Category: Culture

Everything cultural that interests me: music, reading, science, arts in general, news, photography…

Life [en]

For any of you who were wondering, we made it home to Switzerland safely last night. Bagha was waiting for me, plump and hungry, and the temperature was so hot (even at 3:30 am!) that sleeping was near to impossible.

I’m deep in the Hitchhicker’s Guide to the Galaxy, and wondering how I managed to live so long without reading it.

Afghanistan [en]

Like I had, you have probably heard of the sad plight of women in Afghanistan under the Taliban fundamentalist gouvernment. They are not allowed to study or work. They are not allowed outside unaccompanied. They are deprived many rights we take for granted, even in the poorest countries.

Their fate is probably an abstract problem for you, a sad situation over which you have no hold, somewhere in a distant part of the world. At least, that’s how I saw it before I read an article in Marie Claire: Women Risking Their Lives for Education. I had received the email petition and dismissed it, as one should do with email petitions, but I just hadn’t realized how serious the situation was. And most of all, I hadn’t realized there was anything one could do about it.

RAWA is an underground organisation of Afghan women who fight for human rights and social justice in Afghanistan, amongst other things by providing education to girls. Their website provides information about RAWA’s social activities as well as an overview of the situation of Afghan women. You can also see some of the restrictions they suffer, as well as a frighteningly long list of links to individual stories. Of course, there is a photo gallery, but I haven’t had the courage to explore it.

Last but not least, they provide a very detailed page about how we can help them. They have published a booklet which one can sell or distribute, and are presently trying to re-open a hospital in neighbouring Pakistan. It is possible to specify for which purpose a donation is being made (web-based payment possible via PayPal).

Life [en]

In Switzerland, I would go simply everywhere with Cali. In rare cases, she would wait for me in the car, or tied up in front of the library. I took her in restaurants, went shopping for clothes with her, and she was even accepted in two of my university classes.

In England, you aren’t expected to go into town with your dog. The only ones around are those which inevitably accompany marginal people. I understood this yesterday when we went out for a walk/shop/coffee in Birmingham New Street.

We were asked to take her out of the coffee shop we had sat in, after our drinks had arrived. We were asked to take her out of the shopping mall, after we had been in there for an hour. No where did I see a sign forbidding dogs – I really had to look for it. Dogs aren’t allowed loose in the park. They aren’t really supposed to be on the university grounds, either.

Switzerland must be dog-owner’s paradise.

Photos II [en]

Les photos n’ont pas de langue, même si les commentaires sont en anglais! J’ai bien bossé ces derniers jours, et j’ai le plaisir de vous présenter les nouvelles galeries suivantes:

  • Markal: un village indien dans lequel j’ai assisté à  une journée de rassemblement religieux auquel participait mon ami Shinde.
  • Akirno: une mignonne petite frimousse pleine de vie, qui a contribué à  égayer mon séjour en inde.
  • Fleurs: au gré des promenades, quelques fleurs rencontrées.

Photos I [en]

Here we are! the photos section has been revamped, with addition of two new galleries: flowers and Akirno.

The new design still breaks in IE5Mac – do let me know if you have any suggestions!

Munchausen [en]

If the Kaycee fiasco raised your interest about cyberpathology, here is a very interesting article on cybersickness (exploring Munchausen and its consequences).