Mum recently told me a story about growing rice at Christmas. The details are fuzzy, but she remembered that normally about three weeks before the blessed event, padi seeds would be set into a small cereal bowl size ceramic container containing a bit of earth and water. There were no decorations, no songs, no presents 'neath the grass. She recalls it smelling "funny," likely due to the stagnant water but what happened after Christmas to the plant is a mystery. If anyone has any stories or images to share about this please post a comment or message me.
2011 has been a productive and exciting year for me. I narrowed down my focus for my research work. I finished the course component of the first year of the PhD program on time (including a mad writing session in an Athens hotel room to get my last paper handed in on time). I took a whirlwind trip to Europe and spent time with dear friends and family I hadn't seen in about seven years. I finally made it to Macedonia and it was well worth the wait! I now think of it as the "Switzerland of the Balkans" or "Slavizerland"; mountains, plains, beaches, ancient history, communism, vibrant underground scene, great coffee and unbelievably delicious walnut pastries!
The summer spent in Guyana interning with the Guyana Rice Development Board was a fantastic opportunity to meet many lovely people that hopefully I'll meet again and work with in the near future. I learned the basics of rice farming and I'm excited to implement that knowledge in a practical way when I return this year! I've tossed out about four pens marking lots of papers and essays for my two great groups of fall term "introduction to anthropology students." I started this blog (!) and realized it's not that complicated of a technical process and wrote (what I hope !) is a decent report about Extension Education in Guyana.
I'm excited for 2012 as the year when my comprehensive examinations will be painlessly successful and I can get back in the field!
I wish you all a very happy and productive new year!
PS We did try getting some padi to germinate to recreate this tradition but unfortunately, nada. I suspect it's been far to cold with not enough sunshine. I'll have to set some up under a halogen bulb and hopefully that will recreate the heat of the equatorial sun!
2011 has been a productive and exciting year for me. I narrowed down my focus for my research work. I finished the course component of the first year of the PhD program on time (including a mad writing session in an Athens hotel room to get my last paper handed in on time). I took a whirlwind trip to Europe and spent time with dear friends and family I hadn't seen in about seven years. I finally made it to Macedonia and it was well worth the wait! I now think of it as the "Switzerland of the Balkans" or "Slavizerland"; mountains, plains, beaches, ancient history, communism, vibrant underground scene, great coffee and unbelievably delicious walnut pastries!
The summer spent in Guyana interning with the Guyana Rice Development Board was a fantastic opportunity to meet many lovely people that hopefully I'll meet again and work with in the near future. I learned the basics of rice farming and I'm excited to implement that knowledge in a practical way when I return this year! I've tossed out about four pens marking lots of papers and essays for my two great groups of fall term "introduction to anthropology students." I started this blog (!) and realized it's not that complicated of a technical process and wrote (what I hope !) is a decent report about Extension Education in Guyana.
I'm excited for 2012 as the year when my comprehensive examinations will be painlessly successful and I can get back in the field!
I wish you all a very happy and productive new year!
PS We did try getting some padi to germinate to recreate this tradition but unfortunately, nada. I suspect it's been far to cold with not enough sunshine. I'll have to set some up under a halogen bulb and hopefully that will recreate the heat of the equatorial sun!
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