the british society in uruguay english chat time...contact newsletter july 2020 page 2 the british...
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www.britsoc.org.uy
July 2020
Sir Winston Churchill HomeStaying Very Busy
The British Society in UruguayEnglish Chat TimeBritish EmbassyFarewell Dear Ambassador
BSU CONTACT Newsletterwww.britsoc.org.uywww.facebook.com/BritSocUywww.instagram.com/BritSocUywww.linkedin.com/company/britsocuy/Montevideo, Uruguay
Sir Winston Churchill HomeStaying Very BusyPage 6
The British Society in UruguayEnglish Chat TimePage 4
British EmbassyFarewell Dear AmbassadorPage 8
ContentsPresident’s Words . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1Sound Advice... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2Member News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2English Chat Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4Online Forum 30th June . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5The Sir Winston Churchill Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6British Embassy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8British Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10Anglo-Uruguayan Cultural Institute . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11Christ Church Montevideo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13The British Cemetery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14British-Uruguayan Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15Lamb Chops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15Dickens Institute . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16Food for Thought . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18Literature Matters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19Medical Column . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20Back in Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21Chef Phillip’s Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22Speedy Crossword Time! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23Dilbert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24Link of the Month . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
Edition Number 123 Year 11July 2020 +598 96 021 918
President:Richard A. [email protected] 096 233 233
Treasurer: Ricardo [email protected] 547 279
Events: Andrea [email protected] 123 906
Vice President: Colin [email protected] 022 055
Webmaster and Newsletter Editor: Geoffrey W [email protected] 586 168
Secretary: Caroline [email protected] 155 317
Chair of the Sir Winston Churchill Home and Benevolent Funds: Carolyn [email protected]
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PRESIDENT’S WORDS
3½ months after the onset of coronavirus, and mainly due to lack of recent use and cancellation of the restrictions proposed by the government at the start of the pandemic, the Society has decided to put an end to the Community Help System we set up in March to help members to cope with the health crisis. Nevertheless, members are still most welcome to turn to us for help, if required; to that end, the Society helpline (09 602 1918 / [email protected]) will remain open.
June saw a leap in interaction on our main social media accounts – Facebook and Instagram – due to the polls carried out to find out who our followers considered to be the best British rock musicians, in a bid to determine the composition of the ‘ideal’ British rock band. A great number of our followers, especially the younger crowd and those musically inclined, thoroughly enjoyed the polls – which were carried out throughout the second half of last month –, a fact that was made clear by the large number of messages we received and the numerous comments made on the posts where we communicated the results of successive rounds of polling. The end result produced five musicians that were clear fan favourites and thus became the imaginary members of this ‘ideal’ British rock band: Freddie Mercury (from Queen) on vocals, Mark Knopfler (from Dire Straits) on guitar, Roger Waters (from Pink Floyd) on bass, Rick Wright (also from Pink Floyd) on keyboards and John Bonham (from Led Zeppelin) on drums. Unfortunately, since three of these five have passed away, the band will remain an imaginary construct, but the exercise was fun and hugely popular with followers.
June also saw the second BSU Online Forum, which featured Dr Marcelo Chiarella as the special guest. Dr Chiarella was involved in the rescue of the passengers and crew of stranded Australian cruise ship Greg Mortimer at the start of the coronavirus pandemic, and he talked about his experience with the ship and its people. It was much enjoyed by those who took part, since it showcased Uruguay’s good response to the pandemic, which has positioned the country well in international circles as a model of good practice.
The BSU Online Forum cycle will continue in July, this time featuring Alejandro Stanham, who will enlighten us on the Power of Others in our lives, and what we can do to try to have relationships that empower us and those around us. This talk follows up on Alejandro’s 2019 after-office talk on Meaningful Results, when he reflected on the personality aspects that are decisive to obtain positive results and have significant relationships.
This month will also see the start of another online activity: the BSU Chat Time, which was delayed due to technical issues. The Chat Time’s objective is to get participants to practice their conversation skills in English, and is aimed mainly at our Uruguayan anglophile members who need to perfect their English language skills and at non-members who may take an interest in the Society. Conversation will cover a great variety of topics to develop vocabulary as well as grammar and will be tailored according to participants needs and suggestions.
As Uruguay has done remarkably well in containing the pandemic and people have slowly returned to ‘normal’ life, the Society is considering a return to at least some of our regular events in the second semester. As a first step we are evaluating dates for our outdoors events, i.e. the Scavenger Hunt and the Croquet Tournament. Other events are still under consideration, and will depend on how the pandemic evolves. Any dates we decide on will be communicated to members by special mailing.
Stay safe. Hopefully, we will be seeing each other again soon.
Richard A. Empson MBEPresident
Dear members,
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MEMBER NEWS
Birthdays in July
New Members
01 Jorge Clavijo03 Jaqueline C. McClew05 Elizabeth J. Hambrook06 William J. Biscomb08 Marion R. Maynier09 Virginia Castleton10 Jacqueline A. Larbalestier14 Virginia Sosa14 Caroline A. Stanham15 María Lebrato15 Romina M. Serrano16 María H. Freyre16 Catalina M. Prevett16 Nicholas Beare16 John Hobbins17 Carlos B. Monkhouse-Jones
19 Sylvia Vignoles20 Andrew Teuten22 Federico G. Carter23 Colin Shearer23 Joaquín F. Bazzano24 María Z. Davies24 Rosa E. Comerio25 Diana C. Beare25 Geraldine H. Pool26 Victoria Hobbins27 Ruth K. Morton28 Ingrid S. Gordon-Firing30 Estela M. Cardeza31 Jorge H. Gioia
“Count your life by smiles, not tears. Count your age by friends, not years!”
Happy Birthdays!
SOUND ADVICE...
The COVID-19 pandemic means that many of us are staying at home and sitting down more than we usually do. It’s hard for a lot of us to do the sort of exercise we normally do. It’s even harder for people who don’t usually do a lot of physical exercise.
But at a time like this, it’s very important for people of all ages and abilities to be as active as possible. WHO’s Be Active campaign aims to help you do just that - and to have some fun at the same time.
Remember - Just taking a short break from sitting, by doing 3-4 minutes of light intensity physical movement, such as walking or stretching, will help ease your muscles and improve blood circulation and muscle activity.
Regular physical activity benefits both the body and mind. It can reduce high blood pressure, help manage weight and reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and various cancers - all conditions that can increase susceptibility to COVID-19.
It also improves bone and muscle strength and increases balance, flexibility and fitness. For older people, activities that improve balance help to prevent falls and injuries.
Regular physical activity can help give our days a routine and be a way to stay in contact with family and friends. It’s also good for our mental health - reducing the risk of depression, cognitive decline and delay the onset of dementia - and improve overall feelings
Healthy at Home - Physical activity
Adam Taylor GardnerElisa Sylvia Cooper GolubchinFederico ‘Fede’ Alberto Heller PérezMagdalena ‘Maggie’ Etcheverry RacineSara Maria Ferres BlancoTomás Romay Buero
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THIS MONTH’S COVERPaddington Station is a major railway and underground station in London. The station is in central London and close to Bayswater and Marylebone.The station is named after the wider area of Paddington (the bear, in turn, is named after the station). The name originates from Anglo-Saxon times. Padda is believed to refer to a local land owner, with ‘ton’ or ‘tun’ meaning ‘the village of’.Queen Victoria became the first reigning monarch to travel by train in 1842, heading from Slough to Paddington after a trip to Windsor Castle.Stay safe,Geoffrey W DeakinEditor.
BSU MEMBERSHIP FEES
The British Society would like to kindly remind all members who have not yet done so to get up to date with their membership fees.Remember you can now do this easily from the comfort of your own home using any local debit card and most credit cards through the RedTickets platform.And if you forgot to pay last year’s fee (or any previous unpaid dues), you can simply pay two or more at the same RedTickets link.Another way to pay the fee online is using Mercado Pagos by visiting our Website.Else you can make a bank transfer (or direct deposit) to the British Society account at Banque Heritage Uruguay number 62582-03, or pay our Treasurer (in copy) directly. If done by bank transfer/deposit, please send our Treasurer a copy of the transfer/deposit slip.
Notice to Society Members
Once this is done, your membership will be updated.
2020
Our cover: Paddington Station
London
Central area and the area known as the Lawn
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ENGLISH CHAT TIME
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ONLINE FORUM 30TH JUNE
A great second BSU online forum was had on 30 June with Dr. Marcelo Chiarella as the special guest.
The forum was well attended and participants included people from outside Montevideo and even from outside Uruguay (as far away as the USA!).
Dr. Chiarella backed his talk with an interesting visual presentation he shared from his own computer, which included pictures and videos from his experience on the Greg Mortimer cruise ship, on which the talk was centred. However, both the talk and the questions that followed went way further than the Greg Mortimer, covering a wide range of pandemic and coronavirus related topics.
Our guest’s answers were all clear and to the point, leaving all of our participants well satisfied and more knowledgeable.
One point that came through loud and clear is that the pandemic may be under control, but is far from over, so let us all take note and act accordingly.
Dr. Chiarella was kind enough to offer to repeat te talk, should there be a quorum to do so. Therefore, members who missed out but would like to be able to hear the talk should let us know contacting [email protected].
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THE SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL HOMEWe are happy to inform you that all the residents and staff are very well. As well as looking after the residents, many activities have been organised by our carers, both in the mornings and in the afternoons to keep everyone entertained throughout these last difficult Coronavirus months. An enormous thanks to all the staff!
We have important news!
You may now come and visit your loved ones, scheduling with Ana beforehand as well as to check the protocol. They will be very pleased to see you!
Exercises are done 2 or 3 times a week. Estela and Vivi hard at work making face masks.
Lots of concentration with this activity led by Ana.
Happy 97th birthday Elaine!!!
Elaine received lots of calls for her 97th birthday on May 3!
The Home’s phone number is 2487 1020, ext. 2343
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THE SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL HOME Continued...
Another activity led by Ana, in this case “guess the saying”.
Elaine working with Lourdes.
Once a week the Committee Zooms with the residents, presenting different topics to talk about, in this case, English country gardens.
On the 19th of June everybody received flowers for the Día del Abuelo!
While some cut the material to make face masks, Joan sewed them all!
Valerie teaching Ana how to play the guitar! What patience!!!
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BRITISH EMBASSY
FarewellWe are very sad to have say goodbye to our Ambassador Ian Duddy this month. Ambassador Duddy, and his partner Neil Morrison who has also served as our Residence Manager, have come to the end of their time in Uruguay and are due to move on to new pastures. It’s been an extremely eventful four years in Uruguay, where Ambassador Duddy has strengthened bilateral relationships in various ways and with all sectors of society from all around the country. He visited every department, discovered what it is to be a gaucho, met with numerous people from authorities to schoolchildren, did innumerable media interviews and enthusiastically engaged with the public, developing new audiences through his excellent social media skills. Unfortunately, the current circumstances have meant that the Ambassador has not been able to say goodbye in person to as many contacts and friends as he would have liked. We are very grateful for all their work and great commitment over these past four years and wish them the very best for the future.
Our new Ambassador, Faye O’Connor, will (flights permitting) arrive to take the reins next month
British contribution to Institute PasteurWe are delighted to become one of the founding members of the new Centre of Innovation in Epidemiologic Vigilance that will be created at Institute Pasteur. The UK is playing a major role in the global response to COVID-19, and has pledged over two billion pounds in aid to stop the spread of the virus, find a vaccine and save lives around the world. In Uruguay, following discussion with our Uruguayan friends in government on how we could best support their efforts, the Embassy chose to contribute two thirds of its US$90,000 fund to this wonderful new centre, which will be key to the fight against viruses and pandemics that may arise in the future.
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Our Tribute to Her Majesty As we were unable to celebrate Her Majesty The Queen’s Birthday as we usually mark the occasion, with a large reception, we chose instead to have a virtual celebration on 11 June. Our video on our social media channels highlighted the long and strong links between the UK and Uruguay. Ambassador Ian Duddy also gave TV interviews in magazine-style morning and afternoon shows on the main national channels. We are thankful to all those who participated in the video, including Foreign Minister Ernesto Talvi for his warm message, and to all the viewers who sent such nice comments. If you haven’t watched it yet, it is still available on our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
BRITISH EMBASSY Continued...
Falkland Islands on TVRenowned Uruguayan chef Hugo Soca visited the Falkland Islands a few months ago and from this visit has produced a series of episodes for De la tierra al plato, his signature gastronomy programme that airs on Saturdays at 21:00 on channel 4. Don’t miss the second show, on 6 July, to learn more about the local food and the beauty of the islands.
Stay tuned to our Facebook Twitter and Instagram!
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BRITISH HOSPITAL
Your interests are ours. In addition to the care we provide you, we give you quality content.
Our members can access courses and workshops specially designed by multidisciplinary teams of our staff.
These courses and workshops are taught throughout the year and are exclusive and free.
Each course is created to add value and improve the quality of life, delving into different topics of interest.
Today, through digital platforms, we continue to strengthen this link.
STRESS REDUCTION / MINDFULNESSPatients will be able to explore different mindfulness practices and their potential application in everyday life in a simple way. These practices help develop a deep understanding of the inner psychological world and its integration with our emotions.Coordination: Health Education /HBDuration: 8 weeksFrequency: Weekly, 2 hours.Starts: July 8 / September 2 and 24
COMPLEMENT/STRESS REDUCTIONThis course is designed for those who have participated in the Stress Reduction Course - Mindfulness and want to deepen the practice. It is a complementary course to give us the same care and serenity that we naturally give to those we love.Coordination: Health Education /HBDuration: 1.5 hours.Frequency: 4 weeksStarts: October 28 / November 19
HYPERTENSIONBlood pressure (BP) issues affect one third of the population of Uruguay. The course introduces us to the correct management of decisions and how to avoid unintended consequences. What measures depend on our own care, BP reading samples and their usefulness, impact of stress and exercise, among others.Coordination: Health EducationDuration: 1.5 hours.Starts: July 30
CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTHThis course seeks to help bring about lifestyle changes; learn what and how to change to improve health. The course improves the ability to observe ourselves and adjust our daily decisions related to diet, physical activity, stress management, etc.Coordination: Health EducationDuration: 2 hours.Starts: March 2021
Enrollment: Phone 2487 1020, ext. 4345
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ANGLO-URUGUAYAN CULTURAL INSTITUTE
We bid farewell to our Honorary President, the outgoing British Ambassador to Uruguay, Mr Ian Duddy
nstituto Cultural Anglo-Uruguayo would like to thank
Ithe British Embassy and Ian Duddy for their unconditional support to all our activities. As we all
know, Ian will soon be leaving our country and he will certainly be missed by all our community. During the four years that Ian has been in Uruguay, we have shared many memorable moments: prize-giving ceremonies, opening speeches at a wide range of events, visits to the Anglo network in the interior of the country, anniversaries, and we even had the chance to eat a “chivito” together! We will always remember Ian for his warmth, good nature, sense of humour and his kind disposition. We would like to wish him and Neil all the very best and every success in their new destination!
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ANGLO-URUGUAYAN CULTURAL INSTITUTE Continued...
h e A n g l o i s t h e p e r f e c t p l a c e
Tto turn your passion into practice. Our broad
range of short courses will immerse
you in every aspect of practical filmmaking from
the creative to the technical.
The Anglo Film School is launching two new courses in
August 2020: the “Filmmaking”, the “Camera Handling
Skill” and the “Acting for Film” course. These dynamic
and immersive 4-month courses will cover the relevant
theory, but most of the classes involve practical, hands-
on learning, combined with the working ethos of a
professional team. The courses will be delivered at
Anglo Centro (San José 1426) by the Programa de
Educación Audiovisual y Lenguaje Cinematográfico
( P E A L C ) [ A u d i o v i s u a l E d u c a t i o n a n d
Cinematographic Language Programme].
“Filmmaking”: The course contributes to acquire the
knowledge of the cinematographic language in a
comprehensive, practical and dynamic way, from a
professional perspective. It will provide the necessary
tools so that students can enter the labor market of the
audiovisual and film sector. Our filming classes will
focus on the practical training, enabling students to
shoot short films week by week. Tutor: Oscar Pozzoli.
“Acting for Film”: The course aims to encourage your
development as a creative artist with the flexibility to
work across all performance mediums, specialising in
screen performance. Follow rigorous training in acting,
which will concentrate on the core skills of voice, body,
acting and creative interpretation. Our acting classes
will provide you with a toolbox of exercises and help
you develop your imagination and learn how to create
believable performances. Tutor: Jack Sprigings.
“Camera Handling Skills”: The course will move from
technical explanations to looking at specific examples
and then on to hands on shooting. The "Camera
Handling Skills" 4-month course will cover the
essentials for those interested in filmmaking, giving
you the hands on experience to start filming with
confidence. With a mix of theory and practical
exercises, the course will provide a solid grounding in
the skills you need to get shooting. Through a series of
practical exercises, participants will learn how to frame
and operate the camera, record good quality sound
and shoot sequences. Tutor: Diego Hernández.
Please note that students must be aged 15 or older.
No previous knowledge required for this course.
Course dates: 3rd August - 27th November
Format: Face to face *
*For our new face-to-face courses the Anglo has
outlined new safety and hygiene measures that we will
follow in each practical lesson. Find out more on
www.anglo.edu.uy
Looking to build your future in the screen industries?
If you would like any further information regarding
our new courses, please email
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CHRIST CHURCH MONTEVIDEO
Will CC reopen soon? Not yet. The government protocols do allow some interesting options. However, the CC Council concluded to remain patient due to the complexities, uncertainties and the risks involved. We seek advice from involved medical professionals and are adapting as necessary, while also considering how an eventual return to the Chapel might look and feel different as new insights and ways of connecting are integrated.
How is online working for us? We have a dozen weekly online groups providing encouraging, interactive opportunities. The groups average 150 connections in total. Actually, we are adapting fairly well as a community. However, we miss seeing each other in person. It seems particularly hard for people who live alone, for children who cannot interact with their friends, and for students, teachers and some other professionals who are online almost continuously.
How are the finances? Austerity measures combined with the online offerings given by members and friends have permitted CC to: 1. meet all of its budgeted obligations, 2. provide community assistance, and 3. continue to support our Montevideo missions like
Hogar Amancer and Salvation Army.
Arocena 1907Esq. Lieja, Carrasco
Tel 2601 0300www.christchurchmvd.org
VIEW OUR ONLINE
MESSAGE
Q & A with Christ ChurchIf you have questions, ask [email protected]
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The British Cemetery was initially located where the Intendencia Municipal de Montevideo stands today, on the large block between 18 de Julio, Santiago de Chile, Soriano and Ejido, where, in 1807, during the British invasions, the battle of El Cardal took place and various British soldiers died and were buried there.
Towards the end of the XVIII Century, that land belonged to José Andrés Lamas Bermúdez (a historian, politician, diplomat and journalist) where he lived with his family until 1805. After his death, the land was abandoned, and was donated to the Portuguese priest
Manuel Salinas who was in charge of the church of “el Cordón” in 1818.
There is conflicting information regarding when the land was bought by British nationals. On the one hand, some records mention that Manuel Salinas sold it to John Hall, in 1825; others say the date was 1828.
Whichever the date it was, in 1828, John Hall sold it to a group of British nationals for the British Cemetery.
The Cemetery was granted authorisation in 1837 and remained at that site until 1885, when it mas moved to its present location in Buceo.
THE BRITISH CEMETERY
A founding pillar in the British Community
1862 - a view of the far side of the Cemetery, from the corners of Soriano and Ejido
Around 1930-1935 (approx.) Abandoned foundations of the never to be Palacio de Gobierno, later used for the Palacio Municipal. Avenida 18 de Julio, Ejido, Santiago de Chile and Soriano
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JOIN ONLINE MEETING
LAMB CHOPS by Jonathan [email protected]
Please listen carefully
To these emergency instructionsKeep your seatbelt fastenedUntil take-off is complete
If the planeShould have to makeAn emergency landing
Please
Stain your seat
Emergency Landing
Previews of a new volume of performance poetry by
writer and actor Jonathan Lamb.
Readings from Jonathan’s anthology The Ugly Baby by Imelda Staunton and others can be heard at
www.jclamb.com
BRITISH-URUGUAYAN CLUB
Charming 60 year old man seeking job.
Speaks 6 languages.IT savvy
Bachelor degree in biology and anthropology (USA)
Assisted living caretakerCulinary
Ref: Marian Whitaker099 097 751
ADVERTISEMENT
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DICKENS INSTITUTE
The transition back to classes in Uruguay is very close. This together with the easing up of the lockdown measure in the UK, Cambridge Assessment English have come up with new, flexible dates to offer all our candidates. We are very proud, at Dickens, to be able to give the students confidence and all our guarantee that they will be able to take their Cambridge exams just as before. As you know, these exams offer candidates an invaluable opportunity to demonstrate not only their skills but also their language knowledge, and thus, have access to bigger, better opportunities and a brighter future wherever they may go. Therefore, Dickens have decided to take advantage of these flexible dates and will be offering students the chance to take their exams whenever it suits them best: July, August, September, October, November or December!
Needless to say, that all the sanitation measures will be carefully followed so that students still feel safe in an exam environment. At Dickens we take care of our candidates and wish to offer them the best, without putting their health at risk. So, in order to comply with all regulations, particularly, social distancing, we will be splitting up some of the sessions into different dates and places will be limited to offer the safest environment possible.
Please check the following link to watch a video about the special regulations:
::click here::
Cambridge Exams | New regulations due to Covid-19
Good luck to the all the candidates!
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DICKENS INSTITUTE Continued...
To think that four years ago we were wondering who would be our next British Ambassador and what he would be like! Ian Duddy was certainly a wonderful surprise. Younger than expected, outgoing, he was always ready with a smile and genuinely interested in Uruguay, Uruguayans and our culture. His partner, Neil Morrison was equally likeable and committed to running the British Residence like clockwork.
Ian was very interested in our work at Dickens and was always ready to attend the Cambridge Assessment English and Cambridge Assessment International Education Awards Ceremonies, the Cert TESOL Qualifications Ceremony, The Mid Summer Dream Seminar, give uplifting speeches to schools, teachers, parents and students, followed by pictures with each awardee!
Whenever he went off to the country, he sent us a message as regards Dickens Schools, Institutes or Private Teachers asking which or who would enjoy a visit from him. Then back came the photos of happy people treasuring a visit from the British Ambassador!
That we will miss Ian, Neil and Bella (their golden retriever, Uruguayan of course), is to say the least!
Dickens Institute, Directors and all its Staff and myself as well, wish to thank our British Ambassador, Mr Ian Duddy, for all the support he has given Dickens and its people and wish him a happy and rewarding future.
Monica Harvey
Farewell HMB Ambassador Mr Ian Duddy!
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT by Tomas [email protected]
With a whole world living in quarantine, from one end to another and for many months, one would think that when all this ends many aspects of our lifestyle might change. But I believe that not much will change. Most of us are anxious to get back to what we liked doing and the way we lived before all this started.
One thing we dread is being stuck not only in our homes but also in our cities and countries. When will we get back to travelling? When will we get to see old friends, relatives and even our children living abroad?
My guess is that the younger generation is missing this possibility even more. For some time, the world was theirs, they travelled light and easy, they lived in one country for some time, came back, then turned to another.
In the last issue of the bulletin, I wrote about Uruguay being a country vastly populated by immigrants that settled and had children born and bred here. And I made special mention of the British community in Uruguay.
That experience was valid for my generation. But not now. I wonder how many of my readers have children born here but living abroad. Young people that went off to some other country, then moved on to the next, returned to Uruguay for a short period and then went off again.
I know of a young person that after living in the United States moved to Japan for a full year, and without knowing the language, travelled all around the country not once boarding the wrong train. It is a generation that understands international codes. The codes, not the languages. And with that, they move with ease around a world they feel belongs to them.
I remember my daughter’s first trip to Europe. She was living in Washington DC and planned an odd
travel itinerary: it included no big cities. She had chosen small towns nobody ever heard about. When I asked why, the answer was that in those towns she had friends living there. Uruguayan friends? Some, but not all. Having studied in a university abroad and worked for an international organization, she had friends from all over the world.
Today, many young professionals living in Montevideo have a small corner of their homes adapted as their office, fully equipped to get in touch with the most remote corners of the world. They live here, they do their job here, but their headquarters may be in Canada, Asia, Spain or Germany, and it is those companies that pay their salaries. They seem to have two addresses: The geographical one, where they have their home, and the virtual one where they work.
My question is what will happen with the following generation. And through my granddaughter I can have a certain idea. Her mother is Uruguayan, her father German and she was born in the United States. She still doesn’t make many sounds, but she lives in an English-speaking country, her father addresses her in German, her mother in Spanish. By the time she was four months old, last January, she had already travelled to Warsaw, Münster, where her German grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins got to know her, Madrid and Uruguay to meet her mother’s family, before finally returning home. By that time, she had travelled more miles than many of us. Eventually she will learn three languages and she already has three passports. Some of my readers may say that I am speaking of a very exceptional case. But I am not so sure. That seems to be the trend in these days.
And so, I return to what I said at the beginning. This global phenomenon is so strong that despite that we may live for many months in quarantine due to the Covid-19 pandemic, once it is over, no matter when, the need to travel, to settle in the most distant places, to visit our offspring, will be so strong that we shall soon forget we once lived a long period of sanitary confinement.
A world that belongs to them
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LITERATURE MATTERS by Lindsey [email protected]
Every year throughout the world June 16th, Bloomsday, is celebrated with a variety of events; people dress in period costumes, consume specific food and drink and join marathon readings of what has been described as the most important literary work of the 20th century: James Joyce´s Ulysses, first published in 1922. The specific date commemorated is June 16th 1904, the long day in the course of which the novel unfolds, itself the anniversary of the day the young James Joyce “stepped out” for the first time with Norah Barnacle, the Galway girl who was a chambermaid at Finn´s Hotel in Dublin and became his life-long partner. They had two children, married in 1931 and spent most of their life living in exile on the continent. (A film based on a biography of Norah by Brenda Maddox starring Susan Lynch as Norah and Ewan McGregor as Joyce is worth watching).
The very last words in Ulysses reflect the Joyce family’s European dislodgements while he was writing his wonderful book : “Trieste-Zürich-Paris, 1914-1921”, echoing the wanderings of the Greek mythical hero Odysseus, whose name, in its Latinised version, Joyce chose for his title. The book’s ground plan is Homer’s Odyssey: the three main characters are modern day, anti-heroic, quite ordinary people from turn of the century Dublin, ironically contrasting with their Greek sources. Mr Leopold Bloom is the protagonist, a humble Odysseus “wandering” in Dublin from early morning to after midnight, around 22 hours on the day now known as “Bloomsday”. Other myths surround Bloom, most noticeably that of the wandering Jew: his Hungarian-Jewish family name is Virag, changed to Bloom when his father emigrated to Dublin and converted to Protestantism; Bloom later converts to Catholicism to marry Molly Tweedie (Bloom continues this translation/association strategy by calling himself Henry Flower in a secret correspondence with a woman). However, in spite of his attempts to conform, Bloom is always an outsider in Dublin. In Homer, Odysseus has a son Telemachus; Bloom´s son Rudi died a baby, but in the course of his Dublin peregrination, he finally ends up with a surrogate son, a Telemachus figure, Stephen Dedalus, recalled to Dublin from the continent to see his dying mother. This young intellectual was the protagonist of Joyce’s autobiographical novel A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (1914). And finally, the triad is completed by Molly Bloom, an unfaithful
Penelope awaiting her husband at home (7, Eccles Street, now a museum). Joyce recorded with painstaking exactitude every Dublin landmark, every street, view and location, mapping his city and recording the customs of its inhabitants, and events which actually took place on June 16th.
Ulysses is divided into 3 sections, the longest corresponding to Leopold Bloom; each section is divided into episodes which roughly correspond to episodes in Homer’s Odyssey, but in slanting, perhaps unclear, metaphorical ways. For example, Episode 15, “Circe”, is written as a play and takes place in Bella Cohen’s brothel in Dublin’s red-light district; it corresponds to the Homeric episode where the witch Circe traps Odysseus’s remaining men and turns them into pigs.
One of the episodes which proved very controversial in Joyce´s version was “Nausicaa” (these are not chapter titles, they were later provided by Joyce in explaining his work to a friend). Mr Bloom is an ordinary man; in this realistic, 20th century “epic” this anti hero performs the bodily functions of every ordinary man in the course of a day: he eats, drinks, urinates, excretes, and when a young girl raises her skirt on the beach to expose stocking tops, a flurry of petticoats and drawers, he discreetly masturbates, distant exploding fireworks conveying his culmination (the book went through a
lawsuit in the United States and was not published until 1933).
Ulysses has two very famous opening sentences, one in the Telemachus section, the first section, and one for the Leopold Bloom section ; and a very famous ending which is printed on tee-shirts, mugs, tea-cloths and various other Joyce souvenirs in Dublin, Molly’s famous yes-sequence.
In Part 1, Stephen is at the top of the Martello Tower watching as his friend mocks a Catholic ritual: “Stately, plump Buck Mulligan came from the stairhead, bearing a bowl of lather on which a mirror and a razor lay crossed.”
Part 2 opens: “Mr Leopold Bloom ate with relish the inner organs of beasts and fowls. Most of all he liked grilled mutton kidneys which gave to his palate a fine tang of faintly scented urine”.
The ending is Molly Bloom’s: her long unpunctuated monologue culminates wonderfully, sensuously: “I put my arms around him yes and drew him down to me so he could feel my breasts all perfume yes and his heart was going like mad and yes I said yes I will Yes.”
Ulysses by James Joyce
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MEDICAL COLUMN by Dr Jorge C Stanham OBE [email protected]
Foot-shooting with anti-scienceThe pandemic is not over – and it will not be so for a long while. It is caused by a new (novel) coronavirus, related to other common cold viruses and the more deadly versions of SARS (2003) and MERS (2012) which fortunately disappeared or petered out. SARS-CoV-2 is the official name for the virus and COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) the name of the illness. As all respiratory viruses, it spreads via airway droplets eliminated by infected individuals, many without or with minimal symptoms, to susceptible others (everybody else, in this case, unless you’ve recovered from it already) by finding their way to their noses, mouths and eyes, either directly or via commonly shared surfaces. Conspiracy or biological war theories aside, we know that it jumped from bats to humans, maybe via an indirect host called a pangolin, at a live-animal food market in Wuhan, Hubei province, in mainland China. The stifling of information and the lack of recognition of human-to-human transmission, at the onset in December 2019 and January 2020, by both China and the World Health Organization, has given birth to a tsunami of stories of intentionality, biological safety mishandling and using the pandemic as a mans of ‘controlling humanity’ via a New World Order.
In an interconnected world, where science, technology, knowledge and free flow of information with nearly 60 per cent access to the internet, one would expect that alignment of humanity against a common enemy, akin to an alien invasion, would be the norm. Short of a vaccine, effective treatment or a miraculous mutation of the virus to a common-cold bug (it happened to another coronavirus in the 1880s) the best we can do is limit the damage to gain time and avoiding overwhelming the health care system (and cemeteries), using the only experience and science-demonstrated tricks of physical distancing, hand washing and wearing home-made face masks. This is the best we have made so far. Add testing to identify infected persons, isolate them, trace and quarantine their contacts, especially at the earliest stages and we can rapidly single out the countries who have done this basic homework well, including Uruguay.
Reality has unfortunately, shown otherwise. The response has been slow, gradual, back-and-forth, contaminated by the political poisons of correctness and lack of adequate leadership. In the backdrop of a virtually vertical learning curve on how this virus behaves, many from-the-hip, simplistic explanations and theories have flooded the internet, from dubious sources, pseudo-scholars and overtly psychopathic personalities, shamefully from the medical field. “I’ve investigated this subject on the internet” is shouted at rallies, mass gatherings and protests.
Some of these protests unite incredible bedfellows like anti-vaxxers, ultra-nationalists, pandemic deniers, mixing together Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, George Soros, Warren Buffett, the WHO, the OECD in a New World Order conspiration determined to control human minds, bodies and society.
What was initially dubbed an ‘infodemic’ has gradually coalesced into anti-science, which is what people irrationally resort to when uncertainty and a stalled economy with its societal consequences is experienced as an existential threat. The pandemic has accelerated humanity to confronting many issues that have been dammed for decades and is clearly a menace to the political agendas of leaders who have, unfortunately, not only made the wrong decisions against the advice of experts, but have tragically succumbed to giving voice to the anti-science movement. Science is the only weapon we have as a species, to confront this biological threat. Denying its importance is simply, shooting ourselves in the foot.
A month or so ago, I posted on Facebook (www.facebook.com/JorgeC.Stanham) on the biblical story of Noah’s Ark (Genesis 6:5-8:22). Just read the passage with our modern, science-and-leadership-guided minds. The story’s framework is basically about humanity facing an existential natural threat. To reach a happy ending, it needed Noah’s leadership, the right technology to build the ark, the best meteorological information and ending with scientific experimentation, sending a bird out four times, until it was clearly safe to step down on dry land.
Our present plight is no different.
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BACK IN TIME by Tony [email protected]
The phone rang. “President Vicente Fox is coming to town and the Mexican Consulate wants an interpreter standing by, just in case. Are you interested?” Well, of course I said yes, I’d be delighted. So, on a chilly morning several years ago I put on my best suit and presented myself at the Four Seasons Hotel in Austin, Texas.
I was introduced to Colonel Palacios, who was with the President’s security team and was making sure every member of the press corps was thoroughly screened before entering the room where his boss would be having breakfast with local dignitaries. Reporters laid their cameras and tape recorders on the carpeted floor and stood back while two specialists and a German shepherd checked (and sniffed) the equipment extremely thoroughly.
The buzz of conversation was suddenly muted as the President and First Lady of Mexico came strolling through the crowd, holding hands. He is six foot five and carries his height elegantly. She is petite and lively. Smiling and nodding, they were ushered into the banquet area. I made eye contact with Colonel Palacios: should I accompany the President? He shook his head and I realized I was in for a long day of standing by.
After breakfast everyone bolted for the exits. The President was whisked out to his limousine and his entourage scrambled to get into the sixteen vehicles that would follow him everywhere he went. I was assigned to a black suburban and barely managed to clamber aboard before we were off. The motorcade had a police escort of fifty-two motorcycles, and we roared through town at high speed. The police raced ahead and stationed themselves at every intersection so that traffic lights wouldn’t slow us down. Through the windshield, I could see a ribbon of flashing red and blue lights disappearing into the distance. Riding in a presidential motorcade is a most exhilarating way to travel.
Our first stop was at the new Mexican Consulate where, with the smell of fresh paint still in the air and a marimba playing in the background, the President cut the ribbon and declared the offices open. He towered above everyone else, and yet when he shook hands with people and spoke to them, he seemed to be on their level. Throughout the day he never missed an opportunity to speak to the many Mexicans who thronged to see him, and his questions always seemed perfectly relevant to their situation: “Is your family receiving the money you send them?” “Are you able to work with dignity?” “A photograph? Of course, why not?”
From there we went to the Capitol, where the President met with the Governor of Texas and other elected officials, and they all huddled for a private meeting. Once again, the Colonel shook his head: no, he doesn’t need your services right now. So I stepped outside and joined some members of the presidential inner circle who were also standing by. One was a three-star general who oversaw all the logistical details of the President’s travel plans. The second was the presidential doctor (with his little black bag), and the third was in charge of protocol. Like me, these three had no specific job to perform right then, so we spent a very agreeable time chatting about nothing in particular.
Then there was the usual mad dash to get to the vehicles and we roared off back to the hotel for lunch. During the meal, President Fox addressed local business leaders, speaking in English as I stood idly by. He said that other countries were now challenging Mexico’s low-cost assembly plants for a slice of the American manufacturing pie, but cautioned that, “not everything that shines is gold.” If I’d been interpreting, I would have said “glitters” rather than “shines,” but that’s a minor quibble because his English was excellent. He also explained that Mexicans living in the United States were sending home fourteen billion dollars a year in remittances, contributing more to the Mexican economy than either oil or tourism revenues. By implication, the US economy was obviously reaping a substantial benefit from this demographic group as well, a point that was not lost on his Texan audience.
After lunch we adjourned to the LBJ Library for some public speeches and private conversations. By this time I was feeling quite comfortable in my role as one of the entourage, exchanging business cards and accepting invitations to visit Los Pinos, the Mexican presidential residence. And then it was time for the President to fly back to Mexico. He never needed me at all, but I really didn’t mind. I wouldn’t have missed the experience for anything.
Running with the Fox
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CHEF PHILLIP’S CORNER by Phillip Berzins [email protected]
Lancashire Hotpot
Lancashire hotpot is a stew originating from Lancashire in the North West of England. It consists of lamb, onions and potatoes cooked in a heavy earthenware pot on a low heat over a prolonged period.It was a popular dish during the industrial revolution, when Lancashire became the powerhouse of the textile industry. The cheap and easy to find ingredients, together with a long, slow cooking process requiring little attention meant that the workers could carry out their work duties while their lunch/dinner was taken care of. Hotpot is a favourite comfort food of mine, which takes me back to my childhood growing up on a farm in the Lake District. The meals at the local school in Grizebeck also regularly featured hotpot on its menu always accompanied with pickled red cabbage.Some versions add vegetables such as carrots, turnips or leeks. You can also change lamb for stewing beef, in which case it could be called a hotpot, but not a Lancashire hotpot.
Ingredients for four (4) portions
• 1.5 kg lamb cut from the forequarter: neck, shoulder, rib plate cut into 3 to 4 cm pieces. The bone may be left on – this helps improve the taste
• 20 ml vegetable oil for frying• 500 g thinly sliced onions• 30 g flour• Thyme – a few sprigs• 1 bay leaf• 1 small sprig of rosemary• 800 ml beef stock• 1 kg potatoes peeled and thinly sliced,
approximately 2mm thick• 80 g melted butter• Salt and freshly ground pepper corns
Preparation
Seal the lamb pieces in hot oil in a heavy-duty earthenware cooking pan. Remove and fry onions until lightly coloured. Add flour stirring to mix in well and cook for two minutes before adding hot beef stock while continually stirring. Return browned lamb to the pan and add the thyme, bay leaf and rosemary. Add the pepper and more salt if necessary.
Pour the melted butter over the sliced potatoes and season with salt, mix well, and layer neatly on top of the lamb and onion sauce. The sauce should partially cover the potatoes. Cover with lid or aluminium foil or greaseproof paper and cook for approximately two hours in a medium oven. Remove lid, brush the potatoes with remaining melted butter and return to a hot oven for around 20 minutes until the potatoes are well browned and crispy.
For any queries or questions, please contact me via e-mail at [email protected].
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SPEEDY CROSSWORD TIME! from The Guardianwww.theguardian.com
Across
1 Pontificate (6)4 Evade (5)7 Mellifluous (6)8 Group within a group (6)9 School payment(s), for example (4)10 Vague talk and empty promises (8)12 Subversive element working for theopposition (6,5)17 Curry dish — Avon lido (anag) (8)19 Weep copiously (4)20 Deodorant applicator (4-2)21 Heavily populated island in theGulf of Naples (6)22 Communal fund (5)23 Dangerous (6)
Down
1 Wise (7)2 Prominent cubist (7)3 Feline cry (9)4 Uncertainty (5)5 Areas like the Sahara (7)6 Lure (6)11 Like Emperor Haile Selassie? (9)13 Curl of hair (7)14 1938 novel, starting: ‘Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again’ (7)15 Well read (7)16 Czech composer, d. 1904 (6)18 Kind of aunt? (5)
Print this page and start playing! Solution in the next Contact issue.
May solution:
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DILBERT by Scott Adams
LINK OF THE MONTH
Click HERE to visit the Website
The English language ‘laws’ you never knew you knew
The English language has no government, but sometimes, you’ll come across an odd ‘law’ that has been passed on from generation to generation, and most of us use them.
Lexicographer, etymologist and broadcaster Susie Dent looks into these linguistic quirks.