Tag Archives: Libya

We all start by laughing at the Don…Book Discussions-2014-Part II

As a preview to the year end meeting of our Reading Group in Tripoli we discuss the narrative devices of Don Quixote by Cervantes. In the context of -Management Challenges of 21st century, in post 2011 Arab spring countries, one can learn a lot from these narratives.

The Reading group has helped us shape perspective, enrich our lives through many discussions of local contexts. It has also helped me evolve a Reading journal, which helps to keep in touch with friends and family around the world… There was something comical, something tragic about him. In some way, each worker in a foreign land faces these issues in some ways, issues of renewal of contract-visa, of money transfers, or getting their gratuity.

Orders and declarations signed, but not followed up by concrete action.

Or to put it in perspective of Don Quixote- the great influential work of Cervantes as Professor Shippey concluded in his lecture.

“We all start by laughing at the Don, we end by recognizing ourselves in him.” Continue reading

Posted in life | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

MITIGA

The everyday history of immigrants and locals gives different flavors of life in the same place. The Italian families who stayed here in the 19th and earlier part of 20th century have a different orientation than the military families staying at the Wheelus Air Base in 1950s/60s. The local Arabs have a different orientation over generations Continue reading

Posted in Diary, Everyday History, Tripoli Reading Group | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

To those of us who have everything and those of us who have nothing

Did one more last interview with Dr.Singh.
“Don’t say you understand situation here. No one understands the situation here,” he said, paraphrasing Abu Shafshoofa
Continue reading

Posted in life, Tripoli Reading Group | Tagged , , | Leave a comment