Hey everyone
First...the "Day in the life" photos. Please let me know if you took photos also (email me the link) and I'll add it to this post so others can compare our days. The next "Day" will be on March 15th. I sort of fudged some of the times cos, for example, I forgot to take a photo in my genetics lab cos I was getting really angry and irritated w/the class. But for the most part these photos are taken at the top of every hour. There are also some photos from this weekend's radio camp, some photos from Joburg/meeting up w/the Zim boys, and the speech I gave this past week. The "Day in the Life" photos are complete, but the radio camp ones are not...cos I think this lab is closing soon. I'll finish the rest up soon though.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lynseemelchi/
Feb 18 (Sunday) equals one month in South Africa. Here's a recap of what's been on:
Rotary:
Toured programs of Silverton Rotary Club (feeding schemes at various schools)
Attended Silverton Rotary meetings on weekly basis
Been feature speaker at Silverton Rotary 2/14
Stayed w/3 Rotarians
Made plans to hang out w/other Rotarians
Spread my blog like crazy! to share w/Rotarians and non-Rotarians what I'm doing
Reached out (via email) to all the D9250 prez and will soon do the same w/the D6490 prez
Non-Rotary:
Accepted as volunteer at TuksFM, 107.2FM
Got a bike
Been to Joburg to start the "Great Friend Rekindling"
Sent correspondence to other old friends to get back in touch
Had a few braais (bbqs)
Finally met folks that live in my dorm
Got a place to live
Got all my affairs together for Univ of Pretoria and have started classes
Been out for drinks w/a fellow student
Yet to do:
Get a cooking pot
Get a radio
Travel more (going to Cape Town this weekend!)
Although I can be a very impatient person (get busy living, or get busy dying), after considering the time frame I've being working with...I think I feel pretty good about the steps forward that I have made here in SA. And I can live with the things that haven't happened (yet!). But I do need to get a cooking pot soon ;) And also a radio so I can listen to what the heck radio is like here. I'm going to be a terrible producer if I don't know what I'm producing for.
This weekend was spent at a "camp" for Tuks FM, the student radio station on campus. I found out that I got accepted to the station on Thursday afternoon and left on Friday noon. Apparently they are the premiere student radio station for the whole of South Africa. The station manager called TuksFM a "flagship" station, if that helps out. They are competing in the toughest market in SA (the Guateng province, which includes Joburg) and are up against some of the top commercial radio stations in the area and country. But, despite these odds, they are very very good at what they do. They have a HUGE listenership that extends beyond just the campus here. They are primarily a rock station that plays a pretty good percentage of local and South African music, which is something I find very cool. They told us in our training sessions that the station is a rock station because this is a poorly covered niche in South Africa. Most music stations are either pop/top 40 or "urban" (hiphop/house/kwaito). I don't think that the general music they play is the type of music I prefer, but also I'm not 100% about that since I haven't ever really heard their station. I have probably heard the station on the air for a total of maybe 20 minutes since I've arrived in SA. And mostly in people's cars. I'm going to have to do some on air listening and quick!
I've been accepted for a position in the production department. I was originally told that I was the first woman EVER in this position...but that was later rethought. Apparently there was some female producer like 5 or 6 years ago, but it's primarily a male dominated department. So I'm a pioneer! How cool is that? Only 2 people were added to the production department in this selection process. Me and one other girl, Carissa. I think she is going to be doing mostly scripting, though, as opposed to actually producing on-air pieces/commercials/etc. But we will learn the tech ropes together. I'm really excited because the work is going to be fun and I think I'm going to learn a lot. I will be working under folks that have a lot of experience and put out quality products. And the radio folks seem like a lot of fun...which is always a good thing to come into!!! No more drinking in the corner alone for me ;)
The weekend was basically a bonding experience for all the new/old folks. We did a bunch of "get-to-know-you" things like a fake speed dating session. And there was a name game that we played to test how well we knew people's names/departments. The first person to get one wrong had to eat a green chili. The second person, a red chili. Then we were threatened w/giblets and chicken feet...but I think it was mostly for effect. Especially the next day when they hadn't been refrigerated. P-U! I am happy to say that I didn't eat any chilis or feet! And there was a lot of learning going on. And then on Sat night we partied...cos we made it! We had some funky punch, danced around, and generally just celebrated. And there was braai-ing...of course. Which was good because someone on my street has been grilling meat and it's been driving me mad!!!!!!
On the Urbana tip, hats off to the U of IL for finally cutting loose the disgusting and racist Chief Illinwek mascot!!!! Thanks to Kai for telling me about it...cos it's certainly a historical day in the life of U of IL. To be honest, I never thought U of I would get rid of the Chief. The alumni/sportsfans have too much a stake in the decision because they financially support the university and Native American political power isn't strong enough in IL. But the university had a nice and easy way out because the NCAA banned them from hosting certain sporting events...so it's like they were bowing out to NCAA pressure. They didn't have to do the progressive and just thing by just getting rid of the mascot. They were forced. But, the important thing is that he's gone!! Woohoo!
Here's the official U of IL info on the subject:
http://www.uillinois.edu/chief/#content
Here's the alternative point of view thanks to the UC Independent Media Center:
www.ucimc.org
On a similar tip, I guess...one of the books I've been reading here is a book of Martin Luther King Jr's speeches. The guy is a freaking great speechifier!! I mean I hope most of you know the "I have a Dream" speech, but there is way more in this guy's repertoire. They are really great reading if you are interested. In particular, please take the time to read a speech called "Beyond Vietnam." MLK Jr had a great vision of what needs to happen within the USA so that we don't go down in flames in a big way. It's interesting to see how his words, delivered in 1967, are so relevant today to our foreign and domestic policy. I know Vietnam and Iraq have been compared before, so in that this is a tired suggestion, but just switch a few geographical words around, a few communist for terrorist...and you have yourself one apt speech for present day.
Here's audio and text of the speech:
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkatimetobreaksilence.htm
Hope you are all doing well
Until next time
Love Lynsee
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