September 26, 2005

• Topic: Geography

  
  

  So…w/ a million different crisis to follow in this world, I finally got around to reading a bit about “that thing” in the Sudan.  For all of those keeping score, “Darfur” is the name for the western region of the Sudan (is it Sudan, or The Sudan?), which means “land of fur.”  Bordering the Sudan to the South is Uganda, which like the Sudan, is having its own problem containing a group of violent rebels. 

  
  

  But…as my experience in S. Africa revealed, there is much more to a country than its politics.  So…I followed some links to Ugandan news, and wouldn’t you be shocked, it looks just like any other American website.  People write and sound just like us!  How shocking.  And in their opinion section, an article about “The Need for Innovative Education Reform in Uganda’s Colleges and Universities.”  Basically transplanting everything I wrote in my book, and saying the same thing about Uganda.  Schools there are just as irrelevant for success in work and life.  That always makes me feel better.

  
  

  Link to article:
  http://www.monitor.co.ug/oped/oped09264.php

  
  

  PADDLING UPDATE:

  
  

  The Lackawaxen River is a tributary that leads into the Delaware River.  It flows from NE Pennsylvania into the river which marks the border of Pa. and NY.  It was a pretty slow and mostly boring paddle, although always fun people to be around.

  
  

  Sun. I went up w/ a friend to paddle the Mongaup wave, which is lower on the Delaware.  We stayed at this one standing wave from 11am, till 5pm, probably surfing the wave 60 times.  You face your boat upstream, paddle from a calm eddie up towards the lip of the wave, face your boat at 2 o’clock, and slide on in. 

  
  

  The effect is pretty thrilling.  My first attempts I didn’t last in the wave 5sec., my 2nd attempt I flipped, couldn’t roll, and ended up swimming.  Getting back upstream was quite a bitch, and provided one heck of a work-out most of the day.

  
  

  I was pretty psyched out for a while, afraid of the wave, especially the deafening roar that you only hear once you’re inside of it.  But…I gradually learned how to edge the boat, and got to the point where I could stay in basically until I lost my focus, usually going 30-60sec., carving back and forth.  It quickly grew addictive, and I definately got lots of practice and confidence from the weekend.

  
  

  that’s it…

  
  

   

  
  

   

  • 5:23 pm
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