The SEC runs Zanzibar

Another double class day: The Ramayana. I discussed the imagery of Book 5, and then we discussed why Valkimi focuses so much on imagery. I’d hoped to get a Hindu cleric to discuss this with us, but couldn’t get anything lined up for this year. There’s a major temple in Stone Town, plus some schools: I’ll set something up for next year. We went over our ZIFF schedules again.

I went down to Coral Rock to get on the internet after dinner. As I walked in, I heard a woman speaking English with a Southern accent. She was surrounded by a group of college-aged people, and then mentioned “articles”. The odds that I’ll run into two Study Abroad programs on Zanzibar at the same time? 100%. Laura Johnson is a Psychology professor from Ole Miss, and she’s been coming here for years. After they ate and I checked email, Laura and I went to a quieter bar and talked shop – what works for her, what doesn’t, things to consider. She has an extensive program on the mainland: I may adopt some of her ideas. She also has contacts for affordable safaris, local entrances to national parks – the types of things I couldn’t sort out beforehand. Ole Miss also has a formal re-entry program for Study Abroad participants. UA doesn’t do that (although we have an excellent Counseling Center). I’ll bring the topic up when I return.

Laura went to sit with her students around the fire and I sat near the TV to catch the end of the Mexico-Brazil match. Turned out the woman I sat next to randomly is the same woman I sat next to randomly at the Mandela showing. We introduced ourselves: her name is Mel, and she’s an English teacher based in Aruysha. Also got a message from Khalil Fantanuzzi. He’s a friend of Rachel Ramist’s and has a film showing tomorrow night at ZIFF. He told me to look him up.