A perspective

So I think I am going to talk about perspectives today - it seems fitting, especially after what I have experiences today. First of all, check out www.bbc.co.uk for the biggest news of the day - at least from my perspective. The IRA, Irish Republican Army, terrorists to some national heroes to others, have decided to officially end the armed struggle that they have fought for the past 36 years in Northern Ireland against the British occupation of the Emerald Isle. Many Protestants in Northern Ireland are very skeptical of what this statement means. However, in my humble perspective, this time will be different. Before, the IRA always used one of their own to
"proclaim" the ceasefire. This time they used a former IRA prisoner to tell the world about their new deal. I am a little optimistic, however, I must remember that it is the IRA. Even in a perfect world, they couldn't become a non-violent group over night. They probably don't even know how many people are in their own organisation. But I really WANT to be optimistic! I WANT to believe in the goodness of the people and the exasperation of the Republican (NOT conservative) Irish after the Northern Bank heist of £26 million in December 2004. Enough is enough! Unfortunately, I think the Rev. Iain Paisley (about as reverend as Al Sharpton) will say "show us thedisarmermentt in pictures or video" - to which theIRAA will say "NO BLOODY WAY" ------ and so the circle may continue.

The other thing I heard today was from my manager at work. He was telling me about how last summer, he was discussing the fairy and gnome myths of Celtic Britain with a friend who showed up at the shop. Well, apparently, there was a gay guy living in the flat behind the shop who overheard this story. He took it asharassmentt from the manager and his friend. He called the cops. The cop came and talked to my manager. He says, "Isn't it a bit weird for two grown men to be discussing fairies et al." My manager sayspointe blank, NO! Heretortss with,

Isn't it a bit weird for millions of adults to congregate weekly to celebrate how much they love a zombie? All they are,aree blood-thiry,cannibalisticc, zombie worshipers! To which the policeman left.

Any thoughts?

GOD BLESS YOU

Okay, I've not started to prothlesize the faith, even though Mag has been sending me heaps of info about a friend of hers who is a Catholic missionary in Uganda. I don't think this would make my friend Liz in England very happy because she was a little ticked off when I told her that I was applying to Peace Corps. See she was born in Tonga and Peace Corps is there. She just doesn't agree with what they have to say because she has had many bad experiences whilst living in Tonga with those "Yanks" that knew better than the Tongans even though they didn't speak the language, let alone not know the culture. But hey, I'm going to learn Portuguese and either Koti, Shona, Zulu, Swahili et al. Who knows which language?

Anyway, tonight was a required apperance down the beach at the Surf club. Everyone who reads this knows exactly what I am talking about. Rich, scary pretentious white people who ask me EVERY week, whether, A. we've met before B. if I'm my cousin Mike C. How I'm related to Ed and Rene yada yada YADA. But strangely enough, tonight was fun. The manager of the club had his band in for a bit of live music. They were REALLY good. The lead singer was a perfect mimic and could sing you name it almost perfectly. Anywho, my uncle, being who he is, decided to start talking to the drummer. He shows me off whenever he can, so he started talking about how he wants to visit me in Mozambique. So we start talking and the drummer just turns around to me and says GOD BLESS YOU! WHY i wanted to shout at him! What the fuck am I doing that is so GD noble? I just dont get it. But if they want to feel that I am some noble Americanesque Christ Figure, sacrificing my livelihood for two years to help the heathen of Africa, they are fucking wrong. I just want to travel. Bom viaje!

Bua noite mis amigos

Isso e Portuguese nao e espanhol

Its been/will be a long time

I haven't been updating my blog on a regular basis because so much has been happening in my life. I'm trying to put together a party for myself as a graduation/going-away thing at St. Jerome's Church in Norwalk. I fell like I have to go around on tip-toe concerning my father and his wife and frankly I'm really sick of it. But, so many people think I have to do that to maintain calm. I really want this party, because I feel that it is going to be such a long time before I will see any of these people again. I've asked certain old friends of my mother to investigate what a day at the church would entail. I just feel that if I didn't step of this, it would never materialize. Anyone in agreement with me?

I've also got to start paying off my student loans now. I've actually got to go and do that right now. Its $147.50 per month for the next ten years. Thats a shit load of money. In Australia and England you don't have to pay back any money until you are earning over certain amounts of money. Why can't we do something like that here?

My sister and I have been talking about my father and his emotional retardation alot recently. Its just something that I cannot comprehend. His wife is a type of being that I cannot fathom the amount of hatred within this woman. But I have had enough of perpetuating the negativity. There is so many other things in life to deal with and I have to focus on that. My aunt told me after I mentioned that I ican't believe for every evil person in the world there are ten beautiful/caring individuals in my life. And fuck it I am off to Mozambique in 2 months! But that is the problem. I do not want to go off to Africa with this horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach that my father is falling down the drain...into the vaginal vortex.

Speaking of Mozambique, I, like a dork, have been doing my research and learning bits of Portuguese. Its going to be a fun language. But the Mozambican money is called a METICAL. It is the most worthless money in the world. The current exchange rate is US$1 = MT24,500 and counting. I say and counting because I checked the exchange rate twice today. It was 24,250 the first time and then a round 24,500 the second time round. They have bills in common circulation up to MT500,000 which is only US$20. I wonder how much that will buy. I read an article on www.mozambiquenews.com that public transport in Maputo, the capital city, was raised MT 5,000 to MT7,000 - from 20 american cents to 28 american cents.

Hmmmmm....

PS

Its one of my best friends birthday today. HAPPY BIRTHDAY BETH!!! 22!

So it finally happened

The past two days have been full of news about London. That expensive, sunless, wonderful city I consider home has been torn apart today. 4 bombs exploded across the very center of the city at the morning rush hour. Having lived in London for the past 3 years on and off, I feel like I can understand the panic in the city. I know in my heart though that the British will keep their stiff upper lip to the nth degree. I think the reason I am so knocked around by this attack is because one of the bombs exploded right across the road from my friend's flat. The bus that exploded was right near a park that I frequented. What puzzles me is that the British people don't take the shit that their government shovels in their faces on a daily basis. They tend to excercise the ability that differentiates us humans from the apes...they QUESTION!!! Everyone QUESTIONS! There have been WEEKLY protests against the war and people are just generally more interested what goes on in other countries. My entire last year in London was spent under the threat of a possible attack from Al-Qaeda. Why does stuff happen like this?

I spent most of the morning on the phone with London to make sure friends of mine stayed away from Central London and were safe. It worked out too that a friend of mine who I ended badly on when I left in April and I talked. He was happy that I called him and it made me feel better. His girlfriend (also a friend of mine) couldn't reach him in London and I was able to reach her. I just calmed her incredibly. It was nice to be able to help a bit. Right now I am trying to take my mind of what is happening in London. Everyone please keep the city in your thoughts, it will need it.

Wow, its been quite eventful.

I really don't know what happened the 12th. I think a bunch of people were here and I get very confused when people show up because I'm used to being home alone. I don't know exactly what to do with myself. I can't believe though what has happened in the past almost month. First of all, everyone who reads this already knows that I will be an uncle. That took up alot of space in my brain for the past month. You see unfortunately, I'm going to miss the birth because (now here's for the other big news) I'm going to Mozambique in September of this year. But I was told under no circumstances what so ever am I to postpone my posting with Peace Corps. According to Peace Corps, I will be teaching English at a secondary school or a technical institute in a bigger provincial city in Mozambique - Maputo, Beira or Nampula. 1 Million, 500,000 and 300,000 people respectively, so I guess I don't have to worry about being on the end of the world. :) For those of you out there asking where Moz. is, look at a map of Africa and it is at the bottom of the continent, next to South Africa. Portuguese is the official language and 16 other tribal languages are spoken throughout. I have the chance of speaking shona, swahili, or koti, in the region where they believe I will be placed.

Yesterday I spent the entire day on the porch filling in the reems of paperwork for Peace Corps. I had to fill out paperwork for visas and a new passport. Then today I had to sign papers for life insurance and personal property insurance and set up a bank account with my father's name on it as well only to realize that I have no money to do this! :) Ahh to be back in college. If any of ya'll have more question send me an email at ian.hefele@gmail.com and I'll fill ya in.

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