Primitive Information

School started last week. I taught two back-to-back Thursday morning and came out of my classes almost ecstatic, whether because I’m just happy to be back in the classroom or because things seemed to go particularly smoothly I can’t say. This year I’ve decided to spread the desks out and have them sit in a circle so I can see everyone’s faces and they can see each other, and somehow that seemed to open up the whole room and create a more relaxed environment. Also, I made a dorky Power Point presentation on my syllabus, and at least from my point of view that helped things along, too.

There are some definite personalities in my classes, although I don’t have the make-up girl, the sleeping guy, the girl who wants to submit a series of facial expressions as an essay, or a guy who argued that everyone should be allowed to use computers and Ipods on the final exam. Have fun, Micah!

Speaking of Ipods, I just got a free one along with the new Mac I bought, a much-needed upgrade over the ancient machine I’d been using. Although I’ve barely begun downloading music and setting things up, I can already tell this is going to make things a lot easier and more efficient this term.

Tags: Uncategorized by dhadbawnik
3 Comments »

Now at home. Today felt like we were really back to work and life as we knew it, as we drove to school for T.A. orientation and saw everyone again for the first time. I have to admit that I’m excited about the school year, even though I wish we had another week or two to relax and make the transition. This is my last year. There’s so much work to do. Plans to make. Poems to write.

I even shared — for just a nanosecond — in Abby’s excitement at seeing a bunch of freshmen herding around during their PAWS Preview while we stood chatting on the Quad. Ah, campus life! I’m especially grateful that Abby, Jack, and Micah are coming back to teach. It’s going to be fun (I keep telling myself)!

As for the return flight and subsequent drive home, it was rough. But not nearly as bad as what we’ve been hearing from other folks.

Tags: Uncategorized by dhadbawnik
7 Comments »

After breakfast this morning I went for one final run downtown to the River Drava. It’s a quiet, beautiful run, hardly a soul on the trail that loops around the broad river with the town beyond it. I’ve been curious about the bridge that leads to the University section of Maribor. Every time I run by the river, I cross the bridge, and have to go down the convenient pedestrian stairs to get back to the river trail. But the stairs go up as well as down; there are four flights, each with its own little landing, above bridge level. Today I ran up those flights and climbed through an open trap door to the roof of the stairwell. Graffiti covers the walls. There’s a flagpole with no flag. Great views of the whole city, and you can lean right over and stare down into the water. Maybe that’s the whole point of it, as Tina suggested.

Later we went to sit and drink coffee in Aroma, our favorite cafe downtown. Everything else downtown closed, a ghost town, as Tina says. Just an odd smattering of tourists passing by in big groups every now and then, cameras around their necks, talking amongst themselves and walking past the closed shops. I had two cups, along with some Radenska, the excellent local mineral water. Served in a glass with ice and lemon. And a straw for Tina but not for me.

We started to walk towards the park, which is just up hill slightly past the downtown. But it started raining. I had brought the umbrella but left it in the car. We turned back and walked into bright afternoon sunlight while rain poured down on us. Ducked into an open passage that led to a building courtyard to wait out the rain. Then walked slowly back towards the car, running into Nona – Tina’s grandmother — who we then gave a ride to another relative’s house before heading back home. Now we’re packing. Can’t wait to get home and see the animals, make our own coffee, and sleep in our own bed. But it’s been great, too, and I could easily stay on a while.

Here we go…

Tags: Travel by dhadbawnik
5 Comments »

After a hellish layover in London-Stansted, otherwise known as the 8th Circle of Hell, I’m back with my darling wife in her mother’s apartment in Slovenia. Hard to believe this trip, and summer, is just about over. Had a wonderful time in Cork. Had a marvelous time here in Maribor. Could’ve done without Ryan Air, though at least there were no major delays or lost luggage. And I’ve missed my wife. I wish we hadn’t been apart so long. Tina just opened the door so I could hear “Umbrella,” which has been the unofficial European theme song this summer — not least of all because it’s been raining a lot of the time.

Have to sign off so we can catch a bus downtown and drink some delicious coffee in our favorite cafe. More tomorrow, before we pack for the last time…

Tags: Travel by dhadbawnik
2 Comments »

This has been a great trip. I think I’ll be a long time sorting out the implications for my life and my work. Isn’t that the way travel’s supposed to be?

I came here not really knowing what to expect, my mind filled with layer upon layer of ideas about Ireland gotten from countless books and movies. Unlike first setting foot in New York City, when I could hardly turn the corner without seeing a famous face, or a building I’d long imagined, or a scene conjured from a popular song… or Paris, with its stratified layers of art and history constantly breaking through the tenuous surface-presence of things… Ireland has turned out far stranger and difficult to grasp than I ever imagined it would be. Why? I dunno. That’s what’ll take so long to sort out. I think language — how it’s changed, how it’s used — is a big part of that, and a strong point of interest for me.

Yesterday afternoon we were in Dingle, an old pilgrimage center and current tourist hotspot. While we were in the Gallerus Oratory, Stacy mentioned that the Irish government had recently ordered the name of the place changed (back to) An Daingean, despite a vote by locals, who rely on name-recognition of the place by tourists for their livelihood, to leave it as Dingle. (I’m sure this is why the town is covered in signs that say ‘Dingle: The Town Denied Democracy.’ I took pictures, but can’t upload them just now.) An Irishman came in and helped explain the situation, saying that he hadn’t been around for the vote, but if he had, he would have supported the Gaelic name. Steve asked him what it meant; he couldn’t say.

Of course, the beauty of the place is there to wonder at wholly apart from the question of language. Yesterday we dove into the Atlantic on a secluded little beach on the peninsula. We saw more pagan-Christian art, some of it so old, its history so tangled, that no one can say for certain how old it is, what its original intention was. Driving back in the bus I caught glimpses of water, and wondered if that might be my last good view of ocean on this trip. I may try to head down the southern coast this weekend to extend that view…

On the other hand, I’m really looking forward to seeing my wife, and her native country, again. And then our home and our animals.

Tags: Travel by dhadbawnik
2 Comments »