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I can't believe it has been 4 days since my last entry. While it looks like I may be succumbing to blog fatigue, it is probably that the days have been largely tied up in work at two universities and travel - neither of which provides journalistic grist!
I just looked back at Tuesday evening's entry, in which I promised a report of Wednesday's public address. Be patient - all in due course. First the story of the dirty deeds in the Education Resource Centre.
On Wednesday morning, as usual, I settled down in the Resource Centre to polish up my preparation, and various other scholarly tasks. My desk had a couple of easy chairs behind it. At one stage I was vaguely conscious of an older guy whose slightly dishevelled appearance didn't fit with BC's preppy image. As I say, I wasn't really paying attention. I didn't even notice him leave. I was conscious a little while later of a couple of young women pointing over in the direction of those chairs, and then they came over to ask had I seen the guy. I indicated I could only give the vaguest of descriptions, and asked why the interest? Had he done anything wrong? I imagined someone's purse had been stolen or something similar. Wrong. Apparently he had been touching himself. And there was I, a couple of metres away and oblivious. Hope t wasn't due to me!! The campus police were brought in (Yup - they have their own police - and I have no idea how that works!). Anyway, I clearly missed all the fun.
It was the second week of school, so they weren't expecting too many people to turn up to the lecture due to school commitments at the start of the year. There was a group of about 20, I'd guess, made up of a few schoolies, a few superintendents, a few post-grads and a few faculty. A nice group. What I had to say seemed to interest them. There was one older guy there who kept asking questions that were on a bit of a tangent. I was fervently hoping he wasn't faculty! He was an alumnus of some vintage with a few bees in his bonnet, but he was generaly harmless. He cornered both Jerry and I separately after the lecture!
Pizza at Jerry's home, joined later by Ruth who had been teaching at BU until 8. I saw some of her watercolour botanical paintings - they really are very good! Her artistic taste is everywhere in the house - sculptures, paintings, masks - gems everywhere. They were both remarkably generous with their home and their time during my stay so I bid them a very thankful goodbye at about 9.30 and went "home" to pack.
Leaving Claudia and "A Village B and B" was a bit like leaving home as it had been so comfortable, and Claudia had been such a gracious host. The cab recommended by Jerry turned out to be a limo, and I was shown into the back seat to be driven by a very gracious older gentlement called Richard who lamented the loss of moderation in American politics.
The flights to Philly and State College were unremarkable, perhaps with the exception of the fact that US Air charges $25 per piece of luggage. Note for the future! Waited a while for a cab at State College (as I recall having done last time) and went to the Hampton Inn which was to be my new home for 8 or 9 days.
State College is a town that exists only because Penn State University exists. Penn State began as an agricultural college in 1855 and its University Park campus at State College is one of the biggest in the states. Those with a thirst to know more about PSU can look at good old Wikipedia .
The town lives to service the uni and its 44,000 students. Every second shop sells university merchandise - from bottle openers to sports gear to rocking chairs! The ones that don't sell that sell food and drink. The hotel is a couple of kilometres from the centre - a pleasant walk except for the fact that there is no footpath. I had been warned about this, but this weekend is a "Parents" weekend so even a few months out there were no other vacancies. Still, the room is comfortable, the breakfasts are good and I can get a bus every hour if I don't want to walk.
Thursday afternoon I walked into town and checked it out. Came back to Hampton and had a meal of spare ribs and onion ribbons at Damons - just outside the front door. When in Rome! (The onion ribbons seem to be more batter than onion - mmmmmnot!)
I had a 10am appointment on campus on Friday. I worked out the buses and set off on the 8.35 which got me onto campus about 8.50. I wanted a chance to get oriented on campus, so walked about a bit, then headed for the Rackley building to meet Jackie Stefkovich, one of my hosts.
I was conscious as I wandered about that the students here are less "preppy" than at BC - more diverse and less buffed. Flanelette shirts and tracky daks and caps on backwards territory.
I was joining the Educational Leadership Faculty meeting, and Jackie was delayed, so I introduced myself and met the others before she arrived. The simiarities to academic life in Oz were obvious in the range of attitudes of staff, and the need to navigate often arcane and senseless regulations. There are very real differences in the structure of doctoral programs, which seem to have far greater coursework requirements than we do, and much less flexibility. Staff were very friendly, and a number exressed an interest in catching up for a chat, especially a couple who work in the area of American Indian education.
Jackie was heading off to see her mother in Pittsburgh (3 hours drive) so as well as giving me a key to an office I can generally use, she let me use her office for the afternoon. I spent the time reviewing some chapters for Patrick Duignan. That was the good news. the bad news was that I managed to save a whole chapter into the Outlook Temp folder by mistake. They don't call it temp by mistake! After spending a fruitless half hour or so finding the folder I discovered that it was empty!
I organised to rent a bike on Saturday afternoon to use on Sunday then hopped the bus back. Did a workout in the gym. Had lovely chats with Anne, Beth and Marthese by which time I decided that the nuts and berries I had eaten would do me for tea. Couldn't be bothered dragging down to Damon's again - and in any case, CSI New York was on!
Well - that's about up to date folks - much heat and little light. More later.
- comments
Agnes Mitchell Glad u r blogging again . Missed ur daily reports ..U can tell a good story .