It was bound to happen sometime. This past weekend was replete with hail, sleet, chilling rain, and blustery winds as old man winter finally arrived in Dunedin. While the city was mostly spared from the white stuff, the surrounding hills were covered in fresh snow. It's been quite a challenge to keep from freezing on Jura Street; the only source of warmth is a small, costly, and inefficient heat pump.
In an attempt to stay warm I spent yesterday touring Dunedin's free museums. Emma and I started at the Dunedin public art gallery, where we viewed some disturbing nudes done by a New Zealand artist called di Ffrench in the medium of cibachrome. We were also treated to a tour the work of Frances Hodgkins, a famous Kiwi artist who spent most of her life in Europe experimenting with impressionism and cubism. From the art gallery we stopped at St. Paul's Cathedral, Dunedin's most imposing church in the Octagon, and then walked to the Otago Musueum for an exhibition of photographs of Antarctica by Andris Apse. I was really astounded with the beauty of this massive, uninhabited continent, with its mountains and glaciers and frozen rivers. Apparently Apse also did a lot of photography for the promotion of the Lord of the Rings films.
In other news I have decided to participate in the 40-hour famine sponsored by World Vision, which raises money for hungry children in India, Bangladesh, and Tanzania. World Vision was quite active in Tanzania and we visited at least one of their offices, so I can vouch for the fact that this organization is using their funds wisely and efficiently and that the money is actually getting to the people who need it. The official famine takes place from 8 pm May 22 to 12 pm May 24, during which time I will only ingest water. I'm actually feeling pretty nervous about this since I've never fasted for more than twelve hours before and am known for my rampant metabolism, but fortunately I have convinced at least a couple people to join me in support. This will certainly give me a taste (irony intended) about what it feels like to be hungry for a prolonged period. If you would like to make a donation to World Vision and support my famine, please visit this page. You can make a secure online donation (in New Zealand dollars) or pledge to make a donation after I actually succeed in not eating for 40 hours.
1 comment:
I did the World Vision famine a few years back. Keeping yourself busy helps a bit. It's overwhelming, though, to realize that whatever discomfort you are feeling doesn't even come close to what others are suffering.
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