jueves, 28 de febrero de 2008

A Tree-logy


On the left side of the picture, there is a nice Cucumber Tree (Dendrosicyos Socotrana). On the right, the Dragon’s Blood Tree does not need to be introduced, and on the left bottom corner there is a young Bottle Tree, which you also met before.

martes, 26 de febrero de 2008

On Patience

According to the definition given on Wikipedia, patience “is the ability to endure waiting, delay, or provocation without becoming annoyed or upset, or to persevere calmly when faced with difficulties”.

Already in my childhood, my parents soon found out that patience would not have been one of my talents. And they were right. Therefore, if nature does not give you a certain quality, you have only two ways out: either you avoid any situation in which you need what you don’t have, or you try to acquire it from other sources.

If you need a good school to learn patience, come to Socotra. Live and work here for a while! If you ever make it, you will get a whole Master’s degree. Some people here are trained in this fine pedagogical art of teaching you through the endurance of certain situations that can really get you crazy. Some others seem to be genetically patient and, if your deficiency is obvious to them, they may just advise you to “be patient”, but they can hardly understand why such a friendly advice is getting you madder than before…

In Socotra, the tour operators’ jeeps, the waiters of the touristic restaurant and those claiming money run fast towards their aim, but all the rest is slow. The donkeys are easy-going and the goats are lazy to move away from the road. Workers, in the morning, take their time and patiently wait for the afternoon to come and bring them relaxing khat-chewing sessions. The money transfers are soporific, the administrative procedures are narcoleptic and the internet connection is cataleptic. Hunger slowly devours you while the food simmers gently, until it arrives cold to your table (even if the waiters run real fast…)

Life in slow motion can be horrific to somebody that patiently tries to promptly solve every coming problem, as to have time to efficiently face the next one. If, in addition, the speedy metabolism of his body does not match the environment, he is in trouble. The worst you can think of is that such unlucky guy is also an Aries: his mental health is seriously in danger indeed. As there is no helpful drink he can have from time to time, one solution, the only solution, is to concentrate in getting his “Master’s Degree in Patience and Perseverance”, granted by the University of Socotra. The diploma, hanged on the wall of his office, would automatically cause the admiration and amazement of the most respected senior Buddhist ascetic.

What I do fear is that this unhappy character may end up so exhausted that he would not even find the strength to hang the bloody paper, but just to hang himself.

jueves, 21 de febrero de 2008

lunes, 18 de febrero de 2008

Three Stadiums

After having publically praised my radio for keeping me in touch with my cultural habitat, I would like to loudly reproach the Italian public media for the absolute impossibility to get, at any time of the day, their national broadcasts on AM frequencies. In Socotra, I can listen to BBC World Service from 7 till 22, to Radio Exterior de España in the early afternoon and sometimes even to Radio Habana, Cuba in the early morning; it is also worth mentioning that, when I am fed up of (bad) news, it is relaxing to listen to the music broadcasted by Voice of America. But no, RAI is impossible to catch in this island in the middle of nowhere. Damn!

Not that I consider the Italian media as information models to be followed worldwide, but internet here is very slow and I sometimes do not have the patience to wait for the few reliable Italian news websites to get properly loaded. In conclusion, it is sad that I can follow closely only two of the three electoral campaigns I am interested in the most.

Spain is called to the ballot boxes in March, Italy in April and the United States are engaged in an exciting primary phase that could change, in November, our Planet’s fate. For us who love to pompously call ourselves “political scientists”, it is of a rare pleasure to follow these games, like they were major football leagues. Of course, also in this case, each one has her/his own preferences…

But some games are slightly more serious than just kicking off a ball. The two countries I mostly relate to decide their Parliament and, therefore, their Government. It seems that in Spain will confirm the present majority, but in Italy, it is not who wins that will make the big difference anyway. The issue in my country is more profound, that I think needs to be solved through a dramatic cultural change, a national awakening from a long nightmare, a new awareness about what democracy should be about: to reach out for the best organisation of a diverse community and shy away from selfish political, economic or religious free-riders.

Anyway, Italy is just a province, just a nice leather boot in the middle of dirty puddle. The real game is to be played in November. The outcome of the elections in the United States will surely give us a clue about the coming main political evolutions in this world of ours, this wonderful common home we are tirelessly turning into an ultimate mess (or our communal grave?).

Shame that only few privileged over there will play the game. Do they realize how powerful is their vote? Why only some of them take advantage of having this right? Why so many human beings in this planet have to bear the consequences of the decisions taken only by a few? At the end of the day, when we sing the praises of democracy, what the hell are we really talking about?

martes, 12 de febrero de 2008

domingo, 10 de febrero de 2008

An Interesting Opinion

“Before the construction of the airport, the people of Socotra were archaic. Since the construction of the airport, the people of Socotra are poor”.

(An Italian doctor who knows Yemen pretty well)