rwanda bound

rwanda, a country that I've spent several years thinking about, that I've written hundreds of pages about, a country to which I had never been. until this summer.

while I found out the news of the fellowship that will help send me to rwanda several weeks ago, I am now just comfortable telling others about it. of course, select people found out earlier, but it's taken me some time to be comfortable with the thought myself. now that I'm in the midst of planning the trip and my research while I'm there, I've been forced to become much more comfortable.

the timing of thinking of all of this isn't necessarily the best, as I am about to take on two papers (research and writing) in addition to regular coursework and grading and teaching. nevertheless, this is a great opportunity and, finally, I'll be there.

I'm trying to stay away from all of those thoughts of how important this trip is for future research and how this really is what I'm going to do for a career. right now, it's time to focus on my work and planning.

getting my study on.

another day of spring break, another day of working on my paper. in fact, this has to be the last day of working on this paper, as it is due tomorrow. I'm not super happy about the paper, but I suppose that part of that dissatisfaction is due to the fact that the paper hasn't come about naturally (i.e. the ideas haven't been mulling in my head for that long) and I'm not all that confident in what it is that I'm saying. it certainly is difficult to be 100 percent about something as theoretical as nationalism, let alone nationalism in rwanda, a place that I've yet to travel to.

and now, back to the paper. it's time to finish!