Worldview Magazine - Fall 2007 - (Page 32)

International Fellowship Expand your Horizons in Germany Thirty fellowships are awarded annually to young professionals in the private, public, not-for profit, cultural and academic sectors who show outstanding potential for future leadership. Individuals pursue projects of their own design at German institutions/organizations and may arrange internships, junior staff positions or training programs. Program includes intensive language training, orientation, a two-week study tour of Germany and meetings with prominent figures from German society. No prior knowledge of German is required. The program begins September 1 and lasts twelve months. It is preceded by three months of intensive language classes in Germany. Must be a U.S., Russian or Chinese citizen under 35 years of age at start of award. B.A. required. Application deadline for U.S. citizens is October 31, 2007. Information and applications available at: www.humboldt-foundation.de German Chancellor Fellowship 2008-‘09 info@americanfriends-of-avh.org Gender at these times is even more pronounced. Women commandeer much of the preparations, focusing on food and ensuring that all traditional meals are ready at the appropriate hour. Men have their intermittent responsibilities, the killing of a pig or goat, the burial, but for the most part are usually loitering about in search of grogue–a popular local drink made from distilled sugar cane–or a card game. But in each of these spheres conversation and personalities remain unaﬀected. ey are how they commonly are: lively, relaxed, genial. What accounts for this? I suppose it exempliﬁes the constraints of traditions. In my host family’s case, there was really no need for this great spectacle, but if they didn’t do it, it would be an insult. Tradition binds people to these acts whether they like it or not, and until the society is capable of cutting free of them, they will continue to linger and compel. In a country like Cape Verde, one experiencing the growing pains of modernity, the public practice of traditions is uniquely prominent despite what I considered to be incongruous. Yet I realize that such a simpliﬁcation isn’t wholly right. Above all, the people of Cape Verde have deﬁned their cultural experience through departure. eir history has been one of emigration and sodadi (longing). ey know pain, and they confront it publicly and personally. While the means of expression in Rincon perplexed me, I recognized it was because my own culture profoundly contradicted what I saw. When I would speak to my host mother about her deceased husband, her gentle stoicism spoke the truth. e grief remains, whether it is public or within. Beyond tradition, it is universal. Jayant Kairam served as a Peace Corps community development volunteer in Cape Verde from 2004 to 2006. He writes for the Cape Verdean online magazine, FORCV, about Rincon and Cape Verdean music. See www.forcv.com. 32 Fall 2007 http://www.humboldt-foundation.de http://www.humboldt-foundation.de http://www.peacecorpsfellows-wiu.org/ http://www.peacecorpsfellows-wiu.org/ http://www.forcv.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Worldview Magazine - Fall 2007

Worldview - Fall 2007 Contents Presiden'ts Note Lafayette Park Introduction Interview Commentary Editor's Note Letter from Rumbek, Sudan Listings Letter from Yekaterinburg, Russia Letter from Codaesti, Romania Letter from Catia La Mar, Venezuela Letter from Gumare, Botswana Letter from Ridder, Kazakhstan Letter from Rincon, Cape Verde Letter from Port Au Prince Another Country Community News Giving Back Opinion

Worldview Magazine - Fall 2007

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