Oh man, I'm in New York! it is so amazing. This is such a massive city. I am so delighted to be here.

The last few days have been, as you can imagine, pretty intense, but I'm going to at least start typing out the notes I took during my trip, and hopefully in a day or two I will be caught up, and onto current events. So here goes....

30th August 2006, 19:40
On the plane at last! I love flying. I have been crying for weeks about saying goodbye, and I absolutely bawled tonight, but I really am excited. I spoke to a little greek lady named Christine, from Bruma in the line to passport control. She is visiting Greece, and it is her first overseas travel ever. She was a little nerous about navigating the airport, so I pointed her in the right direction, and got a lovely great hug and kiss for my troubles. I also met a couple from Cape Town, who have travelled a lot. From one extreme to the other, I suppose. They were also really friendly, though.

19:50.
We are beginning to move. I am delighted that there are television screens at each seat. I love the on-board info, and expecially the maps showing where we are, and where we are going. We have 10 hours, 50 minutes flying time ahead. The captain just announced that take-off will be in 3 minutes. I must remember to ask my cousin, who is going to be a pilot, about the different coloured lights on the air-field, and what they all mean.
20:04
Take-off. SSE. We're flying over Johannesburg, and I am crying. It is sad to say goodbye for so long.
The lights are amazing! There is smooth jazz playing in the headphones. I think it is French, but I wouldn't swear to that.
My dear friend Stephanie didn't make it to the airport in time. We were on the phone just before I went through the gates. She really tried, and I was so sad. I really am going to miss her.
I have a window seat behind the wing. Nice view.
An advertisement for the airline has just been played over the speakers: "Welcome to civilized aviation". I'm sure my mentor would have had as big a laugh as I did, had she heard that!
The woman who was next to me switched places with a pleasant younger girl who is much friendlier. It is so dark below! there are a few dim lights in the distance.
I thought the Swiss used the Euro, but the currency mentioned in the in flight magazine is CHF.
The captain has just announced that we are flying over the Victoria Falls. I wish I had a watch so that I could see how long it took us to get here. My cell, which I usually use as a clock, had to be switched off for the flight.
The air hostesses have just brought the first drinks trolley around. I am having some orange juice before dinner, but it is so sweet, I wish I had picked something else!
It has been so long since I last watched TV without working, that I am really enjoying watching the in-flight shows now, in between chatting with my very sweet companion. There is a documentary on Swiss medical research on now.
I just completed a great supper. Pasta with a creamy sauce, salad, bread and cheese, and an almond-topped cake for desert. I had some red wine and some soda water with dinner, and am now watching a film called Along Came Polly, staring Jennifer Aniston and Ben Stiller. It looks funny, but I'm getting sleepy, so I don't know whether I'll get through it.

22:40
I dozed off for a bit, and just woke up to the most amazing sight. There is lightning in the clouds below us and to our right. The cabin lights are out and the sky is spectacular, shining through the windows. The storm is in the vicinity of Dar Es Salaam, east of us.

11:27
We have just crossed the equator.

1:30 (GM +2)
We are flying over the Darfur mountains. The sky is crystal clear, and there are stars all around us. Tranquility over a troubled land.

4:30
I slept so well! But now we're over a very beautiful editeranean, and the cabin lights have just been switched on. I'm listening to some fabulous Jazz as we fly over Palerme on Cicily. There are the beautiful little islands visible below, all lit with orange street lights.
The air-hostesses have just handed out hot, moist face cloths. They feel so good first thing in the morning. I really want to brush my teeth, but alas, no toothpaste on board. Imagine exploives in a tube of toothpaste!
We can see Italy to the east. Rome is below us.

5:30
The horizon is turning pale blue and orange. we are not far from landing.
The seatbelt lights have just been switched on, and we are preparing to land. We are flying over masses of clouds.
Just descended through the clouds. the city lights are visible, and the wings are changing shape in preparation for landing. I can see the lake below. The wether looks a bit overcast, but hte sun isn't fully risen, yet, so that may change. The roads are surprisingly busy for so early in the morning.
Touch down. I love flying!

10:30 New York time

This part of the trip is somewhat less delightful. There is a very overweight woman next to me, who is seriously encroaching. She has to lift the arm-rest just to fit, so I am only sitting in half of my seat, and she is in the rest of it. I don't want to be prejudiced towards overweight people, but it really is very frustrating having someone like this next to me. It really is worth it, both for one's own health, and the comfort of those around you, to maintain a healthy weight. This woman struggles to get out of her seat, and pushes the woman in front of her forward when she does, so going to the bathroom earlier was difficult.
Despite that, though, Zurich was great! what a beautiful city. It is a great mixture of old and new architecture, and that stunning lake with the snow-topped mountains in the distance. I sat and stared at it for ages, and thoroughly upset a swan, a seagul and a couple of ducks who think that everyone sitting on the lakeside benches is there to feed them. Next time I'll keep my breakfast roll in my pocket.... I can't wait to spend longer there.
From Zurich, we flew over France, and the top bit of Spain, across the English channel, and across the bottom end of Britain. It was beautifully clear over Europe, and I got to indulge my fondness for little squares of agricultural land, and serpentie, silvery rivers.
The clouds set in over Britain, unfortunately, so I saw none of it, or Ireland, or the Atlantic, but the mountainous clouds have their own charm. And I discovered a "refreshing facial spray" and a moisturizing lotion in the bathroom, both of which smell lovely, and worked wonders to lift my spirits.
So now I'm watching Robin Williams in RV (it's a bit below him) and enjoying the odd glimpses of the ocean that are begining to appear.

12:00
We're flying just South of Greenland, approaching a place called Goose Bay. Could it be tht we flew so far North to avoid the Bermuda triangle? I don't know how I feel about that....

12:45
We're about to make landfall. The clouds still obscure my view, but perhaps that's appropriate. This way it feels like the continents flow into one another in an endless stream, rather than trying to delineate them all as distinct entities. After all, we experience them more as a continual flow of experiences, resources and opportunities.
We're climbing a little as we cross the shore-line. I love the feel of the plane's power beneath and around me. I think it's that same sense of strength beyond my own that I enjoy during take-off and landing. But expecially take-off.
I forgot to mention that we had the most amazing continental breakfast this morning. Hot croissants and bread rolls, with cream cheese nd strawberry jam, strawberry yogurt and orange juice. And for lunch earlier, salad (mixed lettuce), vegetable pasta with a sauce not dissimilar to that from last night, bread, and a great chunk of Camembert cheese! talk about a treat. Desert was a swiss dark chocolate mousse. So good!
We're just crossing into Canada. My back is killing me! I really hope I find a good shuttle. Otherwize it will be an expensive taxi. There is no way I can lug my heavy (26kg is the heaviest) bags about myself, onto trains and such. I wonder whether I'll make the games night tonight? I'm pretty tired. It's dark in SA already, and I have been traelling for roughly 24 hours! It will total around 26.5 from when I got onto the plane in JHB untill we land at JFK.
They're bringing around hot towels again. I love them!
There are about 2.5 hours to go, and I'm watching Ice Age 2.
We were just brought hot tomato and Mozarella calzoni, swiss caramel ice crean and apple juice. The ice cream is unbelieable, and there are a bunch of Vultures singing "Food, Glorious Food" on the film.

13:40
The clouds are clearing a little. We are over water again. I can see the coast ahead. St. John is the nearest town. 1hour, 30 min to go.
There are ice crystals on the windows. Some are just frozen drops of water, but others look like feathery, lacy snowflakes.
We're flying over the state of Maine. There is a stunning river estury below. It feels strange to be flying South, now. We are finally in New York's time zone.
The large lady just spilled 7up all over both of us!
We're banking left slightly to fly alond the coast. My pants are all sticky from the coldrink.
More cloud below. New York might be overcast.
Less than 45 minutes to go. My eyes are so heavy, I wonder whether I'll be awake for landing!
The air hostesses just handed out two really nice swiss chocolates per person.
The pilot just anounced Boston, with Cape Cod visible to the left. I can see a crescent moon in the sky above, then some cloud, and then these little islands along the shore below.
More cloud again.
On the flight to Zurich, and again on this one, the captain has announced that economy class passengers may keep there headphones. So I have two new sets of headphones! I guess that's one alternative to the little packs of toothpaste and airline socks.
The clouds are more scattered here, so we might just see New York as we fly over.
I can see two massive bridges connecting the islands below.
Not far to Long Island!
24 minutes to go. The ice on the windows is melting, but the view is a bit hazy. There is a big island to our left.
This is the first bit of turbulance we have experienced this whole flight.
The seatbelt lights just came on.
Long island is just coming into view. The haze is beginning to clear.
Long island looks light it has had big bites taken out of the one side. There is a very long, straight beach on the South end.
There are some fields below in very odd shapes. The water on the island is also really oily, and a completely different colour to the ocean.
We're banking left, so I have an amazing view! I can see a baseball pitch below. And I can see either the New Jersey or the Pennsylvania coastline in the distance. I'm not sure which it is.
10 minutes to go. There are lots of ships in the water below. We're banking steeply right, so I can't see much. Landing gear out, flaps down. I caught a glimpse of liberty island! but only for a second.
Touch Down
We're there!

4 September, 10:07
So that was the trip. Of course there is more news from the first few days, but I'll add that later.
Good reading!

South African music in New York

What do you think of when you think of South African music? Are you a South African in New York, or a New Yorker listening to South African music? Have you heard any live South African music in New York, or do you own any South African music? Or are you a South African musician who has performed or is planning to perform in New York? Why not post about it in the comments below. I would love to read about your experiences, thoughts, ideas and perceptions, and come to your concerts, if you are performing here.

Travel

Off to New York today! Johannesburg to Zurich tonight, and then on to New York tomorrow afternoon. Wish me luck

boundries

This post, and the ensuing comments, raise some interesting questions. What really is the "line" between appropriate and in- in an academic relationship?
When I first started at varsity, I was utterly in awe of my lecturers. My parents had really built up to us what it took to achieve a PhD, and it made me really excited, and also a little afraid, of the whole process. I called everyone "professor" or "doctor" as appropriate (or sometimes not. I called several doctors "professor". I prefer to err on the side of flattery, I guess), and in most instances, it went down okay. The people who had issues with it, ironically, turned out to be among those for whom my respect has grown, rather than suffered. There are a few who I still call "prof" whom I really feel deserve the title, but those who prefered first names in general, and went for less formal relationships, have turned out to be the most inspiring and influential mentors. And then there were those who I never felt even vaguely at ease with. I have learned the hard way to follow my instincts on those ones.
Earlier this year, one of my undergraduate students called me "professor". I corrected her, explaining that I didn't have a PhD yet, let alone a professorship, and inviting her to call me Nicol. She switched to "Miss Hammond". That was more accurate, but, in light of my discomfort with professional identities and surnames, I wasn't nutty about it. When I tried again, the resultant "aunty Nicol" what a little terrifying! but very amusing. In South Africa, a sign of respect is to call an older woman "tannie" or "aunty". I get the respect thing, and am happy to practice it myself, but I feel so old when someone, expecially a student only a few years younger than me, practices it on me.
On the other hand, when I'm supervising my teaching students and am called into the principal's office to give my age, rank and serial number (or the academic equivalent), I almost wish I looked like an aunty....

Fore Play: A Lesson in Jivometric Drummology

This is so clever. I will comment more when I have had time to read it more thoroughly

stars

About a year ago, my mentor gave me a star made out of beads and wire. I wear it on a lanyard attached to my cell-phone. About a week after she gave it to me, we were on a beach that had been battered by a storm, and there were bits of sea-weed and live sea snails all over. The snails were floundering about, some moving in the wrong direction, all struggling to get back to the sea. There were just so many....
Well the memory of my mentor currying those snails back into the water is so firmly implanted in my memory.
And then I read Leo Buscaglia's "Living, Loving & Learning" (New York: Ballantine Books, 1982):
"The other day I was on a beach with some of my students, and one of them picked up an old, dried-out starfish, and with great care he put it back in the water. He said, "Oh, it's just dried out but when it gets moisture again, it's going to come back to life." And then he thought for a minute, and he turned to me, and he said, "You know, Leo, maybe that's the whole process of becoming, maybe we get to the point where we sort of dry out, and all we need is a little more moisture to get us started again." When I picked myself off the sand, I said, "Wow!" Maybe this is what it's all about." (pg. 52).
I'm going to send a copy of the book to my mentor with a star-shaped bookmark, and a thank-you note.

why?

I am really loving working with student teachers. It is great to be able to see all this potential from the back of the classroom. One of my students, in particular, is so exciting, because she is just so capable. I know that she is going to do well in her course, and I know that she is going to build a very productive career for herself, because she has the skills, and she makes the effort. And yet something worried me about one of the classes I sat in on last week. She did everything right according to the check list, and she had a good rapport with the kids, and it was very easy to praise, and yet something didn't ring true. She was teaching geography (map reading) to a grade 8 class, and she had these beautiful little diagrams with contour lines, and conventional symbols, and fun exercises with 3D models and coloured pencils and pieces of string, and yet all the children asked were questions like "will this be in the test?" and "could you please explain that again?" I kept waiting for someone to ask "why is it called a trig beacon?" or "why do we have spot heights?" or "why are the contour lines brown?" or anything. And then it occurred to me. The questions I was waiting for were all "why?" and no one was asking them. Kids don't know how to. They know they have to regurgitate this stuff for an exam, and they become excellent at it, but then they forget it and move on to the next exam, and they never know why. On Monday, I am going to talk to my very clever, capable student teacher about "why" questions, and get her to ask some so that the kids ask some, and hopefully in a couple of weeks when she goes back to college, and the kids go back to their former teacher, they will have taken something with them.