Yes, as a matter of fact I am.
I’m sure I will totally fail at summarizing the last two and a half weeks in this short post, but I will try anyway.
Well, the election went down, I went into a deep funk that even Obama’s beautiful victory speech couldn’t shake, and I declared a personal fast from all American political websites on November 9 that I will be keeping until I return home on December 9. At least Republican-turned-independent Jeff Wood narrowly held on to his state Assembly seat to become the first non-affiliated state legislator 70 or 80 years.
Fortunately (if I believed in fortune, that is), we at long last had our Anglican Mass with Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu on Friday, November 7. I even got a much needed haircut, which was needed as I had been without one since June. I shook his hand and received communion from him as part of the beautiful service. Unfortunately, he had another engagement so we couldn’t have breakfast with him like the Marquette students usually do, but it was still cool. I will post our group photo if I have time.
As of this morning, we are now all finished with the academic side of things here. I took my Old Testament theology final on Saturday, November 8, followed by AIDS and Development on Monday, November 10. We presented our “visual diary” projects for theology of reconciliation on Friday, November 14, and went on an amazing retreat at Chris Ahrends’ vacation home in a former fishing vilalge on Monday to conclude this amazing course. Wednesday, we present our “advocacy projects” to conclude Leaders in Grassroots Organizations, our other Marquette class. Caroline and I presented a plan to develop a community coalition to link HIV-positive South Africans with new AIDS research, and we actually did fairly well. Then, today, Glenn, Steph, Maggie, and I took our postcolonial and postmodern literature final. Free at last . . .
Other random things. The four of us guys plus Chris’s brother Jason went to the local Italian restaurant on Tuesday night instead of focusing on our advocacy project presentation and totally dominated their all you can eat pasta deal. We went through 38 bowls between us and actually ate all their pasta. It was a good feeling. Today I got to meet a Cape Town city government official with my friend Vic to discuss Wheelchair Users Forum South Africa plans, and she almost singlehandedly improved my usually low opinion of all politicians not named “Ron Paul.” She was so friendly and actually listened to what we had to say.
Choir update. I have continued to enjoy my time in the UWC choir and sang with them at the Rector’s Concert last month. We will be competing at the Old Mutual choral competition in Pretoria the first weekend in December, and I’m really excited for this trip (especially because Old Mutual is paying).
The Andy Marshall Tour schedule. I will be on the choir trip from December 4 to 8 and flying out right after midnight on Tuesday, December 9. Because of the time zones, I will arrive in Chicago that same evening and hopefully end up in Milwaukee that night. I will then probably bum around Marquette and Brookfield for a few days, hopefully catch some Golden Eagles domination on Saturday, December 13, and then returning to headquarters by the 14th.
I will seriously post pictures before I leave . . . I mean it. Now I have to go before Glenn physically beats me for not cleaning my side of the room now the excuse of finals is no longer viable.
God bless,
Andy
[P.S. Steph says hi to her parents.]
1 response so far ↓
Steph's Dad // November 22, 2008 at 2:47 pm |
Great update, Andy. On one hand, it seems like you’ve all been gone forever and, on the other, it’s hard to believe it’s almost time to come home. We regularly read your posts (and Glenn’s, too). They’ve been a great way to keep us connected with your lives and experiences these past 4 1/2 months.
Enjoy the next few weeks.
Joe Guertin
ps: Steph’s parents say hi to her, too. We love our weekly phone calls!