I left UPeace and Costa Rica on Wednesday, after finishing my thesis, to teach with Northwestern this summer in their Civic Leadership Institute. I arrived in Chicago on Thursday morning around 7, after leaving Costa Rica on Wednesday at 2pm. Then I wandered around campus for 4 hours trying to find the dormitory in which I now reside. And UIC's campus--where our program is housed this summer--is huge (think size of Ciudad Colon, or for the Kentuckians: Lily). The flight from San Jose was eventful: I ended up spending the majority of the night in Charlotte as our plane was delayed for 5 hours, which actually turned out to be a blessing. I didn't need to get a hotel on Wednesday night in Chicago, which saved me money.
After getting to the dorm, the crew from Northwestern met me and I got set up. Then we had 3 days of intense orientation, literally every minute from 9-8, except one 5 minute break a day (and meals), going through policies and hypothetical safety situations. Thus my orientation into not only Northwestern's program but other summer academic institutes akin (I think of the Governor's Scholars Program in Kentucky as a similar example). Orientation ended today, and now I'm preparing for tomorrow's arrival of the students. I'll be running to the airport tomorrow to pick up the students flying into Chicago. I'm excited and can already predict the intensity of the 3 weeks to come.
On an aside, tonight I went with 2 of the other instructors here to watch Michael Moore's new film "SiCKO." I went into the film with the experience of my brother Westley, and my father, who both have been screwed at the hands of insurance agencies, HMOs and health care in the US. Moore did a nice job of presenting personal stories from United Statesians across the country and having them share explain their situations. A number of the stories end with useless death at the hands of HMOs who dismiss the plight and ill of the average citizen. Then Moore went to Canada, Britain, France, and Cuba, to illustrate the ills of neoliberalism in health care, on the poor and even middle class. It's well done and speaks to the humanitarian in all of us. Though we could possibly criticize the film on specific points, this work, in consequence to the topic, seems much less partisan than other issues and films. It truly makes you leave the theatre disgusted at the inhumane treatment of people in our nation--being refused care to the point of death, or being dragged off in a cab and dropped on a random streetcorner--when they confront and use medical services across the country. Moore is a little humorous as usual in his method of resistance. Case in point, he makes an amusing comment half-way through referencing US imperialism and Canadian-US relations: he says "Americans only go into other countries when they need something" (referring to Americans crossing the border for cheap drugs and healthcare).
--------- 2 weeks later--------
I had my first piece published this week for which I am tremendously excited!: a chapter adapted from my thesis titled "Peace Education: Experience and Storytelling as Living Education (a portion of it blogged below, archived in June 2007). It feels pleasant to see some fruition from the countless hours I spent working on my thesis. And I am currently searching for other means of publishing as this is one of my short-term goals to publish at least 3 works before returning to graduate school in a couple of years. The article has received positive reviews from a number of educators, including Betty Reardon, calling it a "very fine article." To view the article, click: http://www.review.upeace.org/.
--------3 weeks later-------
At the end of CLI my students responded to my pedagogy and person: "Seriously Kevin, you are an awesome teacher. You're one of the greatest teachers I've ever had and I'm so inspired by you. I love talking to you, hearing your stories, and experiencing your unique teaching methods...There are 2 teachers that have influenced me and impressed me much in my life: my sociology teacher and you." Talk about an astounding compliment! Then another student wrote: "Kevin was amazing! The different methodologies that he implemented while managing to be a great mediator and facilitator in our conversation, it all was mind-blowing. His world perspective and implementation of Theatre of the Oppressed is something that I want to bring home with me." Their reviews went on like this, and one offered this critique which is right-on: Kevin is so fascinated with religion, that I sometimes felt like he didn't respect it." Though I do respect religion, I find that it's practice is often exclusive and oppressive.
The students certainly have been fantastic and as always I have learned a great deal from them. It's amazing how close people can bond in 3 weeks, and I'm a pro and recognizng certain similarities among these types of programs and the psyche they spawn in people, since I have now done programs like this on numerous occasions, both during high school and professionally. Tonight at the dance I was watching a number of the students begin to cope with the impending departure and separation. It's always difficult and I wondered if I've become emotionally callused because of my perpetual motion from city to city, country to country, and continent to continent.
------ 4 weeks later----
I'm taking the kids to the airport this Saturday, my fifth time there during this 1-month escapade with Northwestern, and I can't help but think of the endless hours I've spent at O'Hare--on my initial departure to Japan, my visit back home last year, my move to Costa Rica, my move to Chicago this summer, and ultimately I'll be back in about 2.5 weeks when I move to Korea. I now have an intimate relationship with this airport and the city, and expect this perplexing relationship to continue.
I'll be leaving here soon for home; the last time I was in Kentucky was last March, so I'm looking forward to this very much. I need to visit family and friends, and meet significant others for my sister and 2 best friends. I'll be meeting Henry and his girlfriend Katie here in Chicago...I'm very excited to meet her...and then I'll ride down to KY with them next week after I get my visa for Korea. I am quite excited to be returning home for a little while.
Then a little after a week at home and visiting family, I'll be going to NY for a Peace Education conference at the UN! I should also meet friends in NY, like Joyce!, and I'm looking forward to seeing Betty again after a year and a half. It should be nice to have this conference at the UN after spending a year at the University for Peace, and refreshing to return to the halls I visited when Henry was interning there...Then off to Korea!
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