Category Archives: Blog

For a man to help others with all his gifts and native strength:
that is the noblest work.

— Oedipus the King, Sophocles

I love teaching–it’s the greatest natural high I know. Watching my students in Beirut act out Oedipus the King yesterday filled me with such joy–and deepened my gratitude for the transformative power of theatre and performance. My students’ new appreciation of Greek tragedy and Freud is adding further fuel to my passion for the creative possibilities of providing a liberal arts education abroad…

FATE

Fate: but not as in Greek tragedy
where you carry it inside
where it’s written in your eyes.
Fate like rain: a branch fallen
right in front of you,
pointing to the graveyard;
a blow of a hammer, a rendezvous of two rockets,
a bloated stupidity of chance,
of victory of body over spirit,
victory of a player over the throw of dice…

— Sylva Fischerová

Every war and every conflict between human beings
has happened because of some disagreement about names.

It is such an unnecessary foolishness,
because just beyond the arguing
there is a long table of companionship
set and waiting for us to sit down…

— Rumi, as translated by Coleman Barks

Here’s a fun new piece of Egyptomania, from the talented artist Haleh. Note the intriguing inclusion of “modern-day” hieroglyphs painted on the coffin…

Earlier today, Afghanistan’s new president, Ashraf Ghani (who met his wife while studying at the American University of Beirut) vowed in his victory speech to promote women to more prominent positions in the government, including the Supreme Court–since women are important to the country’s future…

The Slavic and East European Film Series at Columbia University presents:

FROM THE EAST
Tuesday, September 30, 2014, 8:10 PM
Columbia University
963 Schermerhorn Hall (Extension)

This experimental documentary is a compendium of striking images of Eastern Europe and its citizens in transition, following the collapse of the so-called Cold War. Places as diverse as Baltic beaches, and Moscow’s snow-covered streets vie for attention along with the citizens of these places as they wait in lines, march in military formation, or stand idle in the waiting rooms of train stations. There is no narration, and no clear point (except the idea of transitions) is indicated by the beautifully chosen, enigmatic imagery. Indeed, there is not even much musical accompaniment. Fans of director Chantal Akerman’s aggressively “non-commercial” work are likelier to find this film more appealing than the average viewer will. (Clarke Fountain, Rovi)

Free and open to the public. There will be pizza! All films are shown with English subtitles.

Wanderer, your footsteps are
the road, and nothing more;
wanderer, there is no road,
the road is made by walking.
By walking one makes the road,
and upon glancing behind
one sees the path
that never will be trod again…

— Antonio Machado