happiness and a book group

"If the relationship between money and well-being is complicated, the correspondence between personal relationships and happiness is not. The daily activities most associated with happiness are sex, socializing after work and having dinner with others. The daily activity most injurious to happiness is commuting. According to one study, joining a group that meets even just once a month produces the same happiness gain as doubling your income."

from a David Brook's editorial in New York Times last spring

As I am anticipating the first meeting of the English language book group this Monday, this quote has me reflecting on why I enjoy the group so much. Really, double my income? It is also the diversity of experiences and opinions of the members, reading books I might not otherwise, and good food.  


We are reading "Collapse" by Jared Diamond--I've passed on my copy to new teacher who is joining the group--so I started next month's selection "Sea of Poppies" by Amitav Ghosh, it is even better than "The Hungry Tide".  What is your book group reading?

my European summer vacation

The hardest part about leaving the states was saying goodbye to my kids. My visit with them in Brooklyn--yes, they are both living in Brooklyn--was way too short. Here we are outside the restaurant where we had dinner with Jacob, Lakshmi, Emily and Dick.

Josh and Johanna drove me to Boston the day of my flight to Paris. It was the hottest day of the summer that day. I was so grateful for the ride--I can't image how I would have managed suitcases on the bus and then to the airport.

First stop Paris--I visited the newest museum in Paris, Musee d'Quai Branley, selected as the best museum in France--it has only been open for four years. Wonderful new building--very green. As you can see, it is near the Eiffel tower.

I rented a bike--very easy and convenient--and loved biking around--the weather was perfect--and the city really beautiful. I think it is more beautiful each time I visit.

I asked someone to take a picture of me in the Luxembourg garden by the little statue of liberty. Oh, the freedom of biking.

I had to take this picture of the plaque on the footbridge over the Seine, commemorating Leopold Sedor Senghor, the first president of Senegal.

Took the overnight train to Madrid--the last time I was in Madrid was March, 1971, on my way to Morocco, to visit Johanna. Franco was still in power at the time. What a change!!! The city is so clean and metro is the best. Spent a day walking around the city seeing the sights.

This statue of a horse on hind legs was the first one in that pose. The sculptor was having some difficulty getting it to balance so he asked his Italian friend Leonardo Da Vinci to help him with the calculations.

This building is now the Italian Cultural Center, but during the Spanish civil war it was the headquarters for the International Brigade.

I took a day trip to Segovia, about an hour from Madrid. I took this picture in a park--of kids playing soccer. While I was in Spain, they won the world cup in Soccer. Segovia is a very picturesque town, with a famous aquaduct, castle (photo not included) and an old Jewish quarter. This town was known for it tolerance--until King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella expelled the Jews and Muslims from Spain in 1492.

Spent a week in a little village north of Madrid.  We stopped in Medinaceli for lunch on our way to Valdelavilla.

Medinaceli had Roman mosaics from the 2nd century.   It had also been a Muslim town in the 9th century.

In Barcelona, rented bike again, and discovered this interesting exhibit about the repression and resistance to Franco.  After coming across the map of the exhibits--black and white photos of events--displayed where event had taken place--I biked around the city to see all of the displays. 

Took the train to Avignon--here is the palace of the popes, and the famous bridge--where one dances. There was a theater festival going on while I was there.  There were free performances in the courtyard at the palace.

Stayed and visited with Angel's family there, mother and father, two brothers, one sister-in-law and newest neice.  Angel was right when she told me that I would like her mother.  Even though we did not have a common language we communicated from the heart--her family could not have been nicer to me.  Her mother's baclava is to die for. 

I took the train everywhere.  From Avignon I travelled to Strasbourg--passing through the area where I had lived when I was a student on my year abroad, Becanson.  Continued on to Berlin, where I stayed with Teddi's son, Aki.  He knew just where to take me, like the gourmet food section of the largest department store in Europe--if not the world.  Rented a bike--did a lot of great sightseeing--including the required Checkpoint Charlie.

Copenhagen was terrific, stayed with my cousin, Kirsten. Ironically I did not rent a bike, as she takes buses and trains everywhere.  The city is just building its metro.  The picture of bike parking is just a small part of this bike parking lot.  Kirsten and I when out to dinner with her daughter Natalie and granddaughter.   We also when to her summer house and spent a couple of nights there.  

Outside the Art Museum in Skagen was this hook in the wall to attach your dog's leash--Anne Grete said the little dog symbol was to inform people not to place their bikes there. 

Skagen is also so beautiful--it reminds me so much of cape cod--I think the landscape must be in my DNA.  This is the famous church in the sand.  The church was covered with sand--and after years of trying to keep the sand out--they gave up--only the tower is left exposed. 

From Denmark I took a ferry across to Goteborg, Sweden to meet up with Carol, a colleague from the HILL, to attend the OMEP World Congress (on early childhood education).

I felt sorry for the Muslims who are in Sweden as Ramadan started while I was there in mid-August.  I don't think that Muhammad foresaw Muslims living so far north--during Ramadan they have to fast during the day--from sun up to sun down--and the days are very long during the summer. 

Return to Dakar

After a summer of travel--3.5 weeks in US in June/early July and then until mid-August, I toured Europe. I arrived back in Dakar August 15th. While I was away, the school moved me into a new apartment--Martine had cleaned and set up almost everything for me. The most painless move of my life! The new place is great, the year is off to a good start with the kids, enjoying the new hires at the same time, I am missing those who have moved on to new jobs in new places.

It is only 3 weeks into the school year, and we have a long weekend (Friday was the end of Ramadan, the holiday here is called Korite) and we have professional development Monday and Tuesday.