I do love the archives

Today was my third morning working in the national archives here, and was again successful. After remembering my manners and etiquette, I found things much, much easier, and more comfortable. It may be that I love the archives because there, I know what I'm doing, and I have a limited number of things to absorb. It's also exciting to move forward with my work, even incrementally, and to see how another archive functions. But today, looking through some early 20th-century books that were in surprisingly good condition (the stacks aren't climate controlled, though the research room is), it was more than just comfort or capability...I am excited about my project, where it could go. That it could actually go somewhere!

I also met a wonderful German woman, Cecilia, who is also working on German documents and settler stuff. It's a small research room, and we noticed that we were looking at the same guides. She's a total inspiration - currently living in Cairo where her husband works in some sort of development bank, but with a Ph.D and very interesting and independent-minded. I now have a slew of people to contact in Germany, and a much stiffer backbone about living my life and doing my work.

It is easy, and some of you have heard me talk about this, to feel like there is no way to both live life and be a grad student -- something has to give, someone is always working harder than you, or has better ideas. The competition is rough, and the institutions are operating on a system that was good 50 years ago (mostly). Cecilia, like my advisors, has really done things in a good way, and it sounds like she has a good life, too. I feel like my family will read this and think I'm talking about marriage and babies and such, as = "good life." That's part of it, sure, and her husband sounds like he has a great job, and her kids _wanted_ to move back to Africa. But it's also really wonderful to see someone doing reputable work and carrying it off with style and energy. Living in Cairo and Nairobi might not be the thing for me (and I can hear the sighs of relief already), but our coffee break today added a generous amount of buoyancy to my day. It is worth it to work hard when you can try to do so on your own terms...or at least be aiming for a point when you can do so on your own terms.

Other than that, I'm now one of those people running around for meetings and meetings - tomorrow will be very busy, and I may even attempt a mini-bus to the university to meet a professor. My Swahili lessons have had to take a backseat, but I am also getting more comfortable talking. This morning's triumph was meeting a nice French couple on their honeymoon and helping them buy a phone card, and talking to three different people. I take any small victories I can.

In any case, off now to price flights for Kolz and I and our grand adventure...only one more week on my own!