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Comments from Readers & Visitors:
About
First Four Days In India:
-
"Just wanted to say I really
enjoyed your description of your first days in India and at the English
school. As always, it's a chance for me to escape my presently predictable
and routine life here in Renton. It sounds like you are learning much more
than how to teach English more effectively, but how to negotiate all the
pitfalls in dealing with bureaucracies in various cultures. I guess ours
seems like a cakewalk by comparison!" - Sandy in Renton, WA
-
"Today, I finally got the
opportunity to read your journal. I really enjoyed it! As always, you have
been amazingly generous in sharing your experience, and selfless in taking
the time to reveal your knowledge and learning. It is uplifting writing, a
record of meaningful thoughts, ideas and interpretations. I also like the
way you describe your days in details: it gives us a more complete and
vivid picture of what you are experiencing. Reading your journal was like
an escapade... I am particularly interested in the teaching techniques you
are learning. Your answers, for the homework, were relevant and coherent.
I am looking forward to reading more from you." -
Myriam in Casablanca, Morocco
-
"As always, very
interesting, Joel. I particularly like the part about The Stranger, which
I've taught five times already. this time, the fifth, is the first time
I've really gotten a grasp on the philosophy behind Camus' story... which
I think corroborates your attitude with a lot of the absurd situations you
write about, that at the end Meursault gives himself up to the "gentle
indifference of the world" and he realizes that he is happy and he has
always been happy." - Marisa, from Seattle, WA
-
"Reading your last journal,
I thought three things: 1) I need to save this and use it as a handy
reference document in the event that I return to teaching ESL abroad
someday. 2) The next time I send you a care package, filled as it may be
with CD's, reading materials and/or desired hippie dry goods, I need not
mail you any ginkgo biloba or any other such memory-enhancing
supplements. Your ability to retain, process and concisely interpret a
jaw-dropping amount of input on what little sleep I presume you've been
getting is wondrous. 3) This is one of those times when I long to hear
rather than read the words put before me. Your interactions over the
course of those four days last week makes for very dynamic storytelling;
no doubt you'll be setting aside some choice paragraphs for public reading
on one of your future book tours. And I will happily pay a week's salary
for a ticket to see you on that tour if it affords me a chance to look at
your face, to note your pauses and how you inflect your voice, when you
read them. I don't know if I've told you this before, but whenever I
remember you, it almost always begins with your sense of humor. You are as
hilarious as you are reflective and impassioned, and to transmute what
must have been passing through your mind as you were following your
roommate through that crowded supermarket, or as you diplomatically dealt
with your classmate and the program director - well, that's why you're the
writer. What a wonderful thing it must be to be able to make someone ache
as much for your silence as they do for your words."
- Lyana in New York, NY
About An
Unintentional Target:
-
"What a powerful piece. In
fact, it is the best piece I've ever read of yours... Good luck with
selling this one, it is definitely insightful." - Brie in Nizwa, Oman
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"Thanks for sending this.
Will it be printed anywhere? If not, I recommend you submit it to
Opendemocracy.com, at least. It should be read by as many people as
possible and I’m sure the site’s editors will post it. Your descriptions
were particularly vivid, by the way - how you communicate the
desperation and squalor in the slum where the men lived is completely
transportive. And I don’t think you’ve sent me anything before that’s
made me feel so sad. Perhaps it’s how you phrase it, but your
interpretation of Raydi’s death reinforces my belief that hope and
despair are two sides of the same feeling, and that nothing amplifies
hope and despair so much as religion. My favorite teacher, Ani Pema
Chodron, says that theism is an addiction. You relinquish your authority
to something outside yourself and then ordain it with the ability to
offer you deliverance from this life. But how else to survive the
conditions you describe in Raydi’s and Khoudri’s lives without some
expectation that things will get better, if not in this life then in
another?
And as I sit here and type
this, that familiar sinking feeling comes over me. It’s easy to
surrender hope and embrace the groundlessness that the Buddhists
advocate from my cozy little bedroom. We’re all complicit in that death
you write about, those of us who sit out here. My friend John
Stinchfield wrote me this recently: "We are so arrogant, so mired in
imperial delusion, and yet so bored ourselves, sated not with a
demagogue's words as Venezuelans are or soon will be, but our own
soporific bread and circuses: null-content politicians, sparring
celebrities, sporting contests full of violence, none of any more import
or consequence than the feud between the Blues and the Greens at the
Hippodrome." - Lyana in New York, NY
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"Thanks for the piece you
sent to me. I really appreciated how you tackled the incident. The
tragedy has been introduced in the Moroccan media in a variety of ways
based on the political and ideological grounds of those who tried to
cover it- biased accounts were inevitable. I found your piece objective
as well as comprehensive. It provides logically real reasons (despair,
ideology and political powerlessness) that might have driven the two
illiterate men to commit their disgraceful horrible crime, which can
never be justified no matter what their motives were. Such a concise
analysis of the phenomena - terrorism - will hopefully lead to finding
the keys to how it could be cured." - Abdeljalil in Casablanca,
Morocco
About
Ashura: A Time for
Witchcraft, Gift-Giving and Murder:
-
"I just want to compliment you on this piece of very informative,
great writing! I never thought much about the possibility of witchcraft
inside Islamic culture, but Morocco is a part of Africa. Much of what you
described was similar to what I experienced while I was living in Bahia,
Brazil, where the African influences are still strong." - Sandy in
Seattle, WA
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"The practice you describe here was distressing to see and
read about. Surprisingly, it was also very familiar. Growing up, I saw
unsightly splotches on the streets of my neighborhood all the time -
mostly flattened bird carcasses and smashed coconuts used in casting Santería spells. My own grandmother used to breed white bull pigeons in
a coop in her backyard and sell them to the local botánica to be used
for this purpose. And while I never witnessed any rituals - or evidence
of them containing anything more sinister than the remnants of birds and
coconuts - the rumors of abacuá-linked "disappearances" in both Little
and Old Havana abound.
Maybe it's because Santería was so commonplace growing up that I never
stopped to consider the reasons for its popularity before reading this.
Just like in Morocco, most people in my hometown believe in some sort of
witchcraft even when they say they don't, and little signs of it are
always around (David recently bought a Babalú-Aye votive candle for my
apartment in mock homage to my mom). I can't think of better
explanations than the conclusions you've drawn from Myriam's account of
the rituals, and I'll go further and say that you're definitely right on
target, from my perspective. In Miami, we have no 'holy' dates marked by
intended violence, self-inflicted or otherwise, but the fatalistic
attitude you mention prevails. The clearest manifestation of that is the
frustration of exiles who can't understand why Washington hasn't deposed
Fidel after their forty years of protest, especially when so many other
dictators have in a fraction of the time. Maybe that's why one botánica
about a ten-minute walk from my parents' home hosts this lovely piece of
sidewall art: if we can't curse away the virus, then at least we can
numb the lesions." - Lyana in New York, NY
About
Romania journal November 27:
-
“Last week in Ohio was a real eye-opener with respect to the
technological malaise you write about here. Aaron, my cousin’s
girlfriend’s 11-year-old son, spent the greater part of two days blowing
virtual stuff up with the PlayStation in his room. But periodically,
he’d poke his head out to announce that he was bored. 'Very, very
boooooored.' He’d already told me that he hated reading more than
anything, so I asked him what else he enjoyed doing besides playing
video games. I kid you not, he just fell silent.
I finally engaged him by promising to pay him five dollars if he could
make me a piece of 'found art' using nothing but objects lying at the
bottom of his mom’s SUV. It took him roughly an hour, but he put
together a kind of model space station using a piece of Styrofoam, a
plastic ring from a vending machine, two twisty ties, some loose change,
a ball of lint and a piece of cardboard from a carton from White Castle.
This probably sounds ridiculous, but I was glad to part with my money
just to see this kid actually try and use his imagination. It’s
frightening to think what might happen if kids like Aaron were
genuinely, urgently forced to employ a little ingenuity someday. How
would they pull through?
It’s Thursday, so I suppose you’ve had your final children’s lesson. You
probably learned a lot from this particular experience in Romania, and
for that you’re no doubt grateful. Next time we speak, remind me to put
you in touch with Dale Byam, one of Jenny’s and my favorite professors
who taught a class called 'The Actor-Teacher' when we were at NYU. Dale
still mentors Jenny and was instrumental in getting her the job at the
Coalition for Hispanic Family Services in Brooklyn. I believe she
trained directly under Augusto Boal and spent a number of years teaching
English in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Nigeria and a few other African countries
as well.
I suppose it’s no use letting you know that I’m worried about you with
those dogs. So I’ll put a positive spin on it thus: If you get bit,
it’ll be like a hazing ritual which will allow you to have more street
cred with the locals. Of course, I’d just as soon advise you that when
you run into one of these mutts, you simply raise your arms over your
head, jump rhythmically and chant, 'Spare me-my life...' Keep writing,
though I miss your voice.” - Lyana in New York, NY
-
"I'm enjoying your entries very much. The whole dpm thing cracks me
up! But I do worry about those dang dogs hurting you. What a bother.
Perhaps we can get Cesar, the 'dog whisperer' on your case to help.
About technology and pastimes, I agree. Technology is changing how
children grow up with unforeseen consequences. Short attention spans and
decreased frustration tolerance are two side effects I’m seeing in my
work. I wonder about the lack of problem solving skills and
interpersonal skills as well. These are on the increase in
adolescents/young adults and many blame the parents but I wonder about
the loss of interaction with the 'real world' in 'real world time.' It
was oddly refreshing to see my cousin's son and daughter playing an old
'string game' on Thanksgiving. Something I did as a kid and so my
parents and probably their parents too! I'm attaching a photo so you can
see what the heck I'm talking about, though the photo needs a bit of
explanation too. Josh is threading the string through his fingers in a
specific pattern and then Mandy will have to recognize the pattern and
thread her fingers in the string to take it from Josh and change the
pattern. Hope that makes sense.” - Jill in Tampa, FL
-
“Perhaps there is a lot of
creativity that goes into the creation of technology, but it seems to me
that the advent of certain technological 'advances' depletes the
creativity of developing minds. So much for fostering minds to create
the technological advances of the future! I can only hope that it is a
self-depleting system... but more than likely it will just foster
further mechanization deplete of all creativity!” - Amy in Berkeley,
CA
About
Romania Journal
November 22, 2006:
-
“Always remember that
nothing done for children is ever wasted. You are making a difference
whether seen or unseen. 'We can't do great things, but we can do small
things with great love,' Mother Teresa said. I believe it. I admire your
courage and kind, good soul. You are one of the most spiritual and moral
young men I know. Take heart.” - Claudia in Springfield, MO
-
“You’ve written… a lot of
things lately that have inspired me in a grand, sweeping way. By that,
I mean that your words have facilitated the likelihood that one day –
hopefully sooner rather than later - I will act rashly and unexpectedly,
and everyone in my life will balk at my intended course of action. Such
a day has come around two, maybe three times in my life, and each time
I’ve managed not to regret a single transpiration. In fact, you might
say that each one was a major step in the transition from caterpillar to
moth. Currently, I’d like to think of myself as being in the pupa
stage. I’m being perfectly serious.” - Lyana in New York, NY
-
“Egads I love Stephen Colbert. He just cracks me up and provides some
much needed ridicule and levity when it comes to the state of the
nation.
I think I can relate a bit to the dejection you felt after your morning
class. That is the primary reason I never wanted to become a teacher or
a salesperson; I can’t stand trying to convince someone they want
something, whether it be to learn or a product. In counseling, I’ve
learned the hard way to try never to work harder than the client.
Therapy just doesn’t work, and in fact backfires, when the therapist is
trying too hard to get the client to change. Even when the client has
repeatedly said they want to change. But it is so hard to see potential
in someone coupled with a lack of motivation on their part. And it makes
me wonder if I am doing a good enough job for them. That’s the trap, at
least for me. If I think I should just be working harder, 'if only I
were more brilliant' - then I could help them. Then I start working too
hard, they get resistant and back off and pretty soon we’re stuck.
Luckily that doesn’t happen too often any more. I am now more likely to
invite the client into the process and wait for what they give. I now
think I need them to bring in the raw materials for me to work with. If
they bring nothing, not much we can do, sadly. I suppose teaching can be
a bit like that. If your students are to learn, they must come ready and
willing. But your situation is also different. Counseling is voluntary,
being a student isn’t always. Just some thoughts.” - Jill in Tampa,
FL
About
Romania Journal November 15, 2006:
-
"Beautifully written.
Wonderful story. You need to write a book about all of your teaching
experiences around the world. I was really touched by your story. Keep up
the good work." - Patrick in Shanghai, P.R. China
-
"Absolutely lovely, Joel.
The best I've read from you: the most genuinely emotional and
compassionate. You seem to have found your stride." - Marisa in
Seattle, WA
About
The Chicago Marathon:
Reflections of an insomniac marathoner:
-
"I
didn't write back sooner because I'm still pissed at what you wrote.
Peaches is the coolest chick in music and anyone who doesn't think so
cannot be my friend. I saw her at the Showbox not long before I left
Seattle and she put on an extremely entertaining show. Making out with
girls in the audience, spitting fake blood and coolest of all, doing a
"duet" with Iggy Pop. Iggy was projected on a screen and did a dance with
Peaches on stage, singing "Kick It." You can't top that. Ha, just
kidding...I like her music but you can still be my friend." - Tom in
Munich, Germany
-
“I sent
my sister your
Chicago
Marathon story. She loved it. She also ran the marathon so I was
thinking of both of you guys. She also PRed and has qualified for Boston.
She is super happy. I send her all of your running stories. You really
have a great voice and capture the essence of the race and what it feels
like. Definitely keep it up.” - Patrick in Shanghai
-
"Thanks for that Joel.
That's an enjoyable read. It is pretty tough to convey the feelings that
you go through during a marathon but your account is as good as any I've
read. All in all you should be pretty happy with the result on a tough
day." - Ben in Seattle, WA
About Damascus Journal
Dreams and Expectations:
-
"Thank you, Joel. I was
transported to Damascus in [Dreams and Expectations]. Your
introspective chronicling of this one small passage in your journey evoked
all the sights, sounds, smells, touches, and feelings of being there. I
admire your courageous willingness to venture out of comfort and
conforming expectation to "follow your bliss." It is true that the journey
is the joy, not the destination, but that is so hard for the Western mind
to see… I appreciated your references from Zinn and Merton… I went through
a period several years ago in which I read quite a lot of Merton and
Nouwen "It is the reality of personal relationships that saves
everything." I like that. I've often said, less eruditely, of course, that
we save one another in countless ways." - Claudia in Springfield, MO
-
"Joel - I sent your email to
my home address, as I often have more leisurely time to read non-work
email there. I'm glad I did. [Dreams and Expectations] paints a
wonderful picture of your experience, and I really found myself intrigued
by your focus on the question 'what are your dreams' as well as resonating
with that Thomas Merton quote. I used to soak up Merton, but it's been
years since I've recalled that quote. Thank you for sharing this story,
which for me became a reminder about the connection between the personal
and the political." - Debbie in Seattle, WA
-
"[Dreams and Expectations], like many
others, is a great piece. Thanks for conceiving of it and sharing it. Your
talk about how you avoid the slide into routine was inspiring." - Mark in
Minneapolis, MN
-
"Joel, I read
[Dreams and
Expectations] several times. Lately, it's been difficult to find the
time to adequately correspond with people, regardless of the medium… It's
frustrating, because I would like to write - or just call and tell you -
volumes in response to this, but I would need sufficient time to
articulate my thoughts. The questions you ask towards the end of the story
are key; I feel like I've been asking them in similar form myself for a
while now, and they're more pressing than ever… The 'What am I DOING
here?' question always, always plaguing me managed to dampen my spirits to
visible levels for the rest of the evening, and that in turn was met with
advice like, 'Don't let things get you down' and 'We can't all be heroes.'
I agree with the latter statement, but what if you can't even try? If the
"righteousness of the work itself" is the impossible dream, what else is
there? Anyway, this is my favorite of your stories so far. I look forward
to reading future ones with ever-increasing voraciousness." - Lyana in New
York, NY
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"Hello Joel, Thank you for
your fantastic writing on 'Dreams and Expectations'. I gather
from your writing that we are all on a path in life, a journey if you
will, on a sometimes lonely and difficult road where we all have to make
choices. We have to chose not to give up, and keep trying even if we feel
we're not getting anywhere or what we want. We must never lose the dream,
for dreams are what keep us alive!. The places we go and the people we
meet and the few blissed moments we all get are the things to be
remembered and cherished! It might not be exactly what we want, we may get
disappointed and God knows how many times in my life I've been cheated,
hurt, fooled, run down, mistreated, and even ripped off, thrown out,
etc... I still keep my dreams alive; though some days I feel I want to
give up, but then something inside tells me not to, to be a little more
patient and bam, it's like somehow the Universe answers us! I think this
way. Remember the saying " It's not how you win the game, but how you play
it", I finally understand that after many, many years! I hear everything
you're saying; it all makes sense to me. You're a great writer, by the
way! I think it's hard to plan six months in advance. I'm like you I don't
like getting locked into a routine; that's when things become stale and
marriages, too. I think change can be a good thing. Anyway, thanks again
for the great piece--was very uplifting!" - Giselle in Damascus,
Syria
About the Short Story
“Cut”, a collaboration with David
Agasi:
-
"I did finally read
'Cut' and was very
impressed...what I liked best about it was that it seemed to take its time
to unfold...It strikes me that you're both remarkable writers in the same
way - particularly talented at creating some very strong visuals with your
word choices, and that your respective styles in that narrative come
together well enough that I don't believe I'd have been able to tell who
wrote which part. I look forward to what's next." - Lyana in New
York, NY
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"I’ve really enjoyed 'Cut.' It s an inspiring,
poignant and provocative story. Captivating from the beginning to the end
and almost impossible to put down. I’ve read it many times and always with
the same pleasure. But I must say that the first time I read it, it filled
me with sadness. I couldn’t figure out what made me feel this way." -
Myriam in Casablanca, Morocco
About Various Other
Journals, Articles or Short Stories:
-
"Joel, I fucking love this
article! The game turned out to be a particularly good opportunity for you
to showcase your narrative abilities. Now if only I could play Risk with a
group of foreigners so I could see for myself what happens." - Lyana in
New York about Game Night
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"I just finished reading
“Cut” and "Girl on a Train". I loved them both. You
are a truly gifted writer. Are these going to be made into a novel? I
think you told me, but I forget. How very clever to have two separate,
distinct writers. It gives the story such appeal. I couldn't stop reading
either story. Get them out there. They're great." - Dolores in Salt
Lake City:
-
"For whatever it's worth,
I ONLY had so-called "alternative" viewpoints expressed in my history
classes. I was forced to read and recite numerous Howard Zinn textbooks.
Not once from high school forward, did I experience
conservative/traditional coursework.
Come to think if it, as a freshman in college, I remember naively
turning in an essay that had an opposing viewpoint from Zinn. I had
assumed that college was a place for debate and discussion from all
viewpoints. Naturally, I was savaged for it, and received a D. I recall
a comment from the instructor was that only my correct grammar saved me
from an F.
Needless to say, going forward, I just recited Zinn back to my
professors, and received As. Why fight what you can't beat, especially
when it's so easy? Whitey is a butcher. Non-whities are flawless
holistic denizens who were victimized in every way possible. Every
advancement of society came at their expense. Copy and paste for every
essay. Piece of cake!
From my experience, any suggestion that schools aren't giving
alternative historical viewpoints is absurd. I suspect that for most
students, especially those in college, the exact contrary is more
likely." - Paul in Minneapolis about Romania Journal November 28, 2006
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"I tip my hat to you,
MacGyver. Though I guess my wish that you hadn't been harassed by another
underachiever was decidedly unmet. So do I have your permission to tattoo
the following line somewhere on myself? You get to choose the font and
anatomical location, of course: 'I emerged... with a nascent
pugnaciousness welling up like bile in my throat and, with wounded pride,
I mystifyingly longed for more.' Seriously, more than once, you've
displayed a remarkable - and mysterious - ability to verbalize something I
perceive I've just coincidentally been experiencing myself, albeit in a
completely different context. To elaborate on my reasons for saying this
would be to elicit a lot of hackneyed expressions about mundane situations
which you probably don't have the time or desire to read... Thanks for
sharing. - Lyana's comments about Den of Thieves Part II
-
"I have enjoyed reading your
[November 15] Romania
journal. It is a beautiful and touching story, written with heart,
warmth and deeply empathetic. You have wonderfully expressed the beauty of
the human spirit and solidarity. Most people feel compassion for the poor
and those who are suffering, but very few people really take actions, give
their time, energy and creativity to offer solutions. I also loved your
marathon story. I am
happy that your effort, persistence and perseverance to run properly have
been rewarded... Both of your last stories are inspirational and each
contains a good message. You give the reader a chance to emotionally interact...I
really feel and share your enthusiasm, and I hope that you will continue
on this path. I'm so amazed and proud of your contributions and
accomplishments." - Myriam from Casablanca about Romania Journal November 15, 2006 and
The Chicago Marathon:
Reflections of an insomniac marathoner
-
A response to
Revenge of the Camel,
a journal entry from Morocco: "Snorting scalding coffee into one's nasal
passages is not recommended, but a near-unfortunate side-effect of reading
your latest missive. Great story, and you forever have cured me of my
fanciful Valentino-hot desert-seduction-on-the-back-of-a-camel-fantasy.
Thank God for that." - Diana in Minneapolis, MN
-
"Joel,
[Detours,
Improvisations, and the Kindness of Strangers] is such a revealing and
touching story about people, just people, not Americans or Syrians, but
people. I always enjoy reading your "posts" and am wondering if you are
considering having them published. I think it would be good for the world
if you did." - Mary E. in Minneapolis, MN
-
In response to
Mutiny in 3B:
"Your stories floor me every time I read one, and I have to stand back and
admire your command over the travel narrative." - Mark in Seattle, WA
-
"Your stories impact those with whom you share them. Not sure which
strikes me more - your perseverance amidst the struggle, or your sheer
honesty and openness about sharing the experience (struggle, pain,
disappointment, triumph - it all!) Somehow I feel like I have grown
from the experience...simply for having read this! Thanks, once
again, for sharing, Joel --
the Boston marathon and all the other stories you share..." - Amy in
San Francisco, CA
-
"I enjoyed the Moroccan
article in [InsideOut Magazine]. I just spent a month and a half there
so I appreciated the reality of the story. If you can imagine, the hassles
are a million times worse for a female! I vowed that some day I'll write a
story about the real Africa, like your writer did, painting a picture of
real people with real dilemmas like us, not just the polar extremes of
poverty and luxury safaris that we receive in the media. Keep up the good
work." - from an InsideOut Magazine reader
-
"I just finished reading the
'Girl on a Train'. It is
a wonderful, captivating story. I couldn't wait for the the end to find
out what would happen...and I'm still wondering. Thank you for another
rich tale, Joel." - Jill L. in Tampa, FL
-
"All I want to say is that
your writings are just like my window to the world." - Maha in Damascus,
Syria
-
"I was visiting your site
today and my friend, it is truly impressive. I'd read your stuff if I
wasn't already a fan." - Molly M. in San Francisco, CA
-
"If I were a boy and could
write half as well as you do, I would spend the greater part of my days
taking champagne baths with a harem of lovely young ladies." - Lyana in
New York City in response to a review of Jan Jalinek's Tierbeobachtungen
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