If you're not familiar with Pandora, you're missing out! You can create your own radio station and listen to all the music you want, with no commercials. Best of all, it's free!
I've been fine-tuning a custom radio station for several months, and now it is ready for world-wide distribution. Check it out:
http://www.pandora.com/people/tomfiatlux
Friday, December 29, 2006
Thursday, December 28, 2006
The long-awaited photos
I posted these photos in several different albums so they would be easier to manage. Enjoy, and tell me what your favorites are!
Esteli: http://berkeley.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2118387&l=9857c&id=1219341
Siuna: http://berkeley.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2118392&l=6102b&id=1219341
Matagalpa: http://berkeley.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2118399&l=b170e&id=1219341
Leon, Ometepe, and Honduras:
http://berkeley.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2118418&l=053f9&id=1219341
If you like this stuff, you really ought to visit Nicaragua yourself! It's super cheap, safe, and beautiful. It's not heavily touristed like Costa Rica, but it won't be long before it's swarming with travelers. It's helpful to speak a little bit of Spanish, but no matter what, the people are very friendly, and they love Americans! Simply by being a gringo who travels to Nicaragua, you'll find that the locals will be eager to talk to you and buy you drinks. No joke.
Esteli: http://berkeley.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2118387&l=9857c&id=1219341
Siuna: http://berkeley.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2118392&l=6102b&id=1219341
Matagalpa: http://berkeley.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2118399&l=b170e&id=1219341
Leon, Ometepe, and Honduras:
http://berkeley.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2118418&l=053f9&id=1219341
If you like this stuff, you really ought to visit Nicaragua yourself! It's super cheap, safe, and beautiful. It's not heavily touristed like Costa Rica, but it won't be long before it's swarming with travelers. It's helpful to speak a little bit of Spanish, but no matter what, the people are very friendly, and they love Americans! Simply by being a gringo who travels to Nicaragua, you'll find that the locals will be eager to talk to you and buy you drinks. No joke.
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Looking forward, looking back
Today is my last day in Nicaragua. While I’ve been excited about coming home for a long time now, it suddenly occurred to me during my going-away party in Matagalpa how badly I would miss this place. I can’t wait to organize my pictures and show them to you guys. Stay tuned…
Looking forward, there is a lot to be excited about. On Thursday, I’m going to New Orleans to watch Rice University’s first bowl game in almost 50 years. Since they were coming off a 1-10 season last year, it’s even more shocking. After spending Christmas in Memphis with Mom and Dad, I blast off to California on December 26.
I’ve got big plans for the spring semester. First, I’m going to be living in the International House, where I’ll get to hang out with Latino and European students every day. I expect to make some awesome friends, as well as learn a lot about the world as I interact with everyone. Second, I’m going to train for the Devil Mountain Double (April 28), a one-day ride that covers 200 miles and nearly 19,000 vertical feet of climbing. It goes over two mountains and takes about 15 hours to complete. If I can survive this, my oral qualifying exams the following week will be easy in comparison.
Speaking of academics, I lucked out and got awarded Berkeley’s Academic Progress Award for spring 2007, so for the first time since starting graduate school in 2002, I won’t have to work while I’m trying to studying. With the extra free time I’ll have, I’d like to audit a Latin American history class, as well as take a paleontology class with Kevin Padian. Since he was an expert witness in the Dover Pennsylvania Intelligent Design Case, you can bet that it will be exciting.
After the semester ends, I’d like to head to Germany for the summer to become familiar with the archives, as well as do some sweet bike touring in the Alps with my friend Bernhard. It will also be great to drop by Innsbruck and visit my Austrian friends that I haven’t seen in years.
In the fall, I hope to move to South America and live in the Andes for a year or two. Besides being an awesome plan for mountainbiking, I think I could write a really good dissertation there, too. The general topic could be, “European scientific exploration of South America in the 19th century.” I didn´t have this idea before coming to Nicaragua, but living abroad can do crazy things to your mind.
When I think about what part of the world I'd most like to be affiliated with during the next fifty years, South America easily comes out on top. I think that it’s going to be a really exciting place in the 21st century, and I want to be a part of the changes that are underway. Also, my interests in Latin American history are much broader than those of Europe-- besides the intellectual and scientific issues, I am curious about the political, social, and cultural developments of Latin America in the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries.
But this all belongs to the future. It’s fun to dream, but I don’t have my heart set on things unfolding exactly as I want them. Many of the best experiences in my life were completely unexpected! Some of the worst experiences too…
Looking back on the past two years, I’ve had some incredible ups and downs. There were times when all my wildest dreams came true, and times when I couldn’t bear to live another day. I don’t know if there is any connection between these two extremes in my life, but I know exactly what it feels like to hit rock-bottom. Having passed through multiple episodes of clinical depression, things that used to worry me don’t really bother me anymore. Doing major research projects, applying for fellowships, running out of money, wondering where I’ll be a year from now; all these things seem so small in comparison. Who would have thought that watching my life completely fall apart would be such a liberating experience?
Having been through all of this, I’ve also found that I am more grateful than ever for the good times and the great people in my life. I’d like to take this moment to thank some of those who have been instrumental in making me who I am. First, my mom and dad, who tirelessly support me regardless of how crazy my plans may seem. My sister, who encouraged me to complete my grad school applications when I felt like giving up. Claudia and Luke, who I carry with me every day of my life; I honestly don’t know who I would be if I hadn’t met them. Christian and Andrew, who challenged me to confront Christianity head-on, using all the intellectual tools I could muster. Nick and Dean, who have been my constant companions during my time in Berkeley; they have been more important to me than anything else that’s happened in grad school. Thanks to Verena for all the phone conversations we’ve had in the past three years. And thanks to everyone I’ve been bicycling with (you know who you are). We’ve shared experiences that most people only dream of.
I am grateful for all of you, and I pray that you will continue to love and support lots of other people, just as you have done with me.
See you soon!
Looking forward, there is a lot to be excited about. On Thursday, I’m going to New Orleans to watch Rice University’s first bowl game in almost 50 years. Since they were coming off a 1-10 season last year, it’s even more shocking. After spending Christmas in Memphis with Mom and Dad, I blast off to California on December 26.
I’ve got big plans for the spring semester. First, I’m going to be living in the International House, where I’ll get to hang out with Latino and European students every day. I expect to make some awesome friends, as well as learn a lot about the world as I interact with everyone. Second, I’m going to train for the Devil Mountain Double (April 28), a one-day ride that covers 200 miles and nearly 19,000 vertical feet of climbing. It goes over two mountains and takes about 15 hours to complete. If I can survive this, my oral qualifying exams the following week will be easy in comparison.
Speaking of academics, I lucked out and got awarded Berkeley’s Academic Progress Award for spring 2007, so for the first time since starting graduate school in 2002, I won’t have to work while I’m trying to studying. With the extra free time I’ll have, I’d like to audit a Latin American history class, as well as take a paleontology class with Kevin Padian. Since he was an expert witness in the Dover Pennsylvania Intelligent Design Case, you can bet that it will be exciting.
After the semester ends, I’d like to head to Germany for the summer to become familiar with the archives, as well as do some sweet bike touring in the Alps with my friend Bernhard. It will also be great to drop by Innsbruck and visit my Austrian friends that I haven’t seen in years.
In the fall, I hope to move to South America and live in the Andes for a year or two. Besides being an awesome plan for mountainbiking, I think I could write a really good dissertation there, too. The general topic could be, “European scientific exploration of South America in the 19th century.” I didn´t have this idea before coming to Nicaragua, but living abroad can do crazy things to your mind.
When I think about what part of the world I'd most like to be affiliated with during the next fifty years, South America easily comes out on top. I think that it’s going to be a really exciting place in the 21st century, and I want to be a part of the changes that are underway. Also, my interests in Latin American history are much broader than those of Europe-- besides the intellectual and scientific issues, I am curious about the political, social, and cultural developments of Latin America in the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries.
But this all belongs to the future. It’s fun to dream, but I don’t have my heart set on things unfolding exactly as I want them. Many of the best experiences in my life were completely unexpected! Some of the worst experiences too…
Looking back on the past two years, I’ve had some incredible ups and downs. There were times when all my wildest dreams came true, and times when I couldn’t bear to live another day. I don’t know if there is any connection between these two extremes in my life, but I know exactly what it feels like to hit rock-bottom. Having passed through multiple episodes of clinical depression, things that used to worry me don’t really bother me anymore. Doing major research projects, applying for fellowships, running out of money, wondering where I’ll be a year from now; all these things seem so small in comparison. Who would have thought that watching my life completely fall apart would be such a liberating experience?
Having been through all of this, I’ve also found that I am more grateful than ever for the good times and the great people in my life. I’d like to take this moment to thank some of those who have been instrumental in making me who I am. First, my mom and dad, who tirelessly support me regardless of how crazy my plans may seem. My sister, who encouraged me to complete my grad school applications when I felt like giving up. Claudia and Luke, who I carry with me every day of my life; I honestly don’t know who I would be if I hadn’t met them. Christian and Andrew, who challenged me to confront Christianity head-on, using all the intellectual tools I could muster. Nick and Dean, who have been my constant companions during my time in Berkeley; they have been more important to me than anything else that’s happened in grad school. Thanks to Verena for all the phone conversations we’ve had in the past three years. And thanks to everyone I’ve been bicycling with (you know who you are). We’ve shared experiences that most people only dream of.
I am grateful for all of you, and I pray that you will continue to love and support lots of other people, just as you have done with me.
See you soon!
Report from Matagalpa
I’m leaving Matagalpa today, and while I’m really excited to come back to the States, I’m really sad to leave this place. Matagalpa is easily the best city I’ve been to in Nicaragua, and if an interesting research project were available, it would be easy to spend a year here. Let me tell you about a few of the things that I like about it. The weather here is beautiful, much like that of Southern California. It’s also way up in the mountains, so there are great places for hiking and biking. Matagalpa has several universities, so there are lots of young people and an amazing nightlife. There’s a sign in town that captures the local scene nicely: “Las mujeres mas lindas de Nicaragua están en Matagalpa y dan amor verdadero.”
That being said, let me tell you about my time here. I worked with Matagalpa Tours, and my primary responsibility was translating their website from Spanish to English-- it should be up shortly (http://www.matagalpatours.com/). I also lived with a really nice host family, and their oldest son Guillermo was fun to hang out with. Since he is 20 years old and 100 percent hormones, we went out drinking and dancing a lot. While this is not my usual scene, it worked out well for a number of reasons. First, since I was without my bicycle, I had no reason to go to bed early and get up early. Second, since I didn’t know anyone when I arrived, I relished the opportunity to meet new people. Third, since my Spanish skills are not up to the task of having deep philosophical discussions, I fit in just fine at the discos and bars, where it’s perfectly acceptable to have superficial conversations.
I will relate one story here that says a lot about what it’s like to be a gringo in Nicaragua. During my first week here, I went out dancing with Guillermo and two of his lady friends, one of whom had just been in the Miss Nicaragua contest the night before. That weekend was the Fiesta de Oro in Matagalpa, so the city transformed one of its buildings into a giant dance club. When we arrived, I couldn’t believe my eyes—it felt like we had just stepped into an MTV video. Reggaeton was blasting from the speakers, platform dancers were strutting their stuff, and a mass of humanity was grinding on the dance floor. After a few songs and a few beers, we were swept into the mix.
I had a blast with Guillermo’s friends, but as the night wound down to a close, I had a very odd conversation with Carla. We were talking about what we wanted to do the next day when she asked, “Why don’t we rent a car and drive to Selva Negra tomorrow?” Now while this followed the script of every adolescent male fantasy, it really caught me off guard. First, it is really uncommon to rent cars in Nicaragua-- it is quite expensive, and it was obvious that she was expecting me to pay. Second, it’s super easy to get to Selva Negra by bus and costs less than a dollar. After asking her several times to make sure that I had understood her correctly, I told her this, and a long, awkward silence ensued. Then it occurred to me, “This is exactly how stereotypes get perpetuated—“Rich gringo goes out with beautiful, young Nicaraguan girl for weekend of fun.” There was no way I wanted to go down this road, because there was no way that it could possibly turn out well. So we took her home, I felt really bad about the situation for a day, then everything smoothed itself out. And I was a little bit wiser.
But the evening did not actually end there. We went back to the disco for a few more songs, and when we got in, they were playing head banger music. Guillermo jumped into the mosh pit, but Joselin and I held back. In less than 60 seconds, Guillermo came rushing back, his mouth and throat covered in blood. We didn’t know if his nose was broken, his teeth were knocked out, or what had happened. He yanked his shirt off to keep it from getting bloody, and we ran out of the building to look for a taxi to take us to the hospital. Little wonder that nobody wanted to pick us up, since with his cornrows, big silver chain, and blood all over him, it looked like he had been in a gang fight. But miraculously, his cousin showed up in his pickup truck and whisked us to the hospital. The doctor checked him out, cleaned him up, and told us he’d be okay. He didn’t need any stitches, but he had a big fat lip for the next three days. His mother was certain that he had been in a fight, but I assured her that it wasn’t nearly as cool as that—somebody in the mosh pit had accidentally bashed his mouth with the back of their head. Nothing to brag about, really. But it sure makes for a good story...
That being said, let me tell you about my time here. I worked with Matagalpa Tours, and my primary responsibility was translating their website from Spanish to English-- it should be up shortly (http://www.matagalpatours.com/). I also lived with a really nice host family, and their oldest son Guillermo was fun to hang out with. Since he is 20 years old and 100 percent hormones, we went out drinking and dancing a lot. While this is not my usual scene, it worked out well for a number of reasons. First, since I was without my bicycle, I had no reason to go to bed early and get up early. Second, since I didn’t know anyone when I arrived, I relished the opportunity to meet new people. Third, since my Spanish skills are not up to the task of having deep philosophical discussions, I fit in just fine at the discos and bars, where it’s perfectly acceptable to have superficial conversations.
I will relate one story here that says a lot about what it’s like to be a gringo in Nicaragua. During my first week here, I went out dancing with Guillermo and two of his lady friends, one of whom had just been in the Miss Nicaragua contest the night before. That weekend was the Fiesta de Oro in Matagalpa, so the city transformed one of its buildings into a giant dance club. When we arrived, I couldn’t believe my eyes—it felt like we had just stepped into an MTV video. Reggaeton was blasting from the speakers, platform dancers were strutting their stuff, and a mass of humanity was grinding on the dance floor. After a few songs and a few beers, we were swept into the mix.
I had a blast with Guillermo’s friends, but as the night wound down to a close, I had a very odd conversation with Carla. We were talking about what we wanted to do the next day when she asked, “Why don’t we rent a car and drive to Selva Negra tomorrow?” Now while this followed the script of every adolescent male fantasy, it really caught me off guard. First, it is really uncommon to rent cars in Nicaragua-- it is quite expensive, and it was obvious that she was expecting me to pay. Second, it’s super easy to get to Selva Negra by bus and costs less than a dollar. After asking her several times to make sure that I had understood her correctly, I told her this, and a long, awkward silence ensued. Then it occurred to me, “This is exactly how stereotypes get perpetuated—“Rich gringo goes out with beautiful, young Nicaraguan girl for weekend of fun.” There was no way I wanted to go down this road, because there was no way that it could possibly turn out well. So we took her home, I felt really bad about the situation for a day, then everything smoothed itself out. And I was a little bit wiser.
But the evening did not actually end there. We went back to the disco for a few more songs, and when we got in, they were playing head banger music. Guillermo jumped into the mosh pit, but Joselin and I held back. In less than 60 seconds, Guillermo came rushing back, his mouth and throat covered in blood. We didn’t know if his nose was broken, his teeth were knocked out, or what had happened. He yanked his shirt off to keep it from getting bloody, and we ran out of the building to look for a taxi to take us to the hospital. Little wonder that nobody wanted to pick us up, since with his cornrows, big silver chain, and blood all over him, it looked like he had been in a gang fight. But miraculously, his cousin showed up in his pickup truck and whisked us to the hospital. The doctor checked him out, cleaned him up, and told us he’d be okay. He didn’t need any stitches, but he had a big fat lip for the next three days. His mother was certain that he had been in a fight, but I assured her that it wasn’t nearly as cool as that—somebody in the mosh pit had accidentally bashed his mouth with the back of their head. Nothing to brag about, really. But it sure makes for a good story...
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