Vikram Seth wannabe, me

(Note written the day after: This post is long, tiring and not really worth reading. Brace yourself with patience in the face of resounding trivialities if you set out on this long journey. Now you are warned. I might also add that the discussion in "Comments" to the post "My Faith" is growing increasingly engaging. Do you have anything to add?)

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Sorry for neglecting you, blog, and you who might be following too of course. I realise that its not a good way to hold an audience but I have actually been doing stuff! Yeah, so its a good thing..

There's a new/old guy at the restaurant, Sascha, (spelling?) a Croatian who lives and studies here with his Japanese wife, Megumi (name which I remember 'cos its coincidentally the name of my half-Japanese cousin in Singapore..) He's a good bloke, very intense when he speaks of anything and he is like clockwork in explaining to me everyday how, "this place is f*cked up." [laughs] Nevertheless we get on quite well and have been talking about everything from international economy and politics and religion to religious multinational coorporations in the chocolate industry including their historical role in the abolition of slavery - in English! ;) I wouldn't get nearly as far in French (although I can feel/see/hear/sense some progress.) Actually, being in this position of a learner of such a basic necessity as the local language is quite eye-opening.

[red. This is a very superfluous paragraph. Don't read it!] I learned in my first year of 'highschool' in Denmark that I was actually quite intolerantly selfish, globally speaking. It happened as my history teacher was lecturing on globalization, painting the picture of material wealth being gradually distributed more evenly, whereto she pointed out that it didn't just mean the 3rd world countries improving their standards of living, but also the western countries having to decrease our standard of living, which probably meant that Denmark couldn't go on being the island of welfare that it was, she went on to explain. My immediate reaction was one of honest shock! "Did this mean that within my lifetime... my kids might not get the same benefits and securities that I have been taking for granted?!" My secondary reaction was also shock, but this time it was shock at my first reaction of shock. Was I really that selfish that I honestly resented the thought of evening out the goods? I have strained to change which has also helped mainly under the heavy, although short, influence of Vinoth Ramachandran (Indian professor who doesn't waste money on new clothes but wears 2nd hand to save money and increase possibilities of influence. Has a Danish wife which obligates them to be here once in a while.)

Where was I? Oh, it was the word 'intolerance' that brought on the previous paragraph! I should have started on about my previous intolerance with others who I have come across who have been in my current position: learner of the basics. So the whole intolerance thing is about how I realise that I've looked down on such people because of their inability to show signs of meaningful intellect. Now the tables have turned and I am speaking like a child - a 4-5 year old - and how are people then to respect me as a thinking person! -Which they don't but I don't blame them. What I'm saying is that I'm a nuisance to be or have around and that's just the way it is. "Inevitability." I'm not depressed about it though. :)

In fact I'm quite happy these days! I've got my future planned (the next 7½ years in terms of education), and I am progressing on a personal level: 'enlightenment/scepticism/responsibility', musically (have just started meditating on Arabic scales, sounds and rhythms) and… well, other areas! ;)

In other news I'm looking forward to my first paycheck at the end of the month! I'm in a dilemma though: tax to Dk. I don't know much about the tax system (and amazingly enough, the government hasn't produced one, gathered, extensive yet logically arranged, self-education media like a book or even a CD-ROM or interactive webpage, to help along us young people who learn by gathering tid-bits of info here and there. I mean, why don't we learn about it in the school which is purposed to equip us with a basic but extensive education focused around our country and our system!) and I am wondering whether I should save 48% to pay to the guv sometime next year?

Now we're at my money affairs I may have picked up another job in the mornings. It's gardening with Sascha for his Jewish landlord. I don't know much about it 'cept its in the daytime, where I'm certainly not doing anything and it would be good for me to get out more before my nights and days are completely reversed!

I'm long-winded, I know, but I have 2 very good reasons. 1) I'm (still) reading "A Suitable Boy" by Vikram Seth which is a whopping 1474 pages! I'm a good 3rd way through and when you consider that its merely about a 19 year old girl, Lata, who's caught between an arranged marriage and a more modern way of going about things interspersed with a lighter version of the tales of 4 other family trees, only sometimes connecting, you might get an idea of how long-winded it actually is. You have to remind yourself that you're not reading it to finish it, but actually to read it! 2) I'm writing this on José, my hosts, computer at home. Turns out he has one in his room that he'll let me use which'll undoubtedly save me money at the internet café. Found another trick to save money as well:

Sascha, having quite a number of international friends himself, gave me a number which'll enable me to call any country at local Marseilleise rates! Crazy but true! I don't know who's providing a service like this but I know it works. So mom'n'dad I'll be calling home now! ;) Yay

Uhh… is that actually it? This must be the longest post I've ever written!

No, haha, church! 3 nights ago, across the street from the restaurant, I noticed a modest crowd gathered around some commotion and I lingered at the entrance in curiousity. I then saw that it was amateur dancing going on and I chuckled inwardly as I soon enough recognised the all too familiar tactics of a regular evangelistic street performance:
eye-catcher/ice breaker >
short but sweet introduction >
another item (dance/drama) >
testimony of how Jesus has changed a life (maximum of 3 minutes, preferably with reference to the previous dance/drama) >
main drama that should convey the gospel >
preaching of the gospel with heavy reference to the previous drama >
CD or other music to keep people hanging around while the evangelists (who have been observing individuals in the crowd) approach people to pose the question in a one-on-one setting.
Some people get scared or appaled when they learn that there have been developed techniques to such personal matters, but on the other hand it would be intent and sheer stupidity if techniques were not implemented to optimize results.
Anyway, point is that I, 2 years ago, was with one such team in Budapest where my role in the programme was the "CD or other music to keep people hangning around" where I played with band. So they'd set up a band workshop where we could work on the songs in an intense atmosphere with other, more seasoned, musicians there to assist us and produce the good sound. One of these "more seasoned musicians" was Bruno, an educated nurse who lived in Marseille. We hit it off quite well, no doubt because of his patience with my obsession with the French language, but it ended in him giving me an open invitation to come experience the country itself. Now I have come but without being able to contact him so we could meet up (and I could get some friends!) So I approached the group guessing that they would have some connection to him and sure enough, there was a Danish guy among them, Anders from AMC (name of church) in Aalborg, who excitedly told me that he knew Bruno. So I passed him a note with my name and email addy, and asked if he could give it to Bruno together with a greeting from me. Of course he could and further volunteered information about Bruno going to Malaga this week where alot of my friends and acquaintances from home are going. I put on a wide-eyed expression and excused myself as I had to get back to work.
Then 2 nights ago I looked and there again was another christian, evangelisation tactic unfolding: worship in the heart of the city (for spiritual effect and proclamatory impact on everyone involved.) This time it was easy to see, that it wasn't the same organisation as the night before but probably a local church or even coalition of churches (if they were big enough to see past their detrimental differences.) I approached and my intricate knowledge of these things was confirmed: a coalition. I talked to Bruce, presumably American, who lives here in Marseille and is a regular in a church that's only 15 minutes from my apartment. Not bad! I intended to attend the morning service yesterday but overslept classically. I will go next week to check it out (for wisdom.)

Okay, this is actually it! ;) Amazed with those who've held on for this long!