Month: February 2015

Most of my day has been reading the history of development projects in Tanzanian Maasailand in the 20th century (Once Intrepid Warriors by anthropologist Dorothy Hodgeson). It isn’t encouraging, but it is informative. Unfortunately, “development” goals seem to have been almost exclusively determined by the colonial powers, or after independence, by non-Maasai tribes with little regard for the pastoralist way of life. The few Western advocates for the Maasai were often belittled or disregarded. Thus, development has left the Maasai with great mistrust of the government who tax heavily and produce little benefit. All along, they were losing land to European settlers and non-Maasai agriculturalist tribes and cut off from permanent water holes for their cattle. A mostly sad story with just a few glimmers of hope.

I shift my work day based on the weather, so that Anya can get out. We knew we had morning sun from the weather forecast, so we found the thrift store and a few other stores. Anya now has a soccer ball (on sale for $8) to practice her juggling. We walked home as the dark clouds were rolling in.

This evening, Anya was invited to a movie, The Theory of Everything, about Steven Hawking. So she is glad to have a friend to do something with and go to a movie that she was hoping to see. I sent her off with 200 Kroner for the 150 Kroner movie (just under $20, but a good investment in making friends).

In case you’re curious, 26 people viewed yesterday’s blog. I don’t know who or where, but I do know that there seems to be a developing pattern that Sunday is the lowest viewing days with only about 6 readers. I know that this includes the grandparents, so they can keep in touch with Anya’s life.

Back to more Maasai “development” history.

Sunday evening ended with a FaceTime connection with the Tanzanian mission team leaders for our church, Cross of Christ Lutheran, as we continue in preparations for our July return. It is amazing to have the capacity to converse in real time over 9 hours of time zone.

Anya woke with a sore throat, but it seems to have subsided. Her cough is lingering, but is greatly reduced.

I took a walk in the middle of the day to stretch my legs and restock the fridge. My groceries are limited to what I can carry. It was beautiful and sunny, but it has been very windy all day, as the creaks and pops of this old house remind us.

So, most of our day was computer time. Anya with some of her online English class, me with the Maasai chapter. I’m a little concerned that I’m depending too heavily on Spencer’s ethnography, but he is the one who is specifically dealing with powers and Providence in the Maasai worldview. I’m laying things out with an eye to broaden my sources with further readings. I know I can draw upon my Maasai informants once I review the transcripts.

I learned this past summer when Anya was at Norwegian camp and I was laboriously writing on my dissertation that this PhD journey is less proof that I have any significant intelligence, however it does demonstrate that I can withstand the barrage of a thousand self-doubts every day and keep on keeping on. One more day of keeping on!

Anya wasn’t feeling well enough to walk to the bus and travel for 40 minutes to the Stavanger International Church, so we had a bit of a reflection on the names of God for our Sabbath.

I added a nice walk on a beautiful day. There is a cliff nearby, which I see out our southern window. I figured out on Google maps how to get there and explored it. The picture is evidence of my journey and the view  and the beauty of the day. Norway has such a love of the outdoors that any unfenced and untended land is open to the public, even for camping for one day! Beyond one day, you need the permission of the land owner.

On my walk, I moved on and explored the park close by with a frozen pond. There is a gym, swimming pool, several football (soccer) pitches (fields), and the Sandnes Stadium, where the professional football club, the Sandnes Ulf, play (http://www.sandnesulf.no/).

We live across the street from three tall apartment buildings which are part of a senior center. So, I ended my walk on the trail around these buildings, going up over a hill on the west side with another great view from the top.

It sounds like half the town left for winter break to go skiing. This is great skiing time, and people are serious about skiing here. After all, they say that Norwegian mothers give birth to babies with skis on! One of my PhD colleagues was mentioning–incredulously–that his nephew’s friend didn’t have skis. It would be like me being incredulous that one of Anya’s teenage friends doesn’t have a cell phone! No wonder this tiny country of 5.1 million has the most Winter Olympic medals than any other nation! (FYI: The population of Washington State is 7 million and the whole USA is over 320 million.)

WINTER MEDALS			GOLD	SILVER	BRONZE	TOTAL
1	Norway		118	111	100	329
2	United States of America		96	102	83	281
3	USSR		78	57	59	194
4	Germany		76	78	53	207
5	Canada		62	55	53	170

Source: http://www.olympic.it/english/medal/id_winter.htm

The evening ended with an invitation to walk with Tina’s family over to her mother’s home for sweet buns. Her mother, Randi, is the administrator at the Stavanger Cathedral, the oldest cathedral in Norway, completed in 1150!  See more at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stavanger_Cathedral. Randi is also a gracious host, and the sweet buns were wonderful! This is a tradition on the Sunday before Lent starts, enjoying decadent sweetness before the fasting of lent.

It was a cold walk home with a wicked wind, but I had prepared well, remembering my reflective vest for the dark of night.

It’s great that Anya is well enough to be out. Her last fever was on Thursday, and the cough is subsiding. However, Anya had a bought of “cabin fever” and was eager to get out.

On weekdays after 5 (1700, as they use “military time”) and on weekends, up to two adults and three children can travel for free on the bus with a Flexi Pass. So, we were able to travel today at no additional cost.

We took the bus to Kvadrat, the 2nd largest mall in Norway, when a factory was re-purposed. It is large, but not as big as Bellevue Square, and only one rather large store, which was H&M. Here was her favorite find at H&M. She wanted to buy it, but $30 was a bit much for this fake American team.

The mall did have real American Ben & Jerry’s ice cream (at least the brand is American), which Anya was eager to have. With a 2 for 1 Valentine’s Day special, Anya had 2 scoops of ice cream in a waffle cone for $4.60. (That means that typically 1 scoop is that price!)

We checked out several stores and lots of mental notes about where to find things. There was a nice Asian grocery, where we splurged on a lychee juice for Anya and soybean milk for me (like my early days in Hong Kong), at $3 per 12 oz. can! It was a nice time to explore and get out.

In the evening, one of Anya’s friends from school (from her 4 days of attendance last week), invited her to participate in a Fastelavn ritual. We were clueless about what was going on, but Anya came home with birch branches with colorful feathers tied on.

Here’s an explanation from http://mylittlenorway.com/2010/04/norwegian-easter-traditions/

Carnival – Karneval

• In Norway there is a slow run up to the Easter celebrations.  Carnival is the first event and is the Sunday to Tuesday before the fast season.  It is called fastelaven, ‘eve of the fast’.  It is now a children’s celebration with parties and fancy dress costumes in schools and kindergartens.  However, in old Catholic tradition in Norway, before the reformation, carnival was the last feast before Lent.  Carne- vale, meaning ‘meat good-bye’, was a time to indulge before the fast.  People wore masks and costumes and paraded in the street before stuffing themselves silly with rich foods.  However, after Norway became Protestant, the holiday lost its religious meaning.
• Fastelavensboller, (bread buns) are popular to make at this time.  They are traditionally boller with butter and sugar but today it is usual in some places in Norway to have sugar-coated donuts.  In pagan times the Norse put up birch trees inside the house to invite the smell of Spring.  The Norske sanitetsforening, a Norwegian women’s humanitarian organisation founded in 1896, renewed the tradition by selling birch twigs with feathers attached to raise money for their charity.  Nowadays feathered birch twigs are a decorative feature in the Norwegian home.

It was a beautiful day with a warm sun, but especially because Anya was well enough to get out and enjoy it.

Anya was feeling almost well enough to go to school, but I thought she was still coughing too much. This is her school’s last day before their winter break, so it would be a bit out of step, perhaps, to show up for one day after being gone a week, and then school is out for a week. Fortunately, there is no academic pressure for her. We don’t even need to transfer any transcript from her Norwegian semester if it isn’t strategic, as Anya is ahead in earning her high school graduation requirements in Bellevue.

My job today was to get a bank account. So, this was third trip to Danske Bank. On my first attempt, I was told that my residency permit number was not my D-number, and I need a D-number with my passport to open a bank account. So, when the D-number arrived in the post (mail), I went to Danske Bank again with my laptop, as I was told I would need proof of employment. I gave my D-number and showed my laptop with the PDF of my research fellowship stipend. They said they needed a hard copy or I could email it to them, but they didn’t have wifi for customers so I couldn’t email it to them there. I asked if I needed anything else, and they said no. So, I collected my hardcopy from my office at MHS and returned this morning, having filled out the account application form that they provided. When I arrived, they were training a trainee, and so I was the person who helped provide the trainee the opportunity to go through every step and learn the process, including how to make photocopies. Then they returned and asked for a copy of my rental contract. I had it at home but not with me, so I explained that this was my third time here, and last time I asked what else I needed, and she replied that didn’t need anything else. I was just explanatory, but inside frustrated that I would have to walk up the hill and aback in the rain. Fortunately, I had the wherewithal to ask for my D-number form back, as they were holding my original copy.

So, I walked back home up the hill thinking that I couldn’t get the Norwegian residency permit without the rental contract, and the residency permit was required for the D-number, which required the proof of employment. Why don’t they trust the capable Norwegian government to have verified these contracts? Fortunately, the rain had stopped as I was grumbling on the walk up the hill, realizing that this banking ordeal is taking away from my work day today.

At the house, I got my rental contract, but then I thought, I’ll just call Sparebank, which is just down the street from Danske Bank. I called, and while their website does not have an English interface option (Danske Bank does, which is why I originally chose them), their phone tree has a “Press 9 for English.” I was helped on the phone and was told that indeed, I could also get an account for Anya (so she has a debit card). Danske Bank told me that I couldn’t get an account for Anya. Thus, I walked down the hill with all my documentation and went into the Sparebank. I was greeted and within a few minutes walked out of there showing only my passport and D-number!

So, I “voted” with my feet. Now the question is, should I notify Danske Bank that I’m not going to open an account, because it was so easy at Sparebank? I don’t ask this to rub it in their face, but there is that form that I filled out with all my personal data (they even wanted my USA social security number) and was asked to sign it, but then later they asked to see the rental contract. So, do I go back on Monday and get that form back or call to have them destroy it? Or wait and see if they call me and ask why I didn’t return. Or just perhaps, someone will see this form filled out and signed and figure it is OK to go, and I will end up with two bank accounts, which I will realize when a Danske Bank ATM card appears in the post!?!

I stopped at the grocery store and picked up food for a “real” meal and made Persian chicken soup tonight (minus the fresh mint leaves, as I didn’t buy a mint plant). Anya made cupcakes for dessert.

Anya’s Thursday was centered around getting well, which means resting (watching Netflix, braiding hair, a perhaps a little math but no online English course yet).

My Thursday was centered around Knut’s Maasai research project, the prestigious grant from the state of Norway. I took the bus to MHS and joined in the Hebrew reading session, which wasn’t expected of me, but I figured it was good to keep in the Hebrew text. Knut added quite a bit of commentary on textual criticism, which was very informative and filling a gap for me, so I really am glad I participated. We worked through three verses!

The next two hours were discussing Vincent Donovan’s book, Christianity Rediscovered, which is his autobiographical reflections on first-contact evangelism with the Maasai in the Loliondo area in the mid-1960s. The discussion included integration into our PhD projects and other research projects. It was good conversation and gracious challenging to stretch our thinking.

At the end, I asked Knut for his reflections on the PhD defense from yesterday, and if he were her coach, how would he have coached her. There was quite a bit of discussion about the challenges of multi-disciplinary disputations, as you need opponents who can speak to the multiple aspects of the dissertation as there are probably not individuals who are equipped to address them. He gave examples of a dissertation from Oslo that compared the “science of theatre” with liturgical practices, so you needed experts in liturgy and experts in theatre.

The wake up call for me was that Knut suggested that a committee for me and the other Maasai projects could include an anthropologist who has studied the Maasai. This would be interesting, as the typical anthropologist (or at least the stereotype) is pretty antagonistic to religious practitioners who aren’t indigenous. However, I did clarify that there is a report that the committee of opponents writes, which gives a sense of where some or most of the questioning will go in the defense. So, at least I won’t be going in “blind.”

Sidenote: In traditional Norwegian houses, there is a threshold between each room. Not only would this be limiting for a Roomba robotic vacuum cleaner, it would be difficult for those with walkers or wheelchairs. However, none of these are in our life currently. I am glad that I can and I enjoy walking, as I walk to the bus, to the bank, to the store, to the school.

Anya is still at home with fevers continuing. This makes it 6 days of fevers. Not very encouraging. However, the cough has decrease, but not gone. The sore throat is mostly gone. So there are good signs.

She was well enough for me to leave for MHS to observe a disputatio, or defense of a PhD dissertation, which started with a majestic piano procession, though there were no other signs of pomp beyond a bit more formal clothing, such as suit and tie. The German woman (whose name I can’t pronounce) did what seemed to me to be a very good job of fielding challenges and questions with an attitude of explanation–not outright defensiveness but enough confidence to stand by her work–and agreeing at times with the opponents over some limitations. Yes they are called opponents.

Her dissertation compared the moral teachings of Chinese primary school text books (recognizing that they really reflect what the adults want taught) with the narrative ethics appearing in a collection of sermons from 3 churches in Beijing (2 “three-self” churches and 1 house church), which generally serve the young, affluent urban intelligentsia. This seemed a bit obscure when I first heard this, but she did a cogent job of identifying patterns (such as comparing residual Confucian morality) and how this impacts the authentic Chinese voice in urban Chinese Christianity (both strengths and limitations).

Now, this dissertation was 700 pages (!), twice as long as it really should have been. I hear that the committee of these three opponents was not happy about this. There was a couple snickers when opponent #1 stated that in such a voluminous work, surely she could have added a comment about X. I thought it was ironic that in such a long dissertation, many of the comments seemed to be that things should have been added!

So, what does this mean for me?!?

1. I know what to expect when my time comes. I’ve seen one strong representation of how it can be done. I’ll ask Knut more about what he though, and if he was a “coach,” what he would have coached her to do differently. Then, I’ll be better prepared.
2. I heard the type of challenges made and questions that were asked. Knut has already corrected one aspect that he saw in my first draft, so I realize that he is really attuned to strengthening my dissertation. Things that I’m more attuned to are:
   1. Cohesive methodology–especially tying in the theoretical framework. I have Knut’s notes on this too, but I see better what I have to do.
   2. Critique of sources–This is good to analyse, but I might be fortunate here (more below).
   3. Defining terms precisely, to demonstrate how I am using them.
   4. Delimit aggressively, which means being clear what is being left out and why I am leaving it out.

So the subpoints 1-4 above are probably esoteric for most of you, but here’s the most interesting insight for me: Mostly likely, the opponents won’t know the Maasai worldview!!! The German woman had it tough, because 2 of her 3 opponents were Sinology experts–or experts on China. She is a missiologist interfacing with China, but she’s not a Sinologist. So, few will have the same ability to scrutinize my Maasai portrayal like these opponents were able to scrutinize her Confucian portrayal and other themes. I might be fortunate in this matter. However, it means that they will come with questions that will be about what they know, but which might not be at the center of my research.

Once I know who my opponents are, the conventional wisdom is to read lots of their works, so one knows what their perspectives and passions are and how to align with their work, i.e., “I believe this is similar to your enculturation hermeneutic reflected in your ‘Lament in Job 3’ article…”

So, this is probably not exciting for most of you, but I see how Providential it was to see this as I am still early in the writing phase.

The saga of the cough syrup comes to an end tonight. Anya wanted to save the last dose, but her coughing was too intense, and she succumbed to finishing it off. Now, I know that she will try to avoid taking the anise-flavored Norwegian stuff, (and the thyme extract will continue untouched; I wont’ even suggest it!). Fortunately, I found a citrus Fisherman’s Friend throat lozenge that she will tolerate. The menthol in them does help.

She stayed home from school again with some fevers and coughing throughout the day. My email notification to the teacher was returned with consolation that there were only 15 students today out of 27, as the flu has hit almost half of his class. We figured it out earlier that this was probably flu, despite the flu shot (nasal mist for Anya) this fall, but the full course of penicillin will be completed anyway to not build up drug resistance.

When Anya was feeling good, I went to MHS for a 5:15 pm “trial lecture” as part of a PhD defense. I went to see it to see what I can expect in the future. The German-woman PhD candidate did research comparing Beijing preaching and Beijing teaching in the schools. (I’ll hear her 4-hour public defense tomorrow and will give you the jist of her mammoth, 700-page dissertation.) Her committee (one from Sweden, one from Germany, and one from MHS), assigned her the topic of how Confucianism is reflected in Beijing preaching rhetoric. So, it is a topic related to but distinct from her dissertation.

It was good to get a glimpse of what to expect. I am encouraged a bit, as well as humbled by this journey. I expect to be even more humbled tomorrow! (FYI, the “disputatio” or defense is public, so when my turn comes–ideally next year sometime if I get my act together–feel free to come and watch me sweat!)

Please add 2 friends to your prayer lists: Anne, who was just diagnosed with breast cancer, and Jean Wahlstrom in Tanzania, who was bitten by a dog (so they have started rabies shots in a precautionary measure and will watch the dog for the next week or so).

 

Today, Anya’s fever returned on and off. While her sore throat slightly lessens, the cough persists. I walked to the bank, pharmacy, and grocery store. At the pharmacy, I picked up the rest of Anya’s meds and some new cough syrup. This 100 ml bottle (3.4 fluid ounces) was $8.10, but her American bottle is getting low, and there is no way she’s going to take the thyme extract stuff again! This one is less horrendous, but the anise flavor will be difficult for Anya to swallow.

Anya asked if I could get some more cough syrup (that she doesn’t hate) on Amazon. Well, I checked. It can’t be shipped to Norway.

Honey was the most expensive item I bought today, 500 ml for $9.16, (but not per ounce, where the cough syrup wins.) I’ve made quite a bit of honey-lemon “tea” to soothe a sore throat, so I needed more.

When not taking care of Anya, I’m reading and writing about the Maasai worldview. I received an email blog from Father Ned, which relates to the aspect of the Maasai worldview that I’m writing about–generational curse–or curses that affect others, not just the wrongdoer. If you’re curious, here’s the link: http://nedsmission.org/musa-lifts-curse/ 

Remember that the emergency room visit was only $6.64? But now, here’s the rest of the story. I finally got my Norwegian tax number today. Knut secured a stipend as a research fellow while I’m here because life in Norway is expensive (what a super adviser!). So, I learned today that I’ll be paying 35% income tax! I guess I’ll be paying for Anya’s emergency room visit any way.

At the end of the day, I tucked Anya in and was rubbing her back. Anya and I talked a bit, realizing how blessed we were to be in a home when she was so sick. If we were in two rooms in the old dormitory for PhD students, we would have a shared bathroom and shared kitchen with quite a few people. Our 19-year-old housemate has only been here for 3 nights in our 15 days (and he’s gone for the next 7 to Berlin and Amsterdam), so we basically have the run of the place with all the conveniences of a home. However, out of those 15 days, Anya has been sick half of the time! What a difficult way to start life in Norway. Keep her in your prayers.

First, mange tusen takk (many thousand thanks) to Tina, my PhD student colleague. She guided us through the lesson on Norway’s health care system.

Anya was not getting better. My earlier quandary about strep throat was confirmed with her distinctive symptoms that were manifesting. So, she suffered through the night with a bit of sleep, and Tina told me to call the Sandnes Legevakt or emergency services, advising me in what to say in order to get an appointment today. Fortunately, the symptoms justified an appointment, and Tina offered a lift. She warned us that if more urgent matters appear, we may be waiting for hours, which she was prepared to do with us! However, we were in and out with an hour, which was probably even shorter.

As stores are closed on Sunday, we were able to buy 5 penicillin pills prior to leaving. These will tide us over until tomorrow, when I can walk to the pharmacy. Otherwise, Tina was ready to drive to Stavanger to the one emergency pharmacy for us! With the emergency room visit and the penicillin, our bill was $6.44! This is socialized medicine with free care for all children under 16! This is the graciousness of my Norwegian colleagues!

Anya will miss school tomorrow, as she needs to wait 24 hours from starting the penicillin to not be contagious. At least, Anya is on the mend.