Notes from Karnataka

And here you have Americanization of Holi. In Utah, no less. I wonder if any of the people participating even know what Holi is… ?

Beautiful video I stumbled upon of Palolem, Goa. It artfully leaves out the sketchy locals and dirty hippy Europeans on drugs. But oh, how I  do miss these finer scenes…

I was equally impressed, by what I interpret as a step forward among would-be volunteers like you: openness to the idea that the only thing you can legitimately volunteer for in this country might be voluntary powerlessness, voluntary presence as receivers, as such, as hopefully beloved or adopted ones without any way of returning the gift.

—An address by Ivan Illich to the Conference on InterAmerican Student Projects (CIASP) in Cuernavaca, Mexico, on April 20, 1968. In his usual biting and sometimes sarcastic style, Illich goes to the heart of the deep dangers of paternalism inherent in any voluntary service activity, but especially in any international service “mission.” Parts of the speech are outdated and must be viewed in the historical context of 1968 when it was delivered, but the entire speech is retained for the full impact of his point and at Ivan Illich’s request.

Chafik/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

… my travel plans for the upcoming month may very well change now.

The blast happened in Marrakesh, one of the biggest cities in Morocco, where we were also slated to spend a good amount of our time, in a popular tourist cafe nonetheless.  In regard to what Northeastern ends up doing with us, all I can say is whatever happens, happens. It’d be selfish of me to be concerned about how this impacts me - traveling there a little better than a tourist - when ongoing issues like this are impacting millions of people everyday, all the time in Middle East generally speaking.

From the article:

“Morocco has seen a decline in tourism since the start of the so-called Arab Spring, and officials expressed concern that Thursday’s attack could exacerbate the decline. Djemaa el Fna is the main square in Marrakesh and has been called the cultural crossroads for all of Morocco”

The creative adult is the child who survived.

—U. LeGuin

I like to see people reunited, I like to see people run to each other, the kissing and the crying, I like the impatience, the stories that the mouth can’t tell fast enough, the ears that aren’t big enough, the eyes that can’t take in all of the change, I like the hugging, the bringing together, the end of missing someone.

—

Everything is Illuminated

All the reunions and reuniting lately, and the ones still to come in the next week or two, has just been filling my heart up like a balloon that is about to burst. I knew I’d be coming home to a lot of wonderful people and things, but I think I underestimated.

How do you feel about art?

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