Poldars

Posted by Margaret McAvity ^Ž , Nov 02,2004,18:09

This is not a reply to Juliet's posting, though not unrelated. It is to do with the original idealism and enthusiasm which brought the Magic Forum into existence following the reunion of years 1,2,3 in June 2000. As I understand it the purpose of the Magic Forum is primarily to keep these graduates in touch with each other and keep alive that idealism and enthusiasm. Thank you Francine for your initiative in setting up the site and your diligence in maintaining it.

So here are the McAvitys keeping in touch with Years 1,2,3 (and anyone else who happens to be looking in)

Marks and I are enroute to East Africa taking a group of about a dozen enthusiastic Canadians on a work/studyéxperience/ tour of various projects in Kenya and Uganda. Most of the local arrangements for this are being done by Ugandans whom we taught in the 1960's before our involvement with UWC. Since we were travelling via KLM and routed through Amsterdam we welcomed the opportunity to get in touch with some PC grads from various years--notably for graduates from years 1,2,3 your own Frank Van Dam (Yr 2).

I thoroughly enjoyed driving through the countryside with Frank having a tourist view of the tulip fields and windmills that one usually associates with traditional Holland, but also seeing the poldars, observing amazing Dutch ingenuity, learning about the implications of global warming for the precarious countryside and hearing about controversial plans for future recaliming of yet more land. What most impressed me was listening to what is involved in planning the "poldars" (reclaimimg of land). The thoroughness of discussing and listening he describes is what I covet for ongoing PC discussions. He talks about a poldar way of doing things. (Ask him more about this directly)

In Frank's work as a production advisor he does a lot of trouble shooting and sorting out of problems. From a technical point of view this involves redesigning faulty equipment --everything from baby carriers to potato harvesters. But Frank is astute enough to recognize that problems in production most often are not so much technical as personal. People have not listened well to each other at various stages of design and production. Over the years Frank says he has acquired the skill of "learning to ask the questions that will bring out what people really think. "

Maybe Frank could offer some wisdom on the impasses that still haunt parts of the PC community and which I feel will continue to haunt until there are some courageus and imaginative gestures towards reconciliation. Maybe people are not as far apart as they appear to be, but they are not yet in listening range. Maybe they have not been asked or have not been asking the right questions. Maybe if those questions get asked and answered we can reclaim some of the lost idealism.

Tomorrow I board the plane for Nairobi. In a few days Marks and I will be at a party organized by Magugu (Yr 3) On Sunday will go to church with Musimbi (Yr 2). I'm looking forward to hearing their wisdom as well.