I am an idiot
Mar. 21st, 2006 01:12 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rhyllSomehow, at the same time, I was absolutely sure that the World Social Forum ran for 3 days, and that it ran from 24th to 29th. So, I will be in Karachi for about week, actually.
Silly me.
My talk went ok, but didn't end being terribly exciting. I had no idea who was going to be there or what audience to address the talk to, so I did a wide-ranging sweep of my entire area of research, and it fell somewhat flat. One woman bravely tried to start discussion by arguing with me, but most of the people there were rather shy techies, and weren't playing. Raj came, which was nice, and he liked my speech, so I was pleased.
After my talk, the evening got considerably more lively. Some young men who were there play instruments (mostly drums), which they'd brought along. They passed around drums and rattles and things that go "ding", and started playing (some Indian classical, some African, bits and pieces from all over the place) and singing traditional songs. My input was requested, and, feeling rather silly, I sang one or two capoeira songs. (I have never wished so fervently that I knew capoeira songs more fully.) I also played some capoeira angola, after convincing a few people to try to play with me (or at least dance around while I did capoeira angola), and tried to a Kannada lion dance.
I miss capoeira, and I miss dancing! And I am sad that there is nowhere in Perth that I know of that plays music I like to dance to.
After the music finished, one of the young men gave me a lift home (Raj had left a little while after the music started). It ended up being quite complicated, as I didn't know exactly where my hotel was, he spoke hardly any English, and there was a huge Muslim procession happening in the streets outside my hotel. Still, we made it in the end, and he insisted on calling Raj to tell him that I'd been safely delivered. (In case you haven't already figured this out, many people here take on the Looking After of Me with extreme enthusiasm.) Raj picked me up and we walked back to his house, where I further disappointed his mother by my inability to eat huge amounts.
This morning when I went round again she punished me by giving me some 'tomato ice' (the insides of a tomato mixed with ice and sugar and crushed). Luckily Jyothi saw me pulling faces as I tried to eat it and took it away.
I've had a very nice day today. Breakfast and some playing with the kids (who are both ridiculously cute), then I went around and picked up my bags and tickets from Akshay's place. Tonight I'll go hang out at Janastu again, and make further attempts to suck less at drumming. Afterwards I think I'm going out with Akshay and his friend Aliyeh.
Workwise, there's not much to do for the next few days. I'm contacting a few people I know who are going to the WSF to make sure I land on my feet, posting a few things home, saying goodbye to a few people.
In other news, you should all look at this nifty art that liz found. Bonus points for liz!
Silly me.
My talk went ok, but didn't end being terribly exciting. I had no idea who was going to be there or what audience to address the talk to, so I did a wide-ranging sweep of my entire area of research, and it fell somewhat flat. One woman bravely tried to start discussion by arguing with me, but most of the people there were rather shy techies, and weren't playing. Raj came, which was nice, and he liked my speech, so I was pleased.
After my talk, the evening got considerably more lively. Some young men who were there play instruments (mostly drums), which they'd brought along. They passed around drums and rattles and things that go "ding", and started playing (some Indian classical, some African, bits and pieces from all over the place) and singing traditional songs. My input was requested, and, feeling rather silly, I sang one or two capoeira songs. (I have never wished so fervently that I knew capoeira songs more fully.) I also played some capoeira angola, after convincing a few people to try to play with me (or at least dance around while I did capoeira angola), and tried to a Kannada lion dance.
I miss capoeira, and I miss dancing! And I am sad that there is nowhere in Perth that I know of that plays music I like to dance to.
After the music finished, one of the young men gave me a lift home (Raj had left a little while after the music started). It ended up being quite complicated, as I didn't know exactly where my hotel was, he spoke hardly any English, and there was a huge Muslim procession happening in the streets outside my hotel. Still, we made it in the end, and he insisted on calling Raj to tell him that I'd been safely delivered. (In case you haven't already figured this out, many people here take on the Looking After of Me with extreme enthusiasm.) Raj picked me up and we walked back to his house, where I further disappointed his mother by my inability to eat huge amounts.
This morning when I went round again she punished me by giving me some 'tomato ice' (the insides of a tomato mixed with ice and sugar and crushed). Luckily Jyothi saw me pulling faces as I tried to eat it and took it away.
I've had a very nice day today. Breakfast and some playing with the kids (who are both ridiculously cute), then I went around and picked up my bags and tickets from Akshay's place. Tonight I'll go hang out at Janastu again, and make further attempts to suck less at drumming. Afterwards I think I'm going out with Akshay and his friend Aliyeh.
Workwise, there's not much to do for the next few days. I'm contacting a few people I know who are going to the WSF to make sure I land on my feet, posting a few things home, saying goodbye to a few people.
In other news, you should all look at this nifty art that liz found. Bonus points for liz!