It's been quite the ten days. Last weekend, I went with my brother and sister to go see Freshly Ground in New York. It was wonderful. This past weekend, Ladysmith Black Mambazo played at the Mann Centre in Philadelphia.
I've traveled around for some time now. (after my calculations, 8 of the past 10 years) The Mann Center is one of the best venues I've ever been to. Anyone who comes to visit maybe will be able to go to a concert there. Getting there is a whole different story and man does it work out for quite a story.
Philadelphia is built in the sensible grid pattern that many American cities are built in. Philadelphia was in fact the first "new European" city to be constructed that way. Anyway, the streets that run North to South are numbered from the Delaware River to the Schuykill River. East West streets are named after trees that grow here or places "in the colonies."
Now from Front Street to 50th Street, Philly is safe and normal. After 50th street it gets a little shady. Noel was kind enough to tell me that fact after I had to go to to 52nd street. I thought I would be green and take public transport to the venue. That meant I only had to take 2 subway lines, but I went to a different world. I took the blue line EL and transfered to the Green Trolley Lines. I was the only white person on the trolley and people started giving me weird looks. I was definitely out of my league. But you all know that it doesn't really bother me to be out of my league. I got off at my stop of 52nd and Lancaster. I had to walk. I noticed lots of greenery towards the north so headed that direction. When I got to some train tracks, I knew I was going the right direction. I called my brother though because I wanted another route back. It seemed a little too risky to walk back under the train tracks after dark, by myself and with my credit card. I did!
I stuffed everything into my underwear and just set off with a mission. I felt fine, just hurried not harried... until someone came my direction. The guy was with his girlfriend, so I wasn't too scared, until I notived how BIG this guy was. He greeted me with a hearty "How ya doin' dude?" I burst out laughing. I retorted with a "How YOU doin' dude!" and went on my merry way. As soon as I got to the stop, the number 10 trolley came and I was off.
The CONcert was amazing too!
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
New found distraction
I'm back in the land of the living and excited about all the bright, flashy things that are on offer. My favorite of the moment is Netflix. For $10 a month, I get one DVD at a time and unlimited streaming. Unlimited streaming!!! I'm catching up on all my favorite old BBC shows. Now I have access to finally watch ALL of Absolutely Fabulous. Netflix was also founded by a Peace Corps Volunteer from Swaziland. After 3 years in Africa, I feel like I know why he started it. Pure need. He's also famous for quoting "After hitchhiking across Africa with $10 in your pocket, starting a business doesn't seem so scary." I agree but would substitute teaching in there.
Yes I know I'm insane, but it is a wonderful distraction when your students tell you they saw their father get shot the night before. Yes ladies and gentlemen, I teach in the concrete jungle.
Another one of shows is Keeping up Appearances. It is almost 20 years old, but I love it. Unfortunately, as with most TV shows, it gets repetitive when you watch 3 episodes in a row! The need to put my brain off has become ENORMOUS! There is something curiously foreign about that British show though. Do people like that exist in America? There is the phrase Keeping up with the Joneses, which is said to originate in New York. But Americans in general are not so stuck up about class. You'll just have to see my neighborhood when you come visit me!
I'm definitely up for visits... hint hint... nudge nudge.
Yes I know I'm insane, but it is a wonderful distraction when your students tell you they saw their father get shot the night before. Yes ladies and gentlemen, I teach in the concrete jungle.
Another one of shows is Keeping up Appearances. It is almost 20 years old, but I love it. Unfortunately, as with most TV shows, it gets repetitive when you watch 3 episodes in a row! The need to put my brain off has become ENORMOUS! There is something curiously foreign about that British show though. Do people like that exist in America? There is the phrase Keeping up with the Joneses, which is said to originate in New York. But Americans in general are not so stuck up about class. You'll just have to see my neighborhood when you come visit me!
I'm definitely up for visits... hint hint... nudge nudge.
Sunday, July 05, 2009
Another world
I've been having more trouble than I ever thought I would coming back to America. I've recently counted and of the past 10 years, I've lived 8 as the "American Abroad" or overseas. That means since I was 16, I've not been home really. But where is home anymore. Right now it's in a neighborhood called Fishtown. 6 Months ago, it was a shack on the Indian Ocean. For the first time in my life, I know I will be in America for the next 3 years and I'll admit I'm scared. I'm excited but scared. What happened earlier today was a perfect example.
I've had a visit from a friend from Swaziland. She was a PCV over there that I met in Pretoria in 2006. We decided to go find my school where I have to report to tomorrow... at 7:45. Thanks Noel for taking the bike lock keys! :) I dutifully googled directions and we set off. We entered another world. It might as well have been Puerto Rico. I didn't see any American Flags even though it was National Hang Over day - ie the day after any major holiday. We were the only white native English Speakers around but that didn't bother us. Until I realized what was on my shirt that is. I was wearing a shirt that said "Gay? - Fine by me!" I realized it wouldn't go over particularly well in the very religious neighborhood. We didn't have any problems though, until there were two guys coming the opposite way who read the shirt. They kept going but turned back on us. We still didn't really freak.
We finally found the school (1.5 miles away according to the almighty Google) and noted a better way for me to get there. The school is in a totally different world but I realized that the inhabitants of the neighborhood right around the school live life on the front porches and listen to music en vivo. Things I've missed and I'm looking forward to having in my life again.
That is a reason I feel I like the West and America. We've got choice, we've got people and oh man do we have a mixture of cultures!
I've had a visit from a friend from Swaziland. She was a PCV over there that I met in Pretoria in 2006. We decided to go find my school where I have to report to tomorrow... at 7:45. Thanks Noel for taking the bike lock keys! :) I dutifully googled directions and we set off. We entered another world. It might as well have been Puerto Rico. I didn't see any American Flags even though it was National Hang Over day - ie the day after any major holiday. We were the only white native English Speakers around but that didn't bother us. Until I realized what was on my shirt that is. I was wearing a shirt that said "Gay? - Fine by me!" I realized it wouldn't go over particularly well in the very religious neighborhood. We didn't have any problems though, until there were two guys coming the opposite way who read the shirt. They kept going but turned back on us. We still didn't really freak.
We finally found the school (1.5 miles away according to the almighty Google) and noted a better way for me to get there. The school is in a totally different world but I realized that the inhabitants of the neighborhood right around the school live life on the front porches and listen to music en vivo. Things I've missed and I'm looking forward to having in my life again.
That is a reason I feel I like the West and America. We've got choice, we've got people and oh man do we have a mixture of cultures!
Independence Day
It was my first 4th of July in America for many years. The last 4th of July I spent in America was 2005. Before that I was in Australia and since then I was in Mozambique. I was excited to spend it in the true birthplace of America... Philadelphia. Apparently, Philadelphia was the second biggest city in the British Empire. It was second to only London. That means it was the second biggest city in the world. It's come a long way since then. But it still is a wonderful big city. 152 very distinct neighborhoods each with its own flavor and culture. (Great I've got 152 cultures to assimilate to!) The city tends to revolve around Independence mall.
Independence Mall is in the eastern part of Center City, so it's basically downtown. This is where the Declaration of Independence was written, signed, approved and read to the public for the first time. It is also the place where I experienced a tea party. I didn't even know I was in the middle of one. Needless to say, I felt like a fish out of water. I was beyond out of water. I was somewhere in the stratosphere. They were saying some things like "Commander in Thief" and "We're number one!" Some people were carrying signs saying "Today is Independence Day not Immigration Day." They're were signs of PALIN 2012 (Nightmarish thought!). They had a reenactment of the reading of the Declaration of Independence (complete with costumes) to exemplify how "far we've strayed" from our original course. All of a sudden, the crowd started chanting USA! USA! USA! I took that as my cue to leave.
Unfortunately, before I left, I saw a sign that said "Remember, Descent is Patriotic!" Now that the Democrats are in government, Descent is Patriotic again. Between USA! USA! and the descent thing, I'm having difficulty discerning the Republican Party from the NSDAP of the 1930's.
Happy 4th!
Independence Mall is in the eastern part of Center City, so it's basically downtown. This is where the Declaration of Independence was written, signed, approved and read to the public for the first time. It is also the place where I experienced a tea party. I didn't even know I was in the middle of one. Needless to say, I felt like a fish out of water. I was beyond out of water. I was somewhere in the stratosphere. They were saying some things like "Commander in Thief" and "We're number one!" Some people were carrying signs saying "Today is Independence Day not Immigration Day." They're were signs of PALIN 2012 (Nightmarish thought!). They had a reenactment of the reading of the Declaration of Independence (complete with costumes) to exemplify how "far we've strayed" from our original course. All of a sudden, the crowd started chanting USA! USA! USA! I took that as my cue to leave.
Unfortunately, before I left, I saw a sign that said "Remember, Descent is Patriotic!" Now that the Democrats are in government, Descent is Patriotic again. Between USA! USA! and the descent thing, I'm having difficulty discerning the Republican Party from the NSDAP of the 1930's.
Happy 4th!
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