6/19/2001:after school we all got together at the bar/restaurant by the peace corps staff house. we used the back room. robert kinda moderated a discussion group called Peace & Freedom. talk about anything and it all stays in the room. not so much as secrets – an opportunity to know “things” about other people – but to vent and share in whatever positive or negative feelings you have.
all-in-all it was fruitful. in regards to both de-stressing and brining us even closer together. it was more organic than structured. more free-flowing than formal. which was good. b/c i think it'll evolve into something. we talked about emotional roller-coasters, thinking about home and going back, family, significant others, coping with culture-shock... or lack thereof. coping, that is.
i said something about not wanting to think about home or things i dislike here... just not wanting to go there. jacob’s response was a metaphor about holding sand; the tighter you squeeze, the more you lose. just let it be. if the thought comes up, have it. deal with it.
we also talked about epiphanies... how we don’t have them. and if we do, they’re fleeting... as ludwig said, usually interrupted by someone blowing their nose on your shirt or shitting on your leg (both have happened!). Kay ended the session by reading a piece from oriah mountain dreamer, the Invitation. quite poignant. i think i’ll bring something to read next time.
Nous sommes ensamble, is how the cameroonian expression goes here. we are together.
IMAGE: a few of my stage-mates and i while in training. this was the bunch going off to teach at teacher training colleges. i.e. we were being trained to train primary school teachers to be.
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