Canadian treatments of simple ailments. She would probably also pick up on various other advantages in efficiency in a primarily public healthcare system which could be applied – with certain modification – to the Canadian system to decrease waiting times, for example. An enriched understanding of health and wellness would also inevitably ensue from this experience as well.

As this example shows, a greater difference in culture does not necessarily convert into a more meaningful experience. Personally, I think most paths end up leading us back home – or not too far away – and therefore, experience in a culture that is not too distant from our own can often prove to be quite useful in the long run. Nevertheless, I don't think anyone, myself included, is in a position comment on the overall value of travel to one country versus that to another. I simply challenge you to try to view the USA for what it is: a distinct country with its own complex culture. A culture with its faults, but with its qualities too; a culture with differences from ours, but with similarities too (and not just in qualities).

And if you can do that, you're probably a perfect candidate for a Killam Fellowship and you should check out www.killamfellowships.com. If you're still not convinced or would simply like to read more about my experience in Washington, DC, check out my blog at nicodube23.blogspot.com.

Notes from a talk by an acquitted death row inmate

Last Tuesday, when I heard from my lovely friend Laura that her class was invited to attend a talk by a Floridan who had spent several years on death row and, 15 hours prior to his scheduled execution, had been acquitted based on DNA evidence, I knew that was an opportunity most people would never have. I got the information from her that night and decided that if I made the trek, found the church basement where the talk was being help, and simply sat down, nobody would notice. That's exactly what happen: ni vu, ni connu. What follows are a few point form notes I took of things he said that I found particularly striking during his talk. He went by Bob, but I can't find his full name right now...

-When someone commits an atrocious crime, epecially against someone close to you, it would be wierd if you didn't want to strangle them. (Of course, though, Bob was strongly opposed to the death penalty.)

-He spent 15 years in isolation, only ever having human contact with his guard!

-Because there's nothing to see in your 5 x 6 cell, you develop a great sense of hearing: at night, you can hear a little noise and know that the guy 5 cells over is hanging himself. In the morning you find out you're right.

-You have to find the strenght to rise above the dehumanization and tell yourself: "I'm not going to take my life. I'm not abnormal."

-"When people see me they don't know who I am or what I've been through beause I always have a smile on my face."

-2 days before your execution, you're moved to a special cell for the presidential treatment: you get to hear the chair being tested twice a day: zzzzzzzzzzzzzap! zzzzzzzzap! A civilian also comes in to measure you, like an inanimate object, to make something for your corspe to wear.

-During your time of presidential treatment, there is also a lieutenant there 24/7 to ensure you don't deny the State the right to kill you by doing it yourself.

-When he was finally released, he thought it was a trap and that someone would shoot him, claiming he was trying to escape.

-After being released, it took him 3 weeks before he could strap a seatbelt around himself.

-The first thing he wanted upon his release was a glass of ice water (they only get lukewarm water in prison).

-It took him 8 yrs to find a job because of 15-year gap in his resumé. One employer said he didn't meet the requirement of not having been convicted in the last 5 years. He now works at the Covenant House here in DC.

-He is afraid that one day all his emotions erupt and only hopes to be alone if it happens.

-All he wants from the state is an apology. He turned down a $10 million settlement agreement they offered him instead.

-He found his emotions were the same as those written about by a man who was in a Nazi concentration camp.

-His brother needed a kindney transplant and they couldn't find a match other than Bob's. However, Bob was first denied permission to go to the hospital and donate his kidney because it was too far away. His brother then moved to the hospital used by the prisoners, but they still would not allow him to leave the prison. 8 days later, his brother died.

-Of his work at the Covenant House, he said that most people have issues, but that if we had been through what they went through, we would have issues too.

-When back in Florida for the first time since his release to give a talk at a university, the prosecutor's daughter and son organized a protest. He "gave them a spanking" during the question period of his talk.

To end on a funny note:
-When talking about where the Covenant House is active, he mentioned the USA, Honduras, and "two other Latin American countries: Mexico and Canada."

Ring! Ring! (or rather, all those other wacky sounds cell phones make)

The problem with studying in a big city is that you end up having too much fun and not finding any time for blogging. So here's my attempt at giving you a glimpse into my new life in DC.

First off, I had heard stories from some friends who studied in the USA that a cellphone was a necessary amenity for one simply to exist on a campus here. However, well aware that "the demand for cell phones and computer chips is helping fuel a bloody civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo" (please check out this excellent site for more info), I was reluctant to give in. Still, one of my priorities here was meeting new people and building new friendships, and there was also the safety issue, so with a bit of convincing from my parents, I gave in; last month, I used about 500 minutes and sent just over 100 text messages.

But it's important to understant that those 7 hours on the phone are nothing like time spent on a real phone. This may seem paradoxical at first because of the similarity in function of the two types of telephones, but as with email and snail mail, despite this similarity, the two have completely different uses, especially in college (i.e. university in the USA). There is of course a chunk of time I spent talking with family and friends from home, but of the calls made and texts sent to friends on campus, most are used in planning to get together within a couple of hours for lunch, coffee or a movie, or just to hang out. Well maybe not all the time is spent planning - much is just chatting about how the day is going - but that's at least the main purpose of the call.

Wow! This is actually a lot harder to explain than I thought it would be, so to keep myself from babbling on endlessly, I'll just mention one more thing.

The following is what I would consider the typical way one acquires another's cell number.
1- Your friend texts you at 11:15 to see if you want to meet for lunch at 1.
2- Your friend gets a text from his room-mate inviting him for lunch.
3- The 3 of you get together for lunch.
4- It's your first time meeting your friend's room-mate and you get along passably well.
5- Time to go: you exchange phone numbers with your friend's room-mate (that is, one of you adds the other to his phonebook and calls the other who simply has to save the number).
Epilogue- Maybe you'll call each other and start hanging out regularly, maybe you'll never talk again. Most likely, you'll go for lunch one or two more times and then decide to incorporate each other into your circle of closer friends or simply stop calling each other.

That's just a glimpse into college cellphone culture. The rest, you just have to experience.

Are You Prepared (An Email from the Department of Public Safety at American University)

Protecting America University students, staff and faculty is the shared responsibility of the entire AU Community. Individuals can prepare themselves for emergencies by taking simple steps such as organizing an emergency supply kit, making a personal preparedness plan, becoming informed about different threats, and getting involved in preparing their community. These activities create a culture of preparedness and can help save lives.

We should also take this opportunity to ensure that we are prepared. Everyone is asked to take this time to review AU's emergency plan on Prepared.American.Edu. In addition to the plan, members of the community are encourages to view the resource links that are contained on the website. On of the most important link is the DC Alert link. At last count only 1911 community members had signed up for the text alerts. Please sign up for the text alerts. It is the best way that you can be notified for American University emergencies as well as DC area wide emergency.

Emergency plans are only as good as the people who are responsible to carry them out. Therefore in addition to reviewing the plan, all AU community members are asked to review and revise their own individual plans. Please look at the following list of items and take the appropriate actions to ensure you are prepared. In general, you should anticipate a 72 hour (3 day) period in which electricity, water, gasoline, and food might be in short supply.

1. Have spare cash on hand. Do not depend on having access to ATM's or being able to use credit or bank cards.

2. Maintain at least a 3 day supply of water at home. Cases of bottled water or the large 5 gallon jugs will work for this. Do not store the water in direct sunlight. Many locations on campus including Housing and Dining programs have spare water on campus but it doesn't hurt to have additional water available.

3. Community members who take medication should have at least 3 days worth of that medication on their person or at work. This way they will be able to keep up with their medication in the event they are unable to get home or back to their room. Community members who are students should develop a buddy system. Keep essential items at a buddy's room in another residence hall.

4. Community members should not depend on metro or mass transit systems as their sole method to get to AU. Metro, for example, will stop running 24 hours prior to a weather related emergency. Have a back up plan or alternative method to get to AU. One good way to do this is to use the buddy system. They should pick someone at work, in their residence hall or in their neighborhood who has access to a vehicle who will agree to take them to AU in the case of emergency.

5. Prepare a bag which has a change of clothes include undergarments and keep it at work or at an alternative location. Include plastic ziplock bags to ensure the undergarments stay dry. Also include toothpaste, toothbrush, soap, toilet paper, towel, wash cloth and deodorant in this bag.

6. On off campus locations, make sure you have at least one telephone which plugs directly into the wall jack. Remember, portable phones require electricity to work. If there is no electricity, only the phones plugged directly into the jack will work.

7. It goes without saying that flashlights and batteries are essential items. However, consider getting the flashlights which use the large 6 volt battery rather than the "C" or "D" cell. These flash lights will allow hands free operation when needed. Also have a transistor ready tuned to a news station like WTOP. These radios are very useful in a crisis. Make sure the radio also has the weather stations on it. At public safety we have portable battery operated televisions and radios. Rotate and test your batteries once a year.

8. Community members with kids and a spouse, should make sure that there is a plan for them to get to safety in case of emergency without your intervention. They may be unable to get home for several hours or several days. They should make arrangements with neighbors or relatives to take care of the kids in their absence.

9. Community members who drive to AU should try to keep their gas tank above the 1/2 tank level. Long gas lines will make it difficult to get to AU on time.

10. Community members should keep their emergency information up to date. All staff members are required to keep their home address and telephone information up to date. Staff members should make sure they come into work on the date and time you are supposed to. Keep sick leave down to a minimum. Remember, co-workers are counting on each other for back up.

For more information about preparedness, please go to www.ready.gov . There is also a kids site which will help kids understand emergency preparation. Hopefully, community members will stop by the table today on the dates listed above.

As an additional incentive, we are offering to put all community members who sign up for DC Alerts between October 4 and October 30 a chance to win $100 in Eagle Bucks. To enter the drawing, community members must sign up for the text alert and forward send a copy of the email from DC Alert to dps@american.edu .