This is a brilliant song and performance. In 2011, in person, I will see at least one thing this memorable.
Axé.
Monthly Archives: January 2011
Rosemary Geisdorfer Feal
The President of the Modern Language Association wrote a good letter on the situation of foreign languages in general and at SUNY-Albany in particular. It is on pp. 4-5 of the Winter 2010 MLA Newsletter, and it has a bibliography including Catherine Porter’s “Presidential Address: English Is Not Enough” (PMLA 125.3 [2010]: 546-55), which I would like to read. A version of Feal’s column also appeared in the CHE on 12 November 2010.
Some notes for our struggles are:
+ it is absurd to give students access to elementary and intermediate foreign language courses and not advanced courses on linguistics, literature, culture, and media taught in these languages;
+ if we are to be committed to diversity, pluralism, and a global world then we need foreign languages;
+ advanced courses in foreign languages support the PhD in English;
+ the humanities are incomplete without advanced study and research in languages other than English, and the mission of higher education is seriously compromised without this.
Feal’s wording is vivid and it is difficult not to simply quote her in toto, here and in some administrative documents I am composing.
Axé.
Filed under Da Whiteman, Movement, News, Resources, What Is A Scholar?
Viva Jujuy
We had the first day of class, and it was like this. Long live my province, our painted hills, my dove. My home in New Granada; my home in California, my home anywhere in New Spain. Brown-skinned woman, do not separate yourself from the list of those I love.
My most fascinating new student is a domestic employee and prison guard originally from Salta, Argentina; amazingly, I was aware of this before he spoke.
I knew I would do a Ph.D. in languages the moment I first heard that there were also languages written in characters. I do not know how to write in characters yet, but I can write in two alphabets.
When the Emeritus Professor took us to Madrid, I could see the voyage had been undertaken for me, although this had not been intentional. I will know how to write in characters one day.
Axé.
Filed under Arts, What Is A Scholar?
Carajillo
Here in Maringuoin we have the necessary conditions for snow and it feels that cold. It is literally colder here right now than it is at the Puerto de Navacerrada, a ski station above Madrid. Here is a recipe for a carajillo, which they must be drinking there and I should drink here:
Ingredients:
* 1 oz brandy
* 3 grains roast coffee
* 1 squeeze lemon
* 1 cup espresso coffeeHeat brandy, lemon and coffee grains for several minutes. Pour into coffee cup. Add 1 cup of espresso coffee.
Axé.
Día de los Reyes
Ya vienen los Reyes Magos caminito de Belén; olé, olé, Holanda y olé; Holanda ya se ve. This is the 12th day of Christmas, when the Magi come, and it is sunny. Views of the crescent moon and clouds were beautiful from the high bridge over the Mississippi River yesterday evening on the way home. I would like to see views from hills more often, and look more at the sky.
Axé.
Filed under Songs
