Monday, June 14, 2010

AFK

Stuff is malfunctioning enough at work that maybe it's a good time to pick this up again, eh? I mean, one could say it dropped of the edge of a cliff. Maybe it has.

Rumors of our collaboration's demise have been greatly exaggerated. In fact, my collaboration with colleagues in Guatemala is alive and well. But it has been a bit of a shocking year since this blog has been updated in any meaningful way. Every year is really a shocking year, so I suppose no excuses.

The trip to Guatemala was more successful this year. Having a better understanding of what to expect I felt more prepared and indeed I think Armin and I managed to provide much better feed back to the Masters students with whom I was invited to speak. In general, the planning was better on all sides. Even in the extra-curricular department, we met with more success. We successfully conquered the Pacaya volcano shortly before it conquered Guatemala City.

Photo of Pacaya courtesy of a beloved friend

This time I felt like I had even greater exposure to the enormous difficulties facing people's every day life in Guatemala. The least of which is the very fact that many of her most talented are very quick to move away at first opportunity. I had lunch one day with some undergraduates an of the 4 only one did not have plans to leave the country after graduation. And I got the sense that it was really that they did not YET have plans. It may be a good thing for these students to go abroad. Personally, it's very difficult to find opportunity to put ones technical knowledge to work in such an environment, but if they ever choose to return, what they can bring back from other places will be very great.

I was heartened to see one of the most talented people I've met in Guatemala is continuing, with not insignificant personal and emotional commitment to doing good tech work for good people. Not only did I get to enjoy the uniqueness of his friendship, but I was given the opportunity to have a unique experience (and I know he didn't mean to drop me on top of a pile of human bones and medical waste).

Anyway, I remiss you all.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

And, in this 2011, you will be grading (to be continued...)