Lise's Lens: November 21, 2024
I recently returned from a visit to Mexico where I was able to enjoy a book by Mexican author Sofía Segovia, utilize my Spanish language skills, and visit a few world class museums. I had a wonderful time visiting schools and making new connections for CSW, but I am also very glad to be home and back on campus again!
WHAT I’M READING
- I figured since I was headed to Mexico it was a great time to read The Murmur of Bees (El murmullo de las abejas) by Sofía Segovia, which I had eyed the week before in the CSW library. The backdrop of this beautifully written book is the Mexican Civil War. The details of the setting and character development mix nicely with light elements of fantasy, particularly with the character named Simonopio. Found disfigured and enveloped by a swarm of bees by the character Nana Reja, Simonopio is believed by many in the town to have been sent by the devil. But Nana Reja and the Morales family embrace him and raise him. As he grows, he continues his relationship with the bees and develops the mystical ability to sense what is going to happen, both good and bad. All of this is backdropped by the trials and tribulations of the Morales family. Mix in the plague of 1918, and you have a great story. I won’t share the ending!
WHAT I’M THINKING/TALKING ABOUT
- When I was in high school and college, I wanted to learn as many languages as possible. I felt determined that one day, I would be able to leave my small island to see the places listed on all the stamps I collected. And there was no google translate back then, so I decided I’d better learn a few languages to aid me in my travels. I loved Latin, so that was a big help in learning Romance languages, something which I did in college, perfecting my Spanish and learning Portuguese. My bit of German was self taught, and then my language learning stopped. Fast forward to this past month when I’ve had the great fortune of traveling to Brazil and Mexico and immersing myself in both Portuguese and Spanish. Being able to speak the language and understand the chatter around me and connect directly is priceless. It reminds me of this quote by Frantz Fanon: “To speak a language is to take on a world, a culture.” I know we have many students at CSW who plunge into language learning with gusto just so that they can do exactly that — broaden their horizons and take on the world!
WHAT I'M WATCHING/LISTENING TO
- A Ted Talk about Louisiana’s Coastal Erosion and an incredible idea from an engineering student who wanted to address the issue of erosion and the excess of glass bottles humans have created, many of which end up in landfills. It’s a cool way of solving two problems with one solution. Take a listen to Franziska Trautmann as she shares how “climate apathy might be worse than climate denial.” It’s the equation of hope and action that equals a better future!
WHAT CAUGHT MY EYE
Let me tell you, they really know how to run a quality museum here in Mexico! I was blown away by the Museo de Antropología in Mexico City. I could have spent hours wandering these halls.
More News from CSW
List of 5 news stories.
CSW—a gender-inclusive day and boarding school for grades 9-12—is a national leader in progressive education. We live out our values of inquiry-based learning, student agency, and embracing diverse perspectives in every aspect of our student experience. Young people come to CSW to learn how to learn and then put what they learn into action—essential skills they carry into their futures as doers, makers, innovators, leaders, and exceptional humans who do meaningful work in the world.