Thursday, February 7, 2008

2/1/2008 Friday

Faculty members are still gone today and the librarian has a funeral, so… email is postponed again. Back to the book, but 100 pages is not accomplished. It’s time to walk 2.2 miles round trip to the shopping mall on the other side of the University campus. The Lutheran Theological Institute is near the ‘outside’ center of the campus which is shaped like a figure eight. Tissues, juice, laundry soap, and newspapers are the highlight the hike. Maybe its jet lag, but a nap draws my attention and not Clinebell. Lunch with the students happens for the first time. First year students are on campus to take qualifying examinations. If they do not pass…they may go home.

The move to the Pietermaritzburg campus has settled the issues of the course of study for the students. They know that they are on the main campus for the liberal arts courses, but they believe, rather forcefully, that their courses in theology are much more rigorous. Returning students are getting settled, but the new students are worried. One surprise is that the Moravian students had been studying at LTI, but this year they returned to Capetown. The perception, by students, is that this is an issue of oversight. There are few Moravian churches in the area.

Dinner is with Phil Knutson who has stayed over a couple of extra days to get the Kankels settled and to get to know me. It’s a pleasant evening at the new mall and its good to know that there is free [200-300 minutes per month] internet. But the caution is that one doesn’t travel with an obvious computer as they make you a target. The sun has been long gone, there is a radio, but no Jay Leno, so at 10 pm, sleep calls…..

No comments: