Madeline Gambino
Finding Cameras, Memories
When I moved out of my residence hall at the end of this semester, I found two undeveloped disposable cameras in the drawer of my desk. Thinking they were both leftovers from before I had replaced my broken (ancient) camera with a new one in Morocco, it took me a while to get them developed [...]
Warm Weather Events to Warm the Heart
As this semester barrels towards an end with a series of papers and finals, we have had a couple of events that have really epitomized a few important aspects of my college life. The first was the Equality Rally last Wednesday. QuEST and a series of co-sponsors sold 1000 shirts of different colors to students, [...]
Lafayette Jobs
So last time I wrote a little bit about creative writing at Lafayette. I’d like to add that this Monday, the 22nd, the Creative and Performing Arts Fellowship will hold its first annual CaPA showcase, with performances by its Fellows and an exhibition of work. Unfortunately, I will be in class and won’t be able [...]
Creative Writing at Lafayette
This past weekend, I attended the Write Stuff Conference, run by the Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Group. Professor Lee Upton, one of our wonderfully talented creative writing professors, had told me about the conference two years ago when I was a freshman–but for two years the deadline always snuck up on me too quickly at [...]
Hands-On Classes
Last night, I attended a performance of “PALESTINE,” a one-woman play written and performed by Najla Said. Despite coming down with a stomach bug yesterday, I was excited to see the show as part of one of my History classes, “Middle East in the Mind of America, America in the Mind of the Middle East” [...]
Posse Plus Retreat 2013
So, turns out that readjusting to campus life is much more difficult than I expected. I have a general sense of sluggishness that continually surprises me. I am happy to be back at Lafayette. I am happy to take rigorous courses in my majors again, and I am happy to see my friends and have [...]
Notes from Kenya
I’m back on campus. The semester has started with a whirlwind of the severest jet lag I have ever experienced, an intense week of Writing Associate conferences as I met with about 20 students to discuss their papers, moving in and out of one residence hall and into another, and, of course, new classes and [...]
Hellos and Goodbyes: Final Post
Today I am leaving for Kenya on a three week interim trip entitled Religion, Society, and Change in East Africa. This means that, for the third time in about a year–and the fourth time overall–I will be returning to the African continent. Each time, I have experienced something entirely different from the last, and I [...]
Research, Awkward Questions, and Interviews
It is two weeks into my three-week Independent Study Project, and I am more interested in my subject than ever. Honestly, I have met and interviewed some fascinating people this week. So, I have already written a fair amount on the subject of my project with my last post (the narrative of sub-Saharan Christians in [...]
Thanksgiving Abroad
So first, today marks my 21st birthday! It’s tough to be away from home, but my roommates and friends have been great here, and I’m really enjoying myself. This weekend also marks the end of the first work week of my Independent Study Project. Although this week went by much too quickly for me to feel [...]